Before I started middle school my parents were broke as fuck. A family disaster moved us back to VA a few years earlier and we just weren't doing awesome. Dad was working overtime all the time and my mom was constantly sick and out of work. As middle school approached, I became

worried that I was gonna start 7th grade with the same kiddie clothes I wore to elementary school, and my parents had nothing in the budget beyond individual replacements (some used jeans, maybe new shoes, and occasional new shirts). My aunt came to town shortly before I started,

took me to the mall, and bought me shirts, shoes, nice pants, a hoodie, and little things to make me feel more grown up and less self conscious. Looking back it was probably a full $150 or so (in the 90s). I still had plenty of image and self conscious issues throughout middle &

high school, but starting off middle school and not feeling like everyone knew I was the poor kid from my clothes (whether that's valid or not), made a huge difference to me. It only just now struck me that not everyone has a cool aunt or uncle with disposable income. So as we

get ready for a return to the school year in much of the country, consider your neices/nephews, or your friends kids, who might have parents that can't quite afford what they need. As your able, maybe take them out to the mall or sit down with them behind a laptop and order them

some fresh duds. I'm beyond thankful I can provide what my kids need and we haven't run into this since they were little, but I vividly recall the hurt and anxiety over having to wear highwater jeans and hand me down adult t-shirts when we couldn't buy new. Help a kid out.