How A Stay-At-Home Mom Overcame Poverty After Divorce: 'Always Bave A Backup Plan' | TODAY

"After 13 years of marriage, four kids, a house in the suburbs, my husband left. My world just changed literally overnight." Mom Jennifer Ball explains how she and her kids survived.
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How A Stay-At-Home Mom Overcame Poverty After Divorce: 'Always Bave A Backup Plan' | TODAY

[@CrystalReneeMusic]

Ladies, Never Ever EEEEEeever be Completely Financially Dependent on anyone but yourself. Ppl change in marriages, and will divorce you. Always be able to somehow provide for yourself. No one will have your back like you.

[@mday4183]

😔

[@jesusdavila3142]

I learned this the hard way 😔 that’s what falling in love does. I regret it every day. Now I have 4 babies that I have to figure out things with when I’m completely broken.

[@gutiesl4375]

True but even when a mother works its still tough to make it with a single income

[@hughjassol2072]

There’s nothing more powerful than a single mother working and raising kids. There’s nothing weaker than a women who depends on a man.

[@CozyQueen_]

Life happens. No one can have it all together all the time. When I got pregnant I got very sick with hyperemesis gravidarum and couldn’t work. So it’s nice to think you’ll always be prepared to take care of yourself but everyone needs someone sometimes. Men who do this are awful. The discard is painful.

[@coralrain6332]

I’m in this situation. I’m embarrassed

[@ebonyboop2770]

Coral Rain be strong

[@Chefgrlangel]

Do not be embarrassed. You do what you have to for your family. I hope you're doing well now 💗

[@VEE2009cra]

Same here. I'm scared

[@ayintovah3132]

Seek God you will be fine

[@claudiavega3381]

This is so raw. People can change even if they have been the same loving person for ten years, they can wake up one day and screw another person's life.

[@Hana-wr4rg]

Yes! And they would have no remorse ! Especially with a narcissist..

[@leahingraham5509]

​@@Hana-wr4rgYes spot on.. my situation

[@lexiepickles9153]

I have SEVERE anxiety can barely drive and take medicine. How will I survive this. Haven’t worked since I was 17. I’m 29 with 4 kids now. I’m at a lost!

[@Roshawnashining]

Start small don’t try to start full time look for part time take advantage of the resources in your area job readiness childcare trainings anything offered to help women and children I’ve seen women in bad situations by using these programs and applying themselves in order to turn their situation around how do you do it you don’t quit you keep going and you tell yourself this is temporary because it is. Best of luck to you and your babies I’m rooting for you. You got this!!!

[@Bookiespace]

I'm so sorry you're going through all these feelings.

[@ottybb]

Thanks for the empowerment messages. I’m going thu the same with 3 kids. God Blessed you and your family.

[@4_4_4..]

You can't imagine how much this was helpful. Sending prayers and love 💚

[@tahirahmed1776]

First of all before saying anything just stand up for this woman from your seats because she faced troubles because she was a mom of 4 kids after leaving her husband as to become just a mom is nature's toughest and painful process through which she has to pass and then to raise kids is another big duty which naturally she do's without any pain this is what Mom is........Poverty is nothing if you want you can rule this world and you ruled our hearts.......God bless you and we love and respect you a lot....

[@GemyniMoodJuice]

She didn't leave her husband, he left HER. I don't feel sorry for her at all. She is dumb to believe ANY man will not cheat and leave at some point. Forever is the illusion! She should have had a plan B from Day 1!

[@raquel8493]

@@GemyniMoodJuice Because the gap pay between men vs. women is large then many families see fit that the lower salary partner in this case the woman should stay home to take care for the kids to save money with childcare. I am not a mother but growing up I saw my mom take care of me and my siblings and that is a full time job plus overtime without getting paid.

[@ellehunni]

😢wow , I'm glad to see what life is like after. Literally terrified. I'm so happy for you and your babies even though this video is old its helping women like me years later. I wish everyone reading this and going through it blessings and luck, love light and hugs. It's scary and it's hard but eventually everything will get better.❤

[@gansukh2008ify]

I am proud of u🤗 super women

[@ashleydonohoe7941]

Society needs to change their views on the stay at home parent and stop blaming them. Child care is so expensive in America. If two parents worked most of one paycheck is towards paying the sitter, now imagine a single parent working. Finding balance between paying the bills and the sitter at times their whole paycheck is gone in a day. I have been a single working parent, I have been a stay at home mom both have challenges. Currently my husband works and I stay home with the children. Which works perfectly for our needs because due to covid-19 my daughter is virtually doing school. Also you have to be careful about who to watch your children. Even the certificated care givers can be pedophiles. And granted there are some awesome sitters who are loving and great to kids. America is very different now then back then.

[@dt4654]

well, it is not like there was no consequences of being a sahp despite divorce possibly forcing them to work, right? 💀 they knew this could happen.

[@nothumanff5900]

Well well law is for women no equality their. Women .After divorce men lose his children his job his half savings half emi ,half insurance,half apartment,childsupport fee,.And some if they are average or below average they can lost every thing.Even women who wanted divorce for selfishness.The law should support men also women have no right to men property because men have no right in women’s property that’s it 😼

[@ashleydonohoe7941]

Sometimes men are granted custody other times women are granted custody. In most cases if both parties disagree on who gets what belongings they would have to go to court with lawyers. I was just giving my personal story. Everyone has different experiences and stories to tell.

[@nothumanff5900]

@@ashleydonohoe7941 ya and in my opinion if the reason of the divorce is women if she cheated the husband she doesn’t deserves husbands property and money atleast that’s what indian law

[@hughjassol2072]

You need to go to the School of Single mothers. Women are strong and have proven they don’t need a man to take care of them. Anyone women who is still walking around needing a man to take care of her and the kids is stuck in 1950. No one cares. Be a mother and get that work done, figure it out like women have been doing for decades.

[@AxelSituation]

I hope all the stay at home mothers are watching this....this could be you.

[@imaamericangirl1406]

Gee thanks.

[@Chefgrlangel]

Well that's uplifting... Some of us have faith in our husbands

[@Diamond-xl1vs]

Angel A. You can have faith and save money and invest

[@Chefgrlangel]

@Diamond 7 I encourage that. Have a small amount of the pay check go to into a savings account, both names on the house, own a car, have life insurance, these are things all housewives need to do but a shout out to sahm's that this situation could be you seems insulting to good husbands.

[@Chefgrlangel]

@chuck wood I don't know what you're referring, to this convo isn't about stealing. Regardless lumping all women or causes of divorce together is almost always going to be inaccurate

[@brandiphillips8157]

It doesn't matter what the story is, there will be men in the comments crying about how the man is probably the victim. UGH makes me sick

[@av201]

Confused...how did she end up creating a job? All they mentioned was an extremely part time job at the kids school...not enough to aupport anyone!

[@ecclairmayo4153]

They said her part time job turned into a full time job snd she eventually got on her feet

[@thesweetandsourlifeofgenny]

How could he not have to pay child support???

[@AxelSituation]

It happens all. the. time. Or he shoves all his money in his new girlfriends bank account and claims zero. Just as she said in this video.

[@FindingCreatures]

Imagine if the man was the stay-at-home he would not get remorse even though he'd get nothing if not paying the wife.

[@Chefgrlangel]

chuck wood you just sound bitter and that stat is bs.

[@FindingCreatures]

M S since when was this true? They wouldn’t even make video about it

[@FindingCreatures]

M S thank you

[@redrier5363]

It's been 20 years since my divorce. I am now elderly. I have never been able to recover. I left my marriage after he divorced me with nothing. I too was the caregiver for 25 years. He found a girlfriend, and left me financially destitute. I got no alimony, no child support and he had my car repossessed. I ended up homeless. He went back home to his mother's house, she gave him a car and he lived rent free for the past 20 years. While I have worked low paying jobs for the past 20 years struggling on my own. I have wanted to just give up so many times. Now I am old and have no fight left in me. I was not able to get any kind of financial assistance from the governement because I worked and always made just that little bit too much but never enough. Glad your story worked out. And yes you are lucky. God Bless You! I have nothing left in me.

[@ashleyg4542]

😢

[@mindy212212]

She's beautifully resilient.

[@leahingraham5509]

This is my story. Its really hard but God wont fail me.

[@erinafortin4506]

So where do we start?

[@spetznazxt]

Before becoming a SAHM make sure that you have a fixed deposit of at least 50K it will help

[@angelined9814]

This wa sgreat. Finally a relatable honest testimonial.

[@jami5480]

This is sooooo wrong. People need to change the laws

[@mikethemechanic7395]

Married 17 together 23. We both work. You don’t need to stay at home when the kids start school. It’s bad for marriages. When you divorce. And you are a stay at home mom. You loose a lot. I have known many who lost the house and no me wanted to hire these woman for not being in the workforce. Don’t do it!

[@ArronAlejandroPhilip]

Typo in the title

[@happilieverholli9994]

How did he get to decide no more payments???

[@nechaniamatroos6543]

Omg I'm just dying 😭 you know way I live if my husband he does everything he doesn't give me any allowance or anything just money for food so I don't get anything nothing I cant even ask for money because he neva has even for clothes for the kinders im is a very bad space i need to leave or divorce him but how wil I support 2 of his kids I can in the marriage with my son he was 3 at the time he is 15 now he doesn't really care about him only if my boy does things for him I can leave and go back him because my son is on a scholarship and leaving means he will lose everything.

[@CDN1975]

How did he get it reduced to zero. So wrong.

[@sugargold4126]

What did she do????

[@FindingCreatures]

Imagine how a man would feel if he was the stay at home father, having to pay child support and no spousal support on top of having no income. At least she doesn't have to pay anything.

[@FindingCreatures]

​@Nikki E. that is a serious misconception.

[@nothumanff5900]

Ya law is against men women doesn’t deserves men property after divorce,ok to give child support if mother is looking after the child

[@raquel8493]

@@nothumanff5900 You need a lot to grow up. The law protects men too if this role was reversed.

[@user-it8kw3wy2y]

He should support his children just like she should if roles were reversed

[@youtuber-vb7qi]

Music is annoying

[@nothumanff5900]

actually who owns the house and who is paying for these paycheak.Wife are some kind of rental property ?? Men are forced to pay and give them his property after divorce it’ totally sucks .Ok she deserves child support money.But it’s sucks hard working men should end up in street after the divorce law is only for women they get half men property and money and child support and house ,children etc .. what men get loss half of his all,losing Job end up in streets no one to take care.

[@raquel8493]

He walked out of the house.

[@hughjassol2072]

I don’t cheer people who do their job. She is an adult and a mother. She has two jobs in life. Take care of herself and her children. Idk what happened with the dad, but they way the courts work, he must have lost his job.

[@isabeltorres2138]

🙄

[@Vanessa-jr2mb]

Needed this thank you 🥹