Single Father trying to keep his head above water.

Hi my Name is Damon and I am a single father of two boys one is a happy healthy ten year old boy who loves video games, anime and basketball. my other son is a 28 year old man with special needs. I currently work for our local school board as an Educational Assistant. My job is rewarding but challenging; as I work with students they are at risk. We are grossly underpaid for work. After my separation I have been in a financial crisis with no end sight.

Every day feels like a balancing act, juggling work, parenting and finances.The weight of each month's bills presses down on me more and more. I live cheque to cheque, and have to rob Peter to pay Paul sometimes. The Joy of seeing my child smile doesn't always drown out the worry of whether I can pay for the essentials or afford an extra expense that my pop up. My rent is $2000 dollors a month. My utility cost suck the rest of my pay. I barely have enough for groceries. My older son needs maintenance for his wheelchair, special clothing for adults. my youngest needs clothes and other essentials as well. I feel like I am failing them.

Most people in the educational field look forward for the summer holidays, I dread it. Being an Educational assistant we get laid off in the summertime. I like many others in my field have to rely on Unemployment insurance. E.I is not enough.It may cover rent and some groceries, but forget paying the bills. Forget little extras like taking your children anywhere that has an admission. while I can find some activities for free, my creativity for summer activities only goes far. When summer is over, I go back to work waiting for my first full pay so I can take care of overdue bills.

I never thought I would be in this situation, I have always found a way to make ends meet . However, prices for housing, utilities, and food have gone up and our pay stays the same. I try to cut costs but it's not enough. I need help.

Thanks for listening.

Warm regards

Damon