Stephanie Land's memoir about her early struggles to make a life for her and her daughter was a challenging and conflicting read for me. This story is just a microcosm of the myriad of challenges that those affected by poverty feel on a daily basis. Lack of significant and consistent work combined with the lack of affordable housing is a potentially deadly combination. All of this combined with an unsupportive family structure will perpetuate challenges beyond one's control. I admire Stephanie's tenacity to use everything at her disposal to provide her family with a better life even when it was significantly challenging.

I have a hard time making judgements on other's decision making because there are so many factors at play. As a parent though, I noticed a tendency for Land to overlay her own feelings/emotions on her daughter. Likely a normal approach to trauma, it really assumed a lot about how a <3 year old processes the world around her. Again, without knowing the entirety of the situation, I'm hesitant to make firm conclusions.

Overall, this is a good reminder that family is worth fighting for (regardless of the cost).