Bringing the Great Depression to Life Through Our Stomachs

My son's middle school has a great social studies curriculum. The teachers really get into their subject and have created many ways for the students to experience as much of what they are learning as possible. As a former social studies teacher myself, I LOVE what I hear about them.

Yesterday, Fred came home and reported that he has a project to complete about the Great Depression. We have to go shopping and cook dinner for the five of us with $4.00. Including tax. We're only allowed to eat from the $4.00. No dessert or snacks later in the evening.

Now I realize from many of the blogs I read that this is entirely possible. I think??? I know people all over the world survive on much much less. But have you met my family? Specifically our father figure. Do you know the size and metabolism of my husband, Hon? He comes home eats a pre-dinner snack, a large dinner with extra helpings, lets that settle for half and hour, probably another snack of cheese and crackers, followed by a little dessert before he snoozes. His astounding appetite is well known in our family and among close friends. Like I said; he's very tall and has a high metabolism. We do not save money on our grocery bill. I am rarely instructed to curb spending at the grocery store. When I try to he whines and thinks I'm starving him.

Fred and I were discussing this last night as I was saying good night to him in his bedroom. Hon had just climbed into bed himself. Fred restated that there would be no snacking or dessert. Then we thought of Hon. We both dissolved into tears of laughter. Immediately Fred yelled,

"Hey Dad, come here!"

"NO! I just got in bed"

"Really Dad, just come here a minute. I have to tell you something. Pleeaassee."

"Humph!" Stomp, stomp, stomp as he walks the 10 feet to our son's room. You would have thought we'd asked him to take out the trash in his underwear in a snowstorm. We simply laughed much harder.

"Dad, we have to do this project for social studies. Our family has to eat dinner for $4.00. The only food we're allowed to eat that night has to come from that $4.00. I'm thinking hot dogs. Mom thinks lots of rice. And..."

"Well, that's not going to happen."

At this point Fred and I are gasping for breath through laughter. You had to see Hon's face. He kept looking at me as if I would tell him it's not true. Finally he just started laughing himself. That kind of nervous laughter, he was laughing along with us, but it really wasn't funny to him.

"And Dad, you're not allowed to eat anything else."

"Well I'm sure you can eat stuff we already have right. Right? We'll already have food in our house." More looks to me to save him.

"No, Dad you just have to eat from the $4.00."

"What class is this for? Who's this teacher?"

"Dad, it's for a grade. We have to do it by the 25th."

"Well, you let me know what day we're doing it so I can eat a really big lunch. And maybe I'll cruise through a drive thru on the way home."

With a disgusted look Hon stomped back to bed. Fred and I dissolved in giggles. We should invite his teacher over to laugh with us. On the other hand, maybe not. I'm pretty sure Hon will insist the kids go to bed at 7:30, so he can break out his regular snacks.