No you are not wrong!
I have taken a loan off my cousin so I can by xmas pressies and you know what my 11 yr old son is only having a few things.
Xmas is about kids and if the church could help me I would ask!
I have bought some pressies from a charity shop.
You have separated and now its xmas... its hard enough without worriyng about money.
I think it takes a brave woman to admit you need help
So head held up please!!!

Are you wrong?? Hell no! You're a parent who is thinking of your daughter. It is those you work with that are wrong and disgraceful.

hmmm, if you are spending your money on a fabulous vacation, therefore you don't have enough left over for your daughter....then yes, you'd be wrong. That's not the case here though, and it takes a lot of strength sometimes to ask for help and swallow your pride for your kid's sake. I would rethink how much to share with work colleagues though. Especially if they are young with no kiddos, or have lived a privileged life- they just have no clue sometimes. (((hugs)))

You're a loving mother who wants to provide for her child....asking for help is NEVER EVER WRONG....I applaud you! I wish we had emoticons on here...LOL.

May I make a suggestion, cmshinn? Do not share with your co-workers what you are going through in your personal life. And do not share about your finances. My experience is that they will eventually use this information against you, and that is going to hurt you very much. It is astonishing how low some people will go. I know it's tempting to want to tell everyone, and that is a mistake I made. And it really did end up hurting me.

I agree with Perennial. Keep your business personal. Share with God, a counselor, and a true, true friend...never coworkers.

She's 12?

Tell them your daughter's size and color preference, and ask for one new outfit for her. Girls that age will all walk into school the day after vacation all wearing new things.

Everyone needs help in their lifetime and there is no shame in that. You take the help now and then pay it forward when you can. That's just how it goes.

Screw those snotty nosed people. They are not your friends if they do that to you. They may be in the same boat some day - you never know.

Don't feel bad at all. (Hugs)

Not at all. You have not asked for anything extravagant! Sorry people at work are not understanding at all. We are here for you! And glad that you are getting things your daughter needs. There are some good people out there, and when you are back on your feet, you will be passing it on and helping someone else.

How dare people make you feel like you were wrong to do that!

I belong to a church who do things like that, and I love the fact that I am able to bring a little Christmas cheer to someone less fortunate than me, no matter what put them into a situation like that.

Good for asking for help! You have given someone else the gift of being able to share their good fortune with you this Christmas!!
I admire you the courage to ask for help, it is not easy to admit that you need help. So I admire you for that!!

Thank you everyone for your kind words. I'm in tears (of relief - joy etc.) to have the opportunity of receiving such words of wisdom and comfort from each and everyone of you. I barely slept last night because I felt so bad. But now I can hold my head up high and know that I've done the right thing.

For many years I have been the one to donate to all of my co-workers charities - I always donate to the local churches (including the one that offered to help me this year) - I have participated in "adopt a family" programs and donated presents to "Christmas Angels" on trees at the Banks. With that said - I am a good person and how dare they brake me down when I'm already as low as I can be.

I am so blessed to have found this forum and blessed to be apart of such a loving group of people.

Once again - Thank you!!!!

Are you kidding?????????? Wrong for asking for help for your child????????? Who are these people you work with?

Not at all! And even if you DID ask for a laptop...sometimes we really just need help.