Gen Z Daughter Shares 5 Things Her Dad Was Told While Growing Up Poor That Inspired Her To Do Something Big With Her Life
Not only did he survive his childhood, he set his family up to thrive in adulthood.
fizkes | Shutterstock After inspiring an entirely new generation of young girls to become scientists, STEM enthusiasts, and astronauts, Emily Calandrelli — known as @thespacegal on TikTok — turned the tables to thank her own inspiration in life: her dad.
Having grown up in poverty, she explained that her dad wasn’t afforded many of the luxuries she had growing up — from the freedom of time to a band instrument in middle school. Those meager beginnings fueled a desire for more and, in turn, inspired Calandrelli to shoot for the stars.
The 5 things this Gen Zer’s dad was told while growing up poor that inspired her to ‘do something bigger’ with her life:
In sharing anecdotes about his past with his daughter, he taught her important life lessons.
“I want to go back and hug that little boy who came from nothing,” Calandrelli shared about her dad, “and tell him we reach the stars.”
1. ‘I’m sorry, we can’t afford cereal.’
For many families living in low-income communities today, food insecurity is a real struggle. USDA statistics indicate that 18 million households experienced food insecurity at some point during 2023.
Many people navigate their lives without thinking about how privileged they are to have a fridge stocked with food and a pantry overflowing with dry goods.
Calandrelli applauded the fact that through what she referenced as “Appalachian hardships,” her father never harbored resentment. He trudged forward and crafted a new life with his wife from the ground up. He, as his appreciative daughter described, “crafted her launch pad from scratch.”
2. ‘You’ll need to walk; we can’t afford a car.’
Her dad never grew up in a household with a car — something many take for granted. He walked everywhere.
“It’s so healing when parents who were told ‘we can’t’ as children are able to tell their own kids ‘ we can,’” one commenter admitted. “He broke those patterns of poverty. What a resilient and wonderful person.”
ambermb | Canva Pro
While Calandrelli's father has an inspirational story, the reality of his childhood was likely more difficult than anyone could truly imagine.
It’s about more than surviving — many people who grew up in poverty survived but were never able to build a healthy foundation for success in adulthood by themselves. But this woman’s father did — and was able to inspire her to build something bigger.
3. ‘Thank you for taking the 5 a.m. paper route; we need the money.’
Children working and contributing to household expenses isn't something most families consider, but it can be a common practice in impoverished communities. With parents already strapped for free time — often working 2 to 3 jobs to pay bills and provide for their families — their children pitch in to provide what they can.
Instead of making connections and friends, building a community through extracurricular activities, indulging in hobbies, or doing their homework at home, they bear a partial burden of their family’s financial hardships.
imtmphoto / Shutterstock.com
Despite those unsettling realities for many children, this dad made it through — and now his childhood is a solemn (yet humbling) reminder of all the work he’s done to craft a new life. Inspiring for his daughter, he gets to watch the fruit of his childhood determination blossom — free of financial hardship and with plenty of space for passion, love, hobbies, and creativity.
4. ‘You can’t join the band if you can’t afford the drum.’
Calandrelli said her dad never had the chance to develop hobbies or passions early in life.
That was a completely different reality from the one that her dad crafted for her own childhood. Her childhood, filled with promise and room for exploration, inspired her love for STEM and space — and set a great foundation for her educational journey of astrophysics and her accomplishments now heading into space.
“I published 9 science books with girls in mind and co-created "Emily’s Wonder Lab" — which helps to inspire the next generation of scientists. Now, I’ll become one of the first 100 women in space.”
5. ‘You’re the first college graduate in the family.’
Her dad’s educational journey into adulthood was equally inspirational — reminding her that he set himself up to thrive by persevering through the most tumultuous situations.
Being a first-generation college student is inspiring on its own, but finding financial and professional success in addition is like winning the lottery. Statistically, first-generation college students struggle much more with finances than their peers whose parents held college degrees.
“Thank you for inspiring me to become an astronaut,” Calandrelli said. “I’m so incredibly lucky.”
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.