How, step by step, can a high school graduate with three children "rise above" their circumstances?

I agree with others on Quora who said this is a tough situation. I’ll offer something others did not: don’t have anymore children. Your religion may eschew that option -- and in my view we shouldn’t have children we cannot take care of.

That would be my first step. Second step would be to get family help in watching the kids; you may already have some of that. Lean on family to help with the children while you add to your education/employability skills. Third, select a trade that pays well—masonry, electrician, auto mechanic, etc. —and go to a two year school part time to get certified. Your income after that will jump. Continue working while you finish your studies.

My goal would be to get off government support—and my personal value is and was to become self-reliant. Fourth, stay away from alcohol and drugs. Keep your mind and goals clear and visible. Fifth, play soccer with your kids for 30–60 minutes a day to keep up your exercise and add bonding. If they are old enough to walk. Sixth, keep a strict budget—tight now, to ease up later.

So, step by step:

1. Stop having children. One shouldn’t have children one cannot care for religion notwithstanding. Learn to live Inside-Out not Outside-In (letting others tell you what you can and cannot do).
2. Lean on family to watch the kids for work and further education for next 2–3 years. Let them know it’s not forever.
3. Select a well-paying trade that you will enjoy. Get a two year associates degree in that trade. Nursing is a good one also and in high demand. Very few unemployed nurses. But welding, masonry, carpentry, etc. What’s your pleasure? Select a professional purpose in life. Do you want to spend your life building beautiful buildings? Helping the sick? Making automobiles run better and ensuring others’ transportation? CREATE your professional life’s purpose. Mine was, from growing up poor and having three last names, “to help people find themselves.” Which after retiring, I continue to do here on Quora and elsewhere.
4. Stay away from expensive diversions and pitfalls like alcohol, drugs, expensive electronics, concerts, etc.
5. Play football with your kids for 15–30 minutes a day as soon as they can walk. Exercise for you and them and bonding time.
6. Make a strict budget and stick to it. Hard at first. List all expenses and keep track of how much you spend on each category. I have binders full of my expenses all the way through college down to the dollar. Don’t spend what you don’t have. GOAL: get off of government aid and become self-reliant.
7. Read to your children for 15 minutes every night. Children at first grade who have been read to have a 10,000 word vocabulary advantage over those who weren’t. Read to them out loud— your nursing or masonry homework or newspaper or magazine if nothing else. It will get easier—only 15 minutes.
8. Shop at Goodwill or the local equivalent. Lots of good stuff dirt cheap. Better than shopping at Walmart even.

You are in a tough situation. With determination and help from family and local agencies, you can make it—meaning becoming self-reliant. IF you select a purpose that you like, set reasonable goals, and begin, your skills will grow, you’ll begin to feel “flow,” and you can rise above the current situation. Won’t be easy, but much easier IF you have a purpose and clear goals. What do you want?

I wish you the best.