How do I tell my family about the layoff? (update)

My spouse does not know yet that I was let go as a teaching assistant. I am in Toledo, in case local advice matters. Bills are coming up and I cannot keep this quiet.

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 8 months ago, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

Shame is common after a layoff even when it is not your fault. Saying it out loud to one person first helped me.