Unequal childhoods: class, race, and family life

Unequal Childhoods

The social and political structure that people live within -- both poor people and people who are affluent -- provides whatever social capital there is available. For low-income parents, struggling to survive, they don't elicit ideas and attitudes from their children; parenting to them is more like telling their kids what to do. Twelve families were observed and interviewed for this book, white and black families of various socioeconomic standing.

Social capital implies a sense of trust between individuals, institutions that offer foundations for citizens, and a sense of shared values; the Lower Richmond school is under-funded and understaffed; good teachers are underpaid; and a district bureaucracy is balky. Swan School is well funded and parents are very involved, unlike Lower Richmond parents, but teachers at both schools care very much and both try believe parenting should involve leadership.

Middle class families (like the Tallingers): a) take time off for their children's school activities; b) tightly scheduled sporting activities are supported by parents (piano, soccer, tennis, basketball); c) but myriad activities take a toll on parents; d) expect mom to do the work at home, bring home money from her job, mostly raise the children -- it takes a physical toll.

Chapter 4: Some social capital is earned in working class and poor families because parents and children spend more time together; children learn how to organize their own time. Ms. Taylor is a disciplinarian; kids do as they are told; in middle class families parents often select outside activities but in poorer families the children tell parents what they wish to do (77).

Chapter 5: Poor children are apt to learn "constraint" because they are not trained to view themselves as "special and worthy." The Brindle family counts on food stamps and has no car; everything the Brindle family does is harder to do, farther to get to, and involves more effort.

Chapter 6: The Williams family is wealthy and Alex, an only child, gets to be involved in many activities and articulates his own opinions because "reasoning is & #8230;the mainstay of discipline and guidance" for middle class families. Unlike children in poor families, children are made to feel special in middle class families (good parenting and achievement of social capital).

Chapter 7: Language is a kind of ticket to social capital for families. For the poor McAllister family, the mom uses "short, clear directives" and expects "prompt, respectful compliance." Harold, a 4th-grader, doesn't develop mature adult skills in language but knows how to entertain himself; language is not for "cultivating reasoning skills" or for developing new ideas; it's for the practical tasks getting through daily life. it's aspect of social capital: survival.

Chapter 8: Children of middle class parents (like the Marshall family) can freely express themselves without worry of being punished; children of low income families usually are told what to do and only say what won't get them into trouble. Skills are passed along to children through parents' "overseeing, criticizing, and intervening in [children's] institutional lives.

Chapter 9: Not much social capital is achieved in the Handlons' home as mother and daughter battle over Melanie's homework; Ms. And Mr. Handlon both complain about homework and how long it takes (and the fights it creates); but it seems the family is making it more difficult than it should be; Melanie may have a learning disability but the family is in denial.

Chapter 10: Wendy's mother in a working class family doesn't work with Wendy to develop language; and there is no attempt to have Wendy tested for learning problems. Her mother does whatever the teacher suggests; her mother's language skills are sketchy and hence she is not helpful to her daughter. Whatever social capital Wendy will get from school will be because she did it herself.

Chapter 11: Parenting by Little Billy's mom and dad is very poor; they encourage him to hit other kids (against school rules); he is severely punished at home ("directives and physical punishment) without being reasoned with. "He needs to be beat," his father said. This is the kind of kid who might wind up in a prison. His social capital is going to be negligible because his parents are clueless about culture and social standards.