Monday, October 18, 2010

Class Differences in What Satisfies Parents Most

Margaret Nelson, in Parenting Out of Control, found an interesting class difference in what gives different parents their deepest satisfaction.

Middle class and working class parents take the most satisfaction in their children's accomplishments.

Professional class parents take the most satisfaction in their close relationship with their children.

2 comments:

Kelly said...

Do you think professional parents take their kid's achievements as more of a given?

Gruntled said...

Nelson thinks the professional class "helicopter parents" put their investment in their children as the highest priority in their lives - the relationship trumps what either kids or parents do outside it.

Speaking personally, it seems not quite just to take personal pride in achievements that my children made themselves.