Friday, January 25, 2008

Privilege

This entry is copied directly from my daughter's blog and then edited to match my life story.

This is an interesting look into privilege and childhood. I'd say its pretty obvious I came from a highly privileged family. Not necessarily a great deal of money (but we were comfortable and wanted for nothing we needed). Education was the most important thing going! My father had to quit High School to support his mother and never went back. But he was so skilled with numbers that he always had good employment. My mother had a Masters Degree in Education. And my Grandmother, my Mother's mother born in 1872 had an teaching degree.

Bold the true statements:
1. Father went to college.
2. Father finished college.
3. Mother went to college.
4. Mother finished college.
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home.
9. Were read children’s books by a parent.
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18.

11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18.
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively. (I don't really know what this means)
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs.

16. Went to a private high school.
17. Went to summer camp.
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18.
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
. (or made new by my mother and grandmother)
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them.
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child.
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house.

24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home.

25. You had your own room as a child.
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18.
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course. (there was no such thing as SAT/ACT)
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school. (I had my own record player, now we are showing the age difference here.)
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college.
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16.
31. Went on a cruise with your family.
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family.
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up.
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family.

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