Differences between wc & mc childhoods these days?

[Christmascarolle]

In response to the thread about the op feeling she missed out on a lot of mc activities during her childhood.
How much has changed & has the wc/mc childhood gap closed somewhat?
I can imagine the gap between mc & umc is far greater than wc & mc.

Even Asda sell Hummus and Avocados these days.

These posts about child poverty are heartbreaking. The last 13 years of Tory rule have seen utter deprivation for so many and many many more families falling into poverty with food banks becoming completely necessary for them to eat. It’s an absolute disgrace and I will remember that next time I vote.

@Ibizabar

No, I didn't say it was typical of working class families. I suppose I didn't really answer the OP's question. So to phrase it better: I think there is less of a distinction between MC/WC families than there is between families living in abject poverty. I would not describe these families as working class- often parents with serious health needs, disability, language barrier etc.

Vegetable curry was a staple when we were struggling!

I am a professional from a professional family. However I’m a single parent so my dcs are somewhat limited by my sole income.
Both dds danced from age 3 (one still does ballet and tap.)
Ds plays football.
However we don’t have holidays abroad and I read the Daily Mirror.
Oldest Dd is at university but I get some universal credit. I don’t care what class I belong to. It’s not as easy for people to classify these days.

And when they're talking about WC, they are actually talking about the TV programme Shameless, as if it was a documentary.

@FoodieToo
Look now, have you never heard of SoCoDo? RO'CK??
(PS I'm foreign so it's all live anthropology to me:)

I don't necessarily think this is true. I'm MC and was brought up on convenience food.

My DH was very working class (was shocked when I met his family - they all live within a street of eachother, and always have, mainly in council houses) and his diet was incredibly varied. Basically only home cooked, non processed food.

So I think what you've said is a bit of a stereotype tbh

I don’t even know the difference. Is it income bracket or professional skills/education that differentiates the two?

Also if one partner is MC (as in senior managerial) and one is more of a dumbarse. Does that make the family MC?

Food is a class issue in the UK. Its why poverty and obesity are so closely linked.

My dc attend a diverse school with a huge mix of nationalities, wc & mc (no umc). I get the impression some of the mc mums are quite competitive & certainly don't like the kids the consider wc (my little darlings) outperforming their middle class sprogs!

Agreed.

@Its5656 I started this thread as I found the thread underneath interesting & wondered if childhoods have evolved much since then. There is a big difference between wc & families who are poverty stricken & that's an entirely different thread for obvious reasons.

DH is from a much more stereotypically ‘working-class’ background than me, one thing different to me (and most of the more ‘MC’ friends and people I know) is he has grown-up with a lot more people and family around him. As well as siblings he seems to have lots of cousins, aunts, uncle s etc. All very close, always a busy house. My family was a lot more insular and quiet, most of my friends have one sibling, aren’t overly close with grandparents and especially not aunts/uncles/cousins.

Me and DH are in our 30s so childhood wasn’t a million years ago.

I come from an educated family (both parents attended uni, as did I). Both parents had respectable professional jobs, as do I. I suppose on paper I’m middle class.

However, my mother was a single mother and my dad was an alcoholic who didn’t contribute, causing financial difficulties for my mother. Nevertheless, my mum seemed to be able to afford childcare/extra curricular activities/holidays for me as a child, whereas I cannot afford the same for my child (I’m also a recent SM). Objectively, I’m on a similar income to what my mother was on for the time, but I’m sat here wondering how on Earth I’m going to buy my son Xmas presents this year.

I work hard (50 hrs a week) and I needed a degree to get my job- but work doesn’t seem to pay. I’m not sure what class is anymore, but I don’t think it’s to do with money. I would do lots of different things with my son if I had the choice, if I had the finances.

In my experience and from reading on here, I feel that wc parents seem to be more shouty and come across as more aggressive in the way they talk to and handle their children but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing - actual abuse notwithstanding, obviously - and any worse than the gentle parenting type thing I hear from mc parents.

MC kids seem to have a never-ending timetable of activities and chores and lessons to do and sometimes seem to never get any unstructured time to just be. WC kids seem to be the exact opposite. The sweet spot is probably in the middle.

WC parents seem to just get on with it and muddle through as best they can with what they have and the support of their family, friends and neighbours whereas MC parents, from reading in here at least, seem to do a lot of hand-wringing about the smallest and most insignificant things and worry more about keeping up appearances.

MC kids are not smarter or more intelligent but are more likely get on at school and then go on to get better exam results. WC parents don't seem to value (or don't have the time and/or money or the knowledge needed to be able to help and support their kids' learning.

I live in a very poor, working class area. Grew up WC. Just scrape into the LMC now.

My observation is that MC families seem to be oriented outwards, towards the wider world.
So things like trips away, travelling to and from extra curricular activities, educational visits to places. Relatives and friends living in other towns or possibly other countries.

WC families seem to be oriented inwards towards the home and the immediate neighbourhood.

Partly because there's less money to go places.

But also because they may experience the neighbourhood more richly. Family and friends may live near by. Neighbours may be well known since childhood. Kids play out.

By contrast, MC people seem to use their immediate neighbourhood almost like a dormitory or a base to set out from. Which always seems a little sad to me.

I agree with the PP who said WC families are more likely to spend on experiences than things. And I think this is to do with a sense of place. The "things" are to enhance the home environment and make being at home more fun.

So yes to toys, TV/Streaming package, consoles.
But also bikes/roller skates/scooters for playing out.
Also pets. Which tie you to home by requiring someone to care for them. But can make being home more fun and rewarding.