Why are middle class kids always so sporty, outdoorsy & confident?

[Greensleeves6]

Both from state & private schools. Just an observation. But why?

My children are middle class and they’re not any of those things.

They really aren’t.

Because they have nothing else to worry about, I think Maslows Hierarchy of needs answers your question perfectly!

I have middle class kids. One of them is like that. One is a socially anxious teen who struggles to get out of bed and wouldn't run if her life depended on it.

But to your point, because those children have more facilities available to them and their parents probably have more downtime and energy to encourage those activities.

Because all WC kids are sent down the mines at 13.

😂

They're not all like that. But generally people tend to follow their peers and family - if everyone you know is sporty, and tends to hang out at the tennis club, you will too.

Mine aren't

Mainly because their friends and peers are.

Or up chimneys. Don’t forget the chimneys.

Having a secure (both financially and emotionally) home life will do that. There's no fear that if they try a hobby they will have to quit because it can no longer be afforded nor feel the pressure to do well at it as it's being paid for out of a tight budget. They often live somewhere you can safely play outside for long amounts of time.
Take my kids. We live on a council estate. They have a busy road directly infront our house, garden is small and cluttered, weed smoke smell, gangs, not safe to run at night especially if you're female, smashed up park equipment, PE ruined by the disruptive kids, teachers leaving, poor diet, how are they gunna become athletes?

My kids are probably considered poor (get free school meals) and are extremely sporty. Not really confident though although me and their father aren't either so no suprise there

They do more stuff. They are exposed to more things.

I do supply teaching and I can do a lesson in one school and then in another school the next week and the children have completely different experiences of the world so their understanding is greater.

You can read The Lighthouse keepers lunch to a reception class and not a child will know what a lighthouse is. They have never been to a beach never mind a lighthouse. They might tell you there is a lighthouse in the high street because there is a lighthouse charity shop.

People with less money aren't able to take their children to lots of extra curricular activities. Children who have been going to gymnastics or football since they were five are going to be good at it. The park where I live, in a deprived area is shit. I could drive my dc to another park but if I'd had to go on the bus it would have cost me a fiver.

Generally children have similar traits and interests to their parents as their foundation to build on.
Outgoing and active parents are more likely to also be successful/middle class.
And the cycle continues.

Mine are all outdoorsy and confident because we live in the countryside so spend a lot of time outside and have done since they were tiny. I never worried about mud and dirt. We had very little money when they were small so spending time outside in the rain and mud was free. I also let them climb trees etc and didn't fuss. Barely any tv (they love it now) and no sugary snacks. It was based on the kind of life I had growing up in another country. We also had animals that they were expected to care for.

We also did a lot of things in the community,.like helping older people etc and this taught them to talk to anyone.

Mine are middle class. My 4 year old isn’t confident, she’s shy but maybe that comes with time. She is quite sporty, we’ve encouraged it as a toddler and put her into classes and take her on walks and to parks a lot. Will see if this continues when she goes to school. Can’t say I’ve noticed a huge difference between them in her friendship group though.

@savoycabbage

this
Cultural capital. Teachers come back after the summer and have to big up little Ted's once weekly trip to B&M as much as they do little Ophelia's interrailing adventure in Europe.
Life really isn't fair.

Eh?
I suppose my two are MC kids. One is outdoorsy sporty and confident. The other is anything but.

Plenty of outdoorsy sporty and confident WC kids round here.

I’d say mine are middle class and definitely not sporty and outdoorsy 😆

And they LOVE the outdoors although that's probably because our house is so small 😂 I always thought poorer kids were more outdoorsy for that reason

Money for good outdoor and sports clothing, equipment and lessons. It’s generational cultural capital, so their parents have been brought up that way so they are brought up at way.

@Collexifon but you could also do that as your area was safe. Not inner city London.

You can read The Lighthouse keepers lunch to a reception class and not a child will know what a lighthouse is

Surely that's fairly normal, I guess your job is to teach them what a lighthouse is - they aren't hugely common!

The difference between my working class kids and my friends middle class ones are money.

More money for classes.
More money for activity holidays alongside relaxing holidays and adventure holidays.
More money for two cars and petrol to drive the kids around.
More money to buy the clothes and equipment to join in.
More money to live in areas where it's easier to just get out and go hiking in all the right gear.

However no money would make my son sporty, and a lack of it doesn't really dent his confidence. Being working class is currently no barrier and hopefully will continue to be no barrier to a couple of amazing sport stars at our inner city state primary.

Money isn't always a protector against poor MH and none against disability.

But the kids you see are the ones who are confident enough to be out and doing stuff.

My WC kids got plenty of outdoor exercise walking the staffy.