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Class and American Families
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By host Tom Ashbrook:

Sociologist Annette Lareau spent years parked in the middle of the intimate family lives of American families — upper middle class, working class, and poor. Treat me “like the family dog” she told them, as she watched, up close, how these families raised their children.

What she found were large and consequential class distinctions in styles of child rearing. Entitled middle class kids were scheduled to the max and taught to question authority. Free and easy-going poor and working class kids were taught to love their families – and obey. Each made sense, but the advantages flowing to the more affluent style, she says, are huge.

Hear about a provocative new take on class and childhood in America.

Guests:

Annette Lareau, fellow at the Center for the Advanced Study of the Behavioral Sciences, a California think tank, and professor of sociology at the University of Maryland. She is author of “Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race and Family Life” and “Home Advantage: Social Class and Parental Intervention in Elementary Education.”

Charles Willie, professor emeritus, Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. He is the author or editor of over 100 articles and 30 books on issues of race, gender, socioeconomic status, religion, education, urban communities, and family relations.

 
 
Listener comments
  • I am trying to listen to the show on Class and American Families and the link to listen is for an intirely different show altogether.

    Posted by Stephanie, on October 27th, 2008 at 10:50 pm EDT
  • Please correct link for the “Class and America Families” show. I have a university course with an activity based on this segment. Hope u can correct it ASAP.

    Posted by jerry diakiw, on October 28th, 2008 at 4:49 pm EDT
  • Yes, the audio link has now been updated. Many thanks for noticing this and letting us know.

    Posted by On Point Webmaster, on October 28th, 2008 at 5:06 pm EDT
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