Social class and the family

In class this week we discussed how social class effects the family.  First off we discussed all the functions that a family provides. They provide a support system, means such as food and shelter, security both physically and emotionally and they teach values to their children. So how does social class affect your ability to function as a family?

 Surprisingly, although social class can have an affect on the family function, it truly matters less about your social class, and more about where your priorities lie. The questions that really matters is what is most important to the parent? Are the parents putting the needs of their kids above their own? Are they not only providing physically but emotionally as well? You can come from the worst of situations and still have a loving family and you can come from the highest of places and be neglected and forgotten by your parents.

Parents of a lower social class may have a harder time meeting all the emotional needs of their children because they are spending most of their time trying to met their physical needs by working all day. These parents may have less time to teach their children or to spend quality time with them. This is not because they don’t love their children, they simply don’t have the time and energy to do it all. Other times a lower income might come short of meeting all the physical needs but it is still a very loving and nurturing environment. What I found most fascinating about his topic is that the biggest prediction of poverty is if you don’t have a dad in the home.

The upper class will not have any problems providing for the physical needs of their children but it is still possible for their children to be neglected emotionally. Too often families with high income get so caught up in their job and maintaining their high level of living that they neglect the emotional needs of their children. They hire a nanny so they can work longer hours. Perhaps both parents get a job.  They might want to go out and socialize on the weekends. This emotional neglect can be very damaging to kids.

My final conclusions are that social class will inevitably affect how your family functions, but in the end the ultimate decider of a happy family life is not the money, where you come from or what job you have. It all comes down to where you as a parent put your priorities. Our family relationships should and must come first above all else. Consider this, when you have lived your life and you are about to take your last breath, you are not going to be wishing you would had worked more hours so you could had got the boat or new car you wanted. You will not be wish that you would had focused more of your attention on having that career advancement. No, when all is said and done, you are going to wish you would of had more time with your spouse and children. You are going to regret the moments you missed and the opportunities you neglected to strengthen those bonds and relationships. Where are your priorities? Don't live your life with these regrets.