SOCY 1101 - Intro to Sociology Assignment #1: Child Development

 

1^st Assignment:

1) Annette Lareau points out concerted cultivation is the strategy middle-class families use to raise their children. Explain it and give an example of how middle-class families organize children's leisure time.

The middle-class organization of children's leisure is quite interesting when combined with other ideals such as culture. One of the fascinating things about Asians is the focus on education regardless of the class structure. Most of the Asians I know poor or rich were encouraged to study and take extra classes to perform better in school. They were sent to tutoring programs on weekends to prepare for the math and the sciences better. This often leads to planned weekends of Saturdays with SHSAT, and SAT prep. Other commonly planned activities were family meetings. Perhaps the combination of middle class and working-class virtues are present in immigrant cultures?

1^st Assignment discussions

Marla Perez

I always found the reading around American middle-class virtues to be kinda awkward for me from an immigrant family. Though both of my parents were middle class with jobs in NYC gov, they did NOT believe in reasoning with kids one bit. It was their way only. I think this also translates in general to a lot of other immigrant families that think grounding people or soft punishments do not go far enough of discipline. Back home in Asia, they would be perfectly fine with caning as a form of punishment.

Also, have you received my email regarding the group project due in November? I am trying to get a method of communication running that would allow for good coordination. Ms. Zhao is interested in getting a Whatsapp group started. Would that be alright with you? Or would you prefer a different method of communication?

Satifa Plass

The "forcing" aspect is the interesting part. Sometimes the parents know what is good for their children in the future, but have a hard time trying to get their kids engaged in these new topics.

You can force a horse to a watering hole, but you cannot force it to drink. While the education will perhaps prove fruitful down the line, the children have to be excited to learn it as well. Else they just see it as another task to their exhausting repertoire.