The book “Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life” describes the problems and difficulties faced by low-class and poor families. The author vividly portrays that childhood of a poor child differs greatly from middle-class children. A child from poor families has deprived of a chance to have bright toys and good clothes, entertain and develop their skills. The book consists of three parts divided into chapters. Each chapter describes and evaluates different problem areas including the structure of daily life and social relations, school environment, and language skills, etc.
The first part of the book, “Organization of daily life” describes problems faced by poor families and children since their birth. Lareau underlines that poverty is one of the main social problems that has affected society since ancient times. Some researchers suppose that poverty can be illuminated by hard work and better education, increased wages and stable economic development. Lareau describes her investigation of poor working-class conditions and their impact on life of an ordinary citizen. She came to conclusion that poverty will be difficult to illuminate in modern society because of limited job opportunities and social class boundaries. Lareau contrasts the role of mothers in middle-class families where mothers “take the lead in proposing activities for their children” (77). In working families, hard work and desire to learn will not help poor people to achieve higher standards of living and find stable jobs.
The second part of the book “Language Use” vividly portrays that language and communication influence position of a child in society. Lareau underlines that working parents have difficulty getting jobs, and the jobs they do get are often only part-time or temporary. Those that are full-time or “permanent” often provide no opportunity for advancement. It is clear that poverty can be a result of unemployment and other employment problems. But these problems are part of a vicious circle of poverty; that is, they can be the result of poverty as well. Sometimes characteristics associated with poverty handicap persons in such a way that they are (in the eyes of employers) “unemployable.”
The third part of the book “Families and Institutions” analyzes the differences between development of a middle-class and working class child. Lareau finds that such psychological problems as stress and work overload are the main problems experienced by poor. Using the example of poor families and children Lareau argues that poverty is a lack of sufficient resources, or money, to obtain these things (233). How various human needs are satisfied is determined socially and will, like standards of living, differ from society to society. In some cultures, each person may grow his own food. In others, food may be purchased daily in town markets or small neighborhood shops. In still others, food, some of it canned or frozen, may be purchased in larger quantities in shopping centers; buyers will use automobiles to transport it, and refrigerators and freezers to store it.
The book was written to unveil social and psychological problems experienced by children in poor families and help the society to understand the differences caused by social-economic status. All children have similar psychological abilities but their social position determines their psychological development and life opportunities. The intended audience of the book is sociologists, educators and psychologists working with children. I would recommend this book to everyone interested in social and economic problems of modern society. Sometimes a given level of education is a practical necessity. The job cannot be done by someone without a particular type of knowledge; sometimes educational requirements are merely a job-rationing device, used to simplify hiring when the number of applicants exceeds the number of openings.
Works Cited
Lareau, Annette (2003). Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life. University of California Press; 1 edition.