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Child Rearing

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Holly Nichols CHFD225 I002 Sum 12 Social Class and Child Rearing September 15, 2012

Social Class and Child Rearing "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" is one of the most recognized phrases in the United States Declaration of Independence. This phrase is meant to illustrate the "inalienable rights" with which all human beings are awarded by their Creator for the protection of which they institute governments. It is because of this right to pursue happiness that America is a country where people have the distinct ability to move between the ranks of social class. There are four branches of social class that exist in America; lower class, lower middle class, upper middle class and upper class. Class is a social relationship between the haves and the have nots; this social hierarchy influences much of the way parents choose to raise their children. Understanding the differences between social classes enables one to appreciate how families in such diverse social classes place different emphases on education, social etiquette, health, parent child relationship and child discipline. Since the beginning of recorded civilizations there has been an evolution of the class system. Through this evolution of the class system, America has grounded itself on four distinct classes of people. It is first imperative to understand the class system we have in America. The first branch of social class is upper class which is defined as those with power, prestige, and influence especially on the nation's institutions and government while also having great wealth. The second class system is upper middle class which refers to those who hold a high paying job and have a comfortable disposable income. Lower middle class is the third system that refers to those who suffer from the lack of job security and inch by financially. Lower class refers to those who are poor, who may have

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