What is it about children who live in poor families that make them more likely to swear, smoke, steal....?

Question

go to prison, skip school, not go to college?
Now I am not saying that all children from poor families and council estates do these things but it does seem to be more likely.
What factors present in poor families make it more likely for this to happen?
I am asking because I have a below average income and I am raising a family.

Yes money but what specific things, what does not having money affect?

Answer 1

I grew up in a poor family.... I'm not rich either. And my kids are taught ethics. Saying you're more likely to swear, smoke, steal and all the others because you're poor is nothing but simple minded. Look at Hollywood and famous children and tell me who has more ethical problems.

Neither. If you raise your children to appreciate what they have, to respect themselves and others and instill the importance of an education, you'll be fine.

Answer 2

Wow! This q should be in soc sciences! As you say there are many factors, the first of which must be poor education and lack of parental interest in education in the home. Prison occurs where people want things they cannot afford and commit crime to obtain them and get caught.
Families go in cycles and chances are if you were raised on an estate with your dad in prison and your school as an under-funded dump where it is just not cool to be interested in learning you will live your adult life and raise your kids the same way, unless you have a bit of savvy and get the hell out (Alan Sugar etc)
You can buy books from charity shops. I am raising my 2 daughters and we don't have a lot of money, but many museums are free and books for kids are 10/20p in charity shops. In your house, your rules count- if you don't smoke, swear or steal and you teach your children your morals they will more than likely follow, as children look to the adults in their life as role models. This is a great question that took me slightly by surprise so sorry for rambling. Just the fact that you are thinking about this issue means your already half way there. Maintain good relations with your childrens schools and read! Books show kids there is more than one way of life, and older books show them a time when people were always polite to each other etc. Good Luck, it's no fun when you're always skint but the best stuff with your kids is free!

Answer 3

i didn't grow up on a council estate or anything like that but i did grow up with mum on benefits cuz shes disabled and cant work n me dad left when i was two ish. i do swaer. but only when i hurt myself or get really angry, i do smoke, but slowly but surely quitting, i did skip school for four months but i was 17 and going thru my depressive teenage stage...dnt think any1 liked me, dad dnt tlk to me etc.. and i didn't go college but i went 6th form. im now going thru university (thru the open uni). i don't think its much to do with the lack of money that makes kids go bad as such cuz i may hav been poor but i was a high acheiver at school n never broke the law (as far as i kno). when i was in 6th form i did a socoilogy study on these kind of things and found its mainly how the parents bring up the children (yes im ready 4 the abusive emails) and how the parents were brought up. or they simply fall into the wrong crowd at school. if the child is brought up knowing that money isn't everything in the world then they normally turn out alright. but if they hear the parents fighting about money or fighting full stop they usually see money as the most important factor ever and thus steal, skip school to look 'cool' to their friends. all i can say is try teaching ur kids the value of money at an early age, and if they can't afford something, then they will just hav 2 save up 4 it. i used to get 20p pocket money a week. im not brilliant with money now, but a damn site better than many other people i kno!!

ignore these people that say 'ur on a low income so ull hav brats 4 kids' cuz its just not true. im 20 and still id never swear or smoke infront of my mother! my dad on the other hand...lol. u clearly kno that ur 'at risk' of having unrulely children which generally means that u won't! just make sure u disaplin them all the time and teach them not 2 answer back or disrespect their elders. try getting them 2 volenteer at the local OAP home if they're old enuf. trust...old people will very happily tell them whats what if they're rude to them! worked with me

Answer 4

What an unfounded question. I find that in my class its the richest girls who go out raving and drinking and come back to school with stories about being drunk and snogging countless boys! Just be a good parent and don't let the kids mix with idiots. I live on a bad estate, and we don't have much cash either but I do well at school and I don't 'smoke or steal'.A lot of those things are down to the parenting skills, not the social/monetary situation.

Answer 5

Hi
Its peer pressure - if the parent of friends do it their children may and you know what kids are like for singling you out if you are different.
I am personally from a massive,rought council est. We were brought up not to swear, go to further education noity to steal etc. It did make us "not fit in" and we all had some degree of bullying at some stage. One of my brothers did go "off the rails" for a bit when he was about 16 but apart from that we all have resonably good jobs, good incomes, own homes, happy relashionships and lovely children and have moved to a "better area" so have done ok.
Its a fine line between bringing kids up well and makingh them stick out like sore thumbs!!!

Answer 6

The biggest factor is if their parents do those things. I should not worry ; I was a single parent and raised 4 children on a council estate and my income when working was sometimes lower than i would have got on benefits. but i don't smoke, rarely drank (now not at all) and drummed it into my children that they should be honest. they are all grown up now and I am very proud of all of them It is hard work but as long as you do not swear etc they will be fine. remeber that whatever it is you want your childen to be is what you have to be.

Answer 7

What you are saying is not strictly true as my Sister's children have gone through the swearing thing since 9 years old. Both have done the drinking to excess and one still is to the point of throwing up virtually every time, one has smoked and one was tempted to steal; although thankfully not convicted, that was due to being with the wrong crowd. Basically they are not bad kids but i believe it's the parents fault for one in swearing in front of them. Admittedly the drinking also as they have both seen their parents being sick due to excess alcohol, although the smoking is a mystery unless you could blame me, Sorry forgot to add the parents both have good jobs and are not poor in any sense of the word.

Answer 8

I was from a council estate, and both of my parents lived off the state. Other kids on the estate were always getting arrested,me:
I am on track for a 2:1 degree in Business Management and im going to do my Master's in HRM!!!

Answer 9

I work within this field and my experience has taught me that many of the children have some difficulties because of the culture they are brought up in and the influences they have on their lives - however, this is not restricted to poor families. Many of the poor in terms of finances have a rich life in the way they bring up their children.
There is nothing to teach you how to bring up children - we work with families to enable them to make the best of what they have got - improvements maybe slow in many cases, but the positive outcomes make the work so rewarding - I just wish the Government would put more funding into early intervention work - it works - we can prove it.

Answer 10

Kids who do not have nice clothes, nice shoes and all the newest stuff are teased at school and on the playground. They are left out of certain parties and fun events because it costs too much. There are no pony rides and amusement parks for them it costs too much. No roller skates and ice skates it costs too much. No good schools as the good ones cost to go there. College how can they afford that if they cant get decent shoes for crying out loud. After a while a kid just goes and has a beer and smokes a joint and really dont care anymore.