This article reviews the book "Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis" by Robert D. Putnam. Putnam's goal in the book was to reveal the consequences of inequality on kids. The inequality stemming from family instability, community dysfunction and the collapse of the blue-collar economy. These resulting in a growing, class-related gap in social capital between rich and poor. Putnam's research reveal something important: Children experience these broad social trends mainly as the absence of committed, trustworthy adults in their lives. Putnam makes a clear comparison between the disadvantages poor children have compared to children born to wealthy parents. When wealthy children get in trouble they are surrounded by a large group of parents, tutors, counselors, mentors, and coaches who minimize the negative consequences and steer them away from future problems. Then on the other hand when a poor child gets into trouble, "the air bags do not deploy".
I think the most important thing I took out of this was that last quote, when a poor child gets in trouble, "the air bags do not deploy". That means they have nothing and no one to break their fall. Their parents, or in most cases parent, cannot support them enough and most likely can't afford the help that a wealthier child has access to. A child being born to poor parents doesn't have the same opportunities or access to the help and support they need growing up. Without this support it is almost guaranteed that they won't have a sufficient education and won't get a job that will be able to support them and in turn cause them to stay under the poverty line, never having the chance or opportunity to be anything more.
I think the most important thing I took out of this was that last quote, when a poor child gets in trouble, "the air bags do not deploy". That means they have nothing and no one to break their fall. Their parents, or in most cases parent, cannot support them enough and most likely can't afford the help that a wealthier child has access to. A child being born to poor parents doesn't have the same opportunities or access to the help and support they need growing up. Without this support it is almost guaranteed that they won't have a sufficient education and won't get a job that will be able to support them and in turn cause them to stay under the poverty line, never having the chance or opportunity to be anything more.