I usually do mindless questionnaires over at my other blog, but this one is a wee bit more of a social experiment, so I thought I’d put it here. I found it via Mr Frog’s blog, who came to it via Charlotte’s Web.
It was devised by PhD students at Indiana State University. The original authors of this exercise are Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, and Stacy Ploskonka. If you participate, they ask that you please acknowledge their copyright.
Bold the true statements. You can explain further if you wish.
1. Father went to college
2. Father finished college
3. Mother went to college
4. Mother finished college
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
One lawyer, one doctor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
This is a bit of a cheat, as I lived in a house which had had generations upon generations of my family living there, so we had books dating back to Victorian times and possibly further, which were never actually read, but which belonged in the bookshelves which had been built for them. Some of the maps were very interesting, but most of the time I stuck to the modern paperbacks.
9. Were read children’s books by a parent
I used to force my dad to read me The Bobbsey Twins. If you’ve never experienced these American books, about two sets of twins, both boy/girl pairs, then count yourselves lucky. I loved them as a child, but I would actively ban any child of mine from reading them, as they are hopelessly outdated and rampantly sexist.
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18
I’m assuming this refers to extra-curricular lessons, rather than just the legal requirements. Piano, clarinet, recorder, judo, riding.
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively.
Depends who’s doing the portraying. I’m posh enough to be sneered at by large portions of society.
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
Nope. Never had a credit card in my life, and am hoping to keep it that way.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
16. Went to a private high school
17. Went to summer camp
Does pony club camp count? 
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
Music teachers, yes.
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels
No, never. We’d go camping or to self-catering cottages in Cornwall.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
Nope. I did better than my brothers, because (a) I’m the only girl and (b) I’m the eldest, but I still got hand-me-downs from my cousin.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
Again, this was because I was the eldest. The idea was that they would buy a brand new car which would then be passed down all four of us. It didn’t quite work out like that, but that was the plan.
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child
Mostly gloomy stuff of crucifixions and dead animals. Like the books, family paintings over which we had no control.
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course
I’ve just looked these up, and they appear to be courses on how to do well in exams. Maybe I’m naive, but isn’t school supposed to give children that knowledge?
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school
I’m not a fan of televisions in bedrooms. There are generally better things to do in there.
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
I first flew as a tiny baby, to Portugal. There is a photograph of my mother sitting on a bench, with me balanced beside her on a wall. When you look closer, you realise that on the far side of the wall is an eight foot drop. Ah, the heady, carefree days of the mid-70s.
31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family
I’d say this probably reveals that yes, I had a privileged childhood according to this model. I wouldn’t say I was spoilt, but I do appreciate how lucky I am to have had the upbringing that I did.
I found this a good exercise to think about the privileges I’ve had, and which I mostly took for granted. I enjoyed reading yours, and was trying to imagine that large family home. It sounds like a place where a novel could be set.
This is really interesting. I’ve been following a lot of people’s answers to this with a keen interest (otherwise known as nosiness…)
I really must do it myself. Will try it later!
That *is* interesting. I haven’t memed for a while, and this seems like a good one to try.
OK. I’ve done it!
Charlotte: oh, it really was! When we first moved there, my great-aunt had been living there on her own for 40 or so years, and it was a wreck. The roof was held up with pit-props and we had a colony of bats living in it. Every room was stuffed (ha!) with taxidermed birds and animals, and everywhere you looked there was evidence of the history of the place. If you believe in ghosts, it’s the kind of place that definitely had more than one.
After doing my own meme I thought about how privileged my own children are. I have resolved to not allow them to become spoilt little princesses and prince by making them work down t’pit as soon as they’re old enough.
That’s the spirit, Mr Frog. Teach those pesky kids what’s what.
What age is it generally acceptable to force children to work as slave labour? I’m thinking 13 but I feel that this misses out on many of the formative years.
Snap! Pretty much.
Although my mum went to teacher training college, so I’m way posher than you.
*cowers in the face of Dr T’s superior poshness*
If there were a question on whether one’s mother went to finishing school it would be a different matter, of course.
Wow you’re posh. I’m starting to feel like one of those poor boys who read to much and come to a sticky end EM Forster novels.
The posh ones don’t tend to come off much better.
Oh dear I was so horribly underprivileged as a child! Most of the answers I would give would NOT be bold (except, curiously for the one about lawyers as I have a cousin who is a judge although, to be fair, I have not seen him since I was 9 years old, does that count?)
Katja – pony club camp? LMFAO.
Where have you GONE?!
Oh my goodness. Reading this, I remembered just how privileged I was growing up. I don’t think I will do this meme, as it’s quite classist.
Sorry I’ve been away from 20six lately. I need to add more addresses to my blogroll, obviously.