July 16, 2025

In the midst of Singapore’s burgeoning middle to upper-class demographic, it is crucial not to overlook the challenges faced by young adults from the working class as societal norms and parenting ideals evolve. In ‘Growing up poor(ly): intergenerational class-based parenting logic in Singapore’ (Journal of Family Studies, 2023), Associate Professor Irene Ng (NUS Social Work), along with Mr. Joshua Khoo and Ms. Nicole Ng contextualise findings from Lareau’s ethnography Unequal Childhoods (2011) within Singapore’s socio-economic landscape.

The ethnography illustrates a direct correlation between parenting practices and the socioeconomic positions, resources, and circumstances of the families studied. Middle-class parents typically exert greater personal autonomy in guiding their children’s lives, whereas working-class parents tend to have limited time and resources to engage in similar efforts. Lareau’s research further reveals that these class-based parenting strategies are intergenerational, shaped by parents’ own upbringing experiences.

This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in Singapore, a nation with a strong emphasis on education which influences the parenting behaviours of middle to upper-class families. In contrast, working-class parents may feel discouraged from investing heavily in their children’s development if they perceive limited opportunities for social mobility. The researchers interviewed a range of young parents in Singapore from both lower and higher SES groups to better understand their transitions from school to work to family formation. They found that, despite some cultural differences, Lareau’s parenting logic largely applies to the Singaporean context.

Across SES groups, there is a strong emphasis on academic progress, but the ability of parents to support this progress is constrained by class, financial resources, and work commitments. Lower SES respondents often lacked structured study environments during their own childhoods and tended to become independent early, leading to a natural growth parenting logic. In contrast, higher SES respondents benefited from their parents’ resources and active cultivation, resulting in more pronounced parental influence. By mirroring their parents’ approaches, different SES groups unconsciously reproduce distinct forms of natural growth in their own children, perpetuating the cycle of intergenerational SES transmission.

However, Singapore’s education system is gradually shifting towards a more holistic approach that is less focused on results and more supportive of low-income students. Such educational reforms, along with broader societal changes, are necessary to address the underlying causes of class-based parenting behaviours and ensure every child has an equal opportunity for a good life.

Read the article here.