A Lesson in American Social Class Differences

I know this may come as a shock to some of you, but there are some major differences between the demographics of Tyler's kids and my kids. It's funny because there's only a short 10 minute drive that separates our two work places, but the issues we face every day could not be more different. The contrasts really become apparent when we talk about the things that are part of our kids' pop cultures.

For example: After school I sell snacks to the athletes and tutoring kids to raise money for the student council. The most popular snack:

Flamin' Hot Cheetos.

When most people begin their tenure at Wright, they never even know that these crispy treats exist. But man, Hot Cheetos are to the kids of Wright Middle School what trail mix is to the yuppies of FRA. They won't even consider eating regular Cheetos. They will only make an exception for...

Takis. My kids describe then oh so eloquently as "Mexican Cheetos."

Are you sensing the theme in my kids' dietary habits here?

Tyler's kids, meanwhile, eat granola.

At least the girl that I tutored last year did. Every day. Her mother was heath conscious and provided her daughter with a practical snack. Not my kids! No, no. They'd rather spend their allowance on processed grains and artificial flavors.

My kids' hero:

That's WWE super star John Cena, for those playing the home game. Just look at the guy! They LOOOVE him! He's in their lockers, on their notebooks and even in the notes they pass during class. Ob.sessed.

Tyler's kids' hero:

Alright, so "hero" is a generous term. But Tyler's kids enjoy "intellectual" entertainment that hones their wit and steeps them in viral pop culture references. No one outside of my kids' tax bracket has ever heard of John Cena, and there's a reason for that.

My kids:

Tyler's kids:

While Tyler's kids were watching the State of the Union address, my kids were watching

Tyler Perry's "Meet the Browns" on TBS.

Very funny.

Even though my kids often test my limits and challenge me professionally and emotionally every day, I really will miss the community where I work and the diversity of my work place. The extreme differences between mine and Tyler's two worlds, which are less than 5 miles apart, is such a perfect testament to the social structure of Nashville.

I love it.