Privilege Meme

First of all, I want to thank all of you who added comments of sympathy, commiseration, and support! I'm so grateful to be in this together :-) I can't tell you how much better I felt just knowing that so many of you have been through these very same things.

On to the meme. I don't often do memes (as those who've tagged me may have noticed) but this one is really different and made me stop and thing. It comes from a class exercise being done at Indiana State University, and it now making the blog rounds. I did it, and then I went through again and answered for K.

You are supposed to bold the ones that apply to you. I bolded our initials after the statements.

If your father went to college before you started K

If your father finished college before you started K

If your mother went to college before you started K

If your mother finished college before you started K

If you have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor. K

If your family was the same or higher class than your (high school) teachers J K

If you had a computer at home when you were growing up K

If you had your own computer at home when you were growing up K

If you had more than 50 books at home when you were growing up J K

If you had more than 500 books at home when you were growing up K

If were read children's books by a parent when you were growing up J K

If you ever had lessons of any kind as a child or a teen J K

If you had more than two kinds of lessons as a child or a teen K

If the people in the media who dress and talk like you were portrayed positively J K

If you had a credit card with your name on it before college

If you had or will have less than $5000 in student loans when you graduate

If you had or will have no student loans when you graduate J

If you went to a private (high) school K - kinda, part-time

If you went to summer camp K

If you had a private tutor

(US students only) If you have been to Europe more than once as a child or teen

(International question) If you have been to the US more than once as a child or teen

If your family vacations involved staying at hotels rather than KOA or at relatives homes J K

If all of your clothing has been new

If your parents gave you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them (n/a for K, but unlikely!)

If there was original art in your house as a child or teen

If you had a phone in your room

If your parent owned their own house or apartment when you were a child or teen J K

If you had your own room as a child or teen J K

If you participated in an SAT/ACT prep course

If you had your own cell phone in (High) School K (a firefly for when she is at classes - I think she called me *once*)

If you had your own TV as a child or teen

If you opened a mutual fund or IRA in High School or College

If you have ever flown anywhere on a commercial airline J K

If you ever went on a cruise with your family

If your parents took you to museums and art galleries as a child or teen K

If you were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family J K

This made me realize how privileged I have been, and how many more privileges we have been able to give K. I also realized that this little quiz shows some of the markers of "success" in our society - some of which I don't particularly like. For example, the TV in the child's room. Granted, my parents probably couldn't have afforded a second TV, but we can and we choose not to put one in K's room. Yet, I can see how it is a sign of financial privilege, and the purpose is just to create an awareness of privilege, not necessarily define it entirely. What do you think?