Growing up in the DC Wealth Bubble

[Anonymous]

I realize that I grew up in a very privileged life in the DC area. Everyone I know when to the local privates or the highly ranked publics. Everyone went to college at least or has multiple degrees. Everyone has at least 400k in savings and a 200k job by the time they're thirty. Everyone has a lavish wedding. Everyone buys property in desirable zip codes. Everyone is a parent by early thirties. Everyone takes at least 2-3 international trips every year. Everyone has a parent or two who are wealthy and successful.

It is only recently that I realized this isn't...normal and its hard to grasp. How can someone who grew up like this realize what life is like for others who aren't like them?

[Anonymous]

Move to an area where most parents send their kids to public school in a mixed income neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I realize that I grew up in a very privileged life in the DC area. Everyone I know when to the local privates or the highly ranked publics. Everyone went to college at least or has multiple degrees. Everyone has at least 400k in savings and a 200k job by the time they're thirty. Everyone has a lavish wedding. Everyone buys property in desirable zip codes. Everyone is a parent by early thirties. Everyone takes at least 2-3 international trips every year. Everyone has a parent or two who are wealthy and successful.

It is only recently that I realized this isn't...normal and its hard to grasp. How can someone who grew up like this realize what life is like for others who aren't like them?

You grew up in this area and can't figure out that poor people live here too? Your schools did a disservice to you in the critical thinking and observational skill development areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I realize that I grew up in a very privileged life in the DC area. Everyone I know when to the local privates or the highly ranked publics. Everyone went to college at least or has multiple degrees. Everyone has at least 400k in savings and a 200k job by the time they're thirty. Everyone has a lavish wedding. Everyone buys property in desirable zip codes. Everyone is a parent by early thirties. Everyone takes at least 2-3 international trips every year. Everyone has a parent or two who are wealthy and successful.

It is only recently that I realized this isn't...normal and its hard to grasp. How can someone who grew up like this realize what life is like for others who aren't like them?

By having better parents than yours.

[Anonymous]

I went to a big three with so many people like you. I went to public elementary which I think helped my perspective. I also grew up out of state in a poorer area for some years of my childhood.

I had friends whose parents were dual government attorneys etc who thought they were poor. No, your dad who is an SES is not poor. Eyeroll.

This is why I sent my kids to public school. The oldest is now in a public high school, though, and I am not happy with the education he is receiving.I have told him he can apply to privates if he wants but the timing is such he wouldn’t get there till junior year so he probably won’t. My younger two will be applying to privates in eighth.

Anyway. Don’t put your kids in privates all the way through. Find a dcps elementary that is diverse.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in this area, had a very nice and privileged but not wealthy life, and I have no idea what you are talking about. Yes, most people I know are fairly successful compared to the rest of this country, but not at all at the same level as you’ve indicated. I went to good but not the “best” FCPS schools and a VA state university, so that’s my frame of reference.

If you don’t realize that even in a “privileged” area there are a wide range of experiences, then clearly your expensive education and upbringing did little to prepare you for the real world and that’s a shame.

[Anonymous]

I assume you are in your 30's. Your parents and teachers did you a big disservice by not teaching you about the real world. Why not start volunteering at a local food bank so that you can get a taste of reality.

[Anonymous]

Oh my. I would keep this quiet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I assume you are in your 30's. Your parents and teachers did you a big disservice by not teaching you about the real world. Why not start volunteering at a local food bank so that you can get a taste of reality.

I find that a lot of wealthy families DO have their kids do this kind of service and they do understand that some people are poor. What their kids tend not to grasp is how middle class kids'--the ones they go to college with, work with, are friends with--lives are very different than theirs. They tend to make all sorts of oblivious assumptions and are like bulls in the china shop when it comes to tact around what others are worried about, need to be frugal about, have to prioritize etc.

[Anonymous]

People in this area are not wealthy, OP. They are at most upper middle class.

/s

[Anonymous]

OP what are you trying to achieve?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I realize that I grew up in a very privileged life in the DC area. Everyone I know when to the local privates or the highly ranked publics. Everyone went to college at least or has multiple degrees. Everyone has at least 400k in savings and a 200k job by the time they're thirty. Everyone has a lavish wedding. Everyone buys property in desirable zip codes. Everyone is a parent by early thirties. Everyone takes at least 2-3 international trips every year. Everyone has a parent or two who are wealthy and successful.

It is only recently that I realized this isn't...normal and its hard to grasp. How can someone who grew up like this realize what life is like for others who aren't like them?

Move out of DC to a more diverse area, with people voting both parties and most folks working in the private sector.

What you describe is the Swamp Bubble.

[Anonymous]

Cool story, OP! Tell it for us again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I realize that I grew up in a very privileged life in the DC area. Everyone I know when to the local privates or the highly ranked publics. Everyone went to college at least or has multiple degrees. Everyone has at least 400k in savings and a 200k job by the time they're thirty. Everyone has a lavish wedding. Everyone buys property in desirable zip codes. Everyone is a parent by early thirties. Everyone takes at least 2-3 international trips every year. Everyone has a parent or two who are wealthy and successful.

It is only recently that I realized this isn't...normal and its hard to grasp. How can someone who grew up like this realize what life is like for others who aren't like them?

You grew up in this area and can't figure out that poor people live here too? Your schools did a disservice to you in the critical thinking and observational skill development areas.

Yeah there's plenty of poor and middle class people here. I fit only a few of the things OP listed. If you'd like to have your kids spend more time with people who aren't rich, it's an option, but you'll probably have to move to a less desirable zip code and enroll them in public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume you are in your 30's. Your parents and teachers did you a big disservice by not teaching you about the real world. Why not start volunteering at a local food bank so that you can get a taste of reality.

I find that a lot of wealthy families DO have their kids do this kind of service and they do understand that some people are poor. What their kids tend not to grasp is how middle class kids'--the ones they go to college with, work with, are friends with--lives are very different than theirs. They tend to make all sorts of oblivious assumptions and are like bulls in the china shop when it comes to tact around what others are worried about, need to be frugal about, have to prioritize etc.

YES. I’m the poster who went from public to a big three. I remember the wealthy kids always asking me for money and not paying me back! Like the ice cream truck man would come after school and if I bought something, and people saw I was paying with a five dollar bill, they’d ask me to buy something for them, and not pay me back. Finally once when I was buying something at the vending machine and someone asked, I decided to nicely say no, sorry I needed to save my money. She and her friends made a snide comment about me not being generous, and I was so hurt and confused. I got my spending money from babysitting and maybe a few dollars a week spending money from my parents. I didn’t understand why they expected me to just….give that away.I actually started to cry (unlike me) and it became a big thing where the counselors made us talk it out. The wealthy girls who had always gone to private just thought money was no big deal and you should just give it away whenever anyone asked.

At my public, no one expected you to give them money and not pay it back. My friends and I would go to seven eleven and it was this huge deal to decide what to buy with our couple dollars.