UMC lessons to teach my children

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teach them to accept a compliment graciously.
Teach them how to write a thank you note.
Teach them how to behave at someone else's home (no feet on the furniture, no screaming or throwing things, no food away from the table, etc.).

I grew up UMC and many of my friends are UMC. I am a single mom and am in a “helping profession”—which is a nice way of saying I don’t make good money. So, I live in a poorer, blue collar or no collar at all neighborhood. The only kids who put their feet on my furniture and use bad manners in my house are the children of my UMC friends.

I do agree with a PP’s comment about teaching your kids to advocate for themselves. Being assertive without being aggressive or angry is something UMC people are able to do.

OMG this. I am horrified at the behavior of the son of two of the most UMC people I know. He is a terror to have in my house.

[Anonymous]

Manners, manners, manners.

And no cars parked on the grass. We have this problem in Silver Spring. I hate it.

[Anonymous]

Good grammar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Manners, manners, manners.

And no cars parked on the grass. We have this problem in Silver Spring. I hate it.

Silver Spring is not UMC. Next!

[Anonymous]

Many of us in Silver Spring are UMC. That is called "diversity" and all of you on DCUM and in the DC area cherish it. Now live it and see the problems.

[Anonymous]

We are in Silver Spring and all the houses in our "mixed" neighborhood are going for $1 mllion plus. Lots of UMC here. We do have to tell the LC in our neighborhood to pick up the junk off their lawn. These days I just call 311 and report it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teach them how to speak up and address concerns they may encounter in their lives. Being passive aggressive is a sign of what we used to call "poor breeding." . How to take perspectives of other people and not just assume that what they believe is the only possibility. How to value the feelings and values of others, rather than believing the universe revolves around them.

How is that a UMC thing? There are plenty of UMC people who are passive aggressive or self centered. You think people who make tons of money in corporate America or big law value other people and their feelings?

+1 I can't. some of ya'll have no clue. lmao. Being passive aggressive, IME, is a total UMC trait. I wonder if pp has ever spent a day in big law? At a fancy finance firm? Among medical residents? Or in the halls of corporate America?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Manners, manners, manners.

And no cars parked on the grass. We have this problem in Silver Spring. I hate it.

Silver Spring is not UMC. Next!

depends on the neighborhood, there are lots of different types of neighborhoods in SS. You'd be hard pressed to buy a house for less than $800k in mine- what is that if not UMC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teach them how to speak up and address concerns they may encounter in their lives. Being passive aggressive is a sign of what we used to call "poor breeding." . How to take perspectives of other people and not just assume that what they believe is the only possibility. How to value the feelings and values of others, rather than believing the universe revolves around them.

How is that a UMC thing? There are plenty of UMC people who are passive aggressive or self centered. You think people who make tons of money in corporate America or big law value other people and their feelings?

+1 I can't. some of ya'll have no clue. lmao. Being passive aggressive, IME, is a total UMC trait. I wonder if pp has ever spent a day in big law? At a fancy finance firm? Among medical residents? Or in the halls of corporate America?

+1

[Anonymous]

I grew up LMC and married someone raised UMC, which is also what we are. The biggest difference between us has been savings. It was hard for me to accept that just because we had the money for something did not mean we could or should buy it or that it was a wise move. My DH maxed out our 401k’s from day 1 and when we could afford it also our ROTH IRA’s and 529’s. We are in a vary solid position in our 40’s and we wouldn’t have been if I had bought everything I wanted along the way.

[Anonymous]

The only helpful posts here seem to be from people who grew up LMC and are now UMC. So many others are just listing things that sound upper class, like "learn to downhill ski". It's all very "let them eat cake" when the answer should be "don't buy the most expensive thing just bc you can".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only helpful posts here seem to be from people who grew up LMC and are now UMC. So many others are just listing things that sound upper class, like "learn to downhill ski". It's all very "let them eat cake" when the answer should be "don't buy the most expensive thing just bc you can".

People confuse UMC with WASPs. It's not the same thing. UMC values can be a lot of things. If you want your kids to act like WASPs that's a whole different question. (Hint: be alcoholic)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only helpful posts here seem to be from people who grew up LMC and are now UMC. So many others are just listing things that sound upper class, like "learn to downhill ski". It's all very "let them eat cake" when the answer should be "don't buy the most expensive thing just bc you can".

People confuse UMC with WASPs. It's not the same thing. UMC values can be a lot of things. If you want your kids to act like WASPs that's a whole different question. (Hint: be alcoholic)

Yes. They also confuse "upper middle class" (a socioeconomic term, referring to income and wealth) with "having class" which is completely different. Having class is a mentality and a category of behaviors and it can exist at most/all income levels. Plenty of people can (and DO) have an "upper middle class" income and zero class. I personally think we should remove the word "class" from MC/UMC terminology. We should instead refer to it as "lower middle income" "middle income" "upper middle income" etc. Class has nothing to do with this.

[Anonymous]

Read Rich Dad, Poor Dad or play the game he created called "Cash flow" and learn everything you need to know about money (tl;dr is try to only spend money on things that will earn you money -- real estate, intellectual property, certain degrees). Passive income streams are the key to financial freedom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How the stock market works
How to earn and save money
How to be resourceful and use your own skills to make money
How to budget
How to make a grocery list
How to meal plan
How to grocery shop
How to stay in a budget
How to plan a party
How to be a good hostess
How to wrap a present with a fancy bow
How to have nice handwriting
How to touch type without looking
Basic math, money, and counting change from $1
How to tie a tie
How to clean well
How to use basic tools
How to assemble furniture
How to apply basic first aid
How to pitch a tent
How to pick good fruit and vegetables from a grocery store
How to grow a garden
How to hunt for food
How to preserve food
How to identify common plants and animals in your immediate surroundings
How to cook
How to fish
How to swim
How to have good table manners
How to be grateful for what you have
How to not look down upon others that have less or envy those with more
How to respect your elders and authority figures

This is an absolutely bizarre list. How to hunt, preserve food, and identify common plants? Do you really think Brooke Astor or the Miller sisters can do these things?

The Astors and the Millers are American royalty UC

Np..
Umc is far, far away from wealthy. And I do think the wealthy have more survivalist skills than the UMC does.