The impact of social class on out-of-school activities: Converging trends in parental choices?

Abstract

Research has shown that children's enrolment in both academic and non-academic out-of-school activities is related to their parents' social class. Middle-class parents, rather than working-class parents, are the primary consumers of these activities. Drawing on literature on shadow education, parenting, and social class, our paper analyzes class differences in parents' choices of activity types, spending habits, and reasons for participation. We found that parents from all social classes have remarkably similar preferences, although there are some nuances. These similarities may be attributed to Hong Kong's unique educational setting or converging trends in parenting more globally. This study uses a qualitative comparative approach, based on interviews with 80 parents in Hong Kong, to provide new answers to the age-old question of whether parents from different social backgrounds make different parental choices. By comparing patterns of class-based academic tutoring and extracurricular activities, this paper contributes to theories that conceptualize social class as a factor that shapes parental choices and strategies.