Childproof - 4: I'm Giving My Kids The Childhood I Wanted. But I Struggle To Relate To It

4: I'm Giving My Kids The Childhood I Wanted. But I Struggle To Relate To It

01/27/22 • 38 min

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"I look at them and they're in a different world. I don't know how to describe it other than, 'I don't know what this is, and I don't know what comes next.'"

Esau McCaulley always knew he wanted to be a father. But he's now working through some unexpected, complicated feelings around being able to give his four children a carefree life. Esau describes how he grew up poor in Alabama and sometimes struggles with relating to his children's comfortable upbringing outside of Chicago. We talk with Esau about this tension: about how to be in your children’s world, when you feel outside of it.

Esau, a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, first wrote about this conflict in a recent essay: "I Grew Up Poor: How Am I Supposed To Raise My Middle Class Kids?"

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"I look at them and they're in a different world. I don't know how to describe it other than, 'I don't know what this is, and I don't know what comes next.'"

Esau, a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, first wrote about this conflict in a recent essay: "I Grew Up Poor: How Am I Supposed To Raise My Middle Class Kids?"

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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3: Are You Okay?

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Parents are holding things together at the seams. In our second pandemic winter, parents and caregivers are working in overdrive to deal with positive covid cases at home or around them, school closures, covid testing lines, and making sure our kids are okay. But... are parents okay? This week we hear from parents on where they’re at, and we offer some practical ideas for staying resilient in this herky-jerky time.

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5: The Case For Parenting In Community

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.