Middle class parenting is seen by many as the ideal way to bring up children, with its emphasis on schooling, extracurricular activities and a vast quantity of organic veg served up on a regular basis. But with many aspiring to such behaviour, we may be guilty of judging those who don’t fit this model as bad parents and those criticised most harshly are parents who may not work, live in deprived areas and, if you believe the stereotype, have children who are obese, out of control and ignorant. Is poor parenting a class issue, what do we actually mean by poor parenting and what role is the government playing in blaming many of society’s ills on the parents?
