Looking for work

Looking for work by Gary Soto, describes a little boy who fantasizes of his family imitating his idea of the perfect families from television shows watched. Gary wanted a life of wealth and he believed wealth to be anything he seen on TV. The perfect family in his mind consisted of no rifts in family relationships. Waking up in the morning to find him showered with kisses and family all sitting down together for breakfast. However, in reality his family delivered beatings for punishments and sometimes called each other names. Looking back on my childhood memories, I remember wanting to live like the families, I would see or know. What child does not have a vivid imagination? All children survive on this imagination to seek out their land of make believe to slay dragons. Imagination is something that never lets them down to dream big or want more.
Gary wanted to gain acceptance from the white kids so he receive invites to play over at their homes. He felt wealth would provide him this opportunity. I feel children no matter their cultural background crave to be accepted. I know I did. As I have been told Americans always wanting something more or better, often things we do not think we have. Soto is a perfect example of the American boy who wants more. He finds a way to achieve it by doing chores for his working class neighbors. Soto knew he had to work hard for the money to achieve his goal.
Gary does not realize is he is wealthy; he is living the lifestyle of an American child who has luxuries that many children do not have in third world countries. He has a family who although, not perfect love and cares for him. He has friends. Soto enjoyed things such as Kool-Aid and popsicles. He is encouraged to play outside while it is still light out because his mom wants him to be a kid. He was a happy kid regardless of being wealthy, as he had seen on the TV. I think in all we want better things in life and until then we can just be happy with what we have.

What we really miss about the 1950s

Stephanie Coontz wrote a lot on statistics and research of the 1950s era. People from that era agree to a nostalgic feeling of less complicated choices that face children and parents. It was mostly from repressed emotions and actions. People were unable to push the envelope because everyone in the community set the boundaries for the family norms. Nobody liked to display their dirty laundry because they were afraid it would bring shame to the family. Similarly, the same moral gauge still stands in our communities today. However, times have changed and it seems attitudes represent anything goes mentality no matter how immoral.
Most people currently claim they do not miss the foundation the family unit consisted of, including how women were treated. They just miss the life that was simple, balanced, and innocent. On the other hand, communication for parents today is more open than it was back then with their children. I can see this first hand with my parents and grandparents. I notice it with my own daughter. My husband and I are more open to her asking questions than our parents were and would have just avoided it all together.
I think time eras are like raising children. Child rearing has it good and bad points at each age. It is all a matter of what we view of that particular age to be the positive or negative. Each time Era also carries its weight of the good and bad. Therefore, it is all in how we look at things to formulate our opinions of the world.