Wendy has two children aged 8 and 10.
Wendy’s parents expected her to complete high school. Her mother graduated
from high school and her father had an undergraduate degree. Wendy remembered
seeing her parents writing bills and recalled her father was an avid reader.
He read magazines, books and the newspaper every day. Her mother read the newspaper
as well as magazines and cookbooks. Wendy remembered her parents occasionally
watching the news but “not for very long.”
Wendy had very little
homework and her parents rarely helped her. Wendy’s parents “probably
read to her”
but not every night. Her family “traveled extensively
so we went on cultural outings that way. There were no museums or anything like
that though.”
Wendy had a library card and went to the bookmobile once a month to borrow
books. Wendy’s parents “had low expectations. They were a different
type of parent; they weren’t as involved as parents now. We always have
to check homework and make sure reading is done.”
Wendy is currently an Executive Assistant. She completed three and a half
years towards a Bachelor of Arts but did not finish her degree. She has some
on the job training but no formal coursework. She watches drama on television
and uses the internet “for music purposes.”
She watches one hour
of TV and uses the internet for half an hour a day.