Language & Logic

I wrote this essay in response to a New York Times Student Opinion prompt that asked how parents should talk to their children about wealth inequality.

The question made me think back to the first time I noticed that people experience money very differently, and to the conversations I had with my parents when I was younger. Rather than offering advice from theory, I wanted to reflect on what it felt like to encounter inequality early and how honest explanations shaped the way I understand fairness, responsibility, and empathy today.

This piece is not about having answers. It is about learning how awareness begins, often quietly, through observation and conversation.

One of my earliest memories of realizing that people experience money very differently was seeing homeless people when I was younger. I noticed them on sidewalks or near busy intersections, holding signs or sitting quietly while people rushed past. Even as a kid, I understood that this wasn’t random. Some people had stability and safety, and others didn’t. I didn’t feel confused so much as unsettled, and it made me start wondering how those differences happen.

When I asked my parents about it, they were straightforward. They didn’t try to soften the explanation or pretend the situation was simple. They talked openly about how not everyone has the same access to education, healthcare, or support systems, and how things like job loss, illness, or bad luck can push people into homelessness. I had always been on the more mature side, so I could understand what they were saying. I appreciated that they trusted me with the truth.

That honesty shaped the way I think about money and social class today. I don’t see poverty or homelessness as personal failure. I see them as connected to systems, access, and circumstances that can change quickly. Learning this early made me more empathetic and less judgmental.

In my family, conversations about money and inequality are usually direct and realistic. We talk about budgeting, rising costs, and why working hard doesn’t always guarantee security. These conversations don’t happen constantly, but when they do, they feel honest and meaningful.

I notice inequality everywhere now—in housing, schools, healthcare, and even in the assumptions people make about what others can afford. I think it’s important for families to talk about money and class differences early, because kids notice more than adults often realize. My advice to parents would be to be honest, admit when things are unfair, and trust that children can handle complexity. That approach helped me understand the world more clearly—and more compassionately.

Author’s Note

This essay was written for the New York Times Student Opinion prompt “How Should Parents Talk to Their Children About Wealth Inequality?” (December 18, 2025).

I chose to focus on personal experience rather than argument, because my understanding of inequality did not come from statistics or debates, but from noticing the world around me and being trusted with honest conversations. Writing this piece helped me realize how early those moments of awareness begin, and how much they depend on adults being willing to admit that the world is not always fair.

I am continuing to explore questions of public justice, access, and responsibility in my writing, especially how young people learn to see systems rather than blame individuals.

— Pearl