Prometheus 6

The first is the rise in wealth for a segment of the population. "For them, money is not much of an object," she said. At the same time, upper-income parents have become focused on providing optimal educational and social experiences for their children. "There has been a cultural change to what's called 'intensive mothering,'" said England.

Added Sabrina Neeley, assistant professor of marketing at Ohio's Miami University, who has studied national data about how mothers make purchasing decisions: "So many times, price is used as a proxy for quality or status. They're going to feel like this is going to give their child an advantage."

A new twist on pay to play
Ex-Chicago teacher brings pricey playpen to San Francisco
By Jane Meredith Adams, Special to the Tribune
January 11, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO

Diapers: check. Nanny: check. Membership in an exclusive playground for the infant-to-5-year-old crowd: coming this month.

For a family fee of $2,000 a year, a baby in this terrifically expensive city soon will be able to skip the neighborhood sandbox, crawl right past the YMCA and join a posh 10,000-square-foot indoor kids' club that is designed to offer a premium experience of early childhood.