Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
CHILDHOOD :) (Childhood is the time spent as a child to play and become…
CHILDHOOD :)
Childhood is the time spent as a child to play and become more confident as a person. Words associated with childhood are; happy, playing, friends, school, learning and innocence.
'childhood is a social construct' means that it depends on the particular society at particular times and places.
Children in our society occupy a seperate status from adults through law. For example, people are not allowed to drive until they are 17, they can't vote until they are 18, and can't serve in the army until 16. They are also separate through clothing and services which they use.
Parental attitudes were different in the middle ages. edward Shorter argues that the high death rates encouraged neglect towards infants. For example, it was not uncommon for parents to refer to the baby as 'it' or forget how many children they had
Most sociologists agree that the process of industrialisation (the shift from agriculture to factory production as the basis of economy) underlies many of the reasons for the change in position of children. For example modern industry needs an educated workforce
Childhood in the middle ages was very equal as both children and adults played but both of them had to work too. Children were in effect 'mini adults'. They had no differences in laws so children would face the same punishments as the adults. For evidence, Aries looks at the art from that time period and in these, children can be seen without any 'childhood characteristics' as in the photos the children are dressed the same as adults and are working and playing together.
Aries believes that elements of modern childhood began to emerge from the 13th century and onwards.
-schools changed to specialise in education on the young
-a growing distinction between adults and children's clothing
-18th century books were available on childbearing.
Toxic childhood. Sue Palmer calls childhood 'toxic' She thinks that rapid technology changes and cultural changed have damaged children's physical, emotional and intellectual development. More junk food, more time spent on computer games and the pressure for children to be tested in education and long hours worked by parents making them feel neglected.
Postman argues that childhood emerged as a separate status along with mass literacy. Printed words created a hierarchy between adults who can read, and children who cannot. This gave adults power t keep knowledge about sex, money, violence and 'adult' matters hidden from children. However, television has blurred the distinction between childhood and adulthood by destroying the hierarchy of knowledge between them.
Neil Postman (1994) argues that childhood is 'disappearing at a dazzling speed'. He says that children have the same rights as adults, the growing similarity of adult's and children's clothing and even some children committing adult crimes such as murder.
Some sociologists argue that western notions of childhood are becoming globalised and normallised. This is where childhood is a separate life stage where is based in the nuclear family and school and children are innocent, dependent, vulnerable and have no economic role
Child-centred family. Higher living standards and smaller family seizes means that parents can afford to provide for their children's needs. According to one estimate, by the time a child reaches their 21st birthday they will have cost their parents £227,000.Parents now want their children to have a better lif than they did themselves. Also society as a whole has became more child-centred.
Inequalities among children. Not all children have the same status or have the same experiences. Children of different nationalities are likely to experience different childhoods and life chances. Boys are more likely to be able to go out after dark unaccompanied than girls.
Inequalities between adults and children.
-neglect and abuse
-controls over children's space
-controls over children's time
-controls over children's bodies
controls over children's access to resources.
-