Childhood
Childhood
Is a social construction
It depends on people attitudes, actions and interpretations
Created and defined by society
Differs between time, places, cultures, gender, class and ethnicity
Pilcher
Distinctive stage
Childhood is a distinctive stage before becoming an adult. The main difference between childhood and adulthood is that children have the right to happiness.
Cross-cultural childhood
Ennew = In Jamaica children are part of the workforce and their last priority is to play.
Benedict = Children in non-industrial countries are part of child labour and have responsibilities at home and work.
Historical childhood
Aries = Looked at medieval paintings and saw that children looked like mini adults as they were dressed similar to adults. Childhood didn't exist in britain. Children had to work to survive. They started working at an early age and had similar rights, duties and skills as adults.
Postman = Adulthood changed due to printing press. Those who could read and write were adults, creating a difference between adult and children. Gave adults the power to have knowledge children didn't.
Changes between 19th and 20th centuries
Introduction of compulsory schooling in 1880
Child protection and welfare legislation introduced 1889
UN Rights of the Child 1989
Declining family size and IMR
Laws and policies applying to children such as smoking etc.
Children's medical wellbeing
Social class/Gender/Ethnicity
Social class:
Howards: Children born in poor families are likely to die in childhood, or suffer longstanding illness, making them fall behind in school.
Gender:
Hillman: Boys allowed more freedom than girls and are expected to be more independent, allowed to go out at night but not girls.
Childhood is different across genders
Ethnicity:
Brannen: Asian parents more strict towards their daughters than sons.
Childhood across ethnicity
March of Progress view (supported by Aries)
Childhood has improved and families are increasingly child centered
Inequalities between children and adults
Increased child centredness:
Decreased family size
Parents spending time with children doubled since 1960s
Children protected by laws such as UN convention on the Rights of child.
Welfare state provides benefits to help parents care.
Compulsory education and young people dependent on parents for longer.
Children travel with parents more
Children's lives are more complex due to needs.
Pester power - businesses encourage childhood consumerism.
Conflict view: March of Progress view is over generalised and idealised. Children are being exposed to range of experiences at a young age causing a division between childhood and adult status.
Adults exerting control over children:
Daily routines
Children not being able to enter certain places
Controlling their body, what they wear and not sucking thumbs.
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