1.4 the nature of childhood

Question 1

What was childhood like in the past?

Answer 1

• childhood didn’t really exist modernity and growth of individualisation

Question 2

What did Aries (1960) argue about childhood in the past?

Answer 2

• in the middle ages childhood did not exist
• used secondary data from oil-paintings
• childhood as a separate stage was very short, children were ‘mini-adults’

Question 3

Evaluation of Aries:

Answer 3

• paintings can be very subjective, so how reliable can it be?

Question 4

What did Stephen Wagg (1992) argue?

Answer 4

• there is no single universal childhood experienced by all
• children in different social groups and in different societies have completely different societies have completely different experiences of childhood

Question 5

What did Ruth Benedict argue about childhood?

Answer 5

• children take responsibility at a young age
• children’s sexual behaviour is often viewed very differently
• less value is placed on children showing obedience to adult authority

Question 6

What is child-centredness?

Answer 6

• Children’s welfare are seen as the major family priority, frequently involving the parent in considerable financial cost and sacrifice

Question 7

What are some examples of childcenteredness?

Answer 7

• family activities are more focused on the interests of the children
• the welfare state provides a wide range of benefits designed to help parents
• parental fears of ‘stranger danger’ means that children now travel more with parents rather than being left to roam about on their own

Question 8

What does Postman(1994) argue about childhood?

Answer 8

• childhood in a postmodern society is now disappearing
• the distinction between adults and children is now blurred
• there are more similarities between children and adults

Question 9

What does Postman argue are some similarities between adults and children?

Answer 9

• there is more similarity in clothing
• children committing adult crimes
• television culture
• the disappearance of childhood games

Question 10

What does Sue Palmer argue about childhood?

Answer 10

that there is a toxic childhood
1) the decline of outdoor play has led to childhood obesity
2) commercialisation -> children are being exploited by advertisers
3) the ‘schoolofication’ of early childhood has led to less independence
4) decline of listening, language and communication skills
5) screen saturation has led to less face to face interaction
6) tests, targets and education have led to an increase in anxiety amongst children

Question 11

Statistics on unhappy children

Answer 11

• family breakdown is a cause of considerable childhood angst
• 4.5 million children were officially classified as living in poverty in 2023