Childhood

Question 1

What is meant by the term “social construct” (childhood)

Answer 1

It means that childhood is not a universal experience, it isn’t the same everywhere..

Question 2

Identify 3 ways childhood is not universal

Answer 2

1. Historical differences: Aries argues that childhood today contrasts the one that existed in the pre-industrial society (children were mini adults and weren’t under the protection of laws.
2. Cultural differences: childhood is viewed and experienced differently around the world (child labour still exist in certain areas)
3. Differences between children in the uk: around 4 million children a year suffer from poverty

Question 3

Evaluate Aries view that children were mini adults during the pre-industrial society.

Answer 3

His research was based on paintings (lack of validity) therefore we cannot gain vershthen.

Question 4

Outline 4 reasons for the development of a child centred society

Answer 4

1. Introduction to new laws: e.g age of consent, education until 18 and age restrictions on video games and films.
2. Products and services are designed for children: there is a distinction between children’s products and services and adults …
3. Smaller family sizes: which is a product of declining fertility rates, leading to children becoming an economic burden.
4. Children are viewed as vulnerable and innocent: kids are seen as in need for protection; evidently laws e.g children’s act 2004

Question 5

Outline 3 ways in which the experience of childhood has improved (march of progress)

Answer 5

1. Laws/policies: which have been integrated into society to regulate what children can and can’t do; examples include age of consent, education till 18 and age restrictions on products/services, improving the overall experience of childhood.
2. Safeguarding legislations: in today’s society, children are viewed as vulnerable and in need for protection, one great example that portrays this is “The Children Act 2004”..
3. Children’s products and services: children have separate clothes, toys, food and TV programmes separate to adults e.g Happy meals and YouTube kids; According to march of progress this is indicative of the improvement of childhood as it illustrates how children went from being an economic asset to an economic burden (during the process of industrialisation)

Question 6

Outline 3 ways that the experience of childhood has NOT improved (conflict theories)

Answer 6

1. Laws maintain age patriarch: child liberationists argue that policies are a form of social control and thus have worsened the experience of childhood, they believe that laws justify adult control over children’s lives.
2. Child abuse: ~1 in 5 children experience some form of physical and/or emotional harm by the age of 16, evidently there has been a rise of online child abuse (on average every primary school classroom in the uk has received a nude image) and this was even further accelerated by lockdown
3. Toxic childhood: According to Palmer, the experience of childhood has NOT improved because of the over indulgence of children in technology and junk food; she argues that it actually damages physical, emotional and intellectual development as children get deprived of their parents socially because they handed them an iPad to keep their children quiet. Furthermore, there have been increasing rates of child obesity with 20% of 10-11 yr old being over weight