Childhood Flashcards
What is childhood?
A social construction that childhood should be playful, happy, vulnerable, naïve, and immature. Often referred to as the ‘golden age’ as they live in innocence within family and school, in need of protection.
Cross cultural differences (2001)
Samantha Punch’s study of Bolivia found that 5 year olds are expected to take work without hesitation, handling heavy loads and dangerous tools. This is beginning to change due to campaigns against child labour.
Jane Pilcher (1995)
She argues that children are separated through work, clothes, media restrictions and even laws preventing the purchase of alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets, blades etc.
Aries (1960)
Children from 10th to 13th century were ‘mini-adults’ with the same laws, punishments, work, clothes and activities. This improved when schools emerged with church and handbooks on childrearing began to be sold.
Shorter (1975)
Agrees with Aries arguing children were neglected. Due to high death rates, parents often forgot how many children they had, forgot their names or called the ‘it’.
Compulsory Schooling
Compulsory schooling in 1880-2017, meaning children have to rely on teacher, cannot work so they rely on parents. Economic burden, Extending childhood.
Disappearance of childhood
Postman (1994) argues childhood is disappearing at a dazzling rate’ as children gain similar rights, clothing and even commit similar crimes as adults, such as murder or selling drugs.
This is done by commercialisation on TV, sexualisation such as school and cheerleader uniforms, and access to inappropriate material on screens.
March of Progress
Childhood is improving due to child centred families: Smaller families, more love, more resources, don’t need children for work. This makes children more focused on providing more experiences, tech and better health to the family as a whole, and a low infant mortality rate.
Young Carers
32% of young carers struggle financially. They have a reduced social life, are isolated, have bad mental health, are overwhelmed and receive no attention. There are around 1100 new carers each year.
YCID card schemes help carers to be recognised by professionals, and the Children and Family Act (2014) prevents the inappropriate care of others.
Toxic childhood.
Sue Palmer (2005) noticed a decline in outdoor play meaning less resilience, as well as an increase in learning disabilities, obesity and less interaction. This is due to the schoolification of early childhood putting pressure on children and taking play time, and commercialisation making children into early consumers.
Inequalities among Children
Morality- 90% Low birth weight children are born in low income countries.
Ethnicity- Julia Brenned (1994) found that Asian parents are more likely to be strict.
Social Class- Children in poor families are more likely to die early, have low weight, experience conduct disorders and suffer illnesses.
Genders- Mayer Hillman (1993) Boys are more likely to be independent. Jens Bonke (1999) Girls do more domestic labour.
Firestone (1979)
Things seem to be made to care for children but are forms of oppression and control. No work segregates them and makes them dependant on and subject to adult control. Clothing, hairstyles and how they are touched is decided to control personalities Neglect and Abuse controls children and what they are allowed to do. Prevents good youth, or prevents growth.
