childhood Flashcards
1
Q
what did the children’s act 2004 ensure?
A
- that all professionals who work with children adhere to the 5 standards of the ‘every child matters’ initiative
- be healthy, make a positive contribution, enjoy and achieve, stay safe and achieve economic wellbeing
- the state has introduced laws and social policies that monitor the quality of parenting and have defined child neglect and abuse as criminal acts
2
Q
what statistics show there are cultural differences in childhood?
A
- international labour organisation estimated that there were 168mil child workers globally in 2013
- Wyness 2012 estimated around 300,000 child soldiers active in conflicts in central and eastern Africa
3
Q
what historical differences are there in childhood?
A
- Aries 1973 examined development of modern childhood by examining the role of children throughout history
- little differentiation between children and adults until industrial era - rise of compulsory schooling and control over labour laws
- decrease in infant mortality as society evolved - children were often not expected to live to adulthood before this time
4
Q
what social class differences are there in childhood?
A
- according to child poverty action group (2019) it is estimated that 4.2mil children in UK are living in poverty
- 1.2mil children are eligible for free school meals in UK according to DfE
- campaigns examining ‘holiday hunger’ and ‘period poverty’ have highlighted impact of deprivation on children in UK
5
Q
what gender differences are there in childhood?
A
- control over girls is stricter than boys according to McRobbie 2000 with more parents worried about assault or abduction of girls
- gender socialisation and gendered childhoods lead to differences in education achievements for boys and girls
- crisis of masculinity for males - young males are perceived to have less opportunities in traditional industries, lower performance in education and increased mental ill health
6
Q
what ethnic differences are there in childhood?
A
- Bhatti 1999 stricter control of children’s behaviours in Asian families - particularly females
- racism in schools from peers impacts on the experiences of young people according to Cline et al 2002
- institutional racism in schools means black pupils more likely to be excluded than other ethnic groups
7
Q
what is the westernised view of childhood?
A
- Myall 2004 bias toward understanding childhood through lens of western society - most expert advice based upon western notions of children’s capability
- evolution of family from being extended with large numbers of children to a more compact family with fewer children has led to a standardised version of childhood based upon media stereotypes
- changes to legalisation to protect childhood in the west have created childhood as a distinct period of time - cultural globalisation ahs begun to spread this message
8
Q
why is changes in size of family a reason for a shift towards a child centred society?
A
- there are less children
- fewer children born to older parents - 23% of population in 2019 were under age of 19
- children more expensive so many are choosing to buy houses and then wait for children or not have them
9
Q
why is legalisation a reason for a shift towards a more child centred society?
A
- more laws to protect children
- safeguarding legislation - schools and other institutions monitor children and vulnerable adults
- children’s act 1989 and subsequent updates protect the rights and welfare of children
- extension of compulsory education to 18 and removal of housing benefits for under 25s extends parents’ financial responsibility
- in Scotland and Wales it is illegal to hit your child
10
Q
why has greater understanding of childhood led to a shift towards a more child centred society?
A
- better awareness of childhood health (paediatrics) has meant children are living into adulthood
- better understanding of child development has highlighted the importance of having safe and secure childhood for healthy adulthood
- greater awareness of issues centralised on happiness and importance of parenting in 21st century
11
Q
why has the role of the media led to a shift towards a more child centred society?
A
- child centred adverts to buy more for your child and show you ‘love’ for them e.g. at Christmas
- parental fears about children heightened by media play into people’s fears about their children being in harms way e.g. Madeline McCann coverage - cause moral panics
- children are born in new millennium are part of a digital generation with education and social interactions including new technologies
- children’s media focuses on consumption of goods and marketing agencies actively target children and parents
12
Q
why has capitalism led to a shift towards a more child centred society?
A
- guilt that you haven’t bought enough for your child’s birthday to keep up with the new gadgets and things they want
- Margo et al 2006 - markets for children’s products created focus on all aspects of children’s lives
- pester power estimated to cost the average family £1700 per year with most being spent on snacks and drinks, toys and trips out
- clothing, food, toys and games, literature, music and subscription services are now common for children as cost of raising a child is estimated between £150,000 and £185,000 per year
13
Q
evaluation of these factors contributing to a shift towards a more child centred society?
A
- status of children depend on gender, class and ethnicity all impact on a child’s status in family
- is legislation and protection of children a form of social control? Gittens suggests the existence of an age patriarchy
- despite improved status of children, Womack suggests children in UK are unhappiest in developed world (life inside, no longer play outside)
14
Q
what statistics show the changes to the size of family?
A
- according to ONS cohort analysis (2012) women born in 1930s and 1940s averaged over 2 children (2.4 and 2.1) respectively by 30th birthday
- women born in 1967 had 1.9 children, whilst women born in 1982 had just over 1 child at age of 30
- with fewer children being born to older parents, children are more unique in society today. 23% of pop in 2019 were under age of 19
15
Q
which two sociologists state childhood is disappearing?
A
- Pilcher argue childhood is a period of ‘separateness’ distinct from adult life
- Neil Postman 1994 argued childhood is disappearing and that children were becoming more like little adults in contemporary society. social blurring (children have the same rights as adults, are engaging in more adult behaviours)
16
Q
what social class differences are there in childhood experience?
A
- 4.2mil children living in poverty in 2018-19 according to child poverty action group - estimated that this will increase to 5.2mil by 2022
- according to DfE 2019, 17% of children bullied, with deprivation being a cause of bullying
17
Q
which sociologists say there is increasing control over children?
A
- Gittens 1998 and Hood-Williams 1990 - children are subject to controls under what is termed an age patriarchy
- adult males control the children’s lives in a number of ways, governing their time, space, bodies and access to resources
- Myall 2004 has suggested that traditional views of childhood focus on adult control over children’s lives, however changes have occurred in recent years - e.g. UN convention on rights of the child
18
Q
what did Palmer say about toxic childhood?
A
- suggested that many children are now suffering from toxic childhood syndrome 2015
- access to electronic media, poor diets, long hours in childcare or wrap-around care and parenting styles have all negatively impacted on the experience of children
- Palmer suggests this has led to increase in mental health conditions and anti-social behaviours
19
Q
what is sexualisation of children?
A
- children’s clothing ranges adopting more adult themes, producing smaller versions of adult styles leading to sexualisation of children
- decrease in average age of first sexual intercourse from 20 in 1950s to 16 in 2001 demonstrates changing attitudes to intimate relationships
- claims of historical sexual abuse in recent years have led to increased legislation to protect children
20
Q
evaluations to toxic childhood, sexualisation and control?
A
- childhood experiences are intersectional - based on class, gender and ethnicity and therefore often depend upon a range of social factors
- despite childhood disappearing the ‘clipped wing’ generation and ‘boomerang’ children suggest that young adults are often not prepared for the adult world
- Tosi and Grundy 2018 found that almost a quarter of young adults were still living with their parents, the highest recorded since 1996
21
Q
what does the conflict view state about childhood?
A
- it is not a shared experience and can be negative for some children
22
Q
what did conflict sociologists Leach and Cooper state about emotional terrorism?
A
- Leach 1968 argued that families are the source of all out emotional discontents and prejudices because spouses demand too much of one another and children fail to live up to their parents’ expectations
- for example Cooper 1971 argues that the family emotionally ‘terrorises’ children by teaching them to be blindly obedient to authority and intolerant of others
23
Q
what did conflict sociologist Marilyn Howard 2001 state?
A
- children from poorer backgrounds have different experiences to those from wealthier
- for example, Marilyn Howard states that children from materially deprived families are more likely to have poorer nutrition, lower levels of energy and therefore weaker immune systems than their m/c peers
24
Q
what did conflict sociologist Jasper 2002 state about ethnicity?
A
- children form different ethnic-minority backgrounds may suffer from racism in the education system and/or in wider society
- for example Jasper claimed that white female teachers fear African-Caribbean boys and therefore ignore them in class while having low expectations of their academic achievement
25
what is the conflict view of McRobbie and Garber's bedroom culture study?
- indicated that parents would much prefer their daughters to be day dreaming about their fav pop stars from posters on their walls than being outside where the real dangers exist
- the study also indicated that boys had a different experience as they were actively encouraged to go out with their friends rather than be stuck inside
26
what conflict view did Gittens argue after his research on child abuse?
- argues that it is not only women who suffer with patriarchy; children can also be victims of their fathers need to dominate the family
- she calls this 'age patriarchy'
- this concept uses the traditional definition of the patriarchy: 'rule by the father'
- Gittens observes that age patriarchy means that parents exercise control over children's time, daily routines and bodies, for example, how they sit, dress and so on, as well as the speed at which they 'grow up'
27
what do Mason and Tipper claim about children?
- 2008 - claim that children have more power than other theorists suggest
- children are active agents of their upbringing and can therefore shape their own experiences of fam life. in some cases children may hood the balance of power in the household as parents revolve their lives around the demands of their children
- children have power to determine who is part of their family and who is not. biological ties are not significant to children, therefore, anyone could be a fam member in the eyes of a child
28
what did Womack observe about each child being unique?
- 2011 observes that most state policies have aimed to improve childhood, based on the idea that if families are 'better-off' then children will be happier
- however she argues that there is no association between the reduction in child poverty and children's life satisfaction
29
other sociologists take an action approach to studying childhood, what are they called and what is their approach?
- interactionists suggest that children can be influential members of fam
- children can teach their parents just as much about society as their parents can teach them
- as a result socialisation is not as 'top down' as structural approaches would suggest - instead is a two way process that occurs through everyday interactions
30
what did interactionist Morrow suggest 1998?
- suggests they are frequently involved in fam discussions and believe they have a right to share decisions about their activities with their parents
