Childhood👶🏽

Question 1

Ruth Benedict’s view on cross cultural differences in childhood
(Three differences)

Answer 1

• They take responsibility at an early age
• Less value placed on child’s obedience to adult authority
• Sexual behaviour is viewed differently

Question 2

Aries view in childhood in the ‘Middle Ages’

Answer 2

The idea of childhood did not exist as they did not have different needs to adults when they passed infancy

Question 3

What was childhood like in the ‘Middle Ages’?

Answer 3

After being weaned children entered wider society as they began work at an early age. They shared the same rights/duties/skills as adults

Question 4

What elements of the modern notion of childhood emerged from the 13th century?

Answer 4

• Schools being purely for educating young people
• Growing distinction between children + adults clothing
• Handbooks on child rearing were widely available

Question 5

Aries’ views on the modern ‘cult of childhood’

Answer 5

We have moved from a world that didn’t recognise childhood to one that is now obsessed with it

Question 6

Evaluation of Aries’s work

Answer 6

Shows that childhood is socially constructed and how ideas about children and their social status has varied over time

Question 7

Reasons for changes in the position of children

During the 19/20th century

Answer 7

• Laws restricting child labour/excluding children from paid work
• Introduction of compulsory schooling
• Laws + Policies applying to children

Question 8

March of Progress view

Answer 8

The position in Western societies has been improving

Adults now use their power for the benefit and protection of the child

Question 9

Child-centred family

Answer 9

• High-living standards/smaller family size = affording to look after the child properly
• children now the focal point of a family

Question 10

Toxic childhood

Answer 10

• Rapid technological/cultural changes damage a child physically and intellectually
• Obesity drug and alcohol abuse and violence are major issues

Question 11

The Conflict view

Answer 11

• Inequalities among children
• Inequalities between children and adults
• Control over time
• Control over bodies
• Control over resources
• Age patriarchy

Question 12

Mason + Tipper - child definition

Answer 12

Children create their own definition on family including close friends

Question 13

Children Liberationists

Answer 13

New approach draws attention to the fact that children lack power in relation to adults

Question 14

Future of Childhood

Answer 14

Childhood has changed from pre-industrial to modern society. It will be expected to change continually

Question 15

Neil Postman - childhood disappearing

Answer 15

Childhood is disappearing quickly

• children have the same rights as adults
• traditional unsupervised games are disappearing
• the clothes that they wear
• crimes that they are committing

Question 16

Neglect and Abuse - statistics

Answer 16

In 2013 43,000 children were subject to child protection plans as they seemed to be at risk of significant harm
- indicating a ‘dark side’ to family life with children as victims

Question 17

Controls over children’s space

Answer 17

• Children are told to play in certain areas and forbidden in others
• Close surveillance over children in public areas
• Parents fears of children being kidnapped lead to more children being driven to school

Question 18

Cindi Katz (2004) - Sudan

Answer 18

Rural Sudanese children roam freely within the village and outside of it

Question 19

Controls over time

Answer 19

Adults control what time children:
 - eat
 - sleep
 - go to school/come home
 - play
 - watch television
Also how fast their child grows up as they decide what age the child is able to have responsibilities, do certain activities and their behaviour

Question 20

Holmes’s Study

Answer 20

In the Samoan society ‘too young’ is not an excuse for a child not being able to take part in a particular task or activity

Question 21

Controls over children’s bodies

Answer 21

They control how the child:

• sits
• walks
• what they wear/hairstyles/piercings
• may be able to touch their own bodies

Question 22

Controls over children’s access to resources

Answer 22

In industrial societies children have limited opportunities to earn money due to their dependence on parents

• compulsory schooling = only part-time low paying jobs
• child benefits go to the parents not the child
• pocket money may be given for ‘good’ behaviour but what it can be spent on can be restricted