Childhood

Question 1

Childbearing trends

1900 - 2012

Answer 1

1900
Total fertility rate 2.21
Birthrate 27.3
Family size 6.0
Household size 4.6

2012
Total fertility rate 1.94
Birthrate 11.5
Family size 1.7
Household size 2.4

Question 2

Reasons for change in childbearing trends

Answer 2

Contraception

Education

Changing role of women

Decline in infant mortality rate

Economic factors

Changing values

Question 3

Impact of changing fertility rate

Reduction in labour force

Answer 3

As people have less children each generation provides a smaller workforce

Question 4

Impact of changing fertility rate

Dependency ratio

Answer 4

It is decreasing due to less children so parents are more able to go to work

Question 5

Impact of changing fertility rate

Immigration

Answer 5

Increased immigration is increasing the overall population so there are more people having children

Question 6

Impact of changing fertility rate

Growth of beanpole family

Answer 6

Family trees become thinner with fewer supporting on elderly relations

Question 7

Impact of changing fertility rate

Voluntary childlessness

Answer 7

Further causes a reduced workforce and no want to leave inheritance to

Question 8

Impact of changing fertility rate

Decreases in full-time mothers

Answer 8

Mother’s s going to work can impact on the development of a child and how they perform in education

Question 9

Childhood as a social construct

No - separateness picher

Answer 9

Socially separated - children have different social status to adults

Physical immaturity - dressed differently to adults and have produced specially designed clothes for them

Psychological immaturity - children require protection from the world so are separated from it by the family

Question 10

Childhood as a social construct

No - dominates framework James and prout

Answer 10

Children: simple amoral - have no/limited morals

Adults: complex morals - have morals that greatly impact behaviour and attitude

Question 11

Childhood as a social construct

Yes - Cultural relativity

Answer 11

Childhood experiences vary per culture.

Wagg argues that there is no single universal childhood so it isn’t natural and should be distinguished from more biological immaturities

Question 12

Childhood as a social construct

Yes - Hysterical relativity

Answer 12

The experience that childhood has changed over time

Aries showed in mediaeval times childhood did not exist as separate status once the child was physically able they took on adult roles of working or housework

Question 13

Childhood as a social construct

Yes/no - Analytical approach

Answer 13

Possibilities of social construction depends on the age of the child

Infants are naturally dependent but from age 5 onwards social construction is more plausible

Question 14

Status of children

March of progress

Answer 14

Children live much better today than they would have 200 years ago

Child labour is now restricted to 13/14-year-old who can only work a minimum of 25 hours a week

1880 compulsory school till 10 2015 it was raised to 18

Rights of children more are now more central to society including child protection laws

Parents spend more time and money on children quality of life and parental bond is better

Question 15

Status of children

Conflict view

Answer 15

March of progress view is incorrect as society is based on conflict and equality

Question 16

Status of children

Intra Child conflict - Nationality and gender

Answer 16

Nationality - 90% of the world low birth rates are in developing countries which is linked to delay physical and intellectual development

Gender hilman - Boys are more likely to be allowed to cross or cycle on the road use buses and go out after dark and unaccompanied

Question 17

Status of children

Intra Child conflict - Ethnicity and class

Answer 17

Ethnicity Brannen- A study of 15 to 16-year-olds found Asian parents are more likely to be strict towards daughters

Class Woodroffe- children of unskilled manual workers are three times more likely to suffer from hyperactivity the children of professionals

Question 18

Status of children

Child liberation view

Answer 18

Children should be freed from adult control

Ways adults control children

Control of a children space - told to play in some areas but not others

Control over children’s time - tell children when to wake up sleep

Control of a child body - How they sit walk and run

Question 19

Future of childhood

New sociology of childhood

Answer 19

Favoured by child liberationists

Mayall: children are treated as socialisation projects and a focus on childhood from the child’s perspective

Children are active agents in creating their own childhood

Use unstructured interviews

Question 20

Future of childhood

Disappearing childhood thesis -post man

Answer 20

Childhood is disappearing as the gap between childhood and adult hood narrows

Children slowly have the same rights as adults including similar clothing and children committing adult crimes

Childhood emerges along with mass literacy as it created a division between adults who can read and children who can’t read

Question 21

Future of childhood

Toxic childhood - Palmer

Answer 21

A toxic mix of technology and cultural changes is having a negative impact on the development of a growing number of children

Decline of outdoor play which is linked to increased childhood poverty

Commercialisation of childhood as children exploited by advertisers

Schoolification of a early childhood so they are less independent

The decline in listening and language and communication skills has led to reduced attention spans

Screen saturation reduces face-to-face interactions

Test targets and education have increased anxiety

Question 22

Future of childhood

Universal childhood

Answer 22

The western notion of childhood is spreading around the world

They are campaigners for universal education

Charities focus on helping street children and preventing child labour

Now there is globalise TV and media