Childhood Flashcards
Childbearing trends
1900 - 2012
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
Reasons for change in childbearing trends
Contraception
Education
Changing role of women
Decline in infant mortality rate
Economic factors
Changing values
Impact of changing fertility rate
Reduction in labour force
As people have less children each generation provides a smaller workforce
Impact of changing fertility rate
Dependency ratio
It is decreasing due to less children so parents are more able to go to work
Impact of changing fertility rate
Immigration
Increased immigration is increasing the overall population so there are more people having children
Impact of changing fertility rate
Growth of beanpole family
Family trees become thinner with fewer supporting on elderly relations
Impact of changing fertility rate
Voluntary childlessness
Further causes a reduced workforce and no want to leave inheritance to
Impact of changing fertility rate
Decreases in full-time mothers
Mother’s s going to work can impact on the development of a child and how they perform in education
Childhood as a social construct
No - separateness picher
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
Childhood as a social construct
No - dominates framework James and prout
Children: simple amoral - have no/limited morals
Adults: complex morals - have morals that greatly impact behaviour and attitude
Childhood as a social construct
Yes - Cultural relativity
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
Childhood as a social construct
Yes - Hysterical relativity
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
Childhood as a social construct
Yes/no - Analytical approach
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
Status of children
March of progress
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
Status of children
Conflict view
March of progress view is incorrect as society is based on conflict and equality
Status of children
Intra Child conflict - Nationality and gender
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
Status of children
Intra Child conflict - Ethnicity and class
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
Status of children
Child liberation view
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
Future of childhood
New sociology of childhood
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
Future of childhood
Disappearing childhood thesis -post man
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
Future of childhood
Toxic childhood - Palmer
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
Future of childhood
Universal childhood
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
