Family and households- Childhood

Question 1

What is the western notion of childhood?

Answer 1

Children are fundamentally different from adults as they are physically and psychologically immature and lack the skills and experience of all aspects of childhood.

Question 2

What things show that childhood is a distinct life stage separate from adults?

Answer 2

Different laws for adults and children, different clothes, different entertainment etc
Childhood is therefore seen as the ‘Golden age of innocence’ therefore protect them from the bad things of the world.

Question 3

Why is childhood seen as a social construct?

Answer 3

Childhood is made up by society and its not a universal thing and means different things in different parts of the world.

Question 4

Give one way of childhood difference in different cultures.

Answer 4

Children in Bolivia begin work at age 10 full time, whereas in UK children can only work at 16 part time.

Question 5

How does Aries explain the historical difference of childhood in the middle ages?

Answer 5

The idea of childhood did not exist.
Children were not seen as having a different nature or different needs from adults.
Children were mini-adults with the same rights, duties and skills as adults.
Children often had to face the same punishment as adults if they broke the law.

Question 6

How did Aries uses paintings to make conclusions about childhood in the past?

Answer 6

Paintings showed children as mini adults and there was no characteristics of children shown. Adults and children dressed the same, played and worked together.

Question 7

What problems might there be in using evidence of paintings and diaries to understand childhood or family life in the past?

Answer 7

• It does not show the bond between parents and child
• Art is subjective
• Most art is paid for by the rich so bias to mc
• It relies on the artist telling the truth so is invalid

Question 8

According to Aries what elements of the modern notion childhood started to emerge from the 13th century?

Answer 8

Parental attitudes to children were also different in the middle ages:
1. Schools started to specialise in educating the young.
2. Clothing became separate from adults and children.
3. Child-centredness started to occur- hand book on childrearing were available for parents.

Question 9

How does Aries say these development culminate in the modern ‘cult of childhood?

Answer 9

We have moved from a world where childhood wasn’t seen as special to a world obsessed with childhood.

Question 10

How does Pollock criticise view on the modern ‘cult of childhood’?

Answer 10

She argues its more correct to say that in the middle ages, society simply had a different view of childhood.

Question 11

What are the changes for the position of children?

Answer 11

declining family size, children’s rights, compulsory schooling, children’s health, laws and policies, lower infant mortality rate, child labour laws

Question 12

What is Postman’s view on the disappearance of childhood?

Answer 12

Childhood is disappearing at a dazzling speed.
Children have the same rights as adults, similarities in clothing, children committing ‘adult’ crimes and leaving children unsupervised.
The emergence and the disappearance of childhood is due to the rise and fall of print culture and its replacement by television culture.

Question 13

What is the information hierarchy?

Answer 13

Postman argues that childhood emerged as a separate status along with mass literacy, from the 19th century on. This is because the printed word creates an information hierarchy: a sharp division between adults, who can read, and children, who cannot. This gave adults the power to keep knowledge about adult matters such as violence a secret from children.

Question 14

How has TV blurred the distinction between adulthood and childhood?

Answer 14

TV has destroyed the information hierarchy. Unlike the printed word, TV does not require special skills to access it, and it makes information available to adults and children alike. The boundary between adults and children is broken down, adult authority diminishes, and innocence of childhood is replaced by knowledge.

Question 15

Evaluate Postman’s view on childhood.

Answer 15

He over-emphasises a single cause- TV, at the expense of other factors that influenced the development of childhood e.g. the rising standards of living and changes in the law.
Opie researched children’s games. rhymes and songs and concluded childhood isn’t disappearing and there is still a separate children’s culture.

Question 16

How is childhood undergoing change in postmodern society rather than disappearing according to Jenks?

Answer 16

In modern society, adult relationships were more stable but in postmodern society the pace of change speeds up and relationships become more unstable. e.g. divorce is more common, generating feelings of insecurity. Parent’s relationships with their child become more important as a source of identity and stability. In postmodern society, relationship with their child become adults’ last refuge due to the uncertainty of life. This leads to parents becoming more fearful of their children’s security and are even more preoccupied with protecting them from dangers like child abuse.

Question 17

What idea does Jenks view of childhood undergoing change in postmodern society rather than disappearing support?

Answer 17

It strengths the prevailing view of children being vulnerable and in need of protection, resulting in greater surveillance and regulation over children’s lives.
Therefore Jenks argues that childhood continues to be a separate status, and the legal and other restrictions placed on what children can do continues to mark them off from adults.

Question 18

Evaluate Jenks view on childhood.

Answer 18

He is guilty of overgeneralising. Despite the greater diversity of family and childhood patterns e.g. lone-parent families, he makes statements that imply all children are in the same position.

Question 19

How is childhood disappearing because of falling birth rate and death rate?

Answer 19

These two trends are producing an ageing population with more old people and fewer young people so, the voice of young people is less likely to be heard for the resources they need.
This may also make childhood a more isolating experience as families become smaller and there are less children in the neighbourhood.

Question 20

Has the position of children improved according to the march of progress view?

Answer 20

They argue that the position of children in Western societies has been steadily improving over time.
Todays children are more valued, better cared for, protected and educated than ever before. e.g.
the cost of raising a child
child-centred family
child-centred society
legislation, the role of specialists (paediatrician and professional teachers), increased government spending

Question 21

What is meant by the future of childhood?

Answer 21

Children are gaining more and more power in terms of their rights, this leads to a break down of the distinction of differences between childhood and adulthood.

Question 22

Has the position of children improved according to the conflict view sociologists?

Answer 22

Society is based on conflict; between classes, social groups and genders.
some groups are empowered, others are underpowered.
powerful groups dominate powerless groups.
children are economically dependant on parents.
March of progress view is idealised, false and ignores inequalities.

Question 23

What are the March of progress sociologists views on adults power over children?

Answer 23

Adults use their power to protect children.

Question 24

What is meant by a toxic childhood according to palmer?

Answer 24

Childhood is not disappearing but changing. Palmer argues children are experiencing a toxic childhood. The cultural changes in the past 25 years have caused damage to children’s physical, emotional and intellectual development. e.g. childhood obesity, underage drinking, teen pregnancies.
However not all children are affected equally by these trends.

Question 25

What is the conflict sociologists views on adults power over children?

Answer 25

This power is used to oppress children. Protection is a form of oppression.
Firestone says child labour laws actually segregate children, keep them dependant and keep then subject to control.

Question 26

What are the inequalities between adults and children?

Answer 26

Children today experience greater control, oppression and dependency, not greater care and protection.

Question 27

What are the inequalities among children?

Answer 27

Class- wc children vs mc children e.g. wc children more likely to experience illness and miss out on school
Gender- boys and girls socialised differently e.g. boys can stay out later
Nationality- where your born impacts your life experience e.g low birth weight babies are from developing countries.
Ethnicity- Asian girls are taught to be submissive boys are expected to study hard and excel at school
Children are not all equal

Question 28

What are the 4 ways adults have control over children?

Answer 28

Control over children’s:
bodies
time
space
access to resources

Question 29

How do adults have control over children’s space?

Answer 29

Children’s movements are limited. e.g.
shops may display signs that say ‘no school children’ They are also not allowed to play in all areas. There’s increasing surveillance over children in public spaces such as shopping centres with the use of CCTV especially at times when they should be in school.
Fears of road safety and stranger danger, has led to more children being driven to and from school rather than alone.
This contrasts with the rural sudanese children who roam freely within the village and several kilometres outside it

Question 30

How do adults have control over children’s bodies?

Answer 30

Adults will tell children to sit, not run, walk sensibly, control what hairstyles they have and decide if they can have piercings.
They pat their heads, stroke their hair, hold their hands, pick them up, cuddle them and kiss them without asking for permission.
They decide if they are going to physically discipline them.
They permit them from nose picking, thumb sucking, nail biting, masturbation, and engaging in sexual relations.

Question 31

How do adults have control over children’s time?

Answer 31

They control children’s daily activities, including when they get to up, eat, go to sleep, come home, go out, play, watch tv and sleep. They also control the speed at which children grow up. It is them who decide if a child is too young or too old for certain activities, responsibilities or behaviours.

Question 32

How do adults have control over children’s access to resources?

Answer 32

Children have a limited ability to earn money, dependant on adults.
Labour laws and compulsory schooling.
Child benefit goes to mother.
Pocket money controlled, restricted on what it can be spent on, when its spent and how its earned.

Question 33

How are children neglected and abused by adults?

Answer 33

Tens of thousands of children physically, sexually, psychologically or emotionally abused by adults every year. The dark side of family life.

Question 34

What is meant by the new sociology of childhood?

Answer 34

This approach is favoured by child liberationalists as it draws attention to the fact that children often lack power in relation to adults and we must take the perspective of the child. and it sees children as active agents who play a major part in creating their own childhood.