Outline and evaluate the view that the relationship between parents and children has changed in the last 50 years Flashcards
point 1
One way in which relationship between parents and children have changed over the last 50 years is parents are now becoming more worried about their children and spend more time trying to protect them than stimulate them.
example 1
Frank Furedi describes a change in the role of parents in recent years. Traditionally, ‘good’ parents tried to care for and stimulate their children. Nowadays they often see their main task as protecting their children from danger (accidents, paedophiles, bullies). Furedi believes parents have become paranoid. He thinks the risks of harm to children have been exaggerated and the new accent on protection is unhealthy.
explain 1
This shows that the relationship between parents and children has changed over the last 50 years as children have become subject to increased surveillance because parents are more fearful for their children and determined to protect them, which wasn’t the case 50 years ago, this shows that parenting methods have changed.
counter 1
Chester argues that family diversity is exaggerated and the basic features of family life have remained largely unchanged for the majority of the population since the 1950s. This would mean that the relationship between parents and children hasn’t changed.
point 2
Parents now use nursery’s as a way of socialising children so they don’t get neglected like they did in the 1960s and so the mother can work.
example 2
Chapman believes that parent-child relationships have changed considerably as a result of the increase in the proportion of married women in paid employment. In the 1960s working mothers were criticised for ‘neglecting’ their children but now it is seen as better for children to go to nursery and the mother to do paid work. This change has led to fathers becoming more involved in childcare.
explain 2
This shows that the relationship between parents and children has changed over the last 50 years as due to an increase in mothers working it is now encouraged that children go to nursery whereas 50 years ago this wasn’t seen as a good option.
counter 2
Parsons argues that that the relationship between parents and children hasn’t changed as the parents role is still to primary socialise the children.
point 3
There is some evidence which suggests that the standard of parenting has improved over recent decades with parents becoming more able to meet the needs of their children.
example 3
Gershuny found from a study involving 3000 parents keeping diaries the activities, found that the amount of time parents spent reading to or playing with their children had quadrupled over recent decades.
explain 3
This shows that the relationship between parents and children has changed over the last 50 years as previously parents would spend much less time with their children whereas now their relationship involves spending a lot more time together, this argues against a lot of studies that argue that the relationship between children and parents has got worse.
counter 3
Jenks argues that parents still enforce rules on children like Laws preventing children from taking up adult roles until they reach specific ages.
point 4
Children are now depending on their parents in different ways than they were 50 years ago, but at the same time are also independent in other ways too.
example 4
Lee argues that Children are dependent on their parents, but in another sense are independent. For example, there is a mass children’s market that children influence – they make choices, they decide which products succeed and fail – but are still dependent on their parent’s purchasing power.
explain 4
this shows that the relationship between parents and children has changed in the last 50 years as previously children wouldn’t have the influence that they have on a market and parents would make choices for them, however in modern society this is no longer the case
