Roles and relationships between parents and children

Question 1

Reasons for the emergence of the modern child-centered family

Answer 1

Smaller families
Shorter working hours
Extension of education (until 18 years of age)
Children’s right- 1989 UN convention on the rights of the child” and “ 1989 and 2004 children act
Child experts
Concerns about children- Frank Furedi- paranoid parents- Risks of harm to children is exaggerated and the new focus on protection is unhealthy. deprives children of the sense of adventure

Question 2

Power relations between parents and children

Answer 2

Gittens (1985)- Age patriarchy
Uses term to describe power inequalities between adults and children. Adults more powerful for a few reasons such as children are financially dependent on parents until they work full time.

Sue Palmer- Toxic childhood
Children are being damaged by a diet of junk food, excessive exposure to computer games and lack of love or discipline from parents forced to work.
Consequence: Children become moody

Radford et al (2011) - Child abuse and negligence
1 in 5 children have experienced severe maltreatment

Question 3

The changing role of fathers

Answer 3

Anne Gray: Fathers and Quality time (2006)

Many fathers emphasised the need to spend quality time with their children such as outings, sports, play as expressions of fatherhood rather than domestic work.
Long working hours: pressure as fathers do not get to spend much time with their children

Esther Dermott: Intimate relationships (2003)

25 fathers in depth interview commented in how many men insisted that they wanted a closer and more intimate relationship with their children then they had had with their own fathers

Sevilla: Time Budget Diaries (2014)

Fathers spend 7 times as much time interacting with their children than their own fathers did with them 40 years ago. Middle class more educated parents were much more likely to spend more time with their children

Hatter et al: Dads on Dads (2002)

Enforcer dad: purpose provide a stern role model. strict rues
Entertainer dad: clowns of family- keep children amused while mothers do the cleaning and ironing
Useful dad: are at least willing to pitch in on the domestic tasks
Fully involved dad: share responsibility for mundane chores on an equal basis with their partners

Question 4

Impact of the ageing population on relationships between parents, grandparents and children

Answer 4

Age dependency ratio: is the ratio of dependents people younger than 15 or older than 64 to the working age population those aged 15 to 64

Question 5

Grundy and Henrietta- sandwich generation

Answer 5

These are older middle aged people who have taken on the responsibility especially women to care for older relatives (usually parents and parents in law), still having responsibility for adult children who might be living at home and partially dependent children

Question 6

Julia Brannen (2003)- Beanpole families (extended families of three, four or even five generations)

Answer 6

Intragenerational ties ( between family members in the same generation)
Intergenerational ties ( Grandparents)

Members may not necessarily all live together in the same households but may live close together and see one another regularly

Question 7

Deborah Chambers (2013)

Answer 7

Grandparenting is still gendered with grandmothers playing a larger line with the gendered nature of other aspects of family life
Many grandparents are still in employment and if retired may have active social lives therefore are not able to play an active part in their grandchildren’s lives
Extended families now often dispersed over geographical distances meaning they are not always in a position to give regular practical help
Rising rates of divorce and relationship breakdown mean that grandparents may lose contact with their grandchildren. Most children go with mothers which means paternal parents are most affected by this. Maternal grandparents are more likely to be involved in offering help to their daughter and grandchildren following separation