EG) term childhood differs between: time, culture and place
What is meant by the modern Western Notion of Childhood?
children today are regarded as physically and mentallyimmature to run their own lives
this is because they lack: skills, knowledge and experience meaning they need a lengthy protected period of nurturing and socialisation before they are ready to enter adult society and responsibilities that come with it
What does Pilcher (1955) argue in terms of childhood being a social construct?
argues that the most important feature of childhood is separateness
childhood is seen as a clear and distinctlife stage and children in today's society have a separate status from adults
emphasised in different ways such as: dress, laws, products and entertainment