Modern childhood

• Why did the Modern Childhood emerge

  1.Romantic Love

  2.Technological change

  3.Policies

  4.Economics of Children

  5.Family Size

  6.Expert Knowledge
• Describe how ’Romantic Love’ lead to the emergence of modern childhood

  .Edward Shorter - emergence romantic love = marry for love rather than financial security as children became seen as important

  .children products of a special relationship- that between a loving husband and wife- children now seen as special
• How has ‘Technological change’ lead to emergence of modern childhood

  .Postman argues it explains modern ideas about childhood

  .Printing Press-adults required to teach children how to read

  .Reading was a gradual process to learn !skills built slowly which lead to the idea that children were different from adults and needed educating gradually to become like adults
• How have Policies lead to the emergence of modern childhood

  .State policies ensured children can’t take on adult roles

  .labelled childhood as time of innocence -separated from adult world

  .Child Labour banned
• What were the legal changes towards Child Labour

  .1819- children under 9 banned from working in mills, older children limited to 12 hour work days
• What were some Legal Changes about education for children

  .Prevention of Cruelty to Children Act - 1889 =introduced expansion of compulsory education has been particularly important in restricting opportunity for children to work

  .Education compulsory between ages 5 and 10m-1880
• How has ‘Family Size’ lead to the merge ec of ,Oder childhood

  .Chambers (2008) - says there needs to be a shift from viewing children for their economic value to valuing them for emotional reasons

  .Due to economics of parents- have less children with longer infant mortality - parents concentrate time on the small number children they do have seeing them as needing nurturing and protection
• How has ‘Expert Knowledge ‘lead to the emergence of modern childhood

  .Donzelot (2007) - development ofprofessionls who advocate theories of child development has influences the nature of childhood

  .’Expert Knowledge’ - and parenting advice has spread through popular media and websites