Childhood

• What did Postman argue about disappearance of childhood

  Postman (1982,1994)

  
  

  - Distinction between adults and children is disappearing

  - Children in contemporary society are exposed to experiences they share with adults (internet, TV)

  - Children are less sheltered form adult topics and experiences
• What is eroding the cultural divisions between adulthood and childhood

  - Children in contemporary society are being exposed to a range of experiences that in the past only adults would experience

  - Through this children are exposed to adult themes such as sex, crime, alcohol, drug abuse and violence
• What did the 2007 Primary Review discover?

  Children of primary school age were expressing concerns about adult related themes like climate change, terrorism and crime
• What does Cunningham argue?

  Cunningham (2005)

  
  

  - Parental authority has been undermined by children getting money from parents (pocket money) or having part time jobs when they're older

  - Children are in most cases allowed to decide how to spend this money, reducing their dependency on parents
• What research is there to support Cunningham?

  - The 2014 Annual Halifax Pocket Money Survey found the average child between 8-15 received pocket money of around £6.35 a week (£330/yr)

  - Children aged 7-15 spent £12.50 per week on average
• What does Margo add to Cunningham's argument?

  Children are exposed to advertisements and transforms them into consumers, who demand access to their adult world earlier
• What does Silva argue?


  Silva (1996)

  
  

  Parents roles may be diminishing because of the growing importance of peers, teachers and other influences children are exposed to through media like films, games, phones and the internet
• What does the Primary Review add to Silva's point?

  Parents say they have little control over such things as mobile phones and internet access, through which children had access to unsuitable or harmful material
• What does Palmer suggest?


  Palmer (2007)

  
  

  - Parents increasingly use modern technology like TVs, computer games, the internet and phones to keep children occupied

  - She argued, that combined with the increasingly busy and stressful lives of parents is depriving children of a proper childhood, with quality time

  - She sees the contemporary world creating a "toxic childhood syndrome"
• What is Palmer's "toxic childhood syndrome"?

  When children don't have a proper childhood they grow up as a "toxic generation" and potentially face a whole range of social and behavioural problems
• What did the BBC News School Report online survey in 2011 discover?

  - Nearly 90% of 11-16yr olds had helped an adult in their family to go online

  - Over half had helped with finding websites and emailing
• What does the internet potentially give children, and how does this change their relationship with their parents?

  - Gives young people a range of knowledge and imagery

  - This creates the possibility that young people will create a culture that goes beyond their parents comprehension or experience

  - This may make parental involvement with their children's activities more difficult and create a barrier between parents and children
• What does Margo explain is an indicator of lost childhood?

  - Over the last 50yrs, the average age of losing your virginity fell from 20 for men & 21 for women (1950s) to 16 for both (mid 1990s)

  - Concern over the sexualisation of children- advertisers and media encouraging children to dress and act in a sexually precocious way

  - Children are exposed to, and expected to navigate, adult concerns at younger ages
• What are Western approaches to childhood?

  - Childhood is seen as innocent & vulnerable

  - Lengthy period of nurturing & socialisation

  - Jane Pilcher: Childhood is clearly defined as a separate stage of life
• What are Non-Western approaches to childhood?

  - Ruth Benedict: children have more responsibility at home & work

  - Expected behaviour of children is less clearly separated from the expected behaviour of adults

  - Children take on roles as soon as they're able to

  - 28% (59mil) involved in work

  - 215mil aged 5-17 in child labour in sub-Saharan Africa
• How does the differences in childhood in the west and east suggest that childhood is a social construct?

  The nature of childhood is not the same in every society and in many countries young children are expected to take on jobs at an early age

  
  

  Childhood depends on the culture
• How does childhood differ within the same society?

  - Social Class, Ethnicity & Gender

  - Margo: Richer parents can afford activities that can enhance personal development

  - Poorer children may have to go into paid employment sooner

  - Poorer children more likely to suffer from ill health

  - Girls more strictly controlled that boys

  - Family heritage affects how you're raised
• What was childhood like before 1850?

  - Philippe Aries argues that in the medieval times, childhood did not exist

  - Children moved straight from infancy to working roles in the community

  - Seen as mini adults

  - Expected to take on roles as soon as they're able to
• What was childhood like in the 19th Century?

  - Child labour commonly practiced and accepted

  - Many factory workers were children under 11

  - In poorer families parents sometimes had to force their children into scavenging, street selling, thieves and prostitutes

  - Face same legal punishment as adults
• What was childhood like in the 20th & 21st Century?

  - Families more child centred

  - Industrialisation and restrictions on child labour designed to protect children from exploitation

  - Children began to be seen as innocent and in need for protection, but also seen as weak and vulnerable
• Causes of child centredness

  - Welfare state

  - Children's legal rights

  - Shorter working week

  - Higher standards of living

  - Compulsory education
• How has a shorter working week increased child centredness

  19th century- 70-80hrs

  21st century- 43hrs

  
  

  = more time to spend with kids
• How has higher standards of living increased child centredness

  higher wages, increased affluence= more money to spend on children and their activities
• How has the Welfare state increased child centredness

  - Benefits help parents

  - Increased expectation for parents to look after their child properly

  - Social Workers have power to remove children from dysfunctional families
• How has Compulsory education increased child centredness

  Longer period of time children are dependant on the family
• What is the 'march of progress' view?

  Gradual and inevitable movement towards equality
• What does Phillipe Aries believe about children in todays society

  - more valued

  - more protected

  - better educated

  - healthier

  - more rights
• Evidence FOR the 'march of progress' view

  - Child Act of 1989 & 2004 (legal protection)

  - Childhood is extended because of compulsory education

  - Welfare state protects children

  - Children seen as innocent
• Evidence AGAINST the 'march of progress view'

  - Adult domination & child dependency

  - Domestic violence

  - Child centredness does not always mean child is well cared for- could be overly controlled

  - Laws to protect them could be undermining their independence, enforcing dependence on adults

  - Children has fewer legal rights over decisions= up to their parents