FAMILIES & HOUSEHOLDS - SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CHILDHOOD

What is a 'social construction' ?

Society made it, and only exists because society believes it should, collectively created by society (e.g. law, education, gestures - waving as a friendly welcome)

What separates children and adults?

Children are regarded as physically and psychologically immature and not competent enough to run their own lives

How is childhood different for different children?

Can depend on status/wealth/area you grew up in/incomes/war torn countries

What is the legal age in the UK when you are classed as an adult?

18

What does Jane Pilcher say is the most important feature of the modern idea or childhood?

Separateness

What does this mean?

She believes that there is a very clear line between children and adults

• through how they act, what they can do, what they know

How is separateness emphasized?

Through laws - allowed, required and forbidden to do

What are other things that separate children and adults?

• how they dress

• through products/services (toys, foods, books, entertainment, play areas)

• dummies

• jobs

• body cosmetics

• bank accounts

• paying bills

• cots

How old do you to be to smoke or vape in the UK?

18

How old do you have to be to learn to drive in the UK?

17

How old do you have to be to have sex in the UK?

16

How old do you have to be to be charged with a crime in the UK?

10

How old do you have to be to vote in the UK?

18, but now 16

How old do you have to be to get married in the UK?

18 (can be younger with parental consent)

How old do you have to be to work (light) in the UK?

14

How old do you have to be to gamble in the UK?

18

What is childhood defined as in 2 words?

"golden age"

Why is it called the "golden age"?

It is an age of happiness and innocence - as children are seen as venerable and in need of protection from the adult world

What can children lives be compared to? Referring to being protected from the "darker" sides or the world?

"a bubble" of family and education

What are children excluded from that adults are not?

Jobs/work

Stephen Wagg explains that childhood is "socially constructed", what else does he say?

That each child has individual childhoods through different experiences

How is childhood differnt in 16th century England?

Children's and adults dressed very similar (this was normal then but not so now)

What does Ruth Benedict argue that children are in simpler, non-industrial societies?

Children are treated differently than children in modern western countries (they grow up quicker than others by taking on different families roles, specifically growing up quicker in war-torn countries - forced to understand)

What are 3 ways that childhoods are different?

• they take responsibility at an early age

• less value is placed on children

• children’s adult (s) behavior

Explain an example of children taking responsibility at a young age?

Punch studied childhood in Bolivia and found that when children were 5 years old, they were expected to take on working responsibilities

Explain an example of less value being placed on children?

Firth found that among the people of Tikopia of the Western pacific, doing as they were told by a grown up was a decision of the child and not a right given to the adults

Real world examples of not trusting adults?

Jamie Bulger - trusted 2 teenagers which led to his death

The woman who was killed by a police officer in late COVID for “not following” COVID rules

What is the name of the main historian who commented on childhood?

Historian Phillipe Aries

What does he argue about childhood in the 10th to 13th century?

Childhood did not exist

Were children and adults seen as similar or different? What did he call children? How were they the same?

Children were not seen as different to adults when they were no longer physically dependent on their parents Eg. Babies

Children were seen as “mini adults” who were given the same skills, duties and rights as adults

Children could face the same harsh penalties (death penalty)

How does he provide evidence for children and adults being so similar?

Artwork from the period - children lack any characteristics of childhood, they are just shown as smaller

It is very unclear if people are adults or children

What did Edward Shorter say about parents having lots of children?

It was not uncommon for parents to name their babies after a recently deceased baby, referring to the baby as “it” or forgetting how many children they had

What were some reasons why people had lots of children?

• to get more money - sending the boys to work - links to capitalism (children would sell their labor for profit)

• no contraception

• religion - no sex before marriage, a child was a gift from god, wanted an heir/son

What are some ways people can critique Aries?

• children did have a childhood through playtime (children could play with sticks, stones)

• the paintings may not be fully true - it may be the art style at that time

According to Aries, when did childhood start to emerge?

From the 13th century onwards

Why is this?

Schools started to specialize on the education of the young (only the upper classes as they had to be taught how to run a business - bourgeoise)

What century did upper class boys have outfits reserved for only them? (Blurring the difference between children and adults)

17th century

What was introduced in the 18th century on how to raise children?

Handbooks

What are some reasons for the changes in the position of children?

- laws restricting child labour and excluding children from paid work

- the introduction of compulsory schooling

- child protection and welfare legislation

- the growth and idea of children's rights

- declining family sizes and lower infant mortality rates

- children's development became the subject of medical knowledge

- laws and policies that apply specifically to children

- industrialization

When was schooling made compulsory for children?

1880

What was introduced in 1989?

The child’s act “the rights of the child act” - making welfare of children’s rights a fundamental principle underpinning agencies such as social services

Who is responsible for the safeguarding and protection of children?

Everyone

Why did people have big families in the past?

• lots died

• no contraception

• religion/no sex before marriage

Which sociologists said parents need constant surveillance?

Donzelot

What are some laws/policies that apply specifically to children?

Minimum age for sex and smoking

How does industrialization change children’s position?

The factories required educated workforces