Childhood | Is Childhood Disappearing
Is childhood disappearing?
Sociologists, such as Pilcher, have argued that childhood is a period of ‘separateness’ distinct from adult life
Neil Postman (1994) argued that childhood is disappearing and that children are becoming more like little adults in contemporary society
This forms a key debate in the study of childhood
Is childhood disappearing?
Children’s mental health
Social class difference in childhood experience
Control over children
Sexualisation of Childhood
Toxic childhood
Children’s mental health:
Children in the UK are amongst the unhappiest in the developed world according to Womack (2011)
According to the Children’s Society, 1 in 10 children have a mental health condition in UK in 2018
According to WHO (2003), 20% of adolescents will have mental health problems in a given year
Females more likely to show psychological distress than males- DfE 2019
Social class difference in childhood experience:
4.2 million children living in poverty in 2018-19 according to the Children Poverty Action Group- estimated that this will increase to 5.2 million by 2022
Over 300,000 underage of 24 providing more than 35 hours of care a week
According to DfE (2019), 17% of children are bullied, with deprivation being the cause of bullying
Control over children:
Sociologists such as Gittens (1998) and Hood-Williams (1990) children are subjected to controls under what is termed an age patriarchy
Adult males control the children’s lives in several ways, governing their time, space, bodies and access to resources
Myall (2004) has suggested that traditional views of childhood focus on adult control over children’s lives, however, changes have occurred in recent years- e.g. UN Convention on Rights of the Child
Sexualisation of Childhood:
Children’s clothing ranges are adopting more adult themes, producing smaller versions of adult styles leading to a sexualisation of children
The decrease in the average age of first sexual intercourse from 20 in the 1950s to 16 in 2001 demonstrates changing attitudes to intimate relationships
Claims of historical sexual abuse in recent years have led to increased legislation to protect children- previously these claims were dismissed
Toxic childhood:
Palmer suggested that many children are now suffering from toxic childhood syndrome (2015)
Access to electronic media, poor diets, long hours in childcare or wrap-around care and parenting styles have all negatively impacted the experience of children
Palmer suggests this has led to an increase in mental health conditions and anti-social behaviours
Evaluations:
Childhood experiences are intersectional- based on class, gender and ethnicity and therefore often depend upon a range of social factors
Despite childhood disappearing the ‘clipped wing’ generation and ‘boomerang’ children suggest that young adults are often not prepared for the adult world
Tosi and Grundy (2018) found that almost a quarter of young adults were still living with their parents, the highest recorded since 1996
Is childhood disappearing?
Sociologists, such as Pilcher, have argued that childhood is a period of ‘separateness’ distinct from adult life
Neil Postman (1994) argued that childhood is disappearing and that children are becoming more like little adults in contemporary society
This forms a key debate in the study of childhood
Is childhood disappearing?
Children’s mental health
Social class difference in childhood experience
Control over children
Sexualisation of Childhood
Toxic childhood
Children’s mental health:
Children in the UK are amongst the unhappiest in the developed world according to Womack (2011)
According to the Children’s Society, 1 in 10 children have a mental health condition in UK in 2018
According to WHO (2003), 20% of adolescents will have mental health problems in a given year
Females more likely to show psychological distress than males- DfE 2019
Social class difference in childhood experience:
4.2 million children living in poverty in 2018-19 according to the Children Poverty Action Group- estimated that this will increase to 5.2 million by 2022
Over 300,000 underage of 24 providing more than 35 hours of care a week
According to DfE (2019), 17% of children are bullied, with deprivation being the cause of bullying
Control over children:
Sociologists such as Gittens (1998) and Hood-Williams (1990) children are subjected to controls under what is termed an age patriarchy
Adult males control the children’s lives in several ways, governing their time, space, bodies and access to resources
Myall (2004) has suggested that traditional views of childhood focus on adult control over children’s lives, however, changes have occurred in recent years- e.g. UN Convention on Rights of the Child
Sexualisation of Childhood:
Children’s clothing ranges are adopting more adult themes, producing smaller versions of adult styles leading to a sexualisation of children
The decrease in the average age of first sexual intercourse from 20 in the 1950s to 16 in 2001 demonstrates changing attitudes to intimate relationships
Claims of historical sexual abuse in recent years have led to increased legislation to protect children- previously these claims were dismissed
Toxic childhood:
Palmer suggested that many children are now suffering from toxic childhood syndrome (2015)
Access to electronic media, poor diets, long hours in childcare or wrap-around care and parenting styles have all negatively impacted the experience of children
Palmer suggests this has led to an increase in mental health conditions and anti-social behaviours
Evaluations:
Childhood experiences are intersectional- based on class, gender and ethnicity and therefore often depend upon a range of social factors
Despite childhood disappearing the ‘clipped wing’ generation and ‘boomerang’ children suggest that young adults are often not prepared for the adult world
Tosi and Grundy (2018) found that almost a quarter of young adults were still living with their parents, the highest recorded since 1996
