A Level Sociology Knowledge Organiser The social construction of

Childhood (Family) childhood

Social construction: Childhood is not a fixed
Is childhood more positive today? Reasons for changes in stage of life but is shaped by society
Changes in childhood over time
childhood Middle Ages – children seen as little adults,
Yes No treated the same (same rights, expectations)
March of progress view (Aries and Conflict view: Children experience more Child protection laws Today – childhood is ‘separate’ (Pilcher), seen
Shorter): Children are more valued, inequality today, adults exert more control  Better protected, less risk of abuse as needing protection/nurture, is a golden age
better protected and have greater leading to oppression and dependency  Over-protected, less freedom Today – toxic childhood, shaped by
rights. Reasons include higher living Age patriarchy (Gittens): Increasing adult Free childcare provision media/technology (Palmer)
standards, smaller family sizes and dominance and child dependency, parents
 Parents can work, equal Today – childhood is disappearing due to
changes to policies/laws have more control over children’s time, technology/TV – society is shaping childhood,
opportunities
The family is more child-centred: space, bodies blurring lines (Postman)
 Less time spent with parents
Children are a focal point of Paranoid parenting (Furedi): Culture of fear Changes in childhood across cultures
families, at the centre of decision in parenting means children are Longer compulsory education
 Better opportunities Wagg – Childhood not the same in all cultures
making, parents spend more time monitored/supervised more closely Benedict – Children in non-industrial societies
with them, family life revolves leading to lack of freedom  Increased pressure, less freedom
Divorce laws (easier, quicker) not seen as significantly different from adults
around children Isolation and loneliness (Brannen): Smaller Punch – Children take responsibility at earlier
Parents spend less quality time family sizes + higher divorce rates + longer  Less conflict/tension in families
age in Bolivia
with children (30 mins) working hours = increased loneliness for  Increased stress, loss of contact,
Malinowski – Children’s sexual behaviour can
Parents invest more financially: children poorer socialisation (New Right) be viewed differently
£230,000 until 21 due to longer Toxic childhood (Palmer): Children Contraceptive policies
spent in education and ‘pester poisoned by junk culture (media,  Choice/freedom for women, child-
power’ from children, have greater technology, junk food), harms centredness The future of childhood
opportunities than before, parents development  Isolation/loneliness for children
may sacrifice own needs Childhood is disappearing (Postman): Changes in technology
Longer compulsory education: TV/media leads to children losing Postman: Childhood is disappearing, children
 Better opportunities have access to adult world via media, are
Protected from adult world, better innocence, committing adult crimes,  Toxic childhood, loss of innocence
opportunities dressing like adults dressing the same as adults, commit adult
Increased life-expectancy crimes and are commercialised, longer
 Grandparents provide childcare, education blurs line between child and adult
It depends parents can work, socialisation Palmer: Childhood is disappearing due to
Womack: Clusters of children likely to have negative experiences, depends on: Increase in re-marriage/serial being ‘toxic’ and harming development, lack of
Ethnicity: Asian parents may be more strict (Brannen), class: children from low monogamy outdoor play etc.
incomes may have less positive childhoods, gender: girls may have more  Less stability, more reconstituted Opie: Childhood is still a separate stage of life
responsibility for housework (Bonke) families, increased conflict/tension Lee: Childhood not disappearing, is just more
Personal life perspective – all experiences are different, should understand meaning More equal gender roles ambigious/complex
of childhood to children themselves e.g. children differ in their perception of  Positive role models, better Laws still distinguish/separate between
families and divorce socialisation, Dads involved in adults and children (e.g. child protection)
childcare Personal life: Not all children negatively
 Less time spent with parents in dual affected by changes in society such as divorce
Key terms: Child-centred, March of progress, Conflict view, Age patriarchy, Paranoid
or technology
parenting, Toxic childhood, Social construction, Commercialidation of childhood worker families