1. Childhood
Another major issue within the Sociology of Families & Households is
that of childhood. There are 3 main issues that must be examined
within this topic:
> Childhood as a Social Construction
> The changing position of children in families & society.
> The future of childhood.
Your learning objectives for this topic are as follows:
> To understand why childhood is seen as a social construction
> To know the reasons for these changing constructions (particularly in
contemporary society)
> To be able to analyse & evaluate different views of the position of
children today.
> To be able to analyse & evaluate different views of the future of
childhood.

2. The Social Construction of Childhood
Throughout many societies (particularly western societies) it is
assumed that children need a lengthy, protected period of time of
nurturing and socialising to prepare them for ‘Adult’ society.
Make a table with the following headings:
Childhood Teenage Adulthood Old Age

3. ildhood Wagg (199
5): ‘Modern Ch 2):
Pilcher (199 eparatenes
s’.
oug h S ‘Childhood is
is defined thr age socially
r, distinct life st constructed
. It is in oth
It is a clea s i.e. in ter
m s of words, wha er
adult t members
sep arate from particular s of
ocieties, at
status. particular t
are
ha t w a y s t s particular p imes & in
In w laces, say it
a dul There is no is
children and single unive .
’? childhood, e rsal
‘separate xperienced
by all’.
Childhood is often viewed as a
‘Golden Age’, an age of innocence.
As such, many societies see
childhood as a period of life that
requires protection and ‘quarantine’
from adult life.
Can you think of
any evidence of this?

4. ildhood:
ifferences in Ch
Cross-Cultural D
reated
Ruth Childh ood used to be t ies in
t e-industrial societ
Benedic differently in pr
(1934) 3 ways:
r age.
ib ility at an earlie
1) More respons ar-olds are
out that in rural Bolivia that 5 ye
Punch (2001) points s in the home.
ork responsibilitie
expected to take w
dult
ced o n obedience to a
2) Less value pla
authority. ic believe
e Tikopia of the Western Pacif
Firth (1 970) found that th rights to dismiss o
rders from
ll within their
th at children are we spect.
us t earn the child’s re
parents . Parents m
erently
iour is Viewed diff
3) Sexual Behav
e Trobriand
Malinowski (1 957) found that th nt of
est Pacific) were tolera
Islanders (South W
lorations.
ch ildren’s sexual exp

5. ood:
rences in Childh
Historical Diffe
ion of
r ‘cont emporary’ not
Aries ( 1973) argues that ou th & 17th centurie
s.
he 16
ot emerge until t fe.
c hildhood did n lly a dis tinct time of li
Prior to this it was not rea
at child Link to Parsons
late 19 century th ’
th
It wasn’t until the children ‘Functional Fit
practice with many
labour was common n were an Theory’.
starting work at 7 years-old (Childre
family)
ECONOMIC ASSET within the
men rarely
Patriarchal families meant that
upbringing of
had anyt hing to do with the
their children.
in the
Shorter (1 975) Children
e late 19
th
p to t h
middle ages (u with
often treated
century) were ths
ue to high dea
indifference d onds. It
of emotional b
rates i.e. Lack t s to
mon for paren
was not uncom had.
il dren they had
forget how ch

6. Aries (1975): The 20th Century has become the ‘Age of the child’ i.e.
families , and society in general, have become ‘CHILD-CENTRED’.
The position of children has vastly improved since the middle ages.
Why might the position of children improved since the middle ages?
aw The Media & M
Changes in the L oral
ts)
(Children’s Righ Panics
Compulsory
Education
Consumerism
Smaller Familie
s
Infant
Paediatrics: Decrease in
te &
‘the science of Mortality Ra Increased
ivorce
childhood’ Welfare State Increase in D Affluence
Rate

7. As you can see, childhood is seen as a ‘Creation’ of society, a
‘Social Construction’ which is open to adaption
and change.
The changes to childhood that we have considered are often viewed as positive
changes. There is however conflicting debate whether the position of children
has improved or not.
(SEE READING MATERIAL).

8. Childhood
Through the ages

9. What do you think are the age boundaries
for the following:
• Childhood
• Adolescence (teenagers).
• Adulthood

10. John and Jake
• Compare John and Jake’s lives.
• Write a list of the differences
between their lives.
• Can John still be classed as a child?

11. Childhood is a social
construction. It is created
by society rather than
simply a biological stage.
Different societies and
different historical periods
have different ideas about
what is a child and what is
expected of a child

12. Thinking…..
• What did Philippe Aries say about
childhood in pre-industrial society?
• Page 30

13. Children in pre-industrial society
• Philippe Aries (1962):
• Childhood as we know today did not exist.
• Children were ‘little adults’ who took part in the
same work and play activities that adults did.
• Toys and games for children did not exist!!!
• Children were seen as an economic asset as opposed
to a symbol of love. Attaching emotional value to
children was hard because the death rate was so
high.
• Therefore Childhood is a recent SOCIAL
INVENTION!

14. • Aries claims were based on contemporary
letters, diaries and other documents as well
as the way children were depicted at the time
• Why might there be problems in using
evidence such as paintings and diaries to
understand life?

15. Childhood and Industrialisation
• Aries argued that middle-class attitudes started
to change during this period.
• There was a growth in maternal and paternal love
as the infant mortality rate started to fall.
• During the 19th Century children were excluded
from working in mines and factories where
thousands had been injured or killed. Working
class parents resisted this – why do you think
this is the case?

16. Evaluation
• Aries has been criticised
for overstating his case
• There were laws in medieval Europe e.g.
– Prohibition of the marriage of children
under 12
• Many historians agree with this view,
however.
• M/C-U/C families probably did not send
children out to work

17. Support for Aries:
• Shorter Pinchbeck & Hewitt all agreed with Aries, because
they believed that children became adults at a young age.
Shorter stated that families viewed the well being of infants
under two with little indifference. Pinchbeck and Hewitt said
that the family was an essential unit of social organisation and
that adults were the same as children because they were both
part of a large extended family.
Criticism of Aries:
• Pollack: thought that childhood was always a different phase
of life because the mortality rate was exaggerated and
surviving children were well cared for.
• Fuller: says that Aries didn’t see how the welfare state was
growing to protect children.

18. Childhood and Industrialisation
• Cunningham (2006) saw the social
construction of childhood by adults.
• Childhood has three main
characteristics.

19. First Characteristic
• It was the opposite of adulthood:
children were seen to need protection,
and were dependent upon adults.

20. Second Characteristic
• The world of the adult and the world of
children were kept separate.
• The home and the school were regarded
as the ideal places for children and
were often banned from adult places
(like the PUB!!!)

21. Third Characteristics
• Children were seen to have the right to
happiness.

22. However …
• Children were still treated badly.
• Child prostitution and abuse were common
features of most cities.
• It was not until the turn of the 20th
Century that the age of sexual consent was
raised to 16.

23. Check your
Understanding
• How were children treated pre-industrialisation?
• How did Industrialisation change the concept of
childhood?
• What were Cunningham’s three major
characteristics of childhood?
• Are there any criticisms of Cunningham’s view?

24. What reasons do you think
exist for the modern idea of
Childhood?

25. A few more on
page 30

26. Childhood in the 20 Centuryth
• Major decline in the infant mortality
rate- encouraged parents to make
greater financial and emotional
investment in the fewer children they
have
• The higher standard of living meant that
children were expensive.
• The increased availability in
contraception
• The emergence of a child-centred society

27. What caused the changes?
• Most sociologists agree that industrialisation-
shift from agriculture to factory production
as the basis of the economy- underlies many
of the reasons outlined
• Modern industry needs an educated
workforce and this requires compulsory
schooling of the young.
• Industrialisation key to bring about the
modern idea of childhood and the changed
status of children

28. • Why might childhood today not be a
positive experience?

29. Why might childhood today not be a
positive experience?
• Child abuse exists however it is
difficult to measure the extent as it
generally goes on behind closed doors.
• Bullying takes place in many schools
• Divorce has increased and many
sociologists particularly functionalists
and the New Right argue this has a very
negative effect on children.

30. Neglect and Abuse
• In 2006 31,400 children were on child
protection registers (mostly seen at risk from
their own parents)
• ChildLine  20,000 calls a year (sexual or
physical abuse)
• ‘Dark side’ of the family

31. Check your
understanding
• What changes to childhood occurred in
the 20th century?
• What has lead to parents being able to
give their children more love and
protection?
• Why are childhood and adolescence seen
as separate categories from adulthood?

32. Childhood and the state
• The growing concern in protecting children
has spread to government policies.
• There is a compulsory education system, that
lasts 11 years (longer now!)
• Social services work with children and
families to limit the risk to children’s
wellbeing.

33. Childhood and the state
• Child Benefit and Tax Credits.
• 2004 Children Act and Every Child
Matters.
• The setting up of the Department for
Children, Schools and families (2007)

34. Childhood and the state
• Children Support Act (1991):
• Protects and helps children who have had to
deal with parents divorcing.
• Recently children have used this act to actually
DIVORCE their PARENTS!!!
• Other children have used the act to force their
divorced parents to see them more.

35. Check your Understanding
• Why are there so many policies relating
to children?
• What policies are there to protect
children?

36. Changing nature of childhood
What reasons can you think of for the emergence of
childhood as we know it today????

37. Childhood through the ages
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=zB2gPZRsz0Q
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=CaZONLaB1aQ