childhood as a social construct

Question 1

Aries (1960) -

Answer 1

mini adults, no specific distinction between childhood and adulthood

Question 2

Cross cultural differences -

Answer 2

child soldiers, child labour

Question 3

1880 Education Act

Answer 3

compulsory education until the age of 10, making children dependent and no longer an economic resource

Question 4

Decreasing family size

Answer 4

shift towards child centredness

Question 5

Inequalities among children in the UK

Answer 5

class and ethnic differences.

Question 6

How have the following changes affected childhood?
Decrease in the infant mortality rate
Changing gender roles

Answer 6

Decrease in the infant mortality rate - due to advances in medicine, public health and welfare has pushed parents into investing financially and emotionally into fewer children, with an emphasis on child centredness. AO3 not all families are child centred - look at class and ethnic differences

Changes in gender roles - 2/3rds of households are dual income, with parents working long hours a ‘toxic childhood’ (Palmer) has been created. UNICEF report, Postman states childhood is disappearing - information hierarchy. AO3 - exaggerated, family diversity, £230K spent on children