Interview activity. By Monday find people to interview within these three groups. Ask them two sets of questions. 1.What was you childhood experience? How did you interact with adults? What was your status? 2.How do you define: Youth, adult, elderly, and what is the role of each? Responses 60+ Grandparents 30+ Parents 5-20 Siblings or friends

Is CHILDHOOD IS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION?

What can you conclude about the experiences of childhood from these pictures?

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION- behaviour that is culturally rather than naturally produced. Varies both historically and cross culturally. created and defined by society, rather than simply a biological state Ideas about childhood vary between different cultures, societies and different historical periods

Youth culture Cultural norms values and identities particular to specific groups of young people Rites of Passage biological time vs social time – Rituals that denote transition from one phase in the life course to another. – EX. Walkabout, Bar Mitzvah – Others? How does this illustrate the idea that age is a social construct?

Historical evidence of differences in childhood Sociologist Phillippe Aries (1962) argued that childhood is a relatively ‘recent’ invention......

PRE INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY

Pre- industrial society Childhood as we know it did not exist ‘little adults’ who took part in the same work and play activities as adults. Toys and games specifically for children did not exist. Children seen as an economic asset, rather than something to be cared for Children were punished for crimes in the same way that adults were (In Tudor times a 7 year old could be hung for stealing)

Industrial family

Industrialisation Children from Working Class families still worked in mines, factories etc BUT!!! Middle Class attitudes started to change- parents investing emotionally in children – death rate of children was starting to fall

Mid 19 th Century: Adult started to become concerned with children who were begging on the streets and child prostitution. children were banned from working in the factories and mines where many had been killed. BUT some Working class parents resisted changes as they depended on children wages and many children continued to be badly treated

20 th Century: Emergence of child- centred society- ‘children are valued, loved and protected!’ As a result of improved standards of living= major decline in infant mortality rates Increased availability of contraception meant couples could choose to have fewer children= invest more time in them in terms of love, socialisation and protection

Child centred society Special food/drink for kids Have their own toys, TV programmes, play areas made especially for kids Have their own doctors, teachers etc, to care for them Children are provided with an education

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But…are we truly child centered, or are we centered on our social group? MEJU MEJU

Give examples of how society has allowed children to become valued, loved and protected?

Task Read the following statements and decide which period of time it fits into.... Write on your whiteboard PI= pre industrial IS= industrial society TS- today’s society

What period of time am I? Children and adults both work Children’s toys and games do not exist Lots of laws to protect children Childhood seen as separate from adulthood Many middle class children stop working increased contraception Aries argued that children were regarded as an economic asset

What period am I? High infant mortality rate Child centred society No laws to stop children being over- worked Adults start to become concerned about child prostitution children work in mines, factories etc Infant mortality rate starting to fall Children are like small adults, taking part in the same work and play activities