Childcare Studies: History of the Child - Coursework Example

History of childhood by History of childhood History of childhood is a concept that is beginning to be accepted in this modern times as well as gain interest by various scholars. The further one goes back to the history the more child care was not considered. As some historian suggested during the medieval society the idea of child hood was inexistence (Aries 1960, p 125) Back in times childcare was not an issue, it is a time when matters such as child abuse, killing, sexually abused, beaten and labor was almost considered normal (De Mause 1976, p 2). The fact that children were not given proper care in the past seems a little odd, but this perception has been traced by historians to analyze how it kept changing from time and time. Freud discovered the importance of child-parent relationship, and later developed by St. Augustine. It can there be said that there is change in the dimension in which we view childhood since the times of Freud. Lack of sources regarding childhood have made historians to a hard time. Definition of childhood can be describes as the time or state of being a child, or it can be defined as the state of a child between the infancy and adolescence. The definition of childhood is very important as this implies the moment in which they acquire certain rights and also when they lose certain protection measures. In Britain there is limited knowledge of what childhood meant or was like because the meaning is based on assumptions and interpretations on description that was left by the romans or artifacts that were left and found. It can however be established that some British children were slaves. When the romans invaded Britain around 55BC, and this can make us to assume that they subject some of the British children to slavery. There is indication historically that children born by wealthy by Romans were given the utmost care and even boys attended school at a tender age of seven years, while the girl stayed at home to learn the household chores and crafts. Up until AD212 Roman soldiers were not allowed to marry, when this rule was repealed many ordinary soldiers married British women and the children became a common feature about fortifications and military areas. There has been many writing tablets excavated from such sites as Vindolanda which was a Roman fortification, such tablets made references to children and daily activities. The activities for a well of children would be very different from the one that was subjected to slavery. During the middle ages when Christianity started penetrating in the Britain, Christianity really influenced the perspective of childhood. Christian beliefs and rituals aided to shape the lives of everyone and the society in which the middle age children were born changed significantly as well as politically. During this time the children in the noble families in didn’t see much in their parent in terms of care since they were cared for by nurses. At the age of about 14years boys in noble set up could become squire, and at the age of 21 years they would become knights. Girls who were from this household would remain at home and learn the skills that would be necessary to enable them run their household while they got married. Children who reigned from poor households began helping their parents at a very tender age. It was their obligation to contribute to the family to the family earning and the activities that they involved themselves included such as weaving and sowing crops. When it came time to marry, the parents looked for their partners, but if they had an opportunity they would look for their own partners. From this illustration it can be indicated that children had a very low status as compared to adults, it is during this time of history that the mortality rate of children was very high. These facts were verified by excavating the middle ages burials, where children were rarely buried with goods a sign of status. From the study of medieval time and childhood, Aries indicated that children were portrayed as small versions of adults according to art of that time. As he says: “medieval art until twelfth century did not know childhood or did not attempt to portray it” (Aries 1960, p 31). He reinforced this notions by studying the clothing of medieval children, which was just a smaller version of what it was fashionable for the adults. The infants would wear the same type of clothes, it did not matter whether it was a boy or girl. Historians also indicated that children in the medieval period had less or very minimal emotional attachment to their parents. Fathers didn’t have any emotional ties to their children, which means that an event such as death and illness if it befell on a child they were not impacted. The concept and perception of children began to change during the 17th century, a modern sense of children began to be modernized. The change in the perception of children was fundamental in family sphere and moralists, who tried saw the need to safeguard children as they were considered fragile (Aries 1960, p 127). The issue of schooling was more prominent in the 17th century, before than it was the boy child who was given the privilege to study, but as time progressed it became compulsory for the girl child. “Good mothering is an invention of modernization” (Shorter 1976, p 170), this argument indicated that it was a time when the infants started to be treated with utmost care and emotion which would reduce the mortality rate that was experienced previously. Though historians like De Mause, Shorter and Aries argue that there was no concrete notion of childhood during the stone age and the medieval period some historians have criticized there arguments from different and various dimensions. The center of focus from the critics is the notion that childhood did not exist in the medieval period, and that childhood was a concept of modern times. It was strongly argued that there was a concept of childhood in the medieval period, and “that scholarly acknowledgement of the existence of different stages of childhood was not merely theoretical and that parents invested both material and emotional resources in their offspring’” (Shahar 1992, p1). Though this argument indicate that historians like Aries were arguing that medieval period people did not care for their children it is contrary, since their argument were based on the notion that children were not cared for properly but they were not given the necessary affection that they deserved. The modern society has distinguished the childhood sphere, a distinct world of childhood with its own games, clothes, entertainment and many more. The use pictorial evidence from Aries drew some critics due to the fact that some medieval pictures showing the realistic portrayal of childhood. One of the situation that was cited was that of Jesus, the painting depicted Jesus as older in the painting that his age, this can be debated from a theological perspective since Jesus was son of God, and we expect him to be superior to other adults. The thought of children were not valued in the earlier ages was cast to oblivion by some historians since there are diaries and personal account that suggest that during their death thy were bereaved with much pain and grief. There is some of agreement from the historians that the role of children in families as well as the broader society changed between the 17th century and today’s time. This is a perspective that be characterized by the development of the spread of the ideology of the family. The ideology of family is associated with the presently developing commercial classes in Western Europe and is based on the idea of a self-contained family where the father is the center of focus in bringing up their children. It was concurred that children are the focal point of a family, and that the mechanism that is proper as far as upbringing of children is concerned is education. The Puritan family in England was viewed as an institution based on enhancing the salvation of family member through appropriate education in the importance of faith and rules of good behavior, this is because family was derived from religious faith. This was a responsibility that was viewed to be bestowed by the father, who was the head of the house in religious view as well as economic perspective. Children had to be schooled to make sure they acquire good behavior, and they could receive beating in some extent if they did not epitomize good behavior, which would make them develop humility and obedience (Ozment 1983, p 36). Not all families followed this model, even the protestant of the 17th century in Holland where the society was infatuated with the children, that children played a very critical role in family life as well as art (Schama 1987, p 495). During the enlightenment period in the 18th century, children were viewed as naturally innocent, and that they needed to be guided as well as directed to become excellent citizens. The concept of child and innocence was incorporated in the Romanticism era, which vindicated children as innocent beings and uncorrupt. There was a fashion that was developed indicating that children portraits that were characterized by innocence and cuteness (Porte 1990, p247). This is a view that was even confined by the middleclass and the aristocracy. In Western Europe though, countries like Britain children were characterized by poverty, exploitation and hard labor. During the 19th century when the middle classes were developing the notion of a child-centered ideology of the family. This was a time when industrialization was very intense and many children were exploited. Before industrialization children worked in cottage crafts and farms but the emergence of factories meant that they would go to work and earn wages. The children would go to work for more than 14 hours, as well as travel to the mines and the cotton mills. Industrialization can be described as a system that denied children their childhood. Challenges of childhood in the modern society and related legislation The modern society which began in the 20th century can be described as a century of the child. The first change that is associated with this century in respect to childhood was the notion of size of family (Banks 1968, p 63). Family limitation is a concept that had spread from the Victorian middle class at the end of 19th century, and it was persistent till 1970s. The period can also be characterized by compulsory schooling and a significant decline in child labor. Another development that is associated with 20th century is that children were now been used for scientific study. Psychology was a discipline that grew as a result to the surveillance of the growth of a child, aspects such as IQ testing to identify the origins of delinquency were used. Today’s child has a quite complex existence which is shaped by legislation, intervention, communication and education. The current age to leave school is 16years which means that a child is delayed from working until 26 when if he/she furthered his studies. There are even legal framework in UK and other parts of the Globe to make sure that a child attends schools. The healthcare of a child begins before birth with ante-natal care of the mother. The child is monitored closely by medics until the age of 5 to make sure that the health and development is well taken care of. Issues such as immunization is well pronounced in the child in modern times. The attention that a child has been given in the modern society is very promising, which ensure that the child enjoys and have a good childhood. In present time though issues such as child labor, high mortality rate, brutalization and sexual abuse are not completely phenomenon of the past. These violations against a child still occur even in developed countries like Britain and North America. Issue of poverty is still a reality across the globe and there children who are suffering the same way the children of the medieval period suffered. Over the time there has been children movement that have been established to make sure that the rights of the children are not violated. The realization that children have rights was coined back in time. When a children are given moral status in their childhood, and make sure that their rights are taken seriously, their childhood would better (Freeman, 1997, pp5-7). Adolescence or teenage-hood is characterized by many emotional, cognitive, physical and attitude changes. These are changes that can be the source of confrontation and conflict and conflict which arise from psychological processes. Modern times have realized this condition and have emphasized and advised on the stability of homes. Teenagers who are in stable homes will likely to have less engagement in a risky behavior as well as engage themselves in a conflict. The modern society psychologists indicate that teenagers tend to be more flexible with other children as compared to adults. This is an indication of how today’s child has a complex existence. Teenagers find it difficult to attain individual respect and privacy yet they are important to the development of in this stage. Another complicated existence is the fact that the teenagers may start to view their parents as less important as compared to their peers and friends. Peer groups and friends offer an aspect of identity and sharing, this makes the individual to change their perspective and feel more comfortable. Every child as well as his childhood matters in this modern times as compared to the past, the child matters from birth to the age of 19. The government is now involved is children matters, and it can be said that children matters are state affair in the present time. The legal framework towards the child care revolve around issues such as health, safety, child’s joy, and economic contribution to the wee-being of the child. There has been efforts to make sure that local authorities partners with children’s trust in order to find out what works best for the children and the young people in its own area or field. On this note the first Children Commissioner for England was appointed, the main aim of this commissioner was to ensure children’s voice in the government and in public life. The most vulnerable children’s view would be put to limelight in the eyes of the society. Children’s fund was also launched in November 2000 to tackle the disadvantage among the children and young people. This is a program whose main aim is to make sure that children who are at risk of social exclusion are identified and at an early time and assist that they achieve what they need during to attain. This efforts in Britain are a clear indication that children and their child hood is been considered important. Unlike before where there was minimal attention on matters of children and their childhood. Innovation and technology has been even established to make sure that children get the best care, such as computer games which enhances children enjoy their childhood. Bibliography Anderson, M. 1980, Approaches to the History of the Western Family 1500–1914. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Banks, J. A. 1968, Prosperity and Parenthood. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. Cunningham, H. 1991, The Children of the Poor: Representations of Childhood since the Seventeenth Century. Oxford: Blackwell. De Mause, L. (ed.) 1976, The History of Childhood. London: Bellew. Freeman, M. 2000 "The Future of Childrens Rights," Children & Society. 14(4) p 277-93 Hendrick, H. 1994 Child Welfare: England 1872–1989. London: Longman. Hendrick, H. 1997 Children, Childhood and English Society, 1880–1990. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Ozment, S. 1983 When Fathers Ruled: Family Life in Reformation Europe. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Pollock L. H. 1983 Forgotten Children: Parent–Child Relations from 1500 to 1900. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Porter, R. 1990, England in the Eighteenth Century. London: Folio. Schama, S. 1987, The Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age. London: Fontana. Shahar, S. 1992, Childhood in the Middle Ages. London: Routledge. Shorter, E. 1976, The Making of the Modern Family. London: Fontana. Stone, L. 1977, The Family, Sex and Marriage in England 1500–1800. London: Weidenfeld. Read More