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Title: Childhood Concepts
Description: Childhood is one of the stages of human development. For several years, childhood has been viewed from very few perspectives that would limit the possibility of a universal and common understanding of childhood. For example, most of the common definitions defined childhood based on qualities such as physical and emotional immaturity and vulnerability as compared to adults (Herring, 2018, p30). Meanwhile, other definitions depended on the chronological age, typically regarding everyone under the age of maturity as a child. This alone had a discrepancy since different countries had different ages of majority, with some placing it at eighteen while others placed it at sixteen. In most developed countries, the recorded birth date of individuals dictates their personal and legal activities, determining their employability and other activities (Merriman, 2019, p25). Still, in other societies, childhood is not based on the individuals’ chronological ages. Instead, societies look at such factors as the start of menstruation, heights, facial hair or any other physical markers to determine whether one is already an adult or still a child (Rao et al., 2017, p19). For instance, a girl growing breasts was considered a shift from childhood to adulthood among several African societies until recently. All these differences indicate non-congruence to a common universal understanding of childhood.

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Childhood Concepts

1

CHILDHOOD CONCEPTS
By name

Course
Tutor
Institution
City
Date
Childhood is one of the stages of human development
...
For example, most of the common definitions
defined childhood based on qualities such as physical and emotional immaturity and
vulnerability as compared to adults (Herring, 2018, p30)
...
This alone had a discrepancy since different countries had different ages of majority,
with some placing it at eighteen while others placed it at sixteen
...
Still, in other

Childhood Concepts

2

societies, childhood is not based on the individuals’ chronological ages
...
, 2017, p19)
...
All these differences indicate non-congruence
to a common universal understanding of childhood
...

In the book, Ariès stated that “in medieval society, the idea of childhood did not exist” a
statement for which he came to be known
...

Until the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, most academic
discourses presented childhood as phase in human development that would be understood
only from individuals’ biological and psychological aspects (Morss, 2020, p38)
...
The kind of understanding of childhood
developed around these places was shaped by the prevailing conditions that resulted from
Europe and the United States’ industrialization process
...

Moreover, based on the understanding promoted by the European scholars, anyone
considered a child based on the set standards was required to receive formal education in

Childhood Concepts

3

learning institutions, separated from what can be considered as contents for adults only
...
Morss (2020, p88) argues that this
concept and understanding of childhood belongs to one historical and cultural moment, yet it
is now presumed natural and universally acceptable by everyone else in the present day
...
This is a significant discrepancy since these factors affect the policy
nature, welfare interventions, and to some extent, the academic research in those contexts
...
For example, he notes that in some societies, childbearing is not based on
attaining the age of majority as established by the industrialized countries
...
This argument is in agreement with Rao(2017, p12) who notes that in several poor
urban places in developing countries, several young children below the age of majority
working in the streets to feed themselves and sometimes their families
...

In other rural areas in parts of developing countries where families depend on
subsistence farming, it is not uncommon to find children below the age of majority working
in farms for a living
...
However, conversely, the children’s
parents do not see this as child abuse, but rather training their children into responsible adults
...
Meanwhile, in industrialized countries,
people are considered to be in the childhood stage until they are in their twenties, a period
during which they depend on their parents for finances and personal protection
...

According to Harris (2018,p20), culture continues to influence the different societies’
understanding of childhood
...
For example, firstborn male children may be
introduced to outdoor work skills at a younger age than the other sibling, as the parents begin
to groom them for several tasks when they attain adulthood
...
Further, Harris (2020, p14) notes that despite these differences
in childhood concepts and experiences, the common ideals in the industrialized countries
have continued to have significant global authority
...

Childhood does not directly transition to adulthood but instead goes through a stage
referred to as youth (Aries, 1962 p56)
...


Childhood Concepts

5

Individuals in this stage are considered to be in the storm and stress stage when the
individuals begin to exhibit significant levels of deviance, problems, and threats to those they
consider as opposing their movements and intentions (Harris, 2018, p20)
...

Various anthropological and cross-cultural psychological researchers such as Rao,
(2017, p17) indicate that the current widespread perception of transition is only based on
culturally and temporally specific ideals on personhood as suggested by the researchers in
industrialized countries
...

However, according to Morss (2020, p67), several societies, especially in the developing
countries, identify with more relational or social perceptions of personhood, in which
individual at both their childhood and adulthood are perceived as being fundamentally part of
the family, lineage and a clan to which they belong
...
However, other researchers
indicate problems created by the binary distinctions between the two types of cultures
...
Besides, as Mironenko (2020) indicates, the children in industrialized
countries develop themselves through the inter-personal relationships they have with fellow
children and adults, which indicates their interdependence with their environments
...
This
is because there is always a scope for children to exercise their personal choice even though
several social constraints demand that the children act within them
...
Instead, the two theories
are interdependent
...
Morss,(2020, p45) observed that for several decades, children across various
countries used to work alongside their parents as they learned crop cultivation, water and
wood collection and animal husbandry
...
However, over time, dangerous and involving machines,
hazardous chemicals and insufficient ventilation in most factories led to several people
advocating against child labor
...
As well, it
reshaped the long-held understanding of responsible ways of raising children (Morss, 2020,
p56)
...
There was concern about whether children
should receive religious and moral lessons in schools and whether delinquent children would
be removed from the streets (Merriman, 2019, p18In the end, there was a consensus on
preventing children from working under adverse conditions as people discovered that this
was more detrimental than beneficial to them
...

Because there have been significant disagreements on childhood concepts, there have
been several steps made by various international organizations to universalize the
understanding of childhood so that all children are exposed to similar social environments
and enjoy similar benefits
...
Moreover, the United Nations has continued to issue articles that aim to
protect children from harm
...

Although many countries do not faithfully adhere to the UN guidelines, the steps made so far
in protecting children have continued to improve the children’s lives, regardless of their
socio-economic, cultural and political backgrounds
...
For example, in the developing countries, some
individuals that are known to be younger than the age of majority work on farms, bear
children and take care of their family members, while in the industrialized countries, this is
very unlikely
...

However, the international community has in the recent past been taking proactive steps to
universalize the understanding of childhood as a way of ensuring that all children share equal
opportunities irrespective of their social backgrounds
...
, 1962
...
Translated by
Robert Baldick as Centuries of Childhood, pp1-78
...
, 2019
...
Asia Pacific Media Educator, 29(2), pp
...

Harris, K
...
and McDade, T
...
, 2018
...
RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation
Journal of the Social Sciences, 4(4), pp
...


Childhood Concepts

9

Herring, J
...
Are Children More Vulnerable Than Adults?
...
27-46)
...

Merriman, J
...
A History of Modern Europe: Volume 2
...

Morss, J
...
The Concept of Developmental Stage: Hall, Freud, and Piaget
...

Rao, N
...
, Chen, E
...
and Ip, P
...
Effectiveness of early childhood interventions
in promoting cognitive development in developing countries: a systematic review and
meta-analysis
...
14-25
Title: Childhood Concepts
Description: Childhood is one of the stages of human development. For several years, childhood has been viewed from very few perspectives that would limit the possibility of a universal and common understanding of childhood. For example, most of the common definitions defined childhood based on qualities such as physical and emotional immaturity and vulnerability as compared to adults (Herring, 2018, p30). Meanwhile, other definitions depended on the chronological age, typically regarding everyone under the age of maturity as a child. This alone had a discrepancy since different countries had different ages of majority, with some placing it at eighteen while others placed it at sixteen. In most developed countries, the recorded birth date of individuals dictates their personal and legal activities, determining their employability and other activities (Merriman, 2019, p25). Still, in other societies, childhood is not based on the individuals’ chronological ages. Instead, societies look at such factors as the start of menstruation, heights, facial hair or any other physical markers to determine whether one is already an adult or still a child (Rao et al., 2017, p19). For instance, a girl growing breasts was considered a shift from childhood to adulthood among several African societies until recently. All these differences indicate non-congruence to a common universal understanding of childhood.