Assess Whether Childhood is a Universal Experience

Assess the view that childhood is not a universal experience.

Childhood is a social construction that varies between different societies. Rather than a biological stage it is something that varies according to where you live and your gender, ethnicity and social class.

Childhood is tremendously varied, from the sheltered pre-schooler of Western nations to the maimed street beggar of less industrialized nations. Not all children’s childhoods is the same, even in the UK the experiences of it differ across ethnic and religious groups and social class. Upper class school children may find that they spend a lot of their time in boarding schools and away from their parents. Middle class children are encouraged to aim high; for university and a professional career. They are likely to receive a lot of support from their parents and mainly have happier childhoods than other classes. Working class children may have more difficult childhoods with the experience of poverty. They may be pushed out to work at an early age to support their family instead of staying on at a school. Jefferis et al (2002) found that children who experienced poverty were significantly behind children of middle classes in terms of maths and English. Childhood also differs across ethnic and religious groups. There is evidence that Muslim, Hindu and Sikh children feel a stronger sense of obligation and duty to their parents. This can mean that conflict in their families is less likely, or that it is well hidden. There is also the fact that some children’s experiences of childhood are damaging to them and that although they may have more economic support from their parents there is still conflict. Types of child abuse have been rediscovered in recent years and that whilst at least one child will die each day to adult cruelty there is also over 30.000 children on child protection registers to protect them from their own loved ones. Divorce also causes negative effects on children and teenagers and it can make childhood an exploitative and dangerous time of life.

Childhood has also varied across the centuries as well as in pre-industrialized societies children were seen as “little adults” and they took part in the same work as adults. Toys and games for children did not exist and childhood only lasted 1 or 2 years. Children were regarded as more of an economic asset rather than a symbol of two peoples love for each other. Aries (1962) argued that investing emotionally in a child was difficult when the death and infant mortality rates were so high. Right up until the 20th century children as young as 7 were put out to work and this now seems like a very young age. After the 20th century there was an emergence of a child-centered society, which was the result of improved standards of living and a lower infant mortality rate. The increased availability and efficiency of contraception allowed people to choose to have fewer children. This meant that parents were able to invest more in them in terms of love, socialization and protection. This had made sure that childhood is not a universal experience over the centuries as it has changed and is still changing now. Some countries still do not feel love for their children and see them as economic assets but this is generally in less industrialized countries were money is not as easy to come by as it is here.