Examine the Arguments and Evidence in Favour of the View That Childhood Is Socially Constructed (20 Marks)?

Aries (1962) proposed that the concept only existed in the last 300 years, as previously children were considered adults as soon as they were physiclaly able to perform adult tasks. He noted that when industrialisation occured the value of children needing nutring care from their mothers arised, thus prompting the creation of the housewife role. This creation was to get women out of the work place to make space for men who had come back from fighting in the WW2. However Pollack critised him as Aries based all his theory from looking at painting, which is pretty crap.
Feminist- creation of the mothering role is purely to benfit men.
Welfare state has changed in order to help improve childhood
Legisaltion to protect childrens rights (1989 children act)
Work restriction ( you will have to find out the dates as i can't remeber them off hand)
Standardised education for all children, plus rasing of the leaving age.
Parents have been incresing over protective of their children (media hype of perverts, rapist and so on)
Changes in struture, more single parent = affects childhood
Increase in divorce and its impact of children
Roders and Pryor (98)= children of divorced families have a greater chance to experienve a range of problems E.g Finanacial hardship/ behaviour problems/ addiction to smoking or drink/ poor edcucation out come )
BUT= children are still socialised within the family, and the vast majority of UK families (37%) are still nuclear in structure. Even though new family structure have emerged they still provide emotional and financial support.
Postmodernist ( put some of that crap to conclude)
It's quite a lot of info here but this should get you full marks if you exapnd all the point, let me know how it went : )
Source(s):
I studied this last year for my as levels, and got an A grade for the family unit