Critically Appraising Childhood Theories for Professionals

This essay critically appraises the literature on the concept of childhood and its application to professionals working with children and families. It begins by defining childhood from a sociological viewpoint, highlighting its social construction and the distinct status children hold in many societies. The essay then delves into the theories of Philippe Aries, Hugh Cunningham, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and John Locke, providing critical evaluations of their perspectives on childhood development, education, and the influence of external factors. Aries' theory emphasizes the historical evolution of childhood, while Cunningham focuses on the continuity of ideas and treatment of children. Rousseau's theory highlights the importance of free thinking and natural development, contrasting with Locke's emphasis on the role of external influences and education. The essay explores the implications of these theories for professional practice, emphasizing the importance of understanding different perspectives on child development to effectively support children and families. The discussion highlights the significance of considering both the child's innate abilities and the impact of social and environmental factors on their growth and learning.

Essay
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Table of Contents
Critically appraise of literature on the concept of childhood and how it can be applied to
professional working with children and families.........................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
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Critically appraise of literature on the concept of childhood and how it can be applied to
professional working with children and families
Childhood envelopment is termed out as the period that has varied changes as physical,
cognitive and social growth. Therefore, the theories to the childhood development can be
emerged to assist in term to better understand the forces that influence the learning and growth of
children.
The present essay will critically appraise the literature on the concepts of childhood, and
consider how this applies to professionals working with children. However, the study will cover
the literature review with the use of various theories to childhood development to have effective
learning and growth.
Definition of childhood from sociological view point
As per the Sociological view point, childhood is considered as socially constructed as it
believes that society plays an important role in increasing knowledge in children in early
childhood as it creates and define some external objects (Denzin, 2017). It also believes and can
be said that children in many societies have a distinct status than adults and recognized a
sensitive stage. There are several social historians who stated their views on the definition of
childhood. As per the Phillipe Aries stated that not of childhood was not existed before and at the
time of medieval times. Area and idea of childhood is not limited to some extent as it is spread to
the large extent socially constructed. In the early adolescence, children come face to face with
some objects or interior revolution in both psychological and physical. In this early stage, they
become more concerned about their image when they realize that they are now being seen by
others and may be judged by others. Due to this reason, children are more likely to form false
adversaries. The main factor which is being developed in them in this stage is ego and it differs
or vary person to person on basis of precarious sense of sameness as well as continuity with
others.
Critically evaluation of Aries theory of childhood
Philippe Aries is the theory of childhood as well as study of young people. It discusses
more about fall of governments, kings, nobles and wars. It is a social history of family life in
which Aries talk about the role of childhood or children in early modern Europe. This theory
stated that early modern families play an important role in improving education and life status of
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children as well as the whole family. As per the view of (Clifford, 2019) childhood is considered
critic but golden age because children do not have proper knowledge about anything, and they
are more likely to rely on their parents and families. Whatever they are taught, they learn because
they are innocent. So, this theory states that parents and educators play an important role in early
childhood in order to increase knowledge of children and make them aware about external
objects. It also believes that family condition as well as daily life activities also impacts on the
learning and education in childhood in children. So, it can be said that the focus of Philippe Aries
is on the importance of understanding ways as how people saw their own lives as well as how
their feelings changes overtime due to families.
On the other hand, there are several authors and theories who argued views of Aries and
said that children learn something on their own basis. Parents and other factors play an important
role but the main factor which affect the most in early childhood is children themselves. Hugh
Cunningham stated that continuity in ideas as well as treatment of children is the main key of the
success throughout the medieval and early modern periods (Grey, 2017). It can be said that it is a
parent-centred theory in which the main aim of Hugh Cunningham is to restore the balance. By
making a difference between children as humans and children as a shifting set of ideas, identifies
that the main challenges for researchers is to untangle the relationship between children and
childhood.
Critically discussion of Hugh Cunningham theory of childhood
As per the Hugh Cunningham stated that contextual anxieties in relation to childhood
development has mostly fuelled with the incentives that aids to undertake the historical research
on the subject. It aids to develop social, political and cultural debates. Hence, the assumption of
this theory is based on historicity of the childhood was the platform for the significant work that
has been followed in the first stage from the mid 1960 through the 1980 (A Right to Childhood?
Hugh Cunningham, Emeritus Professor of Social History, 2011). In order to undertake the better
childhood development, this is crucial to adopt the approach that aids to encompass the all
primary aspect of the childhood theory that experience at the time. This model can be applied to
undertake the identification of the eighteenth century childhood in terms to appreciate the
multiple level of the childhood concept.
Henceforth, this is theory that has laid focus over the three theories as ideas of childhood,
roles of the philanthropist and actuality of the adult child hood relationship. This theory has
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stated that the material conditions, religion belief and cultural mores all has the profound impact
in the formation of notions of childhood. He has focused on the parent child relationship and
they assumes that parents did indeed love to their children and sometimes the parental affection
that points the children and they start to commit the wrong act in their life. This is the theory that
has developed the boundaries between the childhood and adulthood to establishes the century
that are increasingly permeable. In this, the phase right to childhood has demonstrated that
children should not know about the sex and they must be brought up as to close contact with the
nature. This theory has suggested that child hood should be one of the happiest time in the life
and this must be free from all worries. This is the theory that has stated that trying to protect the
children can prolong the childhood and this give them no easy way to grow up.
Critically discussion of jcan Roussau theory of childhood
As per the jcan Roussau, it is stated that there is an importance of making a child free
thinking and well-balanced. This theory mainly focuses on education which is important for
children in order to make them professional and improving their future by providing several
career growth opportunities. As per the (Brown, 2017) view of, if children are allowed to
develop their knowledge naturally or not forcing them to improve knowledge then they are more
likely to develop their fullest potential in both education and moral manner. In addition, they also
said that early childhood education is vital as it supports children to improve their sense,
practical experience and different fields of knowledge. As the point of view of Roussau, they
also believe that providing practical and books knowledge is not only important for children to
make then competitive and professional but also it is important to make children influence to
take active participation in speaking, drawing, singing etc. They also believe that children and
human development is associated with savages. They can improve their nature themselves
naturally rather forcing them. So, it is important for people or children to interact with
themselves if they want to grow and increase their skills naturally and not forcefully.
Whereas, John Locke theory of childhood argued and said that children who develop
their knowledge naturally are less likely to show their potential and grow themselves as compare
to those who are forced to learn something. It believes that children can learn and increase their
knowledge in a better way when they have some teachers and external objects. For supporting
this view, (Hodgson, 2019) stated that, children can be developed with the help of educational
providers and teach them about everything and making them aware about the difference between
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the right and the wrong. In addition, they also stated that children in early childhood are required
to more concentrate on learning and development programs and external objects from which they
are more likely to increase their skills as well as knowledge. It is all about 18th century according
to which, the concept of childhood informing British educational thought was expanded to the
great extent as it was a mixture of diverse theoretical assumptions.
Critically discussion of John Locke theory of childhood
John Locke believe that children are born without innate ideas so, it is important for
society and other people to increase knowledge of children by external sensible objects. They
also interpreted that children are born with blank mind as like a slate but have some other factors
such as personalities, likes and dislikes which differ or vary person to person. These differences
in children make them able to grasp anything or increasing knowledge via external objects. He
provided some general views on proper education by saying that children are born without
natural knowledge of virtue (Locke And Rousseau, 2017). They also said that societies and
external objects can make children more able to increase their knowledge and it is in our hand of
external objects. In addition, (Singer, E. 2017) says that for making children motivated towards
learning something, it is important for external objects such as societies and education providers
to increase esteem as well as disgrace which they can mainly receive from their parents. John
Locke is one of the famous philosophers and political theorists who mainly focuses on schooling
education. In this context, many other authors supported and said that children can be motivated
and influenced to develop knowledge only with the help of education which is given in schools,
colleges and other external objects.
On the other hand, jcan Roussau argues and said that, children can be more developed
and can increase their knowledge if they are free and do not have involvement of any external
object. This theory also believes that, children who are free and not bounded then they tend to be
happier then those who are bind and forced to learn something. So, it can be said that, as per the
theory of jcan Roussau, natural education is better than practical and artificial education which
are being provided with the help of books, practical and others (Charpentier, 2019). Natural
education allow children to adapt those things in which they have interest or keen desire. It also
encourages some qualities which include: spontaneity, happiness as well as inquisitiveness.
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In the above discussed study, it has been summarized that jcan Roussau theory of
childhood played a vital role as it helps children in increasing their knowledge naturally. Some
types of children prefer to be free and adapt knowledge and skills of those fields in which they
are interested and have desire to go ahead. It is also concluded as per the theory of jcan Roussau
that children who are free and not bind to take knowledge forcefully are more likely to live
happy and motivated. John Locke theory is also one of the important and effective theory which
interpreted that children can be motivated with the help of some external objects or providing
knowledge to them in schools. Further, this study has discussed that activities which are being
performed in common daily life by children and their impacts on their education and knowledge.
As per this theory which has been discussed in the study childhood is recognized as a social
construction rather than biological given. Childhood is considered as the main and serious field
because in this stage they have effective grasping power and capabilities. Hugh Cunningham
theory of childhood also popular and support people to understand more about childhood
education with their family condition.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Singer, E., 2017. Child-care and the psychology of development. Routledge.
Charpentier, J., 2019. Rousseau: The Child of Nature. Routledge.
Brown, M.R., 2017. Introduction: Baudelaire between Rousseau and Freud. In Picturing
Children (pp. 1-26). Routledge.
Denzin, N.K., 2017. Childhood Socialization: Revised Second Edition. Routledge.
Hodgson, L., 2019. Reading Children: Literacy, Property, and the Dilemmas of Childhood in
Nineteenth-Century America Schooling Readers: Reading Common Schools in
Nineteenth-Century American Fiction.
Clifford, D., 2019. Social Assessment Theory and Practice: A multi-disciplinary framework.
Routledge.
Grey, D.J., 2017. Introduction: The Child at Risk in Modern Britain.
Online
Locke And Rousseau. 2017. [Online]. Available through
<https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=37670>
A Right to Childhood? Hugh Cunningham, Emeritus Professor of Social History, . 2011.
[Online]. Available through
<http://www.historyandpolicy.org/docs/cunningham_childhood1.pdf>.
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