Childhood

Childhood (being a child) is a broad term usually applied to the phase of development in humans between infancy and adulthood.

Definition

In recent years there has been a rapid growth of interest in the sociological study of childhood. Reaching on a large body of contemporary sociological and anthropological research, people have developed key links between the study of childhood and social theory, exploring its historical, political, and cultural dimensions.

History

Philippe Ariès, an important French medievalist and historian, published a study in 1961 of paintings, gravestones, furniture, and school records. He found that before the seventeenth century, children were represented as mini-adults. Since then historians have increasingly begun to research childhood in past times.

Before Ariès, George Boas had published The Cult of Childhood.

Several historical events and period are discussed as relevant to the history of childhood in the West. One such event is the life of Jesus Christ Christ taught that children were to be loved and revered, a departure from the ancients' attitude to children which was to be propagated in the Roman Empire during the next 400 years with the introduction of Christianity.^{[citation needed]}

During the Renaissance, artistic depictions of children increased dramatically in Europe. This did not impact the social attitude to children much, however — see the article on child labour.

The Victorian Era has been described as a source of the modern institution of childhood. Ironically, the Industrial Revolution during this era led to an increase in child labour, but due to the campaigning of the Evangelicals, and efforts of author Charles Dickens and others, child labour was gradually reduced and halted in England via the Factory Acts of 1802-1878. The Victorians concomitantly emphasized the role of the family and the sanctity of the child, and broadly speaking, this attitude has remained dominant in Western societies since then.

Today

For the last 100-150 years, childhood in the Western world has been viewed very positively, as one of the happiest phases during a person's existence.

Legal definition of child

The legal definition of "child" is interchangeable with minor and may vary by country, in keeping with cultural conceptions.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as "every human being below the age of 18 years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier."

In a New York court ruling in 2006 on the eviction of a pregnant woman, the court declared that her child was equally protected under the law although the eviction notice was served before the child was born.

Child development

Child development is the study of the processes and mechanisms that accompany the physical and mental development of an infant as it matures.

Pediatrics is the branch of medicine relating to the care of children from infancy through adolescence, and sometimes even young adults (ages 0–21 years).

These age ranges are approximate, and may differ from culture to culture. The following list reflects the concept of child development in the 21st century.

• Zygote, the point of Conception, fertilization.
• Embryo; in the later stages also called fetus.
• Neonate (newborn) in the first month outside of the womb.
• Infant (baby) (ages 0–1.5).
• Toddler (ages 1.5–4).
• Middle childhood - Primary school/Elementary school age (ages 5–10).
• Prepubescence, a subset of the above (ages 10–11, approximately).
• Preadolescence (preteen, or middle school age) (ages 11–13, approximately). Note overlap with prepubesent stage of middle childhood.
• Adolescence and puberty (teenager) (13–19).

Famous child prodigies

• Christian Friedrich Heinecken (The Infant of Lübeck)
• Isaac Albéniz
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Sarah Chang
• Yo-Yo Ma

Unaccompanied minor

Some airlines provide special services to a passenger who is an Unaccompanied Minor (UM). These may be compulsory paid services.

There may be special rules for asylum-seeking unaccompanied minors.

List of child related articles

Auxology Boy, Girl Child abandonment Child abuse Child carrier Child custody Child development Child discipline Child labor Child prodigy Child sexual abuse Child murder Child sexuality Child support Childcare Children's culture Children's geographies Children's street culture Defense of infancy

Education, School Educational psychology Fathers' rights Françoise Dolto Indigo children List of songs about children Children in history Parenting Parental Alienation Syndrome Parental leave Pedophilia Pedagogy Playing Street children Taking Children Seriously Toy UNICEF Visitation Youth rights

External links

• CDC's "Learn the Signs. Act Early.” campaign - Information for parents on early childhood development and developmental disabilities
• Historical children photos

Credits

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