Images Depicting Childhood: A Discussion On Childhood Constructs

Children as Innocent and Adults as Protectors

Discuss about the Contemporary Perspectives of Learning Development.

The above image has been taken from the website of Laselle College. The image was posted for enhancing the clarity of the readers regarding Early Childhood Education Program (ECEP). Here, the children have been portrayed as “innocent” (Sorin & Galloway, 2006). When a child is born, his mind is a blank sheet, tabula rasa, as proposed by the philosopher John Locke. At this stage, the children are innocent, they accept everything what the others tell them. The image depicts a teacher helping the small children in building blocks. This indicates children’s passion towards toys. The teacher here acts as a miniature adult in terms of providing education to the students in a play way method. The teacher is smiling, which reflects the attempts towards creating a positive image in the minds of the children. This generates trust, hope and dependence on the teacher in the minds of the children (James & Prout, 2015). The togetherness reflected by the children in the image signifies unity and coordination, nullifying the aspects of quarrels and fights when amidst friends. Behind the teacher and the students, a shelf can be seen where books are kept. This is an indication of positive learning environment. The faces of the children seem like they are engrossed in the action they are doing. This aligns with the characteristics of the developmental stage they are venturing.

The picture has been posted in order to picturize childhood as portrayed by Markus Natten in the poem Childhood. The image shows three children busy in building blocks. Out of these, two are boys and one is a girl child. One of the boys is laughing, this is in perfect alignment with the characteristic features of this age. Children in their infancy laugh continuously on seeing something funny or unusual (Rubin & Asendorpf, 2014). At infancy, children are very good observers. In this image also, one of the boy child is keenly observing the other child laughing and holding one of the blocks. The boy child is also holding one of the blocks, but his facial expression seems he is confused. It might also be the fact that he wants to have the red color block, which the other child is holding. All these aspects portray the child in the image as “innocent”. The girl child is ignorant of what the other children are doing. She is engrossed in building the blocks. However, the children in infant stage, the children are very impatient. They do not sit with one activity for long. Markus Natten, in Childhood, talks about the lost childhood. It is these building blocks, which compels the adults to lament for their lost childhood (Sorin & Galloway, 2006).

Children as Noble and Independent

The image depicts one of the most eminent concerns of the parents regarding the proper development of the children. Obesity is one such issue, which do not go with children and their characteristics. Children are always on their toes for exploring the world around them. The child in the poster is obese and his facial expression indicates that he is not at all concerned with this. This is because they like to eat fast foods all the time. Here the parents’ role is crucial. Giving indulgence to the child’s preference warns the parents about the harmful consequences, which they have to face afterwards (Commons, 2017). On the other hand, controlling the diet of the child is an indication towards remaining fit and healthy.

The image shows a depressed child by the side of the window on a rainy day. The intensity of the suffering he has experienced is clearly reflected on his face. The rainy weather adds to his grief and sorrow. Children in their infancy are very sensitive to the events taking place in their surroundings. They get depressed upon scoldings, lost of some near and dear ones and others. During this depression, they do not eat properly, which adversely affects their health. However, warm consolations help them in forgetting the depressive incidents. These aspects portray the child as “innocent” beings (Sorin & Galloway, 2006).

The image appeared in the magazine of Suzuki Institute in the year 2011. The image shows children playing violin. The focus of the children is to their instructor, who might be standing on the left hand side. Instructions help the children to produce the appropriate tune on the violin and attract the audience. However, the children lack such an understanding. This is reflected from their facial expression. All of them are just blindly following the instructions of the instructor (Valentine, 2017). This blind obedience is an indication of their “innocence”.

The image of children and the notion of childhood are constructed mostly from the perspective of the adults. The work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau on childhood and children provides a solid ground through which one can realize the importance of considering the various constructs of childhood. In his work Émile (1762), Rousseau argues that children are innocent naturally and gradually turn into corrupt beings through their world experiences (Scott, 2014). In contrast to Rousseau’s work, later theories constructed childhood based on the social, political and economic status of society. It therefore becomes important develop a clear understanding of the constructs by which childhood and children are viewed.

Children as Miniature Adults

The first image shows children aged around 5 to 7 years of age being helped by their teacher in constructing their building. Here, the construct chosen is that of the children as innocent and the adult as the protector. In this construct, the children are depicted as weak and in need of adult care and protection. It tells that children have no power of their own and they must be guided by the adult in all aspects. In contrast to this, the second image shows toddlers using their own power to create something meaningful out of the building block pieces. The construct visible in this image is that of the children as noble. In this construct of the children as noble, role of adults is limited or absent. Children take on the power to protect themselves and even the adults. This feature of childhood surfaces from a very early age as can be seen from the image.

According to Knutsson (2017), the noble children assume power through circumstances and that they do not assume this power by choice. It is however argued by Doey, Coplan and Kingsbury (2014) who state that children develop early ability to assume responsibility and carry out those even without being compelled or forced upon by adults. This construct can be compared to the other construct, which are children as miniature adults. The fourth image depicts this construct. In the image, a child is seen looking though the window, lost in deep thoughts. Other interpretation may state that the child is going through some stress or depression. Children as miniature adults refer to the notion that children develop same as adults. They have the same authority and capability as adults have. In the days of industrial revolution, children were made to work under harsh conditions just like adults. This established the fact that the construction of children as miniature adults is not the choice made by the children but a role imposed upon by adults.

In the third image, it is seen that a poster is used to depict the children with obesity. Here, the construct that is implied is that of a child as victim. In addition, it could also relate to the construct of snowballing children. Snowballing children are those who make impossible demands from their parents and if not fulfilled, they resort to attacks or withdrawing from the parents (Robinson, 2013). This ultimately results in children being out of control and putting on weight at an early age. The obese children then are bullied at schools and other places without the actual fault of their own. The failed role of adults leads them to this position. This construction of childhood is contrasted by the fifth image where children are seen playing violin. Here, the construct of children as adult-in-training could be observed. Children are often perceived as “human becomings” rather than “human beings”, as mentioned by Sigmund Freud (Kjørholt, 2013). Playing violin projects the picture that human beings are artistic from a very little age. In this attempt, it is neglected that children too are a part of the present social structure rather than just replicas of future. Laurendeau and Konecny (2015) view that the children constructed as adult-in-training are pushed to achieve results and to compete in ways standardized by adults. Children with violin in their hands demonstrate the performance and outcomes needed from them by the adults. However, this is contrasted by the second image where young children are seen curious and happy in being creative with the building block pieces. Here, they are not projected as mere replicas for future human beings but individual selves who are given the freedom to use their own minds and not depend on the instruction from adults. Strasburger et al. (2013) opine that children must be allowed to grow naturally rather than forcing them to follow a set pattern. Apart from the five constructs chosen for this assignment, children are perceived through other constructs as well that needs an extensive research and evaluation. It also needs to be mentioned that the constructs chosen for the said assignment fall mostly under the social constructs formed by adults in view of their relationship with children.

Conclusion

Innocence is the attribute, which governs the stage of childhood. The provision of proper guidance and support helps the children to achieve development in an efficient and effective manner. Here, the role of the parents and teachers are crucial in terms of making the children acquainted with the outside world. The assignment, with the help of certain images, enhances the clarity of the readers regarding the various childhood constructs. These images represent the various shades, through which the life of a child passes. As the children are very sensitive in this stage, rationality needs to be maintained in the provision of care, support and affection.

References

Commons, J. R. (2017). Legal systems and incest taboos: the transition from childhood to adolescence. Routledge.

Doey, L., Coplan, R. J., & Kingsbury, M. (2014). Bashful boys and coy girls: A review of gender differences in childhood shyness. Sex Roles, 70(7-8), 255-266.

James, A., & Prout, A. (Eds.). (2015). Constructing and reconstructing childhood: Contemporary issues in the sociological study of childhood. Routledge.

Kjørholt, A. T. (2013). Childhood as social investment, rights and the valuing of education. Children & society, 27(4),

Laurendeau, J., & Konecny, D. (2015). Where is childhood? In conversation with Messner and Musto. Sociology of Sport Journal, 32(3), 332-344.

Prout, A. (Ed.). (2016). The body, childhood and society. Springer.

Robinson, K. H. (2013). Innocence, knowledge and the construction of childhood: The contradictory nature of sexuality and censorship in children’s contemporary lives. Routledge.

Rubin, K. H., & Asendorpf, J. B. (Eds.). (2014). Social withdrawal, inhibition, and shyness in childhood. Psychology Press.

Scott, J. T. (2014). The Illustrative Education of Rousseau’s Emile. American Political Science Review, 108(3), 533-546.

Sorin, R., & Galloway, G. (2006). Constructs of childhood: Constructs of self. Children Australia, 31(2), 12-21.

Strasburger, V. C., Hogan, M. J., Mulligan, D. A., Ameenuddin, N., Christakis, D. A., Cross, C., … & Moreno, M. A. (2013). Children, adolescents, and the media. Pediatrics, 132(5), 958-961.

Valentine, G. (2017). Public space and the culture of childhood. Routledge.