Homework Question

Q. According to Aries how has the family and the concept of the childhood changed over time? Aries was famous for his statement that there was no such thing as childhood in the medieval times. Aries did not mean that the medieval families did not care for their children , but rather that childhood had not been recognized and valued as a distinct phase in human life. He claimed that children were seen as mini adults who were expected to move out of the protection of their parents or guardians into a broader society at the age of 7 where they acted as young adults. Either financially helping their family by working or being sanctioned at such young ages when they committed a crime just like adults would be nowadays. Children were not seen as a fragile or helpless rather they were encouraged to be independent from early age.

Aries took the view that the concept of childhood is a transition in people’s ideas and thinking which have caused children to be of most importance in the family and society in every aspect making them revolve around the needs of the children all times. In the Medieval times children in family were financial assets to them with no education or laws protecting them. Where as now children in the family have compulsory education and have been given laws for example a ban on child prostitution has been made whereas it was legal and very common in the 20th century. Children nowadays are fully dependent on their parents and are