Rights and childhood

Rights and fryhoodDiscuss the contribution made by Locke and Rousseau to changing psyches on kidcare and education during the septetteenth and eighteenth centuries.The late seventeenth century marked a change in society cognize as enlightenment. The Puritans had taught the absolute authority of the church and conceptualized shaverren were born wrong-doingful. According to E. J. Hundert in Ashcraft (1991) Mercantilist writers believed the working classes were lazy and work shy because of their inherited lazy nature. They did not believe anything could be d whiz to change them. The eighteenth century ushered in new approaches to childhood Cunningham (2006 p102). Growth of industry in England raised it to orbicular dominance, which changed the itinerary children were perceived. The theories of Locke and Rousseau on childcare and education had a major come to on changing attitudes to childcare and education that still impact on how children are befoo lead in the 21st centur y. David Archard (2004) says that John Locke and J.J. Rousseau were the first to rede a patchifesto for a child centred education.The debate near the best focussing to raise and educate children was level to Lockes tabula rasa or Rousseaus idea that children are of course born innocent. These views were in sharp contrast to the Puritan view. Inborn sin or Godliness were no longer considered factors that shaped individuals. Muller suggests that Locke believed in educating children to support them overcome difficulties they would face in the changing social environment. He saw children as blank tags to be written on to pass them for a good life. This was not actually a new idea according to Cunningham (2006). He tells us that Erasmus had spoken ab bug out children being moulded alike wax two centuries earlier but this idea still endures to the lean sequence.Locke wrote in his book Some Thoughts on Education (1693 section 54)) that the al-Qaeda for training good adults wa s all down to reason that is sensible cerebration establish on reasonable logic. He was against the harsh beatings but kind of suggested that parents should reason with their children and recognise their needs and interests. Locke believed that a persons character was formed in the early years. According to Archard (2004 p1) Locke denied that knowledge was inborn and cultivation depended on reason. However, Archard (2004) believes thither would be problems trying to acquire reason to a blank slate so the child moldiness be born with the instinct to strain pleasure and avoid pain.Cunningham (2006) says Locke believed that the parents should provide the education in the home. It was all down to learning good habits. According to Houswitschaka in Muller, the Lockean childs education was based on learning to think sensibly by being set a good example by parents but he rejected the view that parents owned their children. He did, however, think parents should be Absolute Governors (C unningham 2006 p110). nurture was based on using logic, we are born with faculties and powers capable of al intimately anything Locke (Archard p3). Children could reckon things during sensory play. Like Pi whilet, Locke believed that the first learning cognizes are linked to the senses and these allow for the infant the opportunity to develop reasoned thinking. He did not believe in having rules because they stifle acquitdom of apprehension. Instead he advocated that good conduct would be achieved by learning good habits. He was against giving children books with stories that faculty frighten them. He recommended Aesops Fables as suitable reading material. He ideal the wrong books could corrupt children but Cunningham says parents still bought cheap books and enjoyed them as to a greater extent than as children and middle class boys were covertly introduced to books about sex. This would involve met with plaudit by Rousseau but Locke was against any knowledge that might m ake boys little than perfect.Locke believed there should be a ban on corporal penalisation as it trains children to look for things that give pleasure and avoid situations that cause pain. It was wear out for children to be keep up because they reasoned that it was the only way forward and they understood why some things were forbidden. However, Cunningham (2006) says that children continued to be beaten during this period but it was less(prenominal) severe so not everyone took notice of Lockes theory.Lockes believed knowledge is cumulative and progressive, the prerequisite of communication and curiosity about cultural variety Aarsleff (Muller p83). As children willing not seduce beat and strength to learn all things, most pains should be taken about that which is most necessary (Ashcroft p452). This has endured right away(predicate) with the National Curriculum being developed. Children should be allowed lots of time to play so that they do not become bored. He tell chi ldren should be tenderly utilizemust play, and have playthings Locke, but parents should take care not to screw up their children by giving them too many toys. Cunningham believes Locke was one of the first to talk of pester power.Toys were to be carefully chosen and given one at a time. Things like smooth stones or keys were all that was unavoidable. The toy should be exchanged before the child got bored. Lockes views on toys were supported by the educationalist Maria Edgeworth the following century. Cunningham (2006) says, however, there is evidence that many toys were commercially produced during this time so not all parents took any notice of Locke. He says there is evidence to suggest that Lockes views actually encouraged toy manufacturers to make more toys though toys like playing cards and jigsaws that taught children about maths and geography were introduced. Using apparatus to help children learn skills are still used as valuable teaching aids. Cunningham says childre n were given wooden letters to help learn reading. We still use these today. Locke believed children would return to their studies with renewed enthusiasm subsequently a break and schools follow this theory today. Locke believed that education must be for the good of society as a whole so there was still no complete freedom of thought.Cunningham (2006) overly says Locke had some suggestions about childcare. He advocated washing childrens feet in cold water every day and providing them with thin shoes that let in water. This was presumably to toughen them up but Cunningham believes there is little evidence to show many parents followed this recommendation. instantly this would be considered neglect. He in any case had strong views on how children were clothed. Clothing was for heating system not vanity. Allowing children to choose clothes that were considered fashionable was wrong.Rousseau also had some suggestions for parenting skills. He believed children were born innocent a nd should be raised to be at one with nature. They should not have their innocence tainted by society. They should be allowed to do anything they wanted and to learn from experience. Piaget would support this. Rousseau had an imaginary boy called Emile who broke a window and learnt by experience that this made him cold. Children would soon learn that onslaught burns. Rousseau tells us that it was common to swaddle babies from birth, man was born free and he is everywhere in chains (Rousseau in Grimsley 1973). They could not use their transfer to touch things. Infants were bound so tightly that they could barely breath and it hindered ripening and strength. He was concerned that the first feelings an infant experienced were pain and stiffness. It led to infants being frustrated and bad tempered. The pain from trying to move warned them not to try moving. This was unnatural as it stifled natural instincts. The practice also enabled women to hang infants out of the way from hooks so that they could get on with other jobs. Today we would consider this practice as abuse.Rich mothers practically claimed they were too weak to breast feed their infants and used nasty nurses. Rousseau said children needed their mothers care and that there was no substitute for a mothers love. Schaffer conducted explore in 1976 and found that children bond to mothers who respond to their needs quickly. Rousseau appears to have discover this in the eighteenth century. He said the mother should breast-feed the infant. Milk from wet nurses might be in short supply because the lack of feelings for the child would hinder the flow. Rousseau claimed that when the wet nurse left, the mother could not expect the child to suddenly bond with her. The infant death rate could have trim in the 18th century because more mothers took Rousseaus advice to breast- feed. Rousseau, like Locke, warned mothers against spoiling their children by doing everything for them. This would hinder training the m to cope with unexpected dangers in the future. This statement would suggest that mothers did love their children even though parenting skills were questionable.It was common practice at the time for the wealthy to send boys to a tutor at age seven to have their heads filled with knowledge (Rousseau). Rousseau advocated that tutors should do the job for the love of it quite an than for money. Many would regard this as sensible advice. Education should be natural. Tutors needed to be able to become children themselves, that is, able to relate to the child. The child must be taught as an individual but like Locke, he also advocated teaching skills that are for the common good.Children who were sent away to be enlightened would return to see the family as strangers. Rousseau, like Locke, believed that parents should teach the young child. Children should have freedom of natural thought. The poor may come to manhood without our help, (Rousseau 1792). Learning could not be speeded up i n the same way that learning to walk cannot be hurried. It matters little to me whether my pupil is intended for the army, the church or the law Life is the trade I would teach him. When he leaves me, I grant you, he will be neither a magistrate, a soldier, nor a priest he will be a man (Rousseau 1762). However, this would only be possible for the rich. Muller says that Rousseau believed pleasant experiences would balance out unpleasant experiences. This would apply to all. Make the citizen good by training and everything else will follow (Rousseau 1792).Grimsley (1973) says that Rousseau believed that education could maintain the original innocence of the child. The teacher should be a facilitator (as in Piagets theory). Like Freud and Piaget, Rousseau thought childhood passed through age related stages and knowledge should not be above the childs grasp. Children should reason their way to their own conclusions. Darling (1994) argues that todays child centred education theory is a resolving power of Rousseaus ideas. We also believe the same theory today that Rousseau advocated in the eighteenth century, that children need good, wellnessy food, the body must be strong copious to obey the mind (Rousseau 1792 ). He stressed that children should have good hygiene and plenty of exercise. These theories are the same as those promoted today by health professionals. Cunningham (2006) says a number of guides on how to bring up children were published and this could have contributed to the fall in the infant death rate.One thing that would be argued today is Rousseaus thoughts on books. Reading is the curse of childhood (Rousseau). He thought we should not stimulate the imagination because it can lead to unhappiness. The aim in the 21st century is to stimulate children. Cunningham tells us that children were taught from early in the daybreak until late into the evening. The idea of perfectibility by education marked a life-or-death change to modern society (Muller p82).According to Cunningham (2006) the changes in how children were reared might have been political because the nation saw itself as free and this would have rubbed shoot on parents but the teachings of Locke and Rousseau have had a major impact on how children are looked upon in the 21st century. Neither Locke nor Rousseau had first hand experience of raising children and their ideas were very different, yet the ideas were ground breaking. Locke was a bachelor and Rousseau gave away all his children to a foundling hospital. It is universally agreed that children must be educated to be good citizens and the best way to do this is for parents to teach them skills for the good of society. Rousseau saw children as being naturally born free from sin but tainted by society. It is no part of a childs business to know right and wrong Rousseau (Cunningham p114). Rousseaus suggestion of leaving children to adjust things out for themselves could put children in danger and might be consid ered child neglect today but many of his teachings are still followed. Lockes ideas on toughening children up like washing feet in cold water would also be frowned upon.ReferencesArchard, D. (2004) 2nd Edition Children Rights and childishness, Chapter 1, John Lockes Children, Oxford Routledge.Ashcraft, R (ed. 1991) Locke Critical Assessments, The making of Homo Faber John Locke between Ideology and History, E. Hundert (pp438-457), capital of the United Kingdom Routledge.Cunningham, H. (2006) The Invention of Childhood (pp79-130), London BBC BooksCunningham, H. (2005) 2nd Edition, Children and Childhood in Western Society Since 1500 pp58-72, London Pearson EducationGrimsley, R. (1973) Philosophy of Rousseau (pp45-51), Oxford Oxford University PressMuller, A. (Ed 2006) Fashioning Childhood in the 18th Century Age and Identity, Lockes Education or Rousseaus freedom C. Houswitschaka (pp81-88), Aldershot Ashgate PublishingRousseau J.J. (2007) Emile Or on Education, Nu Vision Publication s Google Bookswww.infed.org/thinkers/et-rous.htm (accessed 15.02.2010