History of American Childhoods – Part 2
Curated by: Antonina, Cara, Deanna, and Lilyanna
In the second half of Huck’s Raft: A History of American Childhood (2004), Mintz details how childhood has changed from the late nineteenth century to the early twenty-first century. The versions of childhood Mintz explores become increasingly recognizable to us as a modern audience. However, there are key developments in each time period which have additively contributed to the modern-day conception of childhood and adolescence.
As you read, consider: What parallels exist between then and now? What inequalities persist? What has improved?
Chapter 10: New to the Promised Land
Arrival
The wave of immigration that took place between the 1890s and the start of the first World War saw eighteen million new arrivals to the United States, most of whom came from southern and eastern Europe. Upon arrival, the majority of these immigrant families were reliant on income from every household member who could engage in paid work. On average, children’s labor contributed about 40% of the total income for new immigrant households. This reliance on child labor had visible impacts on parenting styles, as evidenced by one immigrant father explaining that his severe parenting style was predicated on his need for long term control of the children’s labor. “If you don’t keep control over them from the time they are little,” he said, “you would never get their wages when they are grown up” (Mintz, 210). Household relationships were further strained by the inversion of parent/child roles. Because of their exposure to the world outside the home in their roles as factory and domestic workers, new immigrant children picked up the language and culture of America, often faster than they parents did. Children’s ability to learn new languages more quickly than adults meant that the children were placed in the position of translator between their parents and this new environment. This disrupted the hierarchy of the household and resulted in challenging relationships between the children and their parents.
Settlement House
While southern and eastern European immigrant children’s enrollment rates in public schools varied, often according to immigrant families’ intended length of stay in the U.S., as well as the child’s age, religion, and gender, there was another option for education and social support available through the settlement houses. Settlement houses offered English language classes as well as childcare and domestic support in the form of parenting education and health and hygiene advice. These settlement houses, which served as social service agencies, proliferated just as quickly as the wave of immigration did, with nearly 500 settlement houses across the U.S. by 1920. While these settlement houses provided support through education and recreation, they also served to spread emerging middle-class American notions about household norms and behaviors, with the infant care practices favored by new immigrants (like breastfeeding and infant swaddling) strongly discouraged by settlement house staff.
Interested in the legacy of the settlement house movement? In this webinar, you can find out more about the past and present of Hull House in Chicago (at 8:31), Henry Street Settlement in NYC’s Lower East Side (at 17:16), and the House of Seven Gables in Salem, Mass. (at 29:02)…
Becoming American
Adjustment and acculturation, for many new immigrant children, involved a process of rejecting the old country ways and adopting the style and personality of Americans. This discarding of traditional ways of dressing was an important feature in blending in with their new environment. Along with the fashions of the era, young immigrants also adopted the American notion of leisure, which almost invariably involved commercial entertainment. Visiting shops for candy, soda, and ice cream became part of their new American lifestyle. Working hard to make money, and then spending money on leisure, became part of their identity. The idea that freedom and fun could be found in the act of consumption was embraced by the young people and lamented by their parents.
And… What about Everyone Else?
Throughout the chapter, Mintz devotes his full attention to the impacts of assimilation on household structures of southern and eastern European immigrant families. But, he mentions immigrants from China, Japan, and Mexico only in passing, and he does not provide details on their children’s acculturation experiences. Federal restrictions on immigration from these three countries, spanning the decades from 1882 to 1965, impacted the number of new arrivals during this time period, but there were still significant numbers of Chinese, Japanese, and Mexican immigrant families entering into and living in the U.S. at this time. The impacts of social and economic exclusion on these immigrants’ children were significant.
Chinatowns formed all across America as safe havens for Chinese Americans to live and work without fear of violence from white Americans. Formalized social groups and language schools helped immigrant children maintain a sense of community during this long era of being excluded from mainstream American schooling and socializing. There are an abundant number of texts describing the experiences of exclusion and acculturation among immigrant children from these three countries. A few to take note of include the stories of Kazue Mizumura, Huie Kin, and Marguerite Gerhart.
Chapter 11: Revolt of Modern Youth
Setting the Tone
In the first of several cases that tried wealthy young men of heinous crimes, what would later be popularly labeled as affluenza was presented for public debate in the trial of Loeb and Leopold. With defense attorney Clarence Darrow (yes, that Clarance Darrow of Scopes Monkey Trial fame) at their side, the young men were given sentences of life imprisonment rather than execution. While this was not the first instance of hideous crime committed by young men, it captured the public’s attention as it upset strongly held notions that violent behavior was caused by poverty and intellectual deficits. This trial was part of the tone of an era characterized by adult mistrust of youth and the move toward psychologizing the behavior of young Americans.
Turn toward Psychology
During this time, middle-class American parents began to seek professional advice from psychology to address their growing concerns about the behavior, and misbehavior, of their children. From newspaper columns to parenting magazines, on the more passive side, to in-patient confinement on the more radical end, parents turned to psychologists for professional guidance on the treatment of their children. This embrace of pathologizing everything from sibling rivalry to adolescent rebellion re-framed the understanding of what should be normal child behavior. Parental anxiety billowed and professionals, rather than families and communities, became the experts in childcare.
Media and Youth Culture
Along with this pathologizing of child and adolescent behavior, professionals began to study the impacts of emerging media on youth development. Movies were a site for intense concern, with numerous studies noting that exposure to films led to a demise in morality, poor sleep, and juvenile delinquency. Information from the Payne Studies led to the enforcement of the 1927 Hays Code, which limited the bounds of Hollywood studios’ presentation of critical social issues around gender, sex, race, politics, and violence.
While the introduction of new toys and books series marketed directly to children were instrumental to creating a culture among the youngest consumers, adolescents were the heaviest consumers of the emerging popular culture. Fashion, slenderness, and facial skin care became obsessions of adolescents. These interests converged in the first Miss America pageant in 1921, where the pageant winner’s extreme thinness was exemplified as the new standard.
Golden Mermaid trophies.
source: https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2017/09/miss_america_2018_history.html
The modern concept of dating, an act inherently tied to the act of consuming the goods and services of the newly formed amusement and entertainment industry, was invented. This new method of dating resulted in the development of gender roles and expectations that had not previously existed. Adolescents of both genders had a new kind of social freedom available to them, but the young females found themselves carrying the social burden of responsibility for the behavior or the young males in the dating sphere.
Youth Revolution
Fueled by the words of Randolph Bourne, this generation of youth were perhaps the first to find themselves feeling completely separated from the interests and priorities of the adult world. Bourne maintained that it is not just this new separation of the generations that is significant, but the conflict between the generations that holds the promise for revolutionary cultural and social transformations. Setting stage for the next century of inter-generational conflict, Bourne predicted that maintaining connections to immigrant pasts, rather than assimilating to a single, American culture, would lead to “cosmopolitan America,” with the young leading the way.
Chapter 12: Coming of Age in the Great Depression
The extreme economic conditions of the Great Depression of the 1930’s left a lasting legacy in American childhood. Soaring unemployment, reduction in wages, malnutrition, and the closing of schools contributed to a grim reality both in public and at home. Some of the impacts on family life included:
- Reduced pay, unemployment, and part-time work which affected parental self-esteem
- 3 million fewer babies per year in the 1930’s than at the 1929 birth rate
- 50% increase in children living in custodial institutions
- Lower standards of living
- High stress, tense home environments
- Inconsistent and more arbitrary parental discipline
- Decline in divorce, but increase in desertions. People could not afford divorces.
“Many children experienced severe psychological stress, insecurity, deprivation, and intense feelings of shame.” (Mintz, S., p237)
With 1 out of 4 American schools doing abbreviated terms (closing for 10 months at a time, having school only 2-3 times per week, etc.) and thousands of schools closing altogether, many children found themselves idle and aimless. Families pooled income as a way to make ends meet. Boys were expected to pick up odd jobs. Girls were expected to assume household responsibilities while mothers also went to work. Unfortunately, this did not suffice for many families.
“America’s young were “discouraged, disgusted, sullen and bitter,” and many worried that they, like their counterparts in Germany and Italy, were highly vulnerable to the lure of demagogues.” (Mintz., S., p234) For the first time in American history, public consensus seemed to be that the welfare and futures of children could not be left to families. The federal government had a responsibility to secure children’s well-being. As the First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, wrote in 1934, “I have moments of real terror when I think we may be losing this generation. We have got to bring these young people into the active life of the community and make them feel that they are necessary.” (Mintz, S., p243)
Children in Federal Policy
The Roosevelt administration’s response to the dire situation facing America was the New Deal, which included numerous programs targeting young people. This marked the first time the Federal government intervened significantly in children’s welfare. Some of the programs included:
- Free school lunches
- Free nursery schools
- First federally-funded work-study programs
- Federal Emergency Relief Administration
- Funding kept thousands of schools open
- National Youth Administration (NYA) and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
- Provided employment to over 7 million young people
- The NYA was considered radical because it inculcated middle class values and democracy. It sought to raise the opportunities and aspirations of the poor. Some compared it to Nazi youth.
- Aid to Dependent Children
- Provided financial aid to families without a wage-earning parent (28% of all families in 1932)
- 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act
- Struck down child labor
- Struck down child labor
The Creation of the American Teenager
Despite the record lows of school enrollment in the early years of the Depression, by the end of the 1930’s, school attendance reached an all-time high. Many states raised the minimum leaving age from school to sixteen. With the support of New Deal employment opportunities for adults and child labor laws, children were slowly pushed out of employment and into classrooms. By 1940, 50% of seventeen-year-olds in the U.S. were high school graduates. This is double the amount of 1929.
As a result of higher and more prolonged attendance in school, the high school years became a distinct life stage from adulthood for the first time in American history. While racial inequality in education persisted, the overall trend in America was that adolescence would be a distinct time of education and socialization, not of labor. The consumer culture of the U.S. took special note of this development. This is why the first comic books, serial TV shows, and children’s radio shows date back to the end of the Great Depression.
Children as Agents of Change
Throughout the turmoil of the Great Depression, one theme which emerged for children is their resolve and their agency. The circumstances children inherited were unfair and severe. However, children looked inward and toward one another to solve the problems facing themselves and their families. For example, many children wrote letters to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt requesting help. They often did this without their parents’ knowledge, who would have been ashamed. Read some of their letters to Eleanor Roosevelt here.
Other children risked life and limb to drift on the railroads and seek employment. Out of school and unable to support their families locally, children as young as six became “drifters.” By the middle of the 1930’s, a quarter-million children had left their homes searching for work.
Third, once school enrollment recuperated and high school and college attendance increased, student activism grew rapidly. “Many student leaders came from working-class and immigrant backgrounds and were disgusted by the frivolous atmosphere at colleges and high schools.” (Mintz, S., p247) Students formed political and advocacy organizations, including the American Youth Congress. In 1936, they announced a Declaration of Rights of American Youth, in which they stated, “We refuse to be the Lost Generation.” (Mintz, S., p245) While we consider children of the Depression to be victims of a difficult chapter in American history, it is important to note their grit and influence even from a place of disempowerment.
The image above is taken from Boy and Girl Tramps of America, 1934. Written by Thomas Minehan who was a sociology student who lived among the drifters for a year. He interviewed and recorded the experiences of over 500 child migrants who were displaced during the Great Depression.
Chapter 13: Mobilizing Children for World War II
There were many cultural shifts that America underwent following World War II. These shifts extended from the workforce, to fashion, to pop culture of teenagers, to magazine and entertainment, and more.
Before beginning to understand the shifts in these other elements, America became more separated in age groups. There was a definite line between kids and adults. Because a lot of the kids grew up post World War II in families that possibly (most likely) came from another generation, many of the kids took on more independence. Specifically, “Growing up in wartime involved disruptions and stress, but also early opportunities to contribute to the family and assert one’s independence” (Mintz 2006 p. 258).
While there was an increase in more definition between kids and adults, there was evidence of beginning stages of erasing gender roles. For example, “The war created a huge demand for labor, which was met by women, racial minorities, and adolescents.” (Mintz 2006 p. 258). The explanations of this time period include the Coco Chanel fashion movements with the development of pants. Initially, these were intended to allow women comfortable outfit to walk or bike to work.
The children after World War II also began to shift in entertainment. Teenagers were making names for themselves, they were reading newer pop-culture (and sometimes controversial) Seventeen Magazine articles, and interests in music. Notably, “Young girls from ten to twenty were willing to wait hours to buy tickets to see their heartthrob and records to hear him” (Mintz 2006 p. 66)
If war seems to change culture, which influences and includes our norms, fashions, jobs, roles, music, etc., is there any other type of “worldly event” that is big enough to change the social norms and values that is not as harmful as war? What do we need to go through and experience as a society to have a big shift in generational behavior?
Chapter 14: In Pursuit of the Perfect Childhood
The “perfect childhood” in this sense refers to this post-war, safe, fun-loving nostalgia that children experienced during the Baby Boomer period of time. This included certain toys like Mr. Potato Head, candied cigarettes, The Mickey Mouse Club, and many more.
World War II was in the past and society was ready to embrace happiness and the idea of a “clean slate”. “For parents whose own childhoods were scarred by war and insecurity, the impulse to marry, bear children, and provide them with a protected childhood was intense” (Mintz 2006 p. 276). This major period of time was focused around happiness of the family unit and happiness of the children. Couples that had no kids were often pitied because there was an association between kids equaling happiness. This all begs the question of were children becoming the future of what happiness is? Were adults judging the mere fact of having children as happiness and success in life, as well as fulfillment?
Communities were also shifting in appearance and functionality. “The growth of the suburbs greatly contributed to the image of the 1950s as a child-centered decade” (Mintz 2006 p. 277).
Another highlight of this period of time was the increase in medical advancements. This included medicines, diagnoses, and disease control. This also increased the awareness of Mental Health and mental stability by focusing on the psychological aspects to our brain and well-being.
This is also the period of time that gender roles started to come back. This is seen in certain jobs, certain roles within the home for parents, and different toys for boys versus girls. Much like World War II, there was still a divide between what was considered an adult and what was considered a child. In this period of time, there was also a small section that was considered a teenager. This included the pop culture fashions and statements like letterman jackets, drive-ins, and double dates.
If Baby Boomers look back on their childhood experiences with such admiration, do the kids that experienced childhoods before the Coronavirus-19 Pandemic have a similar “childhood nostalgia”? These kids (now adults) have experienced true snow days, sleepovers, playing close to other kids without worrying about diseases or illnesses, etc., do they hold a similar type of nostalgia because they experienced a shift in daily living?
Chapter 15: Youthquake
Known as the “Explosive Generation,” the youths of the 1960’s and 1970’s are remembered for their activism and influence on social change. Several cultural factors contributed to the ripe foundation for young idealists to enact change: the postwar baby boom, unprecedented postwar economy, rapid expansion of higher education, persisting racial inequality and postwar African American migration to Northern cities, and diminishing concern with the Cold War.
“The term the sixties instantly evokes images of bell-bottom jeans, sandals, and clenched fists; of countercultural experimentation, underground newspapers, and militant protest. It is a decade synonymous with campus unrest, urban rioting, psychedelic art, hallucinogenic drugs, and political assassination.”
(Mintz, S., p312)
Source: Sit-in movement – african american civil rights movement. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2024, from http://www.african-american-civil-rights.org/sit-in-movement/
The youth of the 1960’s and 70’s called into question social and behavioral norms. For many, there was an antagonization of older generations, a belief that their parents just didn’t understand why they were radicalizing. The compulsory draft into military service as well as intense racial injustice compelled youth into action. The non-violent direct action protests for Civil Rights were largely led by young people. After four black teenagers staged the first “sit-in” in Greensboro, North Carolina at a whites-only diner, the sit-in movement spread throughout the South. 70,000 young people participated. One of the original four teenagers, Joseph McNeil stated, ““From my perspective, it was a down payment on manhood.”” (Mintz, S., p318)
President Lyndon B. Johnson responded to the social upheaval with several important legislations, like the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which was the first time the federal government provided ongoing funding for public education and targeted the funding towards under-funded schools. Other important educational developments included the creation of the “Head Start” pre-school program, the creation of Sesame Street in 1969, the beginning of institutionalized bilingual education, and protection for students with special needs.
Overall, the Baby Boomers developed a generational self-awareness and sense of shared identity to a degree more pronounced than prior generations. Despite white supremacy and class privilege remaining an obstacle to true equality, a larger portion of the Baby Boomers felt responsible for moral and social change than their parents’ or grand-parents’ generations.
Chapter 16: Parental Panics and the Reshaping of Childhood
As the millennium approached and the world underwent rapid changes in technology, societal norms, and global events, parents often found themselves grappling with modern-day concerns related to their children’s well-being, safety, and overall development. Parents in the later 1900s, developed a universal idea that they needed to “protect young people from themselves” (339). There was an increase in parental fears of gangs, unsafe streets, media usage, teen pregnancy, welfare dependency, abuse in schools, and kidnapping. None of these fears were new to parents, but with the growing modernization, these fears escalated. Contrary to belief, “adults wrongly assumed that young people were more violent than their parent’s generations had been and were more likely to smoke, abuse drugs and alcohol, commit suicide, become pregnant, and bear a child out of wedlock. In fact, by most measures young people were healthier and more responsible than their baby-boomer parents’ generation” (340). Adults made incorrect assumptions about their children which led to conflicting relationships and extreme approaches to parenting.
Hyperparenting
With this growth of fear, some parents went to a new extreme in their approach to parenting called “hyperparenting”. Hyperparenting consists of over-involvement through extreme schedules of youth. Free time was taken away from children in order to include extracurricular activities and more focus on future success. This created a new approach shifting from raising a “protected child to a prepared child” (343). By limiting children’s free time and usage of imagination, children found themselves facing stresses that their parents didn’t. “We [Parents] hold youth to perfectionist standards that adults are not expected to meet” (345). Parents came across as so overbearing that they were unaware of the harm they brought to their children. Parents were pushing their children towards a breaking point. Since children were spending much more time in isolation and without the freedom to investigate and explore the world in a semi-controlled manner. These children were seeking connections, causing some to steer in the wrong direction.
Outcome of Parental Panics
Of course, some children managed to take the new approach to parenting and flourish into well-rounded and well-prepared adults, but a good amount ended up on the opposite side. The view adults had on youth wasn’t positive. The fears that built up inside of them were directed towards innocent youth and that caused many children to make poor decisions. “The hostility that children received front the outside world: the stares, the suspicion, the repeated reminders that authority figures neither trusted nor respected them” (352) became too much for many children. In fact, it led to them proving the fears their parents initially had were correct. This constant battle of not being good enough caused some children to feel like they had no future, “causing them to give into immediacy, seeing no reason to resist the lure and profit of gangs or early pregnancy. Gangs offered some boys a missing source of employment, respect, and identity. Motherhood offers some girls the same” (352). Children ended up exploring risky behaviors as a way to assert their individuality and identity.
The Schools’ Attempt
With all of the back and forth between parents and children, schools decided to step in and try their part to assist in steering children away from poor decisions. Through the incorporation of drug education programs such as D.A.R.E. and sex education programs, school administration, and governmental leaders developed a new approach where they were open to having tough conversations with children, even if parents weren’t ready to do it themselves. When it came to education, the incorporation of No Child Left Behind altered expectations in youth education. With a new emphasis on testing children’s education expectations were higher than ever before not only from a home perspective but also from an educational standpoint.
Chapter 17: The Unfinished Century of the Child
Struggles of Present-Day Children
Today’s children are given more opportunities than the generations before them, but with more opportunities comes more chances to get things wrong. With the growing age of technology, overly involved parents, and unrealistic expectations, some children find themselves struggling just to get by. There is a growing number of young people with serious emotional and behavioral problems, with depression at the center. Chapter 16 discussed in depth the role of parents in this change in children’s emotional well-being, but schools continue to have their own effect on children. For example, “Cut programs and music, expanded summer school programs, imposed competency testing, eliminated many extracurricular activities and assemblies, and reemphasized drill and repetition as part of a “back to basics” movement. Not surprisingly, fewer students found school intellectually stimulating or fulfilling. Instead they found it stressful and pressured” (381). Just like anything, when a certain amount of pressure is applied that thing will begin to break. This added to children feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and stressed. All of these emotions lead to children making poor choices, and in some cases, life or death decisions.
Columbine
On April 20, 1999, one of the most heartbreaking tragedies struck the United States, the Columbine High School massacre. Before this event, there was a growing number of in school violence, but what made this specific attack so alarming to the world was that the two young men randomly chose their victims and their explicit motivations were obscure. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold appeared on the surface like traditional children having come from “affluent, intact two-parent families” (374), but there were clear signs of the dangers that they would have brought to the world. Adults were quick to dismiss those signs. With a world of technological breakthroughs, some might say that these two children had the odds stacked against them. In the modern world, children like Harris and Klebold have “easy access to semiautomatic weapons, exposure to video games, a popular culture in which people settle scores violently, and a lack of parental presence in their lives” (377). Not only are parents less present in their children’s lives and society’s exposure against the youth, but school peer interactions are at an all-time negative high. “Bullying, taunting, and insults are everyday occurrences” (378) and for Harris and Klebold serious depression and isolation from peers were some of the biggest driving forces behind their deadly acts. Killers tend to show early signs that something is wrong, and Harris and Klebold did just that. They were consistently in trouble, acting differently, and showing unreasonable interest in violence and hatred towards their peers. Unfortunately, all of these actions “failed to be taken seriously by adults” (378).
This video presents a brief look at how the parents of the Columbine killers dealt with the guilt of their children’s deadly choices:
Moving Forward
As a nation, we cannot afford to overlook these signs in children. When we do we are putting our own and other’s lives at risk of serious dangers. Mintz said, “The twentieth century would be the century of the child” (372), but the twenty-first century is the century of saving the child. The only way this can happen is if we stop sending mixed messages to children. “American society sends young people many mixed and confusing messages. The young are told to work hard and value school, but also to enjoy themselves. They are to be innocent but also sexually alluring. They are to be respectful and obedient, but also independent consumers beholden to no one. They are to be youthful but not childish” (381). By presenting clear guidance to children not only from parents, but also from society, teachers, and peers, children will be better off in the long run. The good news is that for the first time in a long time, children have the odds somewhat in their favor, for the first time in history children are “bigger, richer, better educated, and healthier. In many ways, they are uniquely privileged. They are growing up in sustained prosperity, have an unprecedented amount of information and education at their fingertips, and more private space in their lives than ever before” (380). Despite all of these positives, children are still children and need proper guidance along the way to make the best decisions possible as they prepare for the inevitable future.
References
Action comics 1. (2023). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Action_Comics_1&oldid=1178724747
Digital history. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/active_learning/explorations/children_depression/help_president.cfm
Minehan, T. (1934). Boy and girl tramps of America. New York, Farrar and Rinehart, Inc. http://archive.org/details/boygirltrampsofa0000unse
Mintz, S. (2004). Huck’s Raft: A History of American Childhood. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Chapters 10– 17.
Sit-in movement – african american civil rights movement. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2024, from http://www.african-american-civil-rights.org/sit-in-movement/
Video Source: YouTube. (2019, April 16). How Columbine shooters’ parents struggled with guilt. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J8JGo2rcTk
The Unfinished Century of the Child
The term “Unfinished” tells me that there are ongoing issues concerning the welfare of children that still need to be addressed and resolved. Children of today are very inquisitive and prefer doing things their own way. It is great to have “rights” as a child, but when the “rights” starts to become disrespectful, then it becomes an issue for the family and the society as a whole. There are just too many directions and obligations to follow and keep up with. Sometimes these directions and obligations leads to stress and confusion. In as much as children want to be independent and enjoy their childhood, the need for permanent guidance is still of essence.
Hi Yassah,
You make some great points. Your post reminded me of an odd “right” that children currently have in PA (and possibly elsewhere, I don’t know). When your child turns 14, parents lose access to all medical records unless the child signs their rights over to their parents. I can see the advantages of this as it protects children’s information that may be sensitive or something they don’t want parents to know about. However, it also creates issues when the local high schools or sports teams want medical records and you can’t access them yourself without your child’s permission.
I am not a Parent, but I am aware of this Right. I first discovered it when I worked as a family-based mental health case manager and was made aware of this. Clients who were 14 years of age or older had a right to refuse our services and then the rest of the family couldn’t get our services. I think it is definitely arguable as to whether or not that is an appropriate age to have such control over something so complex. One might argue that it is just medical records, however, your last point is exactly what I was going to tie this back to. Some children aren’t mature enough by the age of 14 to be able to be independent with “adulting” tasks, and this Right makes it extremely difficult for Parents to take care of their children with common tasks such as school sports, insurance claims, driver’s license, etc.
What?! I am a parent and I’m shocked to hear that parents do not have guaranteed access to medical recor
What?! I am a parent and I’m shocked to hear that parents do not have guaranteed access to medical records through age 18. Is this just in PA or in lots of states? I’m off to google now…
(and apologies for weird half-post above, somehow it posted mid-typing and I can’t edit it, ugh!)
I am also shocked that at 14 a child has the right to exclude their parents from their medical records. I had a 14-year-old who disagreed with our house rules (he had a curfew, he had to do chores, etc). He ended up seeing a therapist who, after listening to him, called me into the room so that my son knew that I heard what the therapist had to say. Then the therapist, without any sugarcoating, told my son that the rules at our house were appropriate and that when you are 14, your parents were still in charge. There may be 14-year-olds who are mature, but there are also many who are not. 14 is too young for this type of general law.
Yassah,
You state your point so well and I agree! There is a tricky line between allowing children the freedom to choose and as you say, “have rights” and allowing children to become entitled to whatever they want. This line can be pushed and is very controversial in how far this line can be pushed. I like to think children need guided freedom. They need and like choice, but if we let our children freely roam and do as they please without limitations, they will be learning everything the hard way. Johnny can’t have 5 bowls of ice cream and it is okay to say that because he doesn’t have the life experience to know that he will end up awake with a tummy ache, crying about his discomfort.
Thank you for sharing!
I was really intrigued by the fact that “hyperparenting” or “helicopter parenting” or even “smothering” began so early. Mintz talks about the idea of the smother in chapter 14 noting that many psychologists warned this would cause neurological issues that would affect children socially into adulthood (276). And that was in the 1950s! He also talks about these ideas in more depth in chapter 16. (Side note: To me, this is one of the weaknesses of his work in that he repeats himself a lot throughout) I was always under the impression that this kind of parenting was a newer phenomenon, particularly considering the childhoods that so many ’80s children had– parents had them outside all day and rarely knew their precise location in many cases.
Transitioning poorly here, I wanted to note the discussion of teenaged childhood in chapter 14 as well. In my portion of my group’s side exhibit, I talked about the baby scoop era, when many young single mothers were forced to give their children up for adoption. It was interesting that, when discussing sex ed and teen pregnancy, Mintz didn’t mention this issue.
I was also takenaback the content shared in chapter 14. I am still having tunnel vision from our first week’s material about how childhood really didn’t exist for kids and that Parents weren’t all that thrilled to even be having children (so why even have them?! – anyway). It is interesting to read about the evolution with Parents. After reading first week’s material and now reading this week’s material, I never would have guessed that the evolution of Parenting would have gotten to this point. I also didn’t realize that it it in a way ebbs and flows where one time period there appears to be no Parenting and then in the next time period there appears to be Parenting, and so on.
Hey there Gabrielle! This was an interesting point you made. The evolution of parenting has definitely changed over time, and it still seems to be a topic of interest today. I understand you disdain with parents having children when they hardy wanted them to begin with.
I was also thinking about the ebs and flows of parenting throughout the ages- and how this is even a little cyclical. I was shocked that helicopter parenting came up as early as the 1950s. I was (incorrectly) under the impression that helicopter parenting became a term in the 90s. When I hear of helicopter parent, I think of the recent movie, Leo. Did anyone else see that movie? (it’s so great!!!) It’s a small part of the movie, but one of the little boys (Eli) comes to school, birthday parties, etc with a drone/robot. His mom operates the drone from home so she can see every little tiny aspect of his day. There are also helicopter parents in Turning Red and even kind of Moana- which are all super recent films. So I just assumed it was more of a recent idea, didn’t realize how far back it dates!
This gallery was extremely insightful! The topic regarding Columbine was actually the inspiration behind (my soon to be posted) side exhibit this week on “childhood hate”. I think that there are many factors that contribute to children lashing out. This can be due to bullying, environmental factors, and even the stress of life. I think that rather giving a focus on weapons and other things that there needs to be an assessment of self. I think that people hurt people. This is something that is rather universal. I think parents should be a part of their children’s life but not to an extent that is overbearing. I think students’ mental needs should be better managed and part of me feels that schools need to be more actively involved in this, even today.
Julia,
Thank you for your insight on my section of this main exhibit. I couldn’t agree with you more about how people hurt people. I personally believe that we can give restriction after restriction when it comes to dangerous objects, but if someone really wants to cause damage and destruction they will always find a way to do so. Instead of preventing the inevitable, we need to look at the people doing the wrong actions and find a solution for that individual. Not all two people are alike, that’s something to also keep in mind.
Julia, I couldn’t agree more with everything you said! It almost scares me how little schools (not all) are currently doing to support and assist students with their mental health needs. It seems as though they don’t truly care about how students are doing as a whole and are just focused on them as a number and statistic. I wish schools could begin to provide more professional support to students seeking help with their mental health, but I think that is a long way away (in our society and financially). As much as I personally want to help all my students, I don’t have the knowledge or resources to provide the support each one of them needs.
I love this point you made, in addition to talking about “childhood hate”, we need to start recreating third spaces for our students and children. With the advancement of technology, the after school programs became digital in social media or video games. Sports, after school programs, and extracurriculars gave children memorable spaces and experience for them to be children. I fear those spaces are shrinking by the day for children in low-resourced communities.
Julia,
I agree that children lashing out is never just a child lashing out. As young humans learn their emotions and how to control them, they often have something else going on and they just don’t know how to express their anger, frustration, stress, etc. This makes sense as the human brain, especially the prefrontal cortex isn’t fully developed until adulthood (was 25 but now is 27 years old). This can affect decision-making and emotional responses. K-12 grade school is a place of learning and also figuring out how to be a functioning human. This is so necessary for the growth of our children.
Thank you for sharing!
Julia,
I agree with your post. People, regardless of whether they are children or adults, hurt people. It is an ugly fact of our society- of our world. I think we, as a society, do need to do a better job of taking care of our children’s mental needs. I see school systems struggling everyday to care for the needs of students. Programs have been created to reach students who have been identified as “at risk,” and provide them with the help they need. There are also counseling (or guidance) programs in the elementary grades now have an SEL focus to help teach students how to relate to one another. We also have anti-bullying programs being taught in every classroom. With all these programs, you would think the problems would improve. Sadly, they seem to be escalating.
Hi Julia,
I appreciate your comment as it is insightful and nicely worded. It’s definitely true that hurting people hurt people. And there does need to be more done for mental health in everyday life for children and adults alike. It would definitely go a long way. Unfortunately, we live in a world where not everyone has the same access to the same things. Some children come from a home where parents are working constantly in order to keep a roof over everyone’s heads. They may not have the time to check in on mental health daily. So, I think it’s important that this is addressed in multiple ways rather than assuming parental involvement (it takes a village, right?). Gun control and gun safety still need attention. When my older boys thought they were interested in hunting (they aren’t, it turns out, haha), we had them attend a gun safety course. We didn’t just count on them taking our word for the way to handle a gun (and by “our” I mean my husband because I’ve never even held a gun let alone shot one). But paired with gun safety, there should be more attention brought to mental health daily in schools.
Hi, Julia! Thank you for your reflections on our exhibit. Your comment caught my attention because I think you view this issue in such an important way. While politically our country sides with guns or restricted guns, no guns, etc., we should be able to acknowledge the mental process that drives someone to conduct such hateful acts. This is the idea that a gun may do hard, but the person behind the gun is the one truly in charge. In schools, we practice drills for if this terrible situation may ever happen. I often reflect on how important it is that we are mentally checking in with our kids of today. If someone is expressing high anger levels, how can we teach them the proper coping skills or model how to safely talk themselves out of these emotions. I often talk to my students about emotions and how each of us have emotions. Sometimes they are big, sometimes they are small. It is a normal part of life to have feelings and emotions, but what we do and how we choose to respond and react to those emotions is the part that matters. Thank you!
You guys did a great job with this main exhibit! There was a lot of reading (and repeating – at least it felt like it anyway). In response to your “As you read, consider: What parallels exist between then and now?” – To much surprise while reading Mintz there is a lot of parallels that still exist. The concept of adopting the American way. Americans still do that to this day – working and then spending money whether it be responsibly or not. The concept of media and youth culture as well as youth revolution – hasn’t changed as a whole, just the process and what it entails in order to keep up with the changing times. The concept of youthquake – there have always been generations of activists in each decade, however the topic of present just changes. Most recently, during the pandemic. Lastly, the concept of hyperparenting hasn’t changed, just the term which is now “helicopter Parents”.
Gabrielle, thank you for noting so many connections from the reading to present day. Prior to reading your post, I hadn’t made the connection from hyperparenting to helicopter parents. It is fascinating to think that hyperparenting began in the 1900s and ultimately has continued through to this day just under a new name but with the same ideas. I do not have any children but totally understand the view of wanting to protect / shield them from same dangers in our world. With that being said, I have also always wondering how much damage is being done to these children with helicopter parents. Are they going to be able to be productive members of society? Are they able to function and take care of themselves without their parents support? I don’t think in the moment these parents realize the harm they are actually doing until it is almost too late.
Hi Gabrielle!
Thanks for your comment on our exhibit! I was one of the curators and I wrote the sections on the Great Depression and on Youthquake. To your point about different generations of youth activists, I had never thought about the groundwork that was laid ahead of the counter culture movements of the 1960’s. The youth of the Great Depression and immediately following was the first major wave of student activism. I also was thinking about the Black Lives Matter movement and environmental movements of today’s world and how instrumental young people have been in furthering those causes.
Gabrielle, I’m finding that there are many different ways to describe parenting styles! Just to have this in our conversation, here’s a link to Lauren Pardee’s “What Your Parenting Style?” (August 17, 2023): https://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/style/parenting-styles-explained/
Pardee’s piece looks at helicopter parenting, free-range parenting, snowplow parenting, lighthouse parenting, attachment parenting, and tiger parenting as subtypes.
Hi Gabrielle,
You had a couple of points that made me think here, so great post! First, I agree about Mintz being repetitive. He absolutely discussed a topic briefly in one chapter and then decided, “hey! Why not a whole chapter on that thing?” I also had that experience. I still enjoyed the reading and Mintz is a great writer, there was just repetition in there often.
The other thing you said was about hyperparenting. I was surprised to see that turn up so early in our history. I thought “helicopter parenting” was a relatively new concept, but apparently it’s really not. It just got a different name.
Chapter 15- Youthquake was one of my favorite chapters we read so far. Gabrielle- I like that you said that there have ALWAYS been generations of activists in each decade- and often those activists are young people. When I was reading about teens in the 60s and 70s I was thinking about how parallel that is to what happening now. Mintz talked about the reasons that these young people decided to protest or attempt to change things back then- and some of those reasons were post war baby boom, the Vietnam war, the lingering racial inequalities, and America’s approach to the Cold War (people were becoming less and less interested) , and more. When I think about Youthquake today, I think of gun violence. I think of the Parkland kids who mobilized in an unprecedented movement to stop this epidemic. There are so many young people protesting gun violence- marching washington, walk outs, advocating to lawmakers, etc- and it’s across the country, but young people are a huge part of this movement.
Hello,
Thank you for this very organized and informative exhibition. I appreciated the questions you posed at the beginning of the post: “What parallels exist between then and now? What inequalities persist? What has improved?” This was something that I had been thinking of continually throughout the reading. The then and now, what has changed, what has gotten better… or worse. Two topics, in particular, come to mind – child labor laws and equality. There has unquestionably been advances in the areas. However, has there been enough growth? Why are there still numerous and ongoing issue in these area?
Karen, on the topic of child labor laws, I came across a resource that I want to mention … it’s Jennifer Sherer and Nina Mast’s “Child labor laws are under attack in states across the country” (Economic Policy Institute, updated December 21, 2023):
https://www.epi.org/publication/child-labor-laws-under-attack/
Here’s a quote from the “Why it matters” section…
“Federal laws providing minimum protections for child labor were enacted nearly a century ago, leading many to assume that children working in grueling and/or dangerous jobs was a thing of the past. In fact, violations of child labor laws are on the rise, as are attempts by state lawmakers to weaken the standards that protect children in the workplace.”
Hi, thank you for your detailed exhibition! I really enjoyed reading your description and thoughts on Chapter 10: New to the Promised Land as it was the chapter that really stuck with me during my reading. I was even taken aback reading the section on settle houses, specially Hull House as two weeks ago the reading curriculum my school uses had a short story all about Jane Addams and Hull House / settlement houses. It was fascinating to see the connection that settlement houses had for immigrant families and the impact they played on these individuals transforming into the American image. One aspect from this chapter that I want to highlight is how immigrant children were forced to assimilate and essentially lose aspects of their own cultural heritage (language, clothing, traditions) through schooling. I found this to be very thought provoking because now (at least at my school) different cultures are very highly regarded and emphasized through the curriculum. All students kindergarten through eighth grade take both Spanish and Chinese class three times a week. In addition, we just had a whole school day dedicated to International Mother Languages Day were different cultures, languages, and traditions were highlighted and celebrated through different activities. I just found that timing of this celebration and the reading of this chapter to be perfect!
Hi Megan!
Thank you so much for your feedback on the exhibit – I am one of the curators. The fact that your school does Mother Languages Day and incorporates two languages as a special area of instruction is incredible. I agree with you that in many schools across the US, there is more of an emphasis on cultural inclusion than assimilation. That being said, I know it’s not everywhere. Do you think world language should be required? Without a federal requirement, it seems to be mostly left up to school districts to decide whether it’s “worth it” to spend money on those programs.
Thanks again for your comments!
Cara
Megan, it’s wonderful to hear that the timing of our reading of Mintz’s Chapter 10 and your school’s celebration of International Languages Day has worked out so well!
I thought Nadia Maragha’s discussion about the Hull-House Settlement and how they are working to “keep the spirit of it alive” was really helpful. (Thanks Group B for the timestamps in the webinar!) I was intrigued by Maragha’s insight that it was “predominantly a women’s space.”
Btw, for the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, I love the description of it being “Chicago’s dynamic monument to democracy” (https://www.hullhousemuseum.org/).
Folklore fans … I think you’d be interested in checking out “‘Finding Folklore’: Jane Addams and Hull-House’s Supernatural History”:
https://www.hullhousemuseum.org/hullhouse-blog/2022/9/14/findingfolklore
Thank you for your great exhibit. I liked following the way childhood evolved throughout the century. I also liked comparing my own life experience to the descriptions given, both as a child and also as a parent.
I am thinking about hyperparenting and helicopter parenting. First, there are criticisms about too much parental control, and at the same time, many think there should be more government control to take care of children. This doesn’t make sense to me. Second, we are living in a complex society that requires more of children to find success. For example, when my sons filled out college applications (during the years 2006-2014), they needed an extensive list of accomplishments, student activities, and service they had performed. To get into the colleges of their choice, they had to be preparing for years in advance. I was the parent who encouraged their interests, and involvement and encouraged service opportunities. I could have been accused of being a hyperparent. Although my parenting philosophy includes working to give children more and more responsibility and decision-making opportunities as they get older, especially as they move through their teen years.
As I consider children shooting children, I think it is a complex problem. I do wonder if today’s social media culture that includes cancel culture, insults, and rudeness–encourages division and hate. Our culture as a whole seems to condone or even celebrate division and UNcivil discourse. Listening to different opinions and respectfully considering other ideas is diminishing. Children are now growing up in a divisive society. Is this influencing these acts of violence?
The example above shows how the parents of the shooters at Columbine were not charged. However, just this month, a mother was charged in her son’s shooting crime. See the link below. With the rise of shootings, it looks like we can now look to blame the parents as well.
https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-mother-charged-01f336607a496c5f9ff0cb3a7434d073
I loved your final concluding paragraph that points out the mixed messages we give children. Was there this many mixed messages given in the past, or did people just live their lives in whatever situation they were in?
Hello Marylynne,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I agree with you thinking about the hyperparenting, or helicopter parenting. I thought that guiding my children and helping them become responsible and successful adults was part of my job as a parent. I guess, ultimately I would rather be accused of being a helicopter parent than a hand-off parent.
I found the link for the news article very interesting. I do think this parent accountability is necessary. Sadly, the mother doesn’t even seem to realize where she went wrong. This brings me back to the reply I just posted for Carrie’s post… where I was discussing what really shapes us as people is our parents and our upbringings. How do we influence this change in parenting and home?
Thank you for sharing.
Karen
Hi Karen,
I think helicopter parenting has advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
Helicopter parenting is necessary for the protection and well-being of children by preventing them from getting into trouble. Moreover, helicopter parenting promotes children’s educational skills and encourages them to focus on their future. Most importantly, the relationship and attachment of parents and children becomes very strong through helicopter parenting.
Disadvantages:
On the other hand, helicopter parenting may impede the independence of children by not allowing them to face challenges, solve problems and sometimes make decisions. If parents continue to be very straight with their children, they might rebel, lie, and avoid their parents at all times. Moreover, such relationship can be affected by stress for both the parents and the children.
Overall, helicopter parenting can be both beneficial and negative depending on the individuals involved. In order to have a balance in parenting, all parents must learn how to be authoritative parents.
Marylynne,
I completely relate to the comments you made regarding hyperparenting. My husband and I tried so hard to not help our children, but there were instances where they needed our help. However, I can definitely see the effects of hyperparenting in the lives of my students. A lot of my students are involved in a variety of activities throughout the week. My school has clubs that are offered, but many of my students often comment that they can’t participate because of dance, volleyball, basketball, football, etc. I have many that have something just about every night, especially with travel ball being a big thing now. School, and its obligations, seems to have taken a back seat to sports and other extracurricular activities.
I also appreciated your comments about the divisive society we live in today. Wow! So true. I don’t remember in my lifetime having people censored because they said something a group of people didn’t agree with. I think it has bred hate. We can see it in politics, in public places, and in the manner that parents talk to teachers. People don’t have respect for others. If adults can’t behave themselves and model appropriate behaviors, why should we expect our children to?
Beth. I completely agree with your last comment, ” If adults can’t behave themselves and model appropriate behaviors, why should we expect our children to?” Society as a whole could work to do better to have civil discourse–to disagree without hateful responses.
Marylynne,
I found myself comparing my experiences with those in the book as well! Glad I’m not the only one to do that.
Hi, Marylynne! Thank you for your reflection on our exhibit. You brought up such an important topic when you mentioned college and all of the years of activities your kids needed to list. This is so interesting because I am sure a lot of us had similar experiences, raised kids with this experience, or had a friend experiencing this. The amount of time, effort, energy, and years worth of participating in activities to be able to create this long list. Often times, the child needs help being involved in said activities (whether that is a ride, permission, equipment, etc.). I always viewed this as the parent being a “good parent”. You allowed me to reflect on this in a different way. Is this considered being today’s term, a “helicopter parents”? If the parent is not “doing enough” society also looks to them as being “bad” or “neglectful”. What an interesting idea to think about! Thank you!
Hi everyone! I just wanted to say great job on your exhibition! One thing that stuck out to me was how children’s labor contributed about 40% of the total income for new immigrant households and how this led to household relationships being strained by the parent/child roles. Wow. While reading Chapter 10 in Huck’s Raft I also was intrigued by the fact that immigrant children also served as guides to help their parents adjust to American customs, negotiate with landlords, school officials, and others. These children potentially did not experience an “innocent” childhood. I see it as they had to grow up and play the adult in the family. I also found your discussion on settlement houses to be intriguing. While reading chapter 17, I made a few connections. For myself and all the other 22-23 year olds I know, we grew up with a sense of violence in the back of our minds. I was roughly 2 months old when 9/11 occurred. Growing up, the first one I remember seeing broadcasted on TV was Sandy Hook. Then it was Parkland, and the one that really hit a nerve in me was Uvalde. I was entering my student teaching year that August and it just left so many questions and emotions in me that stick with me to this day. Seeing an uprising as a then student and now as educator, is somewhat an unsettling feeling. I definitely wonder if social media is a potential source of children/people thinking it’s okay to do this to other humans? The same way with trends on social media that leave children severely hurt or even killed. Does social media have somewhat of an influence on these acts?
Kelcey,
Social media and television media (24-hour news cycle) seems to play these events nonstop when they happen. We sensationalize these events as a society, and I often wonder if that doesn’t lead to more events. When other adolescents see how these attackers are seeking vengeance against their tormentors (females, bullies, popular kids, teachers, etc.) and how they are sensationalized (now everyone knows who they are and what they are capable of), it gives the next person the same idea. How can they make it more horrific? A lot of this is perpetuated online through chat groups–these students may find a community amongst violent individuals who understand what they are going through (bullying, etc.). I think that leads us back to how do we create safer school environments (or more accepting school environments)? I know I see how schools teach filling each others buckets, kindness, and acceptance, but still children find a way to tease each other and certain children are still disciplined more harshly than others for not fitting a specific required norm. I’m not sure how we can change schools to be more accepting, but a one size fits all approach doesn’t seem to work.
We talk about this so much as a society, and I don’t think there is any one answer, Perhaps we need to help adolescents foster a sense of community outside of school so they don’t value those relationships so much when they are negative, but I’m honestly not sure. Thanks so much for sharing!
Carrie
“American society sends young people many mixed and confusing messages.”
I think part of the problem is adults receive just as many mixed and confusing messages. Mothers are criticized for staying home, but also for working outside of the home and putting their children in day care. Parents are criticized for raising their children simply, but also for buying them all of the lastest toys/technology/clothing/etc. Parents are criticized for “helicopter parenting,” but also for allowing their children to exercise their independence.
“By presenting clear guidance to children not only from parents, but also from society, teachers, and peers, children will be better off in the long run.”
What happens when the parent/teacher/peer group/society disagree as to how to best guide the child? I’ve taught children of divorce who have two sets of rules depending on which house they are living in that week. The media is abundant with stories of parents vs. teachers when it comes to curriculum. Unfortunately, it is often the children who are caught in the middle.
Woo Diane! You pose an excellent question “What happens when the parent/teacher/peer group/society disagree as to how to best guide the child?”
This is a conflict I face as I am preparing students for their postsecondary transition. Whether it’s community college, university, trade school, or directly in the workforce, there’s always tension in discussions. Especially as we are getting closer and closer to graduation date. I see a lot of students caught in the middle of their parents fears and their personal dreams for the future.
Diane,
I love the question you pose! One of my best friends is pregnant with her first child and she was asking for any advice as most new mothers do. My sister immediately said, “Don’t join a mommy Facebook group.” I was puzzled. I immediately asked her why. She said that everyone has a very different way of parenting and instead of sharing ideas that have worked for each mom, it becomes a place of mom shaming. Just like you mention, “Mothers are criticized for staying home, but also for working outside of the home and putting their children in daycare. Parents are criticized for raising their children simply, but also for buying them all of the latest toys/technology/clothing/etc. Parents are criticized for “helicopter parenting,” but also for allowing their children to exercise their independence.” I would add that parents are also criticized for breastfeeding or formula feeding, what food they are given and what ingredients are in the food, and how much screen time is allowed. I’ve even witnessed someone upset because of the way another parent disciplined their child. There are so many differing opinions among adults that it has to be confusing for the kids, especially with how public people make their opinions.
Diane. I agree with your thought that there are so many mixed and confusing messages about kids and parenting. And, just as Mellissa mentions, so many more opinions can be sourced because of social media and the internet. Sometimes information on social media or Google takes the place of generational parenting. My friends and I have experienced daughters or daughters-in-law disregarding a parent’s advice in favor of something they found on the internet. I stopped trying to give my daughter-in-law advice concerning breastfeeding without suggesting she ask her doctor about what I said (who, by the way, told her exactly what I told her). Generational wisdom can be replaced by the internet, and opinions can be strong from that source.
You are definitely right Diane. There are so many confusing information to keep up with. It is extremely frustrating to follow through with all the world throw in the faces of parents. I remember, when I was much younger, how the neighbors cared for one another children. If you were seen doing inappropriate things, they will immediately correct you and then report to your parents. Nowadays, it is difficult to be a parent to another person’s child without arguments.
Hi, Diane! Thank you for posing reflective questions to our exhibit. I really enjoyed thinking about the elements you brought up. To begin, I think there are many settings and interactions that a child can gather a mixed signal from. I have never thought of it this way, but even in the home. I was blessed to grow up in a two-parent household, of which it was clear my parents did and still do love each other. That being said, the child starts to learn which parent will react in what way. My dad responds first to the logical, information-gathering side, while my mom responds to the emotional side first. That is not to say that they do not understand the other side or look at it from that angle later on, but initially they see different views. As the kid, you begin to grow up and see situations from both sides. At some point, you start to find who you relate to. They are both “correct” answers, but you have different or opposing influences. Secondly, I am glad you talked about the guidance on parents, teachers, peers, society, and more that begin to influence the child. I had the same thought that we may not want all of these different view pushed on to the children. That being said, I remember my dad always saying he feels he gave us strong morals and values that we can go out into the world and lean back on those when the time comes. I think this is important that we will be in conversations or situations we do not agree with (or do not necessarily want our kids around) but we need to trust that the teachings will shine through. Thank you!
Fantastic exhibit! As I curate my piece for the side exhibit, what struck me the most was Chapter 12 and the effects of the period before and after the Great Depression. It seems, in a way, that history is repeating itself as we are experiencing a significant boom in workforce layoffs. Naturally, we understand the effects and stressors that major job losses impose on adults, but the perspectives and experiences of children are often overlooked in these discussions. This has led me to advocate strongly for more third spaces for children, vibrant and inclusive after-school programs, and extracurricular activities in which children can participate.
I definitely agree with third spaces for children where they can build a more positive connection and experience outside of school. I also wonder how giving adolescents more time alone (without screens) to make decisions could help them to develop a stronger sense of self. I think when we learn we can do things alone, without the constant need of approval from parents and peers, we realize the opinions of others don’t matter as much as we thought they did. How do we foster that independent thought in teens today? Is it even possible with the constant need of approval through peer interactions and social media? I’m not really sure. Thanks for sharing!
Carrie
Hey there Khadyajah! I find it admirable how you act as an advocate for the student mass and the incorporation of third spaces. I definitely agree with your claim about “history repeating itself”. This is something I have seen firsthand in the workforce. My father runs a business and unfortunately for him it seems the economy has once again hit a brick wall and the number of customers and overall workers is at an all-time low.
Hi Khadyajah!
Thank you for your comment on the exhibit. I was the curator for Chapter 12 and initially thought I would make that section about the parallels between the Great Depression and the Covid-19 pandemic. There are many including soaring unemployment, increase in part time labor, a massive shift in education, rise of youth activism, federal spending, and laying bare many inequitable systems the country has in place. One fact I found while considering including this in the exhibit was that when we compare the New Deal to all of the federal spending on pandemic-related acts (like the CARES act, among others), spending per capita was way higher for Trump/Biden than Roosevelt; however spending as a portion of the GDP was lower than for the New Deal. Very interesting!!
Team,
Thank you for sharing your exhibit. I like the question: What do we need to go through and experience as a society to have a big shift in generational behavior?
I wonder how COVID19 will shape the children who went through it when they become adults. Maybe they won’t even remember, but my daughter missed pre-k and kindergarten due to Covid, and she struggles in school now. I’ve thought about holding her back a grade so she can get caught up–she just seems perpetually behind, and I wonder how that will shape her self-esteem and self-efficacy in the future. They may not remember that time in the future, but how does it affect their long-term education and abilities?
In the Chapter on WWII, Mintz discusses how millions of adolescent males were not able to serve due to mental and physical health issues. We are seeing this in today’s military as well. Due to an increase in childhood obesity, an increase in mental health issues, and issues with adjusting away from home, we have issues recruiting and retaining Airmen. I often wonder what needs to happen to shift modern childhood (which can encourage sedentary behavior and poor eating habits). Here in Germany, children are given a ton of freedom (and it often makes American parents very nervous). For instance, German children (starting in Kindergarten) walk to and from school or the bus stop alone once parents establish they know where to go. When American students get off the bus, the bus driver will leave. There have been instances where children get off on the wrong stop or the parents aren’t at the bus stop, and the bus pulls away. This really upsets American parents, but the German culture norms are just different. I often wonder why we can’t let our children walk back and forth alone or in pairs. Why can’t we give them that small freedom? I think it goes back to the panic about childhood abductions. How has this panic shaped our children’s childhoods (or our own for that matter). Instead of doing everything for our children and always being right next to them, how can we foster independence? Is it even possible in today’s society?
I’m not sure what can change a generation, but I do know we have an extremely intelligent, yet risk-averse group of adolescents right now. Schools are still a breeding ground for bullying and harsh discipline–I’m not sure our current school system builds resilience, intelligence, or a love for learning. Instead, it seems to be a place children dread; where students are given so much homework, even their free time after school is nonexistent (on top of all the extracurricular activities we foist on children). To be honest, I think there needs to be a dramatic shift in how schools are run, what children learn, and how children are treated outside of school. We regiment so much of their lives now that they struggle in adulthood–where for the first time in their lives, they have to make decisions on their own and no one helps them clean up their mistakes and failings.
Hi Carrie,
I appreciated several of your comments in your post. I too liked the posed question “What do we need to go through and experience as a society to have a big shift in generational behavior?” I certainly agree that national or global issues, such as 9/11 or Covid, have an impact on change. However, are these societal events the things that really shape us and our beliefs? or is school a real factor that shapes us?
I absolutely agree with your thoughts on schools and that there needs to be change. “Schools are still a breeding ground for bullying and harsh discipline–I’m not sure our current school system builds resilience, intelligence, or a love for learning.” While the school system can and should do better, I’m not sure if this is the change that would really have an influence on societal change. We are who we are, because of the influences that happen earlier in life. What really shapes us is our parents, our families, and other influences, such as community or religion. Perhaps, revamping the education system would help, although I think it would take generations to see the real change.
You gave me a lot to think about. Thanks for sharing!
Karen
“…my daughter missed pre-k and kindergarten due to Covid, and she struggles in school now”
I work with struggling readers in grades K-5 and the effects of being out of school for so long during Covid is often a topic of discussion. I personally have nothing to compare it to in my educational history, so I also wonder what the effects will be as these children move into adulthood.
Carrie, I think children (and adults) will be suffering the consequence of Covid-19 for many years to come. The thing that really bothers me is that the pandemic is not over. It STILL is affecting thousands upon thousands of people in direct and indirect ways. I’m lucky and grateful to have found a preschool for my toddler that takes Covid and other illnesses seriously. But one small way that Covid affects my child is that when there is an exposure in his classroom, the rule is test-to-stay for the other students exposed (crazy I know that there are still schools practicing this!) But anyways, the last thing I want to do, or my toddler wants to do, is a covid test in the morning during a very and often hectic busy morning routine. He’s crying and screaming “no covid test!” and I’m chasing him around trying to swab him. It adds a level of stress that I truly could be doing without.
Hi Carrie!
I agree with you and on how will COVID shape this generation of students K-5. Will they rememeber? Did they experience something traumatic that they want to block it out from their mind? It really will be interesting to see these children grow up and become adults. Your comments “Schools are still a breeding ground for bullying and harsh discipline–I’m not sure our current school system builds resilience, intelligence, or a love for learning. Instead, it seems to be a place children dread; where students are given so much homework, even their free time after school is nonexistent (on top of all the extracurricular activities we foist on children).” stood out to me. I agree that we do all this reinforcing on bullying and I feel that students take this with a grain of salt. I had a co-worker that is our school’s 5th grade learning support teacher, tell me that a student she has as been relentlessly bullying the new student who only started last week and he was in tears every, single day… it broke my heart. I know the student who was doing the bullying has severe trauma and family issues but it hurts to watch this as an educator.
You all did such a great job on this exhibit!
One thing that I narrowed in on when reading this past week was hyper-parenting. This was a new term for me. It makes sense though. With a growing culture of fear and huge pressure to ensure success in the next generation, I can see where this good-intentioned effort could backfire. Mintz states, “Unlike parents of the baby boomers, who had wanted their children to be ‘average,’ ambitious late twentieth-century parents sought to provide their children with every possible opportunity” (343). There was a shift from protecting children to preparing children through over-scheduling and over-programming free time. What once used to be a time filled with imagination became stressed with enrichment activities. Some children may have benefited from this approach and grown into successful, well-prepared adults. However, this wasn’t the case for everyone. Some children were pushed to their breaking point in a high-pressure learning environment that was not conducive for them.
This got me thinking about the societal pressures we put on our kids today to grasp every opportunity and learn, learn, learn. I taught at a middle school in Tennessee and am currently teaching in Pennsylvania. At both middle schools, I have been told that every second of the day counts and every moment the students should be learning. I agree that students should always be learning and growing, but I don’t think that means we need to eliminate the “fun” aspect of younger educational years. I want my students to partake in some fun (that is also educational) but it may not show up on a state assessment. They learn to be humans in school. They learn how to socialize, how to deal with peer pressure, and how to handle bullying. They learn how to act and react to negative experiences and people. They work hard and should have fun reward days. I used to catch myself feeling guilty sometimes when I added in the elements that make school fun but didn’t always directly correlate to my data. I have since abandoned that guilt, but this reading reminded me of the pressures set to learn, learn, and learn every moment possible.
Melissa, my previous Reading Specialist job was in a K-1 building. It wasn’t until I changed jobs to work with K-5 that I understood the pressures of state testing, on both students and staff. Classrooms lose that sense of fun for sure in that week or two leading up to the PSSAs. Kudos to you for trying to keep that aspect alive.
Thank you, Melissa, for trying to keep the fun alive!
I agree that students are learning every moment. They are learning, as you say, to be human. This is why it matters so much to attend school in person. Those unplanned interactions, even the less-pleasant ones, are critical to the process of development.
A few months ago I read this article about the impact of brain breaks. https://www.edutopia.org/article/we-drastically-underestimate-importance-brain-breaks/
It provides data showing that the break time is not just good for health and wellbeing, but it is also during the brain breaks when the body processes and synthesizes the newly learned information. Under this rationale, there is a strong argument that building in time for fun could make a noticeable enhancement to test scores.
I enjoyed reading this exhibit! This exhibit does a wonderful job highlighting the gains children have made, as well as the heartbreaking topics of childhood throughout the twentieth century. The question posed at the beginning of the exhibit asked about the parallels that exists between today’s children and children of the 1900s. One parallel is consumerism and the movie industry – the way in which they target children and the impact they have on their behavior. When comics were introduced in the 1930s, they depicted violent scenes and situations that influenced children and teens, especially in the 1950s, to imitate what they were reading and seeing. It conjures up thoughts of social media sites such as TikTok today that encourage children to try new things and challenges. Their attempts at imitating often lead to seriously injuring themselves or others. Another parallel is the impact that movies and music have had on children, both now and in the 1950s. Children today know so much music, and I am often astounded by the music that they listen to, even at very young ages. While I am shocked, I can only imagine what parents were thinking in the 1950s when rock and roll was introduced. I was surprised to learn that even then, the music had a lot of sexual connotations.
To answer the question about whether inequalities still persist… Yes. While there have been many improvements in education for people of color and those with special needs, these groups continue to lack the resources available to students in White neighborhoods. It is very troubling to continue to see the way monies and resources are dispersed to school systems. Urban schools, where larger populations of people of color live, receive less money per student compared to wealthier neighboring communities. Additionally, like many segregated schools for Blacks in the past, today’s urban schools continue to lack qualified teachers, or they lack veteran teachers. As a result, the quality of education is not on par with those of students living in White communities.
HI Beth, I’m one of the curators of this gallery and I, too, was surprised to read about the immediate concerns from parents, institutions, and researchers about the impacts of movies on children in the early 1900s. Many of the concerns about media that I assumed began in the 1980s and 90s, like the parental warning labels on CDs and the uproar over watching too much television, were actually the very same concerns adults had about movies right from the beginning.
I catch myself telling my child (aged 10) that she is “scrambling her brain” by watching all these silly youtube compilation videos (about which K-pop song is the best, or craft videos about how to make miniature objects out of paper) and when I hear myself saying it, I can’t help but have memories of being told the same things about watching MTV when I was her age. I did, in fact, watch MTV all the time, and it didn’t warp my brain. In the summertime, when my brother and I were home alone during the weekdays, we had MTV on constantly – only turned off when switching to my afternoon cartoon line up (yes, that Gummy Bears, Duck Tails, and Tail Spin combo) or when he was playing Zelda. I love being able to look back at a childhood that included the phrase “I want my MTV”! Remember this… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGZSWdh17l0
I think it’s interesting now to consider this phase of early adolescence where you’re equally interested in the world of childish things as well as adult things. I’m recalling the importance of the moment when the 4:30pm Duck Tails ends and you have to “switch back to channel 60, quick!” because Yo! MTV Raps is about to start at 5:00. And if we worked together and moved quickly, my brother and I could get dinner on the table during the Yo! MTV Raps commercials, before our parents got home at 5:30. This content, both the Disney cartoons and the steady stream of MTV music videos, news, and commentary, were a significant part our connection to the broader world beyond our neighborhood.
Ultimately, I guess I choose to let my child be part of her generation by indulging in the frivolity of the world of youtube videos, so now my house is filled with things like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Toy4ewq2skk
and this: https://youtube.com/shorts/mI-PqCRNO0Y?si=mz5KGpvuBYDs_Gew
I haven’t thought of any of this before typing this reply, but I can see the same thing playing out for my child. These Youtube videos are a way for her to connect to the world/culture beyond our home, beyond our neighborhood.
It’s interesting to read about gender roles in this exhibit- especially because we acn compare that to today AND to gender roles in last week’s exhibit- particularly during the colonial period. During the colonial period there were clear activities and roles for boys vs girls in childhood- and how childhood ended was also dependent on the gender of the child. So, it’s was interesting to read about how in this period of time, gender roles returned. Gender roles were displayed within the jobs of parents, differing toys, fashion from pop culture, and some very timely activities like letterman jackers and drive in double dates. It will be interesting ot keep tracking gender roles throughout the periods we study to see how stringent the divide is, and what aspects of life are affected.
I agree that it will be interesting to continue to track/study gender roles! I think about the backlash Kristen Stewart faced for wearing a jock strap in Rolling Stone recently, and honestly thought that in 2024, we were past the whole traditional gender expression thing, but I appear to be naive. I think there is some hope with Gen Z, who in a recent poll, identified 28% as queer; but who knows what the future holds! With a generation literally raised on Tik Tok, it’s hard to say where their minds are.
I find the parallels between the children of immigrants 100 years ago, and the children of immigrants now, fascinating. Group B mentions a role reversal between parent/child, mostly due to children’s ability to learn language quickly. However, this is not something that has disappeared in modern U.S. society, and working in education, I often see it myself. In fact, I often struggle to reach parents of students who are struggling academically or behaviorally, and it’s not until parent-teacher conferences that I see the child is the family’s main translator. I think of the burden these children must bear and also the way modern society is not meant to be navigated by children. Consider the FAFSA form, or paying a parking ticket; if I were 12 and responsible for doing these tasks in addition to taking care of my younger siblings, I don’t know if I could.
Hi Akvia! I agree with you on struggling to reach parents of students who are struggling academically. I do see the dynamic at conferences or the way I talk with the parents. The world today is definitely different than when I grew up and I feel that we as educators are struggling to communicate, meet the needs, and be advocates towards the parents, since the parents most of the time think their child is the perfect student. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Hey Akiva! I really enjoyed your take on this week’s content. I especially enjoyed reading your thoughts on how children can be the translator of the house. I had taken a class on how to teach children where english was not their native language, and it really put into perspective how much of a privilege it is to have your parents understand and speak english. I know that there are factors that make children grow up and miss out on key childhood experiences, but I really didn’t think of language as being a reason for increased responsibility.
Thanks for the interesting exhibit! One thing that stuck out to me was the discussion of modern dating in chapter 11. I have seen some sociological work recently that indicates that there are dramatic shifts in dating for adolescents (particularly high schoolers). I think typically the thought is that high schoolers are now less sociable in general because of social media. Adolescents are likely more prone to negative self-images because of the influx of social media posts and how perfect everyone portrays their lives to be on there. This is an interesting pair to the discussion of modern dating essentially being tied closely to emerging consumer cultures. I had never really thought about how intertwined the adolescent dating practices are aligned with macro-social issues and developments, so this was eye opening for me.
Hey Jack! I really enjoyed your post. I especially enjoyed how you discussed the impact this all held on youth dating culture. I hadn’t even thought about how social media made people less sociable and therefore less likely to enter new relationships. I think when you are actually in school and seeing those people everyday it may feel like everyone is in a relationship, but what you said makes total sense because I also know a plethora of people who would much rather go right home after school and go play video games.
Hey group B! I thoroughly enjoyed your post about the American childhood, especially your discussion of chapter 11: the revolt of modern youth. The path towards parental distrust in their children is one we don’t often speak about because we as a society are so focused on romanticizing children by depicting them in an innocent light. Your initial discussion of the criminal trial of Leob and Leopold is important because this, as you point out, is the turning point where children become beings able to commit crime instead of perpetually innocent. I also appreciated your mentioning of media and youth culture because this is something that we see effecting children today. Media has the ability to expose children to specific bodily standards created by society only to have those standards reinforced when children attend school or interact in a public setting. Media and youth are linked not just in a psychological sense, but also a consumerist sense. What I mean by this is that media may depict a specific article of clothing as the “next best thing” therefore children are going to demand their parents buy them the clothes so that they can be part of the “cool kids”. It is indeed a vicious cycle and one that I fear will not stop any time soon.
Hi Kate-Lynn, I am one of the curators for this gallery and I wanted to mention that another part of what was so important in that Loeb and Leopold trial was that at that time, general public perception (influenced by the interests of white middle-class and upper-class Americans and researchers) was that crime was due to low intelligence, poverty, and poor parenting. These two young men were academically gifted and came from wealthy homes with parents who were well known in their industries, and because of this they overturned the notion that intelligence and crime have any kind of causal relationship.
The overview of Chapter 10, specifically the services available to new immigrant families, sparked a connection in my mind with my work. There are two options for newly immigrated families, which are similar to those described in this gallery: public school, taught entirely in English and espousing American values and cultural norms, or the Jewish-focused space of the Jewish Community Center. At the JCC, instruction is partially in Hebrew for the benefit of our newly arrived students. The statement that kids can pick up language faster than their parents definitely rings true, as I’ve seen a four year old acquire a working knowledge of English in just a few months. The ability of children to join a new culture is always impressive to me. On a personal note, my own mother immigrated to the US at the age of seven and was immediately placed in public school. Her ability to acquire English was difficult, by her account, but very successful as she’s now an instructor in English at a community college.