UNIT 1 THE EXPERIENCE OF

CHILDHOOD
Structure
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Being a Child
1.3 The Socio-Cultural Context of Childhood
1.3.1 Oender
1.3.2 Social Cless
1.3.3 Religion
1.3.4 Family Struchac and Intmelationsbips
1.35 Ecological Contexts
1.4 Summing Up
15 Glosr;w
1.6 Answers to Check Your Projpss Exercises

1.1
1 INTRODUCTION
Canyou recollect some of the incidents of your childhood and your thoughts and
feelingsas a child? Some happenings stand out in one's memory, odiea are hazy and
sameare forgotten. This Unit aims to recap- some of the experiences And feelings of
aa child There are many similarities among children, but eacb child's expedeace of
childhood is a different one. An understanding about children helps in interacting with
childhood
themand is basic to organizing services and programmes for tbem.
than
Objectives
O
After studying this Unit, you should be able to:
describe same expzknces and characWtics common tp &Wen studying
discuss how diffmnt socio-cultural settings influence the expeaience of childhood
-

1 3 BEING A CHILD
M a 4 an active five year old girl, is served roti and potato cuny for lunch. Thc curry
has rai see& in it. During the course of the meal she sees a rai seed takes it out of the
bowl and starts to play with it. She puts it on the table, moves it abbut, d sajs, "Look
mummy, this is a tiny balall. I wonder if the ants play with this ball!"
Thee year old M m j , to his wnazement, sees that there is now an infant brother in the
house with whom he has to share his parentsBlove and attention. He does not like the
very much, but he iies to accept his brother and be fn'endly with him One
situanuanon
day, when the mother was latc in gening ready because of the baby, Manoj renaarked
vehemently, "Mummy, let's give the baby away, then we will not be late."
Tara is going to be pur. She enjoys playing in the rain as most children do. One rainy
day, she was playing outside and the members of the fm'ly were sitting together in a
nwm. w r evcry f m minutes Tara would come laughing into the room, hug her aunt
cud go out again to continue her play. On being invited to sit with the rest she would
protest, "No, no! I want to play outside." This continued for quite some time,
?btse aoecdotes reveal the feelings and playfulness cbaraderistic of children. It is only
a c U d who can see a ball in a rai seed or pretend that a baU of mud is a piece of cake
aud a tin box is a toy house. Make-believe comes easily to them and they endow
objects witb qualities they do not actually have, just as Mala did. In the second an-
LP reflected the nadion of the dad to the bhth of a sibling w h i 4 is ambivalent and
may range from jealousy and dislike to foyfol acqtance. The third anecdote refleas the
child's early steps towards being on her own. She is realizing that she can do things by
b m l f and doea not always need to have the protection of adults. However, while she is
hrtrod.dim b ah1111 CYC learning to be independent, she needs to reassure herself of the presence of loved and
a d I . k ~ d
trusted persons. This she does by coming inside now and then.

Views that adults have about children's capacities may not always be right. It is often
assumed that a child does not know what is happening around her and cannot make
sense of events. This is not m e . It is also felt that children begin to think and
understand when they begin to speak. But we do know that infants understand many
words before that period. Some people expect children to run errands, look after
themselves and start attending school without emotional or other support from'adults.
On the other hand, some think that children are immature, irrational, inaccurate in
their understanding of events and therefore, cannot do any task given to them.
Adults sometimes wrongly believe that nothing of consequence happens during
childhood.
Children have thoughts and emotions just as adults do, though they view the world in a
different way and their ways of expressing feelings are also different. A newborn can
sense feelings of love and affection by the way the parents hold her and look after her
needs. An eight month old child is able to comprehend a scolding or an endearment
even though she is not able to talk. She also understands and responds to sentences like,
"Give it to me" and "No, don3 do that." If a game 'of peek-a-boo is played with a
10 month old child, she participates in the game by looking for the person and
anticipating her appearance. This reflects that the child is thinking. Achievements such
as these may seem very simple, but you have only to observe a child who has just
learnt to walk to see how gleefully she walks around the house for the pleasure of it
and how she picks herself up again after falling down. Notice how she takes a few bold
 steps and then looks back at the mother for reassurance. You would have observed
many instances where the child is learning and developing. Do they ndt bring forth a
picture of children as intelligent beings and'of childhood as a valuable time for
learning? Childhood is also a period when the child learns to form relationships with
people--fmt with parents, then with the wider family circle and later with other
adults and children. This requires considerable courage and confidence. Imagine what
you would feel if you shifted to a new town and had to make friends with new

Children are keen to explore the world and are untiringly curious. Exploration and
quegtioning are the ways through which children learn. It is often difficult to make a
child sit still for even five minutes. They like to examine things and objects around
them. A new object is thumped, squeezed, banged, licked and often dismantled in an

"Aha ! A new toy !"

attempt to examine i t Notice the rapt look on the child's face as she does so! Any new
event or experience brings forth a stream of "why?", "how?" and "when?" so that the
child's questions o f t q tax the adult's patience.
Children are fascinated by the adult world. Their &sire is to be like adults in many
ways and to grow up as quickly as possible. They imitate the adults and pretend to be
like them by wearhg their clothes and trying to talk and act me.them. Some of the
games of children such as "Doctor-Doctor" and "Police-Thief" reflect their imitation of
the aaivities of adults.
All is not fun and play in childhood, as many adults tend to think. Children also learn
that many things are forbidden-they must not touch something, they must not hit other
children, they must stop playing after a specific time and so on. Many of the
instructions they are required to follow seem u~easonabletd thean. k e often follows
a battle of wills between the parents and children. Learning to obey a rule is sometimes
painful because it prevents children from doing what they want to do. During the period
of childhood they also learn the ways of eating, dressing, talking and behaving
considered appropriate in their society and culture.
Children from diverse backgrounos, regions and countries are similar in many ways.
' Many experiences of childhood are universal and an inevitable part of growing up.
However, childhood has a different meaning for eveq child. In the next Section you
will read what makes chil&ocd a differ?-* ~yneriencefor each child. .
 -itbn 10 Chlld Care Check Your Progress Exercise 1
and .A ~,elopmmt
1) From your experiences and recollections note down an example of one of the
following in the space provided below.
a) Children's curiosity
b) Children's imitation of adults

1.3 THE SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT OF

CHILDHOOD
Normally, all children learn to speak a language during the course of growing up. A two
year old in India learns to speak her own language while a child in Spain learns
Spanish. One boy at the age of five begins going to a school; another of the same age
in a tribal settlement helps his father in farming and milking the buffalo; yet another is
adept at moving through the traffic on the roads to sell newspaper. The number of
people in the fimily, the customs, traditions, values and beliefs of the family and
community, economic status, residence in a village, a city, or a tribal settlement, whether
in the hills, plains, deserts or sea coast-these are some of the factors that influence
childhood experiences. Thus the society one lives in determines one's experience of
childhood. This is what is meant by the socio-cultural context of childhood.
Though we can speak broadly of the Indian culture and the values therein, the customs,
beliefs and the way of life of people differ from one group to another. One cannot
speak of a homogeneous or uniform Indian culture but rather of sub-cultural groups,
each distinct from the other. This is because the groups differ with regard to economic
level, education, occupation, region, language and religion. The child's experiences and
what she learns during this period would be different in each of these groups. You will
now read about the many factors that bring about variations in children's experiences.

1.3.1 Gender
A major factor which determines a child's experience is whether the child is a boy or a
girl. How one is brought up, the opportunities available to one and the way people
interact with one are determined to a great extent by one's gender. An obvious
difference is in the clothes worn. Less visible. but more far reaching in its impact is the
differing attitude towards boys and girls. There is no daubt that in most parts of our
country boys are given more importance than girls. Th?'birth of a boy is an occasion for
rejoicing while, in many cases, the birth of a girl reddes the parents to tears. In many
families girls may receive very little parental l~ve~attlntion or care. They may get a
lesser share of food, clothing and other resources compared to boys. In some families,
when a girl falls ill it is treated casually but the boy's illness gets prompt attention.
Education is considered more important for boys than for girls. parenis often sell their
assets to educate their sons and marry their daughters.
Different values and behaviours are inculcated in boys and girls. In most matters the code
of conduct for girls is more strict. Boys are encouraged to be assertive, inde~endentand
ambitious. Girls are expected to be efficient in household tasks, obedient and respectful.
Decision making ability is not encouraged in girls and they aie scolded if they argue t w
 much. laugh openly or talk loudly. The girl is treated as if she were a temporary person
in her own house and socialization is intended to prepare her for marriage.
The above discussion, however, only brings out a general trend. All girls are not
neglected and unloved. How girls are treated is determined to a great extent by the

attitude of the family members. A family which does not discriminate between boys and
girls would treat them equally. Economic well being of the family is another factor Ihat
influences the attitude of parents towards girls and boys. The next Section discusses how
social class brings about differences in the experiences of children.

1.3.2 Social Class

The social class to which a person belongs is determined by her education, occupation
and family's income. People belonging to the upper social class have high incomes and
f live in big houses. Lower social class is associated with a marginal income, often close
to poverty, low levels of education and smaller dwellings. Between the rich and the poor
there are several levels of socio-economic status. The social class to which a child
belongs will determine the opportunities and facilities available to her. Whether she gets
enough to eat and wear, whether she receives formal education and whether she is
equipped for a vocation will depend upon the family's socio-economic status. This also
determines the living space and availability of facilities such as water and electricity.
Families of the Lower Social Class: A family belonging to the lower social class does
not have enough money to buy all the necessities of life. Children may not get adequate
food and clothes. Since resources are scarce, girls get a lesser share. Houses are usually.
one or two room shelters shared by the entire family. Children live in crowded quarters.
In slums and crowded dwellings the surroundings may be dirty and unhygienic which
may lead to infections and diseases. Many of the needs and desires of the children in a
poor family remain unfulfilled. Extreme poverty compounds these problems. In such
cases, children may not get one square meal a day and lacking shelter they sleep on the
roadside, railway stations etc.
In a poor family children have to shoulder responsibilities at an early age. You must
have seen girls barely four or five years old assisting the mother in household tasks
such as fetching water, collecting firewood, preparing meals and running errands. Boys
help the father in his occupation-they guard cattle, help in the fields, accompany him
in the boat and assist him in crafts such as carpentry or pottery. Besides assisting the
parents in household work, many children move out of the protective shelter of the
.house to earn and supplement the family income. They work as domestic servants,
cleaners, venders or ragpickers. A major responsibility of the young girls is to manage
the home and look after younger children when both the parents go out to work.
Alternatively, the mother takes the children along with her to her place of work which
may be a house, a field or a construction site. The infant lies in a makeshift cradle
throughout the day with occasional interaction with the mother. When a little older she
may roam around the worksite playing with whatever she can find. Since both parents
are working, the time they spend with their children gets reduced.

Education obviously falls low in priority in such a set up, particularly in the case of
girls. Parents on the survival level do not consider schooling a necessity. Children are
either needed to assist the parents in their work or to earn money. Despite this, many
children of lower social class may attend school if it is possible to do so. In this way
they combine work and education.

Working in the fields-learning as well as playing

Responsibility and deprivation, which the children from lower social class have to face.
may accelerate emotional maturity. In many ways the child becomes worldly wise. At a
young age she learns to fend for herself. She learns to demand the right price for the
fruit that she is selling. She may board a train from a remote village and come to the
 Childhood for most children belonging to the lower social class is full of cares and
responsibilities. However, this does not mean that they have no pleasant experiences.
Amidst theu work children do play. Theu play materials are stones, twigs and empty
boxes. They play in the streets, in the fields, near the coast with the sand and with
water. Frequendy there is warmth, love and nurturance from the parents. Children are
valued for their contribution to the family income. However, life is harder for such a
child than for one who belongs to an economicdly well-off family.
Families of the Middle and Hlgh Scclal Class: Families belonging to the middle and
high social class are well-off and children do not lack the basic necessities of life. Both
boys and girls get adequate amounts of food and clothing and do not generally suffer
lack of health care. Most of the families can purchase play material for children imm
the market such as dolls, guns, puzzle sets, drawing books, colours and books. Children
do not need to take part in economic activities early in life. Whether they assist in
day-to-day chores depends on the family. If there is a hired help, as in the case of
well-off families, children may not assist in household tasks. In a rich family the child
has more luxuries. She does not.need to take a bus to go to school since she will be
taken by car. The child usually has more clothes. expensive play material and may get a
variety of foods to eat.
Education is considered to be of primary importance and in a sense the child's sole task
is to do well in school. In general, education is valued equally for boys and guls.
However, there is some evidence that boys get preference in this regard. In the cities
and towns there is immense pressure on the children to do well in academic work. Often
rigorous tutoring of the child begins from the tender age of three in order to get her
admission in a school. For most children the day is spent in going to school, doing
homework and playing.
Ideally education is expected to foster independence, clarity of thought and assertiveness.
With the changing values in our society these traits are being encouraged. But an
ambivalence in the attitude towards girls is still apparent. While encouraging guls to
pursue education, parents still expect them to be subservient. They scold the girl for
being outspoken and aggressive, pointing out that these traits will not help her to adjust
to her future roles.
Economic well-being makes childhood a period where the child can make use of
I opportunities available to her without worrying about everyday problems.
Child Labour: You have just read that some children assist the parents ill the work at
home or in the family's occupation or work as wage earners. When children work at
home or in the family occupation, theu needs are looked after and there is love from
parents. There is some time for play and recreation. The work experience in the family
may be rewarding and children will acquire skills which will help them to take up a
vocation. Such involvement of children in economic activities is called child work, to be
differentiated from child labour about which you will now; read.
I
Some children work under unhealthy, difficult and exploitative conditions where the
1 wages they receive are not adequate and where the jobs they do are dangerous. The
drudgery of theu work does not allow any time for play or schooling. The jobs which
children do are usually unskilled and do not prepare them for a vocation for later life.
Their work experiences thus become a hindrance to their development. In many small
scale and domestic industries children are employed as labour. So~neof the industries
where child labour is prevalent are match manufacturing in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu; slate
pencil making in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh; embroidery in Jammu & Kashmu; and
lock indusuy in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Besides working as labour in industries, children
are employed as domestic help, cleaners or mechanics. They work long hours at back
breaking jobs for scanty wages.
Let us examine the situation of children in the lock industry of Aligurh. Children start
working at the ages of six or seven in this industry. An average working day is between
12 and 14 hours. Some children work for 18 to 20 hours at a stretch. When they get
tired they take a nap or have some tea. The working conditions are unhealthy with ill
ventilated and overcrowded rooms. The wages are very low and the operations
hazardous. Electroplating, handpresses, spray painting and polishing on buJfing
machines are the most dangerous jobs in the industry and 50 to 70 per cent of this
1.

12
 . -
acid and alkaline solutions. The Ehemiiai used in this are dangerous-potas~iwn
Chtide, hydrochloric and chromic acid. sodium hydroxide etc. Children work without
aprons or w lows and their hands are immersed in these solutions for a major nart o f

This specific case of the lock industry of ALigarh illustrates the extreme imdshitps that
can be a part of childhood for some children. However, childbood is not such a harsh
experience for everyone. Children usually find opponunities for play and the
development of skills relevant to their own situations.
Check Your Progress Exerclse 2

$ Reaction of parents to:

i) birth of a son
ii) birth of a daughter

b) Differences in the school attendance of boys and girls of lower social class. 1

.................................................................................................................................... i1
c) The kind of tasks children do in the home to help the family.
i

2) Explain the term 'Child Labour'. 4

1.3.3 Religion
Religion lays down the rules, values and codes of conduct for day-to-day living. It
provides guidelines for relating to people. All religions view children as tender,
precious and valuable and childhood as a time for learning. The variation in children's
experiences due to religion may be because of the specific rituals of the mode of
worship. Most religions have certain rituals to mark the different stages in the life of
an individual. These vary from one religion to another. Among Hindus some of the
rituals are: 'namakaran'-naming the child. 'annaprasana'-the fust semi-solid food
given to the child, 'mundan'- the fist shaving of the hair, 'vidya-aarumblt'-
introductions to the alphabets. Some Christian rituals are baptism and fust communion.
Among Muslims, saying namaz along with adults is a religious duty. However, with
the changes in society there is not such a strict adherence to these rituals in many
families. Signs of respect for sacred places and objects are taught w l y in all religions.

1.3.4 Family Structure and Interrelationships

The way in which the family members interact with the child, tlre number of people in
thC household and the relationship of the child to these people influence her
ekperiences. In a family where here are members other than the child's parents, the
child has many people to look after her. If tke mother is too busy to attend to the ch~ld
and play with her, there is the grandmother, the aunt, the older children and the other
members. The child forms emotional bonds with many. On the contrary, in a smaller
family unit which comprises parents and their one or two children, the child's
caregivers are the parents and for a large part of tl~eday only the mother. If the
mother has nobody to help her with the housework, she leaves the child in a safe place
in the house with some play material while she finishes her work. The child is by
herself for this duration. If the child is around two to three years of age, the mother
may involve the child in a game while doing her work. For example, while chopping
vegetables, she may ask her to pass them one by one to her. Children delight in doing
sucb things. If the mother has a hired help at home, she will have more time for the
child.
In some families where both the parents .are working, the child is left in a aeche or in
the house with a hired help or an older child. Sometimes she is taken to the place of
work by the mother. Spending the day in a creche in the care of an adull, who has to
look after other children also, would be a different experience altogether. When both
.parents are working, they have less time to spend with children. On days when they
are too tired, .they may not be able to give the child adequate attention. However, it is
ultimately the.quality of time spent together which matters more than the quantity. By
quality of time is meant the nature of interaction between the caregiver and the child.
A person looking after a child may spend an entire day with her but fail to take any
interest in lbe child. She may not converse and play with her or answer her questions
adequately. In other words, she may neglect the child. Adult's responsiveness makes
the child feel wanted and loved. Therefore, the amount of time spent with the child
canno4 by itself, be a measure of caring. Even in a short period of time the caregiver
can have a meaningful interaction with the child, fulfill her needs and give attention to
ha.

In some cases the father of the child may bave migrated to the city, leaving the mother
totally responsible for the family. Occasionally, because of desertion or widowhood the
mother is b e sole parent. She has, therefore, to take responsibility for earning a living
as well as for cbild w e . In sucb a situation the child learns to be on her own. The
child may miss the parent who is absent and may feel different from others becuase of
this. The loss of one of the varents may hive negative effects on the child but the 15 I
InlrodocUon io a d l d Cam 1.3.5 EkologicG Contexts
d Dtvthqmmt
Ecology rekrs to llle physical environment that a person lives in. It includes the
geograpl~icallocation. the vegetation, the type of animals and the natural resources.
Ecology could also be defined in krms of the type of facilities available Such as roads.
hospitals, schools and elecuicity. Ecology determines the type of food eaten. clothing,
c ~ u p a t b nand the division d hsks and responsibilities betweerr men and women.
Rural, urban and yihal areas are dil'ltrent in their environment. Hills, plains. deserts and
coastal are also ecologically diffaent from each other. The child learns those skills
that will hclp her to survice in her own setting. A child living in a village in the hills
where rearing sllcttp is LIle mail) occupation takes the sheep for grazing and brings them
back. Shc also learns to shear them and prepare wool from the fleece. A child living in

Broken boats can be play material for children of fishermen

a village in a coastal area learns to swim, row a boat, make a bait for the fish, clean the
1
fish and so forth. Living in a desert area the child may feed a camel and learn to find
her way across the sand dunes with ease. In this Unit, the different geographical regions
have been clubbed as rural. urban and tribal. 'here are certain aspects which
characterize a rural community whether it is near the c o a s ~in the hills or in the desert
and which make it different from a tribal or an urban set up. The following discussion
is based on these lines. 9

Llving in a City (Urban Area) : Whal would be the first th11.g bat comes to your
mind when you think of a city? A city has a large population. It is a place of contrasts. ,
There are the rich who can afford everything and the poor who have to work hard for a
living. Adjoining big and palatial houses we find slums. While a five year old of a high
income group goes to a school, another child of the same age earns a living by
performing as an acrobat.
There are hospitds, hotels, schools, cinemas, electronic gadgets, different modes of
transport and many other facilities in the cities. Those who have the means can buy the
best of everything but there are goods to suit every section of the population. How a
child lives. what facilities she can make use of and how she spends h a day will be
determined by the sacial class to which she belongs and the values of her family: In a
slum, for example. the living conditions are such that the child knows what is happe~nihg
next door. There is plenty of interaction. The child grows up with numerous. playmates.
On the other hand, people of the higher income groups with their more private and The Experience or
bigger dwellings can chose whether to interact wid~ane'sneighbours or not. In such a ChlIdhond
case, if the child is the only child she may not have any friends until the time she goes
to school. But what all children living in a city have in common. is the fast pace of life
as people rush about on their own business.
Living in a Village (Rural Area): What distinguishes a village from a city is that it
has a smaller population. Most of the people may know others in a small village. There
are fewer facilities such as transport, hospitals, cinemas, schools or pucca roads. The
pace of life is slower. The boundaries between the family and the caste group are not
rigid. Consequently, the child may spend a considerable part of her day in other houses
and she grows up with manyplaymates.

The children, by and large, follow the occupation of the parenis which may be farming
or a craft such as pottery or carpet weaving. They would spend a considerable portion
of the day assisting the parents in their work. Again the extent to which the children
assist depends on the economic situation of the family. If the family is poor, all hands
are needed to work. If the family is relatively well-off. the children have time to attend
school and may assist the parents on holidays. With changing values edu.ation is
beginning to assume importance in the rural are.as. Parents, when they can aiford i t
send their children to school and hope to i m p t at least primary education to girls.

Fewer hospitals and qualified medical persons mean more unattended illuC5ses. If there
is no school near the village most children would be without formal education.
Inadequate transportation implies that the child does not get to mvel and know the
world outside the village, while for a child in the city the newspapers, magazines.
cinemas, television and a variety of books increase the range of hformation. Thcre are
differences in the type of tasks that a child from a rural area cm do as compared to a
child in an urban set up. A tl~reeyear old child in tile city is surprised to learn that
buffaloes give milk, because she had tllought that milk comes from bottles in the milk
booth, whereas the three year old in tla village sees a buffalo being milked every day.
The child in hie city can speak confi&nlly of aeroplanes, computers and cars. The child
in the village may not have this informalion but would be able to identify a plant from
its leaves and knows how plants are grown.

Despite the similarities in ~ r a life,

l the picture of the villages is a varied one. Villages
which are closer to the cities and those with industrial units such as factories or other
production units have better equipped hospitals and schools and tllere is some
transportation. Radios and the expanding television network ha3 brought the outer world
into the villages. People give up their family occupation and commute to the cities for
better paid jobs. Education for girls assumes importance and in many cases children may
be attending a school in the city. On the other hand there are remote villages as the
example of Bhaiya village in Rajasthall will show. The nearest primary health centre is
60 kms away and the only hospital is 150 kms away in Jaisalmer. The nearest primary
school is 50 lans away in Deora. The nearest bus stop is 20 kms away. As you can see,
the contrasts in experience in lbe different ecological settings are many.

Living in a Tribal Settlement: There are many tribes in India, each with its distinct
customs, laws, kinds of occupation and the roles and responsibilities of men and women.
There is a great variety of tribal experie~lce.Some tribes in the vicinity of cities and
towns have contact with them and have been integrated into the mainstream of life.
Some tribes live in near isolation from the rest of the world with minimal or no contact
with people outside the tribe. These tribes are almost totally self sufficienk depending on
the outside world for only a few things. In such a setting the child grows up believing
that the way of life of the tribe is the only way. Let us briefly read about one such
tribe.

Among the Hill Marias, one of the most isolated tribes living in the Bastar district of
Madhya Pradesh, shifting agriculture is the means of subsistence. The entire village
shifsfrom a site once every two or fhree years. The land is generally collectively
owned and consequently not much importance is attached lo private property. The
people depend on the outside world only for salt, chillies and tobacco.
hdrodrtlarto~ld~uc For a tribe, solidarity is of paramow importance and consequently laws, customs and
M d D c ~ e n t
n o n s are strictly observed. Among Hill Marias premarital sex is permiaed while incest
is taboo. Child marriages are totally absent. Divorce for both men and women is easy
but extra marital sex gets a death penalty. Literacy levels are low and ill health is
rampant due to the lack of health facilities.
However, the interverttion of the state government and the voluntary agencies has
eqmsed the Hill Marias to the outside world. This has brought about changes in their
lifestyle. There is now a hospital, a sclrool, a vocational training centre and a fair price
shop. Though the tribals still visit their traditional healer, they also go to the hospital.
The school, 30-40 kms away, has attracted many boys and girls and they are doing well.
The villages of the tribals, which were i ~ ~ ~ e ~ searlier,
i b l ehave been connected to the
districr by roads. About hundred trrbewells have been sunk and solar energy is being
wed in some villages. There has been an attempt to change the practice of shifting
agriculture to settled agriculture. Food habits have changed too.
p.
Check Your Progress Exerclse 3
Answer the following questions briefly in tbe space provided.
1) Following are some statements. Read tbem carefully and write in the brackets
whether they are true or false.

a) In all religions children are regarded as tender, precious and valuable and
childhood as a time for learning. ( 1
b) A child who lives in a family where there are a number of caregivers forms
emotional bonds with many. ( 1
c) The quality of time spent by the caregiver with the child is more important
than tbe quantity of time. ( 1
2) List tluee ways in which the experiences of a child living in a city are different
from one who lives in a village.

3) List three changes that have come about in the lifestyle of the HiU Marias as a
result of contact with the outside world.

1.4 SUMMING UP .-.

In this Unit you have read that children have many characteristics in common such as
curiosity, desire to explore, playfulness, fantasy, imitation of adults and make-believe.
Many of the childhood experiences are universal, yet each child experiences childhood ia
a different manner because of different socio-cultural settings. One of the factors which "
influences the experience of childhood is gender. It determines the way a child is
expected to talk, dress, behave as well as the values inculcated in her. Boys are given
more importance than girls and this results in discrimination against girls in matters of
food, clothing, education and love and attention of parents. This bias gets pronounced
when resources are scarce. The social class to which the child belongs determines the
facilities and opportunities available to her. For children belonging to tlie lower social
class many basic needs and desires remain unfulfilled. Economic necessity forces the
children to take to work at an early age. Children may sometimes be working under
hazardous circumstances and may be out of school. Children belonging to the middle
and upper social class do not lack the essentials of life and most children attend school.
Religion provides values, attitudes and beliefs that outline a code of conduct for the
child. The family is the nucleus of the child's life and has a great influence on her. The
type of family the child lives in and the ~nteractionamong the fahily members influence
her development. Ecology has an impact on the type of skills and abilities the child
acquires. Whether the child lives in a rural. urban or tribal area, near the coasL in the
)lains, in the hilly regions or desert areas determines her lifestyle to a large extent.

1.5 GLOSSARY
Adept: Skilled
Ambivalent: Having contrasting or mixed feelings about some Wrson, object or event
Casually : Not seriously
Deprivation: Lack of something which the child must have. It could mean lack of food.
clothing and other material resources, ol' love and affection from caregivers or of
opportunities to pursue education
Drudgery: Hard and monotonous work
Exploitative Conditions: Conditions which take unfair advantage of a person
Incest: Sexual relations between persons so cbsely relaled that hey are forbidden by
their society to marry
Prompt: Quick. immediate
Rigorous: Very strict and exacting. In this context it means Ulat d ~ echild is made to
study for long hours and the demands made 011 her in terms ot' academic work are not
in keeping with her abilities
Subservient: Subordinate, inferior
Taboo: Forbidden or disapproved
Vocation: Profession, occupation

1.6 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

EXERCISES
Check Your Progress Exercise 1
1) If you find it difficult to recall such anecdotes, you could observe a group of
children for some time. It is very likely that their play will retlect their curiosity
and imitation of adults, about which you can subsequently write.
Check Your Progress Exercise 2

1) For answering these questions you could swak to your parents, relatives, neighbours
or friends to know their feelings about these aspects. You could also answer from
your own experience.
2) 'Child labour' is a term used when cllildre~~
work undcr exploitative conditions.
They work under unhealthy conditions on difficult and dangerous jobs. This affects
their health. They do not receive adequate wages. The nature of tllcir work does not
allow them time for play, recreation or education.
 lntroducuon to mld Care Check Your Progress Exercise 3
and Ikvclopmmt
1) a) True
b) True
C) True

2) Any three of the following are correct:

a) The pace of life is faster in a city. I
i b) There are more goods and facilities in a city. Fewer facilities such as hospitals,
Vansportation and schools in the village will have an effect on the child's life.
k
i C) Children living in cities and villages will differ with regard to the type of tasks
they can do.
d) A village has a small population. The boundaries between the family and the
; caste group are not rigid. Consequently, the child may spend a considerable part
of her day in other houses and has k y playmates. In a city it is possible that
a family does not interact with the neighbours and if the child is the only child,
she may not have any friends.

3) Any three of the following are correct:

a) Hill Marias have started going to the hospital.
b) The earher inaccessible villages of the lribals have been connected to the
disuict by roads.
C) Solar energy n being used in some villages.
d) The children have sllutcd going to school and Ulere is a vocational training
cellve.
el There is a fair price sllop.
f) There is an attempt to change the practice of shifting agriculture to settled
agriculture.
g) Tubewells have been sunk in some villages.