Understanding Childhood: A literature Review

Abstract

A child’s identity can be explained by certain characteristics such as age, size, and physical developments and so on. Childrenare critical for the continuance of the human society. The journey through childhood determines individual personalities and the ability to handle the demands and responsibilities of adulthood. Every society is and should be interested in the well-being of the child. The concept of childhood consists of all the experiences happening within this period of life. The vulnerability of the child has not only prompted interest in the person of the child, but also makes it necessary to legalize laws and rights, enforce rules to protect and ensure its well-being by governing bodies, parents, cultural practices and so on. Different approaches and schools of thoughts have debated the main determinants and components of childhood, and the resulting behaviors in later life. This paper is based on the need to understand the background of human behavior which is ultimately traced to childhood components and experiences. This paper is theoretical in nature and has reviewed scholarly articles on the genetics, cultural, and anthropological components of childhood, carefully selected from credible and accredited databases. This paper also discusses, objectively, the criticisms facing these approaches to childhood, such as the child’s personality trait, people’s perception of who a child is, and the use of media to facilitate those perceptions. Lastly, the paper establishes the individualism of a child regardless of external factors, as a main contributor to the personality and behavior of the child, and later as an adult member of the society, making a huge impact on the success of that society.