A child is any person under the age of 18

Childhood means the state of being a child.

Different from adults but has similar rights
with adults
Has special protection
Article II, Section 13 – Role of the Youth in Nation-Building“
The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-
building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral,
spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being."
a person over 18 years but are unable to fully take care
of themselves or protect themselves from
abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination
because of a physical or mental disability or condition
 •Genetics •Family Environment
•Brain Development •Socioeconomic
•Prenatal Birth Status
Conditions •Education and Early
•Nutrition Learning

According to
cultural norms and Biological Environmental
expectations, the
definition of
childhood also
varies. Cultural and Psychological
Social Factors Factors

•Cultural Influences •Emotional Security

•Peer Influence and Attachment
•Media and •Stress and Trauma
Technology
•Religion
Childhood is not just a
biological stage, but
something shaped by
society, culture, and
history.

Different societies define

childhood in different
ways, depending on their
beliefs, traditions, and
economic conditions.
 Childhood is shaped by culture and traditions,
ANTHROPOLOGICAL rather than being a fixed, universal stage.

Anthropologists study how childhood varies across societies.

1. Some cultures emphasize independence early, while
others nurture prolonged dependence on caregivers.
2. In many indigenous societies, children are active
contributors to family work, learning through observation
and participation rather than formal education.
3. Some cultures have rites of passage (e.g., initiation
ceremonies in African tribes, Quinceañera in Latin
America) that mark the transition from childhood to
adulthood.
 Childhood is shaped by culture and traditions,
ANTHROPOLOGICAL rather than being a fixed, universal stage.

DEVELOPMENTAL NICHE
It was introduced by Super and Harkness (1986) and
describes the interaction between a child and their
environment, emphasizing that childhood is not
universal but is culturally constructed.
1. the physical and social settings in which the
child lives
2. the customs of child care and child rearing
3. the psychology of the caretakers
 “reality” is negotiated in everyday life through
SOCIOLOGICAL people’s interactions and through sets of discourses’

1. All ways of understanding are culturally and historically

relative;
2. Our knowledge about the world is constructed through our
daily interactions;
3. There are many possible constructions of the world.

You may notice that when developmental psychologists differentiate

children from adults on the basis of ability in a range of domains, social
constructionists argue that childhood has more to do with how people
define it; thus making childhood a social construction.
 The meaning of childhood has changed over time,
HISTORICAL influenced by economic, political, and social
developments.

1. Medieval Period: Childhood was not seen as a special

stage; children worked alongside adults at an early age.
2. Industrial Revolution (18th-19th Century): Child labor was
common as children were seen as cheap labor in
factories. Later, child protection laws emerged, leading to
mandatory schooling and child labor restrictions.
3. 20th Century (Modern Childhood): Rise of psychology
(e.g., Jean Piaget’s theories) emphasized child
development. Governments established children’s rights.
 Cultural values, beliefs, and traditions influence
CULTURAL how childhood is defined and experienced.

Western Cultures: Childhood is often seen as a time of

innocence and learning, with strong legal protections and
extended education.

Non-Western Cultures: Children are often expected to

take on responsibilities early, such as helping in
household chores or farm work.

Some cultures prioritize academic achievement early,

while others allow more freedom for play and exploration.
Observe an Indian mother with her baby on her lap. The
mother does her best to foster emotional tie by cuddling,
smiling, singing and talking, and thus ensure that she is very
much the focus of the baby’s attention. While looking at Kaluli
mothers and their babies, we will get a different picture. The
Kaluli people are a small society living in the tropical rainforests
of Papua New Guinea (close to Australia), and there mother-
baby interaction takes a very different form. Mothers hold their
babies outwards so that they can see others who are part of
their social group. Mothers rarely talk directly to their babies;
instead, other people talk to the baby. Why is it so?

As Kaluli people are living in one large long house with no

internal walls, the mother-child bond is less significant and
children are prepared to be aware of the social community as a
whole. Hence they
 We mentioned last time that before the industrial
revolution, children and adolescents were considered to
be merely miniature adults (small-scale versions of
adults) expected to work, behave, and function similarly
to grown-ups without recognition of their unique
developmental needs.
DURING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
CHILDREN AS LABORERS (ECONOMIC
CONTRIBUTORS)
• Childhood was not seen as a protected phase but as a time
when children should contribute to household income.
• Many families relied on their children's wages for survival.
• Factory owners preferred hiring children because they could
be paid less and were easier to control than adults.
• Children were exposed in dangerous working conditions (coal
mines, chimney sweeps)
• Children were expected to follow strict work discipline, much
like adult workers.
• There was little understanding of child psychology—
misbehavior was seen as moral failing rather than a
developmental stage.
DURING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
LACK OF EDUCATION
• Poor families prioritized income over schooling,
making it difficult for children to escape the cycle
of poverty.
• Instead of school, children as young as five or six
were sent to factories, mines, or domestic
service.
• Literacy and formal education were often
considered a luxury rather than a necessity.
DURING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
CHILDREN FROM WEALTHIER
FAMILIES
• Middle- and upper-class children had
very different experiences, as they
were sent to school and raised under
strict Victorian values, children were
shielded from labor.
• Working-class children, by contrast,
were expected to "grow up fast" and
contribute to family survival.
DURING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
NO LEGAL DISTINCTION BETWEEN CHILD AND ADULT
WORKERS
Before child labor laws, there were no clear labor
protections distinguishing children from adults.

Public Outcry and

Child Labor Laws
 comes from the Latin verb ‘adolescere’ which means ‘to grow up’
or ‘to grow to maturity’.

Adolescence is the transitional stage of development between

childhood and adulthood, typically occurring between ages 10 to
19, though it can extend into the early 20s.

Puberty The whole process of body changes that make a

person capable of reproduction.
Pubescence The early stage of puberty when changes begin, but
the body is still adjusting.
Achieving a more mature relationship with peers of both sexes

Accepting one's physical body and keeping it healthy

Achieving emotional independence from parents and other adults. Being self-reliant

Preparing for marriage and family life

Preparing for a job or career.

Acquiring a set of values to guide behavior.

Becoming socially responsible.

Cultures define adult status and on the terms of learning
adult roles and responsibilities by the adolescents

Puberty rituals mark the transition

from childhood to adulthood and
vary across cultures. These
rituals often involve rites of
passage, tests of endurance,
religious ceremonies, or symbolic
traditions.
Philippines – “Tuli” (Male Jewish Culture – Bar and Bat
Circumcision) Mitzvah (Israel & Jewish
Communities)
In many Filipino communities,
circumcision ("tuli") is a major rite A Bar Mitzvah (boys, age 13) and
of passage for boys, typically Bat Mitzvah (girls, age 12 or 13) is
between ages 8-12 a religious ceremony marking entry
into adulthood.
Traditionally, it was done by a village
elder or “manghihilot” (local healer) The child reads from the Torah
using a sharp knife and guava leaves (Jewish holy book) in a synagogue,
for healing. Today, it is often followed by a celebration with family
performed in clinics or hospitals. and friends.
Japan – Seijin Shiki (Coming of Latin America – Quinceañera
Age Day) (Mexico, Central & South
America)
"Seijin Shiki" (成人式) is a Coming of
Age Day held in January for young A 15th birthday celebration for
people turning 20 (legal adulthood in girls, marking their transition into
Japan). womanhood.

Young men wear suits, and women The girl wears a lavish gown,
wear elaborate furisode kimonos. attends a religious Mass, and
They attend government ceremonies celebrates with a ball and dance
and celebrations. ceremony.
Education Media and Legal Family
Pop Culture System Community
ADOLESCENT