history of childhood

The history of childhood explores how conceptions of childhood have evolved over time, shaped by cultural, economic, and social changes. In early societies, children often worked alongside adults and were viewed as miniature adults. During the Middle Ages, childhood became recognized as a distinct phase, but with limited protections. The Renaissance and Enlightenment emphasized education and innocence, leading to modern ideas of childhood as a special, protected period of development. Over centuries, laws and social attitudes fostered child rights, education, and welfare, transforming childhood into a formative stage focused on growth, learning, and protection.