How People Interact with Children

Lesson 6

HPW 3C

Research Methods for Studying Children

Researchers use many different methods to gather information about children.

The method chosen will depend upon the information that the researcher is hoping to discover.

Good researchers are impartial, open-minded and objective and use the research methods as outlined, always keeping personal thoughts or prejudges out of their research.

Common research methods for studying children include: 1. Observation - record what is seen and heard when observing

children, 2. Participatory Observation - play or interact with children while

observing them. 3. Personal Interview - talk to an expert about children or talk to the

children themselves, if they are old enough to understand. 4. Survey - ask several people the same questions about children. 5. Phenomenology (Life Story) - listen to someone describe an

unique experience with children. 6. Historical Research - research information about children in

historical documents or archives. 7. Official Statistics - research government records or research

findings about children. 8. Review of the Literature - summarize what a number of

authors/theorists have written about children.

Film: Babies

While watching the film BabiesFrom Wikipedia:Babies, also known as Baby(ies) and Bébé(s), is a

2010 French documentary film by Thomas Balmès that follows four humans through their first year after birth. Two of the babies featured in the film are from rural areas: Ponijao from Opuwo, Namibia, and Bayar from Bayanchandmani, Mongolia, and two are from urban areas: Mari from Tokyo, Japan, and Hattie from San Francisco, U.S.[1] The film was released in the United States by Focus Features[2] on May 7, 2010.[3] The movie has grossed over a million dollars, entering at the box office at number ten.

While watching the film

Notice the interactions the babies have with other humans

Notice the skills that develop among all four babies at the same time

Notice the various research tools used to gather information & document these babies

While watching the film please take some notes.

Key Question – your level of interaction with kidsHow you will study children will depend upon your previous interactions with them.

Answer the following questions to determine your level of interaction with children and their activities.

1. Do you have any brothers or sisters? If so, are they older or younger than you are? Where do you fit in, in terms of birth order?

2. How many aunts and uncles do you have? How many cousins do you have? 3. Do you get together often with your extended family? (aunts, uncles, cousins,

grandparents, etc.) 4. What interactions have you had with babies and/or young children? Please describe. 5. How would you describe your relationship with the children in your life today? 6. Do you enjoy being around children? Please provide details. 7. What challenges you or makes you anxious around young children? 8. Do you interact well with children? 9. Do you know what to do when caring for children? 10. Do children like you? 11. What roles might you foresee for yourself with respect to children (for example,

parent, coach, career, etc.)?

Interacting With Children

Historically, Canada was a rural society where the order of the day was for women to have children and raise them at home.

Today, many women work outside of the home and it is necessary for children to interact with other people, different from their parents. Some of these people could include relatives, neighbours, baby-sitters, child-care workers, and teachers.

The goal of all of these people is to guide, entertain, protect and train young children.

In the larger society, children will come into contact with doctors, dentists, hairstylists, librarians, etc.

Also included on this list should be some of the people with whom children may never officially meet but are very significant, for example, television and video characters, toy producers, and clothing designers.

Relating to Children

Older children and adolescents relate to children in many ways. Simply by being a sibling, cousin, next door neighbour or a volunteer in a children’s program will bring adolescents into contact with young children. Their roles may be different but the goal of child responsibility is inherent in all of these interactions.

When adolescents observe young children, as well as play with them, they will learn some of the skills and attitudes they will need in their future roles with children, particularly in their future role as parent.

There are many opportunities to become involved with children in a volunteer nature or as a coach/leader of a children’s team or activity. Involvement with young children allows the adolescent to practice and learn some of the child care skills needed for their future roles with children.

Roles and Relationships - Parents

Parents have the most significant role in the lives of their children. Not only do they provide the basic necessities of life, but also the love, care and guidance, self-esteem that all children need.

Parents are the child’s first teacher. They guide the child’s identity as they teach children how to interact with adults as well as other children, how to understand family dynamics, economics, problem-solving, to name a few.

The relationship parents have with their children is very complicated and also very important.

Parents who take the time to learn more about this amazing little person of theirs will have a greater ability to respond to the child throughout the stages of childhood.

Non-Parental Care-givers

Since more and more parents work outside of the home and the number of children being raised by single parents has increased, it is very common for children to have non-parental care-givers come into their lives with frequency.

This non-parental care-giver role is more important than ever before. These folks will provide care for children in place of the parent for a specific time period.

Examples of such care-givers are grandparents, family members, friends, neighbours, baby-sitters, and child-care workers. This can be a challenging role as the care-giver’s day is long and the role requires a tremendous amount of understanding and patience.

Non-Parental Care-givers

What do parents expect of these care-givers? Understandably, they should provide safety and protection, food,

entertainment, activities, guidance, and empathy for the child. They may follow a schedule designed by the parent or follow one designed by themselves but approved by the parent. For the most part, these people are paid employees who must provide the level of care that is acceptable to the parent. Some non-parental care-givers have little or no formal training for this position. Perhaps they were/are parents themselves. Some of these people have extensive training in child development and education. Regulations exist in each province and territory of Canada which stipulates the rules under which licensed care-givers must operate. Most children in Canada however, are supervised in private homes acceptable to the parents.

Non-Parental Care-givers

The relationship between care-giver and child is one that allows the care-giver some degree of authority but not control. They provide safety, love, care, and concern but do not attempt to replace a parent in these areas. They act “in loco parentis” (in place of a parent temporarily”). To arrive at the goal of quality child care for children the parents and the care-giver must agree on several things, namely, shared values, affordability, quality of program, availability, accessibility and accountability.

Key Question

1. What roles do parents and care-givers have in their relationships with children?

2. How are the roles of parents and care-givers different from each other? Be specific.

3. If you were a parent of a very young child or infant, what expectations might you have for those who work and care for your child? Construct a shopping list of expectations you would have for these care-givers.

a. Which of the above expectations could you compromise? Explain. b. Which of the above expectations could you not compromise?

Explain.

Key Question – Kid Journal

For the next 3 consecutive days, keep a journal of all the interactions you have with small children. This journal will be recorded on your own paper, one page per day.

On each day, make a one page summary of all your interactions with children, the setting and context in which you found yourself (for example, as babysitter, sibling, etc.) and your thoughts on your experience.

Did you enjoy spending time with young children? What did you do? How did the children react? Any interesting findings? Please be specific. You may write your 3 day journal in point form.

After you have completed your three day entry, answer the following questions.

A. What did you discover about your like/dislike of dealing with small children? Be specific.

B. Can you see yourself in a career working with small children? Why or why not?

C. What surprised you most about dealing with young children? Describe.

D. What two things did you learn from your experiences that you did not know before you spent time with them.