Introduction
The playing field refers to the milieu in which a child is born. It also includes the situation, circumstances, causes, effects, financial status and many other factors, which ultimately affect the growth and development of the child and can alter it for better or for worse.
The most important role in defining the playing field of children is the role of culture. Culture and traditions have an immense impact upon the way a child may be reared or what kind of opportunities may be presented to the child. Socialization of the child is also greatly impacted by the cultural practices prevalent in a particular society.
The paper seeks to identify the role and impact of culture in determining the playing field of children. The paper also seeks to some of the impact of gender bias on the playing field of children.
Main body
Every child is born and brought up in different surroundings. However, although the surroundings may differ from family to family, the role of culture in the providence of playing field to children is immense. For example, in the Indian culture, children are generally looked after well. India is a country, where most families live according to joint-family systems. Families consist of fathers and mothers, who are the heads of the family, sons staying with their families including wives and children.
Women usually stay at home and cater to the needs of the family and are responsible for looking after the cooking, cleaning and the rearing up of children. When children are born in the family, the older women help and teach the new mother how to bring up a child. Thus most infants receive first hand care from the mother with help and support from the other family members especially women. This provides the child with the love of not one but many women I the house, besides the male members of the family.
By contrast, American families are mostly nuclear, as a result of which the children are exempt from the love, care and affection they are entitled to, in the initial primary years of their lives when their personality is taking shape. The situation is sometimes greatly aggravated if the family is comprised of a single working mother, and the child is placed into the hands of unknown and sometimes uncaring caretakers. The playing field provided to the child in such a case is that of solitude and the child grows up in an atmosphere not conducive to growth.
In the Indian culture, breast feeding is a regular norm and majority of the women breast feed their children for a year or two. However, in a majority of homes, the male children are more likely to get additional love, support and attention from the family. The playing field is not a level one between male and female children. In several poor families, the girl children suffer from neglected growth. There are several cases, when the parents and family members of the children openly express their love and affection for male children which can negatively affect the self-esteem of the female child.
The girls in the Indian community as mostly referred to as ‘paraya dhan’ meaning someone else’s property, implying that female children are supposed to get married and leave the house some day. Boys, on the other hand are known as the ‘kul-deepak’ of the house meaning the light of the family clan, who will enable the progress of the dynasty. This attitude of gender bias negatively impacts the girls who experience it and does not provide a level playing field for their psychological growth.
In the Indian culture, food is prepared at home by the mothers and the women of the house. Great emphasis is given to home cooked food and the health of children. Eating outside food is not a very acceptable practice and caution is exercised when feeding the children. This provides the children with a good playing field as healthy food has a great positive impact in the health and development of children, improving their level of playing field.
The playing field of children is also determined by the social values inculcated in the children. This refers to the socialization process, which ultimately develops ego and self esteem among children. The agents of socialization in Indian culture are primarily parents and family, and after some years, school and friends. However, the role of the family in the development of the child is immense and carries on till the child is an adult, sometimes even after that.
Religion plays a crucial role in the playing field of the child and the children are socialized from birth regarding their religious practices, which ultimately go a long way in making children psychologically strong and secure. American culture contrasts tremendously to Indian culture with regards to the process of socialization and its agents. Nuclear families seldom have the time, or the inclination to socialize their children. The agents of socialization then are the caretakers, friends and schools. This very often results in the negative development of the child resulting in a weak ego and poor self esteem, due to want of love and attention.
Conclusion
Thus we see that the playing field in children is dependant upon a number of factors which in turn are impacted by various cultures and their values and traditions. There are numerous other factors which impact the playing field of children and each must be taken into consideration for the positive growth and development of the child.