Steven Mintz and Peter Stearns – The American Child

Have a child? Want to have a child? Listen to this podcast episode. The book—The American Child: The Transformation of Childhood Since World War II—by Steven Mintz and Peter Stearns, draws on a wealth of sources to bring an historical perspective to the profound transformations that have occurred in American childhood over the last 70 years, and their impact on children’s well-being.

The authors, award-winning historians, analyze how shifts in family life, education, and culture have reshaped childhood for good and not-so-good. And they suggest ways the less-than-good impacts can be improved upon.

Steven Mintz is a professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a past president of the Society for the History of Children and Youth and the author of many prizewinning books including Huck's Raft: A History of American Childhood. He has chaired the Council on Contemporary Families, a non-partisan non-profit that fosters understanding of how and why families are changing, what needs and challenges they face, and how to meet those needs.

Peter Stearns is Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at George Mason University, where he also served as provost for 14 years. He has written extensively on the history of childhood, including Anxious Parents and Childhood in World History, now in its 4th edition. In 2022, he was awarded Scholar of Distinction by the American Historical Association. He also has several kids and grandkids, which provides its own perspective.

Attentive to issues of diversity in class, ethnicity, gender, nationality, and race, the authors place contemporary controversies—rising rates of anxiety, depression, ADHD diagnoses, and emotional distress—in an historical context and challenge simplistic and astigmatic explanations that blame single causes such as social media, the internet, or the decline of marriage. They look instead at the transformations in schooling, childrearing practices, children's play, kid's culture, and other areas. Their analysis reveals the deeper structural, cultural, and historical forces driving the challenges and opportunities facing children, as well as their parents and society.

The publisher, Oxford University Press, says that the historical perspective these two use “shows that concerns about the ‘kids these days’” as some disparagingly say, “are as old as civilization itself, but in truth, today's young people are healthier than in the past and less likely to drink, smoke, or engage in reckless sex. The digital age has enabled them to learn, grow, and connect with the world in ways that were previously unimaginable.

There is greater acceptance and understanding of diverse backgrounds, identities, and orientations, giving many children more freedom to express themselves and find communities that support them. Many young people are more politically knowledgeable and socially aware than previous generations, speaking out about climate change, gun control, and social justice.”

But as most everyone knows, everything is not perfect. Autism, attention deficit disorders, allergies, obesity, learning disorders, and online bullying, as well as suicidal ideation and self-harm, have become more prevalent. School shootings and the 24/7 news cycle make the world seem even more dangerous for children. This book sorts through all these things from an historical perspective and with a thorough-going analysis.

You can order their book, The American Child, directly from Oxford University Press here.

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Key Takeaways

• Childhood has fundamentally transformed since WWII— with less unstructured play, narrower independence, and a stronger influence of...