Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.2006, Blaðsíða 89

SAMLEIKAGERÐ í NÝTSLUMENTANINI HJÁ BØRNUM
87
Age
Iil research, age is generally treated as an im-
Portant demographic variable. However, for
oliildren age is a significant element of in-
‘■lividual and group identity. Children are
grouped together in similar age groups from
early in life; nevertheless, the data revealed
ihat age hierarchy within same year groups
was also of great importance to the children.
Observations in the nursery and school
settings indicated that children face a con-
stant uphill struggle as far as age is con-
Cerned. As they strive to become older and
are granted more freedom they are reminded
°t all the things they are too young to do/get.
P°r instance, in the nursery upon transfer-
ring from the junior room (approximately
aSe three) to the pre-school room children
tvere reminded how big and clever they now
tvere. Yet, on airival (in the pre-school room)
thcy soon realized that they were at the bot-
°m °f the age hierarchy again (in view of
the older children already in the pre-school
room).
Children in all settings discussed grow-
lng UP in terms of taking a positive step for-
Wai d: Steven: You don 't want to be in P2for-
ever You need to go on to High School, then
l"dversity and then you get a job. (Field-
notes, P2, WPS, Male, 2/6/03). Frequently,
s_°eial interactions centred on age and what
1 ms, magazines, games etc. children were
Peimitted to have. Their current age was
S°metimes referred to as a limitation. How-
ever, the children displayed tactics for at-
tempting to overcome age limits on certain
l°Ys 3s the following example shows:
Josh: You’ve got to be over 8 to build them and
to launch them (Beyblades).
Interviewer: But Beth’s not over 8.
Jo.sh: l’m not over 8.
Interviewer: Where does it say that you’ve got
to be over 8?
Josh: At the top of the box.
Interviewer: So how come then you get to do it
anyway?
Joslt: Just cause we can do it.
Hilaiy: Our mum and dad let us.
Josh: They don’t even know it’s 8+.
Hilaiy: I know.
Interviewer: Do they not?
Josh: We scribble it out.
Interview, P2, WPS, Male and female, 12/5/03
ln the above extract Josh describes how par-
ents don’t know that Beyblades are intended
for children over the age of eight. Hilary on
the other hand indicates that parents know
but don’t mind. However, despite the im-
portance of chronological age, social age
was in many cases more central to identity
construction. Social age manifested itself in
children’s desire to act older such as nurs-
ery-aged girls wearing lip-gloss or chewing
gum. Frequently, children displayed a desire
to distance themselves from more childish
states by ridiculing programmes, toys, rides
etc. as being “babyish” or being embarrassed
to play with toys like Barbie. Interviews with
parents revealed that there are certain ac-
tivities children will engage in at home,
which they would prefer their friends did not
know about. One mother explained that:
Sally: He (Cameron who is in P5) will still watch
Winnie the Pooh things witli her (Maud in P2)
but, you know if his friends ever found out he
would kill me.
Parent interview, P2, WPS, male and fcmale, 24/06/02