Children and objects: affection and infection

Abstract

This paper considers young children’s (aged 3–5 years) relations with objects, and in particular objects that are brought from home to school. We begin by considering the place of objects within early years classrooms and their relationship to children’s education before considering why some objects are often separated from their owners on entry to the classroom. We suggest that the ‘arrest’ of objects is as a consequence of them being understood as ‘infecting’ specific perceptions or constructs of young children. We further suggest that a focus on the dichotomy between affection/infection for and of certain objects may offer new possibilities for seeing and engaging with children, thus expanding the narrow imaginaries of children that are coded in developmental psychology, UK early years education policy and classroom practice.

Keywords:

• objects
• early years pedagogy
• affection
• infection

Notes

1. The research that underpins this paper was supported by funding from the UK Economic and Social Research Council (Becoming a Problem: How and Why Children Acquire a Reputation as ‘Naughty’ in the Earliest Years at School’, ref: RES – 062-23-0105).

2. A typical example of a home/school policy relating to objects can be found at: http://www.sirwilliamburrough.towerhamlets.sch.uk/share.htm

3. Not all objects that pass from home to school are constituted as ‘out of place’: pencils and other writing implements, gym kit, and clothes will normally travel back and forth without becoming an issue. However, the acceptability of objects is not just a matter of their function or purpose: a pen or hair-band may stop at the border if it is considered to offend in one or more of the ways outlined above. Moreover, objects that are not allowed to pass from home to school may be similar to others that are found in the classroom, such as balls or soft toys. The ‘dressing up’ box in the classroom might contain accessories and decorative items of a kind that would not be admitted if they came from home. This suggests that uncontentious objects have undergone a kind of baptism that renders them clean and safe for use. In contrast, offending objects have not been cleansed or baptised – i.e. initiated into membership of the learning community.

4. For further information relating to dummies/pacifiers see: http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/pdfs/dummy_statement_08.pdfhttp://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/pdfs/dummy_statement_08.pdf

5. Prime Minister David Cameron has ordered an independent review into whether retailers and broadcasters should be subject to new restrictions preventing them selling sexualized products aimed at children. Sarah Teather, Minister of State for the Department of Education, has announced that she has asked Reg Bailey, the chief executive of the Mothers’ Union Christian charity, to conduct a review on the sexualisation sexualization of childhood. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/dec/06/david-cameron-review-sexualised-products-children