Cseri Miklós - Sári Zsolt (szerk.): Vidéki életmódváltozások a 20. században (Szentendre, Szabadtéri Néprajzi Múzeum, 2009)

Hortoványi Piroska: Neked volt gyerekszobád? – A falusi gyermek státuszának változása a 20. század második felében

As long as the traditional peasant society persisted, children were relied upon as important workforce. The child's upbringing was costly, however economically useful. Following the changes in the lifestyle and by taking over Western patterns, the child's situation has undergone changes as well. The peasant society's strict rules slackened off. The child had to obey without condition to his parents and elder relatives. When he transgressed the bounds of decency, he was reminded of the rules. But outside of these bounds, children had much more freedom and they were treated as adults to a greater extent than they are treated nowadays. This had its accurate background: a village consisted of an easy to survey community (the inhabitants spent their days together), everybody knew everybody and an eye was kept on children and adults alike. Due to kindergarten education and permanent supervision today's child has become much less independent and more defenceless. He is much more protected and becomes later and to a lesser extent independent. Children have become the centre of family life; parents follow more and more their children's wishes in their decisions (purchasing a car, choice of domicile). The age of childhood is prolonged; reaching adult's status is linked to different things, which become very important for the youngsters in the period of change (getting the identity card, obtaining a degree or the farewell party in school). 320