Iranian Journal Of Antheropology

Iranian Journal Of Antheropology

Role of Parents in Changing the Cultural Consumption of Under Seven Year Children

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Sharareh Sharareh Jalali Farahani 1
Soheila Alirezanejad 2
1 Ph.D. student of Social Problems Assessment, Garmsar unit of Islamic Azad university, Garmsar, Iran
2 associate Prof. of Sociology, Garmsar unit of Islamic Azad university, Garmsar, Iran
Abstract
The precise question of this article is: considering the dependence of young children on their parents, what is the role of parents in children's cultural consumption? Regarding to the decisive role of parents in cultural consumption of under seven year children, identifying this role is necessary. The method for answering to this question is ethnography. Ethnographical interviews and observation were used for data gathering. The participants were 25 parents (15 mothers and ten fathers) aged from 30 to 47 and their children aged from 3 to 6.5 years. These children had participated in the creative drama and music classes of Tavanesh School and Tariqat Music School for four semesters. Findings indicate difference between parents' roles in children's cultural consumption. Fathers provide financial resources for children's cultural consumption and considering to economic possibilities of family mothers are planners and implementers of children's cultural consumption. So the role of the mother is very central and decisive due to the time she spends with her child/children. Often, the cultural consumption of children includes home activities and semi-formal education. Home activities are planned and executed under the direct supervision of  mother and are realized in the form of reading books, watching cartoons, and home games. Semiformal education is carried out through mother's planning and takes place in different educational classes outside the home. The noticable point is that the parents do not consume the cultural commodities that their children do.
Keywords
child
parents
consumption of culture
Economic Capital
Subjects
 
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