According to the contemporary understanding, a child an active subject of his/her own education, a curious and competent being with diverse interests, capabilities, knowledge and understanding, and a person who, driven by an... [ view full abstract ]
According to the contemporary understanding, a child an active subject of his/her own education, a curious and competent being with diverse interests, capabilities, knowledge and understanding, and a person who, driven by an innate curiosity, explores the world surrounding him/he and actively acquires knowledge. These new paradigms have influenced the revision of understanding a child and his/her childhood, which is not only a preparatory stage for the future, but the period of life that has its own values and culture. Childhood is a process that is contextualized and always in relation to specific space, time and culture, and varies according to different conditions and cultures in which it occurs. And it is the status of a child, conceived by adults, that is reflected in the overall education of the child, thus becoming a decisive factor in determining his/her social and ethical identity. This paper discusses the most important changes related to a child and his/her childhood, upbringing, development and education within family and institutional environment.
The goal of the research is to provide an overview oft he leading world concepts and child, childhood implementation in practice and to investigate their presence in Croatian early education theory and practices (in the family and in educational institutions).
Keywords: child, modern childhood, family, childhood institutionalization
