O SERVIÇO DOMÉSTICO E AS BRINCADEIRAS NO PROCESSO DE SOCIALIZAÇÃO DE CRIANÇAS PERTENCENTES ÀS CAMADAS POPULARES

Abstract

This essay intended to study and comprehend the socialization process of children from popular classes. It is important to reach such universe for it s the first step to the effort of elaborating public policies towards this segment, as well as thinking of strategies to include them into society in a warm manner. Thus, a brief study on the history of childhood from its conception since Feudal Ages until Contemporary times was carried out, outlining whatsoever the aspects of childhood in Brazil and in the city of Goiânia. The methodology was based upon the social-historic approach as proposed by Vigotski, developing a documental research followed by an empirical research. The first utilized the scholar applications of 203 children from a nongovernmental institution (Sociadade Cidadão 2000). The empirical part consisted of the evaluation of 81 questionnaires and the interview of 12 children (of both genders), picked from the ones who answered the questionnaires. The questionnaires were intended to allow a better comprehension of the routine and lifestyle of the surveyed children, while the interviews provided in depth information based on the questionnaire answers, allowing for a new direction on the constitution of these children subjectivity - as it was noticed that childhood playing and household duties are central in their socializing process. The surveyed children presented diverse family patterns, where grandparents are present and important figures in their lives, whereas the mothers are the most referred to concerning child education. These children associate positive feelings concerning their family, cooperate on household duties and have child playing as part of their routine. Most of these children report suffering some kind of violence, but define being a child as being able to play and have fun. By child playing they socialize with their pairs, learn rules and deal with limits previously established by the society they belong to in a playful, and yet serious, manner. The household duties are also part of their socializing process, however gender issues play an early role in this matter.