THE CHILD AND SOCIETY

Abstract

This article describes how important it is in traditional Africa to integrate a child to his group and environment from the time of infancy and throughout adulthood. Unfortunately today, African children are exposed to materialistic and psychological conditions that negatively affect their psychological and sociological development. This process of socialization begins during breastfeeding; the stage involves the child among his extended family and community; between 6-7 a child is separated and integrated into gender-specific and socio-cultural institutions. An African child learns at an early age the importance of remaining a close part of traditional life and must remain responsive to the needs of the collective. The traditional child differs from the modern African child in how much deviant behavior he is allowed. The process of modernization and urbanization is changing the development of the traditional African family; the needs to the collective are diminishing to that of the nuclear family. Schools' are only educating the intellect of students and leaving the psychosocial aspects of education to the family. In modern Africa where urban parents work and do not have the time to devote to their children, and there is no longer an extended family and community to socialize the child, children are growing up without the security of a community and culture and are, instead, learning to emulate marginal and materialistic values. Recommendations include redefining the roles of mothers and fathers to become sensitive to the needs of children and adolescents during their years of development.