Adultocentrism: the power of adults over children and adolescents

“When you’re older you’ll understand. I’m the one in charge here and your opinion doesn’t matter. When you earn your own money then you will know what life is.” Adultcentrism defines the position of superiority of adults over children and adolescents.. This is a completely invisible reality, of which we are not aware and which has a significant impact on the youngest.

So much so that it is likely that many do not see any problem in this position of dominance and imposition. After all, aren’t children inexperienced creatures for whom we take responsibility? The truth is that everything has a limit and the limit is to never fall into contempt.

Adultcentrism is a phenomenon similar to androcentrism, that social vision in which men are above women. From the moment that a specific figure or a population sector sees itself as having more rights than others, discrimination appears. Let’s reflect on it.

What is adultcentrism?

Adultcentrism refers to a paradigm of thought that sometimes leads us to perceive children and adolescents in a distorted way. An example of this is seeing them as passive subjects, not very skilled and without autonomy. Perceiving them this way, we do not hesitate to do everything for them, overprotecting them to unhealthy limits.

This behavior is what gives shape to the phenomenon known as “the soft generation.” It is true that this population group between 4 and 18 years old is in a process of growth, maturation and self-discovery. However, It is not because you are young that you are incomplete, incapable or lacking in qualities..

What’s more, adultcentrism is defined, above all, by that vision of superiority from which the child’s perspective is not attended to or valued.

Guidance yes, contempt no

We are all clear that children need protection and guidance. However, it is very common to fall into prejudice. Sometimes, we treat our children or students ignoring their needs. or even undervaluing their capabilities. We do this when we minimize their reasoning or drop things like “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

You have to have moderation, understanding and focus. While it is true that as adults we know many more things about life, we cannot invalidate its capabilities and potentials.. A child also has the right to give his opinion. Likewise, our job with them is to guide them, not belittle them, give them a voice, reason with them and answer any question they ask us.

In 2013, UNICEF wrote a document aimed at raising awareness among the population about adultcentrism. The need to reflect on our “adultist” attitudes and responses will allow us to educate and guide our young people much better.

How do we exercise adultism?

Adultism or adultistic behaviors occur without attracting attention. Not everyone is aware of these attitudes that discriminate against the value, identity and potential of children and adolescents.. Let’s look at some examples:

Minimize or despise children’s ideas or proposals. Assume that just because they are children, they do not understand anything. Disqualify their emotions and feelings. Criticize them because they cry, because they make mistakes or demand attention. Not listening to them when they speak or thinking that what they express or think is nonsense. Despising their dreams or projects, not taking their goals seriously. Considering that every child and adolescent is conditioned to fulfill what what an adult tells him.

Likewise, there is another notable aspect. Adultism also appears in work environments when discriminating against someone just because they are young. In this way, we can deduce that this attitude establishes a system of domination and discrimination that is not completely unknown to us in our society.

How can we detect or overcome the adultistic attitude?

Adultism is linked in many cases to authoritarianism. Also with that overprotection that many parents exercise and that, as we well know, ends up invalidating the autonomy, identity and psychological maturity of the child. This type of attitude is not only discriminatory, but also harmful to the social and emotional development of the person.

Thus, it is not surprising, for example, that the University of Bergamo created a scale of adultcentrism to identify this thinking bias among caregivers, school community, etc. Therefore, it is necessary that we perceive not only these types of perceptions in ourselves, but also that we correct them.

These would be some guidelines to achieve this:

Promote that children can give their opinions on any topic. Simply communicating or expressing your thoughts will never be an attempt to challenge authority.Be able to involve them in daily decisions. Let them give their opinion, dialogue, debate and stay up to date with problems at home, in the community, in society, etc. Respect their ideas, opinions and personal goals.

Let us remember that Educating is not dominating or modeling children in the likeness of their parents.. It is to guide, to give wings so that that person in full development and growth is capable of conquering their own dreams and paths.

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