Children’s responsibilities in a Brazilian community: Citizenship as care practices

Abstract

This article discusses children’s responsibility in care practices from a relational perspective. The aim is to understand how responsible action takes place and is experienced in the lives of children who reside in a community in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We interrogate the universalist sense of the notion of responsibility regarded as a juridical duty to be met in order that children’s citizenship can be validated. An ethnographic research project with children from 4 to 12 years of age was carried out over a period of 5 months. The results show that children’s actions address moral issues referring back on what they judge to be valuable to secure in relevant relationships rather than on learnt prescribed rules of behavior. The analysis points to the importance of foregrounding the affective and relation dimension of children’s citizenship illustrated here as caring practices in processes of interdependence.

‘She does not make me do it, but I want to help her’: Relational family interdependence of street-connected youth in Recife, Brazil

“…It can be important for young people to take responsibility within the family network, and these actions are part of the familiar negotiations and agreements to preserve family life, its maintenance and well-being. This interdependent responsibility within the family can be embedded in normative aspects of the family dynamics where everyone is expected to contribute (Lara and Castro, 2021). Nevertheless, this interdependence also takes forms where families in adverse situations are forced to send their children to work because of economic necessity, and the most vulnerable members of society continue to stay in an intergenerational poverty cycle (Kruger et al, 2010).…”

Membingkai Kontribusi Orang Tua Kristen dalam Mengajarkan Tanggung Jawab pada Anak

“…Kesemua ini mungkin saja terjadi pada anak di lingkungan sekolah yang tidak dididik dengan benar tanggung jawab oleh orang tuanya di rumah. Sedangkan anakanak yang oleh kedua orang tuanya ditanamkan nilai-nilai tanggung jawab maka ketika berada dilingkungan sekolah mereka lebih bisa beradaptasi, lebih bisukai, mampu mengikuti aturan yang dibuat guru maupun sekolah, yang pada akhirnya mendatangkan manfaat maupun kebaikan pada anak (Lara & Castro, 2021). Mengingat pentingnya tanggung jawab pada anak dalam kaitan dengan lingkungan pendidikan setiap orang tua disarankan mengajarkannya dengan baik.…”