| The activism of the sixties gave impetus to increasing attention to the rights of many minorities, including children. While the history of childhood documented the view of children as property, the emergence of bioethics as a serious discipline focused attention on the legal and ethical shift toward viewing children as persons. Carefully weaving historical and theoretical strands with rich case material, the inevitable societal fabric depicted a system which keeps children powerless by projecting a mixed message: it infantilizes through indulgence and outdated legal mechanisms while it demands responsibility without rights. Thus children experience the double-bind which reflects and reinforces society's double standard and pervasive lack of confidence in youth. If the findings of Piaget, Kohlberg and Lipman were sensitively applied to each child's specific and general education, including necessary attention to cultural factors, children could systematically learn decision-making skills appropriate to developmental levels. The legal requirements for informed consent provide one simple but applicable model for teaching and improving educated decision-making in a variety of life settings. Of paramount importance as an ethical underpinning are the principles of respect for persons and autonomy, promoted reciprocally rather than in opposition. |
