Paula Fass

Childhood is the most important human adaptation. If you don't believe me, read this highly convincing essay. But childhood is also one of the most diverse aspects of our shared human culture. You know the aphorisms that incorporate the phrase "Kids these days..." You also know that most of the time the utterance is foundationless, just a grumpy complaint by someone who doesn't like the noise or disruption or some other annoyance that kids these days are so good at. But we also know that things really were different when we were kids, and that childhood varies wildly across the globe,…