Children’s narrative identity formation and Henri Nouwen’s praxis of pastoral care

Abstract

This research study aims to address the narrative identity formation of children and the influence of adult-child relationships on the narrative of a child. The identity formation of all children is vulnerable to a culture of ‘adultism’. The power adults have over children can expose them to abuse and neglect. Adultism thus has the potential to hinder life-giving identity formation in children. The aim of this research study is to determine how Henri Nouwen’s praxis of pastoral care can be used to create awareness and educate adults about life-denying and life-giving ways of being present in the process of children’s narrative identity formation. For the purpose of this study “children” is used as a relational concept. The focus will be more on children in relation to adults in the process of narrative identity formation than on children within their biological developmental stages. Narrative events inform a child’s thought patterns, perspectives and behaviour, which will inform their narrative identities. The ability of a child to develop a personal life story directly contributes to the development of autobiographical reasoning, narrative identity, self-regulation, and social problem solving. Because life stories will give a child a sense of identity, a life story that testifies of oppression and discrimination as a result of adultism may lead to identity confusion. In this study unhealthy adult-child relations within the context of children’s narrative identity formation will be identified and ways to bring it to salvation and healing will be proposed based on Henri Nouwen’s praxis of pastoral care. The functions of pastoral care that are prominent in this study is that of consciousness raising, increasing awareness, education, advocacy and prophetic witness with regard to the harm that can be done to children if adults do not acknowledge and treat children in accordance with their God-given dignity.