Capturing children's perspectives about decision-making in the Swedish preschool setting. : How children's rights can be understood by exploring children's voices.

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Linköping University | Master’s thesis, 15 credits| Master’s programme in Child Studies, Year 1 Spring term 2020|ISRN-number: LIU-TEMAB/MPCS-A—19/001—SE

Capturing children’s

perspectives about

decision-making in the Swedish

preschool setting.

– How children’s rights can be understood by exploring

children’s voices.

Evdokia Hristia

Supervisor: Jonathan Josefsson Examiner: Mats Andrén

Linköping University SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden +46 013 28 10 00, www.liu.se

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Copyright

The publisher will keep this document online on the Internet – or its possible replacement – for a period of 25 years starting from the date of publication barring exceptional circumstances. The online availability of the document implies permanent permission for anyone to read, to download, or to print out single copies for his/hers own use and to use it unchanged for non-commercial research and educational purpose. Subsequent transfers of copyright cannot revoke this permission. All other uses of the document are conditional upon the consent of the copyright owner. The publisher has taken technical and administrative measures to assure authenticity, security and accessibility. According to intellectual property law the author has the right to be mentioned when his/her work is accessed as described above and to be protected against infringement. For additional information about the Linköping University Electronic Press and its procedures for publication and for assurance of document integrity, please refer to its www home page:

https://ep.liu.se/.

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Abstract

This thesis aims to examine children's perceptions of decision-making at the Swedish preschool context by exploring children's voices. This qualitative work is motivated by the United Nations Rights of the Child that became law on the 1st of January 2020 in Sweden. Article 3 about the child's best interests and Article 12 about the voices of the children to be respected are important fundamentals in the preschool context. Therefore, it is crucial to eavesdrop children's perspectives on decision-making in relation to children's rights and what children's rights mean for them since the matter of children's rights concerns children more than anyone else. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four 5-year old children at a preschool located in Sweden. Also, the drawing method was used to collect data, making the process more child-friendly and engaging. By using thematic analysis, three main themes emerged: children as decision-makers in the preschool, children as nondecision-makers in

the preschool and to be heard at the preschool. Moreover, from the first theme, two

subthemes arose: children deciding in the play and children deciding when eating and resting that identified in which situations perceive children themselves as decision-makers. The three subthemes that arose from the second theme were "The teachers!", Daily routines and

"Deciding in the play but…" that present children's perceptions on why they are not

decision-makers in those particular situations. The findings showed that the children perceive that they can have more influence on play and planned activities than on the daily routines of lunch time, sleeping/resting time or fruit time.

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Preface

I want to thank the fantastic team of the Tema Barn at the University of Linköping for their inspiration and energy. They have motivated me to go further in that period of my life and gain more in-depth knowledge about children and childhood through a different

perspective. I really want to thank my supervisor Jonathan Josefsson; his assistance and guidance were valuable and productive throughout the process of materializing this research. I want to thank all the children and their parents that were so positive about participating in this research. I would also like to thank my colleagues at the preschool I work in Växjö; they have given me both the chance and time to accomplish my project and the motivation and ideas with our productive discussions throughout the time I was working on it. Notably, most of all, I would like to thank my boyfriend and companion in life Konstantinos, for his support and care during that time. I also want to thank my family back in Greece that showed me their interest and support during the whole period and especially this unusual summer that made us unable to meet because of the corona times that we all went through.

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List of Figures

Figure 1. The ladder of Participation ... 4

Figure 2. Marcus’ drawing. ... 15

Figure 3. Anette’s drawing. ... 19

Figure 4. Marie’s drawing... 20

Figure 5. Oscar’s drawing. ... 22

Figure 6. Marcus’ drawing ... 31

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Introduction

Personal experience and motivation in the workplace

When working at a preschool, the center of all is children, not only one child but all the children. However, it is also essential to consider every child as an equal and unique being on its own right. Children's rights in the Swedish educational context have been one of the most discussed matters lately as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is a law in Sweden from the 1st of January 2020. Almost all child professionals, educational settings, and organizations that focus on children are dealing with the matter of children's rights.

As a preschool teacher, I am also considering the specific matter and how children's rights can be implemented in the preschool context. More specifically, as a preschool teacher in Sweden the last two years, I have experienced challenges in the preschool context,

regarding the participation of children and to what extent are children a part in the decision making during every-day routines (e.g., sleeping/resting time, lunchtime, participation in activities) in the preschool setting and how those decisions are taken into consideration of the best interests of the child. Except for the critical right of the best interests of the child (Article 3 in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child), it is also essential to take into account children's right to be heard and express their opinion (Article 12 in the United

Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) when deciding about children's matters in the preschool. Preschool is an arena where children, pedagogues, and family must collaborate and make decisions about everyday or special matters, something that can be challenging to what extent should every component decide and in which case. Children's rights place the child in the center of this arena, and children's best interests become an essential issue to consider when working with children in the daily routines of preschool. Therefore, the importance of enlightening many challenging aspects of the daily routines in preschool from the point of view of children has also been a motivation for this specific research project.

Children’s rights

The most ratified convention in the world is, without doubt, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Sweden on the 21st of June 1990. It was

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2 assessed that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was in line with the Swedish law, so no changes were needed. However, on 1st January 2020, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child became law in Sweden after 30 years to strengthen children's rights at various levels (Ekman, 2020:37). Even if almost all countries in the world have ratified children's rights, it is important to consider what Reynart et al. (2012:156) discuss in their article about the need of constructive critique on children's rights and the importance to view children's rights not as "truths" but as socially constructed. It is also crucial to notice how children's rights are implemented and expressed through governmental systems in various levels, as children and their rights are always in the negotiation of

governance, on the one side as "children governed by others" and on the other side children that have an impact with their agency (Holzscheiter et al., 2019:272). Therefore, when examining how children's rights are implemented, like in the context of preschools, it is important to consider the dimension of "spatiality", as children's rights also depend on which area is implemented even if it is in a private area as a family or a different social or cultural context (Holzscheiter et al., 2019:280).

In the educational context, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child specifies clearly in article 28, that children hold the right for education (Hägglund et al., 2013:100). Explicitly, in the Swedish preschool context, children's right to education is also acknowledged by the Swedish Curriculum for the Preschool (Läroplan för Förskolan, Lpfö 2018) and is clearly stated as a fundamental value:

"The preschool will respect the values and the rights expressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (the Convention on the Rights of the Child). The education will, therefore, be based on what is considered the child's best interests, that children have the right to participation and influence and that the children must be aware of their rights" (Skolverket, 2018:5)

Article 3 about the right of the best interests of the child is a central right in the preschool which has accepted critic about how the best interests of a child can be interpreted as it depends on various contexts (Hägglund et al., 2013:75). Especially when preschool is a context where many children are present, and the decision-making comes from three different parts, preschool-child-parents (Ekman, 2020:52).

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Article 3

1. In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities, or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.

2. States Parties undertake to ensure the child such protection and care as is necessary for his or her well-being, taking into account the rights and duties of his or her parents, legal guardians, or other individuals legally responsible for him or her, and, to this end, shall take all appropriate legislative and administrative measures.

3. States Parties shall ensure that the institutions, services, and facilities responsible for the care or protection of children shall conform with the standards established by

competent authorities, particularly in the areas of safety, health, in the number and suitability of their staff, as well as competent supervision.

(United Nations, 1989)

The importance of Article 12 about the right of respect for the child's views is more important than only listening and accepting children's opinions. In the Swedish preschool context, the values of democracy have a central role (Hägglund et al., 2017:48) and this is also clear in the Swedish Curriculum for the Preschool (Läroplan för Förskolan, Lpfö 2018):

"The preschool is a part of the school system and rests on the foundations of

democracy. […] The education will also mediate and embed respect for the human rights and the fundamental democratic values on which the Swedish society rests on" (Skolverket, 2018:5)

Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child has a

significant value in the Swedish preschool context as it is crucial for children to participate and have an influence on matters that regard children (Ekman, 2020:115). However, to what extent the children participate in decision-making and how much children's opinions are heard at the preschool is an important matter. It is quite interesting to look at the figure below, which depicts the ladder of participation that Roger Hart (1992) introduced to the

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4 various levels of participation that children can exercise. The ladder of participation shows the various stages of the participation of the child.

Figure 1. The ladder of Participation (Hart, 1992:8)

Article 12

1. States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.

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2. For this purpose, the child shall in particular be provided the opportunity to be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child, either directly, or through a representative or an appropriate body, in a manner consistent with the procedural rules of national law.

(United Nations, 1989)

Therefore, this research approaches to explore children's perspectives about decision-making in the preschool context, by taking into consideration the right of the child's best interests and the right of respect to the child's opinion. Those two rights are considered fundamental rights in the preschool context in decision-making processes in everyday routines and activities.

Children’s voices

Children's voices are one of the key concepts of the new sociology of childhood and are aimed through research to enlighten issues of childhood by revealing children's own voices that previously were muted (Spyrou, 2011:151). However, it is essential to consider the ambiguity of children's voices and "the notion of voice as a multidimensional

construction" as described by Komulainen (2007:13) in her study of children with special needs. Approaching children's voices to obtain genuine data from children themselves and their true perspectives without adults intervening can be challenging. According to

Komulainen (2007:13), children's voices are a social construction that must be examined in different contexts and processes, and it is important to examine them according to the ongoing ethical guidelines on research.

Spryou (2011:152) also raises the importance of "a reflexive approach on children's voices", as children's voices have a discursive and contextual character. Specifically, Spyrou (2011:160) highlights the sociocultural character of children's voices and notes that it is important to be acquainted with the discourses that influence children's voices in order to explain why children's voices resemble adult's voices. Therefore, this study aims to apply those theoretical concepts and examine children's voices, considering the particular

sociological and cultural context, to find children's perspectives about decision-making in the Swedish preschool context.

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Research Problem and Questions

Research problem and Motivation

This research aims to explore children's own perspectives on the decision making about daily routines in the preschool as a way to give more space to children to express their opinions about the matter. Also, it aims to give more knowledge to the preschool teachers about children's perspectives on challenges about decision making on daily routines in the preschool setting. As a preschool teacher in the Swedish preschool context, I have personally experienced challenges regarding the participation and to what extent are children a part in the decision making during every-day routines such as sleeping/resting time, lunchtime, participation in activities/play in the preschool setting and how those decisions are taken in consideration of the best interests of the child. Therefore, the importance of enlightening many challenging aspects of the daily routines in a preschool from the point of view of children has also motivated this specific research project.

Research questions

The overall research question guiding this thesis is how children perceive their participation and decision making during the daily routines of sleeping/resting time, lunchtime and activities/play in the preschool setting?

More specifically, the sub-research questions are:

- Are children experiencing that they are allowed to take part in decision making during the daily routines of sleeping/resting time, lunchtime, and activities/play, and in what way?

- Are there situations and spaces where they are allowed to decide more than others?

- What kind of decisions are children allowed to take during the daily routines of sleeping/resting time, lunchtime, and activities/play?

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7 - Do the children experience that their opinions are taken into consideration during the

daily routines of sleeping/resting time, lunchtime and activities/play and in that case, in what way?

Literature Review

Previous literature has both given motivation and set the scene for this research to be started and accomplished. Specifically, Sheridan and Pramling-Samuelsson (2001:170) have conducted similar research where 5-years old children were interviewed about their

perceptions of decision-making in the Swedish preschool context. This study demonstrates that children expressed that they experience themselves as decision-makers about issues that relate to activities, play, and personal belongings or themselves. However, they perceived that they could not decide on the preschool's routines (Sheridan and Pramling-Samuelsson,

2001:188).

According to Emilson and Folkesson (2006:234-235), it depends on specific situations to what extent can children freely decide on their own or not. Their study on observing younger children's participation at the preschool had as result that the children could be restricted to participate in some situations and promoted to participate in their own conditions in other situations (Emilson and Folkesson, 2006:219).

The results of the study of Harcourt and Hägglund (2013:297-298) on children's perceptions about their rights and specifically participatory rights, showed that the children acknowledge themselves as valuable persons, as well as that they associated rights with the action to respect others and their rights. It is essential to highlight that the study focused on children's own perceptions as children were active research participants through an

ethnographic study (Harcourt and Hägglund, 2013:290).

Another study from the context of Portugal, that focused on both teachers' and children's right to participation also revealed in its results that children were allowed the space to participate and their voices to be listened to (Mesquita-Pires, 2012:572). However, the particular study was not exclusively focused on the children's perceptions, but the teacher’s also, and only about play and learning activities at the preschool (Mesquita-Pires, 2012:565). Additionally, two studies also reveal children's role as participators in the process of documentation at the preschool. More specifically, children can be a part of the process of

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8 documentation and enhance learning outcomes by constructive communication between the pedagogues and the children (Bath, 2012:200). However, the study of Elfstöm-Pettersson (2015:245) in the Swedish context, shows that even the children are allowed to take part in the documentation, they are also influenced in a certain level by the teachers' guidance of what should be documented and how. Nevertheless, both studies focus only on learning situations at the preschool and not on the children's perceptions about decision-making at the preschool.

Another study in the Swedish preschool context explores children's strategies to participate in the routines and activities at the preschool. It is noteworthy that Markström and Halldén (2009:121) conclude that the preschool as an institution with structure and routines can obscure the influence children can have in the preschool structure.

In other preschool contexts, several studies have been conducted about the participation of children. However, they mostly reveal the role of teachers and how they enhance children's participation at the preschool and especially in a play and learning activities (Hännikäinen and Rasku-Puttonen, 2010:147; Ghirotto and Mazzoni, 2013:300).

Not only that, but previous researches have also focused on teacher's perceptions about children's decision-making. Sandberg's and Eriksson's (2010:619) research has focused on preschool teachers' perceptions of children's participation at the preschool. The results showed that the teacher has perceived the participation of children as an influence on pedagogical activities and mentioned that the children could understand the difficulty of influencing their participation in routines or issues that the adults have responsibility for (Sandberg and Eriksson, 2010:625).

Moreover, notable previous research on children's views on participation has been conducted; however, it focuses mainly on school-aged children in Sweden (Elvstrand, 2009:4; Thornberg and Elvstrand, 2012:44; Närvänen and Elvstrand, 2015:61; Elvstrand and Närvänen, 2016:496).

As searching for previous literature, there were not many studies related to the same topic, especially exploring children's perceptions of decision-making in all of the preschool routines by using as data children's own voices. Therefore, this research aims to contribute to the specific research area by exploring children's perceptions of decision-making at the preschool and especially by examining children's own voices by interviewing them. Besides, it is also aimed to expand the research area of children's decision-making role and

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9 participation in the preschool context in Sweden by taking into consideration children's rights and especially articles 12 and 3.

Methods

Data collection method

Selection of participants

The participants of the research project are four children from a public preschool located in Växjö, a medium-sized city in central Sweden. All children were five years old at the time of the interview. Two of the participants are girls and two are boys. All of the participants were from the same preschool. However, the children were from two different classrooms. One boy and girl were selected from one classroom, and one boy and girl were selected from another classroom in the same preschool. I have been working as a preschool teacher in the same preschool but have not been working in the classrooms where the participants are. It has not existed an educational relationship with the children in the past; instead, I have only been a familiar person to them in the preschool context. I have also been familiar with the parents; therefore, it facilitated trustworthiness.

The children were chosen from the two classes with the oldest children at the preschool. Firstly, I asked the pedagogues which children are in the age of 5 and I chose randomly two children, one boy and one girl for homogeneity purposes, from each classroom. All the participants were recruited in the same way. In the first place, the researcher gathered information from the pedagogues of the preschool about the arrival time of the parents of the children that intended to be the participants. During the arrival time, the researcher gave the first information and asked for allowance to talk to the children about the research project and take oral consent from the children. In the second place, the researcher talked to the children to inform them and explain in a suitable way to the children's age about the research project and what they would do. All parents and children were positive and agreed to proceed. After the first contact with both the parents and the children, a consent form was given to the parents to sign (Appendix 1). The research took place in the preschool setting for the

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10 continued with the interview sessions, but before starting the session, the children were asked one more time if they still want to be a part of the research project and be interviewed. All the interview sessions were conducted in the classrooms of the children. No other people were present during the interview.

The interviews

The interviews were used as data collection method in order to explore children’s perspectives by using their own words as data to be analysed and support the analysis with excerpts of their interviews. The interview sessions included a semi-structured interview and a drawing part, accompanied by questions on what the child drew. The interviews were digitally recorded with a recorder provided by Linköping University. The interviews were conducted in the Swedish language and translated by me in English. The duration was approximately 20 minutes each. However, the researcher had planned and expected a lengthier interview session of one hour, including the drawing part and the interview. The children's attention was difficult to be active for one hour, and it turned out that the children could not answer the questions with lengthy and detailed answers. Therefore, the research could ask all of the interview questions of the interview guide, but the time that it was expected that it would take for the children to answer it was shorter. Two of the children, both boys, wanted to finish the interview by asking the researcher to stop the process. Thus, they had already answered almost all of the questions, and the interview was nearly in the end. The two children expressed that they wanted to finish the interview because it started to be boring and wanted to play with their friends. On the contrary, the two other children, which were the girls, did not ask to stop the interview session and wanted to continue the process although all of the interview questions were covered, and the interview session was in its end. They also expressed that they enjoyed the process.

Before the interview session, an interview guide was prepared to facilitate the process as it was semi-structured interviews (Appendix 2). However, the interview questions that were prepared could have been more detailed and include more clarifying questions or potential follow-up questions to explain in a good manner to the children about what was asked and to avoid misinterpretations of the questions. The age of the children is young, and therefore, it was needed to explain in a precise way what is asked and try to use appropriate with the research problem words to explain what is asked.

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The drawing method

Another part of the interview session was what here is referred to as the drawing method. The drawing method has been more often used in the last years since it is a method that approaches easier children and youth and can be a research tool to involve children's voices in social research (Mitchell, 2006:60; Merriman and Guerin, 2006:48). The drawing method is a visual research method that can be used in social sciences and especially as a helpful method for research with young participants or children (Literat, 2013:86). In Bland (2018:343), it is mentioned that drawings in research can give the children voice to express their perceptions, insights, or ideas. The drawing method was an inspiration for me from Eldén's (2012:67-68) article, where she used both interviews and drawings of the children to explore the aim of her study. The drawing method contributed as a starting point for the whole interview session to make the process more child-friendly. Not only that, but the drawing method can be helpful to approach the children and discuss matters about emotions, perspectives, or even more sensitive issues as it is mentioned by Søndergaard and Reventlow (2019:3) in their study with children with disadvantaged socioeconomic background. The drawing method gives a more playful character to the whole process since I want to catch up children's voices and make children engaged in the process. More specifically, according to Literat (2013:89), the drawing method enhance the attention of the participant as it is a funny and expressing process and has the potentiality of a learning process for the children who participate.

In the specific research project, the drawing method facilitated the interview as more enjoyable for the children process, as the children find it as something funny to draw and answer to my questions while drawing. Not only that, but after the interview session, three of the children said that the best part of the session was that they drew. Three of the children asked me right before starting the interview session if we are going to draw. Moreover, starting with the drawing part initiated the interview and was a point of departure to ask some of the interview questions. On the one hand, the children were interested in the interview process most of the time because they were drawing and could easily answer the questions as their drawing was relevant to the topic of the interview, and the drawing was something that could keep them in action. On the other hand, sometimes it could be noticed that the drawing could also distract the children, something that was depending on child to child.

Two of the children wanted to make additional drawings independent of the subject of the interview. Moreover, it ended up that the drawings could not contribute to the interview

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12 process in the way that it was planned, but it initialized the interview process in a more child-friendly way and was the moment that the children enjoyed the most. The initial plan for the drawing method was to contribute to the analysis and enrich the data. However, the drawings of the child depict mostly something that the children also explain in their answers, so the drawing operates mostly as a way for the children to depict something that they already explain with their speech in their answers rather than to depict something that will give additional information and will enrich the data.

Data analysis

The method of analysis that is used in this particular research project is the thematic analysis and follows the steps that Braun and Clark (2006:87) suggest which includes "familiarizing yourself with your data", "generating initial codes", "searching for themes", "reviewing themes", "defining and naming themes" and "producing the report". The thematic analysis was used as an inductive approach that limits the researcher’s preconceptions and focus on the data themselves (Braun and Clark, 2006:83). The drawings also assist in explaining in more detail aspects that will arise from the children's answers.

The thematic analysis was conducted on the material that I selected, the transcriptions of the semi-structured interviews, and the drawings that the children drew during the

interview session. The semi-structured interviews were transcribed manually on word documents and verbatim. The thematic analysis identifies themes that represent children's perceptions about decision-making in the preschool to answer the research questions. The following steps describe how the thematic analysis was conducted:

- Listening to the recordings of the interview sessions and re-reading the transcripts often and observing the drawings was essential to be familiar with the data. - Reading and listening to the material while keeping notes on the transcripts was

helpful to explicitly familiarize the data and analyze what the children answered to generate initial codes.

- Personal notes from previous knowledge as a preschool teacher helped to identify codes and patterns in the narratives of the children

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13 - In the end, a review of the themes and the complete analysis of the data was important to assess the need for merging themes or excluding parts and presenting more specific other parts.

Ethical Considerations

This research was reviewed and approved by the Ethical Vetting Board at the Child Studies Unit, Department of Thematic Studies, Linköping University, in Sweden. However, it is always crucial to consider further the ethical considerations and dilemmas that may arise during the research process, especially when research is conducting with children at a young age. According to Bryman (2016:129), "informed consent" is a serious matter when

considering ethical dilemmas in research and is also one of the most discussed issues in the research community. It is essential to take consent from the parents of children that will be interviewed, but also crucial to explain to the children about the process in a manner that they will understand and thus decide if they want to participate or not (Alderson, 2005:32). In this particular research, the children of the parents were firstly orally informed and asked about consent to talk to the children, and after talking to the children and getting approval from them, the parents signed the consent form.

During the process, it was reminded and explained to the children about their right to withdraw from the research process and stop if they do not want to proceed. Since the research included the participation of children and especially the drawing part, it was important to consider that more active participation of the children can be amusing for the children and lead to their true perspectives, however this could also enhance ethical issues of children opening up more than they want (Alderson, 2005:30). More specifically and

regarding sensitive personal data that may arise during the interview, as a professional in the preschool setting, I have the experience to handle such situations, and I am not going to reveal or use such information.

Additionally and according to Bryman (2006:131) and the ethical principle of the invasion of privacy, It was also important to retain the anonymity both of the children and their parents by not revealing their names and keep reminding to the children that they are free to withdraw and do not continue the process or not answer the questions that they do not want. Therefore, for confidentiality purposes, the pseudonyms Oscar, Marcus, Anette, and Marie were given to the children.

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Analysis

As a result of the data analysis, the main themes that arose are children as

decision-makers in the preschool and children as nondecision-decision-makers in the preschool. The two first

themes explore mainly how children perceive the decision-making in the preschool during the daily routines of sleeping/resting time, lunchtime, and activities/play in the preschool and lead into the main perceptions that children are either a part of the decision-making or not a part of it. However, both of the two core themes were needed to be presented explicitly by further subthemes. The first theme children as decision-makers in the preschool is further analyzed in two subthemes that emerged, which is children deciding in the play and children

deciding when eating and resting that identified in which situations perceive children

themselves as decision-makers. The three subthemes that arose from the second theme,

children as nondecision-makers, were "The teachers!", Daily routines and "Deciding in the play but…" that present children's perceptions on why they are not decision-makers on those

particular situations. A third theme emerged about children's perceptions to be heard at the

preschool which no subthemes were needed to be identified. This theme tends to explore how

children perceive the way that their voices are heard in the preschool in more depth and in reference to Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child on children’s right about their ideas and thoughts to be heard.

Children as decision-makers in the preschool

Children as decision-makers during the daily routines of sleeping/resting time, lunchtime and activities/play at the preschool was a theme that arose a lot. Nevertheless, children expressed that the degree in which they are allowed to decide in particular situations is different. By analyzing the interviews and the children's drawings, it was evident that the part in which they could decide freely was the activities/play in the preschool and especially the free play. However, there were also some situations during the various daily routines such as resting time and lunchtime that the children showed that they were part of the decision-making. Therefore, two subthemes are further delineated to describe in the best way how the decision-making during the daily routines of sleeping/resting time, lunchtime and

activities/play takes place at the preschool: children deciding in the play and children

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Children deciding in the play

Children deciding during the play was the most common situation where children perceived themselves as decision-makers in the preschool. All four children answered that play is something they are allowed to decide in the preschool. Moreover, all of the children's drawings depict that play is the situation that they chose to express, in which situation they are allowed to decide at the preschool.

Researcher: Should we continue or would you like to tell me first what did you draw

here?

Marcus: That someone should play with ehh with eehh some friend. Researcher: And you think that this is funny, right?

Marcus: mmm… (affirmatively)

Researcher: and this is you allowed to do? Marcus: mmm… (affirmatively) I know that.

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16 In the above quotation, Marcus answers with confidence that he knows that he is allowed to play with friends in the preschool and decide about that. He also strengthens that part with his answer later in the interview, that one of the things that they do in the preschool is to play with friends. He answers that as one of the first things that they do in the preschool.

Researcher: … what do you usually do at the preschool? Marcus: Hmmm… that we will play with friends.

Moreover, in the above quotation, the researcher asks also if the child thinks that playing with a friend is funny. This happens because at the beginning of the interview session, while the researcher asks the children to draw the situation that the child thinks can decide on their own, the child asks if he is allowed to draw something that is also funny. The child seems to associate the situation that he is a decision-maker with a situation that is funny in preschool.

Researcher: … I want you now to think a little bit and then draw something here, a

situation here in preschool that you can decide, a situation that you can do what you want…

Marcus: Should I draw what I think is funny at preschool too?

Marcus emphasizes later in the interview, while the researcher asks about outdoor and indoor activities that the teachers can decide where the children will play, but the children decide in the play.

Marcus: to be indoors or outdoors this will the teachers decide, but if you do not

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17 Additionally, another question from the researcher about decision-making in the preschool and especially during the play and the activities, reveals that Marcus perceives the decision-making in play and activities, something that both children and teachers are a part of. However, he does not seem so sure about his answers. He also shows uncertainty by answering that he does not know who decides most of the time.

Researcher: You said that it is the teachers that decide, is it always them who decide? Marcus: Νοοο...

Researcher: Nooo… could it be you also? Marcus: mmm… (affirmatively) and the others…

Researcher: and the other children, your friends…mmm? Marcus: mmm… (affirmatively)

Researcher: mmm… and who is the one that decides most in the preschool? Marcus: I don't know.

When Marcus was asked if he decides to follow his friends during the play or do something else that he has decided, he answered that he usually follows his friends. It is interesting to see that even if he follows his friend, he seems to be sure of his answer when replying and having a smile on his face because it is also his decision to follow his friends. In this situation can also be that Marcus would like to decide the same that the friend had decided as friends usually have the same interests.

Researcher: Can it happen that a friend of yours usually chooses to play in a room

and you also want to come along with, is it usually so, do you use to follow your friends?

Marcus: aaa… actually… quite often.

Researcher: … quite often… but mostly do you do what you want to do or do you

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18 Marcus: I follow my friends.

Marcus answered that there is space for the children to be a part of the decision-making regarding the planned activities that the pedagogues usually plan at the preschool to have teaching moments with learning outcomes.

Researcher: … when you have various activities that you do here in the preschool, do

teachers use to decide in which group of children you will be divided in?

Marcus: mmm…yes.

Researcher: mmm… do you also use to be a part and choose which group of children

should you join in?

Marcus: not in the groups but sometimes what we will do.

Anette, who is in the same classroom as Marcus, also answered that children decide when they play. In her reply, she emphasizes using the word "only," that children do not decide for everything but decide only for play.

Anette: … we decide only what we will play...

In her drawing, Anette draws a happy human figure, and when she is asked why she has drawn a human figure, she answers because she likes it. Earlier, when asking her about her daily routines at the preschool, she also mentions that one of the first things that she does when arriving at the preschool is to sit in the atelier room and draw. Anette also seems as Marcus does, to associate the situation that they are allowed to decide with a situation that is also funny.

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19 Anette: because I like to draw human figures… I think that they are actually easy to

draw.

Figure 3. Anette’s drawing about the situation that she decides. Her happy human figure.

Marie, when she is asked what she usually does at the preschool, she replies without hesitation, play. In harmony with the other children's answers, Marie's perception of what the preschool is about is play. Her replies seem to express the same association between

decision-making and play/fun in the preschool as the previous two children. More specifically, when she is asked to draw the situation when she is a decision-maker in the preschool, she draws again an activity that she likes and usually chooses to do when she is at the preschool. Again, it is not sure if the researcher has introduced the question in the best way for the child to understand the meaning of decision-making from the children's side.

Researcher: why had you thought of drawing that? Marie: because I think these colors are nice...

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20 Marie: mmm (affirmatively) yes

Figure 4. Marie’s drawing about the situation that she decides. The rainbow and her favorite colors..

Marie explains with her answer how she can be a decision-maker during play. Using the pronoun "I" several times, she explains that it is her choice to follow a friend during playtime and play something that her friend has chosen. However, she adds that after she and her friend have finished playing the play that the friend has chosen, then it is her turn to choose and play something she has decided. It is noteworthy that Marie and the friend have their own rules during play and act as decision-makers both of them even if the one follows the other.

Researcher: … when you are allowed to decide do you use to decide and do something

that you like or do you do something that your friends like and you follow them?

Marie: It’s a little both and…

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21 Marie: because I want that he/she (the friend) I play with will continue and play, so so

she/he (the friend) will be happy, so I use to play that (the play) she/he likes and then when we have finished playing so we can play that (the play) I like.

Marie is also asked who is the one that is responsible and decides in the preschool, and her answer shows determined while she directly without hesitation answers that is the headmaster and the teachers. After this question, she is asked in more detail who is

responsible for the children, and her reply is direct and without hesitation as her first answer that the children themselves are responsible for what they will do. It is interesting to note that even if she is not sure in all her answers to what extent are children allowed to decide, she understands that children can also be decision-makers in the preschool and especially of what they will do. According to Marie's answer, children play in the preschool, which could

probably be something that children do and decide for.

Researcher: … but what the children will do, who is responsible for that? Marie: the children.

Oscar, during his interview, showed his initiative through drawing during the whole interview session. When he first asked to draw the situation which he thinks that he is allowed to decide at the preschool, he drew a four-armed human figure, and his answer to why he has drawn that was because he likes it. It is apparent again as with the other three children that decision-making for them is linked with a situation that they like, they perceive themselves as decision-makers when they choose something that they like. Oscar's favorite activity when he arrives at the preschool is also drawing. He has already begun to draw even before the question is formulated.

Researcher: do you decide with, with what you will play with, do you decide when you

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22 Oscar: I usually play in the atelier, draw…

Researcher: why have you thought of drawing a four-armed human being? Oscar: because I like humans with four arms…

Figure 5. Oscar’s drawing about the situation that he decides. Oscar’s four-armed human being.

When Oscar is asked what else they do at the preschool and if they play outdoors, he wants to draw about that also and answers by drawing his favorite activity outdoors that he probably decides to do when he is outdoors and play freely. He has not stopped drawing since the beginning of the interview and tries to answer every question by drawing something relevant.

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23 Researcher: mmm… but what else do you do here at the preschool than eating and

playing, do you maybe use to…

Oscar: … go out!

(…)

Oscar: I’m trying to do the swings

Researcher: why are you going to draw the swings Oscar: because I like to swing!

Children deciding when eating and resting

Even if below in the second subtheme "daily routines" of the second theme children perceived that there are daily routines at the preschool, that they cannot decide for, such as lunchtime or fruit-time and the resting time which was usually a time of reading a book and sometimes watching a movie, they expressed in their interviews that there are moments during those fixed routines when they are decision-makers.

More specifically, Marcus in his interview, expresses that he is not able to decide what he will eat, but he can decide how much he will eat. He seems sure about his role to decide for himself the quantity of food that he will eat and uses a lot the pronoun "I" indicating that it is only he that decides for that.

Marcus: I eat so much I can and when I cannot eat more and when I do not like the

food so I eat a little bit and then, and then I think that it is ok.

Researcher: And there you are allowed to decide how much you will eat? Marcus: mmm… (affirmatively)

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24 When Anette is asked about decision-making during lunchtime and fruit-time, she answers that children can decide which fruit and food or salad they will eat but always between those fruits that are available and the food and salad is served.

Anette: the children can say and then the teachers use to cut it (the fruit) up… (…)

Anette: we can decide if we want to have this or that or maybe we can decide if we

want to have meatballs or only spaghetti, so can we decide.

Similar answers about decision-making during snack-time were received from Marie. They are allowed to decide what they will eat but not something more. The decision also is limited to what is offered on the table. However, Marie has also answered that they can decide vegetables that they will take, but earlier, she also answers that they should taste everything served on the table. This depends on the teachers each time, in which degree they allow children to decide during lunchtime and snack time. As it is mentioned above, Anette’s answer shows that she is allowed to decide what food she will take, to take only meatballs or only spaghetti.

Researcher: and during lunchtime, you have also vegetables, are you allowed to

decide what you will take, or do you take a little bit of everything?

Marie: we can decide what vegetables we will have. (…)

Marie: one can decide which cold cuts/cheese do he/she wants or if one will have only

butter…

Researcher: then you choose if you want to have milk or water, right? Marie: mmm… (affirmatively)

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25 However, Marie is not sure if children can decide about not eating or what happens if some child does not want to eat or drink something. She possibly did not know what to answer because she has not experienced a relevant situation.

Researcher: … but if someone is not hungry or thirsty what does he/she do, can he/she

stay without eating?

Marie: I think so…

On the other side, Oscar, who goes in the same classroom with Marie, has a different perception. He explains that he cannot decide the food that is served for lunch because it is someone else cooking it, but he can decide and choose whatever he likes from the food that is served on the table, exactly what Anette who is in another classroom, replied. Why the two children in the same classroom have different perceptions is unclear. This depends on several reasons, e.g., the teachers’ pedagogical methods during lunchtime or specific moments that each child came in mind to reply to the question.

Oscar: if I do not like potatoes or fish, if I like potatoes, I will take potatoes, but if I do

not like fish, I do not need to take fish and if I do not like potatoes, I do not need to take.

However, he knew, in contrast to Marie, what happens if someone is not hungry. Oscar replies that he must eat a little bit only even if someone is not hungry.

Another daily routine is the resting time for all four children, and usually, their teachers read books for them, and sometimes, they have the chance to watch a film, something that not usually happens.

As Marcus explains with his answer, he cannot decide to do something else, besides listening to a book, but sometimes they watch a film, and he and the other children can be a part of the decision-making of which film they will watch.

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26 Researcher: can it be that you have resting time and watch at a film?

Marcus: sometimes.

Researcher: Are you allowed then to choose a film? Marcus: if everyone agrees with it.

Researcher: mmm… so you are allowed, what do you do then?

Marcus: the teachers use often to decide which film and sometimes the children. When Anette, who is in the same classroom with Marcus, is asked about the resting-time and what they do, she immediately points out about the Friday movie-resting-time that they sometimes have. Anette expresses the same perception as Marcus, the teachers decide which film they will watch, but children can sometimes be a part of the decision.

Researcher: … do you use to decide which film you will watch? Anette: no… it is the teachers.

Researcher: it is the teachers… but you maybe have some suggestions? Anette: mmm… (affirmatively)

Researcher: is it usually so, that you tell something… Anette: mmm… (affirmatively)

Researcher: do the teachers listen to you? Anette: mmm… (affirmatively)

Marie’s reply when she was asked if she is allowed to decide which book she will be listening to during the resting time, was that both the teachers and she decides about that.

Researcher: … when you read books after lunch are you allowed to choose which

book you will read?

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27 Oscar explains in more detail how he becomes an active part of the decision-making process of choosing which book should be read during the resting time. Not only he mentions that he can usually decide which book they will read, but he also describes that on the

morning of the same day that the interview session took place, he and some children went to the nearest library with their teachers to loan some books. Moreover, he answers that it was the children that chose the books that were loaned.

Researcher: …are you allowed to choose which book you will read? Oscar: I use to choose a book

(…)

Researcher: but were you allowed to choose books from the library? Oscar: mmm… (affirmatively)

Researcher: was it you who chose the books? Oscar: mmm… (affirmatively)

Children as nondecision-makers in the preschool

Another theme that arose from the data analysis pertains to the absence of children in the decision-making process during the daily routines of sleeping/resting time, lunchtime and activities/play at the preschool setting. Specifically, this theme is related mostly to children's perception that they cannot decide because someone else is responsible for making decisions about a specific matter or because they are not allowed to make decisions. Additionally, even if children experienced that they were decision-makers during the play, which is a children’s matter, there were conditions that arose and could prohibit in various ways children’s

initiative to make decisions. Therefore, three subthemes have been further derived from the main theme of children as nondecision-makers in the preschool: “The teachers”, Daily

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28

“The teachers!”

Even if the analysis shows that all four children perceive that they take the role of the decision-maker in various situations, not only during the play but also during daily routines, all four children answered the teachers are those who decide at the preschool. Particularly impressive was Anette's answer when she was asked what are the children allowed to decide at the preschool and she intended to correct the question by replying that not the children but the adults decide.

Researcher: what is that, that children decide over here at the preschool? Anette: You mean the adults?

However, even all of the four children could understand and answer in which situations they can decide at the preschool, they answered that the teachers are those that decide most. Marie could also answer who has the primary responsibility to decide at the preschool.

Researcher: mmm… is it the children or the teachers that decide at the preschool? Oscar: the teachers.

Researcher: Who is responsible to decide at the preschool then? Marie: (she answers the name of the headmaster)

Researcher: Is she?

Marie: Yes, because she is the headmaster.

Researcher: mmm… but in the classrooms who are responsible to decide there? Marie: mmm… the teachers.

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29 The four children also expressed in which particular situations can teachers decide. When Marcus is asked if he is allowed to decide if he will play outdoors or indoors, he replies that this is something that the teachers will decide. He knows that the teachers are responsible for deciding for that, and he is not a part of the decision-making.

Marcus: aa but to be outdoors or indoors, this will the teachers decide…

Also, Marie answers that the teachers also decide how the groups of the children will be formed.

Researcher: …but if you are in groups, do you use to in which group you will be with? Marie: no, it is the teachers who decide.

Daily routines

It is interesting to begin with how Marcus reacted when asked to draw the two

situations in the preschool, the situation that he can decide for, and the situation that he is not allowed to decide. When he was asked to draw something that he can decide for at the preschool, he seemed a little sceptical, and he wanted to think about it, but after some

seconds, he began to draw. However, when he was asked what is he not allowed to decide for at the preschool, he answered without hesitation that he knows exactly.

Marcus: I will only think…

(…)

Marcus: I know exactly what we are not allowed to do.

He explains that he is not allowed to pick up food by himself now, and he also expresses that he is unsure and does not know exactly why this happens. It is noteworthy to mention that this change was made at the specific preschool due to the pandemic virus

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30 COVID-19, as the interview session happened to take place during that period, and it was a guideline that the teachers of the specific preschool decided to reduce the infection. Before that, children taking food by themselves, used to be a habit that happens at the most of the preschools, making children more independent. Marcus has experienced that particular change as a situation that he is not allowed to decide on his own. Besides, it is essential to think that by picking up his food on his own, he also controls the portion that he will take.

Moreover, it is also unknown if he mentions the specific situation because,

previously, he perceived himself as a decision-maker, and now his role as a decision-maker is limited during lunchtime. When he is asked why he is not allowed to pick up food by himself, his answer shows uncertainty, and he knows only that he is not allowed to do that, but he does not know and does not understand why he is not allowed and who has decided that. He knows only that he has not decided that but someone else instead.

Marcus: we are not allowed to pick up food on ourselves now.

Researcher: and why did you think that this is something that someone is not allowed

to do at the preschool?

Marcus: I knew that and I draw that

Researcher: why do you think that someone should not to that?

Marcus: it is not me that thinks that it is one ehhmm… I know that I am not allowed to

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31

Figure 6. Marcus’ drawing about the situation that he cannot decide. A child and a pedagogue that serves the food.

Anette, who is in the same classroom with Marcus, also answers that they are not allowed to pick up food, but the adults will serve them. She also explains and justifies why this happens, and her answer is the same as Marcus, that due to the disease that spreads, children are not allowed to serve themselves. Also, when Anette is asked if she is allowed to choose which fruit she wants, she points out that she is not allowed to take by herself. As it is cited above in the first theme, she knows that she is allowed to choose which fruit she wants, but her perception about deciding about the fruit focuses more on the fact that she is not allowed to take by herself and not on the fact if she is allowed or not choose which fruit she will eat. It can be probably because previously she was allowed to take the fruit on her own, but now due to the pandemic COVID-19 the pedagogues in that preschool has decided to give to the children and not the children to take fruit to minimize the spread of the disease.

Researcher: then you use to decide what you will eat, what do you use to eat? Anette: mmm… when this disease spreads children are not allowed to take food by

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32 Researcher: yes… but you used to take by themselves previously?

Anette: mmm… (affirmatively)

(…)

Researcher: … but when you eat fruit are you allowed to decide which fruit you will

eat?

Anette: mmm… we are not allowed to take on our own…

Marcus also knows that he cannot decide about the food served at the preschool as he replies that they eat the food that is served.

Marcus: the food that is served, this is what we should eat…

Oscar also replies that he cannot decide the food that is served at the preschool, but in contrast with Marcus, Oscar knows exactly why he cannot decide, because it is someone else that decides that, it is the cook of the school. His direct answers show that he is sure about that.

Researcher: … do you use to decide what you will eat for lunch? Oscar: no.

Researcher: no, who is then that decides that here at the preschool? Oscar: (answers by giving the name of the cook)

Marcus also knows that he cannot decide what he will eat, and he cannot choose only something from the food that is served.

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33 Researcher: but if you do not like something, do you maybe choose, are you allowed

to choose?

Marcus: no.

(…)

Researcher: … are you allowed to decide that you will eat only potatoes? Marcus: no.

The same answers are received from Marie, as she also adds that they should taste from everything that is served. However, in the first theme above, Marie explains that they are allowed to decide which vegetables they want to eat from those that are served. So probably, they should taste from the food, but they can decide only on the vegetables.

Marie: one should take from everything that there is on the table…

When Marcus is asked what do they usually do after lunch when it is resting time for the children, he answers directly no but with a note of hesitation. He answers immediately after his refusal that they usually read a book. Besides, by his answers, Marcus seems to be sure that he is not a part of the decision-making.

Researcher: Do you use to decide what you will do on the resting time? Marcus: noo… (a little bit hesitated) eee we usually read a book.

Researcher: mmm… you usually read a book, so it is not you that decide that? Marcus: no, I do not decide at all.

Later in the interview, Marcus is asked again when it is resting time, and they are going to read a book if he is allowed not to be a part of that and do something else instead. Marcus' answer shows that it is not possible as his reply is immediate and sure. Additionally,

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34 he answers also that he is not asking about that. It is not clear why he is not asking about it, but he probably knows that he will not be allowed or he is used in that particular routine.

Researcher: and when it is resting time and you do not want to read a book are you

allowed to do something else?

Marcus: No.

Researcher: …but do you ask about that maybe? Marcus: mmm… nooo…

When Anette is asked if she can decide which film they will watch, when it is not a day that they read books during the resting time, she answers that it is the teachers who decide which film. However, Anette adds that it can be times that children can propose which film they will watch. Anette shows that she is sure about her answers by answering with certainty, “no… it is the teachers.”

Researcher: …but are allowed to decide which film you will watch? Anette: no… it is the teachers

Researcher: it is the teachers but maybe you have some, some proposals… Anette: mmm…

Researcher: does it use to be like that, that you propose something... Anette: mmm… (affirmatively)

Another habit during lunchtime that Marcus seems to know is the specific places every child may have when they eat. Marcus answers only that they use to sit in their usual places when they eat. He seems to know exactly that every child has its place at the table us he answers that in a natural way. But it is not clear if Marcus understands that it is the pedagogues/adults that use to decide about the places for every child. Usually, pedagogues

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35 decide specific places for the children to sit for various reasons e.g., some children need to sit beside a pedagogue to avoid many boys or girls sit in the same table to enhance the

socialization among different children.

Sometimes it can be changed, but Marcus explains that he still cannot decide where he will sit. In his answers, he does not seem aware that the pedagogues decide about the places at the table during the meals at the preschool.

Researcher: … are you allowed to decide where you will sit?

Marcus: we sit in our usual places but today we did a little bit mixed. Researcher: …so you are allowed to change place maybe…

Marcus: no.

Researcher: …sometimes is it you that will choose place if you will sit a little bit

mixed?

Marcus: no... we sit there that we must sit.

In the same line, answers Anette about the specific places at the table during the meals. Marie is in the same classroom as Marcus, so that is probably why they have the same perception about the specific places and that children sit there.

Researcher: Do you use to decide what you will eat or where you will sit?

Anette: nooo… when it is not so many children, I am allowed to sit on another place

and it is the teachers that decide

Researcher: aaa… in which place? Anette: mmm… (affirmatively)

Researcher: but you are not allowed to decide which place? Anette: nooo….

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36 Marie also knows about the specific places at the table during the meals and that it is important to keep them, but also sometimes there can be changes that the pedagogues allow and decide.

Researcher: Are you allowed to decide where you will sit?

Marie: nooo… but sometimes when we are guests, the teachers decide if we will sit in

our usual places and then we sit there.

Researcher: aha… so you have specific places? Marie: yeeess…

Researcher: is it you that decide on the places?

Marie: no, it is the teachers that have decided them and then they are decided.

Another interesting dimension of how important fixed routines in the preschool can hinder children’s role as decision-makers is when the lunch or meals at preschool are served. When Marie was asked about to draw the second drawing, the drawing with a situation that she is not allowed to decide, she thought for a while, and she turned and said:

Marie: mmm… we are not allowed to decide when we will eat our snack or lunch.

After Marie has finished her drawing, she explains what she has drawn. It is

interesting to observe that the drawing depicts a girl, probably Marie has drawn herself, but she has not mention it. Marie explains that she cannot decide the time that the lunch will be served. This can be a real challenge at the preschool in relation to the right of the best

interests of the child, as children have different needs and maybe their need for lunch will not synchronized for all children the same time every day.

Marie: it is when we will eat lunch, like she, that a girl wants to eat now but it is a

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37

Figure 7. Marie’s drawing about the situation that she is not allowed to decide. A girl, a pedagogue, and a plate with food.

Oscar also mentions the right time to do things at the preschool. When he was asked if he is allowed to do something that he likes whenever he wants, he answers that he is not allowed because it is not the right time. The right time is after they have eaten fruit. He does not seem to know who decides the right time, but he knows which is the right time and how the routines are structured and what he is allowed to decide and do.

Researcher: Are you allowed to go out and play at the swings in the morning when

you arrive, exactly when you have arrived at the preschool?

Oscar: no!

Researcher: no, why that?

Oscar: because, because, because it is not the right time to do that… Researcher: and who decides which is the right time to do something?

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38 Oscar: ehhmmm, when we have eaten the fruit after we have eaten fruit.

“Deciding in play but…”

All four children answered in their unique way, expressed either with drawings or with words that they can decide during the play. However, in some situations, there can be rules or "conventions" that they do not fully allow to decide whatever a child wants to.

Marcus answers that he can decide which toys he will have, but if it is available and not another child has it. This presents also democratic values that are important to govern in the preschool.

Researcher: … do you think that you can decide which toys you will have? Marcus: mmm… if not… yes… yes if no one else has it.

Marcus' answers also show that there can be other kinds of situations for the children to have or not the role of the decision-maker. Specifically, Marcus answers that he has not so many options to choose from. Even if he is allowed to decide what he will play when he is outdoors, and this can be playing with the swings, on the slide, or in the sandbox. When someone observes the play-yard at the most preschools and specifically at the preschool, the only available outdoor activities are those that Marcus mentions. But it is not sure if Marcus' answer is only an answer that came instantly only by thinking the play-yard and answering spontaneously, even if he usually decides to play other plays outdoors. Even if it is so, it is also important to think about what the environment offers as possible decisions for the children.

Researcher: Do you have many options to decide, when you play, when you are

outdoors?

Marcus: nooo…

Capturing children&apos;s perspectives about decision-making in the Swedish preschool setting. : How children&apos;s rights can be understood by exploring children&apos;s voices.