Child-Rearingin

Western Europe

Daniel Son

Per. 6

Prompt:

2001 – Analyze how and why Western European attitudes toward children and child-rearing changed in the period from 1750 – 1900.

Traditional Agrarian Europe Women usually married late (30) but bore

many children until death (45) About 50% had 6 or more children 1 in 5 were likely to die young 1 in 3 infants died in poorer areas Fatal diseases usually afflicted the stomach

and chest Even the rich couldn’t save their children Adults were often indifferent, neglectful and

abusive towards their children

Nursing Lower class mothers saved lives by breast-feeding

their young for a longer period than normal Milk provided necessary nutrients and immunities Upper-class mothers left wet-nurses to take care

of their children Wet-nurses were hired women who fed the babies

of the upper-class at the expense of nursing their own children

Many wet-nurses were accused of passing down bad habits

Some nurses were alleged to have killed the babies of their clients in order to get more money from other clients

Infanticide Newborns, especially girls, were commonly

left to die when families became too large The Church denounced infanticide and

sentenced violators to death There were different methods of eliminating

babies: killing nurses, overlaying (“accidental” suffocation), etc.

Abortion was illegal, dangerous, and rare

Foundlings Young mothers began to leave babies at church

doorsteps when they could not care for them Saint Vincent de Paul established a foundling

home (orphanage) because of the number of abandoned babies

Foundling homes became popular across Europe and they became a favorite charity for the rich

Even at the best of the homes, infants suffered a 50% mortality rate

Attitude Towards Children Children of all socioeconomic classes were put

“out of sight and out of mind” Frequent child deaths greatly influenced the lack

of emotional bonding with parents and their children

Doctors and clergymen encouraged emotional detachment, but this led to disciplinary abuse

“Spare the rod and spoil the child.” – Daniel Defoe

Jean-Jacques Rousseau called for more love and tenderness as well as more comfortable clothes

Parents delighted in loving their children which resulted in a greater optimism about human potential

AnalysisHow?

Mothers began to breast-feed their children longer

Infanticide was penalized and foundling homes were established

Children became more loved and formed emotional bonds with their parents

Why? Less children were

born and more of them survived

The Church did not approve of infanticide and took pity on the abandoned children

Critics called for the better treatment of children and this also caused a growth in optimism about human potential