preview

Child Rearing In The 16th Century Essay

Decent Essays

In England, during the 16th century, families of the upper class had a strict and disciplinary way of child-rearing. The children were often viewed as sinners who were confused, who needed to be taught respect and would “bandage roll” their children. The education and manners were harshly enforced. However, during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the way of raising a child changed. Parents became more lenient towards children and less harsh. Mothers started to nurse their own children and began to respect them more by speaking to them kindly, understandingly, and began to realize that children are innocent. Parents began to be more supportive of their children and their education.

During the 16th century, kids were treated harshly …show more content…

When there is no avoiding it, you must deny them gently, flattering away their ill-humors and taking the next opportunity of pleasing them in some other things before they either ask or look for it. Let them be more in awe of your kindness than of your power, and above all, take heed of supporting a favorite child in its impertinence, which will give right to the rest of claiming the same privilege." Here, you can see the change in the actions of the people. Rather than beating their children, they found the opposite to be helpful. They believed that showing their children love and affection would get the point across to them and that was the way they would retain their manners. At this time period, we are able to see the difference in the teaching styles of the parents. In the 16th century, parents beat their children thinking that it would help them learn, but according to Lady Jane Grey, “When I am in the presence either of father or mother, whether I speak, keep silent, sit, stand or go, eat, drink, be merry or sad, be sewing, playing, dancing, or doing anything else, I must do it, as it were, in such weight, measure and number, even so perfectly as God made the world, or else I am so sharply taunted, so cruelly threatened, yea

Get Access