EDFN

I think that this class was very helpful for my future in many ways. First of all I think that learning about the history of all the different topics we disscussed has made me more aware of what society has been through to get the where they are today and that ideas about the topics have changed many times over the years. Also I found that the video's we watched in class protrayed how it really is in society and that there still are things that need to be changed even today with all the new technology and young adults not moving out of their parents homes as early as they used to. In this class I really like our dissussions because I find that I learn best when I can personaly relate to the material that is being taught, so talking about it with my friends helped me find that personal connection and helped me understand the concepts being taught. Also it is nice to hear other peoples perspectives about the topic, because everyone has a different background and everyone looks at things differently.

Child Soldiers

We watched this video in class and I found it very interesting. I think his story is a sad one to hear, but it needs to be heard because we need to raise awareness about issues in the world like this one that people are not doing much about. I think that child labour is one thing, but making a child kill another human being... that is crossing the line for me. I think that this should be put to an end as fast as possible. I think that war and people killing others is wrong already but bringing kids into it just makes everything that much worse.

Chapter 8 - Heywood

Children at work

Overview

    - Thing of history - think of child labour

    - Children in a wider world

              - Healthcare

              - Working

    - Common opinion that childhood was bad, but not as bad as we think

    - Not as bad or widespread as we think

    - Reformed movements

              - Have to bring in law to take children out of workplace

              - Bring them into school

    - By the 20th century western society was really using schools

Pre-urbanization

    - Most children lived in the country with family

    - Casual undemanding work on the family farm

              - In the home

              - On the farm

              - In workshop

    - Children under 10 are just there for liability because they are not doing anything - started working between ages of 10-14

    - Slavery is absurd

Industrial Context

     - Peak of child exploitation for child labour

     - Major health problem

     - Moral decline

     - Exposed to harsh language

     - Rowdiness and horseplay


Coming from a farm, and still living on the farm today I find that I can really relate to the casual work on the farm and in the household. I started working on the farm when I was nine years old and have been working on it ever since. I only work at home everyother weekend now that I am going to college and working another job, but I still enjoy working at home because my mom and dad and brother work here full time when I work here it makes me feel closer to the family. I do think that child labour is wrong and should not be practiced anymore, I think that me working on the farm was more to give me some responsibility not that they actually needed me to work the farm.

Chapter 7 - Heywood

Relations with Parents and the Peer Group

Breeching

   - Traditionally boys would wear gowns

   - Growing up was going to wear trousers

   - Stop Sleeping in the same bed as siblings or servants

   - Have to start making a contribution to family

   - Get married

   - Canon law - church law

          - Males can get married at the age of 14 and females at the age of 12

Peer Group & Gangs

    - Decrease of influence of family

           - Peer group replaces this

    - Gets a good girlfriend

    - Gets into hockey

    - Always have to have a win win situation

Gender Differences

    - Girls - mocking the boys

    - Family keeps girls much closer to home then they do with boys

    - Taught values of modesty and chastity and making oneself useful

Chapter 6 -Heywood

Beginning a child’s education

1) From the Mother

      - Religious Character -From middle ages

              - How to make the sign of the cross

              - Prayers

              - Pictures of religious to show children

              - Older kids, religious dolls

              - Moral

                    - Every aspect should be a learning opportunity

              - Boiling vegetables - Ideal opportunity to instruct child of what happens to sinners

              - Cooking eggs - time by how long it takes to cite a common prayer   

     - Reading and writing was also taught, was mostly seen by educated elite by four or five, they were learning casual reading

2) Middle and Upper Class

       - Social skills are important

       - Good Manners

            - Was a sign of superior breeding

            - Behave Like ladies and gentlemen

       - Erasmus - 1530's

            - Do not wipe nose on sleeves

            - Have confidence

            - Do not swear

            - Do not stand with mouth open

Chapter 5 - Heywood

Chapter five discusses caring for infants. There are three main themes that emerge.

The first theme is wet nursing.

In this theme the mothers practice giving their child to another mother that has also recently had a child and this mother breasts feeds the child so that the biological mother can keep her figure. This started being practiced in the 14th century in the middle and upper class and by the 18th and 19th century it was practiced a lot. Now it is no longer practiced because people are opposed to it because people that practice it have a lower infant mortality rate.

The second theme is the scientific approach

This theme occurred in the 19th and 20th century and what happened was that medical professionals were dismissing female knowledge.

The third theme is Michel Foucault and he did some research in genealogy, which is tracing family history.

Coming from a dairy farm I know how important the first three feedings are, if a child does not get these feeds from their own mother or a mother that has a baby at almost the exact same time, the baby is going to miss out on the essential colostrum that the mother produces the first three days after childbirth. Therefore I am against the idea of having another mother take care of someone’s baby. The fact that the mothers do it just to keep their figure almost makes me a little angry. It is not just the mother’s life that is being affected there is now a baby that has to be taken care of. I know that when I have kids I will do what is best for them, even if I do not like it or it ruins my figure.

Chapter 4 - Heywood

Overview

      - Phases of Childhood

Desire to have Children

      - Was a noble thing to do but serving god was higher

      - Women took steps to enhance fertility

Childbirth

      - Difficult time for the mother

      - Most moms get baby blue or can develop postpartum depression (PPD)

              - Midwife comes to help her through her emotional problem or female family member can also help

Professional Tensions

     - Who is most appropriate to help the mothers, family, midwife, or medical professionals

     - Feminist Perspective, medical profession is an example of men trying to take everything over

     - Michelle Foucault was a historian we started to question the power medical professionals, because they pretty much had the choice of life or death

I think that having a midwife is a good thing as long as they do not get in the way of the family. I think that if they are just going to cause problems between people in the family that it is not a good idea, but if the whole family is happy with having a midwife it is a good idea. In Holland when my mom had children there was a nurse that came home with her for a week to help her with the baby and to make sure that the baby was healthy and everything went well. I think that this is also a good idea, because I think that new moms worry a lot about their babies are doing or not doing, and the nurse is there for reassurance.