Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Childrens role from the 16th essays

Children's role from the 16th essays Two main things were changing in the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries, the methods of child rearing among the English upper classes and the adult views of children. Through the centuries, child-rearing methods among the English upper classes began to change, getting less harsh and dangerous for the children. Adults views of children, which shaped their practices towards the children, also changed from them being evil spirited to innocent and delight. The sixteenth century was the worse through childrens eyes. Robert Cleaver (article one), a Calvinist minister, viewed children as hath a wrong-doing heart and inclined to evil. He also writes that the children become good not by birth, but by education. The clothing of infants according to Robert Cleaver, in this century was referred to as swaddling, to wrap narrow strips of cloth around an infant (article 8). Parents would discipline their children by striking them on the face and head with cudgels, staves, pitchforks and fire shovels. Bartholemew Batty (article 11) believes that if parent would use only the rod, then they would have the means to rejoice and become parents of wise and worthy children. During the seventeenth century, child rearing and adults views of children started to change. John Earle (article 2), an Anglican minister, describes a childs soul as yet a blank paper unscribbled with observations of the world, whereas in time it becomes a blurred notebook and is purely happy because he knows no evil. Elizabeth Clinton (article 5) believes that mothers should nurse their own children than hire a wet nurse. She adds that now I try to regain my peace by preventing many Christian mothers from sinning in the same way. Sir George Savile adds about his views on the discipline of children that ...