Van de motter
Research paper
20 October 2017
Daily Life of Puritan Children
Puritans were members of a social and religious movement in the 1600s. Other cultures may have different ways of living or the way the treat their children. The life of a Puritan child was a key factor to the Puritans, and they played an important role. The Puritan children lifestyle was extremely different from modern day children’s life. They were expected to do more and follow all rules given to them. Although Puritan children had strict codes and certain rules to follow, Puritan parents cared and loved their child. Puritan children were brave despite the trouble they went through during their time.
“The rate of survival to age ten for all children …show more content…
They were given strict codes for their clothing, childhood work, and education. Children had to attend church services, do chores, and repressing individual differences (Salem 1). Girls and boys had different jobs to do with their parents. Girls were expected to tend to the house, helping their mothers cook, wash, clean, and sew (Salem 1). Boys often worked outside the home practicing such skills as caring for animals and crops. Children barely had time for any free time, but when they did they played games like marbles, bowling, ring toss and having sack races (Sayles 1). Any show of emotion, such as excitement, fear, or anger, was discouraged (Salem 1). Although the Puritan children were under strict codes their parents still cared for their well being.
Every child had strict clothes to wear at a young age. Baby’s clothing was limited to linen socks (Sayles 1). “Until age six or seven they generally wore long gowns that open down the front (Stannard 457). Even though boys usually don’t normally wear gowns they were given a code to do so. “Children in New England were treated much the same as children in England (457). Both girls and boys wore the same clothing throughout most of their early childhood (Sayles 1). Boys eventually changed their clothing to pants and girls kept wearing the same