What were the roles of children in the early 1900s?

Answer 1

The role of children during this time depends mostly on the economic status of the family.

Working class (poor) children needed to work to help support the family. They received little to no education and worked outside the home from a very early age, around 7 years old. They would also help at home, perhaps with laundry or mending jobs their mother had taken to earn extra money. Because of the difficult working and living conditions, working class families lived in very unhealthy conditions. Women also often married young or at least left home, so as to not be a financial burden to her parents any more. Working class children were very tough and learned to survive.

Wealthy families during the Victorian era treated their children as little adults. Children's clothing mimicked those of their parents. They old saying "children should be seen and not heard" was taken seriously, and children were expected to behave like adults do. Wealthy children lived in large, beautiful homes in suburban neighborhoods. They often had servants to take care of their needs. All wealthy children were educated, although girls did not receive an equal education to boys. Wealthy girls were raised to be good mothers and wives which meant learning manners, being able to paint or draw, learning to dance, and to maintain a household of servants.