The librarian takes you to the Children's Section and shows you the fairy tales.
"Did you know that books for children weren't popular until the end of the 1800s?" the librarian asks. "Before that time, children were seen as miniature adults."
"No!" you say. "Does that mean that parents didn't read their children bedtime stories, or encourage them to use their imagination?"
"Well, it used to be that childhood wasn't separate from adulthood. That means that kids were supposed to act exactly like adults. In fact, up to the 17th century, there was no standardized education for kids. Parents chose what to teach, or not teach their children. A mother's job was to teach her daughters the ways of the home, such as cooking or cleaning. Girls only needed to know enough to read letters an do simple math."
"Did you know that books for children weren't popular until the end of the 1800s?" the librarian asks. "Before that time, children were seen as miniature adults."
"No!" you say. "Does that mean that parents didn't read their children bedtime stories, or encourage them to use their imagination?"
"Well, it used to be that childhood wasn't separate from adulthood. That means that kids were supposed to act exactly like adults. In fact, up to the 17th century, there was no standardized education for kids. Parents chose what to teach, or not teach their children. A mother's job was to teach her daughters the ways of the home, such as cooking or cleaning. Girls only needed to know enough to read letters an do simple math."