Tuesday, May 17, 2011

How were babies cared for?

Infants depended on their mothers to fed them. Breast milk was the only safe food for babies.Most women nurse their babies. Wealthy women might hire a wet nurse. A wet nurse feeds the baby with her own milk. a wealth mother might hire the wet nurse so she could save herself trouble and perhaps conceive sooner.
Some areas believed that having sex while nursing would sour a womans milk. So men stayed away from their wives until babies were weaned. Babies were weaned at about 1 or 2 years old.

How did wealthy families live?

Wealthier families could not provide actual property for all of their children. It was common for families to send their younger sons and some daughters to monasteries and convents,respectfully. The monastic organisations would keep their children safe and fed.
Having a son in priesthood was considered exceptionally advantageous politically because priests had a great deal of power within their towns. priest often had mistresses and children of their own. The celibacy of the clergy had long been a matter of some debate, but not until 1074 that pope Gregory VII decrease that some priest should not marry.

What is the life expectancy?

Life expectancy was short. The average life expectancy was only 35 to 40 years old. It was be sad to live such a short life, i know i would be scared of death coming if i was only 30!During the plague women often died in child birth. Men usually died in wars. Isn't that sad.
Children who lived past two,they could still die of illnesses and accidents. Most marriages ended within a few years as a result of death of one spouse. It was common to marry more than once if the past spouse has died.

Monday, May 16, 2011

What is the medieval marrige like?

Medieval marriages were not equal. Wives were allowed to be beat by their husband if disobedient. Wives were occasionally afraid of their husbands. Many couples in arranged marriages developed real affection for each other. I would love to have a real happy marriage, it would be scary if I had a bad marriage and be scared of my husband.
For nobles, marriages were practical mutters and carefully arranged. But for the high nobility, marriages were political. Most wealthy people married someone who was chosen by their parents. Young people usually married between ages of 12 and 15 years old. I think it very weird because they are so young.
It was popular for a night to choose a married woman and love her from a distance. The night would fight for her in battles and tournaments. it was known as courtly love. Have children was important to married people.

What did the the children do during thier childhood?

 At ages four or five, children helped their mothers by feeding the chickens and watch their younger sibling. Around eight years old they began to do chores away from the close. Between ages five and twelve, children spent most of their time playing, just like when we loved to play games as a kid. They made up games to play.
When the children misbehave, they were punished just as severely as the lord’s children. At age twelve, life became more serious. Teenagers still had time for games and amusements, but they also had to master the skill they would need when adults. In my opinion I think that would be hard to do just at age twelve.
Girls would increase responsibility for grown women’s jobs. Such as cooking and washing clothes. This allowed the mothers go do something else to get extra money. Boys helped the families a lot. As they got older and physically mature, they learned how to plow. Wow, I think children worked a lot! By eighteen or nineteen, they worked with their fathers in the fields.