Family now vs family then

How is being a younger sibling different from being an older sibling? How does our lifestyle as children in the modern world differentiate from children who lived during the industrial revolution? For starters I have an older brother, as well as an younger cousin. In my family, my role has always been the youngest. While my family may treat each other as equals, being the youngest came with favorable assets. Some examples are asking for help with homework, as well as having the freedom to ask for a hand, or engaging in activities almost whenever desired. Although there are many good qualities about being the youngest, there are some bad qualities as well. One example includes being the last to know certain events that occur in which are too somber, therefore that I am “not old enough to handle it.” Despite the possibility of this being a valid concern, it can be infuriating knowing that everybody else knew before you did. You can feel mad as well as shocked at the same time, for the reason being, knowing that everybody else was living in the truth while you were in the dust, clueless.

While it is one experience being younger, it is another to be presented the responsibilities of being an older cousin. Having a two year old cousin has influenced quite an extensive change in my life. I feel as though my title has been passed on. I may be one of the youngest, but no longer the youngest of them all. When I was first informed of my baby cousin, my world turned upside down. The reality of there being someone in my family that I am older than opens my eyes to a new chapter of the book of responsibilities. Even though I may only see my cousin twice a year, before I see him I always go through what to do while around him. My list includes, his favorite games, keeping a smile on my face, as well as not being afraid to use the overly excited tone of voice people always use when entertaining a baby. Clearly from my previous statement you can conclude that I am usually not the best with kids. I simply do not know how to entertain them as well as how to soothe their cries. After a few visits to see my cousin, I feel that I have settled down into the role of older cousin. This includes entertaining whenever possible, having a positive face when in his presence, as well as not being afraid to own the fact that I am more experienced than he his, and when he is old enough, pass on advice. Now that I have filled you in on my perspective of being older versus younger, let’s discuss the lives of children who lived during the industrial revolution.

Children who lived during the industrial revolution worked hard, long hours. The children who worked in the factories worked 12-14 hours with short breaks in between. With much large and dangerous equipment in the factories, children were prone to many accidents including injuries and death. Wages were along the same line of injustice. Children would only receive around 3 pence (0.0415 usd) or less everyday. Some factory owners would even get away with not paying them at all. The adults that oversaw the children's work neglected their safety, as well as punished them in a cruel way. The cause of punishments was often from taking unscheduled breaks and being late to work. Some examples of punishment included tying a heavy weight to the person’s neck and telling them to the walk up and down each section of the factory for other children to see. This would generally cause neck and back damage for the child. Another form of punishment were beatings.

Although there were many people who benefited from child labor, there were many people who were determined to abolish it. The first act was in 1833 when the Factory Act was passed by Parliament, in which lowered working hours for children. Additionally, children were required to go to school for no less than 2 hours a day. A major part of this act was when the Parliament sent government officials to oversee the changes. Overtime when activists continued to work towards ending child labor, the United States government created the Children’s Bureau to monitor child labor.

When these children came home from work they did not have the time to have quality interactions with their family. In fact all members of the family would work and not have time to talk with one another. Comparing this to my life now has such a tremendous difference. Now school is half the day, and the other parts of the day are filled with extracurricular activities. Also I have much time in the evening to interact with my family after school. When I imagine what relationships families had during the industrial revolution, I think of weak bonds that rely on blood connections. Parents wanted their children working for the money, and had not supported their child. I know that parents did not all think this way. I also wonder what type of experiences both younger and older siblings had, and how different their experience was compared to my own.

In the end we as children in the 21st century are so lucky to go to schools that care about our education, as well as live with families that care about us. Although this may not apply to everyone, I know that are lives have definitely changed for the better compared to the times of harsh child labor.

All in all, be grateful for what you have, not what you don’t. Don’t see the glass as half empty, but half full.