PEDIATRICS Vol. 39 No. 3 March 1967, pp. 362
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THE CHILD IN MEDIEVAL SOCIETY

T. E. C. JR. M.D.

As Philippe Aries has dramatically called to our attention, childhood as a phenomenon unto itself is an invention of modern times. He writes:

In medieval society the idea of childhood did not exist; this is not to suggest that children were neglected, forsaken, or despised. The idea of childhood is not to be confused with affection for children: it corresponds to an awareness of the particular nature of childhood, that particular nature which distinguishes the child from the adult, even the young adult. In medieval society this awareness was lacking. That is why, as soon as the child could live without the constant solicitude of his mother, his nanny, or his cradle-rocker, he belonged to adult society. . . . Language did not give the word "child" the restricted meaning we give it today: people said "child" much as we say "lad" in every day speech. The absence of definition extended to every sort of social activity: games, crafts, arms.