Discuss 'home and the family' in the Victorian era.


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Some of the major differences between home and family today when compared to the Victorian era are the absence of compulsory schooling, the prevailing trend of even relatively modest households having servants, and the sense of propriety and separation between children and their parents that was common in the Victorian era.

Because compulsory schooling was still a dream in the eyes of a few reformers, children were on their own, or usually with a nanny or governess throughout the day and then sometimes taught to read by their mothers in the evenings or taught Latin by their fathers but most of their time was spent with a nanny or a governess who would also provide most of their instruction.

It was also true that in most households, a servant or several servants were present to help with household work including cooking and cleaning but also watching the children and welcoming guests to the home, etc.

It was also often true that children were truly to be "seen and not heard" and were often separated from their parents for most of the day.  Children were also expected to be strictly obedient in all things around the home and to also go along with their parents' will when it came to who they would date, etc.

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