More About Upper Class Children
In 19th century Paris,
upper class children were cared for by their mothers, other female relatives
and servants. Women managed and supervised child rearing. Upper class
families typically employed wet nurses to breast feed babies and nannies
to care for children. In 1842, Alfred Donne published a manual for physicians
and mothers on the science of child rearing which discouraged these practices,
and instead recommended breast feeding by the natural mother to ensure
safe milk, and develop important bonding between mother and child. Donne
also recommended a specific regimen of hygiene, bathing, exercise, and
sleep, including naps, to ensure the health of children. 
Boarders
and Day-Boys
Upper class families obtained superior private educations and maximized
economic opportunities for their children to help perpetuate family wealth.
Boarding schools for boys, particularly private and religious schools,
far away from home were considered ideal for secondary education. It was
also a convenient way to resolve family difficulties with teenage boys
while preparing them for advanced education. Until 1870, over 80% of the
students in lycees (schools) were boarders; the remaining students
were called day-boys, as they commuted from their homes each morning.
By the end of the century, travel became easier and 60% of the students
were day-boys.
Emphasis
on Immaturity
In the early 19th century, the immature and nonsexual nature of children
was emphasized. Boys and girls both wore dresses until the age of six
or seven. Girls from proper or strict religious families often bathed
wearing long nightshirts to protect their modesty. During the second half
of the 19th century, a new genre of books was published about, and directed
to, children. Many were filled with multicolored illustrations by leading
painters and printmakers. These books explored the psychological, social
and physical development of children, who were previously treated much
like small adults, but were now given more freedom to enjoy their innocence
and play.
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