Section One

Children were Key Players

in the Family

In Old Testament times, children were vital to the survival of the family. In order for families to eat, they would have to learn skills like farming or rearing animals. Children were taught these practical skills so that (when they were old enough) they could contribute to the household. These practical skills were also taught to the children so that they would grow up and bring in money. Children were brought up learning a trade or skill. Children were therefore only seen as important because of what they would do for the family in the future. Children were valuable because they were needed to practically support the family, to ensure that money and food continued to be available to the household. When adults became too old or too ill to work, there had to be someone to take on the responsibility for everyone who lived there. Also, adults would need someone to look after them in their old age. There weren’t any old people’s homes! As well as practical skills, households were the place where values were taught to children. In the Old Testament these values were a reflection of both: 1. the values of the head of the household - the adults taught the children what was right and what was wrong. 2. the values of the nation. For example, teaching the children the laws of the nation, the rules on preparing food and observing festivals all took place in the household.