The Shocking Truth About Home Child Experience: Unveiling Resilience and Resilience

From the late 1800s to the mid-1900s, a dark period in Canadian history, numerous children were uprooted from their homes and sent to work as domestics in households across the country. Known as "home children," these young souls experienced unimaginable challenges, hardships, and resilience throughout their journey.

The Arrival: Leaving Behind Everything Familiar

The moment these children boarded ships destined for Canada, their lives changed forever. Most of them came from impoverished families in the United Kingdom, seeking a better life across the Atlantic. Little did they know the struggles that awaited them upon their arrival.

Marjorie Too Afraid to Cry: A Home Child Experience

by Barbara Calamari (Kindle Edition)

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2089 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	304 pages

FREE

Their tiny hands clutched tightly onto the few belongings they managed to bring, hoping for a brighter future. With hearts filled with both fear and anticipation, they stepped onto unfamiliar land determined to survive.

A Harsh Reality: Life as a Home Child

Once in Canada, these children were sent to so-called "receiving homes" before being placed in households as workers. Far from the loving families they left behind, they faced physical and emotional abuse, endless hours of labor, and minimal education. As mere objects of labor, they were often treated as inferior and disposable.

Long days of exhausting work, isolation, and often malnourishment became their everyday reality. They were robbed of their childhood, deprived of affection, and subjected to the constant fear of punishment. Despite the immense adversity, these children displayed astonishing resilience, finding solace in their shared experiences and the tight-knit community they formed.

An Unbreakable Spirit: The Road to Resilience

Despite the harsh treatment they endured, home children found ways to lift each other up. They formed strong bonds, united by their shared struggles. Compassion, empathy, and camaraderie were their weapons against the cruel world they inhabited.

Many home children eventually found solace through organizations such as Barnardo's and the Fairbridge Society, which aimed to support and provide a sense of belonging to these vulnerable young individuals. These establishments offered education, skills training, and a path towards a better future.

A Lasting Legacy: Honoring the Home Children

The stories of home children are tales of strength, resilience, and survival. They endured unimaginable hardships and grew up without the nurturing care most children deserve. Despite it all, they triumphed against the odds, building prosperous lives and contributing significantly to Canadian society.

Recognizing the importance of honoring their contributions, organizations such as the British Home Children Advocacy and Research Association work tirelessly to raise awareness, advocate for justice, and celebrate their unique stories. Through preserving the historical records and promoting education, their mission is to ensure that the home children's legacy lives on.

: A Journey of Resilience and Resilience

The home child experience remains a haunting chapter in Canadian history. It reminds us of the indomitable human spirit and teaches us the importance of compassion, empathy, and solidarity. These children left an indelible mark on the fabric of our society, and it is our responsibility to learn from their stories, honor their memory, and ensure that no child experiences such hardships again.

Marjorie Too Afraid to Cry: A Home Child Experience

by Barbara Calamari (Kindle Edition)

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2089 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	304 pages

FREE

When Marjorie’s daughter began exploring archival records involving Britain’s child-migration program, a home-child saga emerged.

Marjorie Arnison was one of the thousands of children removed from their families, communities, and country and placed in a British colony or commonwealth to provide "white stock" and cheap labour. In Marjorie’s case, she was sent to Prince of Wales Fairbridge Farm School, just north of Victoria, British Columbia, in 1937. As a child, Patricia was angered that her mother wouldn’t talk about the past. It took many years to discover why – it wasn’t because she was keeping a dark secret, but because she had "lost" her childhood.

For 10-year-old Marjorie, forgetting her past, her family, and England was the only survival tool she had at her disposal to enable her to face her frightening and uncertain future. This is Marjorie’s account as told by her daughter. It is a story of fear, loss, courage, survival, and finding one’s way home.