Little Balthasar and Parenting

(This image shows a letter which little Balthasar wrote to his father where he requested a toy horse.)

The readings from this week all come from the book on Balthasar and Magdalena, but they give us plenty to choose from regarding what to write on. I chose to focus on their parenting styles and how due to their situations each approached parenting little Balthasar slightly differently. For Magdalena her life being around little Balthasar constantly influenced her reactions toward his behavior. Instead of berating him for not trying hard enough she usually offers solace or compliments on a job well done (Ozment 92). Magdalena knows how diligently her son works to please his father and will remind Balthasar of just that. She also notes that Balthasar should reward his son with the gifts he requests of his father. At one point referring to his writing ability she writes, “They are as well as he can do now, it takes him a while to produce such samples,” (Ozment 93). One can see from her letters to Balthasar that Magdalena loves her son dearly and wishes the best for him.

               

Balthasar on the other hand was not as openly loving with his son. He instead preferred the role of disciplinarian, specifically using the method of winning little Balthasar’s obedience through the purchase of presents or gifts. He writes Magdalena, “Tell little Balthasar to be good for the time being, otherwise I will bring him nothing. If he is bad, I will give the beautiful satin purse, the two pairs of shoes, and the red striped stockings I have bought for him to another little boy who behaves better than he,” (Ozment 94). Probably the most extreme example of this behavior from Balthasar concerns a crown that little Balthasar wanted for New Year’s Day. Little Balthasar promises good behavior and work, and in return Balthasar withholds the present. Instead deciding to bring it to his son when he returns to Nuremberg writing, “Tell little Balthasar that when I return home and learn that he has been good and studied diligently, I will give him his New Year’s gift personally,” (Ozment 95). Magdalena was understandably upset by her husband’s choice and responds with just an edge of irritancy in her next letter, “I myself believe youo should not have forgotten his New Year’s gift. You could have brought him great joy. You still can do so with your next letter,” (Ozment 95). This shows that while the parents typically agreed on how to raise little Balthasar sometimes disagreements did occur.

Citation:

Ozment, Steven. Magdalena & Balthasar: An Intimate Portrait of Life in 16^th Century Europe Revealed in the Letters of a Nuremberg Husband & Wife. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1986.