The old days were not always better to the people who lived them.My Dad's father left his
Mom with a son & 4 DDs.There were no jobs for women,no baby sitters.She took in washing & ironing.
Dad,being the oldest at 8 yrs,picked up & delivered clean,ironed clothes with a wagon.He found a job at 13, delivering big chunks of ice on his shoulder.The money helped his Mom raise her family,with never a penny of support from their Dad.
He often helped with ironing & did his own shirts all his life.
I try to catch myself from mentioning how good things used to be.It's all relative.JMO