I was reading a article "exposing" some company for using child labor and I was thinking what's so bad about that? When I was in middle school they used to tell us stories about child labor in the 1800s and how "horrible" it was and how kids would come home and fall asleep from being so tired. And all I could think was that I felt just like those kids. I was working getting up at 6 am to catch the bus to school, then at school 8 hours a day then 4-6 hours of homework, then bed and only getting 4 hours of sleep every night. And I was not even getting paid, at least those kids are getting paid, and when they come home they don't have to do any homework. In fact I even tried to get a job, at 14 and no one would hire me.

School and study is "Fun" considered to child labor.

In sweat shops today, a child may be beaten, if they do not do enough work.. They may only get two small meals a day.. Think about a pile of bricks, that you carry brick, after brick, evey day, all day...

Real work.. not anything, compared to what you believe

NO ONE in middle or high school should have 6 hours of homework a day. Maybe once in a great while, just before exams, if you aren't prepared. Why do I have the feeling that your 'six hours' include plenty of computer time, texting, music, tv, video games, phone, or other electronic distraction?
Plus your numbers don't add up. 8 hours of school and 6 hours of alleged homework leaves 10 hours for all else. It is dangerous for any teen to only get 4 hours of sleep.
And finally, comparing school to 'child labor' shows that you are living in an unrealistic world. We could write all day about the huge differences. Oh - and those kids didn't get to keep any money they made! Did you think they did? In those days, there were no job benefits, no insurance, no welfare, no disability. There were many families who were truly so poor as to starve to death. Family farms were much more common, and at planting and harvesting times, children were taken out of school to do back breaking work dawn to dark. No pay. No toys, no spending money.

It's clear from your other posts that you are many years out of high school, never mind middle school.

Very goot point you make joypulv. People usually hang themselves if you give them enough rope.

And Fr. Chuck also has it spot on as well.

Talk about out of touch with reality...

Too bad this person was never exploited for their labor when they were a child. Then they would better understand why it's a bad thing and illegal. Boggles my mind that they cannot see the logic NOW at this stage of their lives.

The issue is the poster has no concept about reality in the world.. But then most children do not, since they live in a fairly protected society. They relate school, where they socialize with friends, and homework done at home. As repressive.

There is one business, where I know, that hires ( or buys) children from their family. The girls may be given fake ID, but often, they do not even do that.

They have to sleep in one large room, on 5 or 6 beds together, it may be 15 or 16 girls. They work about 16 hours a day. The place they live, is secured, so no one can come in ( or out) without passcode. There are "bosses" at the door, and more in front of the building.

If the girls get out of line, they are just beaten. Often all the girls are beaten, if one does something wrong.

This will be their life, for 4 or 5 years, till they are no longer productive and may be either dumped on the street, or sold to another business, that hopes to work them for a while.

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In the factories, they work 12 to 14 hour a day, with maybe a one hour break. If they get up from their work station, they may be hit or knocked down, and told to get back to work. They live at the factory, often in open dorms,, or perhaps 6 to 10 children in a room. Rape of the girls, and often boys is common by the bosses,
Also rape by the other older children of the weaker or younger.

They will often have two meals a day, with no snacks or treats.

They do not get to leave the factory and if they do, get to leave, they would be too scared, to ashamed or no money to do anything.
Since often their pay for production, is less per day, than what they are charged for living and eating. They normally are in debt to the factory. So they are told, their families will have to pay, or they will go to prison for their debts.

True "child labor" is nothing like a teen holding a job in America.

An example, here in China, my university student, gets a job during summer, ( no time normally during school year) they are paid about 2 or 3 RMB a hour.

That is about 40 cents US