It is quite sad...the only way for that child to participate was to be the beast of burden. Not only sad, but it angers me as well. Sometimes I think the best thing for society is to revert back to pre industrial days. That would bring about a whole different list of ills for modern humans but at least kids wouldn't be needing media babysitters and eating fast food with no nutritional value.
preindustrial would definitely see us change our behaviors, as not only would we be more active, we would also be producing things that were of use. Not like now, where the majority of what companies create and where most of the wealth is made, is in the useless.