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Helpers

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Anthropological Perspectives on Children as Helpers, Workers, Artisans, and Laborers

Abstract

Findings from anthropology and psychology converge on this issue. From no later than 18 months, children are highly motivated to assist adults who’re trying to do something—they want to be helpers. This has been demonstrated in lab experiments and is recorded in every child ethnography. These efforts are encouraged as long as the child causes no harm, because it is through participating as helpers that children make rapid progress in learning what will become their chores. Helpers are not yet ready to be “workers” as their contributions are voluntary, they’re not fully competent, and they’re still immature and, therefore, unreliable. Still, even toddlers as young as three are called on to run errands and are capable of joining others in hauling their share of firewood, water, gathered plants, or the day’s harvest back to the village.

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  1. Anthropology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA

    David F. Lancy

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Lancy, D.F. (2018). Helpers. In: Anthropological Perspectives on Children as Helpers, Workers, Artisans, and Laborers . Palgrave Studies on the Anthropology of Childhood and Youth. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53351-7_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53351-7_3

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