Conducting everyday life: toddlers developing across different contexts

In the paper I discuss how small children (0-4 year) develop through ‘conducting everyday life’ across contexts (Holzkamp 2013). I discuss how this process of conducting everyday life is essential when discussing the ‘good life for children’ from a child perspective. These issues are addressed by using materials from my ongoing Ph.D. project which is based on cultural-historical research traditions and critical psychological conceptualizations. The project is a qualitative study of 6 children, who for various reasons are defined as being children-at-risk. Due to concerns about their development, they are involved in preventive interventions. I conducted participatory observations with the children in their everyday life. Overall, the study stresses that even small children must be perceived as active participants who act upon and struggle with different conditions and meaning making processes across contexts (home, day care, part-time foster family) and in relation to other co-participants.