Encountering an Uneasy Child

Childrearing has been a topic of constant debate in Finland during the last few
years. The basic contradiction in the debate has been between a child-centred
and an adult-centred ideal. However, the discussion on the ideals seems to be
on a general level without much interface to the nuances of everyday life. In
our research project we seek to ascertain how adults and children create a
common understanding. Our data consists of ethnographic case descriptions
and tape recordings of everyday interaction at home and in a day-care centre.
This chapter focuses on the interaction in a day-care centre. In Finland the
day-care centre1 has become an important part of everyday life for families
with small children since usually both parents work outside the home. Because
children spend many hours a day in the centres, the workers often become very
important and intimate adults for them.