The Effect of Seasonal Maternal Employment on Young Senegalese Children’s Behavior

Abstract

The research describes the effect of seasonal maternal employment on 3-5 year old children’s play and social behavior in one rural village in Senegal. Thirty-one male and female children of employed (n = 18) and unemployed mothers (n = 13) were observed during the course of two seasons: One five month season when the 18 employed women were engaged in seasonal agricultural wage labor near their village, and a subsequent two month “unemployment” season when both employed and unemployed mothers were back in the village, and were engaged in traditional activities. The results showed that, when mothers were absent due to employment, employed mothers’ children were more independent and engaged in more high involvement play time; when mothers were back in the village, children’s independent and high involvement activities were less. Children of employed and unemployed mothers seemed to be affected somewhat by the employment of some of the village mothers. In addition, girls appeared to be affected somewhat differently than boys. Cultural- ecological factors that account for this pattern of results are highlighted in the discussion.