Heavy Burdens on Small Shoulders: The Labour of Pioneer Children on the Canadian Prairies

Focusing on children’s work on family farms in western Canada, an “absolutely fascinating . . . marvellously fresh account of the lives of prairie pioneers.” —The Calgary Herald

The phrase “child labour” carries negative undertones in today’s society. However, only a century ago on the Canadian Prairies, youngsters laboured alongside their parents, working the land, cleaning stovepipes, and chopping wood. By shouldering their share of the chores, these children learned the domestic and manual labour skills needed for life on a Prairie family farm.

Sandra Rollings-Magnusson uses historic research, photographs, and personal anecdotes to describe the kinds of work performed by children and how each task fit into the family economy. This book is a vital contribution to western Canadian history as well as family and gender studies.