Contemporary adult discussions often set up strong, even unchallenged norms of what things in the home promote children’s well-being and what constitutes a threat to it. This article examines children’s own descriptions of their homes and their standpoints on what is a good and proper life at home. The analysis focuses on the interview talk of child clients of Finnish child welfare. Children’s talk of home is characterized by positiveness, the presence of mother and scarcity of words. Home talk was not tinged with worry and problems. The study shows that children also have personal moral standpoints related to their homes. The children regard their homes as places of reciprocal obligations and responsibilities. Just as the adults have a moral obligation to look after the daily life at home, the children and the livelihood, the children also must look after the adults in situations where the adults have not enough energy, time or capability. The results argue for the need to rethink ‘adultist’ and professional norms of homes as a platform to promote the good life of children.
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