How Others Matter in Children’s Socialization: The Huotang-Centered Allomothering System Among the Matrilineal Mosuo

Abstract

AbstractAllomothering, the practice of child-rearing by caregivers other than childrens’ mothers, has garnered more attention recently. This study examined allomothering within the matrilineal Mosuo, an ethnic group in Southwestern China known for its nonmarital reproductive and dual-residence system, in which partners maintain separate residences, fostering cooperative multigenerational child-rearing. Still, specific parental interactions within the Mosuo have not been completely investigated. Using the grounded theory approach, we conducted two rounds of semi-structured interviews to explore Mosuo’s allomothering system and child socialization practices. Initial interviews (N = 19, M = 53.68) focused on child-rearing beliefs and family relationships. Subsequent interviews with caregivers (N = 17, M = 40.6) and children (N = 19, M = 15.7) delved into detailed intergenerational parental interactions. Our findings show that grandmothers primarily handled children’s daily care, with mothers and sisters dividing responsibilities for financial provisions and co-caregiving. Mothers tended to enforce discipline, and aunts provided nurturing attention. A female-led “Huotang-focused” allomothering system is prevalent, where “Huotang” signifies the communal hearth, central to family interactions. Maternal uncles, while not directly involved in care, oversaw moral and behavioral guidance and assumed economic obligations. Fathers, exhibiting less authority than maternal uncles, predominantly engaged in rough-and-tumble play, marking their interactions with their children by distinctive friend-like characteristics. Children’s socialization reflected legitimate peripheral participation, with the children observing and modeling their maternal caregivers’ behaviors and beliefs. Mosuo’s allomothering interactions offer fresh insights into cooperative strategies and prompt a reconsideration of traditional parental roles in child socialization.