Young peoples’ reflections on what teachers think about family obligations that conflict with school: A focus on the non-normative roles of young caring and language brokering

In ‘Western’ contexts, school attendance is considered central for an ‘ideal’ childhood. However, many young people engage with home roles that conflict with school expectations. This article explores perceptions of that process in relation to two home activities – language brokering and young caring. We interviewed 46 young people and asked them to reflect on what the teacher would think when a child had to miss school to help a family member. This article discusses the young people’s overall need to keep their out-of-school lives private from their teachers.