Daily Life

In a family of 7, the father is 35 years old, the mother 29 years old, the oldest son 14 years old, the youngest daughter is 11 years old, the middle son is 9 years old, and the youngest son is 7 years old (Vang 148).

When the rooster crows at about 3 a.m. the oldest daughter gets up to prepare some veggie porridge, which consist of banana leaves, some vegetables, and green weeds for the pigs (Vang 148).

The oldest son gets up around the same time to cut weeds, leaves, and grass for the cows and horses. If there is not enough food to feed the chickens, then he will have to get corn and hulled or unhulled rice. When the oldest daughter is done she prepares breakfast and something for lunch for when the family goes to the fields (Vang 148).

When the family leaves for the fields, the youngest daughter and youngest son, who are old enough to take care of themselves, stays behind. They look after the house and the animals that they have (Vang 149).

The family arrives at the field when the sun hasn't appeared yet and starts working. When the sun is overhead they eat their packed lunch, and then continue to work until the sun is almost over the horizon. The father calls his wife and children to head home. Before they all head home they would gather some vegetables and bring them home for the next days (Vang 149).

The two kids who are at home would start preparing dinner for those who left to the fields. When the rest of the family gets back, the father then starts to grind corn to make corn meal for the pigs, and chickens for the next day. At the same time, the mother is pounding rice for the day. After all the work is all done, then the family will settle down for dinner. After dinner, the children would clean up the dishes and finish other chores that they have not done. They would pick out unhulled rice from hulled rice to give to chickens and horses. One child would then start a fire to boil the corn meal in a clay stove to feed the pigs for the next day (Vang 150).

With the time that is left, the daughter sew her skirts and other clothes. When it's midnight or later she'll go to sleep for a short time, until the rooster crows in the morning again (Vang 150).

Being prepared in every way and needing an extra hand some reasons why Hmong families have so many kids (Vang 150).