This article draws on data from a child poverty study in Peru to explore how poverty mediates a multitude of risks in rural children's lives. It offers three main arguments. First, risk is not simply a feature of "extraordinary" childhoods and circumstances but also an integral part of everyday, "ordinary" lives.  Second, social and moral dimensions of risk are crucial for shaping children's responses to adversity. Third, where high levels of intra-familial dependence prevail, children can make essential contributions to reducing household risk. Current approaches focus on so-called "objective" risks, but these often neglect children's own priorities and subjective experiences.  

Keywords: risk; poverty; children's moralities; interdependencies; Peru

The final published version of the article is available on the journal website.