WE, in the United States and many other Western nations, more often think of children as sources of extra work than as sources of help. We often think that trying to get our children to help at home or elsewhere would be more effort than it would be worth. ... But researchers have found strong evidence that very young children innately want to help, and if allowed to do so will continue helping, voluntarily, through the rest of childhood and into adulthood. Here is some of that evidence.