ABSTRACT
This chapter explores to understand variability in fussing and crying frequencies among Bofi forager children during the weaning process by examining the possible impact of demographic variables and individual differences in caregiver sensitivity. Bofi forager children stopped nursing of their own accord, and their parents did not employ any specific techniques to speed the process. Weaning is often viewed as the classic example of parent-offspring conflict. R. L. Trivers predicted that offspring would resist any decrease in parental investment, using "psychological weapons" such as temper tantrums and crying to combat these decreases in investment. Bofi forager parenting is characterized by close physical proximity in infancy and early childhood, with an emphasis on adult alloparenting rather than juvenile or sibling alloparenting. Maternal sensitivity is influenced by parents' personalities and developmental histories and should thus remain fairly stable, although changes in maternal sensitivity are expected to occur in the context of "major life stress and/or changes in social support".
