This thesis is centered on the everyday life of families with children living in sparsely populated rural areas in northwestern Sweden. The thesis explores how families experience and negotiate their everyday lives, particularly at the intersection of local conditions and global processes and with a focus on the living conditions of children and young people. It examines the social and geographical conditions, as well as perceptions of rural life, that shape the narratives and daily practices of family members. Special attention is given to how time and space are utilized as resources, strategic tools, or even forms of resistance in the everyday lives of families. Furthermore, the study investigates the role of intergenerational exchanges in shaping a sense of place, belonging, and the perception of future opportunities, highlighting how such interactions contribute to the sustainability and identity of rural communities.

The thesis is theoretically grounded in a relational rural epistemology, understood as an interplay between material, affective, and discursive dimensions. This approach seeks to anchor experiences of living in sparsely populated areas in relationships and practices. Childhood is approached as a plural and context-dependent phenomenon, with a focus on its spatial and temporal dimensions. Time and space are understood as relational and interconnected, drawing on Massey’s (2005) conceptualization of place and Adams’ (2004, 2008) understanding of time. 

This theoretical framework, along with the aim to explore how families navigate everyday life in remote rural areas, guided the methodological choices. A qualitative multi-method approach was used to capture the complexity of daily life, including home visits, interviews, informal conversations, participatory observation, house tours, play, and children's activities. Mobile methods, such as walks and car rides were also employed. Eight families living in remote villages in northwest Sweden participated, comprising 35 individuals. Families were recruited via community websites, social media, and snowball sampling. All lived in villages with 10 to 800 residents, often in mountainous regions, offering recreational opportunities like skiing and hiking, which shape both daily routines and connections to place.

The thesis includes three empirical articles. A central focus across the articles is on sense of place and everyday negotiations around time, space, and generation. Drawing on a relational understanding of rurality, the thesis challenges static views of rural areas, instead presenting them as dynamic and globally connected. The findings portray rural life as adaptive and future-oriented, as spaces of ongoing negotiation and places where viable and meaningful futures are actively created. The first article (I) examines how families navigate spatial and infrastructural challenges through daily routines. The second article (II) explores alternative temporalities, highlighting how time richness fosters meaning and attachment. The third article (III) focuses on intergenerational exchanges of values, hope, and knowledge as anchors of belonging. Altogether, children and youth appear active in rural transformation both shaped by and shaping their environments. Parents’ strategies, including care-related travel (I), time use (II), and long-term place commitments (III), reflect deeply engaged rural parenting. Across all articles, forms of everyday resistance emerge, challenging dominant societal and urban norms through practical adaptations, alternative temporalities, and visions for rural life.