Post 2- Children Who Have Become Caregivers

Children Who Have Become Caregivers

LANTANA, Fla. – Throughout the United States, children are recently becoming more of a caregiver rather than the care receiver. Children often younger than 15, are helping take care of their sick parents and grandparents. These responsibilities are often tasks that a parent would do for a child such as dressing, washing, feeding and medicating.
The effects on these caregiver children can be empowering or depressing. The stress that comes along with caring for a sick person is not something a child should have to go through.
Teachers are now supposed to know the signs that say a child is a caregiver at home. Often parents will be hesitant and embarrassed to tell anyone that they need help from a child. Teachers often can detect an uncertainty in a child when something isn’t going well at home.
Due to the state of the economy, parents and grandparents cannot afford to pay for help. The child is free health care.
No child should have to lose out on their childhood because their family could not afford care giving help. It is saddening that more and more children will have to grow up in a home with a sick guardian. Without the child’s help, where would these families be?