young carers

[zzxxee]

What are your opinions on young carers who look after sick parents with disabilities
and long term health problems?
Just watched breakfast t.v where an 8 year old gets her mums breakfast does the washing washes her mum ect
her mum is overweight and suffers from depression. This is 2010 For Funks Sake no 8 year old should be doing this what life is that
opinions and thoughts please

[Count-A-Strong]

I'd like to know whether the mother had these problems before she became pregnant and if she did, why she became so. Doesn't alter the fact that the little girl is being robbed of her childhood. Hopefully (and it's probably a long shot) the government crackdown on benefit scroungers will mean that some money is diverted to helping such genuine cases.

[China Doll]

While I think it is very loving, kind and caring of children to do this, I do not think parents should ever allow a child to take on this burden, childhood is short enough as it is. I do think children should be made to help and do chores but to be an actual carer I think is too much for them. I see a few children like this, their dedication to their parents is amazing but the mental anguish it causes them (which tends to come out in over anxiety about said parent) is heart breaking. Personally, I think I would find it humiliating to have my own child doing any form of personal care for me, I'm having an op in Feb which should leave me pretty mobile but I still get nervous about the idea that I might need some help in the personal care department from the man hostage or a parent, (I think it's highly unlikely but still one of the few things that I worry about).

[ummmm]

2010 in the UK.

[TheOtherHalf]

I dont agree with it at all. We haveto do it for my 95 year old MIL and 89 year old mum, but not on a permanent basis (24/7) I think it would drive me mad. I feel really sad for these youngsters. They should be enjoying their childhood. It shouldnt be happening these days with all the so called help we are supposed to get. Take the money away from the lazy ba**ards in the UK and spend more on these people

[B00]

Aweful burden for these youngsters to bear.

Like CAS i'd be curious to know how many of these mothers had their children whilst still suffering (In this case obesity) from whatever ailments made their children carers in the first place.

If they were incapicitated prior to having their kids, they should feel thoroughly ashamed of themselves for giving their kids a lifetime of drudgery.

[4getmenot]

social services need to get involved and get the mother some in home care.

[woofgang]

I absolutely agree. have been involved quite often with folk who are disabled whose children take on more than they should IMO.

[ummmm]

SS probably are involved.

I watched a programme recently where an 8 year old child was looking after her baby sister and her Mother who was dying of aids. They lived in a tent and had to beg for food.

Lucky these UK carers weren't born in Africa....

[daffy654]

My 13 year old son has never been called upon to be a carer for me despite the fact I have been quite ill for most of his life, I was quite disgusted at the woman on Breakfast this morning because depression can be treated and the morbid obesity was self inflicted. There is no need for her daughter to be a carer at all.

[murraymints]

AS A CSRER i would do what it takes to help my mum and dad `

[TTG]

"Just watched breakfast t.v where an 8 year old gets her mums breakfast does the washing washes her mum etc."

I saw that, first thing I thought was she should lay off the breakfast.

[Hopkirk]

I saw that woman on Breakfast this morning aswell, and I was appalled.

She just seemed like a lazy, fat woman who has a daughter as a slave to look after her.

The daughter even had to wake her up as she is too lazy to set an alarm clock.

Child abuse, I reckon.

[cazzz1975]

yes I saw that this morning, I thought it was a shame that the daughter has to "grow up" so young because her mother seems incapable of pulling herself together.

[ummmm]

My son wakes me up in the morning (if I don't wake up myself) He uses my phone as an alarm...(he gets up a 6am) he gets his own breakfast as well....shock horror..!

I have to wake the other son up though...

[mccfluff]

i felt for the 17 year old lad looking after his mother and autistic brother, i think he's been doing it since he was 8, what kind of a life is that for a young kid!

[cazzz1975]

its no kind of life mcfluff! its hard work but the poor lad also has to put his future aside to care for his epileptic mother as well as his autistic brother.

[cazzz1975]

oh yes, you said the same mcf... my eyes are not working yet :o

[milly143]

There's a difference between getting your child to wake you up every now and then and completely relying on them. Don't most babies/toddlers wake their parents up....

Anyway, I didn't see the programme but if what you say is true then really that is pretty disgusting. Both depression and obesity are treatable and an 8 year old should not be bearing that burden. That's made me really angry.

[mccfluff]

i felt so sorry for them both, all i cared about at 17 was school, work, boy's, partying, holidays etc.

its not right they should be allowed to be kids

[ummmm]

My son choses to get up at 6am. I think he likes the alone time in the mornings.

It's wrong having to care for parents at such a young age. As long as they are loved, warm, fed, educated.....they are still far better off than half the world.