Musings from Graceland

CHILDREN RAISING CHILDREN

.

When I lived in Swaziland, it was

common to see older sisters toting their baby brothers or sisters

on their backs. It was strange to think that

a 7 or 8 year old was being trusted to care for a

1 or 2 year old as they wandered the

neighborhood with other children or walked

down a dusty, country road to a neighbor's house

often a good piece away. But at least

you could be fairly sure that a parent, or at

least some other caring grown-up, was actively involved

if not right at that moment, then at least the majority

of the time.

.

Now that's no longer the case. Too many

mothers and fathers have died or are dying leaving

older siblings, often not much older than

babies themselves, as the primary caregivers for

younger siblings.

.

Brady Denger, a WORLD RACER short-term missionary

in Swaziland, wrote about one such "big" sister and

the little brother she looks after:

http://bradydenger.theworldrace.org/index.asp?filename=the-most-responsible-fouryearold-ive-ever-met