Teachable Moments
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Children Caring For Children
I stopped at a red light and noticed that several moms were crossing the street. They were all carrying very young infants. A male child, about the age of 5 or 6 years old, was pushing an umbrella stroller that had a sleeping child about the age of 3 who was asleep. Another child, about the age of 2, was also asleep in the lap of the 3 year old!
Neither child was strapped into the stroller. Simply the weight of two sleeping children held them in place!
It struck me as odd that moms would entrust very small children to a 5 or 6 year old to get them safely across a very busy intersection!
The reality is that many parents DO entrust their children to take care of younger siblings.
It is not uncommon in many families that students as young as elementary school are held responsible for the care of their younger siblings.
As a former middle school administrator, I observed 10, 11, and 12 year old students walking their siblings to the neighboring elementary school before they arrived to the middle school campus. They were also expected to walk them home, prepare a snack and get their sisters and brothers settled for homework...all before mother and/or father arrived home from work.
It is important, as educators, that you are aware of the many responsibilities required of your students after school. The frustration of students not completing their homework may be, in part, due to family-related duties expected of them in the evening hours.
I recommend that you have a conversation with your students to determine if this is impacting their lives.
You may be surprised to discover that Children ARE Caring For Children!
Neither child was strapped into the stroller. Simply the weight of two sleeping children held them in place!
It struck me as odd that moms would entrust very small children to a 5 or 6 year old to get them safely across a very busy intersection!
The reality is that many parents DO entrust their children to take care of younger siblings.
It is not uncommon in many families that students as young as elementary school are held responsible for the care of their younger siblings.
As a former middle school administrator, I observed 10, 11, and 12 year old students walking their siblings to the neighboring elementary school before they arrived to the middle school campus. They were also expected to walk them home, prepare a snack and get their sisters and brothers settled for homework...all before mother and/or father arrived home from work.
It is important, as educators, that you are aware of the many responsibilities required of your students after school. The frustration of students not completing their homework may be, in part, due to family-related duties expected of them in the evening hours.
I recommend that you have a conversation with your students to determine if this is impacting their lives.
You may be surprised to discover that Children ARE Caring For Children!