Categories: just-life
Date: 05 February 2007 18:56:09
This evening, just before ER, Channel 4 has one of their Real Life series looking at children that take on the respopnsibilities of caring for their parents and siblings. Tonight's episode, Aged 12, and Looking After the Family.
In this episode Louise, 12, and her sister Jenny,9, look after their four younger brothers. Feed, clean, dress, play with and put to bed, as well as looking after their parents who both are blind and disabled. The reason I'm not sure if I cn watch it can be summed up by what the TV Times has to say; It's hard not to question the parents - while they obviously love their children, the house is filthy and it's depressing to see a nine-year-old get home from school to be greeted by dirty nappies and a list of chores, while dad has a beer in the kitchen and mum, pregnant with her seventh child, lights another cigarette.
I know that if I watch this programme I'm going to get very angry at how Louise and Jenny are both missing out on their childhood while their parents, appear to, act very selfishly. And this in turn will spoil my enjoyment of ER afterwards.