I am a parent or guardian

I am a parent or guardian

You may wish they had a different life.

'I look at other children, and see how different their lives are to my son. I wish I could do more to protect and provide for him. I worry if caring for his dad is taking a toll on him.'

But remember it's not always a choice.

‘There’s no point in feeling guilty about things that can’t change. I hate seeing mum and dad feel guilty. I don't mind helping out. It can be stressful but we're a family. I wouldn't change that for anything.'

And remember there are good sides.

'I am so proud of what my daughter does and the person she is becoming. She plans to study nursing at university. She made the decision after realising how much she loved caring for her brother.'

How you can support your child

Start by providing them with emotional support. 

'Be there to talk things through. I make sure to take time to listen to her. We celebrate the positives and talk through the negatives. Sitting or watching a movie together even helps.' 

And encourage them to take a break.

'I try to encourage her to let off steam. She now goes to an exercise class at the local youth centre twice a week. She seems more relaxed afterwards. She even made a few friends.' 

Help them talk to their teachers if needed.

'He needed more time with assignments. I asked him if he wanted help to talk to his teacher. Together we explained his caring role. Now he is much happier at school.' 

And connect them to support.

'The carer associations are great. They support my son and don't make him feel judged. They help him with so many different things and even introduced him to other young carers.'

Resources

Australia

Supporting families supporting young carers

Roles reversed when your child becomes your carer