"The role can be quite lonely," she added. This 'parentification of eldest daughters' was not limited to immigrant families, said Ms Bojang, "but maybe it's not as intense as it is for those from immigrant families."
For Ms Bojang, a dedicated 'Eldest Daughter's Day' would recognise the contribution eldest daughters make to their families. "I think one of the challenges that eldest daughters face is how hard it is to get their role recognised in the home," she said.
Ms Bojang said growing up she felt she was treated as the third parent. "I couldn't go to afterschool clubs because I had to get home to babysit my brother. I also had to learn to cook quickly at the age of 11 because I would have to make dinner if my parents were working late."
"Hopefully in the next couple of years, Eldest Daughter's Day won't be something we have to tell people about," Ms Bojang said. "Our aim is for it to be just like mother's day or father's day."
Collection
[
|
...
]