The objective of this paper is to describe the daily routines of low-income adolescents, focusing particularly on those who look after their siblings. The description is based on a study conducted with 20 adolescents of 12 to 16 years of age. The instruments were: a record of socio-demographic data, a family genogram, and a semi-structured interview about a typical day. The activities described were organized into: personal care, sibling care, domestic tasks, school tasks, and leisure. The participants were divided into three groups based on type of care: those responsible for sibling care, those who helped their mothers with sibling care, and those without such responsibilities. The results showed that adolescents of both sexes took care of siblings, but females were more likely to take on domestic chores. School and leisure activities of adolescents were prejudiced when they were responsible for care.
sibling care; adolescents; low-income families
