THE SECOND MOTHER

THE SECOND MOTHER
 
We had already observed how Lulu and Margarethe, the aunts, used to interact with Ditty and her daughter, Luíza. They used to help the mother whenever it was necessary with her daughter care. With Tatá and Marcelino, aunt Jud acts in the same way.

Nevertheless, some days go we had a surprise. At noon we prepare the trays with the afternoon meal of all the adults in the sanctuary. We do that in a room that has acess to Gilbeto?s group (where Lulu, Margarethe, Ditty and her daughter, Luíza, 5 years old, and son, Pedrino, 7 months-old, live).
 
Generally, while we are preparing the meals, several of them come and ask for the some food in advance, or, at least, some snacks or bread. The one who insists the most is Gilberto, who, by the collor of the packages, identifies his favourite snack ? and now that he has discovered brown bread, he does not accept anything else. Back to the surprise episode, one day Ditty appeared at the door alone. Most of the times she takes Pedrinho on her chest or back, but at that time he was not with her. Then we started to ask and call for Pedrinho. A few seconds later, Luíza, his sister, appeared carrying Pedrinho, acting as his second mother.

When we complained about Ditty, Luíza gave her brother back to their mother. We had already noticed that sometimes Luíza took Pedrinho for a while and then gave him back to her mother. But at this time we were concerned, as long as Luíza was carrying Pedrinho all over the enclosure and the mother did not seemed to be worried, thinking that the 5 year-old daughter was proficient enough to take care of the baby.

Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian
GAP Project International