Replacement child facts for kids

A replacement child is a child born to parents after an older brother or sister has died. These children are often born to help their parents feel better after losing a child. Sometimes, the replacement child is the same gender as the child who died. They might even be given the same name. Parents might hope that this new child will carry on the dreams they had for the child they lost.

History of Replacement Children

The idea of a replacement child became more common during times when many babies and young children did not survive. This was especially true in the past, when infant mortality (the death of babies) was very high. Even today, this can still happen in some places.

In some cultures and religions, it was thought to be bad luck to even say the name of a child who had died. Even in European royal families, a dead child might only be called by their royal title, not their name. Among people who survived the Holocaust, the names of those who died were often not spoken. But if a replacement child was born and given that name, it meant the name could be used again, honoring the lost person.

In earlier times, like in early modern Europe, people believed that giving a child a certain name would make them like the person they were named after. So, naming a new child after a lost one was a way to try and bring back the lost child. This helped families deal with their sadness. It also showed a belief that the spirits of the dead were still around the living. In Renaissance Italy, people thought a child's identity was given to them by their family. The modern idea that people create their own future was not common back then.

In 1960, a book called L'Enfant et la vie familiale sous 'Ancien Regime (which means "The Child and Family Life in France before the Revolution") was published by Philippe Airès. He suggested that before the 18th century, people in France didn't really see children as special. They often saw them as tiny adults and even dressed them that way. Parents knew that many of their children might not live very long. Because of this, they didn't always get too attached emotionally to their young children.

Famous Replacement Children

Many famous people throughout history were replacement children:

• Vincent van Gogh was a famous painter. He was born exactly one year after his older brother, who was also named Vincent, died. They even shared the same birthday. Vincent grew up walking past his dead brother's grave every day at the church rectory.
• Richard I of England became King of England, but he wasn't supposed to. He was the third son. However, he became a replacement child in the line of succession.
• Napoléon III of France was a ruler of France. His older brother, Napoléon Charles Bonaparte, died when he was only four years old. Napoléon III was born after this loss.
• Ludwig van Beethoven was a famous composer. He was also a replacement child, being the second son born to his parents. He was one of only three children out of seven who lived past infancy.

The Heir and the Spare

For a long time in history, especially in noble or royal families, it was common for a wife to have an "heir and a spare."

• An heir is the child who will inherit the family's title or throne and continue the family line.
• A spare is another child born just in case the heir died too young.

In royal families, having at least one spare was considered important. When many children died young, having even more children was seen as a good way to make sure the throne would have an heir. For example, Queen Victoria had nine children, and George III had thirteen. These children had different names, but the idea was similar: to ensure the family line continued. A big difference today is that a female can now inherit the throne, which wasn't always the case in earlier times.

Images for kids

• Beaten but Unbowed (Waking from the nightmare of abuse) Karen Braysher a true account of a Replacement Child for her 13 month older Thalidomide sister who was institutalised, although expected to die in infancy. Available on Amazon