Is it wrong to make your son a mini-dad? Give him the responsibility of looking after siblings?

Our neighbors have 7 children. They wound up in this situation when a cousin died in an auto accident and they took in the cousin's 4 children. Their oldest child agreed to take one more year before starting college to help out at home. It seems to me all he does is help. Both parents work and he is daddy to the other 6 children all day. I understand that tragedy brought this on a few years ago, but I think by now they should have come up with a plan that does not leave an 18 year old boy caring for 6 children instead of having a life.

I help him with things often and he is a fine young man. Honestly, I am surprised he is so good about it all. Maybe he is teaching me something.