“A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit.”
Greek Proverb
It is beautifully miraculous to nurture a child and watch them grow. There is so much of you in them, and yet they are totally and uniquely their own. The trick as a parent is knowing when to instruct and when to refrain. I believe one of the biggest challenges is raising a child the way they are uniquely designed to be versus raising the child the way we would have liked to be. There is no better place to experience a child's unique personality and passion than in a creative capacity. Our annual local Youth Market displays the children's creativity perfectly.
I love wandering from table to table appreciating the creativity. The atmosphere is electric. The tables prettily display each child's work. Some of the older children have already built a business for themselves. Hand weaving, soaps and woodwork that they are selling in country markets or little road stalls in the greater area.
Sisters with a passion for horses are sewing lovely stuffed toys. Horses of course. And then there's the brother and sister duo who are being homeschooled on a protea farm. They are learning to roast coffee. Naturally the constantly brewing stall was a hit.
The children are mostly homeschoolers and the ages vary. The very young enthusiasts are assisted by a parent, grandparent or older sibling.
Smaller children sold pesto, cookies, fudge and even our famous South African vetkoek stuffed with curry. Teenage friends fried flapjacks and the queue blocked the doorway as hungry customers ordered the sweet treat.
Speciality breads, chai tea, seedlings, essential oils or leatherwork. The variety was as varied and wonderful as each child. I was delighted to see the support of people coming far and wide to honour the ingenuity of the next generation.
Many young artists sold cards, bookmarks and even pillows that had been individually painted with African wildlife.
How do other communities support their future generations? Let me know how your culture nurtures your children, especially on this beautiful winter's #marketfriday. Thank you 
The Youth Market day was a roaring success. Hats off to each special child. May their passion never be stifled and may their creativity inspire both the older generation and those to come.
