Walking through the park on the way home yesterday, with the sun poking through a cloudy blanket, and even some birds singing, uplifted those winter doldrums instantly.
Then I saw something so sweet and lovely. I noticed a buggy standing alone, it was a sextuplet buggy! Couldn’t help but do a double-take. After walking a bit, I saw six little toddlers dancing around an older woman who was in the middle singing and egging them on. No one but a heartless troll could walk passed that and not have a smile on his face. Just before that, I saw at least two grandmothers walking with strollers. More often also, I see retired grandpas taking care of their grandchildren, picking them up from kindergarten and taking them to the park.
In Germany, for the most part, we still live in a culture where the older generation plays a significant role in the rearing of small children. The sextuplet buggy, I’m sure belonged to a daycare. But even so, it was an older woman giving care to these children. Daycares are becoming more popular since the German government, a few years ago, ruled that each child is guaranteed a daycare spot from twelve months on. It is still common, out of financial reasons or otherwise that grandparents are asked to help in taking care of children while moms and dads go to work. Just because a daycare spot is promised, that doesn’t mean it’s affordable.
I was blessed to take care of my own little granddaughter for awhile. To be sure, I couldn’t have done it if I were still working my regular job, and it certainly doesn’t come naturally for everybody, it didn’t for me either. Having raised two boys while working the rat race all those years, quiet days were more my thing now, but with a lot of praying, grace and gratitude, it was a blessing and enrichment for me and hopefully my granddaughter too.
The older generation has a lot of valuable insights to contribute in helping moms and dads raise their kids. For the most part I think they have more patience with the little ones. When you don’t have to deal with the everyday natural chaos that arises from raising a family and going to work, you can much better deal with the little tantrums and tired crying babies.
A little shout out to those that have volunteered to take the time to care of the little ones, our greatest hope and joy. Whether you do it on a voluntary basis, or you collect a paycheck to do it. We all know the paychecks caregivers get don’t nearly compensate for the job at hand, which is a major disgrace of our society. The brainwashed society that thinks these jobs are mediocre, when in fact, they are the most important jobs in the world.
We should be grateful and remember all those that take the time, not only for the children, but for the elderly and sick. Give them a hug, buy them a coffee, a little sign of appreciation goes a long way.
There are still heroes around everywhere; you just have to look for them in places other than the television or even online.
If we help each other more, nothing that the controlling powers come up with to try and brainwash us, will even matter, it will just wash off like water droplets off a lotus leaf.
🍃 💧
