I've been reading older peoples' blogs and its all about the grandkids. How they miss them, the awful thought of leaving them when death comes a calling.
AWOCs don't have those problems apart from death. We all face that one.
I would like to talk about said positives…
Selfishness becomes a necessity not a detriment to character. It's good to be selfish. Especially if it's a matter of survival - sometimes it can be when you are an AWOC.
You can have as many cats/dogs/budgerigars as you want. But, so many children have 'allergies' today especially to dogs/cats, thus eliminating those four legged beasts from the grandparent hostelry.
You can become eccentric which is always a good thing - by design or necessity.
You don't have the dreaded request to babysit. I have seen friends move abroad to avoid the endless weekend babysit duties. (If you're reading this you know who you are).
No more smiling broadly at the family visits. Kidding yourself as well as your family, that playing goalie on the lawn whilst a five year old slams a football at your arthritic knees is better than a pint down the pub.
There is a story going round that todays kids are mad, bad and totally out of control. To be absolutely fair that's not true. Most are well behaved and delightful. There's just the occasional few who buck the trend.
Marriages can be saved by not having grandkids. Some women always, always and again must, absolutely must, see the grandkids on a daily basis if possible. They live for these little hardnuts. Live breathe and exist only for their offspring's offspring. The husband - not so much. Sorry ladies. I got told a lot of secrets on my estate agency rounds 😉 whilst your were in t'kitchen making tea.
A certain 'acquaintance' of mine moaned every single time another grandchild arrived to add numbers to the increasing throng. The moan?
'There's another one to pay for and buy a bloody present at Christmas'. And the word wasn't 'bloody'.
Actually, whisper it, but I do love kids. The above isn't some sort of compensation for not being able to have 'em. It's all true what I say. But, youngsters are fab. They really are and must be encouraged, at all times, to remain fab.
I'm guessing it's the parents we must blame for any of the above misdemeanours. Over indulgent and idealistic, sometimes. Is it so difficult in today's society to simply let kids be kids? With other kids?
It used to be called 'mixing' or 'playing' with your peers, albeit, young peers.
I have a feeling someone will tell me why not. Is it the 'dangerous' society we live in? True - I guess it is.
We older folk might want to know how and why that happened?
This sounds like a discussion to me...
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