Nothing drives me more bananas than when, not long after a meal, my kids whine with at me, “Muuuummm, I’m staaaaaarrrrving!”
Straight away, in righteous indignation, I respond with “You are NOT starving! You don’t even know what it feels like to be hungry! I will take you to a third world country one day…. THEN you will know what it means to be starving!” I have even been know to launch into a diatribe about how lucky they are to have access to services and infrastructure that many kids the world over cannot even perceive of. Usually a glazed look and dutiful nodding follows, and in frustration I lament about what I do as a parent that results in a complete lack of understanding of the world and its realities. I mean, I am smart. I am socially conscious. Why are they so blissfully unaware of just how lucky they really are?
This morning, after my usual spiel in response to their impending demise by starvation, I send my kids off to play, and prepare to commence my usual daily domestic duties. I open the fridge and consider the contents and sigh dramatically. What *will* I make for dinner? Today has been sooooo busy! How do I get time for anything? Life is just so HARD sometimes! I mean, I have my three children home all week, I HAVEN’T had time to go shopping, and it looks like I will have to whip up SOMETHING…. but what? My fridge is full, but I don’t feel like anything that is in there- and having been so busy my vegies from last weeks shopping have gotten kinda old… better throw those out.
*Sigh* I feel so tired today. I haven’t been able to go to pilates in aaaaaaagggeeess, and forget shopping at Garden City. I haven’t been able to get something new to wear, FORGET taking the kids to a busy shopping centre to buy fashion necessities. UH UH, noway.
*sigh* My life is just so HARD!
Catching myself mid-thought I am ashamed of myself. How is it that in attempting to eke out a significant existence my needs are so shallow? How can I teach my kids to appreciate their lot in life and have a balanced world view when I too have no idea what it is like having to live a life each day battling to obtain basic life needs? They may not know the meaning of starving, but I do not know what it is like to have to face my starving children and have nothing to provide them either.
Sometimes I feel like life can be such a battle, but for what? A battle to have money for more stuff? For enough time for leisure? For more ‘me’ time? Why is it that what we have is never enough, given that there are so many people battling in this world just to survive, fighting for their childrens right to eat, drink- or just live?
Sometimes I am ashamed that we don’t know how lucky we really are.
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Amen to that!
I, too, can become ungrateful as well when my brood become demanding but I try and reflect on how grateful I should be as a white Australian that I have adequate healthcare and education unlike Australia’s own Aboriginal people.
Very true Outsider. We are very lucky here, and the sad thing is that we don’t realise it.
BTW do I know you? I notice you have visited a few times and wonder if you are someone I know who is incognito…! Oh the curiosity!