I have missed you Russia

Where have you been my readers is Russia? Glad to see you back. Please make some comments and let me know the blogs you most enjoy. That way I can produce more. Great to have you back.

'Crusher Collins'--- not a good look!--ooops Anne Tolley!

The sight of Anne Tolley (Minister of Police) standing on top of a boys racer’s crushed car was one bordering on the ridiculous. I am not sure whether she was trying to present herself as a tough Minister of Police or as someone trying to get a ‘date.’ Hey girl--- those stiletto shoes and raunchy jacket did make you look like some sort on wannabe—well what?

Do you really think the image you are displaying is going to do anything other than divide? We need to communicate with these young people; to get them onside, not further alienate them. I in no way support them polluting our streets or endangering citizens as they go about their crazy antics. I want to see them off the streets, but just do it. Do we really need the cheap fanfare of circus-like performances that belong in countries with tin-pot dictators? You do yourself no credit. Pass the bloody legislation and implement it. Do what most people want--- make our streets safe, then concentrate on other aspects of that which is wrong in our society.

OH--- by the way--- did you get a date out of that ridiculous show?

Were grandparents meant to be 'the' parents?

Grandparents have become ‘the’ parents. Yes they have always been important in the extended family of the past. Every grandparent was special and they were fun to visit because they often took the role of proving little extras and took us on outings. They were also the voice of reason when things weren’t going so well with one of our kids. They provided balance. OK--- my description is one from an idealistic world, but it does contain some truths.

What’s happened over the years, it seems is that we now have many grandparents acting as the ‘primary’ caregiver, because for various reasons the children’s’ parents are no longer able to cope and they are simply not ‘providing’ in all the sense of the word for their children. I do not know the numbers of grandparents in this situation. Yes, grandparents have stepped into the gap throughout history in many cultures but the new model is an increasingly common one.

I feel for these brave grandparents. At a time in their lives when they should be able to say--- ‘I love it when my grandkids visit, but I also love it when I hand them back.’ Out of necessity they now step in and face the daily task of providing and caring for the kids. They are often tired and financially stressed. They can reach a point where their own health is a factor that makes the job even harder. The kids sometimes run them around; they know how to get around stressed and tired grandparents and we too often see a ‘new family’ in crisis.

I have also seen many of these families coping, but there is always the underlying fear about what will happen when the grandparents hit the wall. At a time in  their lives when they should be taking it a bit easier, they are faced with this huge new challenge.

We all need to acknowledge these special people—they are heroes. Without painting their predicament with the same brush, we do need to ask--- why has this situation become so common? Society has some huge questions to ask. I am merely raising the fact that we need to do just that.  Let’s have  some real discussion.