"Why are you here?" my son asked."I live here," my husband replied.
"Aren't you supposed to be at work?"
My husband glanced at the clock and shrugged. "I'll be there in an hour."
Looking worried, my son slid into a chair across from him. "Will you get in trouble for being late?"
My husband's eyebrows shot up. "I don't think so."
"Could you get fired?" my son pushed.
Before my husband could reply our youngest stood up and began pacing around the kitchen. "Because if that happens we could lose our house and then we'd have to live in our car, and if we lost our car we'd have to go live under a bridge, and I don't want to live under a bridge!"
My husband froze, toast midway to his mouth, and I immediately jumped in to reassure our youngest that we wouldn't be setting up house any time soon under a bridge.
Days earlier there'd been a special on TV about two families who'd been impacted by the recession. One was about a single mother and her kids, how they lost their apartment and had to live in an SUV. The other was about a family of four, how the father got laid off and they had to temporarily live under a bridge. It was well-done, the sort of show it's hard to turn away from. I watched it while making dinner and my kids did, too.
I turn off the news when they cover gang wars, murders, sexual predators, child abductions, etc. But not a show like this where my kids get to see how fortunate we are, a show that teaches them to be empathetic about what others may be going through. I just honestly didn't think my son would ever make the leap he did or that watching it might cause him any anxiety. Guess I should've had a more indepth dialogue with my kids than I recall having.
What about you? Do shows like that make you approach the way you're living your life any differently?
12 comments:
Watching shows like that make ME anxious too. Important to reassure our kids though.
I certainly focus more on spending money on what I need vs. what I want these days. It's worrisome to me, this recession and all the jobs that are being lost.
I come from a poor upbringing so times like this remind me of memories I'd prefer to forget. And yes they sure do make me anxious and change the way I spend money.
Actually these times are no more or less anxious than others, it's just that the media have a vested interested in keeping you thinking they are. Good for you for turning off the trash that passes for news.
It's great for kids to appreciate what they have. I think a lot of kids have no clue just how lucky they are.
Well...I DO worry about aliens coming down to earth and conscripting my sailboat.
I know I'm a lot more
anxious about my job and
my bills than I've ever been
I worry about everything
all the time even when there's
no recession so this has made
things worse for me. I'm a saver though so I keep socking $$ away and that makes me feel better
Ian makes a valid point.
What we're going through as a nation is cyclical in nature and can certainly be traced back over the decades -- job losses tied to recessionary woes, etc. But yes, the media does milk it for all it's worth, doesn't it?
I dont care that this has
happened before, I'm in the here and now and I hate what we're going thru :--(
If there's something on the news I want my kids to see, I record it and play only that section for them. I can't stand having them think the world is all about murders and gang shootings.
With regards to the hard times we're facing I just keep telling myself that it was time for an adjustment and we'll all make it through in the end.
Happy Birthday Holly!!!!!
Have a great day.
Post a Comment