Just Something I've Noticed

January 02, 2009

In the years past that I have been here and this year again I have noticed something very interesting. Very often I will see older kids walking somewhere holding their younger brother or sister's hand, or I will see a teenager walking arm in arm with who appears to be the grandma or grandpa and of course grandma's and grandpa's with their grand kids. It seems the different ages mix and mingle more here than at home. I see them together in the markets, see them walking on the street, sitting together on the front step of their homes or on park benches. Maybe I just don't see it at home because we are in cars, and in out homes, our lives are not exposed as much because we have walls and windows with curtains and blinds and we don't just sit on our front step for no reason, greeting people as they walk by. This could be the reason I don't see it, but I don't think so, I think our generations don't mix as much and I think we plan this. As soon as kids are old enough to talk, listen and understand they are quite often shooed out of the room when adults are getting together....they are sent to the basement (I'm convinced this is why people like to have basements). Lots of times when adults are engaged in an activity like planning cards or playing a game a separeate activity is arrangeed for the children. I recently read a book called "To little to ignore" and the author, who's name I have forgotten talks about this very same thing. We have resorted to educating our children only by teaching, not by example. Knowledge no longer gets passed down generation to generation but by a book or by a certain class yo took.We even send them to a separate Sunday School (in the basement) we set up kids programs and events and then we expect other people to volunteer (most of the times) to run all these programs. Why do we have to have a kids cooking class at our community center? Why can't the children hang out in grandma's kitchen? Teenagers take babysitting courses because they did not have to look after their siblings or younger cousins. Here they all sleep in the same bed, nothing is separate. From baby to grandma, all in one little house, elbow to elbow eating together at a little plastic table. No privacy ever, which must bring families closer. It seems to me that the Mexican people have more respect for the little kids and for the elderly, they seem to be esteemed higher than everyone else. I've also noticed that people here are very proud to introduce me to their mother or father, they make a point of making sure I know who is their mother or father is, not kids so much but older people who's parents are elderly....interesting. Maybe we should mix it up a little more at home, I know I'll try when I get home. I always plan on making changes when I get home and at first I do but in a very short time I am once again caught up in my very Canadian way of life. Like how I get used to the price of food. Getting off the plane I am shocked at the price of a cup of coffee and decide I am never again paying that but it does not take long and I don't even think of it anymore. It's very surprising how fast a person can go from shock to not even noticing. We become apathetic to things so easily....that is a whole other story.