In the past few days I have seen posts about the awful reality about racing horses, due to the Melbourne Cup, and also about why we shouldn't ride elephants or contribute to the way they are treated when being used as working creatures.
http://www.earthables.com/never-ride-elephants-1438416751.html
I understand that animal rides/zoos/aquariums/sea life centres etc. are a convenient and affordable way for us to see real, fascinating creatures - they bring such joy... and then for people to have the thrill and excitement of racing animals for the unexpected and unpredictable outcomes... but the suffering behind it all is unnatural, unfair, unnecessary and unacceptable.
Everything is so convenient and easy for us these days with machines and technology, that we have a lot of dispensable time (although our time seems so filled); everything happens faster. Therefore people expect speed and efficiency.
This is what children are being brought up into and it's unstoppable. There are also many many positive features, benefits and advantages to technological advancements and a fast-paced access/response time, but we need to work with what we've got - move with the times and all that.
In my dreamworld, all creatures would be free to roam, undisturbed by humans.
As for parenting, it's tough because technology enables parents to get left behind. However, we need to remember what a privilege it is to contribute to the future through children/young people - all of those around us. Guidance, limits, boundaries and love <3
Having children shouldn't be the be-all and end-all of people's hopes and dreams. I know people who are, and others who will be, awesome parents, but there is also much much more to life. With and without children.
I am superbly excited to be spending 2 weeks with HG's family (12 of us inc. 3 x 7yrs & under) over Christmas. I have missed having children in my life - I had been doing some respite work but it has lulled and a year has passed :( Determined to get back into it, I'm also craving a good old catch-up session of being an Auntie :-D
It will have been almost 3yrs since HG has seen his family so we're both looking forward to some quality famjam time.
