I was thinking about some of the games that children played in years gone by before television, video games, and all the gadgets they have today to keep them amused. The games that were played during WW2, and afterwards in the school yard were very different, skipping ropes and yoyos were in constant use, and there was always football for the boys, children joined together playing hopscotch, statues, hide and seek, cats cradle, jacks, charades, tag etc, and after homework was done the streets were much safer to allow them out on their own to use their imagination for a couple of hours, and very few got into trouble as the local bobby would only have to have a word with them and that was enough to deter them from misbehaving again. There are lots of games that keep young children amused indoors or out and don’t cost anything, wouldn’t it be lovely to see young children interacting together as they used to instead of sitting in front of a TV and their computer games for hours.
Link for games
Parents check these out for ideas
http://www.gameskidsplay.net/
Alyxander age 7 cats cradle string tricks, The string turtle
Friday 31 July 2009
Wednesday 22 July 2009
Mesopotamia
While the MP’s in the UK are enjoying their 82 days holiday while the rest of us struggle, I hope they also will have time to read and digest this poem that speaks volumes for our times.
Mesopotamia
THEY shall not return to us, the resolute, the young,
The eager and whole-hearted whom we gave:
But the men who left them thriftily to die in their own dung,
Shall they come with years and honour to the grave?
They shall not return to us; the strong men coldly slain
In sight of help denied from day to day:
But the men who edged their agonies and chid them in their pain,
Are they too strong and wise to put away?
Our dead shall not return to us while Day and Night divide–
Never while the bars of sunset hold.
But the idle-minded overlings who quibbled while they died,
Shall they thrust for high employments as of old?
Shall we only threaten and be angry for an hour:
When the storm is ended shall we find
How softly but how swiftly they have sidled back to power
By the favour and contrivance of their kind?
Even while they soothe us, while they promise large amends,
Even while they make a show of fear,
Do they call upon their debtors, and take counsel with their friends,
To conform and re-establish each career?
Their lives cannot repay us–their death could not undo–
The shame that they have laid upon our race.
But the slothfulness that wasted and the arrogance that slew,
Shall we leave it unabated in its place?
Rudyard Kipling
Mesopotamia
THEY shall not return to us, the resolute, the young,
The eager and whole-hearted whom we gave:
But the men who left them thriftily to die in their own dung,
Shall they come with years and honour to the grave?
They shall not return to us; the strong men coldly slain
In sight of help denied from day to day:
But the men who edged their agonies and chid them in their pain,
Are they too strong and wise to put away?
Our dead shall not return to us while Day and Night divide–
Never while the bars of sunset hold.
But the idle-minded overlings who quibbled while they died,
Shall they thrust for high employments as of old?
Shall we only threaten and be angry for an hour:
When the storm is ended shall we find
How softly but how swiftly they have sidled back to power
By the favour and contrivance of their kind?
Even while they soothe us, while they promise large amends,
Even while they make a show of fear,
Do they call upon their debtors, and take counsel with their friends,
To conform and re-establish each career?
Their lives cannot repay us–their death could not undo–
The shame that they have laid upon our race.
But the slothfulness that wasted and the arrogance that slew,
Shall we leave it unabated in its place?
Rudyard Kipling
Monday 13 July 2009
Carers Who Truly Care
These days most parents find that in order to shoulder their responsibilities and raise their families it is necessary that both partners must go out to work to enable them to meet all their commitments. Paying for day care for the children is expensive and often grandparents some who should be retired after a lifetime of bringing up their own children lovingly step in to ease the burden by caring for their grandchildren while the parents go out to work. Many grandparents are living longer now and are still capable of being employed themselves but will happily forfeit the chance to add to their income and instead devote themselves to helping to care for their grandchildren which can in some cases amount to being a part time or full time job.
Showing love and helping each other within the family is as it should be for then an extended family becomes stronger. Unfortunately grandparents age and become elderly great-grandparents, the system seems to work well within the family until then, or until a loved member of the family becomes ill, or disabled. Unless there is then another member of the family willing to give up their job, livelihood, and indeed their life to become a constant carer either full time, or part time. There is for the loved one, or carer little choice due to blindness of the situation, and under funding for adequate and vital medical health care, and social services help to ease the vicious circle for carers and the elderly, the majority of whom end up in poverty.
Last year in 2008 MP’s in the UK were demanding a salary up to £110 per week for carers of the sick and elderly at home, but little has changed for the majority of carers who save, and have saved the tax payer for a long time £87 billion pounds per year. There are those who say we cannot afford to pay carers within the family at home, maybe they will change their mind when they find themselves in this situation. Thousands who are losing their jobs due to the recession will surely find plenty of work as a carer at home either part time or full time within their own families, but should they be expected to do it for a pittance, or for nothing as we find happens in third world countries. How can we help the people in those countries when we cannot help ourselves, we cannot physically live on love alone, although spiritual love and faith may well open others eyes.
Did you know because the NHS is constantly failing the elderly, which includes a shortage of health visitors among other things, hundreds of thousands of old people are being forced to die in hospital instead of respecting their wishes to die at home, up to 300,000 elderly patients are being forgotten. People are dying in hospital when there is no medical need for them to be there, but because of poor coordination of health and social care services the wishes of people who are dying aren’t known, or can’t be satisfied. Health and social care providers give low priority to end of life care including adequate pain management, up to 300.000 people are not granted their wish to die at home.
Please support the Daily Mails Dignity for The Elderly.
www.carers-healingspur.co.uk
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/pensions/article.html?in_article_id=429378&in_page_id=6
Showing love and helping each other within the family is as it should be for then an extended family becomes stronger. Unfortunately grandparents age and become elderly great-grandparents, the system seems to work well within the family until then, or until a loved member of the family becomes ill, or disabled. Unless there is then another member of the family willing to give up their job, livelihood, and indeed their life to become a constant carer either full time, or part time. There is for the loved one, or carer little choice due to blindness of the situation, and under funding for adequate and vital medical health care, and social services help to ease the vicious circle for carers and the elderly, the majority of whom end up in poverty.
Last year in 2008 MP’s in the UK were demanding a salary up to £110 per week for carers of the sick and elderly at home, but little has changed for the majority of carers who save, and have saved the tax payer for a long time £87 billion pounds per year. There are those who say we cannot afford to pay carers within the family at home, maybe they will change their mind when they find themselves in this situation. Thousands who are losing their jobs due to the recession will surely find plenty of work as a carer at home either part time or full time within their own families, but should they be expected to do it for a pittance, or for nothing as we find happens in third world countries. How can we help the people in those countries when we cannot help ourselves, we cannot physically live on love alone, although spiritual love and faith may well open others eyes.
Did you know because the NHS is constantly failing the elderly, which includes a shortage of health visitors among other things, hundreds of thousands of old people are being forced to die in hospital instead of respecting their wishes to die at home, up to 300,000 elderly patients are being forgotten. People are dying in hospital when there is no medical need for them to be there, but because of poor coordination of health and social care services the wishes of people who are dying aren’t known, or can’t be satisfied. Health and social care providers give low priority to end of life care including adequate pain management, up to 300.000 people are not granted their wish to die at home.
Please support the Daily Mails Dignity for The Elderly.
www.carers-healingspur.co.uk
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/pensions/article.html?in_article_id=429378&in_page_id=6
Friday 3 July 2009
A Tribute to George Adamson, His Family. and Elsa
This is a film of the cubs rescued by George Adamson and became famous in the film Born Free, it is very unusual footage and so beautiful, it touched my heart. The boy in the film is his son Mike, and also features Joy Adamson, it is so heart warming and wondrous to see what they achieved through love.
About George Adamson the man who lived with Lions
http://www.fatheroflions.org/GeorgeAdamson_Photos_p.1.html
About George Adamson the man who lived with Lions
http://www.fatheroflions.org/GeorgeAdamson_Photos_p.1.html
A few encouraging words
Maybe there are those who wonder why I write on my blog about some problems that people are struggling with that are already mentioned in the news or media without coming up with answers that solve them myself, the reason is that I think the more people that know about these things the better, and it often takes more than one person to come up with the answers. Everyone working together I believe that we can. All information is valuable and can be sifted, and we have knowledge about many things that have not been successful in the past, what does seem to be missing is the wisdom to know the difference.
When there is an inordinate amount of secrecy, selfishness, and greed in the echelons of power it not only corrupts governments but spreads like a cancer corrupting society, it is important that we all help each other and make sure we do not pass problems on to the next generation, it doesn’t matter what religion, culture, or status we are all things are possible for the good of all if we make it so, even the smallest ways count, and there are a countless number of people who are doing their best setting good examples and working hard, even the poorest and weakest.
Sometimes it is only honesty and a few words of encouragement that are needed to kick start anyone into the realisation that they are important, capable, and stronger than they think they are in order for them to contribute their worth. Fancy words are not needed for those unfortunate enough not to have had a grand education. Wisdom does not always come from those with fancy words, it is up to everyone to contribute their ideas and let them be known peacefully that way we may then come up with the answers for the good of all
www.carers-healingspur.co.uk
Tranquility
When there is an inordinate amount of secrecy, selfishness, and greed in the echelons of power it not only corrupts governments but spreads like a cancer corrupting society, it is important that we all help each other and make sure we do not pass problems on to the next generation, it doesn’t matter what religion, culture, or status we are all things are possible for the good of all if we make it so, even the smallest ways count, and there are a countless number of people who are doing their best setting good examples and working hard, even the poorest and weakest.
Sometimes it is only honesty and a few words of encouragement that are needed to kick start anyone into the realisation that they are important, capable, and stronger than they think they are in order for them to contribute their worth. Fancy words are not needed for those unfortunate enough not to have had a grand education. Wisdom does not always come from those with fancy words, it is up to everyone to contribute their ideas and let them be known peacefully that way we may then come up with the answers for the good of all
www.carers-healingspur.co.uk
Tranquility
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