Beautiful, idealized childhood. I wonder when I see lovely 1920s illustrations whether motherhood was shown so beautifully so as convince women that the hell of raising endless children without the certainty that they would make it to adulthood was a noble undertaking.
My mum was born in 1921, at home. The doctor promised my grandfather a baby or a wife, but not both. She survived diphtheria, scarlet fever and whooping cough, as well as polio. We don't realize how fortunate we are.
Of course, the parents of those unvaccinated children were most likely vaccinated themselves, so can't catch what they're exposing their children (and other infants/foetuses) to by their ignorance/arrogance/plain stupidity. We had a case here last year where a woman's new born child almost died after contracting something (can't remember what) from an unvaccinated child in the doctor's office. Unfettered selfishness deserves a swift kick where it will do the most good. I'd like to make touring old graveyards mandatory for anyone who refuses vaccinations. (sorry for the rant. I can't abide people who fall for quack science.)
Bunny, we were wandering an old cemetery many years ago, and our then four-year-old granddaughter spotted a very ornate marker. I explained that it was for a little girl who was the same age A was then, when she died. A looked at the stone for a moment or two, and then asked me to take her picture. "I'm going to put it on my dresser so when Mum takes me to the doctor for shots, I'll remember it's so I won't die, too."
Beautiful, idealized childhood. I wonder when I see lovely 1920s illustrations whether motherhood was shown so beautifully so as convince women that the hell of raising endless children without the certainty that they would make it to adulthood was a noble undertaking.
ReplyDeleteMy mum was born in 1921, at home. The doctor promised my grandfather a baby or a wife, but not both. She survived diphtheria, scarlet fever and whooping cough, as well as polio. We don't realize how fortunate we are.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who survived measles, mumps and chickenpox, I get really exasperated at people who refuse to vaccinate their children.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the parents of those unvaccinated children were most likely vaccinated themselves, so can't catch what they're exposing their children (and other infants/foetuses) to by their ignorance/arrogance/plain stupidity. We had a case here last year where a woman's new born child almost died after contracting something (can't remember what) from an unvaccinated child in the doctor's office. Unfettered selfishness deserves a swift kick where it will do the most good. I'd like to make touring old graveyards mandatory for anyone who refuses vaccinations.
ReplyDelete(sorry for the rant. I can't abide people who fall for quack science.)
Bunny, we were wandering an old cemetery many years ago, and our then four-year-old granddaughter spotted a very ornate marker. I explained that it was for a little girl who was the same age A was then, when she died. A looked at the stone for a moment or two, and then asked me to take her picture. "I'm going to put it on my dresser so when Mum takes me to the doctor for shots, I'll remember it's so I won't die, too."
ReplyDeleteSmarter than a lot of grownups.