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Every Day is (Nuclear) Family Day
Apr. 6th, 2020 03:38 pmKid to parent: How come we have a Mothers' Day and a Fathers' Day but we don't have a Children's Day?
Parent to kid: Every day is Children's Day
Apparently that's a classic exchange in households throughout the ages. I'm pretty sure I asked the same question (and got that same answer) when I was a kid, although I don't remember being asked the question as a parent. I don't think I would have given that answer either. Of course, days specifically to celebrate a mother or or a father have become quite controversial in an age of gay families and stepfamilies and single-parent families and whatever other family configurations are out there.
In Ontario, Family Day (the third Monday in February) was added fairly recently to the calendar of holidays for workers who fall under provincial labour law.
Since pandemic restrictions took effect, one might now say that every day is Family Day, at least if we're talking the nuclear family or the household-as-unit (extended family is of course another matter entirely). If you're single or widowed or estranged from a partner, you might be a family of one. You might be a couple who either never had kids or they are now gone for whatever reason. If you have lots of dependent children, you might be a family of seven or eight or more. And there are other possibilities too.
We've always joked that when spring comes, the babies and toddlers emerge from their snowsuit cocoons and you realize just how many little kids there are in the neighbourhood (and perhaps how much they've grown and changed under all those winter layers). They're still coming out this year, but at a safe distance. And we're seeing more parents walking with older children too, now that those school-aged kids are OUT of their bricks-and-mortar schools and not allowed to play with their friends, neighbours and classmates. They're friendlier too - for most nonessential workers and their families, getting outside for a walk in the fresh air is a highlight of their day now that nicer weather is upon us. I kind of like that aspect of life under the pandemic, although it's sad to see all those off-limits play structures.
We now have crocuses, tulips, hyacinths and possibly a daffodil or two in our front garden. Tomato seeds and a few other future edibles are being planted indoors for later transplantation outside. No tulip festival this year, but last year we actually got a freebie bag of tulips from our neighbourhood community centre and they constitute part of what we're enjoying now. Physical distancing is definitely easier when you can enjoy the great outdoors and not have to resort to counting flowers on the wall!
Parent to kid: Every day is Children's Day
Apparently that's a classic exchange in households throughout the ages. I'm pretty sure I asked the same question (and got that same answer) when I was a kid, although I don't remember being asked the question as a parent. I don't think I would have given that answer either. Of course, days specifically to celebrate a mother or or a father have become quite controversial in an age of gay families and stepfamilies and single-parent families and whatever other family configurations are out there.
In Ontario, Family Day (the third Monday in February) was added fairly recently to the calendar of holidays for workers who fall under provincial labour law.
Since pandemic restrictions took effect, one might now say that every day is Family Day, at least if we're talking the nuclear family or the household-as-unit (extended family is of course another matter entirely). If you're single or widowed or estranged from a partner, you might be a family of one. You might be a couple who either never had kids or they are now gone for whatever reason. If you have lots of dependent children, you might be a family of seven or eight or more. And there are other possibilities too.
We've always joked that when spring comes, the babies and toddlers emerge from their snowsuit cocoons and you realize just how many little kids there are in the neighbourhood (and perhaps how much they've grown and changed under all those winter layers). They're still coming out this year, but at a safe distance. And we're seeing more parents walking with older children too, now that those school-aged kids are OUT of their bricks-and-mortar schools and not allowed to play with their friends, neighbours and classmates. They're friendlier too - for most nonessential workers and their families, getting outside for a walk in the fresh air is a highlight of their day now that nicer weather is upon us. I kind of like that aspect of life under the pandemic, although it's sad to see all those off-limits play structures.
We now have crocuses, tulips, hyacinths and possibly a daffodil or two in our front garden. Tomato seeds and a few other future edibles are being planted indoors for later transplantation outside. No tulip festival this year, but last year we actually got a freebie bag of tulips from our neighbourhood community centre and they constitute part of what we're enjoying now. Physical distancing is definitely easier when you can enjoy the great outdoors and not have to resort to counting flowers on the wall!
