ARCHIVED BLOGS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BRIDGING THE GENERATION GAP
Did you hear the news that there is a new technology on the horizon that may allow post menstrual women in their 60's to reverse menopause? Women could be on an equal footing with men, regaining their fertility and conceiving children into their retirement years.
When I told my dear wife, Ella, the great news that we could alleviate her hot flashes and restore her to motherhood she told me to forget it. Heck, I told her look at our friend Harry and his young family who live in Westmount. He is 57 and his wife, Roz 33 have three beautiful, busy girls age 3, 5 and 7.
When I called to make an appointment to interview the family the answering machine’s message was ominous. “ Sorry we can not come to the phone we are probably dealing with the screaming brats”.
Why in heavens name I asked Harry would you want to have babies at your age? “One’s age he replied is only a number on your birth certificate. I thoroughly enjoy my children and have made the decision to stay at home.” He baby sits and does the housework while his wife is out working. What a wonderful role model for Dr Laura, “he is truly his kid’s mom”.
Harry is in receipt of a disability pension and Roz has a job with the City. “She sees herself working till she is 65 supporting her family and trying to pay off her student loans.”
The families days are long, starting at six in the morning and running to eight in the evening. Sadly the nurturing schedule doesn’t end with a kiss and a bed time story. With three young toddlers there is precious little time or money for a social life.
Roz’s father is three years older then her husband and is not thrilled with his daughters choice of a mate. Harry’s children of his first marriage were miffed that he would marry a young lady the same age as they were.
As I watched Roz lying on the floor trying to get comfortable and Harry with three little Jumping Jacks on his lap I had to ask if they had some parenting advice for others? It seems that a sense of humour is a necessary ingredient to survive or you go insane. You need copious amounts of patience and energy to survive until the kids can finally go to kindergarten.
Watching and listening to them you had to admire their courage and dedication to each other and their children. They are having such a great time that they are contemplating, you guessed it, having a fourth baby in the near future.
I returned home and happily told Ella of my interview and asked her how she felt about “we” becoming pregnant again; she gave me her usual answer. Get real. Thank God she didn’t take me up on my offer. The mere thought of fatherhood at my age exhausts me.
PS: Roz left the family home last month leaving Harry to cope with three young daughters all on his own. The story is true only the names have been changed to protect the families identity.
Len Lesser