3 April 2011

Mother’s Day. A commercialisation I fear we have imported from our American friends. Anyway, what’s wrong with telling our mother, once a year,. how wonderful she is with, I hope, a strong degree of sincerity. (Indeed, I am told by one or two of my friends that I should be telling my wife how wonderful she is every single day!) We are extremely lucky with our children, in that they are only too aware what a marvellous mother. they have. The card from daughter Chloe was what one has come to expect from her, genuinely loving and thanking her mum for the dedication and devotion. she is showing towards me in these difficult times.

 

The card from son Smile was no less sincere but as always, being a bit of a wag, he managed to add an amusing twist to it. He found, what I imagine, is a fairly typical American card,’ For my Mum from your Son, with the following message.

 

“Dear Mum, Sorry I can’t be with you on Mother’s Day but I’ve got no washing needs doing and I’m all right for cash…”.

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We are very fortunate in having two this lovely children who we hope, have been brought up properly, mainly due to their mother’s influence, no doubt, as I was away working. long hours during the week, much of the time, who really seem to appreciate what they have. Contrast this with what I heard this morning on the radio about many of today’s young being ‘benefit socially reliant’. One mother even went so far as to say quite proudly that her son had done very well, “he had managed to get himself on the benefit.”. This is desperately sad and such a waste of our wonderful. youth and something I’m glad to say that is being very seriously tackled by our government. The government announced today that it intends to interview every person who is claiming incapacity benefit and from a trial, they have already conducted have found that at least 50% would be capable of doing some sort of work.. I gather that many university students sign on for unemployment benefit, and also possibly jobseekers allowance during the long summer vacation, most of them having no intention whatsoever of taking a job even if it’s offered to them but using the money to enjoy an extended holiday. I must say I was very proud of my own son nearly, 30 years ago, when he refused to sign on. during the long vacation from Cambridge and instead took a job with a removals firm lumping furniture about all day.