Mar 01 Child of our time

I have one of those ‘a child of our time’, born at the start of a new millenium. 02/01/00 what a cool date of birth.

A new dawn

A new beginning.

While many will remember partying the year 2000 in I was at my house, in my home, waiting for my baby.

I had been in and out of hospital since Boxing day, she (not that I knew Chloe was a she yet) was moving less, I was frightened and scared. I’d had the flu, been bed bound, had gestational diabetes and couldn’t cope anymore.   New years eve saw me back on the ward being monitored.  Enough is enough a consultant announced, go home see the new year in, be back here at 8am for an induction, this baby is coming out!

After a difficult labour I was handed the most perfect thing I’d ever seen.  My millennium baby arrived on Jan 2nd, she didn’t nab us any freebies for for coming on the 1st, she was seven hours too late for all that! Lee almost dropped her and was sent sharply home by the midwife to get some sleep and told to come back later.

I was left in awe of what we had created. Just watching her.

Therefore it is a small wonder I have watched and devoured each episode of child of our time.  Marked the developments against my own first born.  Compared, observed and remained captivated.  It is poignant this year, as they become teenagers.  The diversity of the children amaze me, I am inspired by some and reflect on how much their lives have changed.  It challenges me to reflect on our own lives.

I felt sad for the woman who talked about not having regrets but clearly regretted not having the career as the solictor she had envisaged.  Do we always think the grass is greener?  I would love to be a stay at home mum at least until Erin is in school.  To not worry about when they are broken or when  children are ill.  To have time to shop in my favourite stores like John Lewis when it is quiet, rather than rush in and out at the weekends or half terms.  To be able to take my time , learning new skills like proper home baking or spend time looking at curtain fabric or other home decor bits. However modern life and fiances just don’t allow it.  I respect and admire  Alison who has raised her son, when she herself has profound physical disabilities.  It gives me hope of what can be overcome, shows determination in bucketfuls.

Child of our time was set up as a developmental observation not a sociological experiment but I personally think it is both.  The sociologist in me finds it fascinating especially how those children have been shaped and in turn how they are shaping the environment around them.  The physical differences between the children is vast in both height, weight and maturity but more than that I love looking at what has influenced them, wether their family situation has an an influence, about their gender, class, ethnicity and location.  These are social characteristics I watch for.  I wish that we had been a part of this, it is social history at its best.

Some of the families have suffered heartbreak that is beyond imaginable to me.  It makes me very humble and grateful for what we have.  Erin’s health issues dominate so much of my energy and time and it is a reminder that whatever what she goes through it is not life threatening, it’s not going to stop her doing what she can.

Comparing Chloe to these children makes me realise how lucky we are.  So far we haven’t had any big fall outs with her.  We are close, she works hard at school, she helps at home.  She has amazing friends and communicates well with us.  Long may it continue.