lifestyle

MIA BLOG: Living in a box

I was dropping my son at preschool this morning and one of his friends arrived dragging this giant cardboard box behind him:

Today, he brought it back to kindy “to decorate.”

Sleeping in a box! I suggested to their kindy teacher that he use it as a way to introduce a discussion about homeless people. Let’s practice empathy by seeing what it feels like to live in a box! Life Lesson! God I love a Life Lesson.

I was joking but only half.

It reminded me of a conversation I had with my kids a few weeks ago when we’d gone out to get a DVD and an ice-cream. We were walking back to the car and they were whinging about it being too far and their feet being tired and I snapped.

“Look! You’ve just rented a DVD and had an ice-cream and THERE ARE CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN BOXES. ACTUAL BOXES. ON THE STREET. THAT IS THEIR HOME IN A BOX. WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE IN A BOX ON THE STREET? NO? WELL STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING TO WALK 100M TO THE DAMN CAR WHILE YOU HAVE AN ICE-CREAM IN YOUR HAND.”

Maybe I should ask my son’s friend if we can borrow the box.

I always said I wouldn’t be the parent that said “Finish your dinner! Don’t you know there are starving kids in the world?” and I am totally that parent.

Except with a box not a plate.

Ever feel like kids-these-days are too pampered? How do you make kids aware of how good they have it?

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