I hope my child won't have it much worse
«I want my child to have a better life.» We've all heard that phrase. It's the wish of every reasonably sensible parent. But what if the parents already had a pretty good life themselves? What if, like me, they grew up in the carefree nineties, when the only danger they faced was suffering brain damage from listening to too much «Bravo Hits 19»?
The music has improved since then, but everything else has got worse. Progress has come to a standstill for the moment. And as a parent, I need to rephrase my wish: I hope my child won't end up much worse off.
My son will soon realise just how uncertain the world he lives in is. He'll ask questions. What will I say to him then? «Tough luck»?
Just so we're clear: I'm not talking here about skiing and the scandalous rise in the price of day passes at winter sports resorts. I'm quite optimistic that our children can lead a perfectly decent life even without the thrill of hurtling down a snowy slope at breakneck speed.
The Covid pandemic as a turning point
No. I'm talking about education. About health. About safety and prosperity. Our son's birth was ill-fated from the start. He was born during the pandemic. Although he didn't notice much of it, the world was in a state of emergency at the time, and some people – including his parents – still haven't fully recovered from it.
People only talk about this strange time when yet another story emerges about a hockey coach who has forged his vaccination certificate. And yet it seems to me as though the world hasn't really got back on track since then. As if we've gone off the rails and are simply carrying on, refusing to face the truth.
At the same time, artificial intelligence has come a long way since then, which in turn is causing a great deal of uncertainty. «What do you want to be when you grow up?» we sometimes ask our son.
«Pilot!» – «Where did you get the kerosene from?»
«Chef!» – «Nobody goes to restaurants anymore. At those prices?»
«HR administrator.» – «You must be joking, surely?»
«Artist!» – «Arrrg!»
Reading aloud whilst the world is coming to an end
That's another injustice. My own parents were hard-working people who toiled so that their son could afford the luxury of an artist's life. I work hard too, mind you, but I search in vain for any sign of freedom, let alone luxury, in my royalty statement. I make up for this by reading aloud to my son for hours on end , making up stories for him and generally spending a lot of time with him. Time instead of money. Now, contrary to the saying, this is simply not the same thing. And so I wonder when the deception will be exposed.
My gaze wanders from «Pu the Bear» to the tablet displaying the day's alarming news. I shudder and think: I have to do something. My God. What on earth am I to do?
So far, my son hasn't complained. Of course, he's six and is currently fascinated by the lives of dinosaurs. The present isn't really his thing, and the future only exists in terms of his next birthday. But he'll grow older, and one day he'll realise just how uncertain the world he lives in is. And he'll start making comparisons. Comparisons with the past. Comparisons with me.
He'll ask questions. What will I say to him then? «Tough luck»? It's true. There are many things we can't control. And of course, it's not about ski passes and holidays in luxury resorts. Of course, time, love and understanding are so much more important. I keep telling myself that. I tell myself that every day. Reading aloud whilst the world is coming to an end! But then I get distracted and my gaze wanders from «Pu the Bear» to the tablet displaying the day's alarming news. I shudder and think: I have to do something. My God. What on earth am I supposed to do?
