Mother and daughter, Dilys and Martha, sat around the kitchen table. Sian and Gareth were playing in the other room. An argument broke out. Martha sighed and, calling them into the room, gently chastised them, explaining they should love each other not fight.
Dilys snorted, watching them leave the room, pinching each other out of sight of their mother. She was thinking she didn’t approve of this soft love, as Martha called it. Loving her grandchildren, she realised that times had changed but in her opinion not for the better.
Martha caught her mother’s eye knowing how she felt. She explained that you have to be honest with children, threatening wasn’t acceptable as it harmed their self-esteem. Dilys snorted and asked if threatening to bang heads together had done her any harm, pointing out that those threats had never been carried out.
Soon they were both laughing as Martha remembered how her mother was when she was short of money; when Martha had wanted something it was always tomorrow. When tomorrow arrived, she would tell her that it was today and so it went till payday. Catching on in junior school, she had attempted to use the reasoning to escape her homework. Her mother was called to the school and had to admit it, explaining the reasons why. It caused much amusement with the teachers.
Dilys asked why if you’re so honest do your children believe in Santa Claus, Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy not to mention Halloween which is scary for young ones, a pagan festival. Martha knew she was right but it was traditional and they all loved seeing their children’s faces on the day.
Dilys relented knowing and loving all the innocence of her young grandchildren on those occasions. Hugging Martha she told her it was just the generation gap. Martha smiled remembering her childhood and the freedom she had. She felt slightly nostalgic for those days but knowing her children would never have that luxury.
