Credit: Illustration: Jim Pavlidis
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GRAND PARENTING
It was so refreshing to read Avril Moore’s opinion piece (23/7), on being a grandmother and not a childcarer.
The candour of this piece was inspiring and clearly outlined how, by default, women continue to be the backbone of caring for young children in families while the rest of the family goes about their daily working business.
And the continuation of this across the lifespan, when women are also expected to care for elderly and disabled family members.
The cuddles will always be lovely, best to be enjoyed without the added weight of exhaustion.
Taking individual responsibility and sharing the load with partners and siblings is crucial; ignoring the guilt is key.
Stephanie Ashworth, Pascoe Vale South
Women with free time expected to do unpaid work
Re your opinion writer Avril Moore “I’m a grandmother – not a child carer”, 23/7), I could not agree more. It is a truth universally acknowledged that any woman in possession of a good amount of free time, should be doing some unpaid caring work. Thanks, Avril, for the revolutionary call to ...rest.
Eli Kinnersly, Richmond
It no longer takes a village
The sanctimony of the letters condemning Avril Moore for her personal opinion (25/7) is insulting.
Not everyone wants to repeat child-rearing. They may wish to pursue other interests in their retirement and not be committed to permanent child care.
Someone quoted “it takes a village”. But we now live in nuclear families in suburban houses. Not in huts along a river bank.
Attractive as that idea is, it no longer exists.
Lesley Black, Frankston
She said what many are thinking
I fully appreciate the sentiments and essence of Avril Moore’s article (23/7) re the pressures, assumptions and responsibilities facing this generation of grandparents – grandmothers in particular. It was a well-expressed, heartfelt call for understanding.
Sadly though, I await a strong rebuttal coming up. Stay the course, Avril. I believe you’re saying what many of us are experiencing.
Dorothy Galloway, Mentone
Caring for grandkids is a key to happiness
A wise friend once told me you need four things to have a happy, fulfilling life. You need someone to love and someone who loves you. You need something meaningful to do with your time and something to look forward to.
For the past 10 years, two days per week, my husband and I have looked after our small grandsons. Is it hard work? Yes, it is. Is it always fun? Not always. But is it meaningful? Absolutely, it is.
To provide quality nurture and share joy is a gift. They love us, and we love them, and we look forward to them coming every week. It ticks all four boxes.
Margaret Hirth, Rosanna
Thanks for the memories
Your correspondent’s letter “It takes a village”(25/7) resonated with me. As someone who grew up with grandmothers’ help care for myself and my brothers at various times, and who we continued to develop a deeper connection with from cuddles through to university until they passed away, I am so grateful.
My admiration for them as kind, generous, wise people has never waned, and it really heartens me to hear of a similar situation from the other perspective.
Bobbie and Dotti, I miss you both greatly, and I’m so happy that my own child is experiencing a similar amazing experience with his grandparents.
Damien Brosnan, Aranda, ACT
Childcaring isn’t drudgery
Your feature writer Avril Moore states. “I’m a grandmother, not a child carer” (23/7) and says, “The cuddles are not enough to outweigh the abject drudgery”. How sad, how very sad.
When my wife and I were in our early 70s we cared for two grandchildren from the age of six months until they started school. They arrived three days a week at 7.30am and were picked up by their mother about 5 pm. We made farms, suits of armour, and rockets from Bunnings cartons. We taught them hopscotch, took them to children’s theatre and jumping castles. We played school with my wife and me as the pupils and the kids as the teachers.
They are teenagers now, and what a joy it was to hear them speak at my 85th birthday. We consider the time spent with our grandchildren is undoubtedly the best investment we have ever made. The old saying is certainly true: “You get what you sow.“
Lance Sterling, Nunawading
Blessed by grandchildren
I have a completely different view of my role as a grandmother. I have many grandchildren aged two to 20 years and since the first one was a baby I have hosted an open house for them one day a week. This has allowed me to watch their different personalities emerge and to form a unique relationship with each of them. In addition, they have formed close and lasting relationships with their cousins. Yes, this has been a lot of work for me, but the rewards far outstrip the negatives. Now, as I get older, I have a loving group of teenage grandchildren who I count among my closest friends and I feel blessed.
Jan Downing, Hawthorn East
THE FORUM
Dutton’s nuclear trick
Peter Dutton’s nuclear energy plan is all smoke and mirrors. He knows, should he win government, that he would have to get the designated states onside, which could be difficult. He also needs to get the legislation through the senate, which will be almost impossible. He will then be able to expand the fossil fuel industry and claim the election was a referendum on renewable energy and wind back support for renewables while blaming the Greens and independents for expanding the fossil fuel industry by blocking the nuclear option.
Rohan Wightman, Muckleford
Empty promises
Whilst it is true that it would take decades to build even a small nuclear energy capacity in Australia, it only takes a minute at press conference to announce it. Whilst it would take mountains of regulations, designs, consultations, contracts and safeguards, it only takes a seven-page glossy pamphlet to kick off the media circus.
All politicians tend to announce grandiose projects and promises prior to elections that are overstated, underestimated and underfunded, but the coalition are masters of the art.
The NBN and Snowy 2.0 two of the Coalition’s best known stuff-ups. Though at least they exist. Dutton’s nuclear distraction is more likely to go the way of Abbott’s signature “gold standard” parental leave scheme.
There are two reasons Dutton refuses to provide details of his nuclear project. Firstly, because they do not exist, and if they did, they would bury this nonsense. Secondly, Dutton has absolutely no intention of ever following through.
Graeme Henchel, Yarra Glen
Dutton’s forward thinking
After WW2, some forward-thinking governments thought to harness the power of water to provide clean, reliable power to the country in the Snowy Mountains. Work began in 1949, and it was operational 23 years later.
It would not be likely to happen now and would be committed to the “too long” and “too expensive” basket.
How fortunate we have someone like Dutton to plan for the future to guarantee the power we need to run our ever-growing power needs.
Renewables provide a qualitative solution but miss out on the quantitative element.
Both solutions must be considered for our power hungry society to prosper.
James Ischia, Hawthorn East
NDIS reforms
I applaud Bill Shorten for proposing reforms to the NDIS. I would much prefer the funding goes to essentials such as supplying wheelchairs, physiotherapists, carrying out necessary modifications to homes and employing carers to shower and otherwise care for disabled people. The NDIS is not there to be misused to allow some disabled people to hire a sex worker and other such ridiculous excuses. NDIS funding should be for life-saving essentials only.
Robyn Westwood, Heidelberg Heights
Baby drought
The Age reports there is a ″baby drought″, from figures linked to a ″baby recession linked to cost of living crisis″, according to analysis by KPMG Australia.
Perhaps the hesitancy lies in a worsening global climate acceptance and a very unstable political world, where we are constantly reminded of possible enemies, while witnessing first hand, on our phone screens, the injury and death of children in conflicts both in Europe and the Middle East.
Maybe the point has been lost on economists, reporters and politicians, that people worry about more things than money.
Money is not the only thing that makes the world go round.
Kim Kaye, Surrey Hills
Fewer babies and costs
A lower birth rate is not something to panic about.
We will need to stabilise our population at some stage if we are to thrive in a hotter world with fewer resources.
If we are worried about the effects of a lower birth rate on our economy, then consider that it may take 18 years for babies to start paying taxes, and we are likely to be paying for their childcare and education for most of those years.
The money we save by having fewer babies can be redirected to aged care and services, and perhaps to allow older, experienced people to continue working extra part-time hours if they wish, without losing their pensions – thus reducing skills shortages.
Jennie Epstein, Little River
MAGA is a phase
Sean Carney presents an alarming analysis of America’s decline during the age of Trump (“Time to reassess our major ally” 25/7). However, there are solid grounds for longer-term optimism.
A controversial 1990 Time magazine article (″Beyond The Melting Pot″) foreshadowed the profound demographic shifts now underway.
It specifically mentioned 2020 as something of a tipping point. It proved true.
Trump has become a figurehead for an uneasy and inherently unstable coalition of older, rural, low-education whites, evangelical Christians and wealthy corporate elites, desperately trying to retain the historical power of ″real America″.
Carney observes that ″even if ...Kamala Harris manages to be sworn in to serve as president for four years, it’s not as though those voters are going anywhere″.
Longer-term, the forces of demographic change – immigration, education, urbanisation – continue unabated. The MAGA coalition will fall apart once they’re out of power and realise even the electoral college can’t save them.
America will transition through this critical inflection over the coming decade, emerging stronger, more vibrant and ready to resume a global leadership position.
Gregory Hill, Brunswick
AUKUS claims
Shaun Carney hits the nail on the head (“Time to reassess our major ally”, 25/7). Because of the ANZUS alliance we are locked, two-step with the declining US.
We had the chance to be more independent with the French submarine contract but Labor cravenly caved-in to the AUKUS deal cooked up by Morrison.
Penny Wong claims, with a straight face, that we’ll have total control over the AUKUS subs and thus be masters of our own foreign policy.
What is there that could possibly go wrong?
David Hood, Richmond
No to grey-suited men
Peter Hartcher writes, (Comment 23/7), “The Democrats have changed their situation. There’s not yet evidence that they’ve improved it.”
Quite so, but a lot depends on who becomes her running mate.
Just another standard-issue grey-suited middle-aged/old white man would derail any chance.
She needs to be brave and pick a feisty white woman.
An all-woman team taking on Trump might electrify the contest. Carpe Diem!
John Laurie, Riddells Creek
Dress like Merkel
Damien Woolnough’s interesting analysis of Kamala Harris’ fashion choices (″Why people stopped talking about what Kamala Harris is wearing″, 25/7 ) neglected to mention another famous wearer of blazers and pantsuits: Retired German chancellor, Angela Merkel. Like Harris, Merkel’s clothing choices were the subject of (often derogatory) commentary, most notably from designer Karl Lagerfeld.
Once, when a journalist asked why she wore the same suit so frequently, Merkel famously responded ″I’m a government employee, not a model″.
Merkel’s emphasis was on government policies rather than fashion, and her clothing choices meant that what she said, rather than what she wore became the focus of attention.
Terry Hastings, Hawthorn East
Olympic sportswear
I am wondering why the young women in Australia’s Olympic beach volleyball team are expected to leap around the court in skimpy bikinis while the men wear outfits that look far more comfortable and practical (″Insect snack has volleyballs chirpy ahead of competition″, 24/7).
Jane Ross, San Remo
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding
US election
If people in the US think that they have the best democratic system of government in the world, why do so few bother to vote? (On average, 53 per cent of eligible voters vote in presidential elections.)
Greg Tuck, Warragul
Perhaps a more fitting title for candidate Trump could be Precedent, setting the low bar as a standard of behaviour?
Hank Dikkenberg, Glenorchy, Tas
An intelligent, black, vibrant woman v an old, narcissistic, white male who will be 82 years old if he completes a term as president. Hopefully, the 53 per cent of undecided US voters will appreciate the opportunity to elect the best person for the job.
Paul Chivers, Box Hill North
Suddenly, words we’ve never heard Donald Trump utter, and never will, are on the agenda: Children, workers, health care, the environment, climate ...
Matthew Hamilton, Kew
Thank you, Joe Biden for bringing back civility to American politics and for sacrificing your own career in the hope of keeping them civil.
John Walsh, Watsonia
Furthermore
I sympathise with Kimberly Cheatle (″Secret Service chief quits″, 25/7).
Differentiating between the apocryphal ‘good guy with a gun’ and a potential assassin in the US cannot be easy.
Peter McGill, Lancefield
It is good that Netanyahu’s trip to the US has been upstaged by other events. Hopefully, he might be sidelined totally by Olympic fever.
Meg McPherson, Brighton
Were the images of the Great Barrier Reef adorning our athletes’ accommodation in Paris taken before the fifth widespread bleaching event that occurred earlier this year?
Jenny Smithers, Ashburton
Despite its flaws, the Olympic Games is the greatest sporting event in the world Most nations compete, and it is watched by most of the world’s population. Enjoy the Games!
Phil Lipshut, Elsternwick
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