Hotel Mama

More and more kids remain at home for as long as they can, nowadays. The reason? Renting or buying a flat/house has become very expensive for young starters, with prices easily reaching 200,000 €  or more. Staying at home with Mum saves money and allows to set some aside for later.

What is also growing more and more popular is kangaroo-living, where grandparents, parents and kids share a house. Althoug... this idea takes getting used to. Lots of people still don't understand how valuable this can be.

I don't have to be persuaded. I grew up in a (big) house which was shared between my maternal grandparens and parents. So normally there were 6 of us living there. And sometimes, my mom's youngest brother with his wife and two sons came over from Germany (where my uncle worked) for a holiday. Then we were 10 (little Negroes)...).

I've never experienced this as a problem. There was always someone at home when you came home, there was something to eat and drink. Grandma always loved to cook and bake, so the kids (and not only us two, but all the other kids in the street and the friends we brought over) did not go hungry or thirsty! And when you had a problem, you could talk about it to grandma or granddad, as they understood better than our parents.

Alas, the grandparents and parents are not there anymore. Now there are only my sister and I - 2 little Negroes. And in the end there will be none. I just hope my sister can go before me, because I know she'll feel lonely when I am not there anymore. I could cope better, I know. I can be on my own when it is necessary. But of course, that's not in our hands...