Slow Moments and Politics

 

This Steady Mom 30 minute blog challenge is turning out to be a blessing for me - it means that I am actually making the efferot to write here once a week (sometimes more!) - although today I did have a thought that as march progresses slowly for us - I may have a few things to blog about.

One of those being Slow Moments.

Slow Moment of the Day

After the little one woke from his unusually long lunchtime sleep today he snuggled into me as though he was really still tired and wanted more sleep. Normally I would pick him up from his bed and walk straight outside with him, ready for some more play and a snack.

Today I was trying to be very mindful of just having stillness and savouring the moment of ordinary things. So I sat down on the nursing chair with him snuggled into my arms and just sat with him for ten minutes.

He lay there awakening from his slumber slowly and I sat and thought about the gorgeous little creature that is my son. I stroked his head and felt how his hair - so fine and blonde - is beginning to grow thicker and become more like that of a little boy. He changes before my eyes daily.

Finally he looked up at me as if to say, ' thank you for that snuggle Mama - it was just what I needed'.

I think I will find much joy in this not rushing business.

And now onto the more serious part of this blog post - Politics!

I am not really one to get involved in Political matters - not really one to become passionately embroiled in an argument of any kind really. However, I have recently come to the realisation that the decisions that our political leaders make now are those most likely to affect my children in the future. If major changes are made to the Education system or the Healthcare system - it is my kids who will benefit and/or suffer.

Now it's not the actual reform that I am really all that concerned about. Australia has an excellent education and healthcare system and the basic structure and elements are things that I hope are only built on and improved.

The reason this has come to my attention is because the current Australian government is on the cusp of delivering education reform that will make a vast difference to the education that my child recieves as compared to what I recieved. That reform is the introduction of a National Curriculum. I agree with this concept - do not get me wrong - I most definitely agree that the basis of the Australian education system should be cohesive across all states and territories - it would most certainly make it easier to understand in some cases. However, it is the process by which this will be achieved that intrigues me most.

I will digress to  Healthcare for a moment.

Australia has one of the best healthcare systems in the world - subsidised medical care for all and a free public hospital system that provides state of the art facilities in most instances. I may be biased - I work in one of these facilities. With the whisper of major health reform on the political agenda - I am nervous. There are many flaws in the Australian healthcare system and I wouldn't hesitate to say that not many of them are concerned with the frontline delivery of this service - unless - that frontline delivery is affected by limitation of service  through access (Read: Waiting lists) or through poor allocation of resources. In my opinion - it is the latter that is one of the biggest issues. Now if this healthcare reform comes in the form of a Federal government takeover of the presently state run health services - it will be very interesting to see just how it all pans out!

You see - it is not the reform that I am concerned about - i am sure that those thoughts and ideas are all well considered and thought through by numerous policy advisers and political bigwigs. It is those policy advisers, political bigwigs and numerous other levels of beauracracy that the reform has to go through to finally be deliviered to the public - that is where my biggest fear lies. While I am sure that many of these people do their job well, I do wonder just how many of them have ever worked in a frontline healthcare situation? I have it on good authority that there isn't all that many and those that did - did so many years ago.

My question is - How is it possible to make decisions that will affect generations of future Australians when those people making the decisions may have never had to really think it through and seen first hand how the choices they make and the boxes they check will affect everyday Australians?

It is a very difficult situation but one that I believe needs consideration.

I know that this is a very Australia centric post - however in light of the proposed changes to the US healthcare system perhaps some thoughts are relevant. If not - I hope you enjoyed my Slow Moment of the day!

Comments

[Kelly]

I am very intrigued by your thoughts about health and education reform in Australia, especially considering where the U.S. stands on those issues.

Slow moments are the best, aren't they? It's like you can finally step outside the race for just a second to see what's really important.

[Kelly]

"How is it possible to make decisions that will affect generations of future Australians when those people making the decisions may have never had to really think it through and seen first hand how the choices they make and the boxes they check will affect everyday Australians?"- how true this is for us in the States- we see it in education, healthcare, you name it- the people making the decisions are not the ones having to live with the consequences.

Isn't it nice to take a moment to just be- I just wish it came more naturally for me to do so sometimes.

[Andrea]

I think that it is all just going to take time and good planning for the US. It is a very tough situation and difficult to change with such a big population.
Slow moments take time I think - to learn.

[se7en]

That slow moment is beautiful. Funny how when we stop and breathe how well we are rewarded!!! That little man is just gorgeous!!!

[Making Time]

Visiting you through the 30-Minute Challenge...

Love this slow moment! Love it when that happens with my son, still even though he's about to be 3.

And interesting to read about the Aussie healthcare situation. I just wish we had SOMETHING in the US.