25 Comments

Love this. As a parent and as someone who has spent much time visiting US schools and working with kids, I can't help notice the joylessness that modern America imposes on family life and childhood. It's always good to be reminded that this is not the case everywhere. Part of the antidote is the wonderful friends and family members who step up to support, you awesome people, you!

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Nov 23, 2022Liked by Michael Jensen

I love seeing the kids with their parents out and about. I wanted to have kids once upon a time, but it didn’t happen. So I get to be the best aunt in the whole wide world (according to multiple sources…after prompting from me. Hey, you gotta make sure they love you so they take care of you when you need it!) I feel like it is kind of like skipping to being a grandparent without having had kids myself. The best of both worlds!

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Love this, Perents love the children and play with children and spent time with. So beautiful article written. Wonderful photography. I like. Iam so glad. I feel like it's kind of like skipping to being grandparents. They're love eachother & family friends.

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These photos are such an uplift for this week, thank you for sharing them! And this is so, so true. The first time I traveled with a baby, it opened up so much more of the world and other cultures to me.

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Thanks for sharing this, Michael! I didn't think I ever wanted to have kids, but I did. I wouldn't trade it for anything, but it's definitely hard work and not all unicorns and butterflies. With each of my boys our relationships were very strained starting when they were 16. Thankfully, we are out of that phase now.

I have several other children who I call mine but aren't biologically related to me. A niece whose stepmother emotionally abused her and biological mother was murdered. She's expecting her first child in March, and I'm looking forward to helping her through that. I have two stepdaughters whose mother moved away twelve years ago. I'm not "mom" but they definitely look to me for guidance and support. And then there's our son from Taiwan who only lived with us for a year. He's still very much considered one of the kids. And my older son proposed yesterday in Italy to his girlfriend, so I'm getting another daughter!

Love all these beautiful photos. I agree that American kids just aren't out and about as they are elsewhere. I lament the hectic schedules they seem to keep--all because parents feel like they must give them everything so they don't miss out. But in the end, they really do miss out on the beauty that comes from a leisurely stroll through town or a picnic on the beach or visiting with an elderly relative. I love being a mom, but I'm so glad I'm not raising kids right now.

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Nov 23, 2022Liked by Michael Jensen

Love ❤️

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Nov 23, 2022Liked by Michael Jensen

I feel just the same way. When I was a kid I thought I wanted a big family like my Mom and grandmother (five kids and seven kids, respectively), but the older I got, the more sure I was that I didn't want any at all. Now I am VERY happy to be the "cool aunt" who sends presents and postcards from abroad. And just the smiling face of a delighted adult, no matter where I am!

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Nov 26, 2022Liked by Michael Jensen

That’s lovely. Thank you for sharing this.

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Nov 25, 2022Liked by Michael Jensen

Absolutely beautiful. XOXO

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