This video shows the new entry door to the bedroom shared by Paola, her two sisters, her mother, mom's boyfriend, and her grandmother.
You can see that the bunk beds we bought for the family last year are being well utilized both for sleeping and for storage. Paola sleeps on the bottom bunk with her abuela (grandmother). Don't be horrified - she likes sharing with Grandma. I liked to sleep with my grandma as a child (and even as a teenager!), and in these countries, "family beds" are not at all uncommon and even help children feel safe and secure. The Family Bed has actually become a popular trend in industrialized nations like the United States and Europe ... but, after doing a quick Google search, I can see that the concept is probably as controversial as spanking, lol. I didn't read any of the pro/con articles, but here's a link to one if YOU want to research the debate:
From a glance it seems to me that the primary concern is about small children being accidentally crushed or smothered by blankets. I don't see this tragedy as being highly likely, but, in any case, the Family Bed is hardly an option for Paola's household. The two beds take up almost all of the space in the tiny bedroom, but at least not everybody must cram themselves into the ONE older bed - especially now with Rosa's new boyfriend residing there.
Tomasa uses the top bunk, and Maria is not yet ready to stop sleeping with Mama (and Partner, whose name alludes me at the moment). Don't ask about the girls and an early introduction to sex education. Please, just don't ask! All I can say, is that adult privacy is an issue all over the world. When I lived in Pakistan, I visited many, many family homes. Only in ONE affluent household did the parents have the luxury of a bedroom separate from the children. I always wondered how these parents kept adding more children to the family, with so many already sleeping only a few feet away ... but, I DIDN'T ASK! I don't think that my brain full of Western culture and sensibilities could deal with the answer.
The video of the bedroom shows a lot of clutter, but what is not seen so clearly are the flies. The home is CRAWLING with flies, even in the winter time! In my next blog post, I will list out what we may be able to do about this problem, along with other home improvements.
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