Belgium. I've been there several times. Usually to visit someone and twice to celebrate vacations. The first vacancy was a bike ride through the Netherlands, part of Belgium and Luxembourg. That was abandoned and not too well prepared, but has caused many memories. It was a time when you could just walk down the street without being harassed or ending up with a knife in your back along the side of the road. We've been hitched, three young girls with bikes and never felt unsafe.

Times have changed and I would never send my kids out alone by bike. Lifts not at all. Where there's no phone booth, talk pole anymore and police don't show up when you call, it's better to take care of the uncertain.

I've never been an overly concerned parent. My kids learned to take over tasks from me at a young age. They had to be with a parent who worked.
These responsibilities also brought greater freedoms and participation. While single me and the kids were discussing and being close, we saw with the eyes of a friend in the neighbourhood of Antwerp.
Stress, fight with mature girls hanging around her neck like crybeds. No second rest always drama. With stupid astonishment but also annoyance, we have seen it for weeks. To date, this behavior is still unclear to us.
Why does a parent not want to see children independently, learn to bear responsibility, joint household chores, engage in conversation with the family? Why carry all that burden as a parent alone and go under it yourself? Why always accept that assaulting manipulations?

I saw the same behavior in another friend and her family. Also living in Belgium. Same crying, screaming, stressful situations. Spoiled, smashing everything, not a minute of silence in the house. Never even talk normal without yelling or conversation without being disturbed for five minutes. Everyone seems to make a little.

“The road to Antwerp is an agony,” my friend said. Slowly we have withdrawn more and more. The contact mutually diluted. Mut-exception of an animal shop where I once bought my ferries and a chocolate shop I never really explored the city of Antwerp. No missing I am not a city break human and given the current plan demics I have seen Belgium.

#antwerp