What is 'normal' ?

Whilst I was offline, I watched a news story regarding Steve Irwins daughter Bindi. She is currently in the US doing a series of television interviews, about her new show, which Steve was filming for when he was killed. The news story was insinuating that Bindi was going to be harmed, psychologically by all the press, and that she should be allowed a 'normal' childhood.

Well it got me thinking, what actually consstitutes 'normal' ? Who writes the rule that says what is and what isn't a 'normal' childhood ? Maybe they really mean 'ideal'. Maybe someone out there has written a rule saying what 'normal' or ' ideal' actually is !!

I get particuarly annoyed by those who tell a bereaved parent that things will be much better once life returns to 'normal' .

How can life return to normal. Normal for the family of a child with health problems is hospital visits, medications, therapys, operations..... when the child passes away then all that stops. No child, no appointments, nothing, just a huge empty void. Life does not return to normal, you have to find a new kind of life, a new kind of normal.

Returning to the subject of Bindi Irwin. Her life has never been 'normal' in the way that the press mean. She was born and raised in a zoo, she was taken around the world , seeing sights that many people will never see , however long they live, she has suffered the loss of her beloved father.... not what usually happens to your 'average ' child . My children do not know how to behave around crocodiles, Bindi does, my children ( well the older ones anyway) know how to deal with traffic, crossing roads, shopping in a supermarket, whilst a child from the third world, living in poverty will not know any of that. They will know though, how to survive, how to find food where it seems that no foof exists, something my children would be unable to do.

I guess what I am saying is that to me it seems that 'normal' is subjective. It depends on the environment, the circumstances a billion and one different factors . The life Bindi leads IS normal.. for her, for her family, and to suggest otherwise is downright scurrilous. My childrens lives are normal... for them.

I hope that Bindi finds happines and fulfillment in her life, whether that be to follow in her fathers footsteps or whether she takes an entirely different route .

Good luck Bindi