Christmas tree, presents and rest: not every child is granted that. The “Krone” visited a family from the SOS Children’s Village, allowing the protégés to celebrate a wonderful party.
As we enter the shared apartment of SOS Children’s Village, we are hit by the smell of vanilla crescents. In addition, a Christmas tree decorates the living room and the entire apartment is decorated for Christmas. What is a normal phenomenon for many at this time of year is something new for the young residents of the shared apartment. They all come from broken homes where Christmas is not celebrated at all or is overshadowed by arguments.
There is a peaceful atmosphere here in Floridsdorf. Of course this is not always the case. “Just like in any other large family, it sometimes gets noisier here,” says children’s village father Norbert Pauser. Almost every child, except the little ones, has their own room and therefore a place to retreat. The social worker has his hands full with his eight protégés. “The washing machine runs three to four times a day,” reports the 52-year-old. Every day is also an organizational challenge, because each of the eight children has different hobbies and appointments after school.
“The children also give a lot back, it’s the small moments of success when one of the children wakes me up at night and proudly tells me that the bed is dry,” says the village father of the children. The children who are housed in the shared apartment for the medium to long term come to the facilities with a heavy backpack full of emotional baggage. “We’re not family, but we’re trying,” Pauser said.
Every evening we sing and cuddle
Christmas as a family celebration is an emotional challenge for some children, but also for parents – see also page 21. About half of children spend Christmas Eve with their family of origin. The other half celebrates in the shared apartment. We cook together, make music and open presents. During Advent, songs are sung, cookies are baked and people hug each other every evening. As it should be in a family.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
