Christmas Story Fabulous Fact-5 Were There Grandparents In The Fields With Shepherds?

The male Shepherds ABIDING in the fields with their flocks were Nomadic Bedouins - LIVING there completely, and traveling with their flocks from pasture to pasture, just as we read throughout the Old Bible from Abraham, Isaac & Jacob to Moses, David, and many of the Prophets.

HOWEVER, they were not living alone: They lived in the fields with their wives, children and in most all cases, with the Shepherds’ parents and in some cases - grandparents.

It’s very simple. Remember, these were Shepherds ABIDING in the fields with their flocks. They had no other homes. They lived here. Over the years, as one generation aged to the point of staying close to the tent, the younger generation would take the flocks daily to pasture. Thus ALMOST EVERY Shepherd’s Family living in the fields had elderly parents - and sometimes grandparents with them. There was no where else to go.

A typical situation would be as follows. Mothers took care of newborns, nursing, etc. If no newborns, the Grandmothers took care of the little children around the tent, mending, cooking etc. The Granddads stayed around the tent as well doing all manner of repair and often taking children of 6-12 scouting for things to COLLECT, going to town, etc.

Moms & Dads would each take a flock to pasture - say North & South of the tent, perhaps taking a child or two , training them to shepherd. Usually there were older children, say from 12-early twenties who could go in pairs with other flocks, say East & West of the tent All had Sheep Dogs, and sometimes the dad simply visited each flock each day making sure all was well.