It was International Woman's Day recently and it got me thinking about being a Mum. The real wonder women of this world. We do, do it all , ( working to raising a family, having the house the car ,career , the education, and the travel ) you name it we are, were expected to have it all, juggle it all and not complain. Heck they let us out of the kitchen and are moving towards equal pay what more do we want. No, this blog isn't about any of that. Well, it kind of is as it's about raising our mini woman ( and man) in the world. International Woman day got me thinking of what I want for my wee one.
The posts on IWD were interesting to me, most were about celebrating woman and their achievements, about working together, supporting each other ( and everyone else, this isn't a bashing blog ). About how we need each other. The things I saw were about the rise of women , in society and in each others world as in , the physic of people. No longer working tirelessly in the back ground , an invisible force in peoples lives . Behind every great Man is a great Woman bull shite slogans etc . Emerging was the equality of seeing women. They /she has always been there. I found that woman were and are getting acknowledgement now. And I want that for my wee woman, Just to be equal. ( I think men , of an older , in position of power generation , are afraid of equal, I think they think that we in achieving equality will take over and then treat them as badly as they treated us in the past. ) No , gents equality mean equality.
I want her to have an equal shot at the world and to be able to take it. I want her to be STRONG , in her own worth, to believe in herself. I will raise her healthy in body , teach her to look after herself.
INDEPENDENT in her choices , to weigh things up, to think things through, to know right from wrong and good from bad. But also to take chances, make her own path , carve her own way.
BRAVE to go see the world , to experience as much as she can. To stand up to people who tell her she can't or put others down. Ask questions, speak up !
KIND to others, to help people who need it, be compassionate and considerate.
CARING to the world, her generation need to literally save the planet. I will teach her to be resourceful, recycle , reuse, refuse the harmful things in the this world. To look after the planet , its fauna and flora so she may leave her footprints upon it.
I have not put beautiful, she is born beautiful, everyone is, it is the things we do and say that make us ugly. Best said by Roald Dahl in The Twits
I will teach her not to subscribe to societies standards and to strive for her own. What makes her happy, what makes her comfortable. I will of course be a Mum about it and groan and roll my eyes at her choices. But I will let her find her groove , her style.
I will and I wish I had learnt this so much earlier in my life teach her, tell her drum in to her. That SHE CAN BE AND DO ANYTHING ! BUT SHE CAN NOT BE, AND OR DO EVERYTHING! As I said , I wish I had learnt that earlier as I am of the generation after the bra burners ( whose daughters now are being told we need boob jobs ! Go figure ) , who came out of the homes and had careers . The woman who in my opinion helped and hindered woman kind, by putting the idea that we could and would do everything . The home and the office and layered a whole new set of expectations on us. We had to be well travelled , educated, have a career and have the kids. As most Mums are finding out , we can't do it all and I will my teach my little one to figure out what makes her tick and follow that and leave the rest behind. Be a Mum , be a proud one. Have a career and be the best you want to be at it. Travel , go to university if that what you want to do. But don't heap it all on and feel , like I did that I was failing at all of the above at the same time. Rant over
Yes, this blog is aimed at women and their daughters , I am also raising sons and I need to give them the same guidelines in life. As must you with your wee boys. It is a different set of expectations and pressures put on boys but the generally topics apply. I hope to help all of my children regardless of gender, enter in to the world of young adults, as well rounded people ready to make it an equal and better place. It starts young, it starts now.
ps , I hope you all got the Spice Girls reference in the title and are humming away to Girl Power xx