What is it about being a stay at home mum or parent that gets to people?
Since I chose to quit my job to be home full time I am constantly questioned about when I intend to return to work and the inevitable “what do you do all day?”.
In this post I discuss why stay at home parents, and mothers in particular are undervalued this way and why we do not owe people an explanation.
I’m a mum not a maid
What is the role of the stay at home parent? Is it to nurture and care for our children or is the unspoken expectation that your role is to do it all?
In this post I discuss the difference between what we expect from a paid childcare provider and what we expect from stay at home mums (or fathers) and whether society needs to rethink how it values the role of parents at home.
Don’t tell me you’re tired
Don’t tell me you’re tired, if you have no kids or work a nice 9-5 job and aren’t unwell, even if you really are bloody tired. Because this mama hasn’t slept through the night for 7 years and I’m gonna rant.
School Holidays
School holidays where family fun meets fights, tantrums, mess and a gazillion snack requests.
Primary School Offer Day: My last bubba
Primary school offer day is an emotional rollercoaster. The sleepless night before, the refreshing your emails and the anxiety about getting the school you want. But it’s so much more than just the school. It’s the sad crushing reality that your baby is growing up and entering the world.
I remember this with my first born but now it’s my youngest, my last baby, it feels different.
The Three Year olds Guide to Life
This is life according to the 3 year old. The age where tantrums are rife.
Have you ever tried to leave the house with a three year old when you are in a rush? Welcome to the land where putting on shoes takes a million years and if you dare cut their apple the wrong way you will be destroyed.
Parental inequality, Damaging mum labels and the devaluation of fatherhood
If you are a mum, you are very quickly put into a box. You are either a “working mum” or a “stay at home mum”. Because in society we love to label a mum. Where are all the “working dads” at?
In this post I unpack some of the problems with labelling mums, parental inequality and the devaluation of fathers, and how in order for women to truly be able to “have it all” something needs to shift.
Gahhhh Kids Parties!
Kids parties. Urgh what a mare!
Who to invite? The awkwardness of the parents. What food to make and the mistake that is hosting it at your home with no defined end time!
In this post I talk about the stress and spectacle that is kids birthday parties and why after the 1st birthday party I learnt a lot.
Boys with long hair
Why is it still such a big deal for boys to have long hair? Any parent with a son with long hair will have experienced the constant mistaking of their child’s gender, comments from others or pressure to cut their hair. And when your child goes off to school they face rejection by peers purely because their hair is different and “for girls.”
We must move towards a space where both boys and girls are not held into nonsensical constraints and norms.
Maternity Leave: The origins of mum guilt?
Maternity leave is often the longest period of time we get to spend with our children. This precious time is often woven with difficulties and pressures both internal and external to be the perfect parent. For many maternity leave is when mothers first start to experience mum guilt. The constant evaluation and criticism of everythung you do and whether it may be good enough. In this post I look at maternity leave and the pressure to be a good homemaker.