Great Women
I have been enjoying an extended weekend with the family due to the little lady's birthday. It has been very relaxing and the weather even obliged us by being sunny today. Admittedly the temperatures struggled to get above 4 degrees Celsius but hey ho.
As we hunkered down for bedtime on this my last day off before returning to work I asked the little lady to choose a bedtime story for us to read.
She hopped down and grabbed one of her new birthday books. It was.
Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World.
I nodded in approval. I wanted my little bundle of dynamite to feel she could achieve anything, now and when she was older. What better than to read of strong women who could kill with one punch or cryogenically freeze their enemies with their ice glare.
Although it turned out the book was sadly lacking in those kind of women, we did read about Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart & Anne Frank. After these three I thought it best to wind it up and get to sleep. Firstly though we had a little chat.
But why didn't women do the same jobs as men in the past Daddy?
The little lady wondered.
Because lass, in the past, people were silly. It wasn't until the second world war that things really changed when woman proved that they could do the same jobs as men did because all the men were away fighting.
The little lady pushed the book away and looked puzzled.
You ok little lass?
Such big concepts, I could see her processing all this wild new information. She was obviously plotting in her head how to join with her sisters and smash the world of glass ceilings imposed upon them by the world of man.
The little lady made a hmm sound.
Erm Daddy?
Yes my little warrior?
I am not too keen on the world of work. I am actually a bit of a lazy-bones.
Well, we have to work to make money darling?
Her face scrunched up as she thought that one through. Then she smiled.
Well, I will let the Daddy go out and earn the money and I might mow the lawn now and then.
Then she settled down to sleep.
Hmm, not quite what the empowerment I envisaged. I might have to send Mummy bear back out to work to be setting a better example!
One hopes that among those powerful women are stories of women who are empowered to build a healthy and supportive home for their husbands and children without being sent out to service an employer just for cash.
At least one story of the most important and demanding job that women have traditionally filled.....
Old school.
@meesterboom, I’m at the same stage with my little girl...
trying to empower and let her see just how amazing she is... love the post man... keep sharing... I’m a new dad...
Cool, its great being the dad to a daughter!
Ha, I would hope if they were servicing an employer it would be just for cash ;O)
But no, none of that in there!
Thank you for posting @meesterboom.
Lovely missive and illustrations......quite the topic.....where only the brave go.
Let's see.......it looks like the little lady and bleujay are in agreement on this one.......it is possible she will think lawncare is good for men as well after having a go at it.
Now for instruction in some of the finer things of life.....
Wishing you and yours all the best.
Cheers.
Hehe, where only the brave go indeed!
I suspect that lawncare will be right on that list for men the very first time she has a go. What an awful task it is. That is one of the things that surprised me most about her statement. Where that bit came from who knows!
All the best to you too milady!
A very, engaging story. It seems that your little daughter is enjoying the same good parenting that my parents employed while rearing my siblings and me. For a long time there was only my sister and me and we were taught that we could do anything we wanted to do badly enough. When a daughter sees that her parents and especially her Dad believe in her abilities she can do whatever she chooses to do and do it successfully..
Oh I love that. That is my hope. I dont think it is until I had my daughter that Iwuite noticed the rampant sexist nature of the world the way I see it now and I hope to instil exactly that in her!
Mummy still going to work with witches?!! maybe that has her thinking ;-)
But I will say that with mowing the lawn...well, perhaps that will lead to a world of gardening!! which in turn could lead to being a wonderful landscape architect!! which in turn could lead to traveling the world designing famous peoples' fabulous outdoor landscapes!! which in turn could lead to writing books about those landscapes!! which in turn would lead to speaking engagements and becoming world-reknowned!! I see BIG things in learning how to mow the lawn! and BIG things to come for your little lazy bones :-)
That sounds smashing indeed!! I shall be getting her on that mower tootsweet starting this summer! It's funny, is almost as if you write that from experience ;0)
And yes, mummy is still training with the witches!
Admittedly my personal experience never soared quite that high, but that hasn't stopped me from being quite opinionated about these things!
And quite rightly too!!!
Ideally, instead of working for money, we are doing what we love -- then the money will come. Basing our lives on money as opposed to love and passion, may leave us with full pockets, but often empty hearts.
I loved this post and hearing about your interactions with your family. It's always great to be here with you @meesterboom.
Hello lass!! That is true. Ideally I want her to be confident to choose her path to happiness. I am sure it will be!
With you as her daddy I'm sure she will have a great perspective to draw from. I'll bet it's a hoot being around you! You character shines through in your posts. I always love seeing what you have to share.
Hehe, my only hope is that I don't be am annoying swine of a daddy when I am older!
I imagine you have complete control over that!
Bill Gates:
And as a lazy-bones myself I give your little one a big thumbs up ;)
HAha I like that quote!
The reason I keep coming back to your blog is your honesty and your audacity for sharing your personal and routine life stuff with us. I know some people think it is not a courageous thing to do, but personally I believe that even if you are sharing good about your life publicly, you are showing courage because it is something that is yours and you are giving it to the world. I love personal accounts which is why I enjoy your posts like a lot.
Now on to the actual post. Happy birthday to your little lady. I hope she lives a happy, healthy life and does all that she plans on doing even if it is to mow the lawn haha. I like her honesty a lot and I also like it that she is fine with not doing much at the moment. I believe empowerment is not just about going out and proving yourself that you can be as good as men on something, but it is also about being who you are and not letting go that away. Your daughter is genuine at heart. Never let her go that away. <3
Thank you very much. I hope the very same for thw little lass. Even when she is not so little! :O)
"Gather around, children. I'm going to tell you of another tale that changed the world."
I'm already practicing my wise old grandpa voice, for when I need to be regaling tales to strays around a metal drum bonfire. I'm filing this one away as one of the most fundamental posts that changed the world. I pity those that could not see its significance.
The little lady did a great job deflecting fate. Unbeknownst to everyone, the wheels are turning, and she's processing all of the information for plans moving forward. Of all the books you could've chosen, you just had to go to "Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World" didn't you, Boompadre? You just can't help but show your legs and tempt fate, couldn't you?
Haha, if we don't tempt fate then who will tweak her devilish little nose?
I hope it's all churning away under the surface, in fact I am sure it is!!
Although you deny that you do not have all the handling of difficult situations, I must say that I admire in the simple and practical way of answering, when asked the little lady answered "Because lass, in the past, people were stupid"
I definitely have to take notes on these tips that you use.
Excellent reading dear friend @meesterboom, thank you very much for sharing
I wish you a great evening
It is my favourite repsonse, Children love it lol!! Cheers @jlufer! :O)
Kids are so cute and they will say the darnedest things. She may not seem empowered in the moment but she will remember where he daddy stood and how he made her feel important. Snuggling up and reading a book at bedtime has always fostered the most dynamic and interesting conversations with my kids. Even a talk with my middle daughter when she was 5 about the Whinnie the Pooh stories. She couldn’t understand why Rabbit was so angry all the time. She didn’t quite get out of it what I thought she might, every time she was angry for the next few weeks she would say “I’m so rabbit right now” lol ahhhh kids!!! Thanks for sharing.
They are amazing in the things that they say. She constantly makes me laugh or think when she says things. I do love this bit of parenting :O)