{DISCUSS: Boys will be boys} A Peter Alexander controversy.

 

This Peter Alexander Sleepwear Pj shirt has been pulled from shelves for being offensive. Where do you sit? Are you offended?

peter alnexander

MY VIEW:

I think boys will be boys.

‘Boys’ does not have a definitive description in our home. Much like the term ‘Girls’. 

At the crux of it, biology makes boys and girls different. It is undeniable, there is an intrinsic difference due to chromosomes. You can’t argue that.

To me, the term ‘boys will be boys’ isn’t limiting boys to one behaviour or attitude. A boy (by biology) will act as a boy. He may play with trucks, dirt and enjoy fart jokes OR he may like making clothes or listening to Kylie Minogue music or kissing other boys. Boys will be boys, without an encapsulating definition of it. Girls will also be girls in which ever way they choose to define it.

Isn’t that the true beauty, knowing that boys will be boys and girls will be girls but no one tells boys or girls how to act.

If we are seeking gender equality then shouldn’t we just accept that boys and girls get to choose how to be boys and girls? By pulling this shirt from the shelves I believe the company is simply enforcing the idea that you are limited by your gender. If boys can’t be boys, what can they be?

The only downfall for me with this shirt, is the fact that Peter Alexander usually makes WAY cuter pjs rather than bland grey with black text.

Where do you sit?

Are you offended at ‘boys will be boys’?

{Girl Crush Tuesday} Smith & Jones

We have some pretty hard girl crushes. These are the types of ladies that stamp their style on the world. They are the type of people that will always be remembered and little girls grow up wanting to be. They are women of substance. Women that make the world a better place. Happy Girl Crush Tuesday everybody.line4

Today is filled with double the love as we salute the beautiful due Smith & Jones.

Smith & Jones are a whimsical duo who play music that doesn’t quite fit the mould but perfectly creates a blend of country, folk and jazz.

Sophie Jones and Abby Smith knew their friendship was gold once they met at record shop and bonded over a love of classic country and blues. Blending a fantastic attitude and undeniable talent the duo created Smith & Jones and have been since performing at numerous venues all over the state.

Their unstoppable talent has led them to being nominated as Young Australian’s of the Year in 2015 and more recently had the duo at number One on Country Music Radio!

When you watch Smith & Jones perform you are transferred to a magical place of harmony and soul. Their music is powerful and beautiful and really shows how brilliant Australian musical talent can be.

Thank you Smith & Jones for showing our little girls that dreams really can come true and we really can be rock stars.

smith & jones

{Girl Crush Tuesday} The fabulous Mia Freedman

We have some pretty hard girl crushes. These are the types of ladies that stamp their style on the world. They are the type of people that will always be remembered and little girls grow up wanting to be. They are women of substance. Women that make the world a better place. Happy Girl Crush Tuesday everybody.line4

Today we salute Mia Freedman. Mia is a fabulously strong woman who uses her voice through many avenues. She is an editor, writer, author and blogger. She was even the youngest ever editor of Australian Cosmopolitan at the age of 24!

What we love about Mia is that she isn’t afraid to go against the norm and give her opinion regardless of the consequences. She stands by her strong opinions and isn’t naïve enough to believe that everyone will agree with her but instead supports the right of free speech.

If you are a parent with internet access you will have no doubt come across Mia’s websites, Ivillage and Mamamia. These sites are read by thousands and thousands of people every single day. She gives a voice and advice to many who don’t know where to go.

Mia isn’t afraid of standing out from the crowd and uses this power to push many causes close to her heart. These include encouraging women to embrace their bodies and giving support to those who have experienced stillborn births and miscarriages.

Mia has been very open about her own experiences with mental illness and in particular living everyday with anxiety. Brave women like Mia who use their positions to talk more openly about these issues increase awareness and acceptance for even more members of the community.

Mia might not be everyone’s cup of tea but to others she is certainly their glass of champagne.

Thanks Mia for showing our little girls not to be afraid of using their voices loudly and proudly and for teaching them that through hard work and a little perseverance anything is possible.

 

 

{The Nest Writes} Why I no longer say “have a great day”

Why I no longer say have a great day.

A little while ago I said to my daughter as she clambered out of the car in front of her school “have a great day honey”, she said “I will, I always do”. When I picked her up that afternoon I said “Did you have a great day?”. “Yep” she said. Always wanting more information I pushed “So, what did you do?”. “Nothin’ mama”. “So did you learn anything”. “Nope”. “Who did you play with?”. “Don’t remember”.

I was deflated, she either didn’t have fun, she didn’t want to tell me or she simply could not be stuffed mustering the effort to involve me in her day.

So, my new plan was hatched.

The next morning we pulled into the illegal bus zone and as she collected her belonging I said “Honey, have a great adventure today”. She paused and inquisitively looked at me. “what did you say mama?”. I smiled at her and said, “Have a great adventure”. She giggled, kissed my cheek and her skinny, lanky little legs climbed over the front seat and out the door. a1

When I pulled up that afternoon, she came running to the car. She was almost breathless and said “mama, I had a great adventure, today I had a great adventure!!”. She then went onto to tell me the story of her adventure “Well, this morning I dropped all my library books but a girl I didn’t know from year 4 helped me pick them up. Then my teacher, you know ma, that lady that is like you but at school? Yeah her well, she sang a song about a goanna and made us pretend to be goannas. Do you know how hard it is to be a goanna mum?? Then at lunch we found a lizard in the back oval, but we didn’t touch it cause Finn said they can bite. Then I drew a picture of an owl, it was funny because I thought the blue crayon was actually purple! But it wasn’t HA! Then it was time to come home and you are here!, so a pretty interesting adventure today”.

I was shocked to see the same blonde haired babe who yesterday barely managed to mumble two words remembering in such detail what she had experienced that day. 

I realised she had done nothing new or vastly different from her normal days at school, but instead just paid more attention to the mundane everyday adventure of her life so she could tell me all about her ‘great adventure’. a2

So, I tried it the next day and the next.

Every single day it worked. She would collect into her little memory bank the list of stories to tell me about her great adventure each day. It was like the way she looked at her day had changed, she all of sudden paid a little more attention to each small adventure she experienced each day.

So in our family we no longer do “have a great day”, we are a family of “have a great adventure”.

Give it a try, you might be surprised.

 

{The Nest Opinion} To the little girls from the billboard

In the last few days an Australian Government billboard was removed from Docklands because of threats made to the advertising company responsible for creating it. This billboard was simple insofar as it spoke of Australia Day and the various ways to celebrate the day.girls

It was removed because a few small minded individuals were unfortunately granted the power through the threat of violence to control what we, as the people see. I personally saw two beautiful young girls happily smiling and holding Australian flags. Nothing in the world appeals to me more. I am the mother of daughters and I am a true blue Australian. The idea of little girls, happily celebrating Australia is a wonderful sight. I am ashamed that some people saw this billboard as a problem, in reality it is only those few who are the problem.

I know that some people are opposed to the hijab because they believe it shows oppression of females due to the idea that girls are required to wear them, but unless you have asked every single girl whether it is worn by choice or by demand you cannot judge. Further, I don’t see a circumstance in which a billboard would be removed for depicting two catholic nuns in black habits waving Australian flags.

So I say to the two little girls on the billboard:

I am sorry.

I am sorry your mummy had to speak to you this week about racism.

I am sorry that you had probably told your friends and family about your beautiful face being used on a billboard nearly as big as your house and now it has been pulled down.

I am sorry that some racist, uneducated fool threatened other people and as a consequence your pretty faces had to come down.

I promise that not everyone thinks that way. I am sorry that you might feel unwelcome and like you don’t belong here but this is your home too.

You my darlings, are welcome to be my Australia.You represent the ongoing multiculturalism future of Australia. I hope one day, people won’t even acknowledge the fact that you choose to wear hijabs and instead just see two young girls happily preparing to celebrate our Australia.

The whole point of Australia is freedom. It’s the freedom to get a Southern Cross tattoo if you like when you’re 18 and on schoolies. It’s the freedom to dress how you like. Its the freedom of education. Its the freedom of religion. Its the freedom from persecution.

So little ones, please keep believing in your Australia. I promise not everyone feels the same way.

With love,

An Australia mum.

EDIT: I have since learnt there is a crowd funding page raising pressure to have the billboard reinstated. Hopefully this situation will be rectified soon. Racism should never win.

You can find more information here -> GoFundMe – Aus Day

{This if Life} The United State of Women

I feel so passionately about encouraging equal treatment for women, for fighting for a safer, healthier world for our daughters to exist in. The United State of Women focuses on making our world a better place. While is it based in the USA the idea, the concept and the power of something like this is remarkable.

You can see more on the video here ->

The United State of Women is focused on six main topics:

  1. Economic Empowerment
  2. Health & Wellness
  3. Educational Opportunity
  4. Violence Against Women
  5. Entrepreneurship & Innovation
  6. Leadership & Civic Engagement

So today I make a pledge.

The United State of Women Profile Pledge

 

You too can pledge to help make our world a little bit more equal, a little bit more fair. Day by day. Today we can change tomorrow.

Head over to TheUnitedStateofWomen.org for more information.

#unitedstateofwomen

 

{Our Nest} A new bird, a name thief and an elephant selfie

To say the last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind is the biggest understatement since someone said Kimmy K might like a selfie or two.kim selife

We are overjoyed like a kids with wagon wheels to announce that we welcomed Charlotte into our nest. She is perfection. She eats. She sleeps. Repeat.

I do feel she is placing us into a false sense of security and in the not too distant future you are likely to find me hiding in the stationary aisle at woolies rocking back and forwards begging for a straight jacket but until that time I plan on absorbing all her newborn goodness.14

We had such an interesting long birth experience, I cannot give enough thanks to the maternity staff at the hospital that helped bring our little lady into the world. In particular, there are a few people that really deserve special thanks. There is the girl I knew from school who was full a humour and positivity. There was the girl who kept me calm and somehow instinctively knew when to talk and when to just hold my hand. There was the girl who was encouraging and patient. The girl who followed us up even after her shift finished and finally there was the doctor who believed in me and offered to give me a chance. A sincere-from-the-bottom-of-my-toes-to-the-tip-of-my-nose thank you to you all. P.S Happy Midwife Day to all the midwives out there for yesterday!midwife

In very exciting news I have discovered one very beneficial outcome that comes with delivering a baby that weighs over 4.5 kilos is that it is the bloody quickest weight loss regime ever! Literally nearly 5 kilos a gonski in less than 1 minute!

I have to admit the hubby-bird and I had this delusional romantic idea of the moment that our other birdies would meet their new little person. We were sure the birds would croon, the angels would sing and we would have a wonderful photograph of all the love. In reality, when the toddler-bird and kid-bird met their new little sister it was definitely less than a magical hallmark moment. Kid-bird walked in and spontaneously burst into tears because she wanted a brother NOT ANOTHER SIIIISSSSSTER! The toddler-bird didn’t care nearly as much. She was simply there for the hospital custard and free apple juice. When we asked if she wanted to kiss her sister we were met with a solid eye roll and a statement consisting of “She stinks weird. Maybe we should sell her back to BigW”. Such a solid family moment to remember for ever.

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They like each other now.. mostly

If you know me at all you will know that I am a complete tragic royals fan. They are just coolest and I am crushing hard. Well, this chick Kate (she’s like totes the duchess) is my unrequited best mate. We are BFF’s (but she just doesn’t quite know that yet). Anyhoo, she also had a bambino this week and it was PINK! Pink ones are the best, but admittedly I am a smidgeon biased because I am the mother to only pink dragons. BUT there is an issue in our wonderful imaginary friendship and that is that she stole my baby name. We both have new little Charlottes which is definitely going to be akws when we are at the park together sipping tea and one of us yells at our Charlotte to stop licking the slippery dip… Okay, princesses probably don’t lick stuff, I am sure she has people that do that for her and I spose probably thousands of other Strayans also have Charlottes, but you know that aren’t friends with my mate Kate. I like her, and she sent me this card with a virtual high-fiver so we have moved on and are BFFing all over the place again.

Charlotte #2 (1)

I hope to be back on board and publishing on the blog again soon, just depends on the state of Mount Washmore in the spare room, ahem, I mean nursery and on how long the little birdie keeps me in this state of eat. Sleep. Repeat.

I do want to share that later we will be running a competition giving one very lucky nester the opportunity to win a photography session with the very talented team at No Added Cheese! This is a special competition for one very deserving mama. WATCH THIS SPACE!!

Thanks for all the well wishes you beautiful Nesters!

CentralNestSignature

 

{This is Life} I run like a girl and I like it..

Recently, I stumbled across a video that had been shared by many of my friends.

It makes you think. It makes you feel.girl

It has caused a celebration of womanhood. It started a movement to embrace being a girl.

You should watch this with your daughters, your neices and with all little ladies in your life.

Yes. I run like a girl and I like it.

{Wear this} Finally a sleepwear armistice

An irrational ongoing search has been occurring in our household for the last few months. My toddler-bird and I have been at loggerheads for what counts as appropriate sleepwear.

Like I said, I am aware of its irrationality but if you have a three year old, wait – if you have ever even met a three year old, you will probably know how the smallest issues can often be the biggest things!

After wearing a tutu to bed, her Ariel swimmers, a cardboard box (I kid you not) and an American Indian costume I finally decided it was time that we set some boundaries (it was becoming an OH&S issue!).

Finally, we agreed on some gorgeous new sleepwear and I wanted to share with you:

pjs

These BONDS pyjamas are comfy and soft and girly enough that even her Royal-Highness-Toddler-Bird is happy to wear them.

I really cannot recommend these PJs enough  if you have a fussy little lady in your life.

You can find them here -> BONDS – Star PJs – Plus at the moment they are only $17.00!

Go get some!