a more indepth look at US!

As I type I am breastfeeding my small baby (he's 2 and 2 months) to sleep.

This year has been the year from HELL for us. We began the year with a wonderful camping trip with some dear friends, but 3 weeks after our return home, on January 28th, our son was stillborn. This was literally the day before she was meant to begin yr 5 at school. the school year did not get off to a god beginning.

To add to that my daughter was put in the class of her most hated teacher. I totally concur with her opinion having seen this womyn in action. She is rude, abrupt, and anything BUT what a teacher should be like. She has NO idea what constitutes supportive and nurturing behaviour( as stated in my letter to the principle). Stylish was always a happy child at school until this year, and sadly I have to place the blame squarely at the teacher's doorstep.

Then on the 26th of June, days after our daughter turned 10, we lost her Grandmother to cancer. Anthea (her Grandmother) was the mother of my ex boyfriend, and daughter's father. After separation 9 years ago we remained close friends, very close friends. In July 07 she was diagnosed with the most extensive case of cancer I have EVER heard of. Rather than cite the types of cancer, I will tell you that she had "whole body cancer". It couldn't have happened to a less deserving womyn - although my own mother could also be considered for the title, she died in 03.

her Grandma, in the hospice on Mothers day 08. A beautiful day was had by all! We took a picnic lunch and took her out into the garden to enjoy some sunshine and REAL food. The hospice was a good place interms of recognising the needs of the dying, and we were able to take animals and wild children in to see Anthea without any complications. She loved animals and grandchildren so much!

The reason we've chosen to unlearn is to promote healthy self esteem in our daughter, a sense of self that is able to critique the patriarchy we live in. A young womyn that is able to reject things that do not serve her, and things that seek to hurt her, because she is strong enough to recognise them when they confront her.

So far in her short life, she has rejected the basic social conditioning of dolls and pink SHIT (despite my uneducated beginnings as a parent - phew). she is totally uninterested in fashion and the nasty sexualised popculture we live and breathe. Her interests are in nature. She loves (and owns three) stick insects! We also have pet rabbits, and a cat. At her fathers house she has a dog and two bluetongue lizards. She seems to absorb knowledge about nature so easily that it is a shame we embraced the normalised institution of school for so long. I really hope there is no long term, undoable damage from her time in the institution.