Reverse sexism?

I am having a bit of an issue at the moment, grappling with the idea of feminism and equality. I know big thoughts.

I watched Emma Watson's speech to the UN and agreed with everything she said. Feminism isn't anti-men and I would probably label myself a feminist. I agree that women should have every opportunity to be equal with me. However I believe that there are some differences and we should also acknowledge those differences, and preserve them too. I worry that we are heading someway into an Animal Farm society, in a way where women want to be more equal than men. 

As background, my little world, well away from the UN. I am a woman. I went to a local primary school, followed by a girls school for secondary school. I also had the privilege of going to university (for which I paid). I started work as soon as I was legally allowed 14 and 9 months, and worked part time through year 10, 11 & 12. I had a number of concurrent jobs during uni and started working full time at 20. I am married and have three boys. I have not worked full time (by choice) since my first son was born and I currently choose not to work. 

I am lucky to have choices and I am happy with the choices I have made. I have no desire to be the Prime Minister. I have enough trouble running the house, let alone a country. But this is my choice and I am not putting down anyone else's choice. 

Alexander is at the Cuboree camp this week. There are over 4000 people there and I am watching their Facebook pages for updates. They are also on the news. My issue is that all the kids reporting and their photos are girls. His basketball team this year was also mixed. I'm not saying that it was bad, in fact the mixed basketball was really nice, a cohesive and balanced team but for Alexander and the girls, it was not their only team. 

Here's the thing, in a nutshell. There doesn't seem to be anything that is for boys only. I know that sounds exclusive but sometimes to have single sex is a good thing. In basketball for example there are girls teams, which the boys aren't allowed to join, and then there are the boys teams, which the girls are allowed to join. Again in Cubs, girls are allowed, and encouraged to join, but the boys are not offered the same in Girl Guides and Brownies. Football too, girls are allowed in the boys teams, but boys not on the girls teams. I cannot see the equity here. For all of the girls who don't fit the classic stereotype and feel a need to be doing what the boys are doing, are there not an equal number of boys who deserve the same opportunity?

I am sure that much of my confusion about this comes from my experience at a girls school. I had a great experience - loved it. As a child, I was a tomboy. I was always outside with dad - building, playing, climbing etc while my brother was inside being creative. Possibly at an early age both of us were outside these classic gender stereotypes and as adults this has certainly changed. I was physically bigger than the girls and most boys at a young age, and that changes how people, adults, treat you as a kid. Expectations of you being old, physically treated differently because you are bigger. All of those things go in to forming your personality. Then I went from an outer suburban primary school, to a prestigious private girls school and had to learn their ways. Yet, what I found at the girls school was all the competition was removed. 

With no boys to impress, or compete against, there was a sense of freedom. We were free to be. It was very firmly impressed upon us that there was absolutely nothing we couldn't do. This was an academic school and there was a certain expectation to achieve - to be a Doctor or a Lawyer. There was never any discussion that your gender could possibly get in the way. This message, whether it was explicit or implicit really sunk in for me. I have never looked at anything as out of reach because I am a woman, but on the flip side, I have have never expected things because of it either. 

I know that women here have freedoms not available to women throughout the world. We are not enslaved, persecuted or humiliated because of our gender. What I don't understand is why, with all the freedoms that we do have, are our boys not allowed to have anything that is just for boys?

Cuboree

 With his bags all packed, and it feels like 2 million things named, my baby boy is off on cub camp for the next week. He is fairly nervous as he only knows one other kid going, but I know that he'll be fine and come home with a heap of new mates.

 He directed me to the drop off point using the Book of Everywhere that mum had created. It was nice to not only get out the hard copy, but touch something from mum again, especially today. She would have been so proud of him going off and doing this. Giving him the opportunity to be a leader. Great learning opportunity for him.

The twins will also miss him - mich as they're excited that he's going, a week is a long time when you're 7. Have a great trip my boy.

Shoreham

 We spent a wonderful weekend away at Shoreham. One of the school dads arranged the whole thing. I would say there were about 30 of us for the weekend in a school camp set up. The accomodation was basic and cheap, but the company more than made up for any lack in facilities.

With about 20 kids of similar ages, I dont think we saw them except for this visit to Merricks Beach on the way home. They were off running from sun up til we scraped them into bed. It was truly magical. So many kids, no fights, no injuries(!) and really no worries.

As adults we shared a lovely meal on saturday night after we'd sat on the deck in the sunshine watching the grand final. It was just great. Sunday was  obviously clean up day but again no fights or issues - everyone just pitched in and got it done. Fabulous

With the local we were calling in on sick, and my three well and truly OVER themselves, we had a quiet visit to the beach which was refreshing. The boys got to wear their wetsuits for the first time and had a bit of downtime, rather than being part of the gang.

After a swim and a play we headed home with a good sleep in our own beds at the front of everyones mind. 

Pinterest Win!

I saw this idea on pinterest which linked here  but I had only seen the image and thought it was exactly what we needed for our upcoming weekend away. This weekend we'll be staying in essentially school camp facilities, which means boys and girls toilets. Thats fine by me, but means the boys will have to shower in the mens and I really shouldn't be in there. 

On a whole the boys are fairly self sufficient and reliable to be able to wash themselves but they have been known to leave things behind - and I thought this could be the solution. A hanging toilet bag. 

Not only does this reduce the size of toilet bags, but it wouldn't be full of water, no soft soap which is disintergrating in the box - that is if they remember to put it back in there. 

This way I can hang body wash, shampoo and even toothpaste and toothbrush. It could hang round their neck, not have to go on the floor and in a hope, not be left behind. Awesome.

I set out with the boys to find bottles. This in itself would be a harder job than I expected. I went to every department store, chemist and supermarket. It seems that the only small bottles which are made for sale do not have the hole in the end. I went to a variety of camping shops too but nothing. I have had sunscreen on loop so I know they exist. The shopping then changed from little empty bottles to little bottles of the right format with stuff in it that I could throw out. Even this was incredibly difficult. THe only thing I'd found was a $7 bottle of sunscreen which I thought was a little much to throw out. 

I finally got lucky at the Reject Shop where I found 2 hand sanitisers fro $1. Fifty cents per bottle is certainly worth it. I decanted the sanitser into another container so it can be used, and washed out the bottles and removed the labels. 

For the boys I made lanyards with body wash and shampoo. I made an addititonal lanyard with the toothbrushes and filled one with toothpaste. Alexander is off on cuboree next week, so for him I'll reconfigure one to have sunscreen, toothbrush and also a hanging towel so it should all be easy. 

I have heaps of old lanyards lying around so just clipped it to one of them. Even though the contents are different colours, I labelled them clearly with a sharpie just to be sure no one puts toothpaste on their hair by accident!

Here 

Sleepin Ova

These smiling faces are of two little boys who seem to be growing up very quickly. They are off on their first sleepover at a friends house - not family. It is all about them and they are LOVING it.
The were so excited, and packed their own bags (and I let them) all ready to go and spend the night and from all reports it was a success. They all got sleep and were on a whole well behaved. No doubt this is the first of many ....

Show Day

Dad and I took our boys to the Royal Show. A big day. The boys were excited because they had $50 each (thanks Dad) to spend, or waste as Spencer said, on showbags of their choice. We were nervous as there are big crowds, we were on trains, and it was something that Mum and Dad used to do together. 

The last time we went was 2 years ago, and Mum wasn't flash back then which is why I went along. This time she wasn't there at all, but we weren't going to let that get in our way of having a good day and making some memories. 

 We went round everywhere, bumping into friends, trying foods, seeing animals judged (to be future food - ugh) and watched the dressage. The boys love the woodchopping so we always stop in there. We missed the motorbikes and dogs, however we did see some rounding up sheep which is always great. They followed me begrudingly through the CWA and craft areas, looking at the cakes and different crafts and finally into the baby animal pavillion.

 Here was a threat that they were going to have fun or else there were no show bags to be had. Looks like they did a good job eh? Then we were off t the showbag hall to buy bags of overpriced plastic tat that will be broken by tomorrow, but that is all part of the magic.

Organic Creations

I was on the computer today, doing jobs and Benji decided he needed to make a t-shirt with Garfield on it. I would usually be all enthusiastic and help but I was already entertained, so I told him to draw it on a piece of paper.

Diligently he did as I'd asked, setting up his toy Garfield so as to draw from life. Once done he went over it in black texta. The other two also joined in so I have three boys lying at my feet drawing while I am consumed by my mac.

Once the initial drawing was complete, it was off to my stash for supplies. Funnily enough I had white tshirts for all the boys, as well as sharpies and fabric paint. I gave them each a tshirt and told them to put their sketch inside and trace it out with the sharpie.

 Then I set the fabric paints up on the table with some paint brushes and they had to simply colour it in. I had a variety of different ones, and as it turns out, some puffy paint as well. Left to dry in the sun and then ironed (and the puff came out in Spencer's to give the basketball an extra diamention - much to his delight. )

The boys were all thrilled with the results and couldn't wait to wear them, so proud that they'd really done them all by themselves.

Now the only issue is how to get them off these kids!