EP #65 – CREATING THE FUTURE YOU WANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN WITH KRISTY FOX

Let’s be honest – the news can be depressing. And scary.

After decades of chasing daily news and being completely addicted to that little twitter feed on my phone, I know all too well the effect of endless bad news stories. My nervous system would have a lot to say about that too.

And it’s hard to stay on top of everything in the world when you’ve got little ears listening in too, isn’t it?

I used to be a political junkie. Completing an honours degree on international politics at uni, I used to listen to the ABC talkback in my car when all my friends had greatest hits of the 90’s. I thrived on knowing IT ALL, and even as a young mama, I would have the news on in the background all day. I have a gorgeous little video of Greta, my middle child, about 3 years old singing the theme to the Sydney Drive program. ABC news was their background noise.

But then, my kids got older, and they started listening to what was being said. News stories of rape, war, fatal car accidents, the Royal Commission into Sexual Abuse, it was there for them to hear. Every morning as they ate their breakfast, and the news was on the radio as it had been their whole life, they would hear how scary the world could be.

So we turned it off. And when we did, I lost touch with what was happening.

I’ve struggled with that. As someone who used to be so passionate about the world, my world had shrunk. I cringed when I heard anything negative, and I found myself turning away from the daily updates.

I didn’t want them to hear it, but I also didn’t want to hear it myself anymore. I’d been bombarded by it for too many years.

I know this is the truth for so many mamas. In conversations with other women, I’ve discovered we all struggle with knowing what’s happening in the world with not feeling overwhelmed by it. We don’t want our kids to hear, but I know we should hear.

But the real struggle is – we feel helpless by it all.

What type of world are we leaving for our children?

What can we do about it anyway?

Quite a lot, actually.

I’m not going to get all preachy about what we should be doing as women and mothers, because there’s never any ‘shoulds’ here. But I do know that the feeling of apathy, of just wanting to turn it all off, just doesn’t feel good either.

I do believe we have a very important role here, beautiful…we are shaping the future in the way we raise our children, and the things we talk to them about. I believe it is our job to heal ourselves, and do something in this world that helps move us in the right direction, so our kids grow up assuming that’s what everyone does.

If not for ourselves, then for them. That’s what I remember.

It’s their world now.

In my podcast this week, I interview a mama who felt the same, and did something about it. Kristy Fox is the co-founder of She The Change, a global movement inspiring change, and a mama of three. It’s a beautiful reminder that small changes do make a difference, and the power of being a role model for our children.

No guilt here, beautiful. We’re all doing the best we can.

And in our own way, we ARE the change. We’re here, learning as much as we can, and growing as much as we can.

And in my humble opinion, that’s world-changing.

Much love

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