Getting boys to read (a guest post)

By Robyna on May 10, 2016

I had a lot of friends as a kid. Anne of Green Gables, all the March girls, the Hardy Boys, Katy of What Katy Did, the Naughtiest Girl in School and countless other imaginary people were significant in my early life. The world of books was as important to me as the “real world”. Sometimes more so.

My seven year old son doesn’t seem anywhere near as enamoured with reading as I was at the same age. As someone who still considers a good book one of life’s greatest pleasures, this worries me. So when Dymocks literacy expert Ryan Spencer invited me to ask questions about kids and books, I had quite a few. Particularly around boys and reading. This is a longer than normal post but I found the answers so helpful that I had to publish all of them. I hope you find the below as enlightening (and encouraging) as I did.

Invisible Mothers & Warriors

By Robyna on May 3, 2016

Mothers day is fast approaching. A day to be filled with burnt toast, sticky kisses and hand-drawn cards. A day to let my own mother and grandmother know how much I love them. A day for hearts bursting and hearts aching. My middle son will be in my thoughts more often than he usually is. He always will be on days like this.

My head and my heart will will be full of him but I will be thinking about other women too. On days like this I always do. Read more…

An open letter on behalf of my two year old

By Robyna on April 26, 2016

This is an open letter. A letter to restaurants that say they are child friendly — until children start acting like children. To the people that don’t have children — and think they come with an off switch (hint: they don’t). To the the people who have grown up children — and have completely forgotten what toddlerhood looks like.

This is an open letter to let you know about two year olds. Average, gorgeous, busy, squishable, frustrating, lovable, wonderful two year olds. It’s about my two year old.

Motherhood & the impossibility of down time

By Robyna on April 12, 2016

I am lying beside my two year old. My head is full of things I should be doing but I can’t leave until he drifts off to sleep. He had a nap at daycare, which never bodes well for an easy bed-time. I can hear the television, my husband relaxing. Teeth gritted, I wish my little one to sleep. My own body is giving into exhaustion and I wonder if I will get to the writing/washing/sewing/emails/cleaning or whether I will fall from one bed to another. Another night wasted. Another pay-off for getting up at five when the boys wake and trying to squeeze a few minutes of work in before breakfast. There is precious little child-free time to book-end my day. Read more…

How to protect your loved ones when the worst happens

By Robyna on March 29, 2016

This post is generously sponsored by Firths,The Compensation Lawyers. It does not constitute legal or financial advice and you should always seek expert, personal assistance when deciding on your financial matters.

Economic independence has always been important to me. I found employment the moment I was old enough to hold a job. I remember my first pay cheque and the extraordinary realisation that I had the capacity to support myself. There was empowerment in that moment. It may have been all of $50 but I felt the richest person in the world.

Fast forward to marriage and children and my attachment to economic independence has taken a back seat to the needs of my family. The day my last maternity leave payment came through and our income shrank back to the size of a sole-bread winner was sobering.

What is even more sobering is the thought of my husband being unable to support us. Read more…

Raising Feminist Boys

By Robyna on February 23, 2016

Does it seem like there are more and more horrible things happening to women? Or do you think that we are just becoming more aware of them and that attitudes are slowly changing? Voices that may have gone unheard in the past are being listened to? Eyes are finally being opened to existing horrors? We are making progress and with that progress comes the inevitable push back from those who feel something is being stolen from them? I think it might be the latter. I hope it’s the latter.

I have been thinking about this change in community attitudes. How it is so slow to unfurl. I have been wondering where certain attitudes come from. And how I can raise boys who respect women and treat them as equals. What small changes I can make? What language can I use to ensure my boys don’t feel entitled to be considered more than their female counterparts. Read more…