someone at my house iced a banana – it seemed fitting for this post…
I am a feminist and a humanitarian. I’m also defined by a strong leaning towards kindness, understanding and equality. Perhaps you are a bit like that too? It’s totally a good way to be, even if I do say so myself. It really works for me. #tryit
One of my kids recognises these qualities in me. This child mimics me in a squeaky voice like this: ‘Women’s rights! Women’s rights! Equality! Same sex marriage! Lesbians! Support the refugees!’ I am super glad that my core beliefs are loud and clear, even in this squeaky, teasing way! The kids know how I feel about these issues and what is important to me.
One thing I have noticed as a parent is that it’s really interesting to see your kids grow up and develop their own points of view on important issues. In a matter of years, they may jump from one emphatic belief to the polar opposite. Sometimes they do this in a matter of months. They have bendy minds that are used to being challenged and informed. They assess and reassess, forming their ideas and opinions based on the facts at hand, those around them and their own leanings, fluid as they may be.
Imagine if we were all so bendy brained. Imagine how great the world would be. We wouldn’t get so bogged down in our own long-held beliefs. We’d assume that our ideas and thinkings were a starting point, not the final word. Things would be better, don’t you think? We’d get so much more reformed and rethunk.
I guess the flip side of this brain bendyness is that kids are often heavily influenced by their parents leanings. That’s not really why I noticed the bendyness in the first place, though. It was more that one of my kids has had particularly strong, conservative views on a few things which really challenged my own thinking and how I related to them about several issues.
Interestingly, this kiddo has since swung away from those views (in a super short space of time) and worked their way to their own wholehearted, carefully thought out NEW standpoint. It’s not the same as mine, but it’s considered and passionate and I love that.
Maybe it will change again…
This also made me realise how difficult it is for young people to navigate issues of ethics, rights and equality. On one hand it’s total boobiefest on the telly and people are douches and biarches. On the other hand we’re (rightly) serious about teaching young people to honour and respect each other and themselves. It’s totally messy. And yet they find their way through. They take it all in to their bendy brains, process it, breathe it all out and repeat.
Kind of amazing and confusing, right? But totally inspiring too.
Let’s all have bendy brains. Start today.
Do you know some bendy brained young peeps?
x Pip
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