- pity we didnt meet that long ago - kindred
spirits werent thick on the ground at the time, although I do have some
lovely discussions with friends from back then about the flack we copped for the
co-sleeping/ breastfeeding etc Its been interesting watching these kids grow
into such individual spirits who are nice people in spite of not being belted
into submission and surprisingly not much has changed for mothers
- there is still pressure to 'control' kids/ not ''give up your life'
"MAKE' them independent etc (I had a call from a mother the other day who said
MY baby SHOULD be holding his own bottle by now I dont want him to be attached
to me - he was eight months old!! (mine breastfed til they were 5 - years - what
could I tell her - that they might still want to snuggle up to a breast when
they are 21 -but it wont be yours - I dont think she actually even considered
that breasts, babies and attachment were part of the same picture)
.
At least now I have a link to Compleat mother
and other gentle places on my website- at least there is a chance people
will find support - if they want to.
Pinky
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2002 9:58
PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] My book
Hi Pinky,
I'm north of Melb - I'm sort of doing the typing
for free mags too! Because I have issues right back to the '80s it gives
me a good excuse to read them all again :) I agree with you about the
lifeline.
I'm knee deep in old copies at the moment but
I read a 'letter' from 'A Mother' regarding a 'job application' from you
I think in the Summer '90 edition. But I can remember coming across
other articles of yours in the past.
That was lovely to read about your kids!
Such a diverse lot! Do you mind if I forward your followup on for
possibe publication? I'm sure they'd love to read it at Compleat Mother
HQ!!!!
Kind regards,
Jayne
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2002 12:17
AM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] My
book
Hi Jayne,
Where are you? that must have been a long time
ago -I think I remember writing one about homeschooling my kids (do you want
a followup? - Richard (28 now) is currently designing an ecommerce
website for a symphony orchestra group - and they said he was
severely learning disabled/ dyslexic at school and wouldnt learn to
read even though he had a 'gifted' IQ (Ugh labels - thats why I
de-schooled), Jonathan (26) - whom they said 'does not conform' (but
must!! -so I took him out too) - has travelled to many
unconventional destinations -including to see the gorillas in the mist (His
dream from childhood), a Rastafarian commune in Ethiopia -Bob Marley
was his hero when he was a teen - he worked as a travel leader in
Africa for a year and a couple of years ago was shipped out of a bush camp
with Typhoid and Malaria - he had picked up a tribeswoman and her sick
baby (he speaks fluent swahili) and taken them to a border clinic -on
the way they both vomited and he cleaned them up (as he would have done with
his own younger siblings) - this is how he caught typhoid. He is now a chef
-we joke about Typhoid Jono cooking the tucker - he cooked a lovely
vegetarian lunch for my toddler workshop today. Larissa (22) didnt go to
primary school at all/ spent the next years at school getting herself
kicked out of class so she could go to the library and read and has
just finished degrees in psychology and business management -she will go
back and continue with psychology -she wants to do forensic psych. She
always takes some subjects 'just for her' - when she was neck deep in macro
economics she did 'sociology of popular music' and a major assignment
on FRank Zappa. This year she took literature, for her. Sarah (19) is a
photography student - also homeschooled at primary, she discovered her
passion in her second last year at secondary school - her biology teacher
bailed me up about his top student 'ditching' biology in her final year in
favour of art subjects -and outdoor ed (for the camps) - she actually jumped
in the freezing cold Yarra river to pull her teacher (not the same guy)out
when his canoe capsized -the other girls wouldnt get wet! I told him I was
simply thrilled she had discovered her passion at such a young age - how
many of us take a lifetime? Not sure he was impressed -I am sure he didnt
award me any 'good mummy stars' for encouraging her to thumb her nose at
academia.
I think I wrote a couple of other
articles too -I was a "broke" tandem nursing mum at the time and
exchanged articles for magazines!! I dont think many locals had even heard
of Compleat mother in those pre-computer / internet days - it was a
lifeline to me to have stories from others who were bucking the system.
Thanks Catherine Young - I know you will still
be mothering mothers and babies on the other side.
What a legacy she left.
Pinky
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, November 17, 2002 11:07
PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] My
book
Pinky,
At present I'm typing up articles from very
old issues of The Compleat Mother for republishing in future issues.
I came across one of yours yesterday :)
Regards,
Jayne
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, November 17, 2002
10:36 PM
Subject: [ozmidwifery] My
book
Hi Jen
Wow! if you noticed that wee bit at least
others might too.
Thanks, yes I "knew" there was going to be
a mention - I approached the editor / discussed an article/ (even
offered to write one) was told there would 'definitely' be an article.
later. this became a review (we have to cater to the advertisers) and
definitely a cover shot -' when I have read the book I will, scan it in
myself' - Obviously space was a big consideration so lucky to have
a mention at all, but actually I dont think she has read the book -
"firm but loving routines!!" - firm and routine dont really reflect
it but hey - any publicity is good - writing abook is only a tiny
part of the job - promotion is enormous and certainly not something one
gets paid for but if not done books disappear from the shelves and end
up in $2 bins - or shredded/ dumped - its true!! (Aviva -I know the
feeling of virtually working for zilch or less and all others in the
process make the profits - booksellers, publishers and even distributors
make more than authors - how did Christopher Green sell a million books
- at $2 a book royalties, that would be profitable - going grey and
wearing a suit and tie are not an option!!!!!) and it may in
fact appeal to the people who are most uptight -I just did a Terrific
Toddler workshop today - the greatest concern as parents called to
book was discipline - I had parents of 14 - 18 month olds wanting
to know how to make their child"obey" - they gained something very
different -hopefully, a whole new way of seeing their tots - as
people, not little things!
A lovely day
Pinky
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