Yesterday I wrote that by being a professional working mother it gave me the opportunity ... or at least a way... for me to teach my kids how to be the best they can be. As I signed off those words stayed with me and I lay in bed pondering "What the hell did I exactly mean by that?" There are good things and bad things to the way I chose to live and I certainly don't want my kids to think that they need to have a blackberry glued to them to be their best. Or that to get everything done, sometimes the only way is insomnia. So what was it exactly I wanted them to see...?
That led me onto thinking about female role models. To put it in context I have 4 girls ranging from 5 to 12 (going on 18) and I am passionate about them growing up as strong, independent, capable women all mixed with compassion, generosity and sense of social responsibility along with a wicked sense of humour please. So who would I want to be their role models... and what would I want them to learn and "role" from them?
Immediately I started thinking about the amazing women in the business world - who have shattered the glass ceiling and brought change, innovation, creativity, control or just good old plain sass and intelligence. Next it was the amazing philanthropists of our time, the women who dedicate their lives to helping others, helping the world.... putting their beliefs ahead of personal gain or comfort. There were the women in the global political world that have lead countries, revolutions, protests, social change. I could go on and on... Amazing women who could all stand next to each other as role models to be proud of ...
So I asked my eldest, "who's your female role model?" Inside I was quietly praying "Dear God please at least say someone like Mother Theresa, even the Queen would do..." Instead she responded "Emma Watson". It took me a moment to catch up and before I could stop myself... my eyes rolled. Are we seriously talking about Hermione from the Harry Potter movies? I was about to launch into a usual speech about needing to be more aware of the world outside of Disney when...in a bout of guilt from the eye rolling incident... I stopped and simply asked "Why?"
The response floored me. "Oh Mum she's amazing. She got the role of Hermione as an 11 year old and grew up in the public eye making millions on the way. But she kept completely grounded and insisted on going to university and maintaining her education. And she does loads to support animal charities and has even launched a line of organic clothing to try and get teenagers to be more aware."
You know what, my daughter is 12. She has her whole life ahead of her toa learn about amazing women of every genre and as a mother all I can wish is that the role models she choses are ones that can teach her the lessons that I aspire too. In her role model of Hermione she found a woman she could relate to, that showed education as being worthy, necessary and very cool. A woman that was aware of her own beliefs and did something about them. So hats off to Emma Watson (who I now follow on twitter) and today ladies and gentlemen, my female role model is my daughter.... who reminded me that sometimes we need to see the world from another perspective.
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