SPRING CLEAN

Moving house is exciting, but it's also stressful and exhausting when you considering all the packing and cleaning that you need to do.

In the past five years we have moved house four times, so I've become good at packing and cleaning especially for rental inspections. But throw two young kids into the mix, and my goodness it can become almost impossible to get anything done.

So this time I outsourced! I knew I would need help so I contacted the team from Fantastic Services. 

Fantastic Services is basically your assistant for all your home cleaning and maintenance needs. With 25+ specialised services to choose whether it be cleaning, gardening or rubbish removal,  your home or office demands professional attention and Fantastic Services can provide just that! Over a thousand fully qualified service technicians and cleaning specialists have joined the Fantastic crew to deliver valuable expertise and showcase their passion for what they do.

We had the end of lease cleaning service which is unlimited by time, meaning the cleaners stay until the entire checklist is complete. Everything from the kitchen and dreaded oven to the toilets, carpets and fan vents. 

Our place looked amazing, and most importantly .. we got our bond back! 

Fantastic Services HERE

before ... 

after

For more details about Fantastic Services click HERE

LIFE SPACE PROBIOTIC FOR PREGNANCY & BREASTFEEDING

Since having children, I've been learning more and more about the benefits of probiotics. Probiotics are friendly bacteria that can live within our bodies and are mainly found in the digestive system. One of their primary roles is supporting the health and function of the digestive tract and helping to maintain a healthy immune system. Probiotics can also help maintain a healthy composition of the existing bacteria within the digestive system.

I started taking Life-Space Probiotic for Pregnancy & Breastfeeding while I was pregnant to help support my immune system health. When I discovered Life-Space had products for babies and children, I was adamant that I would give them to my children to help support their general wellbeing.

The Life-Space probiotics range focuses on specialised formulations to help support a healthy microbiome for all stages of life.  

I especially love the Life-Space Probiotic Powder for Baby that Reza has been taking. It assists in the maintenance of healthy levels of beneficial bacteria and helps support his gut flora health.
 

Probiotics can support a baby’s immune system health throughout the early years of life and they help to support a healthy microbiome. A child’s microbiome is almost fully developed by the time they turn three and probiotics can encourage good bacterial diversity which in turn helps to support a healthy microbiome.

The microbiome is an incredible ecosystem of microbes, made up of trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi that are floating through the body at any given moment.
The development of our microbiome starts when we are still in the womb and is affected by many things such as the way we are born, antibiotics, lifestyle, and of course, the varied and diverse species of bacteria that we all come in to contact with in our day-to-day lives.

From now until 8th July, Life-Space is running a promotion in Priceline stores, with the chance to win a year’s supply of fresh baby food from Food Babies Love (Over $4,000 in value)

Simply purchase Life-Space Probiotic for Pregnancy & Breastfeeding or Probiotic Powder for Baby to enter.

Enter at www.lifespaceprobiotics.com/win after purchasing any of the selected products.

Instant prizes to be won daily (Love Mae Bamboo Bowl Set)

Major prize winner announced on the 19th of July 2018.

Exclusive to Priceline only.
Always read the label. Use only as directed.

GENDER EQUALITY #becausewhy

I grew up in a household where both parents worked full time and household chores weren’t influenced by gender. I was always encouraged to be involved in sports and any other activity I was interested in.

Yet even with a family environment such as this, gender stereotypes still infiltrated. Social perceptions and the way my own parents were raised meant gender roles and stereotypes were still very much an influence in my upbringing.
Whether it was intentional or not, I had an ingrained understanding as to what appropriate behaviours were for women and men.

As I journeyed through my teens and early twenties I found myself feeling limited and restricted because I was a woman. I was very much a ‘Tom-Boy’, I liked wearing shorts and I liked to play sport, just like my three younger brothers. I didn’t fit the mould of "feminine" and because of that I felt as though society didn’t see me.

That being said, I’m fortunate to have grown up during a wave of feminism, women speaking up about their rights. I’ve seen the women in my life stand up for themselves, and in doing so they helped pave the way for my daughter and I.

Now as a parent I often find it challenging to navigate these ingrained ideas, but I have a responsibility to continue smashing these out dated stereotypes. I want my kids to grow up with the same opportunities and choices regardless of their sex, so my husband and I do our best to show them through our own behaviours that gender stereotypes are just that, stereotypes. We keep the power dynamic of our relationship equal, and we don’t adhere to conventional roles. But that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy cooking, and it doesn’t mean we both work full time, it means we respect each other and our choices.

Gender stereotypes are simplistic generalisations, assumptions and judgements about a person’s personality, behaviour, appearance, skills and interests. We don’t want any of that for our children. So we encourage them to choose their own outfits, toys, and the activities they want to do. It can be hard as a parent to not interfere, but it’s up to us to give our children the respect to make their own choices When it comes to their feelings and emotions, we want our daughter and our son to know that any emotion they are experiencing is OK. They don’t have to hide their fears nor do they have to silence their anger or frustration. We do this by talking to them and asking them to describe how they are feeling.

Gender equality creates a fairer, happier and more prosperous society. There is no ‘equality’ that comes from gender stereotypes - they limit opportunities for both boys and girls, men and women. As a parent it is certainly perplexing to know what is right and wrong, and part of challenging gender stereotypes is reflecting on our own hopes, dreams and expectations of our children. This includes both for them as children and as future adults.

Parents overwhelmingly want equal opportunities for their children. Part of this is making sure that we're genuinely open to our kids going their own way, without limitations. I've recently collaborated with Our Watch, an organisation established to drive nationwide change in the culture, behaviours and power imbalances that lead to violence against women and their children. Our Watch research that shows parents want their children to have equal access to opportunities regardless of their gender.
However, while parents want to challenge limiting gender stereotypes, many find it’s not always easy to recognise where and how these stereotypes affect children.

To help parents with this, and to provide support and practical guidance in challenging stereotypes, Our Watch has created #BecauseWhy. #BecauseWhy is for families who want children to learn, explore and develop all the skills they’re interested in without the limitations that come with gender stereotypes. While children see gender stereotypes all around them, research shows that parents and families are the most powerful influence of young children's understanding of gender.
Families can encourage children to develop positive personal identities and respectful relationships that are not constrained by gender stereotypes. As parents, you can question and challenge stereotypical constructions of gender roles, masculinity and femininity, and support children to explore whatever they're interest is regardless of rigid gender associations. Violence against women begins with inequality, disrespect and sexist attitudes.

To change this we need to support everyone in our community to change these social norms and attitudes. Experiences in childhood have a particularly strong influence and can impact development and future life paths.

Traditional notions of parenthood, and particularly the gendered roles and identities associated with caring for children, can exert a powerful influence on how new parents approach and negotiate parenting roles.

For more information please visit the #BecauseWhy website: www.becausewhy.com.au

TUUTU BABY BOX

For 75 years, expectant mothers in Finland have been given a box by their government, a starter kit you might like to call it. It's literally a cardboard box full of clothes, sheets, toys, bath products, nappies and a mattress so the box can be used as a bed.

I have known about this for years and I have been fascinated about the simplicity, yet effective idea behind the Baby Box. 

It's a tradition that dates back to the 1930's and the idea is to give all children in Finland, no matter their background, an equal start to life. Expectant mothers have the choice between taking the box, or an amount of money equivalent to approximately $220 - however most new mums choose the box and since the 1930's the Finnish government have given out more than 3 million boxes!

I am a simplistic person, I have always believed that our children do not need an excess of stuff, they simply need love, nurture and safety. 

I recently discovered the Tuutu Baby Box, founded by two Australian Finnish mums, Susanna Heiskanen and Laura Lohiniva-Hart. These ladies, who themselves both had access to a box in their newborn days, were amazed that nothing similar existed in Australia and so they set out to create their own and make it available to Australian mothers. 

Tuutu Baby Boxes are a sustainable, organic and eco-friendly sleep space, made in Australia from Australian cardboard and everything from the packaging to the accessories are carefully selected to ensure that your baby benefits from natural and organic products.

What's so clever about these boxes is the practicality. So easy and light to move from room to room, a safe space for your baby to sleep, the lid can also be made into a change table, and once your bub has outgrown the box (approximately 7kg or once they can roll over, similar to bassinet recommendations) - it is perfect for storage of all their clothes and toys!

Basically the Tuutu Baby Box is a multipurpose package of baby essentials, perfect for first time mother!

I'm delighted with all the beautiful items inside the box, and it has bee a safe sleeping space for Reza in his early days.  We have a bassinet in our room, but often during the day he would sleep in the Baby Box. Reza has also benefited from the gorgeous items that came in the box, especially the Bubba Blue bamboo cot sheets and swaddles.

Tuutu Baby Boxes start at $129 depending on what you need. It is the perfect gift idea for any expecting mother.

SHOP HERE

LIMB DIFFERENCE AWARENESS

This interview was originally published here: This Little Miggy Stayed Home
 

Miggy: Jessica, welcome! Thank you so much for agreeing to be interviewed on my blog and for sharing your experience as a congenital amputee, burn victim survivor, Paralympian, and motivational speaker! Let's jump back to your early childhood--not only were you born "missing" your left arm, but when you were 18 months old you accidentally knocked over a kettle of boiling water and suffered third degree burns on 15% of your body. Wow. Do you remember when you first became aware that you were different from your peers? What did that feel like and how did that shape you? Looking back do you have a different perspective of your childhood and how those years shaped the person you are today?

Jessica: From as far back as I can remember I always knew that I was different. I have vivid memories before I even started school, of feeling very uncomfortable because I didn't look like other kids. Of course as I got older, and certainly when I reached my teenage years, I became ultra aware of my body and the fact that I didn't fit societal norms. I grew up in a rural town, there were no other kids with a disability, and I think the lack of diversity that I saw every day, made me even more upset about my own differences. High school can be an awkward time for anyone, but for me, it was unbearable on so many levels. I wanted so much to be 'normal' but I wasn't. I was shy and reserved, because I never wanted to draw attention to myself, yet on the flip-side, I wanted to be recognized - but for something other than my disability and scars. My self esteem and confidence were low, and it therefore became easy for me to use negative language toward myself. On a daily basis I would tell myself how pathetic I was, and how ugly and fat I was. But somewhere deep inside there was also a hint of resilience. I was able to focus my thoughts and feelings on playing sport, and it was swimming that I fell in love with. A sport where I could express myself and the pool was a place where I felt free. I'm now 33, and can honestly say that every aspect of my childhood and teenage years has contributed to the person I am today.

Miggy: Can you tell me what your family life was like growing up? Did you have great support from your parents and siblings? Was there anything you wish they would have done differently? 

Jessica: I grew up in a very loving and fun family. I have three younger brothers, and our parents literally provided us all with the most amazing upbringing. Of course growing up is challenging for anyone, but I certainly had moments where I felt jealous of my brothers because to me, their lives were easy. I do remember a time when I was very angry and confused at the world. I had so many questions that I wanted my parents to answer, but they couldn't.

For example, Why me? Why did I have to be the 'different' one. 

There was a period of my life when my mum thought it would be best to practice tough love, and by that I mean, she never wanted me to feel sorry for myself or for anyone else to feel sorry for me. So I wasn't allowed to make excuses for myself. These days I appreciate what she did, it helped build resilience. However, some days I wish she had of just empathized with me more.

As a parent now myself, I understand that all parents do the best they can with the resources they have available to them at the time. My parents did the best they could to help me develop into my own person. One thing I am so very grateful for, is their determination to ensure that I did things for myself. My mum knew when I was young that the world would eventually move beyond pen and paper, so she insisted that I learn to type. And type fast! This is just one example, but basically they made sure I wasn't going to get left behind, and I'm so grateful for their foresight. 

Sometimes though I would have loved a little more empathy, often when I was struggling to do something no one would help me, and although I appreciate the benefits from this, it would have been nice to have felt a little more emotional support when I struggled to do things. 

Miggy: You are also a former Paralympic swimmer and represented Australia in the 2004 Paralympics! What did those years as an athlete teach you? 

Jessica: Being an elite athlete has taught me so much about life in general. For example I learnt from an early age how to set realistic goals and how to create steps to achieve them. I also learnt how to adapt to new and changing environments while also maintaining motivation. I learnt resilience and I learnt that if I apply my mind to something I can achieve it. These lessons have been invaluable as I navigated my retirement from the pool and into 'real life'.

Miggy: You've also been open with the fact that you battled an eating disorder as a teenager, which (from what I understand) was directly tied to your disability, your burns and how those two things impacted your self-worth. Today you are a motivational speaker and an advocate for positive body image. As you know I have 3 daughters, one with limb differences. While Lamp is a positive and happy child, she is also acutely aware of her differences and her limitations of her body. What is your message for girls, particularly disabled girls, in regards to body acceptance? The disability community is heavily impacted by negative body image, but I never really hear of how we can address this issue within that community specifically. What as a society can we be doing better to improve body image particularly for the disabled community? 

Jessica: In recent years my focus has been to broaden our understanding of body image, so as to include more diversity. Body Image is how we think and feel about our appearance, so although it is often linked to beauty, vanity and perfection, it's actually much more complex than that. It includes race, gender, sexuality, religion, disability and mental health. 

I strongly believe that if we start talking about all of these issues from a much younger age, then we will positively influence our children and encourage them to be more accepting overall and I believe that this will directly impact how they see themselves.

Furthermore, there needs to be more representation of people with a disability in main stream media. And I don't mean just asking a person with a disability about disability. I want to see people with a disability being asked to contribute on issues that impact everyone, such as politics, finances, housing, relationships, education. The sooner we see more people with a disability portrayed in the media as 'normal' the sooner our children will start to accept it as well. 

My message to young girls is the same, regardless of whether they have a disability or not--self respect first, always. When we respect ourselves and our bodies it is impossible to hate ourselves and focus negatively on our body. The best way for our children to learn about self respect, is to see it in the actions and behaviours of their parents. 


Miggy: Now for a lighter question, I’m a big believer in seeing the humor in life and learning to laugh, so have you ever had any funny conversations or moments in your life due to your special needs situations? 

Jessica: Having three younger brothers means that every situation involves humour or sarcasm of some sort! I was born missing my left arm, but according to my brothers, that story is 'boring'. So, they were constantly creating new crazy stories as to why I was missing my arm. Growing up in a very small town meant that rumour spread quickly and almost on a daily basis I would have to answer to people asking questions as to how big the shark was? 

I've always liked making fun of myself, I think when you can laugh at yourself it takes away awkwardness and pressure. 

Miggy: Living with a visible disability comes with unique challenges, in an ideal world how would you like people to approach and/or respond to you? Is there something you wish other people, ie society at large, knew so as to avoid awkward or hurtful situations? 

Jessica: I wish people wouldn't feel embarrassed for themselves or on my behalf. It happens a lot when children are with their parents and say things like "Mummy, that lady only has one arm." There is absolutely nothing wrong with a child making an observation. It is true, I only have one arm.

But most adults don't know what to do, so they apologize, or they 'shh' their child while grabbing their hand and walking away. These reaction do nothing but tell a child that disability and difference is not OK. It reaffirms the idea that we have to treat people with a disability differently.

Instead, I wish parents would also simply acknowledge what they see, for example:

Child - "Mummy, that lady only has one arm"
Parent - "Yes, she does"

If adults don't make a big deal about it neither will children. We have to remember that children do what they see us do. Therefore it is up to parents and adults to lead by example. 

Miggy: As a mother, what do you think is important for your children and all children to learn about disability and being different? 

Jessica: Children need to learn that disability doesn't mean less than or inferior. Children need to learn that people living with a disability are just as capable of achieving things in their life as able bodied people are. 

It's a cultural change though, and I'm not sure that it will occur in my lifetime, but I'm hopeful that my daughter will witness this shift in her lifetime. But again it comes back to US--we ALL have a responsibility to create change.

***************

Jessica I want to high five and hug you at the same time. This was a hallelujah spotlight--one brilliant thought after another.  First, when you talked about body image being so much more than our appearance and including things like race, gender, and religion, that was a light bulb moment for me. Of course! And your advice to all girls--self respect first, always--is spot. on. I also loved it when you said you wished that people wouldn't feel embarrassed for themselves or you on your behalf, YES. I understand that most parents are doing what they *think* is the polite thing, but it's just not. Disability is not shameful. I don't know a parent who is ashamed of their child or their child's diagnosis and most of us (all?) are happy to address questions from young and curious children. And once again your call for more representation in the world about disability is a clarion call I hope we all continue to strive for. Thanks again Jessica! 

As always if you or someone you know would like to participate in the spotlight please email me at thislittlemiggy at gmail dot com. 

Have a fantastic weekend! 

XO, 

Miggy