Gratitude at Christmas – get some!
This post was originally shared by Mamamia. For three little kids in Utah, the Grinch has just stolen their Christmas. And the Grinch? It’s Mum. Fed up with her family…
Power of Words
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Why It’s Actually Okay for Your Child to Feel Ungrateful Sometimes
I’m incredibly excited to introduce you today to my fourth book. Gratitude – A positive new approach to raising thankful kids will be the first in a series I am…
In praise of feminist fathers
The following guest post is by my friend and colleague Nina Funnell. It was first published by Mamamia. Nina is a Sydney based journalist, author and speaker. Her writing has…
Can we turn up the volume, but turn down the noise?
This week I wish to share spoken word poet Madiha Bhatti’s thoughtful piece on women in the music industry, an extract from which also appears below. Isn’t it powerful? Mu(Sick):…
Cyber Myths – Busted.
The following post is by my friend and colleague Nina Funnell. It originally appeared in the Term 3, 2014 NSW Parents Council Newsletter. Nina is a journalist, author (she co-wrote…
3 things you need to know about winter weight
Last week I noticed a number of teen girls I am friends with on Facebook were lamenting their “winter bodies.” I posted this on my Page for them; feel free…
“Pink is for girlie girls” – more things we should never say to girls.
Last week I shared three of the five things I, and the other noted Feminists I asked to contribute, believe we need to stop saying to girls now. You can…
“That skirt is sending out the wrong message” and 5 other things we should never say to girls ( Part 1).
I often find myself frustrated by much of the dialogue that surrounds teen girls as it can in fact be very damaging. Sadly, those that use these assumptions and stereotypes…
Constant over-praising is damaging our kids.
I’m thrilled to be sharing this brilliant post by a colleague I adore; the always-wise Dr Karen Brooks. This was first published by The Courier Mail, 26th May. I had…
As you think, so you are. As you imagine, so you become.
Affirmation Cards are one of the tools we at Enlighten give girls; these support them in maintaining the positive approaches we introduce them to during our workshops. Affirmations are short,…
The Loveability Myth
‘Selfie’ was the Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year in 2013 for a reason. Celebrities take them, politicians take them – but the biggest fans of the self-portrait are teenage…
An open letter to Beyoncé (from a bewildered fan)
This week’s blog is by Enlighten’s Senior Presenter, and Program Director for Western Australia, Nikki Davis. You may read more about Nikki at our “Meet The Team” page. Dear Beyoncé…
Cyber Self-harming
This week I am sharing a guest post by my colleague and friend Nina Funnell which first appeared in The Age. In this Nina attempts to make sense of alarming…
Videos that move
This week I want to share three of the videos I’ve watched recently that have deeply moved me. The first is a TED Talk by Jackson Katz, Ph.D. The YouTube…
Raising Girls – My recent work in the Illawarra region
The Illawarra Women’s Health Centre was the the charity recipient for this year’s Illawarra International Women’s Day committee event for their project “Empowering Young Women of the Illawarra.” The Project…
Destroying The Joint
I was thrilled to be asked to contribute to “Destroying The Joint – Why Women Have to Change The World,” an incredible new collection of writing initiated as a response…
All About Women – Bringing Up Daughters
I am thrilled to announce I will again grace the stage at the Sydney Opera House; you may recall last year I joined Germaine Greer, Eva Cox and Tara Moss…
The Power Of Image – The Truth About Modelling As Revealed By An “Angel”
Successful model Cameron Russell recently gave an incredibly powerful TED Talk on why looks aren’t everything, and on how in reality, she is merely the lucky recipient of a genetic…
Thank You!
On Christmas Day I logged on to Facebook to wish my on-line Friends all my love and was immediately struck by how many teen girls I am connected to were…
I’ve started telling my daughters I’m beautiful
I first read the following post on US site Off Beat Mama. I was not alone in being stunned by its powerful message and the exquisite writing; within days the…
A 21 Day Challenge- for mothers and daughters
Actress Kate Winslet recently made a powerful statement on the importance of modelling positive self image for our girls: “As a child, I never heard one woman say to me,…
All Women Hate Each Other
I was absolutely thrilled to have been asked to join the panel discussing the topic, “All Women Hate Each Other” at The Sydney Opera House’s Festival of Dangerous Ideas. The…
“To all my Facebook Friends: promise never, ever to assault women.”
The news that the body of Melbourne woman Jill Meagher has been found has left many of us distressed, and searching for answers. And, driven by this fear, we are…
Diet Crazy Mums
As a follow on from a number of posts I’ve featured on dieting and body image*, I thought I’d share this recent segment I did on channel 9’s Mornings Show;…