supporting needy mothers
Tracy Oldfield
This is one of my pet-project ideas, that I'd love to be doing right
now but dh wouldn't. I'd like to be a foster-parent to teenage girls
who are pregnant and have no family support. I know it sounds big-
headed, but I think I could be a positive role-model for their
mothering skills, and a good sounding-board for them and their
lives. I'm not that far removed from their age and I was almost a
teenage mother myself, so I think I have a lot to give to people in
such a situation. But what I want to do and what works for our
family are 2 different things :-(
Tracy
now but dh wouldn't. I'd like to be a foster-parent to teenage girls
who are pregnant and have no family support. I know it sounds big-
headed, but I think I could be a positive role-model for their
mothering skills, and a good sounding-board for them and their
lives. I'm not that far removed from their age and I was almost a
teenage mother myself, so I think I have a lot to give to people in
such a situation. But what I want to do and what works for our
family are 2 different things :-(
Tracy
Robin & Beverley Paine
Tracy wrote:
give all to them now. You will have so much more to give in ten years time.
We really do want to do everything NOW, don't we? The problem isn't going
to go away. I am sure there are many things you can do to help these small
families without committing such a large slice of your life. Making other
people aware of your thoughts and support is a simple way to raise
awareness - and raising awareness, empathy and tolerance are all good steps.
Beverley
>teenage mother myself, so I think I have a lot to give to people inThere is a lifetime ahead of you Tracy, wait until your children are older,
>such a situation. But what I want to do and what works for our
>family are 2 different things :-(
give all to them now. You will have so much more to give in ten years time.
We really do want to do everything NOW, don't we? The problem isn't going
to go away. I am sure there are many things you can do to help these small
families without committing such a large slice of your life. Making other
people aware of your thoughts and support is a simple way to raise
awareness - and raising awareness, empathy and tolerance are all good steps.
Beverley
Tracy Oldfield
The problem with this idea is that I have walked in these shoes,
and by the time I have the 'space' in my life a) hubby still won't
want to do it and b) I won't be 'relevant' to such people. I'll be a
patronising, interfering old bat, rather than a fellow mother. So if
I'm going to do it, it does need to be now. What I could do later
would be to encourage others to do this... I hope it's not as big a
problem when I'm older, though it's perhaps vain hope...
Tracy
and by the time I have the 'space' in my life a) hubby still won't
want to do it and b) I won't be 'relevant' to such people. I'll be a
patronising, interfering old bat, rather than a fellow mother. So if
I'm going to do it, it does need to be now. What I could do later
would be to encourage others to do this... I hope it's not as big a
problem when I'm older, though it's perhaps vain hope...
Tracy
On 3 Jul 2000, at 8:29, Robin & Beverley Paine wrote:
There is a lifetime ahead of you Tracy, wait until your
children are older,
give all to them now. You will have so much more to
give in ten years time.
Tracy Oldfield
I'm not running myself down, I know I'm always going to be
fabulous! Just that I think this is how I would be seen (initially, at
least) by a pregnant 15yo with all the attending baggage that
brings. Just trying to be realistic, and knowing what i and my
freidns were like back then. Thanks for the encouragement,
though!
Tracy
fabulous! Just that I think this is how I would be seen (initially, at
least) by a pregnant 15yo with all the attending baggage that
brings. Just trying to be realistic, and knowing what i and my
freidns were like back then. Thanks for the encouragement,
though!
Tracy
On 4 Jul 2000, at 10:05, Robin & Beverley Paine wrote:
Tracy, you do yourself a disservice! Of course you
won't be such a person,
not unless you make it so.... I am 42 now, and
determined to stay 'young
and flexible' in mind, like so many older people I
know... we don't need to
give up motherhood just because our children grow....
motherhood is a
forever thing! Keep the feminine in mothering and don't
bow down to
patriarchal views of aging womanhood!
You wil have more, much more to give, because you will
have gained so much
more experience in life....
Don't run your future self down, please!!!!
cheers,
Beverley
Robin & Beverley Paine
>The problem with this idea is that I have walked in these shoes,Tracy, you do yourself a disservice! Of course you won't be such a person,
>and by the time I have the 'space' in my life a) hubby still won't
>want to do it and b) I won't be 'relevant' to such people. I'll be a
>patronising, interfering old bat, rather than a fellow mother. So if
>I'm going to do it, it does need to be now. What I could do later
>would be to encourage others to do this... I hope it's not as big a
>problem when I'm older, though it's perhaps vain hope...
>
not unless you make it so.... I am 42 now, and determined to stay 'young
and flexible' in mind, like so many older people I know... we don't need to
give up motherhood just because our children grow.... motherhood is a
forever thing! Keep the feminine in mothering and don't bow down to
patriarchal views of aging womanhood!
You wil have more, much more to give, because you will have gained so much
more experience in life....
Don't run your future self down, please!!!!
cheers,
Beverley
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