No matter which decision you make as a woman or a wife and especially as a Mother, it appears to be met by opposition of some sorts at every turn. SAHM, WAHM, breastfeeding and formula, school or home school, public or private, plastic surgery or au natural, Botox or bangs.

Today’s world is one of speaking up, of giving your opinion or stating your beliefs no matter whether you are talking to a friend or a complete stranger. In years of old, there was more of a reserve. Conversations behind closed doors, disapproval through a look or maybe a hushed whisper.

What a far cry from the world we live in today, where every thought is online, opinions leap out from magazines, and ideas bombard you from every newscast. No peace even to be found at a grocery store checkout line as you are assaulted from every angle.

Celebrities, marital discord, latest fad diets, plastic surgery and enough advice on how to make yourself younger, prettier, more desirable – it makes one want to crawl back into bed and stay there.

On the other hand, this is a time where the world is at our fingertips. Our resources for information are almost limitless. Have a question and you can have it answered in seconds. Need support for education, for marriage, for divorce, infertility, loss – it is there at the touch of a button. Of course this truly depends on your circumstances, it remains contingent on where you live and how you are raised. Here, in the US, where we are currently residing, we have freedom, liberty, opportunity – we can use these available resources for good. 

We can share our wealth of knowledge, all of this information, this instant communication and make a difference. There are an infinite number of organisations worldwide where one can lend a hand or use your voice.
For surely the issues that appear to pit women against each other are issues that should be set aside when you look at the global issues surrounding women’s health, infant mortality, gender discrimination and countless more.

The fact there are still countries where women do not have the right to vote and honor killings remain in existence, can only make one ashamed of the recent magazine cover uproar.

I am rearing two girls who have been blessed with an education, healthcare, and a safe home where they have been sheltered and protected. And as in the story of The Lorax, when I think of who I speak for, I speak for my children. But I recognise that as a parent in this world today, it is my calling to have my children connected and engaged in the world they will inherit.

This Summer we will travel to Nicaragua to volunteer with an organisation called Outreach 360, and if all goes according to plan, we will return to the Dominican Republic in the Fall.

We don’t need another vacation at a resort, or a shopping trip to another city, but we do need to be of service.

I want this to be a gift to them since who knows where their destiny may lie, the world today is their oyster … I am raising girls in a country where they have the opportunity to make a difference. They have the potential to change the world, it just takes one small step at a time.

What do you teach your children?

This is an original post to World Moms Blog from our South African, ex-pat mother of two in Florida, Nicole. You can find more of Nicole’s writing and musings on her personal blog: By Word of Mouth Musings.

Image designed by the author.

World Moms Blog

World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children. World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.

More Posts