Starting Over

I often find myself guilty of rushing into the next period of my life. I couldn’t wait to graduate high school, I couldn’t wait to finish my first year of college, and I currently can’t wait to go back to school.

As a new school year quickly approaches, a new beginning awaits us. Even though our long, lazy days of spending hours in the sun are coming to an end, something unexpected and thrilling inevitably awaits each of us. A chance to start over, a chance to become closer to the person we want to be, and an opportunity filled with an endless amount of hope.

It’s no surprise that new beginnings are always filled with the anticipation of being able to start over. A new semester, a birthday, a new year – are similarly all viewed as the opportunity to serve as a “life altering” turning point. But in reality, every day holds the same opportunity to begin to see the world and ourselves in a new light. We don’t need a holiday or a special occasion to start our lives over. Everyone has the power each day to start over again.

We are given each day for a reason, are you making the most of it? Are you taking advantage of the day to work towards the person you want to be? It’s always motivating and beneficial to have something to look forward to, and set attainable goals, but it’s equally important to slow down and enjoy the simple, meaningful accomplishments that we make everyday.

So, as we start this new school year, I challenge each of you to stop wishing away this moment, take a second to breathe, and take advantage of today and the precious opportunities we have to seek change and begin our lives over again!

Love,

G4G and Emily

P.S Hope you can join us next Monday for another new post! 

YAY LEGO!

Quick! You have to go to a little girl's birthday party! She is turning 7 this year and you need a present and possibly a card as you make your way across town. You  walk into the nearest Target and head towards the toy aisles. Luckily for you, the toy industry giants have made it easy or you to find the toys for this birthday as there are a few rows that are blindingly pink and overrun with dolls and bead sets and make up. Your decision on what to get this little girl has more or less been made for you.

Not anymore. In the recent, there had been a lot of discussion, research and revolution regarding the toys we provide for our children; especially about boys and girls toys.

Last week, Lego proved this by coming out with it’s first set of women STEM scientists collection (http://time.com/3074690/lego-women-in-science-stem-toys/). - A set of lego toys, geared towards girls, consisting of women scientists took off with some interesting headlines. 

One of my favorites: Move over Barbie. (http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/09/girls-play-are-gender-stereotyped-toys-on-way-out)

This is not only a big deal for the feminists and all those striving for equality, but it is a big deal for the 7 year old you are trying to buy a gift for.

Research shows that many girls associate fun with toys with praise from others. For instance, dressing dolls correctly as being a "good girl" or "good mommy’s", and applying the make up in their make up kits makes them pretty and princess like.  Meanwhile, boys have trucks, GI Joe’s, building blocks, tool kits and much more. They are taught that building, creating, and working is what makes toys fun.

These are extremely different baselines for learning. For those who wonder why boys never grow up to worry about looks, it’s because their toys taught them to think about what their work looked like. And for those wondering why girls grow up obsessed with their hair and weight, it’s because they have been learning girl-skills through Barbie dolls.

And it’s not a parent’s fault. You saw it as you wondered through Target in the rows of pink and sparkle and rhinestone that there is not much diversity for girls when it comes to toys.

“But even the hardliners of that position would totally accept that there are trends which are going against the over-pinking of girls' toys.”

Remember this past Super Bowl? Do you remember the GoldieBlox ads? (Here I’ll refresh your memory.)

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/blog/2014/02/inspiring-future-female-engineers-goldieblox-goes-to-the-super-bowl.php

It is important to remember that while there is nothing wrong with little girls falling in love with pink, there is something wrong with giving them a narrow view of what they are capableable of. And that, for me, is the most important part of this Lego revolution.

To present a girl/woman in a working environment, in sensible clothes, with applicable skills… bravo, Lego.

So… as you scan through the endless pink in search of a birthday present. Remember what we are teaching them and allowing them to fulfill. Remember that a little girl will have just as much fun with a toy that lacks the glitter.

Love,
G4G & Ashley