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Audiology - an unexpected update

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Raising strong girls


This photo is from a few weeks ago. Our middle child is crazy about the famous Swedish children's character, Pippi Långstrump (Longstocking), created by our most revered author Astrid Lindgren. Although she calls her "Hippi", but that's ok because she asked for the same crazy braids and loves to sing her songs.

Generations have been brought up on Lindgren's books and we all have our favourite characters; there are so many to chose from. (My personal is called Ronja) The thing all the children she created have in common is being strong, independent individuals who take on the world they live in. My littles aren't really old enough for my favourite yet. But they love the character that truly won the whole of Sweden's heart. The young girl with freckles & carrot coloured hair that lives in eternal braids that stick out and superhuman strength: Pippi. If you've never heard of her, look her up! She lives with her pet monkey & horse and a bag full of gold coins while her pirate father sails the seven seas. She's fiercely independent, playful, kind & loyal. She has a vivid imagination and makes fun of unreasonable adults. She is akin to Peter Pan & the lost boys when it comes to not wanting to grow up, but she's also so much more. She taught generations of young Swedish girls that we can be anything we want to, she taught us to fight for our beliefs. I don't know if Greta Thunberg loves her or not, but I do know that Greta and Pippi stand for a nation of girls who believe in themselves. That we stand with them. That girls are strong. To those that try to belittle Greta, say she's manipulated and used, you clearly do not know or understand the country she comes from. It shouldn't matter how old you are or what your gender is, but that you are supported enough by your family and friends to dare to stand up for what you believe and think. Even when, or especially when, there are "adults" out there who try to tell you you can't.

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