What keeps me up at night

It’s not thinking about labour or the fact that I’ll be short on sleep for the next few years. What keeps me up at night (aside from the heat and the heartburn and my dog) is thinking about how I can teach her to be a proper girl. A girl that knows her power and strengths and the fact that she can do everything she wants to. I’m scared of having to teach this role; while I was kind-of raised on a principle like that and was around educated people my whole life, can I teach my daughter this coming from my current life position? I know I’m going to stay home for a while and I know that the whole baby-making mothering thing will be my stage of life for the next while. I’ve gotten a degree and had a semblance of a career and then didn’t want it anymore and here we are. I have a job that doesn’t pay, that I have no desire to grow in right now, and rely on a man. I’m absolutely elated to bring a baby into this world and it’s by far the most exciting thing that I’ve ever done.

How do I teach my daughter to be a proper feminist? Starting off, we’re listening to a whole bunch of Ani Difranco and perhaps I’ll pull out my old women’s studies books to read to her. A little bell hooks and Judith Butler in utero can’t hurt anybody…