Writing stories for my daughters

 It seems it was another lifetime, but my husband and I met in another city at university. Of the things I studied during that short time before we decided that our new family was more important, creative writing and archaeology were my best subjects.

Feeding all my old drafts, manuscripts and notes (including a novella and a poetry collection) through the shredder a few years back while decluttering old tax papers was the most freeing and cathartic act.

What I was writing wasn't bad but those papers had served their purpose back then in my pointless, lonely university days and have no place in my happy, full adult life of family and meaningful work so I joyfully shredded them.

And you know what happened next? After thirteen years of writing nothing beyond thank you notes and grocery lists, the words began to flow again.

I started with a story about my daughter finding a fairy blown in her window from a storm, then another about my other daughter trying to name her pet bunny rabbit.

Then my frustration with the lack of good home centered stories featuring girls on the cusp of adulthood flowed into stories about young women I knew, have met, who I wanted to be at age sixteen but didn't have the opportunity to become back then.

A lot of this is inspired by my grandmother. She died before my eldest was born and quite frankly my children need her influence. I channel her values and spirit to do good for others in these stories. 

She took care of her family with a hot meal and real hospitality regardless of what problems they were experiencing (or creating). 

The most important people on both sides of my children's family had no formal education beyond age 14 but they had the most impact by focusing on the things that matter.

I've written stories about meaningful work and hobbies that my girls express interest in (e.g. special education teacher's aide). There are only so many times you can read the Little House series to your child who wishes she could get her teaching certificate like Laura and work in a one room school house too. 

I wrote her into a life where she took this path and what it might look like.

Even as a librarian working with teens, I struggle to find books featuring a character this age that do not end with "college is the answer to everything". 

Half these characters do not know what they want to study or what they plan to do three years later when it's over. Sleepwalking into anything without a clear vision of why you are doing it is not an answer.

The girls in my stories actively demonstrate that there are other options. Vocations taught as trades like early childhood, aged care, beauty services and hospitality can be studied from age 15 alongside school here in Australia.

One character is already running a small business while finishing Year 10, two others are studying early childhood education via distance alongside their schoolwork. Another character has actively decided to finish Year 12 and go to university to become a midwife.

A young adult is perfectly capable of having go at 'real' things like a small business, helping care for little siblings or elderly relatives, attempting vocational training and volunteering alongside adults facing real problems.

Too many adults are scared of making a phone call and break off promising relationships because their entire lives they've been told they aren't ready, they're too young, Dad has to do you taxes, Mum has your medicare card, you can't hold your own passport etc.

To my girls: you aren't too young, you are ready and you will always have a hot meal and warm bed waiting for you here.

I wrote a little vignette (a piece of writing with no plot, just vibes) about my favourite chore as a teen and as an adult - ironing. I may post it soon for fun.

*I earned my (then) cheap, industry accredited degree to be a librarian online from home while homeschooling with a toddler on my lap during the pandemic at age 32. It was very worthwhile, resulted in an immediate job offer and was much better experience than floating into a generic degree at age 18 because I was told that's where I had to be. I refer to both these experiences sometimes on this blog. Australian degrees are mostly three years long because we don't have Gen Ed or Language requirements.