Feminism is a topic that’s very close to our hearts and one we think all our kids (girls and boys) should know about – but how do we go about it, and at what age should we start having those conversations? In our first-ever podcast episode, hosts Ange and Sam speak to Ramita Anand to help us answer these questions (and more!) about our role as parents when it comes to feminism.
About our guest – Ramita Anand
Ramita is a mum to two kids aged 10 and 13 (one girl and one boy), as well as a furkid called Atticus. Born and raised in Vancouver, Ramita spent time working in London and New York as a teacher, spending over 15 years in the classroom, with five of these years spent in Learning Support departments. From this, she developed her passion for supporting and developing children and helping them to foster their own superpowers. Following her move to Singapore, she set up Elevate.RA – an educational mentoring service designed to empower young girls to help them lead remarkable lives.
Key points we covered in this episode to take a listen to…
02:16 – We start our conversation by asking Ramita the big question – how do we teach children about feminism? We discuss what to include in these initial conversations, plus top tips to note when speaking to young kids about feminism in terms of making it accessible and relevant to them.
09:15 – Ramita shares the difference between teaching feminism to a boy and a girl and what factors we should consider when having these conversations. Ramita shared her own ideas and comparisons she made when having discussions with her own daughter and son. We focus on our roles as parents, with Ange and Sam sharing their thoughts on how to discuss feminism with their own boys.
16:10 – Then we move on to the why – why is it important to teach young children about the issue. What challenges do we see in our every day that need to change – from JK Rowling (or should we say Joanna..) to Emily Ratajkowsk and the questions raised around consent. We also explore the stereotypes that our kids see – from pink toys for girls to activities determined by gender at school.
19:40 – What limits feminism? Ramita reflects on her own upbringing and how culture and tradition play a big role. She shares her experience of double standards growing up and how roles were divided – her brother was given the lawnmower, and she was given the laundry or the mop!
24:30 – What about the people that say the status quo is ok? We explore modern-day examples (hello, homeschooling), which demonstrate we still have some way to go…
32:20 – Where is Singapore in all of this? Ramita, Ange and Sam share their own take on feminism in SG.
36:33 – Parenting 101 – best and worst parenting moments, plus one thing Ramita wished she’d known before becoming a parent…
Want to know more? Check out these resources….
You can find out more about the wonderful work Ramita undertakes and how to sign up for her courses via her website or on Instagram. Also, check out her blog for the latest happenings.
Check out this article on raising kickass girls with over 10 top tips (including Ramita’s) on what we can all learn about raising girls.
Looking for more refreshing content to challenge gender stereotypes? We’ve got some stellar articles to debunk those myths, such as chatting with SCC Rugby Academy’s coach about girl’s rugby, cool ways girls can get into coding, and why women should be investing.
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Stay tuned for the next episode dropping soon!