Week February 4th Blog

After this week I decided that my family is quite unique and the women have taken the role of men – but we can still refine ourselves and be ladies. I grew up the youngest in a family of seven children where six of us are girls and only one is a boy. The only reason why I think we have a few more manly attributes is because every single one of us has been raised on my Dad’s farm/ranch. My dad has started each of us out young working hard to help him on the farm/ranch and consequently working like men. My brother never had issues with being feminine, we girls all have had a little bit of a Tom Boy streak in us. I personally wouldn’t have any problem going out and making the income for my future family because I enjoy labor (that’s just the way I’ve been raised). However, my parents also taught the importance motherhood and how it is our divine calling to be mothers and wives. It was just interesting in our discussion to realize that I myself am a very odd girl as far as gender roles go. My roommates and friends have even told me this, but I actually quite often enjoy being alone (a man-like quality), I am extremely competitive (another man-like quality), I can be very aggressive (another), and over all I am a bit of a mix. Even though I enjoy these things, I am sensitive and very aware of social situations, I love to notice people’s feelings and be aware of emotions, and by taking notice and thinking of myself I know that I am in fact proving the “woman” thing to do. And when we were talking about how women coddle to the children after they fall down, I am planning on raising my kids to be tough. I want my girls to think that when they fall down they’re fine. I appreciate the way I’ve been raised because I can still be a lady (which all the women in my family do so beautifully – like an art), but I am also independent and strong like a man. I hope to somehow pass these things on to my children as well.