18/12/2025
✨ The little inside happy dance I do when I meet a cycle breaker… ✨
I know I don’t always see the world in the most conventional way, and not everyone feels like I do, but this is the core of everything for me.
I’m not here to criticise the generations before us - in fact, I often have huge respect for them. Yes, there were behaviours that were never okay, and they need to be acknowledged. I try to remember: they didn’t know, and they did the best they could with what they had.
I have this vivid memory from infant school: being made to stand facing a wall at playtime as a punishment. I have no idea why. I was a well-behaved child, so it must’ve been something age-appropriate. I remember the detail of the wall, where I stood, and the sinking feeling of shame.
I can see why they did it, they thought they were teaching me a lesson…
but I didn’t learn what I did wrong or what I should be doing.
I just learnt that adults could make me feel bad for being me.
And that’s why I’m not just talking about parents. I’m talking about anyone in a position of influence over children — teachers, doctors, midwives, sports coaches, policy makers, the list goes on. We all shape the next generation.
And it makes me wonder:
What will my children’s generation do differently to me?
What don’t I know now that they’ll know in the future?
It’s a scary thought, having to face what I might have done “wrong.” But maybe that’s not the point. Maybe it’s about staying curious, not defensive. Learning from each generation, not blaming or shaming.
Easier said than done… but I’m here for it.