It's scary how easily these kind of comments can slip out and show you a bias you weren't even really aware of. I am currently pregnant with a boy and the other day I (jokingly) mocked my husband for having a 'boy look', because the thing he was looking for was in a very obvious place; but when I thought about it I realised that making comments like this only perpetuates the stereotype and I don't really want for that to then be something that my son internalises as a norm. 

Just a small warning on the henna dye - I have naturally blond hair and tried the auburn henna dye over a year ago with the impression it would be temporary (I was told in store that it lasts 6-8 weeks); but apparently for some people with light hair it is quite permanent! I've also since been warned by hairdressers that they won't now put a standard dye on my hair where henna has been as it could cause further damage - so I have had funky auburn grow-out for a year with no option for other dye to make it less obvious!

This sounds so like my story! I started in ECEC in 2015 passionate about supporting children’s learning and development, and quickly became disillusioned by the documentation expectations and the lack of respect or knowledge of the work that we put in every day! I would prep resources, plan experiences, write learning stories well into the evening, all for minimum wage. In 2018 I returned to do Masters in Primary, and found a completely new and different world of documentation and check boxes, but this time without even the basic idea of following the children’s interests, learning and development; instead prioritising the crowded curriculum. I once flagged with the Principal my concerns about a student in my class having trouble engaging with the expected content due to their history of complex trauma and abuse; and was told that my job was to teach them, not care about them! I left soon after for an admin role. My work here is valued, I work 9-5 (with paid meal break!) and am paid double what I earnt back in my EC days. I have not forgotten my passion for supporting children’s learning and development though, and am now back studying Occupational Therapy, with views to do exactly what I always planned; to support children’s learning and development in ways that meet their needs.