Something big and exciting is happening in my world. I’m starting my own digital marketing company! Welcome to Lìonra (Scottish Gaelic for networking). Check out my brand new website! Would love to know what you think.
When I was 6, my stepdad taught me a lesson about leaving my bike in the driveway by running it ove. It destroyed me and I never, ever trusted that man again.
Kids need safety, security and love. Not parents who purposely cause them harm.
My ex didn’t change diapers because I was “faster and better at it” than him. He never woke to check on our crying babies because “he worked all day and needed to sleep.” He never meal planned, grocery shopped or remembered appointments even though I also worked full time.
I paid my 14 year-old’s best friend to come to the house everyday and check on our cats. He was so thoughtful that he watered my plants every single day to make sure they were okay when I got home. He’s so sweet and I thanked him but I’ll be replacing all but 2 plants today.
I noticed on my 14 year-old’s report card that all of her teachers used they/them pronouns in their comments. Turns out the whole school did this to be inclusive and thoughtful to all. Such a small but powerful change.
If abusers called you names or hit you on the first date they wouldn’t get a second one and they know that. They promise you the world, make you feel great and seem like the best thing that ever happened to you. The abuse starts slow and is easy to dismiss.
Because of this and so many other reasons, I divorced his ass. It was much easier to look after myself and the kiddos as a solo mom than to put up with that crap daily. Of course, divorce rates are up. Look at how we’ve been treated and how it has been encouraged.
I spent $1600 a month for daycare for my kiddos so I could work as a solo mom. I meant I couldn’t save and went into debt. I’m so happy parents now can access $10 daycare and not worry about making ends meet as I did. As society evolves, we should be helping those who struggle.
If you see a tent in the woods, no you didn’t. If you see someone shoplifting food, no you didn’t. Times are hard and so many people are unhoused and hungry. Until these issues are fixed, you let people do what they need to survive.
In Canada, you have to be 18 for lower gender-affirming surgery. Top surgery can happen at 16, but it requires a parent’s signature. And to get to the point of surgery, it takes years of medical doctor and psychologist led meetings and therapies.
Teachers saved my life. They fed me when I had no breakfast or lunch. They let me come into class early and leave late so I didn’t have to be home. They paid for my field trips and made separate forms so my parents couldn’t say no or feel shame that we couldn’t afford it.
Watched a lady come into the grocery store with no mask, full of anxious energy, just waiting to be challenged. She even knocked over a display for attention and walked away leaving a giant mess. I feel terrible for essential workers who have to deal with this shit.
I bled out during a miscarriage and a D&C saved my life. Criminalizing abortion won’t stop abortions, it’ll stop safe ones and we will die. Stop policing our bodies.
#abortionrights
#mybodymychoice
When I was young I couldn’t afford to get my teeth fixed and ended up with an abscess so bad it turned into a blood infection and almost stopped my heart. I had to be hospitalized. Worst part of this story? I’m not unique. This happens to many low income individuals and families
Wore a mask and distanced at my conference this week. Only a handful of people did the same and truth be told, it felt a little silly at times but I wanted to stay safe. Just got an email that attendees are testing positive. It’s not over, people!
Anyone notice there are way less side effects from the covid vaccine than from birth control? Why the huge discussion about vaccinations but not the 64.9% of women who take birth control? Oh right, it doesn’t affect men’s bodies...
The smallpox vaccine, which can be used for Monkey Pox was created in 1796. Is this enough time for it to move from experimental to credible in anti-vaxx time?
The people in my mentions telling me to sell my house and that I made a bad decision buying an older home have no idea the cost of living on Vancouver Island. I was damn lucky to squeak into the real estate market with a house I could afford, by myself, in 2017.
@Catsntats87
My kids dad did this too. Left me alone in the hospital room to go home and sleep after about an hour as well. I almost died in both cases and he was exhausted 🙄. He finally came back after 12-18 hours each time. These guys are brutal.
I was a solo mom with no help paying $1600 a month for daycare and even though I don’t need it anymore I fully, wholeheartedly support $10 a day childcare so others don’t have to struggle.
I left my abusive husband, became the solo mom of a 1 year-old and a 4 year-old, moved the three of us from Edmonton to Vancouver Island in 2017 and am now living a pretty amazing life. Ask me anything…
Do people realize you can simply not do things you disagree with?
Hate Pride parades - don’t go.
Hate abortions - don’t have one.
Hate gay marriage - don’t get gay married.
Hate Pride swag - don’t buy any.
Hate pronouns - stop using them altogether.
I do everything for my kids. Literally everything for 49 weeks a year, but their dad wins at life because he can be cool dad with expensive gifts for those other 3 weeks? *sigh*
I had a horrible headache, so the mermaids and I took Covid tests, and we’re positive for the first time. We're all fully vaccinated, but I have multiple autoimmune disorders. Please send all the healing vibes, as I'm scared.
When it became clear my kids’ dad wasn’t going to take them for summer vacation, I called his family and invited them here instead. Tonight his niece, who I’ve known since birth but lost touch the last 10 years, got off a plane, hugged me and asked me if I could still be her aunt
I’m all about free speech and copious amounts of swearing but the 6 x 6 foot F*CK TRUDEAU flag flying less than a block from my youngest mermaid’s elementary school is a little much.
Six years ago, I stepped foot on this gorgeous island with nothing more than 16 Rubbermaid containers and my kiddos. I’d made the decision to move 1300km away from the place I was born and raised to be closer to the ocean and away from my abuser.
Happy Islandiversary to me!
Today is very tough for our little family. We’re all safe but an incident last night shook us to our core and we’re processing a lot. Keep us in your thoughts 💜
Unpopular opinion - if I owned a coffee shop I’d be constantly frustrated with someone coming in, buying a single $3 coffee and using my wifi to work for 5 hours while taking up a table of 4.
8 years later I own the cutest little house 1500km from my abuser. I own a business and am financially secure. My daughters are thriving and have very little influence from their dad. I’m in a stable, healthy, loving relationship. There is hope. There is always hope ❤️
Old lady in coffee shop line - “you don’t have to wear a mask anymore, you know.”
Me - “Cool, cool. I’m not taking it off.”
Old lady - “I’m sure you’d be prettier if we could see your smile.”
Me - “You don’t want to come at me today lady. Oh, hell no.”
I honestly don’t get the allure Tim Horton’s has over people. They have a giant menu of things and not one of them is actually done well. Is it because it’s cheap?
21 years-ago today I started dating a man who seemed like a dream. He was charming, funny, and promised me the world. I felt so loved and cherished. He moved most of his stuff into my apartment a few weeks later. I was happy he wanted to spend so much time with me.
The Lady at the front desk of the long-term care facility apologized 100 times because she asked for proof of vaccination, and we had to do a rapid test before we went in. She said she gets yelled at a lot, which breaks my heart. Seniors should be protected.
If you’re trying to erase trans and 2SLGTBQIA+ kiddos, you’ll have to go through millions of us who will fight to keep them safe. While your anger may be loud, our love is louder.
I was sexually abused by my step father from when I was little. I told my mom and she said if I had dates, times and evidence she would take me to the police and without this I was a liar. It’s been 37 years and not being believed still haunts me. This is why I believe survivors
@AntiCook1e
No, because it was a gift from my grandparents and my parents could afford to replace it. Shortly after, I was in and out of foster care. I didn’t get another bike until I was in my 20’s.
Eleven years ago, I couldn’t see a way out of my abusive marriage and didn’t want to be alive anymore. Today, I woke up in my new house listening to ocean waves and seagulls and feeling safe, secure and excited. It gets better 💙
@willfull19
I didn’t give him instructions and he was trying to be kind. I’m not mad in the slightest. He knows now you shouldn’t water plants every day and they’re easy to replace. Life goes on :)
He replied “what if you’re worth it?” and travelled all the way to Courtenay just to meet me for a drink.
I honestly thought love like this was only in fairy tales - unconditional, thoughtful, patient, passionate, kind and truly safe but here we are.
Happy anniversary ❤️
I’m crying in my car, hiding from the world for a little while to gather myself, face my kids and start making plans for my mom’s new reality. I don’t know what I need right now but I appreciate you listening.
My kid is non-binary and is using they/them pronouns. I’m still getting used to this and mess up sometimes but it’s the effort and thought that counts and they’re so happy to be living their most authentic life 💜
Because you know this incredible person wouldn’t treat you badly. They were just tired and having a bad day. If you bring it up, they tell you you’re seeing/hearing/feeling things wrong and you want to believe it. They turn it up so slowly you don’t realize how bad it really is.
The kids who hang around my house and I have a pact. If they’re ever in trouble they can text me a 🖤 (black heart) and I will come pick them up from wherever they are, no questioned asked.
My first birth - the umbilical cord broke inside me. I lost over a litre of blood quickly, my heart stopped. I had to be brought back to life and given an immediate blood transfusion. Second birth - emergency c-section that no one saw coming and complications. Shut up, Jane.
everything about birthing culture is wrong.
babies should be had at home in beds and baths, not fluorescent hospital rooms.
the process should be organic, unmediated by chemical or surgical help and unassociated with the dread and pain it often is today.
My mom is on disability. We brought her to Walmart to buy groceries and the most expensive things in her cart were fresh veggies and fruit. We set poor people up for illness.
I GOT THE PHONE CALL! Mom has a room in the brand new, amazing facility here. She even has a doctor and speech therapists and I can’t even breathe I’m happy crying so much. What a relief.
It’s this sweet girl’s 8th birthday tomorrow and due to social distancing and isolation I’m trying to find ways to cheer her up. Would you mind wishing her a happy birthday? I’ll share all of tweets with her. Thank you 💜
I’m a settler on stolen land who grew up in a family where our religious beliefs lead to murdering Indigenous women, children and entire families. There is no sugar coating this.
Abusers thrive on the power and control they have over you. It’s strategic and manipulative.
By the time you realize you’re being abused, you’ve likely lost friends and family from isolation, are being controlled financially, believe you deserve it, and fear for your safety.
Your self-esteem is gone. Your self-worth is gone. Your joy is gone. You’re a shell of the person you used to be, and all of your energy goes into survival.
And this is when society judges us for not leaving and blame us for being abused.
Teachers are everything. More than educators they are trusted advisors and caring advocates. While they teach curriculum they help kids find their confidence and footing in the world. They help kids find passions. Teachers are essential and they need to be valued.
My ex-husband now has “family” tattooed on one side of his forehead and “T&A” (our daughters’ initials) on the other in very large script. Same guy still owes me $26,000 in back child support. The things abusive men will do for show.
We tell people and they don’t believe us because our abuser is “such a nice person who would never do that.” We want to leave but fear poverty and our kids being taken away. And when we try to leave we risk being hurt or murdered.
You tell me how easy it is to “just leave”…
As a kid who grew up poor and in foster care and then suffered years and years of abuse, there’s no way I could have ever dreamed of the life I’ve created for myself and my family.
Once upon a time, I saw this Scottish guy on Tinder who was brand new to Canada and swiped left because he lived in Sechelt and I was on Vancouver Island.
I had Tinder Gold, so I could see he swiped right and started a conversation out of pure curiosity.
The amount of people on here who think “just get a job” is a surefire way to end homelessness and poverty is astounding. They’ve obviously never gone without food and shelter or tried to crawl their way out of poverty because it’s a much more complex issue.
My partner and I just bought a big, beautiful house on the Sunshine Coast that overlooks the ocean. My kids are thriving, my business is doing incredibly well, I have amazing friends and the best support system.
I’m sorry.
And tomorrow I get to see my former BIL and SIL and their kids. We’re going swimming in waterfalls and out for tacos, of course. It’s really cool they took me up on my offer and it’s like things never changed. Healing 💜
Anyone else find it curious that Smith is so focused on policing trans kids but said nothing about unhoused people losing limbs and freezing to death? She doesn’t actually care about people. She cares about looking good to her transphobic and homophobic voters.
Hey white moms, when you talk about drinking wine because parenting is stressful or joking hiding it and walking around in public, recognize the privilege. We laugh and joke but if Indigenous mothers did the same, it’s likely child social services show up at their door.
Wear a mask. Just wear a mask. It’s that simple.
Image courtesy of BC Ferries who likely had 10 people look at this graphic and not one of them saw anything wrong with it. Bless their hearts.
If you’re going to stop yourself from getting a new organ because you’re not vaccinated, that’s your choice. And yes, it’s a choice as I had a choice in getting vaccinated. I believe in vaccines. I believe in science.
My mom gave me a blanket she made last night during our visit to the long-term care facility to say thank you for everything. Her meds are working, and she’s calm and grateful, which is the opposite of how I’ve always known her. It’s nice but weird. Hard to explain.
I was a kid in the 80’s and I didn’t worry about “the gays”, I worried about my creepy uncle. Nothing has changed since then. <10% of sexually abused children are abused by a stranger. Stop going after drag queens and look at who you’re letting into your child’s space instead.