Letter from The Editor: Making the Most of a Fresh Start

Goodbye, 2016; don’t let the door hit you on the way out! Sassy Mama’s Editor reflects on the year that was, and parenting goals for 2017.

Happy New Year, mamas! I have to say, I am pretty psyched to welcome 2017 and bid a not-so-fond farewell to 2016. It’s a year that offered up some of the darkest moments I can recall in quite some time (I say this as an American, as a woman, and as a parent who’s at once fearful about what will happen to our planet, and thankful that my daughter is mostly too young to understand what’s going on in our home country). On a seemingly daily basis I’ve been moved by the horrors of what’s happening in Aleppo and across Syria, and indeed by the refugee crisis at large and particularly its effect on children. Acts of terror – most recently the devastating New Year’s shooting in Turkey – continue to shock and sadden.

I ended 2016 resolving to donate more money to worthy causes, but also feel strongly that action begins on a local level. I plan to increase my volunteering and charitable activities in 2017, and invite you to do the same. Stay tuned for our upcoming guide to volunteering in Singapore.

On a personal level, the U.S. election was a shocking gut punch that I am trying to turn into a teachable moment. I began the day hopeful and elated that we would be electing our first woman President – and that my daughter would bear witness to this historic moment – and ended it in despair. But while in my 20s I might have spent weeks wallowing in grief, I knew I needed to set a better example for my toddler daughter.

I’ve stocked up on children’s books like A is for Activist, Peace is an Offering, and a variety of other titles with an empowering and positive message (this guide to building a feminist library for your baby formed the bulk of our Christmas gifts!).

More than ever, I want to encourage my daughter’s right to free play and to support this through mindful, respectful parenting. Even if the world is increasingly becoming a place where truth and kindness are in short supply, there’s no reason that needs to be the case in our own home.

I’d like to wish all of our readers a happy, safe and peaceful 2017. We all know it takes a village to raise a child; here’s to making our village as warm and supportive a place as we can.