Middle Ground Motherhood

15/08/2025

I recently sat through a workshop where "flexible work" was framed as a favour we can’t afford.

The usual suspects (let’s call them “Andrew” because 7 per cent of all ASX CEOs were Andrews and only 5.5 per cent were women in 2019 data) are still missing the point

Flexibility isn’t a perk — it’s essential for equity, sustainability, and a functioning future.

The upcoming Economic Reform Roundtable is a chance to shift the focus from the usual KPIs to care, climate and wellbeing.

🔗 Read more, including a powerful breakdown of why we can afford better - link https://open.substack.com/pub/middlegroundmotherhood/p/its-time-to-redefine-productivity?r=2s1n5y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

🧡Head over to .lately for excellent Roundtable content, including a fantastic recommended reading list for decision makers ahead of the discussions.

💪 Get behind the campaign for a four-day work week, because less is more - productivity, wellbeing, retention.

21/07/2025

🚸 Kids want to walk or ride to school — so do their parents.

But over the past 40 years, active school travel has dropped from 75% to just 25%. Why? Unsafe streets.

🚗 Most parents (75%) don’t enjoy the school drive.

Without safe paths, kids are being driven short distances they could walk or ride.

⚠️ Speed matters:
A person hit at 50km/h has a 90% chance of being killed. At 30km/h? Less than 10%.

🚲Streets should be safe, social “third places” — not just car corridors. For many Adelaide kids, their “third place” is the car.

Let’s reclaim our streets for children and communities.

Read more about our experience with the daily commute as more of our local area is taken for wider roads https://open.substack.com/pub/middlegroundmotherhood/p/your-third-place-is-probably-a-car?r=dqy4t&utm_medium=ios

Join us Sunday, 14 September, for our annual demonstration event to claim our rights to safe streets - link in KMA bio for your free ticket.

06/07/2025

Keeping the Faith: How feeling unsupported is not personal and deeply personal during this season of our lives.

Logically, we know that, like us, friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances have fluctuating levels of capacity and interest in being part of our lives. Most often, that’s not personal, although it can feel deeply personal when we lack support and feel isolated.

✉️ Most often, it’s action, not faith, that secures the support we need in our lives - read more in this week's - https://open.substack.com/pub/middlegroundmotherhood/p/faith-is-not-enough-to-get-our-needs?r=2s1n5y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

🫶Recognising the constraints of capitalism/patriarchy - How can you prioritise your support networks, including friendships and hobbies, this month?

Here’s one option 👇

🌙 Bookings for the next Great Mothering New Moon gathering on Sunday, 27 July, at 7.30 pm are open - secure your place https://buy.stripe.com/eVq7sM8GA2hxgCR2s8aZi04

Your participation contributes to something bigger, not just for yourself but also for those who need the support that your presence provides.

The investment is $33, or you can opt for the pay-as-you-can option.

Bookings close at 9 pm on Sunday, 20 July.

27/06/2025

In March 2024, I was in Canberra with a Union delegation when it was announced that superannuation would be paid on government-funded paid parental leave (PPL) to help address the gender super gap 😀

From 1 July 2025, eligible parents will receive a superannuation contribution equivalent to the Superannuation Guarantee rate on their government-funded PPL, paid directly to their super fund after the relevant financial year has ended.

This change is expected to benefit around 180,000 families each year. It resulted from years of lobbying by a range of sectors, including the union movement. Thousands of women told their stories of retiring in poverty because their unpaid care was not recognised and valued.

📖Our stories are powerful - read more in this week's - https://open.substack.com/pub/middlegroundmotherhood/p/unpaid-care?r=2s1n5y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

We must continue to share our stories to influence the changes needed to support mothers and caregivers in our community.

💪

16/06/2025

Maternal Rage 😠

Why are mums so angry? And what can we do about it?

"If you look across the research, you learn that anger is an emotion that we feel when something gets in the way of a desired outcome or when we believe there’s a violation of the way things should be" - Brené Brown, Atlas of the Heart.

📖Read more in this week's - https://open.substack.com/pub/middlegroundmotherhood/p/maternal-rage?r=2s1n5y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

🧡Invest in the support you need, join us for the next Great Mother New Moon Gathering on Sunday, 29 June, 7.30pm to 10pm online - https://buy.stripe.com/28EbJ27Cw4pF0DT2s8aZi03

31/05/2025

In crafting the Great Mother New Moon gatherings, I knew I needed to create something that worked for me at this stage in my matrescence, while also holding in my awareness the mothers who I hoped would be ready to receive it.

After the first Great Mother gathering, I felt the care I had put into designing this new offering was worth it. I am grateful for the mothers who took the time to receive it and provide thoughtful feedback like this:

"The space you have offered and created was full of compassion, and I have walked away feeling this in my heart" - Great Mother participant.

Bookings for the next Great Mother New Moon Gathering are now open. They will close on Thursday, June 26, at 9 p.m. (unless sold out before).

You can read more about the Great Mother New Moon Gatherings on the MGM . Become a subscriber to get all the updates directly to your inbox - https://middlegroundmotherhood.substack.com/p/online-doesnt-have-to-mean-remote

18/05/2025

Have you checked in with our lately?

Sarah Wilson says Australians are overstretched. Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith names seven types of rest we all need. What's your experience?

02/05/2025

I have seen reels on social media lately where mothers list how they put together their modern village.

I found this content affirming. It also made me rage against the “late-stage capitalism” that brought us to a place where we must buy in much of the support we need.

I write more about villages, old and new, in this week's after spending the school holidays at my in-laws' farm for a special celebration - https://open.substack.com/pub/middlegroundmotherhood/p/notes-from-a-village?r=2s1n5y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

For many of us, the reality is that without a traditional "village," we have to create our version of a village, which includes paid support.

Widening my circle to include support broader than family and friends has been important to my well-being and my childrens.

If you would like to include MGM in your modern village, there are still places available in our next Great Mother New Moon Gathering - https://tr.ee/xqYSdx3dp0

27/04/2025

If you are ready to begin or deepen your spirituality practice in community with other mothers moving through their matrescence, then the monthly online Great Mother New Moon Gatherings are for you.

In our Women's Circles, we have always included moon rituals with journaling prompts relating to all the areas of our lives impacted by our matrescence, including:

🌑 Physical

🌒Hormonal

🌓Emotional

🌔Social

🌕Cultural

🌔Economic

🌓Spirtual

During our Great Mother New Moon gatherings, we will be prompted to reflect on what we want to release (let go of) before considering what we would like to call in for the cycle that begins with the new moon.

We also meditate, move and provide opportunities for sharing.

Gathering in sync with the seasons and cycles of life is a universal experience, but one that can get lost in the hustle and bustle of modern life.

There are 12 spaces each month for mums who want a space to reflect, ground, and connect.

💜Our first gathering is Sunday, 25 May, 7.30pm to 10pm - https://middlegroundmotherhood.substack.com/p/new-moon-who-dis

11/04/2025

I was reading an article from this week about how the nuclear energy lobby is targeting mums with misleading ads.

The article reminded me to follow up with a friend who works in climate policy to help me understand why nuclear isn't the silver bullet it's being presented as in some circles - read this week's MGM for more - https://open.substack.com/pub/middlegroundmotherhood/p/energy-savings?r=2s1n5y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true.

To summarise - we don't have time to wait for nuclear energy if we want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet our Paris Agreement commitments. Also, it doesn't stack up for the private sector, which is one of the reasons it hasn't progressed. This means it would be subsidised by the government (taxpayers). Also, how do we decide who gets to live next to a nuclear plant and where to dump nuclear waste?

South Australia has achieved remarkable success in transitioning to renewable energy. The state currently generates more than 70% of its electricity from renewable sources, including rooftop solar, wind farms, and battery storage. SA has even experienced stretches where renewable energy exceeded our energy needs, with excess power exported to Victoria.

and the broader Rewriting Australia campaign research demonstrate that electrification is the fastest way to reduce carbon emissions and save consumers money. With the right policies, including rebates, subsidies, and low—and no-cost loans, it’s possible to reduce energy bills for everyone, including low-income earners and renters.

is running a campaign to return the focus to renewable energy. Their yard sign, modelled by my youngest son in the picture above, is available here. Sign their pledge calling for bold climate leadership to protect what we love here.

14/03/2025

📢The Heal & Hustle 'Choose Love' Revolution is gathering Friday 21 March 2025, 12pm to 3pm

is leading this response to the current global and local attacks on democracy, equality and inclusion by inviting people to reflect, share, learn and build individual and collective resilience and constructive strategies to protect and uphold these core values and principles here in SA and Australia.

At the gathering, I will facilitate a discussion on ‘Empowered Mothering: Challenging patriarchal motherhood restraints’. In this discussion, we will unpack the societal messages women hear about motherhood and ask how these messages shape women's expectations of themselves as mothers. Understanding the role of patriarchal motherhood constructs helps us defend our rights.

The gathering will also include:

✨'If not me, then who': engaging others in constructive conversation - Dana Shen

✨Accessibility is the key to open doors - Rachel Yorsten

✨Building a world more awesome - Erin Faehrmann.

It’s my feeling that we are all looking for places to make sense of what is happening in the world, at a local and global scale. This event provides one of those opportunities.

📝Read more in this week's - https://open.substack.com/pub/middlegroundmotherhood/p/heal-and-hustle-gathering?r=2s1n5y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
📝Purchase tickets to Heal & Hustle - https://events.humanitix.com/heal-and-hustle-choose-love-revolution

21/02/2025

Recently, I had the honour of connecting with the formidable Molly Gochman , a US mother, activist, artist, and philanthropist committed to making the work of mothering and care visible.

‘Monuments to Motherhood’ is Molly’s latest artwork. She has created multiple large-scale sculptures and a six-part podcast series.

This week's profiles Molly's work and is a comparative piece on motherhood in the US and Australia.

We discussed how effective activism requires everyone across the scales to activate, from conversations at the school gates to large rallies. We acknowledged the importance of organising for the causes and values we care about at this point in history.

In the podcast series, I loved hearing more about

✨ who are dedicated to advancing justice by reimaging monuments as places for belonging, learning and healing

✨ a moving public artwork by Michelle Browder that honours the sacrifice of enslaved women Anarcha, Lucy and Betsey, who were experimented upon by the "Father of Gynecology, J.Marion

✨ who leads the Magnolia Mother’s Trust, the longest-running guaranteed income program in the United States and the first to target extremely low-income families led by Black mothers

✨ who talked about her work with The House of Tulip, a land trust in New Orleans for transgender and gender-nonconforming people experiencing homelessness and the idea of a "possibility model"

My conversation with Molly left me buzzing for days and got me thinking about how my city, Adelaide, can publicly recognise the contribution of mothers, carers and kinship.

✉️Find the links to the Substack piece and the M2M podcast in bio.

✉️Comment or DM if you want to join a conversation about monuments to motherhood in Adelaide.

📝 Find out more about statue equality, including the fact there are more statues of animals than women in Australia