While it is important for boys to have a number of positive male role models, fathers (in whatever forms they take) may be uniquely positioned to teach boys about masculinity. Recent events, such as the controversial Gillette advertisement, which focused largely on fathers and openly challenged all men to be better, resulted in a lot of public backlash in defense of a certain type of masculinity.

Stigma has been around for centuries, with the word originating from early Greek to mean the mark on a person that labelled them in some way. The ‘stigma of mental illness’ refers to the devaluing of a person based on negative beliefs, attitudes and perceptions about ‘mental illness’ that mark a person as different from an accepted norm.

I don’t know about you, but when it’s particularly cold outside (and it has been COLD), my favourite thing to do is curl up in front of a fire with a blanket and a good book.

This has always been my go-to for self-care and relaxation, and it has me thinking about the importance of stories in the lives of families and children.