Motherland- What I've learned about parenthood, race and identity
Since moving to Barcelona (nearly a whole year ago)! I have been so lucky that a few amazing women reached out to me, sometimes social media is a truly magical thing.
One of whom was Priya Joi.
Since I met her Priya has been juggling work and parenthood (and a few dips in the sea) with writing a whole book of which I had the honour of being interviewed for a part of it.
This week it went live to pre order, it was so exciting typing her name in when I went to buy it and I cannot wait to read it.
As always in awe of what women and mothers can do with their limited time and resources. Here are a few words from her and a link to my book which I think every bookshelf should have in pride of place!!
I’m so thrilled to tell you that the words I’ve put my blood, sweat and tears into can be ordered now before it comes out next March
This book is for any parent who’s trying to help their kid shape their identity without imposing the emotional baggage we all carry from our childhoods.
Maybe it’s because, like me, you were a British Asian kid growing up in the racist hinterlands of England in the 1980s. Or maybe like me, you were partly raised by your grandparents. Maybe it’s because you grew up in a family that looked different to the ones you saw at school. Maybe it’s because you are raising your child in a single-parent or same-sex parent family and you don’t see yourself reflected anywhere.
This book is about we shake off the baggage that doesn’t serve us anymore, the things we were told that don’t feel true. About how we become the parents we want to be and raise the kids we want to send out into the world.
What if you’re not a parent? Then you’ll still enjoy coming along for the ride as I talk about growing up in India and going to a convent school run by nuns(lots of guilt came with that, thanks Sisters!), or what it was like being away from my baby sister, or how I dealt with heartbreak. There are as many laughs as there are tears, I promise.
This book is about figuring out your identity as a mother - what if you’re not the gin-swilling mum or the workaholic mum or the hippy mum pureeing organic food? A huge part of me figuring out my identity as a mama was working out what looked good on my body and what didn’t, and finding Sally’s clothes was a lightbulb moment - I could run around after my kid, make dinner and go out for drinks afterwards in the same outfit.
Love
Sal xx
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