I saw how Fertility Fest made an impact on Berenice and realised then, that it's important that World Childless Week must include stories from men who haven't experienced fatherhood and from different demographics.
Read moreWhy I'm a World Childless Week Champion by Jody Day
“Since I started Gateway Women seven years ago, the topic of childlessness has gradually moved from the margins towards the mainstream, but those of us who are childless not by choice (CNBC) still face prejudice, stigma, ignorance and insensitivity in many areas of our lives: in our families and peer groups, in our communities, at work, in our places of workshop and from civic and medical services.”
Read moreWhy I'm a World Childless Week Champion by Berenice Smith
‘The excitement of World Childless Week was palpable way back in May! From the conversations over the two days I was in London, I knew that World Childless Week will inspire, educate with honesty and originality. It also matters to me that my site, Walk In Our Shoes, is linked to a brand with integrity.’ Find out why Berenice is proud to be a World Childless Week Champion.
Read moreWhy I'm a World Childless Week Champion by Vicky Page
“I met this hard working dedicated group through the opportunities that social media provides. Facebook Skype, and Zoom connected me to this group of wonderfully talented and dedicated people who are all committed to the vision that Stephanie has created. For me that means being childless should no longer be a taboo subject.” Find out why Vicky is a World Childless Week Champion
Read moreIt's all happening! - Stephanie Phillips
Whilst I have been quiet over the last few months with regards to blogs I have been talking and sorting all things World Childless Week. I have been working alongside Berenice Smith of Hello Lovely updating and improving the website. I only said to Berenice yesterday that the website started out like a single forget me not flower still in bud, and is slowly blossoming into a full flower head with multiple flowers, and showing its full glory.
Read moreMaking it easier to get in touch
It's really busy at WCW HQ!
We have a World Childless Week Champions and team meeting this week with a busy agenda. We've got some exciting news to share very soon about the Champions, watch this space but you'll also see we've added new faces: Meriel Whale, Rod Silvers, James Petherick and Yvonne John.
We are so pleased to have Champions that approach childlessness from all demographics, genders and disabilities. It's important that we speak for everyone and for as many countries as possible too. We really do mean World!
You'll also be finding out from each Champion why they are supporting World Childless Week in their own words starting with an article from Vicky this week. We hope you'll find them inspiring.
Don't forget to pop a note in your diary for tomorrow 15th August when Steph will talking about all things WCW with the wonderful More to Life team and she'll be supported by the Champions. It's your chance to meet her via Zoom. To sign up, click on this link here.
Steph and Berenice are starting to fill the website with 2018 material ready to be published and you'll see we have a new contact page with a form that allows you to attached your article and an image. This form is completely confidential. If you have any questions, you can find most answers on our helpful FAQ page but you can also use the form to make any enquiries too.
Also going out this week is another batch of press releases. If you would like to contact your local paper do let us know and we can send you the official World Childless Week PR and logo.
Photo: Marko Pekić
Father in his heart - Stephanie Phillips
I don’t know my biological father and there has never been a man in my life that I’ve seen as a father figure. Ogie, my granddad, is the only role model I have but sadly he passed away when I was still a teenager.
With Father’s Day approaching I look at my husband and wonder how he feels. The adverts for gifts are appearing thick and fast and even on social media I get a notification of “Father’s Day Tex Mex Buffet”. He’s never expressed sadness on this day but with advertising everywhere you turn it’s something that he can’t avoid. I’ve made the resolution to ask him about his feelings. Is he not bothered or does he mask any emotions? I need to know.
Read moreConflict - Michael Hughes
I’ve been conflicted about writing this piece. I’ve been wanting to write it for ages, at the same time avoiding it at every turn. I realise it’s the self-analysis I perform as part of my writing process I’m avoiding. As much as I like to think that I have accepted being childless, I know deep down there is a pain waiting for its chance to rise up. Do I address it, or beat it back with a big stick hoping it will go away.
Read moreThe un-held hand - Robin Hadley on Father's Day
It is that time of year when strategies deployed at Christmas, New Year and sundry other ‘national family centred event days’ are taken down from the loft, dusted off and made ready: Father’s Day to my mind, has followed the marketization of Mother’s Day.
Undoubtedly, next Monday’s news reports will give estimations of how many millions of pounds were spent on Father’s Day and how much more was spent on Mother's Day. It would appear that in order to acknowledge biological or social fatherhood a card, a present, and a meal specially priced (and specially defrosted and reheated) is now mandatory. Wherever you go displays inviting you to acknowledge your father or the father of your children abound.
Read moreWalking Past Father's Day - Kenny Smith
My dad passed away ten years ago. When he was alive, for the majority of his life he was cared for by my mum after he had a motorbike accident. Before the accident, we were never a family for commercial celebrations and he wasn't the sort whom the cards wanted to pay homage to anyway. He had four sons and I'm the eldest. Two of us are childlessness. Nevertheless, I've enjoyed being part of the lives of my now grown-up nieces and nephews, turning up on my motorbike to see them, and meantime working hard so I could travel the world and buy a house.
Read moreCalling All Allies - Emma Palmer
I think a lot about ally-ship (is that a word?!) Ally-ship particularly, but not only, in terms of how those of us without children can be effective allies. It’s true that the lives of the happily childfree can be very different to the lives of folk early in the process of coming to terms with not being able to have a child, or never having been in the circumstances to have had them (and perhaps not yet having found their ‘plan B’ in the words of Gateway Women founder Jodie Day). It’s also true – I’ve seen it happen many times – that a lot can be gleaned and learned between the childless and childfree.
Read moreStarting Line
The last few weeks have flown by in organised and unorganised chaos. After the excitement of Fertility Fest I desperately wanted to get online and reach out to everyone who I’d met but I couldn’t. Hubby had a week off work so the days were spent on little trips out, the odd pub meal and generally enjoying a few days of rest and relaxation. As much as I loved spending time with him I was biting the bullet to get back on the computer when he returned to work on the Monday.
Read moreLeaving a Legacy
Yesterday I attended Fertility Fest in London and participated in The Unborn Child. Tessa Broad read aloud the first chapter of her book Dear You: A Letter to my Unborn Children and Tina Reid talked about and then showed us her collection of Photos I’ll Never Take. Their words and images were deeply thought provoking.
I recognized their dreams and desires. Not the big moments but the small incidental moments in time that can cement a small but precious memory. They reminded me of my own “what ifs.” What would I have taught my children, what moments in time would we have cherished, what memories would I hold in my heart and what photos would fill the frames on my wall.
Read moreWe Are Worthy - We Are All Diamonds
It has been heart breaking reading all the stories this week. There is so much pain and anger and I find all of it relatable too. I know it’s a personal journey that unfortunately all of us childless not by choice must go through.
I made the tough decision a few years ago to stop IVF treatment, Endometriosis and numerous other issues resulted in three failed IVF cycles. This among other things resulted in the breakdown of the marriage. So, I found myself single and over 40 with a whole set of challenges ahead.
Read more#Flip The Script - Stronger Than You Know
Last week I was still struggling with what to post each day during the American NIAW. I wanted to represent those of us who would never achieve the dream of being a parent and show that World Childless Week was there to support people throughout the year.
I was aware that NIAW was using #flipthescript throughout the week which immediately made me think of flipping the script from a negative to a positive. The only problem was that although I had the spark of an idea, I had been struggling to put pen to paper.
Read moreWe Are Worthy - Reclaiming Our Narrative and Owning Our Worth
“There are no prerequisites for worthiness.” –Dr. Brené Brown
Our wholeness is innate and our worthiness inherent. Yet, how are we able to truly value ourselves, under the weight of social prerequisites, which often fail to acknowledge, let alone embrace those of us living without children, not by choice?
Read more#Flip The Script - Worthy from the day you were born
When did I stop deciding I was worthy? I can’t think of a day or a time. What made me question my worth or had I never considered my own worth until I compared myself to someone else? These are questions that have suddenly come into my mind and each question seems to raise more questions.
Did I feel worthy at ten, twenty or thirty years old; was it a question that ever crossed my mind? Does my worth hinge on one single element of my life, my inability to have a child? Is that the one deciding factor that I allowed to consume me and devour my worth?
Wow.
Read more#Flip The Script - Take Control
On Thursday during World Childless Week we shared out thoughts on comments that hurt. What we didn’t do was talk much about how we can respond to these comments. I think we find it hard to have a natural response because we are emotionally drawn in; be it anger, upset or disbelieve. Our reactions and responses are also swayed by the person saying the comment, the occasion and how confident we are to speak openly about our childlessness.
Read more#Flip The Script - New Horizons
On Wednesday during World Childless Week 2017 I asked people to share letters addressed to the reason they were childless. All but one of the letters I received were full of pain, sadness and anger. That one letter surprised me because it thanked infertility. So today I am also going to #FlipTheScript and share my gratitude for my childlessness.
Read moreWe Are Worthy - Berenice Smith, Walk In our Shoes
What did you do today? Did you do any of these things?
Checked in with a friend or relative online, face to face or by phone
Took a picture to share
Thanked someone
Remembered to do something nice for yourself or someone else