International Women’s Day 2023 is approaching. Find out how you can celebrate this special day for women while inside the comfort of your home.
It’s that time of the year again mums, when we celebrate being a woman – our achievements, our struggles and the road we have paved to get to where we are right now.
And while March 8 is a great day to go out into the streets, wearing purple screaming, “I’m a woman. Hear me roar!” For us mums who have to stay in to take care of the little ones, it’s “business as usual.”
But being the beautiful, clever beings that we are, we know that we don’t need to join a big parade to celebrate this important day for us women. Even in the safety and comfort of our homes, we can join our sisters in honouring our contribution and value to society.
As for me, a working mum with a home-based job and someone who homeschools her kids, I still plan on making the 8th of March special for me and my daughters. I also want to stress the importance of this holiday to the men in the family.
So I’m planning on re-reading the paperback version of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s We Should All Be Feminists while I take a break from making dinner and just order pizza for the whole family. For their “homework,” I’m going to let my girls read about one of the featured women from the book Amazing Women: 101 Lives to Inspire You by Lucy Beevor.
My girls love it when I read them a book before bedtime, so I’m going to read them our all-time favourite, Dear Girl by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.
Celebrating International Women’s Day at Home
If you don’t have any plans yet for IWD 2024 here are some meaningful ways to celebrate them in your own space.
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Celebrate with other women virtually
The beauty of living in this century is that we can be with our people despite the distance. So get on a video call with your mum squad and talk about your struggles and successes in your workplace or in your community. You can even get everyone to wear something purple, the colour of International Women’s Day and take a selfie doing the #EmbraceEquity sign.
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Celebrate an amazing woman in your life.
In addition, celebrate a woman who inspires you by giving her a call or writing a quick note on her social media page. It can be your mum, your boss at work, or even your child’s teacher. A simple, “I admire you and I appreciate you” will make her day for sure.
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Be a game-changer by educating your kids about equity.
March 8 is a time to celebrate women and to think about how we can work together to make the world better for women and all genders.
So, how do you teach your kids about equity? Simple steps like encouraging them to speak up when they see someone being treated unfairly, and model inclusive language and behaviour in your interactions.
Teaching them about empathy also goes a long way in helping them understand the importance of putting themselves in other people’s shoes, which in turn can lead to a deeper understanding and appreciation of equity.
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Watch a movie about a strong female.
Movie night! Get the whole family together and spend a couple of hours watching some inspiring films or even TV shows featuring the best portrayals of powerful women. If you’re with kids, you can go for classics like Brave and Mulan. But my personal favourite is Legally Blonde, and of course, you shouldn’t miss America Ferrera’s beautiful monologue in the Barbie movie.
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Read a book or a poem written by great feminists
A meaningful way to celebrate International Women’s Day at home is by empowering yourself as a mum and as a woman.
Celebrate your inner queen and borrow a few verses from the literary world’s most powerful writers and poets like Lang Leav, Nikita Gil and the queen of Instapoet herself, Rupi Kaur.
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Skip cooking and order your favourite meal or drink
It’s your day, mum! You deserve to take a break. To celebrate International Women’s Day at home, let your hubby take the reins in the kitchen or order a delicious dinner from your favourite restaurant and have it delivered to your doorstep. Then when the kids are asleep, raise your glass for all the beautiful women in your life and have celebratory drinks by yourself or with your supportive spouse.
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Treat yourself to some quality self-care products.
As mums, we usually put our needs last. But take this celebration as a sign to value yourself and make sure your needs are being met. You’re definitely worth it. So, do you deserve to check out your online shopping cart today? Yes, mum, you do!
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Take time to reflect on it.
On this special day, carve out some me time and think about your role as a woman in your workspace and your family.
Are you taking up the space you so rightfully deserve, mum? Are you being a good role model to the younger generation of women? Does your workplace offer equal opportunities to people of all different backgrounds? How can you help to educate others about embracing equity?
This can be the perfect moment to jot down some goals for yourself and make some changes if necessary.
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Pay it forward.
This year’s theme is all about making the world a better place for all genders and abilities. So you can start by doing your research about different NGOs in Singapore that advocate for human rights and persons with disabilities and support their causes.
In your circle, you can also open the discussion about embracing equity and taking steps towards giving everyone the means to help them succeed, even if that means providing different resources to different people.
Image Source: iStock
Whether you’re celebrating International Women’s Day at home alone or with your family, what’s important is you take a brief moment to appreciate the amazing, kind and powerful woman you are in your own way.
Happy International Women’s Day to all loving mums and women out there!
How do you plan to celebrate IWD 2024, mums? Let us know in the comments section!
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Celebrate YOU! 7 Empowering International Women’s Day 2024 Events in Singapore