I’d been wondering whether I’d just missed your emails - and here you are! I am livid for you with the childcare centre malarkey, that definitely bites the big one.
It's just beyond anyone's understanding. Feeling like they're either dodgy or really didn't pay much attention to the decision. Dying to know which it is!
Your childcare situation is almost exactly the same as my kids’ old one (they’re 14 and 10 now, and we still have connections there!). Our battle is with the state government rather than the council, and we face having the place razed for apartments but I feel all the David v Goliath feels for you, and all the disillusionment with bureaucracies that disregard everything human and good about small, NFP communities. Keep fighting the good fight.
Ours is still on the chopping block with the lease due to end in December. The election has helped - Greens and Labor have promised funding to buy the land, just need a commitment from the Lib candidate.
The whole thing is so stupid. It’s not even corporate greed, unless universities count as corporate these days. I guess they do. The land was Crown land and given to Swinburne Uni decades ago in a slightly dodgy deal. They didn’t even notice we were there for years and when they did they went hard for commercial rent instead of peppercorn. We fought that battle and came out with a still pretty onerous deal but not as bad as first demanded.
Now the university wants to sell the land. That they were given. That has a purpose-built centre with the most gigantic and beautiful outdoor space any inner-city apartment kid’s heart could dream of. There’s still a chance, so long as the election goes our way. 🤞🏻What a rant! Apologies. I hope you guys can find a way through your Kafka-esque nightmare, too!
I loved the first several seasons of Call the Midwife, but after getting pregnant and having kids, I'm completely unable to handle the emotional devastation that came with every episode. Maybe one day I will have separated enough from that stage of life and I will have a lot of great episodes to catch up on. I agree that Chummy is the best. :-)
Best wishes for you all with the childcare center!
Oh totally. I had to take a big break when pregnant and when the babies were little. I can handle it now though. Chummy for life! Thank you I'll keep you all posted!
I cannot recommend highly enough Adolescence in Netflix. It's amazing. About a young boy accused of murdering a young girl. It follows their family. Stephen Graham is one of the best.
Thank you - it's so bizarre. Like I feel like it's all so obvious but something weird is going on. Oh I'm so jealous I wish I could unwatch Call the Midwife and watch it again. That podcast sounds amazing.
It's bewildering for me when councils don't listen to the town, especially when they are so against something! Surely with all this recent coverage on the state of our early childhood education industry they would want to keep the established popular centre rather than an unknown? Baffling.
Oh Carly! Your town's experience is so like every other country town in similar situations and the antithesis of how things should be done - from someone who is similarly offline because I've been immersed in learning about place-based self determination.
My first thought as a response was for everyone to boycott the new centre. I know that's completely impractical when you need childcare and it's the only option in town but if no-one books their child in it will send a pretty clear message that the Council have got it wrong! Keep us posted and good on you for your community leadership 👏
Place-based self determination? Please tell me you're going to write an amazing piece about that because I need to know more! We have a variety of options all of which revolved around protecting our beautiful centre!
I’d been wondering whether I’d just missed your emails - and here you are! I am livid for you with the childcare centre malarkey, that definitely bites the big one.
You look fab in that frock.
Take care, enjoy Canberra x
We are so angry but we're working through it! Thank you - it's actually a wrap dress which I don't usually love but this one just falls nicely.
Love little moon bites. Get them every time they are on sale!
They're so good and gluten free! I'm going to get some in my next online order.
Oh why would they make that decision? Sux! Big time! Argh! In other news you look amazing and I love how you treasure all the little yummy moments
It's beggars belief. It makes no sense. Thank you so much you're just lovely your comments truly make my week.
Welcome home to rainy Canberra! WANT the panther necklace BTW but sad lack of $$ here whilst I wait for my YouTube channel to grow :(
Oh my god it was SO RAINY! Oh yes this panther necklace was a very special birthday present!
That's an absolutely ludicrous decision by the council, what were they even thinking?!
It's just beyond anyone's understanding. Feeling like they're either dodgy or really didn't pay much attention to the decision. Dying to know which it is!
Your childcare situation is almost exactly the same as my kids’ old one (they’re 14 and 10 now, and we still have connections there!). Our battle is with the state government rather than the council, and we face having the place razed for apartments but I feel all the David v Goliath feels for you, and all the disillusionment with bureaucracies that disregard everything human and good about small, NFP communities. Keep fighting the good fight.
Oh gosh what happened with yours? Even though that's so evil at least you can go 'oh corporate greed!' that's not even the case with us.
Ours is still on the chopping block with the lease due to end in December. The election has helped - Greens and Labor have promised funding to buy the land, just need a commitment from the Lib candidate.
The whole thing is so stupid. It’s not even corporate greed, unless universities count as corporate these days. I guess they do. The land was Crown land and given to Swinburne Uni decades ago in a slightly dodgy deal. They didn’t even notice we were there for years and when they did they went hard for commercial rent instead of peppercorn. We fought that battle and came out with a still pretty onerous deal but not as bad as first demanded.
Now the university wants to sell the land. That they were given. That has a purpose-built centre with the most gigantic and beautiful outdoor space any inner-city apartment kid’s heart could dream of. There’s still a chance, so long as the election goes our way. 🤞🏻What a rant! Apologies. I hope you guys can find a way through your Kafka-esque nightmare, too!
I loved the first several seasons of Call the Midwife, but after getting pregnant and having kids, I'm completely unable to handle the emotional devastation that came with every episode. Maybe one day I will have separated enough from that stage of life and I will have a lot of great episodes to catch up on. I agree that Chummy is the best. :-)
Best wishes for you all with the childcare center!
Oh totally. I had to take a big break when pregnant and when the babies were little. I can handle it now though. Chummy for life! Thank you I'll keep you all posted!
I cannot recommend highly enough Adolescence in Netflix. It's amazing. About a young boy accused of murdering a young girl. It follows their family. Stephen Graham is one of the best.
Oh I watched it! It was incredible. The actors were amazing and the one shot episodes were so fascinating. Must have been a nightmare to shoot.
Sorry to hear of your council issues - that lack of consultation is so frustrating!
I'm slowly watching series 14 of Call the Midwife....I'm too attached to it to binge in one go!
I only started watching the series last year and absolutely love it - I've cried more happy tears during this show than other show!
I even found a podcast that discuss each episode in great detail - REcall the Midwife!
Thank you - it's so bizarre. Like I feel like it's all so obvious but something weird is going on. Oh I'm so jealous I wish I could unwatch Call the Midwife and watch it again. That podcast sounds amazing.
It's bewildering for me when councils don't listen to the town, especially when they are so against something! Surely with all this recent coverage on the state of our early childhood education industry they would want to keep the established popular centre rather than an unknown? Baffling.
It's so bewildering - I really don't think they understood what they were doing.
That is outrageous about the child care centre! How awful! Sending you and everyone fighting all the best with that.
Thank you we're still fighting!
Oh Carly! Your town's experience is so like every other country town in similar situations and the antithesis of how things should be done - from someone who is similarly offline because I've been immersed in learning about place-based self determination.
My first thought as a response was for everyone to boycott the new centre. I know that's completely impractical when you need childcare and it's the only option in town but if no-one books their child in it will send a pretty clear message that the Council have got it wrong! Keep us posted and good on you for your community leadership 👏
I did start researching out of town daycare. I really don't want to use the new provider and will try my hardest not to.
Place-based self determination? Please tell me you're going to write an amazing piece about that because I need to know more! We have a variety of options all of which revolved around protecting our beautiful centre!