EDITOR’S FIX

ANDREW VALLANCE is a cinephile nerd who currently lives on the west coast. Girlfriendless, he spends his time going to movies, buying DVDs and flirting. ANGE QUALIZZA is a nutty economist who has a passion for policy, governance and everything to do with municipal government! Let’s lift up the carpet and take a closer look inside City Hall. ASHLEY KRISTINA has studied astrology for over twenty years and has been reading/teaching for five. For an in depth natal chart reading, email mountainashastrology@gmail.com. BRAD PARSELL is the manager of the Fernie Chamber and loves working with our local vibrant business community. He is also a music nerd with an ever-growing collection of records in his basement.

CLAIRE SMALLWOOD is an avid skier, mediocre snowboarder, former personal chef, and newly-minted hockey fan. When Claire’s not on the slopes or whipping up red chile sauce, you can find her at the helm of SheJumps, the non-profit she co-founded in 2007 with a mission to transform the lives of women and girls through outdoor experiences. FRED GIETZ is a self-professed science nerd and lover of all things outside.

KEVIN MCISAAC haunts the coffee shops and streets of Fernie to find his column source material.

MICHAEL HEPHER is a painter, printmaker, sculptor and musician living and working in Fernie. His work is collected internationally and can be seen at Clawhammer Press and a variety of galleries in Western Canada. PATRICK ROBERTSON is a travel writer and long-time resident of Fernie. He is an expert in planning independent travel and finding budget travel deals. Visit his website at budgetslowtravel. com and on Facebook at facebook.com/ budgetslowtravel. Every month SADIE ROSGEN teams up with some of Fernie’s brightest young writers collaborating on a given theme. If you are reading this and think that you are that person, drop her a line at sadiepumps@gmail.com. SARAH PULLEN is a grade 12 student at Fernie Secondary with a passion for all things creative. She looks forward to pursuing some form of artistic studies post-secondary. STEPHANIE MCDOWELL is a physiotherapist with Fernie Physiotherapy. Aside from work, she is an outdoor enthusiast, and enjoys soaking up all the baby giggles from her son. SYLVIA AYERS Sylvia is a tenacious naturalist and believes each one of us can have a big impact on making things better if we just know how. TAINA TURCASSO is a naturopathic physician, midwife, and new mama who is at long last practicing in Fernie. She is enjoying getting reacquainted with all of Fernie’s offerings with her family. TARA HIGGINS has been part of Fernie’s art and culture scene since she arrived here 22 years ago. Quick with a paintbrush and always willing to get stuck into any project that adds to the vibrancy of Fernie her smile gives away her love of creativity and possibility no matter the activity. TYLA CHARBONNEAU is a Registered Psychologist (CPBC2385), dog momma, and nature lover. She loves talking with others about mindfulness, self-compassion, and human nature.

FERNIE FIX | FERNIEFIX.COM

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Editor | Krista Turcasso Creative Director | Vanessa Croome

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By Krista Turcasso, Editor

Recently, my eldest daughter started calling me bossy. The first few times, I didn’t address it. But when I heard my younger daughter call the eldest bossy, I stopped what I was doing. I sat down on the floor with them (they were getting dressed to go skiing), and I asked what they think bossy means, and what does Mom do that makes them feel like I am being bossy. Not surprisingly, asking them to do things, reminding them of the plan etc. equates to ‘bossy’ in their six and eight-year old minds.

After listening, I asked if they had ever called Dad bossy. They laughed, then thought about it, and said no. “So, when Dad is reminding you to do something or asks you to help out, what is that called?” They didn’t have an answer. “Parenting.” I said. We are both parenting, but somehow one is ‘just being Dad.’

We had a great chat about that word, whether we ever heard friends of ours being called bossy – boys and girls. “None of our boy friends get called that!” We all recognized that it does not feel good to be called bossy and brainstormed for other ways we could communicate what we are feeling instead of using that word, or any word to label behaviour.

It is tough raising humans. It is tough raising girls. As parents and caregivers, we all want them to have equal opportunity as they make their way in this world, to not feel that they have additional challenges because of who they are, what they look like, what they are interested in. The reality is, they will face these injustices. What we can do is teach them to be kind. Foster empathy and compassion. Empower them to speak up. It truly does start with us.

Sure, it’s a lot easier to ignore being called bossy – it’s just a word, after all. Don’t be so sensitive.

No, it’s not just a word and it is 100% okay to speak up and say it is not okay.

Guess what? I have not been called bossy since. By them, anyway!