What is it about some people that brings out the worst in others?
From what we have seen, Chrissie Swan is the perfect storm. She’s overweight, she’s a media personality AND she’s a working mother. In our eyes, she’s borne the brunt of some pretty horrible bullying in her time. And we don’t stand for the kind of behaviour at Mum Central.
The latest attack on our mate Chrissie was flat out ridiculous.
Chrissie Swan looks set to win Celeb. Not sure what it says about society that we reward a mother who leaves a 1 year old baby to chase fame
— Peter Ford (@mrpford) March 12, 2015
It’s not new news and if you were tuned in to any sort of media at all lately, you will know it’s already done the rounds but at our latest group meeting we discussed the injustice that seems to follow Chrissie around and we were all pissed off about it. Passionately pissed off. Like a group of friends might be. Because that’s what Chrissie Swan is for us. She is our friend on the TV. Our friend on the radio. Our friend on the interwebs. When she talks, we listen. When she laughs, we laugh. And when she cries – we hurt too. And like all good friends, we step in when we think she’s had enough.
Enough with the beat down of Chrissie.
So she just spent six weeks away from her children [one of them only one year old] for work and people everywhere were outraged. We’re sure that decision would not have been made lightly or without consultation with her husband. She’s a mother for f*ck’s sake. By all accounts, a loving and committed mother.
But she left her children!! How can a mother leave her children??
Because she’s a working mother people. She works for a living. Because to raise a family, there needs to be an income. Because sometimes, and certainly in this case, the bulk of that income comes from the mother.
But she left her children!!
Yes, she left her children… Yes she did. But let’s take a moment to acknowledge that she left them with their OTHER parent. Fathers leave their children with their OTHER parent ALL. THE. TIME. Working mothers all over the world do this every day. Mothers leave their children to work. Sometimes daily. Sometimes for weeks and sometimes for months. The truth is, it’s alien to many of us that a woman would choose to do so BUT it’s also totally relatable for just as many of us. The world is made up of billions of different parents. Our cultures, lifestyle choices and parenting decisions are challenged every day. Our guilt gland is triggered sometimes hourly and so we need to see real people making real decisions. We need people like Chrissie to show us the faultlessness of imperfection.
Chrissie left her kids so she could work. Chrissie’s work involves broadcast media. That’s not ‘chasing fame’. That’s her job. She earns a living entertaining the public at large. It might not be a job you would ever sign up for, or have the opportunity to do, but that’s her work nonetheless. And remember, this is the same woman who QUIT THE CIRCLE to spend more time with her children. Let’s also not forget that in addition to that being her JOB, her latest contract on I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! helped to raise much needed funds and awareness for her charity of choice, CARE Australia, whose core value just happens to be:
“We value and support gender equality and women’s empowerment.”
Now blow me down if that’s not Chrissie walking the walk.
We know she’s not asking for anyone to speak for her and, further, we know that she can do a fine job of that herself. There’s just this little niggling thing in our guts that’s, well niggling.
Because we kinda love Chrissie Swan. There. We said it. It’s hard not to, to be honest.
Is she perfect? Hell no. Are you? Am I? Is anyone? That’s the beauty of her though. She is perfectly flawed and quite possibly the realest personality in the public eye.
Why is that so offensive to everyone?
We think it’s because she’s so comfortable being vulnerable and though it is not often spoken about, vulnerability is a measure of great strength. It takes courage to lay oneself bare and that kind of raw honesty is scary for others.
But let’s focus on the positives here. Let’s celebrate this woman who showed us all that it’s possible to leave your children at home while you earn a living and still love them. Let’s applaud the woman who flat out refused to stand on the scales in that show, instead choosing to focus on her overall feelings of accomplishment and strength. Let’s celebrate the moment her role was defined in one single, heart-felt word “Mum?”
Check out this video of Chrissie in the Jungle we posted to our Facebook page recently, just watch it, and tell us that your heart didn’t skip a beat when she recognised her little one.
Peter Ford who started all this bullshit added fuel to the fire when he said
“I’m not criticising her. She can do what she wants. But I would go and clean toilets before I left a one year old baby. But that’s me. What she does is entirely her own business.”
Excuse me, but what a crock of shit [pun fully intended]. Chrissie has a career. Why the hell should she compromise her fulfilment of that career because it challenges other people’s sensitivities? Why does she have to defend that? Why do we have to write these kinds of articles?
We have always measured ourselves against others. In school. At work. As parents. Would you do what someone else does? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But does that make you righter than them or them wronger than you? We don’t know!
What we do know is, though she may not yet know it, we are Chrissie Swan’s friends and we stand by our friends.
216 Comments
I love what you have written and I love Chrissie!!! She is our friend on TV. She is real and she rocks and it would have been the hardest thing for her to do. But she did it – for her family and for charity. And that makes her rock even more 🙂
Woman in the forces leave their children for months at a time. Get over it. They have a father. Parents also die, are we gonna blame them for doing that too. She’ll be back. They know she loves them. More important things happening in the world.
Chrissie Swan. What can I say? She is hilarious! Any time her and Joel Creasy feel like starting their own show, ill be there. So what, you went to a jungle for 6 weeks without your children, last time I checked that wasn’t a crime. Being overweight isn’t illegal. Spending time away from your family to raise money for a charity, my gosh how terrible! Chrissie may be guilty of these things, but none make her a bad person. There should be more people like her in the world!
Found it day 2. Chrissy Swan is a strong, funny woman and did her family proud.
Found It Day 2 – I love Chrissie! She’s such a great role model. A strong, funny, successful woman.
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Found It Day 2 Love Chrissie Swan, such a strong woman, and a wonderful role model.
Found It Day 2. The perfect surprise!
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Found It Day 2, She is, as you say – so perfectly flawed.
Found It Day 2. Chrissie is an adventurous Aussie working Mum. I admire her so much.
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Found It Day 2 – I love Chrissie Swan and I think she is only scrutinised for her honesty – she is a celebrity that shows life most similar to what it really is!
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Found it Day 2. Chrissie Swan is amazing, such a role model for all mums, devoted to her children and so kind, has such a great sense of humour, gives us so many laughs, puts a smile on our face, showing us this is what life is all about.
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‘Found It Day 2′…. along with such a supportive, well written article about working Mums.. and giving Chrissie the support she most certainly deserves.. Working Mums unite!
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Found it day 2. Chrisse swan is an amazing mum!! its tough being a celebrity you are judged for everything even more once you have kids
Found it Day 2 What a big challenge for Chrissie! She made it!
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Found it Day 2. I didn’t really watch the show at all, but I’d certainly not judge Chrissie Swan for leaving her child with her husband to earn money to support their family. As the article explained very well, it’s her job, the child was left with the other parent, and there’s no way it would be been done on a whim.
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I would not have done it; but that’s me. I am not after a career. My family always came first.
But she did not leave her kids alone. They were with her husband; the father of the kids. If roles were reversed; and her husband would go away for 6 weeks because of a work commitments no one would care or say anything. So if her family was okay with it why shouldn’t we? 🙂
Found It Day 2, I love Chrissie Swan as she’s real and honest and tells it like it is. If she makes a mistake she admits it.
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Found it day 2 – I think she’s an amazing down to earth and genuine person, she does what she needs to do to keep her family happy and fed.
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Found it day 2. A mum who loves her family.
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Found it day 2. I Love her!!!
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Found it. Day 2. She makes me laugh (in a good way). And yeah, my hubby has had to work away in six week rotations for the duration of our one year olds life and it’s hard for either parent to have to do.
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Found It Day 2 🙂 She is awesome a lovely mum who loves her family love her 🙂 <3 xx
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Found it day 2 Chrissie’s got guts and determination
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Found It Day 2. I think she’s strong and determined, and loves her family. The decision to do it couldn’t have been easy for her. It’s her decision and she shouldn’t be judged for it
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Found it day 2. I think she’s great, always true to herself no matter what people say. An admirable quality.
Found it, Day 2. Chrissie is great…a strong woman who knows her own mind
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I think Chrissie is great.
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Found it day 2. Chrissie is a great mum and woman! I should learn from her.
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Found It Day 2. From the video, I can feel that Chrissie loves her family so much.
Found It Day 2. I think Chrissie is a big woman with an equally big personality and heart.
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Found it Day 2. Love Chrissie Swan. She is an inspiration, a respected woman with a lot of substance in what she says & her actions.
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Found It Day 2 – I think Chrissie is fabulous – a great role model for women of all ages!
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Found it Day 2, I think Chrissie is fabulous, good on her
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Found it Day 2 – Chrissie is a wonderful role model for women. I applaud her for simply being herself.
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Found it day 2. I think she is a strong woman and we need more women like her in the media
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Found it day 2. She’s pretty tough dealing with all that gets thrown at her.
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Karlene
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Found it day 2, She’s a strong woman!
Found it day 2 – how emotional
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Found It Day 2, She is an incredibly strong woman who is doing the best for her family.
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Found it day 2, and a beautiful reminder that each mum’s journey is different.
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Chrissie on the blog is very interesting great story of a busy celebrity mumma
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Found It Day 2. Mum