I am so excited to finally be able to sit down and share my second We Are Family Session with you! It was a beautifully chaotic session where I learned so much about dinosaurs, had lots of doggy (and baby) cuddles, and chatted about how wonderful it is to be able to have people you can rely on.
Multiple generations helping out and creating a community is something I feel we have lost, and it was an honour to be able to photograph this single mum + 1 amazing Grandma team!
Below, Millie shares with us why she wanted to take part in the We Are Family project:
Tell me a bit about your family
“So there’s me, norse pagan Harry Potter loving stay at home mum, I training in canine rehabilitation before retraining in dog grooming then had my oldest Felix and stayed at home with him since. Being a mum has been amazing and I wouldn’t change it for the world. My eldest Felix is almost 5 and can name most of the dinosaurs in jurassic Park. He has a brilliant sense of humor and makes everyone smile. Not only is he a friend to everyone and a social butterfly but he’s caring and loving too. I could not be prouder. My mum is stronger then she gives herself credit for, she’s not only been a army wife and then divorced twice but she’s supported me through so much. She has this amazing relationship with felix and they dote on each other. Of course as with any grandma she wouldn’t be complete without her knitting and sewing.”
What does the word “family” mean to you?
“For so long it meant a man a women, kids and grandparents. However it has come to mean so much more. My idea of family was shattered when I divorced. It was no longer me and my husband raising Felix, it became me raising this young child . Now I’ve had to change up how families work and how I play my part in the ever changing dynamic as I navigate not only co parenting with my ex husband but becoming a mum for the second time completely alone. It now means unconditional and unbreakable love. No strings attached, no blackmail. Family means everything but the people who are in the family unit might not be who you expected.”
Why would you like to participate in this project?
“I want to participate because I want to show that women can do it on their own, that whilst it can be incredibly hard we are so much stronger then people think. My mum has shown me what it has been to be strong and we as mothers can and will raise strong respectful and independent boys.”
All images taken with Sony A 7 iii and Lensbaby Trio 28.
If you are in Linconlshire and would like to participate in the project, please do get in touch – this is an ongoing project exploring the changing definition of the word “family”, so all kinds of family are more than welcome to participate!