I need a hero ...

Having children is a blast in so many ways, not least because it gives you an excuse to revisit your own childhood passions (Dr Seuss, Madeline, horse riding, ballet ... the list goes on). We were browsing in a dressing up shop a couple of days ago, and the six year old pulled out a Superman costume 'Yes!' she said, 'I want to be Superman!' 'OK,' I shrugged (no gender stereotyping around here, no siree). 'But wouldn't it be more fun to be Wonder Woman?' I rifled around the costumes hopefully. 'Who?' she said. 'Who?' I was incredulous. 'Who is Wonder Woman??'

What happened to Wonder Woman? Lynda Carter pretty much defined my ideal of womanhood in the 70s. At my daughter's age I wanted to look like that, be able to do everything that Wonder Woman could. I had the Diana doll, the cuffs and band (though mercifully not the spandex pants as it is not such a good look on a bespectacled six year old with puppy fat). Cine film of the time (how old does that make me sound?) shows a lot of twirling going on.

Wonder woman – the beautiful, wise super hero I have just discovered was designed by the man who invented polygraphs to conquer with love not force. Amazonian, she was a propoganda figure for a new type of woman - ‘a feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman.’ As he put it. She used pure mental strength – she was a strategist, diplomat, linguist. She formed my idea of a real woman. If the idea was to encourage girls to embrace their strength and brains as well as their femininity it worked with me. Plus she had great boots. Where has she gone? Our girls need her. Now they have all these masculine super heros, kids like Ben 10 turning into aliens, but where has this goddess who used her brains, beauty and strength to help the world gone?

TODAY'S PROMPT: Who was your hero when you were a child - what lessons can you still learn from them? There is nothing more touching than when someone says 'My Dad/Mum is my hero.' What defines heroism to you? What positive gifts can we pass on to our children? We've already discussed the difficulty of being an artist and a parent (the need for self expression vs the sublimation of yourself essential to raise children, the putting someone else first). As a parent you become the frame not the picture. Is this heroic - is this what all the Supermen and Wonder Women out there are doing - the everyday heroes who use their gifts to help others? What gifts would you have as a writer superhero - the pen of steel? The folder of destiny? Have fun with it - dress up with your kids. Nothing like a cape to make you feel super on a Sunday.