The lockdown has resulted into a huge reduction into our support system. This has in turn forced a lot of women to look out for help from their children, which is a sensible thing to do.
Off Late, I have come across a lot of videos of children helping their mothers in their daily chores, posted by mothers in different parenting groups. One common observation that I made was, whenever the video had a tiny son helping his mother, a lot of other mothers would turn nasty and post nasty comments, but when they had a tiny daughter help, they would all praise the mother.
Really !! Are we in the 21st Century, wherein we talk about women empowerment and yet turn nasty, when we see a mother is training her son in basic life skills? It is important that children learn life skills along with their formal education today for their own survival.
I grew up and was married to in a household, wherein we had men contributing equally towards the house hold chores. I was surprised, when during my college days, my friends would rush back home at a particular time, because their father’s would refuse to eat until and unless the women in the house reached back on time to serve them. I find this absolutely ridiculous because, when you go for a buffet system, you serve yourself, keep your own plates for washing but refuse to do the same at home.
I have a six year old son and I try and involve him in my day to day chores, but by making this activity more fun for both of us and also teaching him simultaneously. It is always easy to teach your kid to identify a vegetable and tells more about it, than just showing him videos or books with pictures of a particular vegetable. There is no harm if he knows that soiled clothes need to be put into the Washing Machine, in the process of the same we count the clothes, discuss the colours of the clothes and also spend some fun time together.
Simultaneously, whenever, someone returns from the market, I just ask him to help me in sorting the vegetables and packing them appropriately to be refrigerated but not without counting them. In this process, I do not have to sit with him and teach him these things separately, we are learning, getting our chores done and also having fun. Yes, like other children of his age he is also naughty and is not mature enough and therefore, I always keep him away from any activity involving knife and useage of water or fire or that would result into a huge disaster.
If children help you with your chores, one you get a helping hand, their questions will entertain you and reduce your stress; you spend some special time bonding with your child; your child is free from his screen time for those few minutes; you can teach them finally, without any fights, which only a mother understands; they also learn to appreciate your work and contribution. It is not important that every man should learn how to cook a 5 course meal, but even if he helps in small chores around, it would be a great help to the lady of the house.
Off late, we have seen a lot of marriages break down in the society because lifestyle in metropolitan city demand high source of income. We taught our daughters to work hard and earn their own money, but in the meanwhile, we forgot our sons to appreciate the hard work done by women. If only as mothers, we did not differentiate between sons and daughters, our society could have been a much better place.
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