Lockdown Diary Of A Teenager: Mom is the superhero in every home
Moms are all-rounders — equipped to deal with every situation, including the coronavirus lockdown.
In the past few weeks, the country has stood together in solidarity to show our respect and admiration for the ‘Corona Warriors’, which include healthcare workers and those engaged in other essential services. These people have voluntarily sacrificed their health and safety to ensure that we do not suffer from any ailment. However, I feel that one hero has been missed out. This hero, in most situations, sticks by us through thick and thin and acts as a soldier to protect us against grievances whenever possible. They are not named after Catwoman or Batwoman, but in their own way, are our very own Superwoman, also known as ‘Mom’.
From our time in their wombs to their last breath, mothers play a benevolent role in the lives of each individual. They change our diapers, sit through our parent-teacher meetings while teachers complain about us, tolerate our adolescent mood-swings and advise us on relationships and careers. They are basically all-rounders — equipped to deal with every situation, and the lockdown period due to the coronavirus is no exception.
While we all appreciate the government and essential service providers burning the midnight oil to ensure the welfare of the citizens; mothers, their sacrifices and efforts often get sidelined. Yes, they may not serve millions of people or be mentioned in newspapers for their unrewarded service to the home and hearth, but they are the ones holding it together inside the homes of the millions of families in the country. Mothers are essentially responsible for the success of any society.
From morning to evening, their ‘duties’ encompass both physical and mental aspects and challenges. They cook, wash, clean and make sure that the children are happy and occupied, with little time to spare for their own leisure. Nevertheless, Netflix and the digital revolution have opened up new horizons for them to work and listen to music or watch TV simultaneously to ensure some sanity. We’re glad for its existence.
In the quarantine period, with the increase in the maternal aspect in people’s lives, the dramatic quotient has also reached an all-time high! After all, motherhood doesn’t come without its own dose of comedy! With the hourly, daily and weekly presence of our mothers, both — children and mothers — are finding it hard to hold back their inner dragon spirit from bursting out. On the one hand, the teens have run out of corners to hide and excuses to make for constantly being glued on the phone and on the other, mothers are out of civil words to use for rebuking and scolding their children for the same. A fair warning for all household members: try your best to NOT test your wife or mother’s ‘tolerance range’ as it will result in immediate exile or the wrath of ‘Momzilla’!
The worst time of the day for any individual living with their mother has to be what I call ‘the kettle period’. It is at that moment when all the hard work that is done through the day and all the childish nonsense that has been endured, brews a bitter tea inside the mother’s mind, creating a pressure that ultimately erupts into the ear-aching sound of her signalling: that’s enough. The most prudent action to take then is to give her some time to herself to recuperate. Trust me, during this time, console her at your own risk!
The bottom line is that, while motherhood may not be considered a ‘profession’ or a profitable job, it does not mean we shouldn’t express our gratitude towards them. Saying something as simple as a ‘thank you’ or a gesture of helping her out sometimes, is all that is needed to show that you have great regard for her and are grateful.
If there is anything that I have learnt from this lockdown period, it is to not treat any aspect of life or life as a whole, casually. Tell people you love them, give a shoulder for someone to cry on, don’t conceal your emotions and most of all, never for a second let people feel that they are not valued or worth it.