Endless motherhood…

” WOW, Uma, your children are quite grown up, isn’t it ??  You are absolutely free, now.  No problems, for you. The girls are big enough to take care of themselves.  But look at us – our children have just joined school. Its war everyday, to feed, dress and to put them to sleep. “

Now, I’ve listened to this dialogue, more than a hundred times.

Just because my girls are grown up and are in their teens, doesn’t mean that I don’t have problems.  Its just that the problems are of greater intensity.  They have their adolescent problems, peer pressure to do stuff, a line of stubbornness to handle – which was not there before, refusing to mingle with others (this character will change slowly, I know) and many more like this.  And, I’ve to help them without showing that I am helping. It is a tough situation, still.  May be I don’t have to do the regular bathing, dressing, feeding, helping with homework stuff – but I do have my share of problems in dealing with 2 teenagers.

Once my daughters were in their room doing some school work and I was busy in the kitchen.  Suddenly, I hear higher decibels from the girls room.  Generally, I don’t interfere because I think that they should sort out their differences on their own.  And there are times, when the arguments are silly and over some stupid topic.  That’s why, I try to keep away. 

Even after some time, when the voices didn’t reduce, I went to their room.  Just as I entered, I heard the elder one scolding the younger one and the younger one was almost to tears.  So, I told my elder, that what she is doing is not correct.  But even before I could finish the sentence, the younger one came for her sister’s rescue.  And suddenly the tables turned – the sisters vs their mom.  Now, I looked like a Big Fool.  Lesson learnt – Never interfere when siblings are arguing.  Only when they try to hit at each other, should you interfere.

As the girls keep growing, I don’t think that I can sit quietly telling myself, that my job as a mother is done with. Such a thought has never come to any mother in this world.  However grown up the children be, the mother always tries to solve problems for them.  As everyone of you would have experienced, I also have my mom, advising me for something or other, even today.  Its an inherent part of being a mother – always thinking for the betterment of her children.

At this juncture, I want to tell you all about this wonderful movie – “Because I said so”.  I like Diane Keaton, who has donned the mother’s role, in this movie.  This movie shows how a mother interferes in her daughter’s life, in fixing a boy friend for the daughter. Its hilarious and very thought provoking too.

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