Sudden Holidays, Child ls Sick…As A Mom, Can You Ever Stick To A Schedule?

Unplanned school holidays, children falling sick…the life of a mother is never easy – cut her some slack if she bails on your plans sometimes?

I am a very organized mother. I like to plan my day from before, from what to wear to work, to what to cook and what to do when. It was a Thursday, a weekday. I got up early at 4:30am as usual. I made my coffee, switched on the geyser, made stuffed parathas for my son for his lunch, chopped apples for my son’s tiffin break, heated the milk to be consumed by my son for his breakfast along with chocos. Things were going according to plan. I packed his school bag, yes there are 9 periods and if I miss giving the right book; my son gets very annoyed.

I am always the best dressed in office. My accessories adorn my maxi dresses. I showered, blow dryed my hair, applied makeup. I decided to wear a necklace which I have not worn often. Everyone notices my necklaces and earrings, which are not expensive but bought by searching extensively in Kolkata. It does not cost me much to dress elegantly. I feel why should I show my problems to the outside world…let me always look beautiful and display my unique dressing style.

As I got into the taxi, my husband called me. My son was not feeling well and was vomiting. He was having loose motions too. Immediately I got down from the taxi and rushed home. My husband had important meetings so he had to go for work. I requested my boss to give me a work from home option for the day to which he agreed. And my day ended. All my plans had stopped. I was taking care of my son at home and simultaneously doing office work.

I was upset and frustrated. Life just does not listen to you. As a mother, you are working 24/7. You can never have plans. It does not work. You don’t know when your son will fall sick. As a mother, you have to be prepared always for the worst.

After he was feeling better, I thought Friday was going to go smoothly. But sadly, our ex Prime Minster passed away and a holiday was declared for schools. It would not look good for me to take a leave again from office. Thank God to my dear friend who agreed to keep my son with me. Here too it was me, the mother, who was arranging for someone to take care of my son so that I could go to work.

This message is to everyone: please understand that we moms, are purposefully not attending your special party, or changing plans we made to go out. It’s just that we are mothers; and we have to take care of our little ones whom we have given birth to and brought into this world. We have to be there for them when they suddenly fall sick. It is not an easy task. And yet we also wish to work to create a name for ourselves and utilize our skills and education.

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