The Day I Spent Helping Mom With All That She Does When I’m At School

By the time Aanya had washed all the potatoes, mom had soaked the rice and the pulses and now was pouring the tea into well-arranged cups on the tea tray.

“Wake me up when you get up in the morning”. Said Aanya

“What will you do waking up so early?” Asked her mother.

“I want to get up when you get up.” She insisted. Her mother agreed, and she went off to sleep with a bright smile on her face. Tomorrow she was going to spend the whole day with mom and do whatever she was doing.

It was 5.30 in the morning when her mother woke her up, kissing her forehead with great affection. “Do you really want to wake up so early?”

She jumped up and nodded with her eyes half closed.

“Then get up brush your teeth and have your bath. I am going to get ready too. And meet me in the temple in 20 minutes.” Said mom with a proud smile.

(All Indian mothers feel a great sense of pride when their child gets up early in the morning. A feeling as they have accomplished a big task or achieved a goal.)

They met in the small temple room in their house in 20 minutes as decided. Both of them sat in front of the idol and performed their daily rituals and prayers. Mom was taking too long to complete her prayers and Aanya could feel the sleep fairy hovering around her head. She somehow managed to say a goodbye to the sleep fairy, and fortunately mom was done with her prayers at the same time.

“Now let us go and make some tea for everyone.” Said mom.

Finally, the exciting work has begun. She will go into the kitchen and do all the exciting stuff mom does every day.

While the tea was boiling mom was not just standing she started doing other stuff to increase her efficiency and save time. She started washing the potatoes. But Aanya jumped in quick insisting that she would do it. Mom gave the basket to her and instructed her to keep the washed potatoes in the cooker. With her energy battery overcharged she started washing the potatoes while mom took her next job at hand. By the time Aanya had washed all the potatoes, mom had soaked the rice and the pulses and now was pouring the tea into well-arranged cups on the tea tray. Biscuits were lined properly in the plate and 3 different dry snacks were ready in 3 different bowls. Aanya went with mom to serve tea to everyone and then both of them sat together to have tea.

Mom had already finished her tea in 5 minutes while Aanya was still enjoying the biscuits.

“Come back in the kitchen when you are done.” At this point Aanya just kept looking at her mom and thinking about her superhuman speed.

By the time Aanya came back to the kitchen the potatoes were set to boil and mom was chopping onions to make breakfast. Within the next 20 minutes the ‘poha’ was ready and everyone was on the breakfast table. Aanya insisted on serving the breakfast and that mom should sit and eat. But mom had other work and she would eat later. Everyone was done with their breakfast while mom prepared the dough for the rotis. The potato was boiled and the skin had to be peeled off. This Aanya had to do. She hadn’t done anything exciting since morning. This must be the most exciting work she thought.

By the time she finished her job proudly mom had already prepared rice and pulses and was waiting for Aanya to give her potatoes with everything else for the curry ready. Once all this was done Aanya thought now was the time to rest. But it was already 9.45. Dad had to leave at 10 and thus next job at hand was to pack his lunch. The time loss made by Aanya while peeling the potatoes was efficiently covered by mom and the tiffin was ready by 10.

Mom sat down for 10 minutes and had her breakfast now. Aanya’s elder brother was also ready to leave for classes by now and his lunch had to be packed too. By 11 all kitchen work was over and Aanya thought now she and mom are free till evening. They would have fun, play games, spend some time together, watch a movie and do lots of other stuff.

This is when she realized that the clothes were yet to be washed. Mom went into all the washrooms picked up the clothes and started her job. Aanya sat there, taking up the smaller clothes and washing them one by one. By the time it was all done the clock struck 1 and Aanya was now really hungry. Mom made rotis for both of them and they sat to have lunch together.

The sleep fairy had already been missing Aanya by now and she came finally back to visit her. By the time Aanya woke up it was already 3. Mom had already cleaned up the kitchen and finished the small repairs in the pile of clothes that she had near her. Seeing Aanya up she went into the kitchen and made some tea and snacks for both of them. They had tea and snacks when Aanya saw the clock on the wall. It was already 4 pm.

She was shocked how the time was flying away. Soon mom would get into the kitchen and start cooking the dinner. But Aanya had school tomorrow she had homework too. So for the next whole hour mom helped her complete her homework.

Once the homework was done they went on the terrace and picked up all the dried clothes, folded them and kept it in the respective cupboards.

“Bhaiya is back”. Shouted Aanya. She as always got a chocolate from her brother when he returned from classes.

While Aanya was enjoying her chocolate bhaiya was hungry too and mom was preparing some snacks for him now. Aanya went to mom and helped her serve the snacks.

At 6 in the evening she realized that the dinner was yet to be prepared. But by then Aanya had given up. All her excitement had faded away and the battery was drained out. She was tired and could not work more. She sat on a little tool chatting and swinging her legs,while watching her mom making dinner and by the time dinner was ready Dad came home.

Dinner was served, they all ate together. Aanya and her brother had a glass of milk and went to sleep. The day was finally over, thought Aanya. Tomorrow the school re opens and she would have so much fun then.

(Mom looked at her daughter proudly feeling so happy about the day spent. She switched of the light, closed her room. Back into the kitchen she still had to clean up the mess. She served hot milk to dad had some herself. All the left over from the dinner were kept safely in the fridge. She checked whether all the doors were locked. By the time the lights were all switched off it was already 11.30.)

This story did not include the little things that come up in between all the work like, “Pass me the towel”, “Where are my socks?” “Mom, I can’t find my notebook”, “Bhabhi, I will not be able to come for work today.” “Madam, the water supply would be cut for 4 hours today.”, “Mom we need to go and buy me dresses for the party.” “Mom I can’t sleep tell me a story please.”, “There are going to be some guests for dinner today.”, “Mom, Bhaiya is beating me.”, “Mom please make Malai Kofta for dinner.” “I wish I could get to eat some papad.” And so on.

Author’s note: –Dedicated to my mom and all the home makers around the globe. Without your back support we could never build what is there in the front.

Image source: shutterstock

Divya Toshniwal

A counselor, Life skills trainer and Dance and Movement Therapy Practitioner by profession I am

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