I was driving back home the other day from school and had
another mommy for company. As always our conversation started about our kids
being how they are and what all they are up to all the time. Somewhere in the
middle of it all, she tells me how she cleans and mops all day long and is a
cleanliness freak. The first thing that pops out of my mouth is `like wow! Your
son lets you do all the cleaning without going on his own little cleaning
expedition.’ Too that she coolly replied `No No I tie him
up to his chair so he doesn’t come in the way.’ I almost rammed into the car in
front of me. She continues, `what will people think of me as a mother when they
come home, that I can’t keep the house clean how can I look after a child.’
I was totally shocked hearing this, to the extent I fell
short of words and didn’t know what to say. (and that’s quite a rarity). I kept
thinking to myself that if she were ever to come visiting me at my place, she’ll
probably think I’m some horrible creature who lives in a pigsty. I have a
simple rule, no matter how much you clean and mop it’s going to go back to
square one in an hours’ time. So keep organizing the mess in bits and pieces at
the end of every day, cos in the morning its gonna be the same story all over
again. And who judges a two year olds’ mothers’ house anyways??? Some frustrated
high- nosed aunty!!!
But anyways going back to the 2 most dramatic statements –
how does a clean house = a good mother. And if you say you want to be portrayed
as a good mother by keeping your houseclean you tie your child to a chair??