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Just when the omnipresent working mom’s guilt had begun to
ease with Abhay growing independent enough not to need his mom at every juncture,
its back to square one with my little one! Though being an independent professional allows
one the flexibility to combine work with certain personal responsibilities that
a structured job does not make room for, that does not automatically being
about a greater work-life balance. Technically, there are no ‘day-offs’ or ‘sick-days”
or “paid leaves” or even “public holidays”! While being busy is a good sign for
an independent professional, it can also lead on to biting off more than one
can chew.... often blurring the lines between home and work…and that’s when
your support structure at home truly matters.
Well, notwithstanding umpteen number of day-cares that have
mushroomed on every street of the city, most working moms depend on some sort of a support structure at home, at least during the early childhood phase of their
kids – be it in the form of parents, in-laws or nannies, etc. Till recently, I
was in between nannies …..the uncertainty of which, believe me, is worse than being in between jobs! With each passing day, things turn from bad to
worse, leaving you at the mercy of these maid/nanny agencies that is probably
the only business not affected by any kind of recession! Of course with each
passing day, the helplessness makes you doubt the wisdom of your choice of
getting back to work with a young kid in tow. Finally, when you find that your
prayers have been answered, there is still a sense of uncertainty over whether
the new help is here stay or will she vanish into thin air …like her
predecessors! So while some semblance of sanity has been restored in our
household, following the appointment of a new nanny for our little one, we never
know when the rug will get pulled from under our feet…once again!
Anyway, this is an age old saga of a working mom that will
only end when her kids fly out of their nests (or will it??). Meanwhile we shouldn’t
forget to enjoy the small pleasures of life with kids that includes reading to them which may turn out to be more of a relaxation therapy for the mothers!
Not very often do you come across a book that you can so
well relate to, that it almost feels like to have been written only for you! “When
Mama Comes Home Tonight” by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Jane Dyer is one
such book that is a must-read for every mom, (especially working moms) to a young
child! So much so that even the illustrator dedicates the book “To all mothers
who come home tired at the end of the day….”! This book assumes a reassuring tone
for all the kids waiting for their mamas to return home. With a beautiful
narrative, the author vividly captures the daily routine of a mother once she
is back at home…and how everything she does, involves her little one .. ..from
hugging her little one tight to feeding her dinner and dancing with her down
the hall, from engaging in quiet play to looking out of the window for stars
and moon in the night, from mending the little one’s clothing while fixing her
own and taking some time off for a cup of tea while letting her little one have
a sip or two, from getting her into a bedtime routine of bathing her…reading to
her and finally putting her to sleep with her soft lullabies in the company of
her soft toys…mamma stays on till the end!
Even the soft and tender water colour-like illustrations
of the mother-child duo seem so real and familiar that it may as well be
straight from one of our households. Personally, the illustration of the thumb-sucking-curly-haired
little girl makes the book seem like a customized picture for me and my little
one! Though based on a simple theme, its sublime presentation enhanced by
soothing illustrations make a comforting read for all mothers and their little
ones alike!
