Here’s To All The Moms Who Are Not Baking Or Doing Art And Craft

The lockdown has made supermoms out of all of us. It is not an easy feat to stay indoors and keep the household together. Meals have to be cooked, the house has to be swept and cleaned, clothes washed, put out to dry and folded. Plus, kids demand your attention, along with an endless demand for snacks and tea from all family members, and if you are a working woman, this lockdown is anything but paid leave. Then there are some moms who are cooking up delicacies, baking, taking up extensive DIY art and craft projects with their children and being overall home goddesses without batting an eyelid. Yes, a crisis does bring out the best in some of us. But even if it doesn’t, even if you feel “imperfect” looking at all these multitasking supermoms, pat your back. You are doing a great job.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Raise your hand if you are not a mom who is baking, cooking elaborate dishes, or doing DIY projects right now.
• The lockdown has brought out the best among many women.
• Should those who are merely scraping by in this ordeal feel any less about their capabilities?
• Certainly not, the quest under lockdown shouldn't be to be a better version of yourself but to do whatever brings you joy.
• And if it is doing nothing that brings you joy, then so be it.

Didn't Marie Kondo your cupboard? Didn’t grow herbs and tomatoes on your balcony? Your house isn’t sparkling clean? It is absolutely fine.

Not everyone can be baking sourdough, tarts or elaborate meals. Not everyone may be into re-decorating the house with DIY art-pieces, or teaching their kids to paint or dance or write books. There are many reasons. First, not everyone is lucky to either be blessed with a reservoir of energy that can help you power through the endless list of chores and then some more. With women shouldering most of the household work under lockdown, this is a tiring time for them, where the only break that you get is when your head hits the pillow at night. Second, not everyone may have the desire to be a “perfect” lockdown mom, and that is completely fine.

Also Read: Here's Why It Is Completely Okay To Be Negative During The Lockdown

Yes, even if you have help with household chores, irrespective of whether you are employed or not, it is fine if could care less about whipping up Dalgona coffee or exploring Focaccia art or turning into seamstresses and barbers. In fact, it is not a big deal if you have not even done the chores that you would do regularly in the pre-coronavirus world. Didn't Marie Kondo your kids' cupboard? Didn’t grow herbs and tomatoes in your balcony? Your house isn’t sparkling clean? It is absolutely fine. Why? Because perfect moms usually exist only on Instagram. And we all get to pick the battles (read chores) we want to fight.

If there is anything that I have enjoyed the most in this lockdown, it is to be me and to not look at other moms and their report cards.

I, for instance, haven't rearranged my cupboard in two months. I haven’t cleaned the windows and mosquito nets, nor am I doing the majority of the household chores. I don’t want to sketch a comic book with my daughter, we watch a lot of DIY videos but we replicate none. Am I spending more time with my daughter now? Yes. But all that time isn't always productive, neither am I indulging her every culinary demand. Imperfection is a state of mind, just like perfection. You see someone who isn’t you, who isn’t leading your life, and you do a comparative study. And if a person ticks more boxes in any department than you, in fact if they even tick in just that one box that we don’t, we see them as perfect.

Also Read: COVID-19 Lockdown: Social Media Could Do With Some Kindness

If there is anything that I have enjoyed the most in this lockdown, it is to focus on myself, my kid and what makes us happy, and to not look at other moms and their report cards. Each one of us is struggling, in ways that are often not visible on social media. So why compare?

Picture Credit: idiva.com

The views expressed are the author's own.