Super mom!

Shubhi, my 18-year old is home for the next couple of weeks. After working hard for a whole year she is now relaxing. And I am trying to spend some "Happy Moments" (as I call them) with her before she once again has enough of me.

Wanted to share this "middle" I wrote when she was fourteen.

Super mom!
“Am I a good mom”? I asked my teen-age daughter, Shubhi, jokingly. She looked a bit confused and then replied cautiously, “I guess, you are fine.”

“You mean nothing great”? I said provokingly. “Any grudges”? I questioned further.

“Yes, you do not cook fresh parathas, in the morning. All my classmates carry something hot that their mothers have cooked for them in the morning. Also, you never listen to me,” she replied sheepishly.

“But you leave for school at 6.15 am in the morning. It is too early to get into the kitchen and cook hot food. You know I can barely keep my eyes open when I am heating the milk for you,” I said trying to sound reasonable.

“And you know with age catching up, my energy levels are a bit low to keep pace with your stories”, I added.

Shubhi was not too convinced with my explanation. I could read the look in her eye, that said plainly, “Mom you are just too lazy.”

In her own way she was right. How can I forget my mom’s lunch packets? Though, we carried just plain sandwiches, but a complete breakfast of freshly cooked egg, porridge and cut-fruit waited for us before we left for school. And I, remember, her eyes were always wide open and she managed to look tidy and alert all through the day.

I made-up my mind to change for Shubhi’s sake.

But to be a “super mom” was not an easy task. The hot food packet was the least of the problems. It entailed many other tasks like driving her to the bus stop in the morning, listening to mindless stuff on the stereo while waiting for the school bus to arrive etc.

Also, I had made it a point to be back home before she returned from school. Of course, that meant no leisurely lunches with friends. I even tried my best to have a friendly chat with her about her day in school. To keep her in good humor, I organized a snack for her every evening and sat and ate dinner with her, something I had not done in a long time.

By mid-week, I had dark circles under my eyes, my smiles were burning my insides, I was feeling frustrated keeping up with the “super mom” act and much to my chagrin dear daughter had shown no appreciation. Yes, this could not last forever!

However, it was Shubhi who pounced on me one afternoon, “Mom, are you not feeling well? Go and spend time with your friends. Why don’t you just leave me alone? You are constantly watching over me like a hawk. Do you have nothing better to do”?

I was shocked at her outburst. “But, I was only trying to be a good mom, the kind your friends have”, I said.

“You mean the hot-lunch-packet-kind. I can do without it. Please give me only sandwiches. With all the oily food you gave me last week, I am getting pimples”, retorted the ungrateful child.

So within a week’s time “Super mom” had to sign off and exit rather unceremoniously.






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