Spreading the #ShareTheLoad Message...

 While writing this blog, I told my friends too to perform the fun activity of #ShareTheLoad at their home and make their kids learn about their responsibilities. As I had expected, they all agreed to make their male children too start sharing the load at home. We are 5 friends aka mothers who keep sharing our day's experience with each other after the prayer meeting we have in the Church, every Tuesday. Today, after I shared with them my experience of making the male kids share the load, they all seemed excited about this and we thought of spreading this message to our friends and promote this activity so that there are no gender presumptions made by our future generation. I was glad that it was not only me who felt the need to share this activity but my friends too said that their sons too need to start learning chores and not only make the women in their house responsible of all the housework and be dependent on them. We decided to promote our campaign using the following methods:

1. Starting a Facebook Group:

In this facebook group, we would invite all boys of ages 6-12 and have fun activities that they can perform in their homes. We would be sharing videos and photos of our kids performing laundry duties and watching these videos and pictures, other kids can be inspired and they would indeed tell their friends too to participate in these activities. Kids are fast learners and they are always excited to learn new things. Facebook being their favorite social networking website, they would love to participate in such fun activities and would keep sharing these videos worldwide, thus making it the best promotion.

2. Making the school promote such activities:

We always have schools having an annual day or celebration where kids are made to promote their talent, whether it's dance, singing, painting, rangoli, technology skills and so on. We thought to speak to the principle of our kid's school to add a laundry activity as well wherein kids as it's some of the basic chores that we should be teaching our kids at an early age. Also, making only boys perform this task would create an example for the future. I hope the school does add this activity and other schools to promote the same. What could be better than a school to promote such a campaign?


I believe that these methods would work for us and like us, every parent could make their kids aware of their responsibilities and share the load equally.

I am taking part in the #ShareTheLoad Challenge with Ariel and Aksharaat BlogAdda.

A Fun Activity #ShareTheLoad

Times have changed today. Where earlier we had pre assumed girls as homemakers and boys described as the future of the household who takes the family's name forward, we have girls today who believe in carrying her birth surname along with her husband's name, thus giving both the names and equal amount of respect.

Boys learn what they see at home and if we as parents distribute the job and make them equally share the load, we can actually bring a change and make them feel equal. Household work is not defined as a woman's responsibility and we need to start thinking differently about this.

Today, I made my son and my nephew to perform an activity in the house and promised both of them two pastries if they completed their work in time and the winner would get an extra cash reward. At first, both were so bored as they just came from their classes and wanted to take bath and go asleep. It took me an effort to convince them and they finally agreed to it as pastries are their favorite.

We started at 3:00 p.m. and I instructed them to wash their socks, handkerchiefs and tops. The tops in this summer get extremely dirty due to the sweat and dirt and hence the stains get tough to wash if there is any delay. I arranged the clothes for them and they were shocked to see their clothes are so dirty, especially their socks which were full of mud and I told them that if they start washing their own clothes regularly, they wouldn't dirty them again. It was really cute to watch them give excuses of getting their socks dirty and this is the age when kids need to be responsible and learn how to wash their own clothes.

I made both of them pour two scoops of Ariel powder mixed with water in a tumbler and then start scrubbing the stains on the socks slowly by holding the scoop upside down. They started scrubbing it slowly. First few minutes, they kept grumbling but after that they started enjoying it as they saw the stains vanish. Kids being kids, these two started pouring water on each other and washing the tops and handkerchiefs and I found it tough to control them. While getting upset that they are playing with soap water, I myself started playing with them and this activity soon became a fun moment for us.

I would advise all moms to perform this activity with their kids at home as they are not only teaching them to learn washing but also making them aware that they need to share the load.

I am taking part in the #ShareTheLoad Challenge with Ariel and Akshara at BlogAdda.

Medical issues during pregnancy...

Having shared those phases of my pregnancy in the earlier blog post, here I would share those medical issues that I faced during my pregnancy so that new moms could learn what complications might affect them and how to overcome those health issues.

1. During those nine months:

When I got my first sonography report, the doctor told me that my child is safe but I am not healthy and I need to focus a lot on my diet, health and fitness during these 9 months and it's going to be very tough for me. I indeed had to go through a lot of pain initially and it used to get unbearable at times. My husband had appointed a health specialist for me who used to plan my diet and make me eat what was required to stay fit. I had to also consume medicines to reduce the pain and bleeding and hence my mom stayed with me throughout to take care of me. Right from getting me eat the right food, to taking me to the gym so that the pain would reduce to some extent and then getting my regular checkups done in time, my mom was constantly with me and my husband as well. They took care of me as I was their baby and it was a moment that I was extremely happy about as I was pampered and loved by both of them.

As time passed by, I used to keep vomiting daily and there came a stage where I finally puked blood in the basin. I and my husband got too scared and when the doctor examined me, she said that it was normal. Since I did not have anything in my stomach to puke, blood came out and it was nothing to be worried about. I was relieved then.

When I was in my seventh month, my legs had become numb and I wasn't able to even get up from the bed. That time, my husband massaged my legs with oil and I was so proud that he was with me and taking so much care of me. It is a time when husbands really get protective of their wife and I was lucky enough that my husband was there besides me whenever I needed him.

2. The delivery:

This was the toughest phase of my pregnancy. The pain was extreme and I felt as if all the bones in my body were about to crack. I couldn't bear it and since there was still time left for the delivery, I though of going for a cesarean but my mom strictly objected it as I could still have a normal delivery. Also, the doctor did not assure me that the baby would be healthy if I had a cesarean operation and hence I waited for hours and finally the doctors came in for the delivery. My mother was standing besides my bed and I kept holding her hand throughout till the baby was born. I couldn't bear the pain but once I heard the baby cry, the pain seemed so less in front of it.

I hope my advice helps all new mothers and wish them all the best as being a mother is the most special gift for a woman and every mother is a different and special one in her own way.



I’m writing about my wonderful journey of pregnancy for the#YummyMummy blogging activity at BlogAdda in association with Marico Bio Oil.

The first step in life....

There couldn't be a better way to express myself and share my journey and Blogadda and Bio Oil has given me the opportunity to relive those 9 months again. Since it has not been so long for me, those memories are still alive within me and even after decades, I wouldn't be able to forget them. It was a mixture of feelings that I went through in those 9 months and here I would like to share them with you all.

1. Getting the good news:

I had missed my date by 2 weeks and I felt that it was just normal. It was when my husband forced me to visit a doctor that I got to know about my pregnancy. The moment when I heard about my pregnancy, I couldn't believe it and there were tons of thoughts that were running through my mind. I was scared for a second and happy the next moment. Scared about how I would manage through these months and would it be very painful; and happy that I will become a mother and give birth to a new life. I went home that day and all congratulated me on hearing the news. It was such a special moment we shared and am emotional one too. My mother hugged me with tears in her eyes, caressed by face and kissed my forehead saying "My baby is going to be a mummy soon." On hearing those words, I teared up myself and that's when all my fear was driven away. All that was on my mind was to have my baby in my arms and love her the way my mom loved me.



2. The first six months:

The first six months were very hard on me as I was in immense pain and I had health issues as well. However, my husband, siblings and mom took care of me everytime and they made sure to never leave me alone. I used to go to gym as well during the first six months so that I and the baby are fit and my husband used to make sure to fulfil all my wishes and make me happy. He had brought many baby prams at home along with baby toys and pictures at home itself so that I did not need to visit a shop instead and he was more excited than me for the baby. Travelling had become a totally NO for me due to the pain and it was tough to walk on steps too. I used to keep measuring my waist length and used to count the days as they passed by. I still remember the day when my baby kicked for the first time and I just ignored the pain with the feeling that my baby was now growing.



3. The wait was getting over:

My date was getting near and I again went through all those emotions once again that I felt when I got my pregnancy news. My husband had already booked a bed in the hospital and the doctor also kept visiting me and checking on my health. When I started getting labor pain, I was rushed to the hospital and after few hours, I saw my baby in the cradle. The nurse handed me my baby and I couldn't stop admiring my child. I kissed its forehead and saw it fast asleep and I finally could call my self a mother. I watched it as it kept moving in my hands and slightly whispered in my baby's ear "I am you mother...Mother" The word is not just a word of 6 letters but it has a deep meaning within it. It's God's gift to us woman which we need to cherish as we bring a new life in this world.

I’m writing about my wonderful journey of pregnancy for the#YummyMummy blogging activity at BlogAdda in association with Marico Bio Oil.