Knighthood for Motherhood

Covid-19 demands a Knighthood for the Motherhood

As is (hopefully was) the norm in most households it was automatically assumed that Mom/ Spouse is here to take care of the kitchen, household, us & her office work. Her backbone is strong enough to bear the brunt but is it fair to allow it to get broken & then just feel bad about it (as not much is done)? To assume availability 24 by 7 is a No No. In a said & unsaid manner the toll of the pandemic started to take a heavy toll as the caregiver also needed care. Physical & Mental health went for a toss, relationships at home became bad (sometimes good too) & domestic abuse was on the rise. You will be surprised to know that millions of women were victims of domestic abuse & there is data on google threads around it too.

With not much in their control a storm started brewing as it was becoming unbearable. Some of the smarter one’s like my wife nudged me take over mine and my father’s tea & breakfast as it allowed her free time for exercise . The beauty is that in those small support actions without much effort you also get so much glory & praise (especially the men folk) then why not the women as they are the real showstoppers. Health care workers too need a break & care from us. If it isn’t for their commitment of acceptance of this work as duty, we men & a lots of households would be in shatters. Supporting the ladies whether at work or home or in the community is what I feel all of us can contribute for their betterment.

There is need to understand that their office / work is equally important. Employers can be more mindful of their meeting hours as there some hours which are normally busy hours at home. Dependent parents & children are co responsibilities. In laws vs My parents are a big dilemma for a lot of women as both need their care & attention. At times they need to keep their image high, so they suffer silently & keep depleting their health. Women need to support each other & it’s time that revolution starts for mutual benefit. Time has come when their safety, equality & upliftment needs more of our attention as a society. 

ATM for happiness says ... Remember you need to TAKE the Oxygen mask 1st & 

then assist your child or dependents .

Accept what’s right for you,

Take Charge of your own wellbeing while you are caring for others,

Make the most of what you already have, learn new stuff & play to your strengths.

Hope you take the much desired & required break today & continue with it !

Naveen Khajanchi is an alumnus of Insead, an Executive Coach. He is CEO of NKH Foundation which is into leadership Search.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are personal observations and have no semblance to any event or meant to hurt any individual or communities on their personal beliefs. The article contains references to publicly available material for which due credit goes to the originator.