Sunday, December 14, 2008

Whose job is this????

Mom and Dad..., both are ex-teachers.They have shared 50 years of
marriage and still going on strong..

I am still in Kuala Lumpur counting down to the new school term.At this moment I am at the pool side stealing some time to update my jottings while keeping an eye on my kids who are busy swimming and sunbathing.Once a while, their shouts and laughs interrupt my concentration..the aroma of chicken curry from the nearby cafe stuffs up my nose disturb my focus too..em ..delicious.. very authentic Indian curry..making me hungry..but lunch is in the next hour or so..
While writing I cant help myself from eavesdropping on the conversation of the two gentlemen next to my table.It is not that I m busybody..that is not my nature.. but their voices are loud enough to reach my attentive ears.From the conversation I gather that one of the gentlemen has to babysit for the day.He mentions that it just doesn't suit him to take care of children.The other man dumbly nods his head, agreeing to his friend. From the corner of my eyes, I could see that his two kids are well-behaved,sitting there enjoying their roti chanai quietly without imposing any childish tantrums on the father.What more does that father want?Or is he some kind of ego maniac person who thinks that his manly image would be tarnished if he has to babysit for a day?
I feel like interrupting them and giving my piece of mind regarding whether certain duty is a man's job or a woman's job.I am surprise that in this modern era where women is almost at par with men in many ways, there is still such mentality.. conservative, very old fashion kind of thinking.I am not surprised if it comes from a man who belongs to my father's generation..but he is still young..maybe in his early thirties...
If women are expected to go to work, aiding the husband in making the household economically sufficient and flourished, why can't the husband do the same thing,sacrifice his ego and time for the benefit of the family. If the family is on a tight budget, the wife cum mother is expected to be a wage-earner too .That s the trend today.But I am sure these wives would not leave their home unprepared.More often than not, they will make sure that not only breakfast is ready on the table but lunch is also cooked in the pots and pans ready to be served when they get back.They will tidy up their children at least a wash if not a bath, before sending to babysitter.For some,even the laundry is done and the house is cleaned,swept and mopped ( I have such a friend)before starting their day at a work place..They are expected to be superwomen..So why cant men be supermen too???To put it bluntly, if the take home salary is insufficient, men should look for part time jobs instead of counting on the women.. They should be the sole breadwinner of the family , bringing home enough bread and butter for the family.
This remind me of my childhood days.I used to have a working mother.Although she was only a primary school teacher and be away for half a day, yet she still had to leave home very early in the morning.She would wake up as early as 4:00 o clock in the morning,preparing heavy breakfast,cooking extra food for lunch and organizing the seven of us.I saluted her for I definitely couldn't wake up as early as 4 in the morning and cook!After all I guess there are so many eating outlets now selling ready made food and this is a contributing factor to my laziness.However, one thing for sure I would clear off the laundry, hang it and stuff up my kids' lunch box with something at least edible.
For this man next to my table, or any men out there who are still complaining and fretting over
who is supposed to do the job, the husband or the wife, please bear in mind that physically, marriage is a partnership, a sharing business, a MOU between two people.2 halves make a whole..one half cannot function to the fullest without the other half....make sure both halves swing in the same momentum so that the first half would not go further while the later half is left behind..If that s the case ..it means unfairness and you just know what is bound to happen.
Since now is holiday time and wedding bells are in the air, I wish all the newly wed a smooth sailing marriage of course this include Mawi and Ikin!

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