The PG-13 content was being talked aloud in my lab the other day and I just shooed everybody indicating presence of a high school researcher in the room. He was just smiling and suddenly everyone looked at him and I apologized "Sorry!!! we keep forgetting your presence here" he shrugged it off saying ohh!! no worries, don't be sorry I am used to listening to "R" rated stuff in my school corridors....and now it was my turn to get shooed and awed.....I know this kid for a while now...... "Well....times are changing Meghana!!" I said to myself! and as a curious one, I just asked him "Ohh!! So do your parents know about it?" and he was stunned (probably....thinking I would tell his parents); He said "No, they don't, my dad is not too bothered but mom....aaah....yes...and I hope you won't tell her either!!" I assured him I won't.....but everyone's mom has been my center of attraction all the times.....be it my friends/family, I usually have more interactions with friends's moms rather than themselves..... So I asked him about his mom's job, schedule and whereabouts.
He did narrate them to me in a way that I am presenting as it is: " She wakes up at 5:30-6 and then regular house chores, making breakfast, waking up daddy, (with a sheepish smile: I don't know what else since I only wake up at 7), yelling at me to wake up and get ready, collect my homework, and then she drops me at school by 8:15. She comes back, dad has already left, she talks home to her family, makes sure everyone's fine, then she gets ready, goes to her part-time job, come back at 1:30-2; on the way back home, may be some little shopping, checking mails, etc. and then she comes to pick me up at 3. She has to wait in parking lot for close to 45 minutes-an our [and that sometimes annoys her a bit; but (sheepish smile again) I can't help it; I have to say bye-bye to all my friends, exchange gossips, and information on new games, music and sports before I leave for the day!!!(My eyes were widened enough by now)]; on our way back we exchange a little bit of things like how was your day kinds, which is mainly concentrated on my homework submissions, new homework or new activity and etc, its a short drive anyways! I like to eat a different snack each day, so she makes sure its ready by the time I change etc. I interrupted him and asked "then your dad comes from office and he helps you on your homework....right?" "No; he only helps me with physics or rarely with Maths" "Me:Kidding right? meaning your mom keeps track of what homework you have each day"....."Yes!! of course! he said I am not too organized when it comes to deadlines"
wow!!! I was in no spirits to hear the schedule after 6 PM....since it was going to make dinner, serve it, clean, dishes, prep for next morning, sit with child until he finishes homework..(sometimes 3 AM I was recently told by one of the moms)..and etc.
This is the story of any school going kid here, whats so special about high schoolers? They need to prepare for their admissions into colleges/universities, they are supposed to get extra credentials onto their CVs and its obviously their parents's headache....they need to volunteer to hospitals, research labs, shadow doctors, you can easily find a mom around checking out all these things for the kids.
This is not the end of the story, moms sometimes get into conflicts with each other because their kids are same age groups and there are few positions into labs/hospitals/communities to volunteer....then that creates differences between society....and its nobody's fault in the end.....(I used to laugh over it until few days ago before I realized its just the fact everyone wants best pick for their kid)....
Now it was my turn to ask moms "why? and what makes you get into such a hectic schedule?" she just answered, "ohh! I just want my child becomes successful person and good human being one day." My sister answered "Who would do all of this if I don't do, your brother-in-law just reaches in time for Parent-Teacher Meeting and keeps murmuring all throughout, its just waste of time" My sister-in-law back in India has same answer "Your brother hardly views his progress reports and just signs them"
"I feel insecure sometimes when I look around highschoolers getting involved into activities they shouldn't, but then I take a deep breath and say to myself: he has my genes, and I have guided and advised him enough, I haven't forced my decisions onto him, he won't do any such things" answered my friend whom I had asked if she feels insecure in terms of involvement of kids into undesired activities!
Do high school daddies do something? I had asked one of them recently he jokingly had said "I am the Man, sperm donor; but later said, Meghana! I don't think I have Earthy patient enough to understand whats going on....forget handling things..... and that's why I keep telling you choose your husband wisely, don't find someone like me" he added with a big grin realizing it was an undesired advise....!!
I have nothing against the kids here nor against their dads (I haven't come across another species of them yet).....but with this blog (nowhere close to TV show high school mom), I want to salute all the moms in the world, and double salute the high school moms.....
We all have heard/watched superman movie/stories how he could do everything together....have we thought about these superwomen around us? Many of us have unsung heros in our lives, my friends who are moms, are close somewhere at top of my list!
