In a generation that has redefined the role women play in society, working mothers with new-borns are faced with the challenge of balancing professional and personal responsibilities. Despite having the services of nannies and playschools, a large number of women choose to have their mothers help them in the crucial early stage of their child’s life.
For Kamini Jha, a retired principal of a girls’ school in Birpur, Bihar, the best part of helping her daughter with her child was making fond memories with her grandchild. “Fifteen years ago, while taking care of my grandson, I went back to the days when I took care of his mother. I got the chance to experience feelings of joy as well as faced some problems. Yet it was a beautiful experience.”
Fifty-eight-year-old housewife Roseline Rajan believes that helping out with grandchildren is a way mothers express their love for their daughters. “It was a pleasure to get to look after my grandchild. I can relive the moment of being a mother again for a small child. Moreover if it helps my daughter, why not?”
Taking responsibility for a toddler does come with its challenges for these grandmothers. Smriti Ganguly, a 65-year-old homemaker whose daughter runs a home delivery service, admits that keeping up with her three-year-old grandchild was not easy even when she was eight years younger. “My husband used to work at the time, and I had to make lunch for him every day and take care of the entire home. When you get used to having a monotonous lifestyle, having a child at your place suddenly increases your responsibility.”
Apart from imparting their own experience in raising children, these grandmothers also understand the professional responsibilities of the modern working mother. Kamini does not endorse the notion that mothers are expected to give up jobs to look after their children.
“If a grandparent is capable of looking after her grandchildren, then it is better to do that than sitting idle. A woman shouldn’t compromise on a job just because she has to take care of her child.”
While Mother's Day is even more relevant today as young mothers balance multiple responsibilities and support the family; it is also a time to appreciate the strength and support they receive from the women who continue to support them with wisdom and guidance.
