Stepping into Mama’s Shoes, Literally
Toyna rushed down from the steps exclaiming in a “No big deal” kind of way, “Mama, I am wearing your Pajamas today!” I turned around to look at her. Indeed, she was wearing my dark green pajamas! My reaction, “Huh! But why? Where are your own pajamas?”
Honestly, this isn’t the first time she has slipped into my wardrobe. She has been doing this for ages now. But till now, she had always either asked my permission to borrow something or hid from me the fact that she took something from my room. Essentially, till now she had considered my things as my property. But today, she crossed that line effortlessly. While I knew this day was coming, I didn’t actually know how to react to this violation of my property.
Over the last few years, I have been a quite spectator to disappearing bottles of nail paints, sticks of kajal and odd items from my collection. The first few times I searched all over to trace them back. Now, I just go rummage through Toynas cupboard and retrieve them in whatever shape they are. She knows that I know, but we both never talk about it. Because, even if we do talk, I know she will deny trespassing into my territory.
With each passing year, list of things disappearing from my room keeps getting longer. The other day, I was searching for sanitary napkins and realized I was all out. I let out a sigh and muttered under my breath, “At least tell me when you are taking the last one out, Lady.” A few days back, Pavan complained about his disappearing socks. I immediately turned to look at Toyna and got the “no big deal” look from her. She told me to my face, “All your socks have vanished, so I help myself to Papas socks now.” Pavan is at least a foot taller than me and his foot size is maybe double of mine. How Toyna can so easily switch between my socks and his will always remain a mystery to me!
As parents, we definitely feel a deep sense of pride at seeing our children grow into our socks and shoes. But sometimes, just sometimes, I have this urge to lock my room and save my stuff. But then being a fair, God fearing, mother I decided an alternate route. Now, when I go shopping for myself, I make sure I shop the same things (appropriate for Toyna’s age) for her. This double shopping did help for a few months, but I have realized that it doesn’t necessarily have to stop Toyna from still peeking into my things.
I have finally decided to keep the doors of my wardrobe and my heart open so that Toyna has free access to them. The only regret is that while she comfortably fits into my things, I can never even imagine fitting into hers. My solace lies in the fact that while my daughter continues to rampage my wardrobe, I can continue to rampage my moms, mom-in-laws, sisters and sister -in-laws wardrobe. I guess, I don’t really have such a bad deal at hand.
Shilpa Roy Kota
I am an ex-Management Consultant and a successful entrepreneur having close to twenty years of corporate experience. I am currently focusing full time on being a homeschooling parent while researching on the future of education and alternate methods of education. I am also a Vedic Math Trainer, an Operations Manager at a business run by her children and a philanthropist working with tens of other under privileged children. I bring all my past and current experiences together in the form of writing blogs. Using these blogs I wish to create awareness in parents, caregivers and educators about parenting, education and holistic living.