Friday, March 25, 2005

Of children and mothers

I was talking with that yoga lady yesterday, the one who offered me to do the Teach Children’s Yoga programme. One of her classes are these kids of rich parents, you know, those who find tuition and hobby classes for their children while they go out gallivanting on social jaunts. Yeah, part-time babysitters of sorts. And they obviously love the yoga classes as they get attention and they feel good about themselves.

Hey, yoga rules!

And whenever she cancels class due to some unavoidable circumstances, they are all devastated. She sympathises, but inside her thoughts are, ‘Hey, I’m not your mom.’

Which is true. If you are going to be a social butterfly, or a Society personality, please do future unborn children a favour, don’t have children. If you think you are going to be busy running around doing stuff, why would you want an extra burden of having to think about getting a regular baby sitter, when to remember to block certain days for important school events, but end up missing it because you forgot or feel obligated to this social event or that social appointment. Aren’t you more obligated to the children you bring into this world?

And I imagine that if children want the attention of their parents, so do parents having arrived at a certain age wanting the attention of their children.

A friend asked me yesterday if I would miss my parents when I’m over in Australia, and she was shocked when I gave a quick, unhesitant reply ‘No’.

I’ve been through this conversation numerous times. Sometimes I think it would save lots of questions if I just said ‘Yes’. But I can’t lie. I really wouldn’t. Because, come on, I’m not going forever. I will come back.

But I reflect on the past 2 weeks of having breakfast with my mom. I think that while the relationship cannot be as good as I would have liked it to be, compared to lots of mother-daughter relationships I’ve seen, it can be passable, in my opinion at least. I know that when I’m over there, there will be days when I will recall having breakfast with her and enjoying those simple half-hours with her.

And that will tie me for awhile. And I hope, her too.

posted by Jennirhiow @ 2:43 pm