“ Leena please iron my clothes” , said the husband.
“ Leena can you please make an omelette for me? I am in no mood to eat gourd today” , said Maira, the sister in law .
“ Bhabi please make tea for me, I have an assignment to make tonight” said Taha, the brother in law.
“ Leena wash my paandan and put in on the terrace to dry after you are done with the dishes” said the mother in law ( the person who has a record of never saying a please or a thank you)
As she was trying to integrate these voices into a clear message and also wondering why Ayan has been quietly away from sight for so long (10 minutes), something horrible caught her eye. There was her mischievous little warrior painting the furniture with his tiny little hands with a rash cream!! That she accidently, foolishly and absentmindedly forgot to put back to the drawer and lock it.
“ Leena it’s getting late , where are you?”. She could hear her husband calling from the lounge, changing channels and seemingly listening to his mother’s day long routine. She rushed in to the bedroom, caught the little culprit, washes him, put him in his cot, rinsed and cleaned up the mess hurriedly. Robotically, she then ironed husband’s dress, rushed to the kitchen, made an omelette and tea, washed the antique paandan, fed the warrior and by the time she reached the bedroom, she had turned into a grumpy , ill tempered woman ready to snap.
Dejavu mothers?? It can be emotionally and physically crippling. You work all day, shush-ing the wild heart and hurt emotions and yet you keep on working while posing an image of an unbreakable perfect being.
Let’s see what I have next for you. Now that it’s going to get hotter and Ramadan is on the way, let me share with you 10 ways for mothers to save their sanity and stay genuinely happy.
It can be super frustrating to work under pressure day in and day out and as Ramadan approaches all of us tend to fret about it. Well don’t worry; I have ten great tips to make your Ramadan tension free:
- PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME
Ladies it’s time to fasten your seat belt and shift into turbo mode. You can prepare most of the edibles for iftaar ahead of time and stock them in the freezer. Label each bag. Organising before time will reduce the chaos women have to face right before iftar in the heat of the kitchen.
- EAT LESS DRINK MORE
There’s no better way to kill the heat then fresh cold beverages. The best option is water, there’s nothing like it to quench your thirst while breaking your fast. It’s also a Sunnah. Other preferences include juice and milk. These drinks will reduce your chances of dehydration.
- ININVOLVE YOUR KIDS
Instead of pushing your children out of the kitchen, make them your helpers. You’ll be surprised at their enthusiasm. This will increase your bond. It’s a win-win situation.
- START EARLY
People usually complain of not having enough time to complete their tasks in Ramadan. Rise early and I guarantee you’ll accomplish more than what you set out to do. I admit it can be challenging, but you know what they say. No pain no gain
- PRIORITISE
First thing is first. If you have toddlers, prepare their food first. You’ll be ready to go when hunger strikes their tummies. Then at least prepare your iftar items half way. Do all the cutting beforehand and prepare the beverages and store them in the fridge. Leave the frying for last minute only.
- DELEGATE RESPONSIBILITIES
If you live in a joint family, don’t over burden yourself with trying to do everything! Give small tasks to everyone according to their capabilities. You can let the children set the table. Allocate the tedious task of picking the dhaniya paudina to the elders of the home. If someone offers their help voluntarily take it! A family is a team. Everyone pitches in.
- LESS IS MORE
Instead of overcrowding the table with ten different dishes, choose three or four and increase the quantity. It’s less time consuming and enjoyable at the same time. The best part, minimum wastage.
- TAKE A BREATHER
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the scorching heat, high expectations of hungry people and bickering children. Go to the bathroom or your room, lock the door for a couple of minutes and breathe. Relax yourself. This will help you regain focus and calm you down. Tried and tested.
- INCREASE THE QUALITY OF IBADAH
The whole point of this blessed month is to increase your quality of ibadah. People often focus on the quantity. Self-reflect. Going through a passage of the Holy Quran with meaning and implementing it in your life is more enriching. Don’t get me wrong, yes recitation is just as important, but what’s the point if we don’t take the time to reflect on what Allah is saying to us.
- BE GRATEFUL
Last but not least. At the end of a hard day’s work, just say Alhamdulillah for being given this Holy month again. Be gracious and remember that Allah has chosen you as a means of providing for your family. He is the Ultimate Provider and he chose you to pay it forward.
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May Allah SWT bless all Muslim brothers and sisters with happiness in their family life!