The entire day at work, subconsciously I always have my kids on my mind. As soon as I head home at 6 pm, I start contemplating what to cook. All the members of my family have different tastes and oh my! It’s difficult to cater to their tastes and moods each day. I know this will be my life for a good few years and don’t get me wrong; I love cooking for my family!
However, one can’t deny that a little help in the kitchen would give me some time to unwind post a long day at work. My husband has always been pampered by his mother and hence he just never really cooked when he was living with them. He learnt how to cook when he was out for his Masters living with his classmates. When we were dating, he made me some scrumptious pasta and I wish he cooked quite often. May be we should give each other a break to do the cooking.
He cooks sometimes on a Sunday and quickly garners the attention of all my visiting friends and family. “Oh you’re the luckiest woman on earth!”; “Your husband is a gem”; “You must feel so lucky”…blah blah blah! I don’t want to sound selfish but I was quite disappointed when I thought why was I not appreciated all these days, everyday! Quickly the ‘sanskari nari’ thought hit me and I kept mum! It’s not just in India, across the world, cooking is considered primarily a woman’s job. Think about it.
Then my mother told me once, “OMG, you should be grateful that he knows how to cook!” I kept thinking to myself; I work too and I need time for myself too. Why should it only be a woman’s job to cook? Why should I be grateful that my husband knows how to cook?
Like I said, it’s just a thought! BRB, as I head to the kitchen and make some yummy dosas this weekend!
P.S : It’s a family tradition that we can’t hire a cook! Huh!
Ratna Reddy, Hyderabad
