Helping my wife during this Lockdown

When you treat your other half like a princess, it means you were raised by a queen. I totally believe in gender equality. If women can work and cook, then why can't we men help with household chores? It's lockdown time that means we don't have any househelp. Ariel India has come up with an excellent initiative of #ShareTheLoad. It's high time that we men start helping with the housework. From doing laundry to groceries, cooking to cleaning, there should not be any discrimination in gender. Because chores are chores, irrespective of everything. 

I have been brought up in a household where me being the only son and the youngest had been pampered to the hilt. My parents never let me do a single chore. I hadn't even filled a glass of water before going to the hostel. I was lucky that even I was pampered in my hostel. And after I passed my MBBS, I had the privilege of hiring maids to do all the chores. Usually it's said that when a guy lives alone, independently, he learns household work. I was an exception to this because of the above said circumstances. So even after living alone for 13 years, domestic chores were a virgin territory for me. I never realised that it's a big deal before I got married.

After marriage started the nagging part from the wife's side. She was very young herself and hence novice to all the domesticity. She expected me to share work with her and learn the art of homemaking together. However I wasn't interested at all. Gradually she stopped asking me to help her as she discovered that it was easier to do the job herself rather than convince me. Honestly speaking, I wanted to help her but was either too tired (from my hectic hospital job) or was too lazy to move. Now we have reached a situation when she doesn't expect any help from me. However I can see how this COVID situation has played havoc on our routines and my wife is overburdened with work. That's why I decided to mend my ways.

Ours is a predominantly patriarchal society. My wife is a medical professional herself who manages everything in the household as well as outside. If she can do everything what I do, why can't I help her with the chores? The household is equally mine as it is hers and so are the responsibilities. Since Ariel is trying to pass across such a wonderful message, I want to bring the change, starting from myself.

Doing laundry is so simple. One just has to sort the clothes ( white separate from coloured fabrics), empty pockets, pour the detergent and bam, start the washing machine. Ours is a fully automatic one so it's really easy. This may be a simple activity but it relieves my wife a lot. She can concentrate on taking care of the kids and my parents during these times. I am glad that I can #ShareTheLaundry

Buying grocery: I am making a point to stop by the market while driving back from the hospital to pick up vegetables, fruits and other knick knacks. I don't want any other member of my family to step out of the house. I scrub and disinfect myself vigorously after I reach home. And then I disinfect all the groceries.

Last but not the least, my wife gave me a cool apron. I used to think I had to be reborn in order to do anything in the kitchen. I now however help with chopping vegetables or even filling water bottles!

If a person like me can be motivated to #ShareTheLoad, why can't you be? Let's break stereotypes! When I do these things, my wife's love for me multiplies! #ShareChoresMultiplyLove

 'I will #ShareTheLoad and help in household chores in association with Ariel India and BlogAdda'