Who’s a new age mom? This question keeps doing rounds in my head on the loop. Hence, I decided to decipher the meaning of being a ‘new age mom’. Read on to know my version, and do reply with your version too, says Nitika Bajpayee
I am a pro at striking a balance:
I am a modern woman with about two decades of experience behind my back. I know how to strive to strike the apt work-life balance. I get up and sort my day, well mostly in my head. Being a mom doesn’t mean I have to forego my career aspirations, but it definitely means how I can add load of my responsibility on my shoulders and smile with a chin up as I go about shining at my work. No doubt, my children are always on top of my mind and on my priority list, yet I fail sometimes. But, over a period of time I have realised that it is absolutely fine to fail or unable to cope up. It’s fine to just chill, get up and adorn the hat of a multi-tasker. Before leaving for work, I make sure I cook for the day, I bathe my little ones, feed them, get them ready for their classes/school, and in between we play pranks at each other and goof around too. Mostly, with a big smile on their faces they see me off for the day, and spend their time with their grandparents. When I reach back, all my time is theirs – from watching television to doing homework, we exchange our day’s notes at the dinner table and I tuck them to bed. All this is going on, without any guilt in my heart.
Fitness first:
Pehla dhan, nirogi kaya, words of my grandmother still echo in my mind. She told me to get rid of all the post pregnancy fat as soon as possible. So, I make sure I go for short walks or do some suryanamaskars in the morning. Over a period of time, I have realised that health and fitness come first and we, in all our capacity, should take control of our taste buds and what goes in our plate is of utmost importance to stay healthy.
Social media butterfly, Yes, I am that:
There used to be times when I would steer away from the social networking sites as I failed to understand how they work. But my children are a pro at downloading games on my laptop and phones, so I took a cautious plunge to monitor them, but I realised there isn’t any harm in being socially aware. Today, I contribute blog posts for various sites, interact with my friends on Facebook and also show off my cooking skills on the Instagram. I am learning to become internet savvy, and I stay abreast with the latest in the web world, and this helps me interact better with my children. I look for worksheets available on the internet and also look for DIY videos and later spend time with my children in doing these, and they quite like it.
Stay stylish:
Motherhood is a tricky game and I vouch for this. There was time when I’d spend my days in worn off gowns, my hair bundled into an untidy bun and my skin looked tacky. I learnt to look after myself over all these years. Now, I invest in nice flowy dresses, cool bags, trendy pair of goggles and shoes. I scan through the internet for skin care regimes and follow them diligently. Haircare, too is always on my list, I go for hair spas, get stylish haircuts. The catch is not to go overboard about doing anything, it’s about taking care of yourself. It’s all about how you style yourself, and these little things make me feel good about myself and help me define my character as the ‘new age mum’.
Balance work efficiently:
It is imperative to understand that perfection and womanhood go hand in hand. I believe in being a strong woman doing everything with my full strength. I usually do not take up work more than I can actually do justice to. Once we learn how much we can do – household chores, office work – it will be awesome for our emotional well being. I keep stress at bay by not bringing my work to home. It is essential to take a pause from the overwhelming rush of life, and it really does wonders believe me.
Befriending my children:
More than being a disciplinarian, I believe in befriending my children. It gives me an upper hand to check their activities in check through friendly conversations. Gone are the days when kids would listen to their parents and obey them whole-heartedly. In this social media driven society, kids feel peer pressure in anything and everything. Hence, it is important to give them the right direction by being by their sides and not on the opposite side.
Love thyself:
My mantra is to enjoy life and I do that my spending quality time with myself. I know how to set my priorities right, as I remember words from my grandmother (yes, again) that if you are happy from within, you will be able to spread happiness. So, I do things that give me immense happiness, such as reading, talking to friends, cooking, watching web series and doing some pencil sketches.
life confluence 