Agle Janam Mujhe Daddy Banayiyo
Okay, so this one is a polite makeover of a song and television soap title. I know I may be grammatically wrong, because I have dared to marry Urdu, Hindi and English, so please overlook the syntax and semantics here. What I mean to say can be translated as, “(Dear God) Please make me a Father in my next birth!”
What’s wrong with being a mother? Well, there is nothing wrong really. I love being a mother and I can play this role all over again, every time I am born again. But yes, for my next birth I would like to be a dad!
Now don’t read too much into my desire. It is not (necessarily) born out of habit and a belief that fathers have it easy. I am not saying this because fathers usually don’t have to do all the dirty work mothers do. I am not saying this because dads don’t have to feed, bathe their kiddies all through the week. I am not saying this because dads don’t have to deal with an ugly baby flab post the baby. I am not saying this because dads have to stay up all night, night after night, week after week and month after month. I am not saying this because dads usually don’t have to deal with the schism between hearth and work. I am not saying this because of anything…but one thing…
Dads know how to win hearts!
They become buddies from day one. The Mommy is looked up to for basic needs like feeding, bathing, and poop washing. She is the one the baby will want every time he is hurt or ill. She will cuddle soothe and calm him. She is always the one to put him to sleep. But when it comes to taking those firsts mini flights into the air, it is the Dad. He is the one who will tickle. The one to make funny faces and sounds. He is the one, who discovers the baby’s first gurgle of laughter. He is the one, who makes the child laugh the widest. The baby’s eyes will well up when Mommy goes away. But every time the Dad comes before him, they would light like tiny stars!
Dads are always the good cop, because mommies are the bad ones. The moment mommy bulges her eyes, daddies coo and scoop out the kid to make him smile.
While the Mommy tries to finish off a meal, because she usually has other tasks to attend to, the father invents a game out of a meal.
The Mommy wants the child to indulge in digital-free play, the Dad is easily coaxed to bring out the iPad. Quite naturally, the Dad earns the hugs and kisses.
Mommy will roll her eyes exasperated every time she sees the boy run to the television at the sound of “Lungi Dance”. The Dad will wind up a Lungi for the boy to give him the desired prop!
Mommy sits with the child to read a book, while the Dad manages to get the son off the bed and play hide & seek!
Mommy reads scores of books and online resources. She attempts an ‘informed and enlightened’ parenthood. The Dad breaks all rules and plays by the gut.
Mommy wants to put the kiddo to sleep early every night, so she can cuddle up next to the husband. The Dad plays on his charm and the kid is plucked out his bed to play some late night games!
Oh dear Lord, please make me a father in my next birth, so that I enjoy parenthood while the mother watches me wistfully!
The TV junkie is back into the idiot box. Besides pretending to be a superwoman between work and family, Rituparna also dreams of flying free as an entrepreneur! Her son’s student, she is learning the ropes of parenting every day. Rituparna blogs at http://onboardthemommyship.
