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Why I think my Mother-in-law is a Rockstar | Share The Load

 

Hey Guys!! So, a few weeks ago, I saw this new ad from Ariel’s share the load campaign. I thought it touched upon something that wasn’t just about husbands being asked to contribute to household chores, but upon something far larger and deeper. It’s about changing and shifting the mindset of an entire generation of individuals by encouraging equal parenting.

 

 

Few days after that, I had the fortune of attending a panel discussion organized by Ariel, discussing this very movement. Frankly, it made me realize how thankful I am to have Mr. Wolf who actually helps me equally with all our household chores. Taking care of the house, our food, our laundry or our kitties has never been my responsibility alone.

But imagine if he didn’t do that! Would I even be able to spend half the time on my work than what I do now? Would I be able to shoot on impulse, stay out for events all day…travel as often? Answer is NO!

 

And while I give complete credit to him, in all honesty, it’s my mother-in-law, who’s now over 68yrs old, who I thank every single day. She’s the real Rockstar! She obviously taught and raised him in a way that he didn’t just know every single household chore, but immediately after our marriage, he actually taught me most of it as well. He taught me how to cook (All I knew is to make really bad tea :P) and even to use the washing machine – I frankly didn’t even know how much detergent to put. And even today, after 8 years of marriage, he still helps out at home just as much. And obviously, it’s because she as a mother made sure she gave him the right values since the very beginning.

 

But when I look back at my extended family, most of my cousins actually do not know or are not conditioned to helping out at home at all. It’s mental conditioning that a man is supposed to work outside and earn money, whereas a woman’s responsibility is at home. But in today’s day and age, when the woman is going out and earning just like the man does, why does the household and kids’ responsibility, still remain hers? Why shouldn’t that be shared too?

 

What surprises me is that, ‘Share the load’ is looked at as a progressive thought. According to me, men sharing the load at home isn’t progressive at all, it’s basic! You know even according to our history, the reason why kings, princes and every man, no matter how privileged he was, studied in the Gurukul? In a Gurukul, he learnt everything – right from feeding the cattle, to cooking, to sweeping and swabbing, doing dishes and doing laundry. Only then was he considered ready for Grihastashrama – to become a husband.

 

Somewhere, as society ‘progressed’, the mindset regressed.

 

Gurukuls stopped existing and parents decided that their ‘boys’ weren’t required to know how to do menial jobs. Did you know that even today, more than half of men in India, think household chores are a woman’s job and ‘outside’ work is a man’s job?!

 

And somewhere, as a resultant of all of this, women, no matter how talented, ended up compromising and sacrificing their ambitions and careers, because the house needs to be taken care of, and men don’t think it’s their job or rather don’t even know what to do!

This change can only be brought about by right and equal parenting… where boys are taught from a very young age, to share the load at home and personally, I love this campaign and the social message it conveys. At least, anyone who watches this film, would sit up and think – and hopefully even act on it!

 

Thank you so much for reading…

 

Cheers

Sonal

ariel share the loadAriel share the load panel discussion

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About Me

Sonal is a Post Graduate in Luxury Brand Management from Polimoda Institute of Fashion Design and Marketing, Florence (Italy) and has over 9 years of experience as a Brand Strategist working in the advertising industry.



She has also been a Consumer Insights Miner specializing in fashion and luxury brands.