BOYS AND CHORES

It was a beautiful Wednesday Morning and when I say beautiful, I mean it was a morning that leaves you with so much memories. It happened that was at a meeting with some notable Public Speakers and while we were all networking I noticed that one of the shock on the face of one the speakers. The button on his suit button has suddenly fallen off and the next logical thing was either to fix it or go home. Going home was not a good option, as he still had other meetings to attend.

Then he asked for a needle, fortunately a young woman who seem too noble to have such an item, affirmatively responded and there was a great relief. 

I helped in threading the needle but as I was about collecting the Suit to fix the button, this respected Orator, shocked me. He politely demanded for his suit, with the intention of tacking the button by himself and my stare met his. I wondered how and when he learnt to sow. The young woman, that sat next to us, responded with a smile, she stated that, she is not surprised as her Ten year old son, already knows how to fix a Diaper.
At this juncture, I was more overwhelmed to hear a Career woman, say such. This is because most career woman fix more gave on their children's academic success, than on chores. 

This conversation resounded on my mind till I found myself engrossed in this article. I often wonder why parents concentrate on the ladies more than the gentle men. The reason is however, peculiar to each parent. While some feel the girl child will grow up and leave for her husband's house, some others feel a man is the head of the home and should not be bothered with demeaning things like house chores. These different reasons or complacent point of view has made most parents to place non or less emphasis on the need for the male child to be equally domesticated.

No matter the reasons, the beauty and joy of having your son learn house chores, is often a reward to the Mum. This is because, such a child becomes your delight. He relieves you whenever duties calls in the kitchen. Hence the need for mothers to train their sons to be as relevant as the girls is a subject too crucial to be ignored. Oh Yes! That he is a boy does not mean he is not to know what a girl knows how to do. 

Please teach or encourage your sons to know how to wash dishes, launder, cook, babysit, thread needles, lay the bed, carry babies, pet babies, make baby food,take kitchen inventory, listen, give attention to family shopping and much more. Most times I see in movies, scenarios where mothers and daughters go shopping then the boys and their Dad, go to the Golf , Gym, the football Field and much more. I will advice that mothers make a roster of monthly shopping and alternate between the girls and the boys available at home per time. This also should apply to cooking and suggestion of the shopping list.  All you need to do is to start with your 4-6 years old. All they need is little supervision. Let them make their mistakes, then you can guide them.

Let him try to suggest the shopping list. Mother's should call one or two persons to assist in the kitchen per time. Let them fix their gaze on it , then when you are through. You can ask them for the process, to check their level of retention. Children learn playfully, but once they know this is a part of their basic task, they will adapt. It will amaze you that one day they will offer to help you when you are tired. Parents need to allow their children grow up with the mind set of learning every and anything. It helps children to be creative and independent.

It is ironic to see a lot of young idle , unskillful, lazy and complacent young men who are with the stereotyped perception, that there are some things a man can not or should not be found doing.

Likewise it is amazing to see our African men, who travel a lot or reside with their families abroad, do house chores by themselves especially when their wives have to work different jobs or when both are working several hours.  You find out that, they most times take turns to do the cooking, get rid of the bin, and do other chores but here in Nigeria, we leave all the chores for the women and make it seem like women are born to go through all the domestic chores. We forget, the more you stress the woman, the less you can get from her.

Yes there are some ladies who are not domesticated and I feel sorry about such an absurd lifestyle or upbringing. However, I like to place emphasis on the training of both sex in all domestic chores for the good of the society.

Many ladies admire young men who are good at domestic chores because it makes them feel such a man will be always helpful. This is however, very true as a woman would feel relieved knowing that the brother, husband or male friend can help in the kitchen, with the mopping of the floor, arranging of the house, laundry or with other little chores that are within the house. The place of a man in the home is first human before other physiologically,culturally,sexually,biblical asserted roles.

The act of been considerate with domestics chores by the male folks has often times helped, in sustaining the home.

Many women suffer from having to do a lot of chores especially when there is little or no help from the husband.

more to come on this subject....


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