The myths in our society influence how we as women use our time. How much of your household labour has little to do with the well being of the family and a lot to do with an image of a good mother found in the dusty corridors of your mind.
It is now mid July. Are you ready for Christmas? Fill in the appropriate demanding celebration from your own culture.
If you want it to be perfect you should have started by now.
The myth of the perfect Christmas haunts women for months. I read an article by a male author who stated that birthdays and Christmas festivities are a female invention. Is it possible that we make ourselves miserable with the stress of impossible goals for things that the people we care about care about very little?
Real Life Example
My neighbour was a home economist before staying home with her 2 boys. She was known for her elegant, trendy unforgetable entertaining.
When her son was turning 5 she asked him what he wanted at his party. He asked for hot dogs, orange drink, and pointing at the ceiling and swirling his arm he indicated that he wanted crepe paper streamers.
She came to me very upset. What about the shrimp tree she had seen in a magazine, the Titanic theme etc. ? I asked her what would make her a better mom giving a 5 year old a party that made him happy (cost almost nothing and took little time) or serving a shrimp tree to the parents that made every mother in the room feel inadequate and an unorganized failure?
Her head said of course give him his party but I could see that some part of her wanted to show how much she cared by exhausting herself, spending tons of money and giving the child a party he did not want.
Time can’t be managed but attitude and activities can.