Mother Grinch

“All the flats have maids coming in.” My husband keeps reminding me whenever I moan and groan about the extra housework. It’s for my sake as much as his own that he wants the cooking and cleaning tasks restored back to the paid house-help.

“Let’s decide by next month.” I put off the discussion. The one month became four and more, but the statistics underlying our decision only get worse and we all continue to pitch in with the washing and scrubbing. The girls have responded wonderfully. Sharing the load on all tasks while missing out on their time for ‘chilling’ and not complaining-much.

They miss meeting their friends. Actually meeting and playing with them. Especially since they all continue to play and call them. Their parents believe it is safe because there has been no case within the society-yet.

I pray they are right. And yet I refuse to take the chance.

My elder daughter has made her peace with the situation, more so because she doesn’t have that much inclination to go out and mingle anyway.

But she felt bad for her kid sister.

“All her friends are playing. She is not taking their call because she will have to tell them she can’t come and play. She knows you will not allow her.”

“But she hasn’t even asked me.”

“Yeah because she knows you will say no.”

I feel sad as my younger one insists she is fine. That she knows it is not safe to go out and mingle even when Badminton is the one of things she misses most in the current situation.

Maybe the other parents are right in letting their kids enjoy their childhood, and I am the one who is wrong, worrying too much about the worse-case scenarios. What if it is actually safe and my kids are missing all the fun because of my fears?

But knowing all the risks involved, can I take a chance? What if one of them is a healthy carrier? What if that fun can make my child ill?

I steel my heart and say no. The kid nods in sad understanding.

I feel so sad at her brave acceptance. I wish I could have made her happy. But given the choice between keeping her happy or safe, I had to choose the later.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay