NIE's Mother's Day function

Newspaper in Education (NIE) organised Mother’s Day on May 9, which saw both young and not-so-young mothers participating in the function.
Though it was a Sunday, a day when mothers remain busy with their children and husbands, they took time off from their busy schedule to attend the event which perhaps is an indication of how women want to have the best of both worlds.
The panelists comprised career counsellor Praveen Malhotra, Dr Tripat Chaudhary, senior consultant, gynaecology, Dr Vimal Grover, gynaecologist, and Dr Surbhi Sohni, psychologist. Addressing the crowd, Praveen talked about how mothers tend to complain about disobedience among their children and traced its roots to Adam’s disobedience in heaven following which he and Eve were asked to go to the earth and fend for themselves. She said, “If such things can happen in heaven, we earthlings are nowhere.” Then she also pointed out some of the ironies in bringing up children. She said, “Till the age of two, we mothers teach our children how to talk and spend the rest 16 years telling them to shut up.” Her facetious comment tickled the funny bones of mothers present there. She rounded off by saying that motherhood is indeed a wonderful experience.
Talking about challenges of motherhood in the 21st century, Dr Tripat Chaudhary said that the roles of mothers haven’t changed but their challenges certainly had. She quoted Abraham Lincoln, who paid one of the most glowing tributes to a mother, when he said, All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother... She said, “It is not easy being a mother in today’s complex world where multitasking is the need of the hour. Dr Chaudhary called upon mothers to believe in themselves, in their abilities.”
Dr Vimal Grover said that for a mother it is her unconditional love for her children that elevates her to an altogether different level which no one can surpass. She expressed happiness at the fact that today women are adapting themselves to new roles and challenges. “She is a decision maker, nurturer, disciplinarian and many more. In other words, she dons different hats,” she said.
Dr Grover also talked about how women from rural areas are breaking stereotypes by taking on injustice and raising their voices against wrong social customs and practices. “Today’s women are pushing the envelope and this in itself is cause for celebration,” she added. Dr Grover also spoke about the changing attitude of the much reviled and demonised mother-in-law who, it is said, never hits it off well with her daughter-in-law. “Such stereotypes are changing these days. There are instances of mother-in-laws who are cooperating with their working daughter-in-laws by doing multi-tasking without any acrimony.” She rounded off by saying, “Jai ho to the super moms of the 21st century.”
Talking about the important role women are playing in today’s changing society, Dr Surbhi Sohni said they are juggling different roles and responsibilities and that in itself is a great challenge to them. At the same time, she sounded a note of caution saying that women have to take care of their health which is very important to keep them going. “They have to be mentally stable and tough to take on new challenges and responsibilities,” she added.