My mom’s names is VOMNU TOUTHANG. She is a housewife & a great & wonderful mother
I appreciate my mom for the strict discipline and inculcating the ethics of hard work and doing any job small or big without any fuss and to be thankful and grateful for everything in life !!! She has scolded us all siblings not because she hate us but because she loved & wanted us all to do better in life under very hard & trying times in our lives.She never did have the chance for a proper schooling as she grew up in an orphanage in Kanglatombi’s Children’s Home.She did have a difficult childhood as she lost her own mom at an early age during the World War II…It has made her look at life differently and so she has tried her best to raise & bring us all up the best way she could despite all difficulties & all kinds of hardships she faced.But she never wavered nor backed down.It made her all the more stronger.This is what I have observed and got from her which has withstood me for good.I thank her for all the mental toughness that I do have today.She enforced speaking in her Kuki dialect at home with us so that we could be fluent & at the same time in be able to communicate with my dad in Manipuri language. I am glad we did that as it has made me value my mother tongue & can understand her side of the family much better !!! She made us get up early in the morning to do all the house hold chores & our morning studies before we leave for school.Yes, there was no denying the fact that she was a tiger mom like any other Asian moms everywhere !!! She didnt want us to waste our time playing soccer or any sports which she thought wouldnt be any good for job prospects in future !!!
The moment I wanted to say sorry about is the time during my teenage years when I rebelled a little bit towards her when she got to the point of not allowing me to visit places with my friends.i thought she was mean as hell as I was going through the teenage angst of thinking every little thing of her saying anything went against me.I did work as a private kindergarten school teacher & earned enough by doing private tutoring to fund my own travels here and there, still I wasnt allowed.That was so hard for me to accept & I rebelled .I paid for my own train ticket and left with my co worker to visit her home town in Tehri, (Garhwal)UP during one summer in the mid 80s…come what may….later..DEKHA JAYEGA…( lets face whatever later)….!!! That is my ” Oh, mom, I am sorry!! ” moment or period but I did carry on to continue working as a private school teacher to help supplement the family income.We didnt talk for few weeks as she was angry & upset at me.I for one got my new found freedom of having visited a place and seeing the beautiful Himalayam mountains which deflated my any resentment or anger inside of me against my mom !! I now understand she was anxious for my safety …me being a female & also that she could not bear the idea of me travelling on my own with an unknown co worker who was from a different Indian state of UP…..!! All said & done….it went ok & it has made her realise that I am not some one to buckle down under any circumstances…after all I learnt this from her, lol!!!! Al the product of the same household !!! …Kudos to all wonderful moms all over the world…..its not easy being a mom……!!!!
I wont sugarcoat to say I have never been scolded…..that’d be a lie.I wasnt born into a privileged family .We had to struggle to survive so my mother was the “FORCE” behind it.We felt so safe & secured under her care.Yes, we were scolded, reprimanded , disciplined & what not.We went all through the normal childhood upbringing associated with it.But we sure are glad we have our mommy dearest for our role model!!! Though we ‘re miles apart in our parenting styles…….she in her set ways & I in my own laid back style….but we’re moms anyways….our hearts beat for our kids whom we love dearly!!!!
Submitted by: Shanti Thokchom, nursing asssistant in a nursing home for the aged & elderly seniors, USA.
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