MADE FOR EACH OTHER

With lifestyle changes, the word mother-in-law has taken a different meaning these days. She is a friend to her daughter-in-law and no longer the boss. Her happiness depends on how she is able to go with her. We are staying with our son and I wish to write about how my wife and our daughter-in-law manage to live together happily.

Our daughter-in-law is a working woman. She has a two-wheeler and my son a four-wheeler. Both of them know Telugu, the local language. Our granddaughter is studying in 7th standard. So our DIL has to take care of four people apart from herself. She attends to her work from 11 am till 9 pm. How my wife and DIL manage the situation is the essence of this article.

My wife is 73. She is hale and healthy and a workaholic. We get up at 6 am. She prepares coffee for both of us. After boiling the milk, she first offers a cup of milk to the Lord. By the time we finish our coffee, our DIL comes and prepares coffee for the three of them. Both of them are good cooks.

While the DIL and our son attend to our granddaughter, my wife cuts the vegetables for the day and does some preliminary works for the cooking. Simultaneously, she arranges the utensils on the shelf. Then, my wife goes for the bath. She washes her own clothes since she does not prefer a washing machine.

The DIL takes over the cooking after finishing her morning rituals. If one prepares one dish, the other prepares another dish. They perform the puja and offer the cooked food to the Lord. They recite slokas on the Lord of the day. Then, the DIL and our son prepare our granddaughter for her online classes from 9 am to 1 pm.

By 10 am, after our meal, our DIL goes to work. My wife takes care of the home and attends to the requirements of the servant maid. Our DIL and son attend to all our bank works, remittances, withdrawals, deposits, renewal, taxes, etc. They know more about our finances than us. They take care of family procurement and maintenance of the house.

By 3 pm, my wife prepares the evening tiffin which is already decided by them in the morning. By 4 pm our DIL comes home and helps her MIL, husband, and daughter in providing tiffin and coffee to all. Then she goes back to work at 5 pm. My wife attends to the needs of the granddaughter like combing hair, teaching music, etc.

My wife is orthodox and she does not prefer her DIL to work on those "special 3 days" every month. She takes complete charge on those days and gives rest to the DIL. Sambar/rasam/idly chili powders and snacks are prepared at home jointly by them. On special days, the puja is conducted by my wife. She believes hard-working improves one's health.

At 7 pm, my wife cooks only rice for the dinner. We finish our dinner at 7-30 pm and wait for the DIL to return. After her return at 9, she is served food and the kitchen is closed, and all of us retire to bed. This is the daily routine and both of them share all the works as teammates. If one rows the boat on one side, the other rows it on the other side so that the boat sails forward.