The usual source of gossip these days is the ‘bai’. The elderly lady from one of the houses she works at had this to say: parents with daughters are the lucky ones nowadays.
Is it true? Has feminism finally reached all generations? Are Indian mothers finally learning to appreciate daughters?
Sadly as it turns out the truth was a little more complex.
Their house is a joint family. As it happens, mom-in-law aka the lady who had these golden words to say was having so many issues with daughter-in-law. About so many things: Parenting of their precious grandchild, about what food should be served on the dinner table, about how late the daughter-in-law returns home from work, etc.
So fairly common issues.
And it just so happens that their neighbors family (with two married daughters) were doing fairly well. Daughters and son-in-laws visited every so often with grandkids. Everyone seemed to be getting along famously. And at the end of the day, the daughters went home without their parents having to ‘adjust’ with anyone else for the long haul.
Sure now this situation varies from family to family. There might be MILs who are fairly chill about sharing their sons and their homes with a newcomer. Not all sons-in-law have happy frequent visits with their wives parents.
As it does, it eventually depends on the people themselves and how their interpersonal skills are.
But maybe there is a ring of truth in this statement. Especially if parents empower their daughters to stand up for themselves. By giving them a good education. By letting them know they are second to none.
It sounds like wishful naïve thinking, and in some ways it is. Because it still hasn’t reached all corners of society.
Yet.
I think this generation will still feel a pinch because we are the changing generation. Not everyone is still on board with women’s rights and girl’s right to education. But I think there’s not just a ray of hope, but a bright beam of optimism, that one day when a girl is born instead of a boy – everyone will have reason to cheer.
