Recursos Educativos en Inglés - Stories in English - Cuentos en inglés

Short Stories and Tales for Reflection - What is a mother?

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A few months ago, when I picked up the children from school, another mother whom I knew quite well approached me.

Olga was outraged.

Before I could ask what was the cause of her anger, she told me what had happened. She had gone to apply for a place in a school for one of her children and had to fill in a long form with one of the secretaries there. Olga was with Cristina, the youngest child, who began to cry forlornly in her pram and, of course, the questionnaire got stuck. The secretary kindly agreed to complete it, taking note of her answers.

When he asked her what her profession was, she, with the baby in her arms, did not know what to answer. Noticing her silence, the secretary intervened:

-You must tell me what you do for a living," she explained, "do you work or are you just a...?

-Of course I have a job," replied Olga, "I am a mother.

To which the woman replied:

-We can't put that you are a mum- she explained. -That's not a profession. Let's write here that you do your work or that you are a housewife. Which do you prefer," was the secretary's emphatic reply.

I had completely forgotten the story until one day the exact same thing happened to me, only this time it was at the Town Hall.

The official was obviously a career woman, efficient and with a sonorous name, as the nameplate on the door said.

-What do you do?" she asked me.

I am still surprised to remember my answer.

I don't know why I answered that way. The words just came out of my mouth:

-I am a Research Associate, a specialist in the Field of Child Development and Human Relations.

She paused, pen frozen in mid-air, and looked at me as if she hadn't heard me correctly.

I repeated the title slowly, emphasising the most important words. Then I watched in amazement as my pompous title was written with a steady hand on the official questionnaire.

-May I ask what exactly it is that you do in this field?

In a very calm voice I heard myself say:

-I participate in an open or continuous programme of research, as you prefer, which takes place both in the laboratory and in the field, and the partial results of this work are collected in my doctoral thesis (the whole family), I have already written and corrected four-fifths of it (all my daughters). You should know that this profession is one of the most in-demand in the field of human sciences. I usually work fourteen hours a day (in reality it is more, about twenty-four), I face many more challenges than in any other profession and the remuneration is splendid in all respects. To this I must add something priceless: personal satisfaction.

There was a growing note of respect in the official's voice as she filled in the form.

Once the process was finished, she got up from her chair and personally escorted me out the door.

Arriving home, thrilled with the new titles with which my beloved profession had been christened, three of the most important contents of my thesis, aged 13, 7 and 3, came out to greet me. Upstairs I could hear the new experimental model in the child development programme (6 months old), trying out a new vocalisation pattern! I was ecstatic! I had defeated the bureaucracy!

I had entered the official records as a distinguished and indispensable person for humanity, dedicated body and soul to an eternal task, to be "just another mother".

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Detalles: Categoría: Cuentos en Inglés - Stories in English; Publicado: 14 Mayo 2023

What is a mother? 💖 - Stories about life

Recursos Educativos en Inglés - Stories in English - Cuentos en inglés

Short Stories and Tales for Reflection - What is a mother?

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