Take a moment and think back (probably not all that far back) about what was the most difficult thing about having your first baby. Heck…who am I kidding….it is still the same thing now. The constant cooking and cleaning that I try to juggle in between providing an entertaining, stimulating, and learning environment for Sofía. After first having her, it was just physically taxing for me to bend over and pull my sweats on, let alone gather all my clothes for the laundry and schlep that huge, bulky laundry basket overflowing with clothes to the laundry room located in Egypt and then bend over and stuff all those clothes in the machine. Oh dear God just remembering it makes me winded. Now take another moment to think about what it would be like to have some fairy godmother that would cook and clean up everything for you. You would have lunch or dinner prepared for you. You wouldn’t have to do the dishes, you wouldn’t have to fold your own clothes, and you wouldn’t have to even THINK about taking out the trash. Imagine how much more quality time you could spend with your little one! All you would be responsible for would be the actual raising of your child! Wow! This is how many, many, if not the slight majority of Latin American Women get to raise their children. Without passing judgment on cheap labor, I must say, I do miss the days of Good Ole Graciela. She used to come to my house only once a week. She cleaned, she cooked and she ran whatever errands I needed done. She even went to the grocery store for me! Every now and then, I fantasize about how to smuggle her into the country and work for us. Oh my goodness….how wonderful it would be to have her make Sofía and I huevos pericos, tostadas and jugo fresco just one morning even and all I would have to do is just arrive at the table and leave when I’m finished. No dishes, no preparation, and no cleaning! A girl can fantasize can’t she? 
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Ah the Good Ole Days of Graciela!
Take a moment and think back (probably not all that far back) about what was the most difficult thing about having your first baby. Heck…who am I kidding….it is still the same thing now. The constant cooking and cleaning that I try to juggle in between providing an entertaining, stimulating, and learning environment for Sofía. After first having her, it was just physically taxing for me to bend over and pull my sweats on, let alone gather all my clothes for the laundry and schlep that huge, bulky laundry basket overflowing with clothes to the laundry room located in Egypt and then bend over and stuff all those clothes in the machine. Oh dear God just remembering it makes me winded. Now take another moment to think about what it would be like to have some fairy godmother that would cook and clean up everything for you. You would have lunch or dinner prepared for you. You wouldn’t have to do the dishes, you wouldn’t have to fold your own clothes, and you wouldn’t have to even THINK about taking out the trash. Imagine how much more quality time you could spend with your little one! All you would be responsible for would be the actual raising of your child! Wow! This is how many, many, if not the slight majority of Latin American Women get to raise their children. Without passing judgment on cheap labor, I must say, I do miss the days of Good Ole Graciela. She used to come to my house only once a week. She cleaned, she cooked and she ran whatever errands I needed done. She even went to the grocery store for me! Every now and then, I fantasize about how to smuggle her into the country and work for us. Oh my goodness….how wonderful it would be to have her make Sofía and I huevos pericos, tostadas and jugo fresco just one morning even and all I would have to do is just arrive at the table and leave when I’m finished. No dishes, no preparation, and no cleaning! A girl can fantasize can’t she? 
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Now this is something I'm so curious about! How do all the Gracielas in Latin America care for their own Very Young Children?
ReplyDeleteI've had this fantasy too, I must say. I know in France, a mother with an infant can have someone come in (subsidized by tax dollars, of course) so there is help and a good wage paid for much-needed (and much-appreciated) work.