Cool Mama

The other day my son caught me wearing an apron and he was in absolute shock. The little guy actually had the nerve to say, "Wow, mom, you look really cool. You look like a real woman!" Excuse me? What the f***! Where in the world did he get this idea that women wear aprons. Surely not from home! Doesn't mean I don't do my share of domestic tasks, actually I do more than my share. I just don't like aprons. I prefer changing into some scruffy jeans and old faded t-shirt when I get home to tackle the kitchen.

This is not the first time that he's tried to cocoon me into a more stereotypical role. He used to drive me crazy because I don't wear a wedding band. I stopped wearing my ring ages & ages ago. Shortly after getting married my husband told me he was going to stop wearing his cuz he doesn't like jewellery. Cool, I said, then I'll stop wearing mine. It was quite liberating, in fact. I got a real kick out of the reaction I'd get from people for not wearing a wedding ring. My mother-in-law, for one. It was ok that my husband wasn't wearing his. After all he's a guy. I was the big "sinner". Later on, when I started fertility treatments at the hospital, because it was through NHS, I was so afraid they wouldn't believe I was married and might somehow refuse me treatment, so I went back to wearing it. I know this sounds stupid! But I wouldn't jeopardise any chance of getting pregnant and there were times when I got a little (ok, quite a bit) paranoid about things. The ring came right off when I did finally get pregnant.

So, when my little guy was around 3 or 4 he started giving me the third degree. But he was too young to understand that his mom was just a mild rebel at heart. He doesn't bother me any more now, except on the few occasions when he says he's going to buy me a ring when he grows up. One day he'll see that being a little unconventional is what sets us apart.

Rings and aprons? No, thank you. Not for me! I don't need those things to be one cool mama!