It’s Okay For Moms To Say #MujheSabNahiPata And Ask For A Little Help

I had always felt I knew what’s best for my child, and I used to think that it would make me “less” of a parent if I asked others for advice on such matters. Here’s why I am wrong.
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 It’s funny, but every time my kids have a question they can’t answer, they look up to me like ‘Mama has to know’. Only a few days ago, my daughter came to me with some problem she was having with her friends at school. She’s about to turn 13, and we all know the kind of peer pressure kids have to deal with, at that age. It can be quite a nasty experience, trying to fit in with the crowd and doing “cool” things. She was mentally very stressed, and I knew that if I didn’t do something about it soon, it would affect her health. Up to that point, I had always felt I knew what’s best for my child, and I used to think that it would make me “less” of a parent if I asked others for advice on such matters.

But I realized that it’s not true. I couldn’t possibly be an encyclopedia on all matters related to my child, even if I wanted to. And so, I decided to reach out to other moms for help. I was overwhelmed with the response and the support that I got. Their advice helped me approach my daughter’s problem in a different, more positive way, and helped both of us deal with the stress much better. It was quite a liberating experience. My daughter, too, now realizes that it’s okay to open up about one’s feelings; that, if her Mama can ask for help, so can she.

The brand AllOut recently launched a campaign that encourages moms to come forth and acknowledge that #MujheSabNahiPata (which means, ‘I don’t know everything’). One of the primary concerns of any parent is the physical and mental well-being of their child. AllOut conducted a survey that revealed that there is surprisingly low awareness amongst Indian mothers about the risk of mosquito-borne disease like dengue. Only 19% of the mothers surveyed thought of dengue as a threat to their child’s health.

AllOut had recently hosted a special event, inviting the participation of mothers from all walks of life, for a discussion on the theme #MujheSabNahiPata and on the health risk posed by dengue. There was also a panel discussion featuring Sonali Bendre, the actress; Ruchita Dar Shah, a renowned blogger; Dr Samir Dalwai, a leading paediatrician; and Dr Rupal Patel, a child psychologist.

Sonali Bendre, who’s one of the spokespeople for the All Out campaign said,

“Mothers are often faced with strong social mores and familial norms that hinder her. Through the #MujheSabNahiPata campaign, AllOut is celebrating tough mothers who acknowledge that they don’t know everything and are willing to share their stories to learn from others. I am thrilled to be a part of the conversation, as it helps moms across the country to support and look out for each other and protect their children from the threat of dengue.”

After the panel discussion, the mothers present at the event, along with Sonali, tied a knot to the end of their scarfs and dupattas – a practice from olden times – as a reminder to share their #MujheSabNahiPata stories and to reach out to as many mothers as possible. This is definitely a great initiative by All Out® and I am glad to have been a part of this.

Do you have a #MujheSabNahiPata story? Do share your story and I would love to share it with more mothers, after all, the only way to learn and be more vigilant is from each other’s experiences and mistakes.

This post is in association with All Out

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