Mothers and Baby Boys

Initiation school. Mothers and baby boys. Some overdose sons with love and tell them not to do the dishes because it’s not a man’s job. Those that love sons less, take them to the market and buy a solid laundry basket made from grass, wicker or bamboo, depending on the country.

Mothers that love sons less teach them to slam dunk dirty clothes in the basket, take it to the laundry room, put detergent in the machine, press some buttons and let the machine swirl and sweat, taking out the soccer, American football or basketball funk. In Africa and so-called 'underdeveloped' countries, mothers show sons how to separate red t-shirts from white ones, hand wash them in a basin and hang them on the line, to dry in the sun.

Mothers who overdose sons with love plant, and water seeds of hate between brothers and sisters. Sons demand food and clean clothes from their sisters. Sisters grow up resentful about doing housework for grown men with two eyes, hands and feet. Mothers who love their sons less teach them how to boil rice, fry, boil or scramble eggs. They teach them carrots can be grated and eaten raw. They could be steamed, boiled or roasted. Most of all, they teach them grocery shopping, how to buy cheap beef, chicken and fish cuts. Why cheap? Because their father is not Bill Gates or Elon Musk.  

Mothers that love their sons less, tell them it’s for their own good. Heard that before? Mama used it all the time. Mothers scare sons about starving to death if they meet a woman that doesn’t know how to cook. Wrong advice. Baby boys should be brought up to be self-sufficient. It is self-love, period.

Nonqaba waka Msimang

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