Who gets to be the Boss?

 "With great power comes great responsibility", so goes the popular adage from Spiderman, reminding those who inherit or chance upon power to wield that power judiciously.

However, I do feel the reverse is also true and pretty apt - "With great responsibility, comes great power". 

For is it not the bellwether; the one who shoulders the heaviest burden or paves the way or looks out for the brood or thinks ahead of times; who assumes a position of power bequeathed neither by privilege nor rights, but by showing up and taking matters into hand? 

The one who leads. The BOSS. As an adult, I now recognize this that it is true in the modern professional world. 

Recently, I realized 6 yos also have an opinion on who gets to be the boss! So read on to know more...

It has come to light that when children cross the age of 6, they become very very obsessed with the idea of the BOSS. Many a complaint gets registered with teary eyes, many a conversation can flare up if someone claims to be the other's boss. 

Sometimes, the kids pose this question to their father, "Who is the boss of our house? Its you right, Vaapy?". When their father states, "No, Mama is the boss", the utter disbelief in two pairs of eyes cannot be missed.  They discuss in hushed tones, "But, isn't Mama smaller than Vaapy? How can she be the Boss?", says one. To which the other replies, "I think its Vaapy who is the boss of this car. Maybe Mama can be boss of something else". And then they turn to me, while I was sitting next to them all throughout, ask in unison in the most incredulous tone, "Mama, are you the boss?".

I don't reply, but I put on my enigmatic Mona Lisa smile. And then the conversation dies, but the question lingers in the two little minds. 

Fast forward ahead....

On weekday mornings, like most parents, I am on a clockwork. My mind dishes out the orders that my body mechanically performs, sometimes adding on a touch of efficiency by combining tasks in parallel, sequencing tasks that can be, and so on. Like the perfect ME S.

On one such school morning, I got posed the lingering question when I yelled out a command. "Go and put on your shoes!". 

"Why do you tell me what to do? Why do you get to be the boss?", a defiant little one with hands on the hips stood there.

Usually I would belt out the grownup- child logic, but in the mornings I am a girl on fire, and to spit out the same argument didn't create a spark.

Mindful of the last few minutes left for me to get the brood out of the door, I state (in increasing soprano), 

"I cook, I clean and I fold the clothes. So I get to be the boss. The day you do all of this, you can be the boss!". 

(In my mind, I did a mock bow while saying "Thus, I rest my case.", but this part was really in my mind.)

I expected no comeback and was making my way finally to the door.

"Hey that's not fair. I don't even know to cook!", came the lightning repartee as the little one did a quick mind math : 3 pre-requisites to be the boss. Sure I do brush off the bread crumbs from under my chair once in a while. Cleaning - Check! I did try my folding skills just yesterday, practicing some hacks I saw in the Marie -Kondo episode when my mom was watching it. Folding - Check!. Cooking...??

I smiled knowingly. Point taken. Boss badge still safe with me. Well, we made it out of the door on time.

Later, after the morning rush, I realized I had sold myself or the BOSS position really short. Just listed three requirements in BOSS checklist!

And so..

Every now and then, I have to temporarily handover my BOSS badge when an enthusiastic little one folds a few clothes. 

And sometimes, out of the blue, I get a desperate plea "Mama, can you please teach me how to cook?"