By: Mia L. Hazlett
1/11/14
When I was little, I used to play house. Sometimes I played with my friends, sometimes alone. I had my little baby dolls and there was a father and mother. There was never a doubt about marriage, that was just obvious. My husband and I would go to work and come home to our baby/babies. He was the generic successful businessman and I was a teacher. I had my little chalkboard and I would go off to work, and I really don’t think anyone watched the kid/s when I would leave. Childcare was never taken into consideration.
When I played house the only level of imagination that was introduced was my husband, Eric Estrada, of course. Everything else was based on my reality. My parents were married and both worked. I remember my older siblings being home when I got home, so they were my daycare, along with my friend’s mother who lived across the street. We lived in a house and maybe I stretched my imagination by living in a huge mansion. That was how I was raised to believe my life would turn out.
Mind you, I was raised by a woman, who was part of a generation that experienced the first transition into the work/life revolution for women. My grandfather was a dentist and my grandmother stayed home and raised my mother and aunts. I do remember her working at her friend’s florist shop, but I don’t think her paycheck was mandatory to maintain her lifestyle.
As far back as I can remember, there was the concept of high school diploma, college degree, job, marriage, house, kids, happily ever after. Looking back on this, I’m amazed at how much of fantasy this will be for my daughters. Through the college degree thing, okay, but the rest is hope and prayer. I hope and pray their degree pays off with a prosperous career. I hope and pray for an everlasting marriage, when they meet that special person. I hope and pray, they will be able to afford to raise my grandchildren in their own house. I hope and pray for both of them, for a happily ever after.
© 2014 Mia L. Hazlett
Mia L. Hazlett 