You may wonder why I am sharing this now, even though this process began many years ago. However, I believe it is important to discuss this topic in order to guide you in raising your children. We must raise our children without considering their gender. As more and more women started working outside the home, a void was created in our kitchens. How could we fill this void? Hiring workers was not a feasible or long-term solution. Instead, we, as women, must empower our boys by teaching them cooking and household skills. This will benefit them in the future, and it will also alleviate any uneasiness a mother may feel when her son assists his wife in the kitchen and with household tasks. Just as we, as women, are ready to venture out into the world, it is time for men to step in and contribute at home.

Do not hesitate to teach cooking and household work to both your sons and daughters. Start this process from their early childhood, around 2-3 years old, but remember to be patient. Involve them in your daily tasks and routines. For example, ask them to bring you cloth clips when you hang clothes, teach them colors by asking for specific ones, and gradually engage them in assisting you. They will learn and, over time, they will also enjoy your company. Whenever possible, be present with them and seize every opportunity to teach them according to your routine. As they begin their schooling journey, encourage them to polish their own shoes and to place their empty plates in the sink after meals. Ask them to assist you in cleaning the dining table, whether it’s by bringing the salt bottle or extra cutlery to the kitchen. These small acts of involvement will bring them happiness and help them understand that household work is a shared responsibility, devoid of any ego. Such teachings will prove invaluable in their future, whether they settle in our country or abroad, where they may not have access to household helpers.

I urge you to spend at least half an hour with your children every day, and make it a point to share at least one meal together. If you can find time to enroll them in extracurricular activities, you can surely find time to impart our culture and family traditions. Just as trees and animals pass on their identity to the next generation, why should we not preserve and pass on our own culture and traditions? Let us concentrate on this important aspect and ensure that we do not forsake our heritage.