Dealing with motherhood and leading a business is not as easy as eating a piece of cake. But this beautiful lady has aced it. We got hold of Srijana Jyoti and her two adorable kids -- Shreyans Harsha Jyoti and Suhasini Keshari Jyoti -- during their vacati

Srijana Jyoti is beautiful, she is famous, she is strong, and most importantly, she is a mother. Motherhood is one of the greatest milestones in a woman’s life. The sheer joy of motherhood cannot be compared with any other experience. This beautiful mother of two gave birth to her first child when she was 28. Apart from being their mother, she sometimes is their mentor, sometimes mediator between the family and them, and sometimes a friend doing naughty things and sharing their secrets. She says that as a mother she has to wear different hats depending on the situation. When asked about her pregnancy experience, this is what she had to say.

When I was pregnant with my first child, I had quite a difficult experience. During the first three months I suffered from severe morning sickness. It was only at that time did I came to know that just because it’s called morning sickness doesn’t mean you feel sick only in the mornings. I waited for three months to pass as I was told that morning sickness would go after three months. The second thing I came to know was that morning sickness does not necessarily stop after three months. I had just gotten over with morning sickness, when I got jaundice. This was not like normal jaundice, it is something that happens to few women during pregnancy time. It was the first time that I heard about such jaundice and the doctor told me that it would get cured only after my delivery. So for the next few months, I literally had sleepless nights. The nine months seemed like forever.  But during my second pregnancy, I kept myself so busy with work that I didn’t realize how the nine months passed. No morning sickness, no jaundice, no sleepless nights. It was as smooth as a silk.

Raising kids is definitely not an easy task, that too when one child is a boy and one a girl child. When asked if there is any difference between bringing up a boy child and a girl child, this is what she said:

Raising my children was a beautiful experience, but of course it came with a lot of challenges. First of all, patience, patience and more patience is what you need in bringing up children. Sometimes they can drive you crazy by treating you like their slave. Sometimes you have to be a judge to solve their quarrel, and one of them will treat you like an outcast after hearing your judgment. So you are the one who is punished one way or the other.   But then you look at them sleep, smile, touch you, and you just forget everything.  Your whole world revolves around them.

I did notice some differences when raising my son and daughter, but these differences were because they are two different individuals and not necessarily because one was a boy and other was a girl.   I had my son first, and he was the only child in my husband’s house as well as my mother’s house for quite some time. So obviously he was the center of attraction for everyone, and he got pampered a lot. Since he was the first child, and since I myself had no prior experience, lots of things were done on trial and error basis and with advice from elders. But when I got my daughter I started noticing the difference. She was not as hyper as my son. She started walking much earlier. She preferred salted food to sweet food. She got comfortable with strangers much faster. She loved to fiddle around with anything but her toys. So yes, you do tend to notice these differences. 

To whoever, it is that said motherhood is a hindrance to a woman’s career, my take on this is really simple – it is what you make of it. This mom seems to live by the same rule. When asked about her post-delivery career this is what she shared:

When I had my son, I was doing a part-time job for Unilever Nepal. Since I was facing a lot of problems during pregnancy I left the job. During my daughter’s time I had my own event management company so I completed an event two weeks before my delivery and resumed my work after she was three months old. Since it was my own establishment I took events as and when convenient. But once my daughter was two years old I joined our family business full time. 

I was lucky that I could join the office and resume my career full time. This is only possible when you have a supportive family. I should give credit not just to my husband but to my mother in law, my mother, and brother-in-law (Suhrid) and sister-in-law (Arati). Some were there to encourage me to start full-time work while others were there supporting me with my children. 

Sending your kids away from you is not an easy task. The pain of separation can go far beyond missing your son or daughter after they go to the hostel. Some parents feel a very real sense of grief. Was that also the case with Srijana Jyoti? Let us all find out.

Sending your children to boarding is undoubtedly one of the most difficult things. For them it takes a few months to adjust to the new country, new place with new people. But it’s not easy for us also.  It’s equally difficult for us until the time they adjust. Now with both my children in boarding school’s I sometimes feel as if I have no friends. I miss them a lot, so I try to keep myself busy with work and social activity.

Parents have a functional role to ensure their children are safe, secure, happy and healthy, but does a mother’s role go beyond this to becoming her child’s friend? I asked Srijana, if she is friends with her kids or if she is a strict mommy.

I am strict with them when I have to be but for the majority of the time I think I am more of a friend. I enjoy going to gym with my son, and I enjoy working out with him. He laughs saying, “Whoelse must be having a mother as their gym instructor?” I also took him clubbing few months back, and we enjoyed going for the Chain Smoker concert in Delhi.

With my daughter, of course, we do all the girlie stuff together -- makeup, hairdo, life hacks, gossips. She is the one who teaches me all these make-up and hair tricks. We always shop together. We choose loads of clothes, go to trial room, wear and show each other what we have chosen and comment. 

From a child’s first word to their her crawl, from her first footstep, to her first day of school, everything a child does is very special to any mother. All the memories associated with their children are close to a mother’s heart. I then asked Srijana to share us with her children’s childhood memories that she often recalls.

There are so many wonderful memories with them. The first time I made my son taste chocolate, he wouldn’t let go of my hand. He was a just few months old then. The look on my daughter’s face when she saw Belle for the first time in Disney Land. Something that I can never forget is the never-ending argument between the brother and the sister for every little thing. 

For a mother everything about her kids is best, but what would u say if you have to describe one best thing and one bad thing about your kids?

The best thing about my son is, he is gentle and considerate with everyone. Whether it’s family, friend or staff, he respects them equally. He makes an effort to go and talk to people. They come and tell me that they were surprised and happy that he came and talked to them, I feel happy. I have always lectured my children that being a good human being is most important in this world and I guess till now he hasn’t disappointed me. 

The best thing about my daughter is she is so expressive. I love it when she expresses her love physically and verbally so easily and effortlessly. That’s one thing me and my son needs to learn from her. Another thing is, she is an extrovert and independent. She will not think twice if she needs to go and talk to people or get something that she wants. 

One thing that I dislike about them is that they still haven’t learned to value money. The day they learn to think twice before spending, I would be really happy.

 

Three things a mother should know while raising kids of both genders?

  • Never compare your kids with one another or with other children as each kid is unique.
  • Treat them equally. As a mother, it is very important to educate them about gender equality.  This thinking should be inculcated in them right from childhood.
  • It is more important to be a good human being than being a champion in a sport, or scoring the highest marks in exams.