Remember The Little Red Hen?

Remember the story of The Little Red Hen? The little hen who finds the seed, plants the seed…makes the bread? Have you read it to your children lately? I found it very cute until I realized it’s really about “mothers.” Think about it. Here’s how the story could read…

Once upon a time there was a mother wearing a red apron. She lived in a house with a lazy son, a sleepy daughter and a football fan husband. One day the mother needed to go shopping for food for dinner. She asked her family, “Who will come shopping with me today, I have a lot to buy?”

“Not me,” said the lazy son.
“Not me,” yawned the sleepy daughter.
“Not me,” yelled the husband over the sounds of the game.

“Then I will,” said the mother in the red apron. And she went to the store alone.

When she came home, the mother asked, “Who will help me unpack the groceries?”

“My foot hurts,” said the lazy son.
“I‘m tired,” yawned the sleepy daughter.
“The game hasn‘t finished,” yelled the husband over the sounds of the game.

So she unpacked the groceries alone.

When it was time to make dinner, the mother in the red apron asked, “Who will help me peel potatoes?” because everyone loved mashed potatoes.

“My finger hurts from playing video games ,” said the lazy son.
“I need a nap,” yawned the sleepy daughter.
“There‘s just five minutes left to the game,” yelled the husband over the sounds of the game.

So she peeled them herself...

“Who will help me set the table?” she asked in a cheerful voice.

“I have to save my video game,” said the lazy son.
“I‘m on the phone,“ yawned the sleepy daughter.
“The game is in overtime,” yelled the husband over the sounds of the game.
And so it went! Of course, when dinner was done, everyone enjoyed the meal and went about their business, while the mother washed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen. She went upstairs without saying a word.


If anyone was paying attention, they would have seen the silent tears streaming down her face and making two more new stains on her red apron.