Issue -5- Responsibility

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SPROUTS SPOTLIGHT :  RESPONSIBILITY

 Mamma bird rounded off her five little chicks in a circle and said in a solemn voice, "For us birds, it is important to be responsible".
"But we are already responsible", was the immediate chorus response.
"Okay", said mamma bird, "tell me how?"

"We take care of ourselves by being neat and clean," said one chick. "We also take care of our little nest by keeping it clean," said another chick. "Mamma, when we keep our things neatly and in order, are we being responsible?" asked the eldest of the brood.

"Maybe," replied the mother. "How else do you think you are responsible?" asked the mother, wanting her chicks to think more about responsibility.

"Mamma whenever sis disturbs us when we are working, I give her a good whack so that she understands how to behave. I am teaching her responsibility."
Listening to this, mother bird wondered if responsibility was about taking care of others' feelings, or was it about making them understand certain things at the cost of their feelings, or is it about both? 

Another chick asked, "Mommy, if I complete my homework on time by copying from my friend's book, am I being responsible?" This triggered a train of questions for the mother bird. She wondered if responsibility is about the means or the end, about the process or about the outcome, or is it about both? And if a situation arises where you need to make a choice between the two, what is to be chosen?
" Mamma, though i leave all the veggies out, I eat my food by myself. Am I being responsible?", asked another chick.
"And mummy, I reach school on time, everyday though often i skip my bath. So it is better to skip bath and be on time," said the chick. "Is it really better, is it really more responsible behaviour?" thought the mother.

Another chick who was thinking all this while asked," mamma, I clean up the nest everyday by sweeping it and throwing the garbage out on the road. But brother says i am not responsible, but I AM doing my work responsibly, no?"
"Mamma, the other day you had asked me and sis to tidy up our nest. But sis was feeling unwell. I thought taking care of sis who was not well was my responsibility and did just that. But doing so, we could not tidy up the nest which was also our responsibility. Was I irresponsible then?" asked the eldest chick.

Mother bird again wondered about many such situations when fulfilling one responsibility affected fulfilling some other responsibility. So what is responsible behaviour? What one does at a time of conflict?

The mother bird had wanted her children to understand responsibility, but this discussion made her wonder whether she understood responsibility in entirety.

She addressed her chicks, "I dunno what responsibility really means. All I know is whatever way I think, feel and act, I am all the time responsible for all my thoughts, feelings and actions. I'm fooling myself, if I blame others. However, If I own up responsibility of myself, I am responsible".

This brought about a husshed silence as the chicks began to realise the full impact of the mother's statement.

To read more about Responsibility click here.

 SPROUTS ACTIVITIES :   Exciting activity ideas to develop responsibility in children.

Encourage the child to sow a seed or a sapling in a pot at home and give the child an opportunity to take care of the plant's needs and experience responsibility for it.

Make a chart of daily chores to be done in the house. With the child,discuss whose name/names should be written in front of it as responsible owner. For a week, each item owner can tick mark on the chart when they fulfill their responsibility.  

  Play a game with all family members or a group of children. Players stand in a circle and take turns to tell about things they are responsible for. For example, a person may say," I am responsible for my toys", and so on. One person can note down the different areas of responsibilities which are brought up in the game. Then, make a fun chart of all the things we can be responsible for as a group. Illustrate the same with funny pictures.

Design a page like “I did my homework” and stick the page on the refrigerator with a magnet.The child can note each of his/her completed assignment. Discuss what strengths within him allow him to be responsible for each assignment.

 Together with the child discuss what is meant by responsibility and then the child writes a short story about responsibility. Make a story book of the story with interesting illustrations.

A group of children (8yrs and above) come together and discuss how to stage a play.The topic is chosen by them, they write the script, direct the play and also perform it on a date they have announced in advance.
Take a walk in your neighbourhood long with your child. Observe the area and identify any problem areas, if you can, for eg, garbage on the roads,  stray dogs, etc. Discuss and debate about what you can do to solve these problems. (age grp 8yrs above)

In the next issue, the SPROUTS SPOTLIGHT shifts to the theme "sensitivity towards nature" with exciting activities which you can enjoy with your children.

SPROUTS RECOMMENDS: You can click here to watch a video of a puppet show put up by 7-8 yrs children as a part of the Success Saturday programme:
While making the movie - children chose a responsibility. This role, became their responsibility and this in a way made them motivated to do well their part. Responsibility also came up - when they had to depend on each other to get the whole production of puppet show done.  Obviously a lot of interaction lead to lot of feelings - this made them sensitive to the fact that we are also responsible for our feelings. Finally children became aware of their responsibility towards equipment like camera, computers, sets, puppets etc.
To read more about Success Saturday program for children 3 to 13 years - click here.

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Warm regards,  
 SPROUTS TEAM
(GenieTrupti, Genie Sarang, Genie Kirti,Genie Meghna, Genie Priyanka, Genie Subha, Genie Ratnesh, Genie Aditi) 

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