Like Father, Like Daughter

Aaa chhee!

Ashima was sitting near the window and reading. It was windy and there was a lot of dust in the air. Suddenly Ashima sneezed loudly—aaa chhee! Ashima’s parents were sorting out vegetables in the kitchen. Her mother said, “She sneezes just like you do. If you were not here, I would have thought it was your sneeze.”

 Tell

- Does your face or anything else look similar to that of someone else in your family? What is it?

- Did someone tell you this or did you find it out yourself?

- How do you feel when people compare you with someone else in your family? Why do you feel so?

- Who laughs the loudest in your family? Laugh like that person.

Who is whose aunt? 

Nilima had gone to the house of her nani (mother’s mother) in the school holidays. She saw someone coming and went to tell her mother, “Amma, a mausi (mother's sister) has come to meet you.” Her mother came out to see who had come. She told Nilima, “No, this is not your mausi ! She is your sister Kiran. You know your eldest nani ? Kiran is the daughter of her elder son. Kiran is your cousin sister. In fact, you are her cute son Samir’s mausi !”

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- Make a list of all the family members from Nilima’s nani to little Samir. How are they all related to Nilima? Write.

 Find out 

- In your family are there any such examples of uncle- nephews or brother-sisters, where there is a big difference in the age? Find out from your elders.

How we are all related!

        Nilima started playing with Samir. Her mother called Kiran and said, “See, my Nilima’s hair is a lot like yours – thick, curly and black. It’s good she does not have hair like mine – straight, limp and brown!” Nilima’s nani laughed and said, “Yes, isn’t it strange? We sisters had thick curly hair and now our second generation has similar hair.” Nilima was listening to all this. She thought, “We are called ‘distant’ relatives, but, how closely related we are in many ways!”

Find out and write

- Have you seen a very young child in your (or any other) family? Whom does the child’s eyes, nose, hair or fingers look like in the family? Write their names.

- Nimila’s hair is like her nani’s – thick and curly. Nilima’s mother has straight, brown and limp hair? What type of hair do you have – black or brown, oily or dry?

- What is the colour of your hair? Measure and write the length of your hair.

- Is your hair like that of anyone else in your family? If yes, then name the person.

- Measure the hair of other members of your family.

- Who has the longest hair in your family?

- How many people do you know whose hair is longer than one metre? Does having long hair run in their family?

- Do you know how to measure your height? Measure yourself from head to toe and write how tall you are.

- How tall do you think you will be when you grow up? Is anyone else in your family of the same height?

- Measure the height of your family members and write it down.

Is this a mirror?

         Look at the next page. Is Saroja standing in front of a mirror? No, this is her twin! Did you get confused? Their mother's brother (mama) also gets confused when he sees them together. At times Saroja gets scolded for mischief done by Suvasini. Sometimes Suvasini tricks her mama and says, “Suvasini has gone out.”

        The sisters were just two weeks old when Saroja's (father's brother's wife) chachi adopted her and took her to Pune. Everyone in chachi's house is very fond of music. Mornings begin with music in the house. Saroja knows many songs in both the languages – Tamil and Marathi. At home everyone speaks Tamil and at school most of the children speak in Marathi.

        Suvasini stays with her father in Chennai. Her father is a karate coach. Since she was three, Suvasini started doing karate with the other children. On holidays, both father and daughter start practicing in the morning.

          Saroja and Suvasini look alike but are also quite different. Do you now know why mama has his way of finding out who is who?

 Discuss

- What is similar between Saroja and Suvasini? What is different?

- Do you know any twins? What is similar in them? How are they different?

- Do you know of twins who don't look the same?

                 Saroja and Suvasini look a lot like each other yet are different. For example, Saroja knows two languages. If Suvasini's family also talked in two languages she could also learn both. We learn many things like language, music, love for reading, or knitting, when we get a chance and an environment to do so.

Some from the family, some from the environment

- From a distance Vibha knows that her nana (grandfather) is coming – from his loud laughter. Nana also talks loudly and hears with difficulty.

- Are there people in your house who talk loudly? Is it their habit, or they cannot also hear very well?

- Are there times when you do not talk loudly in front of some people? When? With whom? Why? When can you speak loudly?

- Some people use a machine in their ear to help them hear better. Some use a stick or spectacles to help them in other ways. Do you know someone who does so?

- Talk to people who cannot hear very well. Find out if they had this problem from birth. When did they start to have a problem with hearing? What difficulties do they face?

- We have seen that some traits or habits we get from our family. Some things and skills we learn from our environment. At times our abilities change because of some illness or old age. All these together make us what we are!