Works We Do

Like other days, Balbir reached the tea stall after his breakfast. His brother Satvinder who had come from the village was also with him. The worker at the tea stall gave him a cup of tea and said – Here is today’s newpaper. 

           How do you spend your whole day sitting here? Don't you get bored – asked Satvinder.

Oh no! One does not realise how the time flies. Look at that group of children. As usual, they are late for school. Everyone is running ! The teacher is also late today. Oh! it seems her sandal has broken. She is going to Jaggu Bhai, to get it repaired. It’s good for him, he will get some money early in the morning.

          Champa is sitting there with her basket full of flowers. The lady working in the post-office buys flowers from her everyday.

          The construction work has started again. The truck is bringing materials. The workers will again be busy the whole day.

          Look there, the doctor and the nurse are entering the hospital together.

       See Ramulu with his fruit – cart. These days he also brings Chinamma with him. Chinamma runs around – delivers fruits and collects money.

          Nanu, the barber has laid out his shop – but whom will he shave?

         Right in the middle of the crossing stands Iqbal Singh. Throughout the day, he blows his whistle and keeps shouting – move your vehicle from here, whee _ _ ee _ _ ee _ _, Hey, have you not heard me _ _ take the cart away.

         Saying this Balbir put down his empty cup and walked to a nearby shop.

-- Act out what people would do at a crossing or in a weekly bazaar.

i Look carefully at the picture and write what work is being done by different people.

i Write the names of any five buildings and the work done in them.

In the picture you saw many people work together to build a new building. School is also one such place where many people work.

i Write what work is done in the school.

i Are there any children in the picture who are not going to school? What are they doing ?

Household work

Deepali is also one such girl who does not go to school. Let us read about her.

              Deepali is the eldest child in her family. Her father sells vegetables. He leaves for the mandi very early in the morning. Her mother washes utensils in some houses. She also leaves for work early in the morning. Deepali cooks food for her brothers and sisters. She cleans the house and also washes the utensils. She is very fond of listening to the radio. She listens to songs while she works. After finishing the work at home she goes to leave her brother with their father. She then takes her younger sisters, Suman and Sheila to school.

             After that Deepali helps her mother in her work. In the afternoon, she brings her brother and sisters back home. In the evening she plays with other children in the neighbourhood. Her mother comes back home late in the evening. Deepali helps her mother cook dinner for the family. Her father comes home very late at night. At night Deepali loves to lie in bed and read her sister's school books. Her father comes home very late at night. At night Deepali loves to lie in bed and read her sister's school books. 

              She has studied upto class three. Three years back when her little brother was born she had to stay back home to take care of him. She could not study any more. She feels that reading books helps her to relax. Now she is back to school and goes regularly.

i  What work does Deepali do in her own house?

i Do you also do household work? If yes, what ?

i Besides household work do you do any other work at home? If yes, what ?

i Which of your family members do household work ? What work do they do ?

i Which of your family members work to earn money ?

-- Which of your family members do work but do not get money for it ?

-- Find out from your grandparents what work they did when they were children.

Saramma asked her grandmother (Nani ) the same question. Nani replied – When I was a child I would help my elders to collect firewood, make cowdung cakes and plaster walls with cowdung. But now we have a stove that works on gobar gas. The floor and the walls of our house are cemented. There is no need for Saramma to do some of the jobs that her grandmother did in her childhood.

-- You had written about the work you do and the work done by your elders in their childhood. Is there a change?

-- Deepali had to leave school to do household work. Find out if there are any children in your neighbourhood who are over five years and do not go to school.

-- Talk to any two children and find out why they do not go to school.