August 2024
Time moves swiftly. Today, I was preparing for a discussion with the children on the topic of siblings. As I reflected on my own childhood, memories of the love and care from my elder siblings came flooding back. I remembered those precious moments when my brother and sister would carry me on their backs, running around the village, playing games, and sharing stories. As I walked, lost in these thoughts, I realized that I had already arrived at the meeting.
At the meeting, Pemba and Ishaan had brought along their younger siblings, which was quite fitting given today’s topic. As soon as they arrived, Ishaan proudly announced, “Miss, I’ve brought my brother with me today!” I smiled and told him, “That’s great! Keep him close to you.” The children seemed a little less energetic today, likely because they had been helping with chores at home or in the fields.
After welcoming everyone, we began our discussion. I started by asking each child about their siblings, starting with who had brothers and sisters at home. Nima was the first to respond, saying, “I only have my brother,” and then added, “If I had a sister, I wouldn’t have to search for friends.” Pemba, sharing his experience, said, “Even with siblings, you still get into fights!” Each child shared their thoughts, which led us to split into two groups to discuss what makes a good brother, sister, or elder sibling, and what behaviors should be avoided.
In the group activities, the children discussed various aspects of sibling relationships. They mentioned that even when you don’t have many friends, siblings can always be there for you to play with, help with homework, and sometimes, unfortunately, share a scolding. Despite the challenges, they agreed that it’s important not to hit siblings, to play and learn together, and to share food and help each other with studies. I shared a story from my childhood, pointing to a scar on my chin, and told them how my sister once took me to a neighbor’s house where I fell and hurt myself badly. My mother scolded my sister severely afterward. I explained that this incident taught me that we shouldn’t take our younger siblings to places where they might get hurt, as it could lead to serious accidents.
After that, we played a game called “Hand in Hand, Together Forever.” In this game, the rule was that you couldn’t pair up with the same partner you had before. Today, we had fewer participants than usual, so Pemba and Ishaan’s younger sisters joined the game. During the game, some children, who had initially teamed up with their siblings, ended up with different partners and realized that siblings could indeed be their best friends. This led to a discussion about how we should be able to get along equally well with everyone, and that if we have siblings at home, we don’t need to seek friends elsewhere.
Through this experience, the children learned the importance of getting along with their siblings, playing together, and helping each other with their studies. They made a commitment to respect and care for their younger siblings while also learning from and supporting their elders. With this understanding, the meeting came to a close, and everyone headed back home.
As I was about to leave, I thought of visiting Suman’s house to check on him and find out why he had not participated in the meeting. When I arrived, I found out that Suman had gone to the fields to plant crops. After greeting Suman’s mother, I asked why Suman hadn’t attended the meeting. She explained that they had to go to the fields, so he couldn’t make it. I inquired about Suman’s studies and his daily chores, asking if he was keeping up with his schoolwork. Suman’s mother, who had recently taken him back into her care after leaving him with another family for some years, explained that she was now trying to teach him and help him catch up on everything he had missed (Suman lived in another place but last year he was brought back by his mother after she started her business).
Just then, Suman returned from the fields, greeted me, and I asked him how things were going. He told me he had been busy helping his mother. I asked Suman’s mother about any changes she had noticed in Suman since he started living with her again. She mentioned that he was now more responsible, helping with the chores, and taking his studies seriously, although he still struggled with math. I offered to help him with his math, and Suman’s mother was grateful. With that, they hurried back to the fields, and I headed home, feeling content with the day’s progress.