Papa, why do we read books?
My daughter wanted to play with me. She was playing with a ball. She wanted me to bring back her ball each time she would throw - from all ten directions! For one or two times it was okay but she was in a playful mood and I was reading a book.
She'd pick her softball and now she had found a silent partner - the wall in front - and was engaged throwing the ball on the wall and catching or picking it up from the floor. I had to keep an eye on her activities as I was told by her mother who was in the washroom.
Clinging to my back and putting her hands around me she stared into the book I was reading and asked, "Papa, why do we read books?" I did not answer. She asked, "Papa tell me, please, why do we read books? I said - beta, to enjoy!
''No, Play with me. You will enjoy it more''.
''Beta, I read books to learn''.
''No, Play with me, you will learn more.''
''Beta, it is a book which tells me about developments in science''.
''No, play with me, you will learn it.''
Removing my spectacles, she came in front and sat on my lap, nagging. Keeping my book aside, I started playing with her.
She started throwing the ball on the wall and asked me to catch it. Even after playing carefully, I could not grab it a few times. She asked me to stand towards the wall at the right. She went towards the wall to the left. I thought she would throw the ball directly to me and thus would teach me how to catch. But no, she started throwing the ball on the wall in front. I had to catch the ball, bounced back from the wall.
A nail had made a distinct mark on the wall before someone decided to remove it, thus creating a bull's eye for my daughter to aim at. She would aim at her ball from her position and would ask me to catch it.
To my surprise, without changing my position, I could catch the ball easily. When she could catch the ball, thrown by me directly towards her, it would bring glee to her face. I would laugh seeing her face radiating victory and a sense of accomplishment! Each catch would bring her a laugh that radiated happiness from her face.
Come one step towards me, and forwarding one step herself, she again started aiming her ball at the mark on the ball. Again I found, I could catch the ball without much movement.
''Now, you throw it on the wall. I will catch it,'' She ordered. By the time, I was also enjoying playing with her. I also aimed at the mark, she could catch it without leaving her place.
She asked me to move one more step towards her and she also came closer further. I could catch the ball from that location easily, too. In fact, the ball would come to hit me where I was.
Her mother coming out of the washroom, said, "You have made the drawing-room a playground!
She said, ''No! Mumma, I have not disturbed your laptop!'' and we all laugh together!
I started reading the book where I had left. The following line was written in the book. "The angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence!
I realised how true my little daughter was when she said "No, play with me, you will learn it!
***
Wonderful write-up. I know of a very famous modern day management guru who watches Tom &Jerry atleast half an hour a day.
ReplyDeleteKids can think out of the box and innovate, challenge the obvious, whereas we adults have been trained to operate within the boundaries of physics, social norms and moral compass.
Nature is a great teacher, and so are kids until we clog them to think within the box.
So, I completely agree, we have a lot to learn from kids provide we are open to learning from them.
Thank you, Protik, for going through the blog, enjoying and sparing your valuable time to pen down your comment. Its an inspiration for me to write more.
ReplyDeleteHello sir,
ReplyDeleteI am an student of your school
Myself Manya,class 7th A
Wonderful lesson sir,hats off to you and our little doll who taught us a new way to learn and sir your book "the living spots is an inspiration for me to be an great author , again I will be thanking you and the little doll to teach us the new way to learn things..
#its like chota packet bada dhamaka
Thank you.
Be successful sir
Dear Manya,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. Keep writing. Let the world know about your feelings, emotions and experiences through your writings. You have a good flair of writing.
Best Wishes!
Rajeeva
Sir.
DeleteIf you're blessings are with me then I can become anything also a humble request to again write a story like this, so that the exams are also coming and we all be very helpful to learn our syllabus in a new and wonderful way ..
Thank you 🌺
Be successful sir
Really a wonderful writeup--- we learn the principles through books easily but to experiment it in reality such playing help due to out of the box thinking of children's.
ReplyDelete