Saturday 30 August 2014

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING OR I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING  OR  I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND...

A message every adult should read because children and youth
are watching you and doing ‘as you do’, not ‘as you say’.

When you thought I wasn’t looking you threw a wrapper on the street and I learned never to use the dustbin.
When you thought I wasn’t looking you insulted a waiter and I learned not to respect people who serve us.
When you thought I wasn’t looking you sped through a signal and I learned not to respect rules.
When you thought I wasn’t looking you bribed a policeman and I learned my first lesson in corruption.
When you thought I wasn’t looking I heard you buy a seat for me in college and I learned that education is not to be respected.
When you thought I wasn’t looking you planned a holiday on election day and I learned that elections are a holiday.
When you thought I wasn’t listening I heard you say that India is useless and I learnt not to do anything for this country.
When you thought I wasn’t listening I heard you berate politicians and I learned to always blame others for everything.
If only you had known  that I was looking, listening  and learning when you thought i was not …….I would have grown up to be a stronger person , a better human being and a responsible citizen.
It’s not too late…….. I am still looking and listening ………………maybe I can still learn most of life's lessons that I need to know,  to be a good and productive person when I grow up, so this time around don’t think I am not looking or listening.
A provocative thought by-
Mrs Swati Popat Vats
Educationist- Parenting Mentor- Author


38 comments:

Unknown said...

This article reminds me a quotation by James A. Baldwin 'Children have never been very good at listening to their elders but they have never failed to imitate them'

Unknown said...

This article emphasize on how children learn by imitating.A lesson for all the adults to think before saying or doing any activity.Children are good observer.

Unknown said...

Children are very keen observer and children usually imitate adults. We may not be aware of what thing we are doing wrong but children grasp it very fast and imitate the same way which may be harmful for them. Again a wonderful article by ma'am which tell us that we should be careful in our actions and words in front of children..

Jumbo Kids, Chakan said...

Children are very good at imitating elders.So it is important for parents and teachers to be very careful what they say or do in front of their children.

Radhika Joshii said...

"Our actions speak more then our words".
children are watching every single thing we do, and they are absorbing it.The only way to raise a decent human being is by being one.

(By Neha Khanvani)

Jumbo kids Latur said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Kids are very good listeners. We as adults should always be vigilant as to what we speak what we do , as kids are always watching us.

Unknown said...

This article is a reminder to all the things which we know but don't follow . These are very small points of our day to day life but we overlook them and don't even think that we are looked , listened and imitated by young ones .

Ankita Suchak said...
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Ankita Suchak said...

It is very true that children are keen observer.Many times we think that they are not looking at us but they are vigilant than the adults.Adults need to be more careful while doing anything.

Uma Nagdeo said...

children always imitate what they see, hear and observe around their surrounding so it is very important as an adult to have a correct behavior,which will help them to become better human being.

shilpa said...

This article help us to recall yes we have to be best as parents as children always there to observe us.

jayshree shah said...

Children always imitate & learn from Parents & Teachers. We should always try to build positive enforcement .
This article has important aspects ,lessons of life , when child commits any error we never realize or recall the moment that he has learned this from adult this incorrect behavior unknowingly as he has imitated what he saw.
Let's spread this beautiful proactive message .

Unknown said...

Its a learning for parents that how should they carry themselves in front of children because children learn through imitation.

Unknown said...

Yes,very truly said. We as an adult need to be very careful about what we speak or do, as our kids often copy us and imitate us.

Sonali Karmakar said...

For a toddler, imitation marks a major milestone. Acting just like an adult is a giant step toward learning all about himself. We as an adult should never forget that kids not only observe each and every action made by us but also easily imitate the same and they do what we do and not what we say.

Anonymous said...

IMITATION is the important learning tool for children...a parent/adult and a teacher should always remember and deal responsibly in presence of children.You would be surprised to know what all they can pick up from you.

kamal said...

Wonderful article which tells us as parents and teachers, that we have to speak positive to children, as children learn by imitation.Also that our children will grow as a strong,positive, good and a responsible citizen of the country

Uma Wagh PJK Jalgaon said...

Ma'am action speaks than words.Ma'am articles which you share always are really very important, which teaches us where we are going wrong.

Ma'am thank you sharing..

vaishali joshi said...

Child imitate the adult. When child make any error, we scold them. Are we introspecting ourselves that form where child has learned? This article is eye opener to all of us. It is very easy to say in social world that I never do wrong, but some where in deep we agree that we are wrong and giving wrong things to the children. This article is a refresh button to all, change can come only if we follow all our rights with our duties. Vaishali Joshi.

Unknown said...

This reminds me the quotation" Children are like wet cement, whatever falls on them makes an impression", how true? Are we really aware of it? High time, lets be ware of our walk, talk and behavior and be role models to our kids--PJK, Bangalore-2

Unknown said...

A well know quotes : Don't worry when children don't listen to you worry as they are observing you.
This article is an eye opener for all us to be more vigilant while we are with children.

Pritijayant said...

Children are learning from us whatever parents and teachers will do same they will imitate, so we have to be very careful in front of them. Which type of behavior we expect from them at first we have to follow same.......

Unknown said...

Thank you ma'am for a wonderful article. It is truly said that children are very good and fast at imitating adults. We as adults should always be alter and vigilant in all our deeds while we are with children.

Suman Khandelwal PJK Gondia said...

Children are very good observer , they always try to immitate elders, and feel proud ,this article guide us how to behave in front of the childrens.We should be very particular. Thank you mam for sharing this article with all of us.

Unknown said...

We always forget that the act done by us are keenly observed by children and they are good immitators. We should be very careful before any action done in front of children. Once again thankyou Ma'am, for this article.

Unknown said...

Really an eye opener article for everyone that we should always be very vigilant and careful in front of kids before saying anything or doing anything. Thank you ma'am for such a wonderful article.

PJK,Nigdi said...

Yes ma'am. We should have positive attitude with the children.

Anonymous said...

With his curly black hair and flattened nose, my son resembled no one when he was born. But it wasn't until Devesh was 14 months old that I truly started to think I was seeing double. My husband, who had just come in from a run and was stretching in our entryway. In a flash, Devesh was by his side, copying his father's every move: touching his toes, stretching toward the ceiling, even pushing against the wall with his scrawny toddler arms. Sometimes we'd grab the camcorder to preserve Devesh’s charming parodies, but imitation for toddlers is much more than a show. By copying adults during this crucial year of growth, 1-year-olds learn a vast array of skills. "Imitation is vital to the development of abilities ranging from language to social skills," explains Lisa Nalven, M.D., so teachers and parents work on what we teach our children.

Unknown said...

Children learn by Imitation. They are also keen observers and good listeners. Therefore it is very important that we as adults should be very careful and vigilant in doing things in front of children. If we inculcate good habits and thoughts in our children they will definately grow up as better and responsible human beings.

Anonymous said...

If they are imitating us then we have to follow what we preach because if we don't then they will follow what we do and not what we say. A provocative thought indeed ma'am!

Unknown said...

Abraham Lincoln said, “Reputation is the shadow. Character is the tree.” Our character is much more than just what we try to display for others to see, it is who we are even when no one is watching. Good character is doing the right thing because it is right to do what is right.
We must practice what we preach else our kids will do the wrong that we do & not what we tell them to do.

Unknown said...

"When you thought i wasn't looking or i didn't understand" is a beautiful article which every adult should read to make corrections in his or her own actions.
If we stop blaming and complaining then only we will be able to do anything good.If one wants to bring a change in others one should start to bring the change for oneself.
As an adult this article touched the mind and soul.

Unknown said...

This thought inspires good parenting and work with children.What happens at home doesn’t always remain at home, especially when toddlers and preschoolers are watching."Children learn what they live".Thank you ma'am for this thought provoking message.

PJK Vadgaon said...

we all communicate with children as "Do as I say, not as I do" but children are very keen observer and children usually imitate adults.

pjkparbhani said...
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pjkparbhani said...

Seriousness of learning by imitation I came to know after reading this blog. As a head and as a parent whenever I will do anything wrong, I will remember this blog always; as I have experienced it. I was expecting from my staff that they should be well planned and should look confident always. Then I had done changes in myself first. First I had well planned, solved queries for the week of curriculum by mentor and asked to well plan to staff also before coming for weekly curriculum meet and made them feel that work with planning helps to build confidence. Now everyone is planning and doing preparation well. So naturally they are getting more confidence day by day!

PJK Vadgaonsheri 2 said...

This article is an eye opener for all us to be more vigilant while we are with children.We all must know this fact that a child's mind learns the most from imitation so we should be very much careful in our actions and words in front of the children.Once again thanks for sharing such a beautiful thought with us.