September Activity-Time to share the Load - The ACTiZENS' Club Programme by Desh Apnayen

Introduction

In the last few decades, both men and women have started to work equally in all parts of our country. Hence it is only natural that they should divide their household chores as well. This way of life provides several advantages, such as stress-free family life and an opportunity for women to become independent. Most often, it is women and girls that bear the burden of household chores such as cooking, cleaning the house, washing utensils and clothes, and taking care of children and family despite the fact that they also sometimes professionally work outside. Due to the added pressure of household responsibilities, most women quit their jobs. This makes them miss out on career opportunities and creates feelings of resentment. By contrast, sharing household work enables both men and women to have a flourishing career and a stress-free family life.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

A nationwide survey of ‘time-use’ has laid bare the unequal gender distribution of unpaid house work in Indian households.

https://theswaddle.com/urban-women-spend-312-minutes-a-day-in-unpaid-carework-men-spend-29/

According to the survey, while women spend 84% of their day on unpaid activities, men spend 80% of theirs on paid work. In addition, only 26% of men reported doing any kind of housework. Out of those 26%, 8% and 6% of men reported participating in household cleaning and cooking for any length of time, respectively. Some of the other activities recognized as housework include home decor and repair, pet care, shopping for the household, and more.

Expected Outcomes

Students will be able to think about the importance of sharing responsibility at home.
Students will be able to realize the fact that gender equality starts at home and then moves into the society.
Students will start taking up more responsibility at home in performing household tasks.

Sessions’ Overview

S. No

Activity process

Time taken

Period 1.

Activity

Introduction

Teacher to follow guided steps 1, 2 and 3

45 min

Period 2.

Post-Activity Plan + Video Comprehension

Teacher to refer to steps 4, 5 and 6

45 min

Steps for the Activity

Period 1

Time required - 45 Minutes

Step 1- Roleplay

Step 2- Probing questions

Step 3- Give homework

Roleplay - (Refer to Print Section for a printable copy)

Let's get started!

Step 1: Roleplay

The teacher will select students to play the characters in the play. She will distribute the script and give them 10 minutes to prepare.

Character list:

Dad
Son
Daughter
Grandfather
Grandmother

In the scene, everyone is engrossed in their work: mom is chopping vegetables and preparing lunch. Later on, she is also seen removing cobwebs and sweeping. Grandparents are discussing a relative’s wedding, one child is asking for shoe polish and the other is demanding pasta in his tiffin, and father is reading a newspaper. Mom is struggling with all the household chores.

Mom: Today, I will make potatoes, I am getting late.

(She starts doing her work)

Grandmother: Mala, I am thirsty can you get me some water, please...

Mala (mom): Sure!

(Mom fetches water for grandparents)

Grandfather: Can you make us some more tea Mala bahu.

Mala: Ji, Papaji!

(Mala goes into the kitchen)

My vegetable and dal are getting cooked on the gas, if I start making tea by removing any of them, I will get late for work.

Let them wait for a while!

Grandmother: Bahu, is the tea ready?!

Mala: Please wait a little while.

Son: Ma, are you going to give me pasta in the tiffin today?

Mom: No, Beta! I will give you pasta this weekend. I cannot make an extra dish in the morning hours.

Son: Oh no! You are always busy.

Daughter: Ma! Where did you keep the shoe polish?

Mom: It is there only inside the shoe rack.

Daughter: But I can't find it!

Mom: (goes near the shoe rack, finds it) There you are. It just fell behind the running shoe. You would have got it if you would have searched a bit more.

Father: Oh, Mala! Try to get up early so that you can finish your work!

Mom: I am getting up at 5:30 am, while you all wake up at 6:30 am. I am already getting up one hour early!

Father: In that case, I think you should wake up at 5:00 am to finish your work.

Everyone (Except the daughter): Yes! You must wake up early!

(Mom makes a sad face)

Daughter: Why should she only wake up early? If all of us wake up early just by 10 min than our usual time and help mom, I think she will have a lot more time in her hands. She will not have to struggle. Doing housework is not just her responsibility! Come out of this old thinking! All the family members should share work; my schoolteacher had told me at the ACTiZENS’ CLUB.

Grandmother: Yes, you are right! Let's try it tomorrow.

(Next day, everyone wakes up 10 minutes earlier than usual)

Grandmother: Bahu let’s chop the vegetables for you.

Father: I will water the plants.

Children: We will fetch water, etc. for grandparents and we will pack our school bag and get ready for school.

Grandfather: I will drop the children at the bus stop for the school bus.

Everyone starts helping. All the work is done smoothly.

Mom: It's just 9:00 am and all my work is done! Today, I have extra time! Let me make some more tea and let's enjoy it together!

-Play ends-

Step 2- Probing questions

What are your observations about the play?
Do you agree with the daughter in the play?
Do you share household work in your family?

Step 3- Explain the task to be done by students at home and what to prepare for the next class.

Video watching activity (Homework)

Let us ask our ACTiZENS’ to watch the video links given below at home and think about the given questions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QDlv8kfwIM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=wJukf4ifuKs&feature=emb_logo

What is the situation at your home? Do all the family members share the load of household tasks? Yes/No, and why?
Express the opinion on how important it is for us to share the load in the family?

Post-Activity Plan + Video comprehension

Period 2

Time required - 45 Minutes

Step 4- Worksheet

Step 5- Grouping up in two

Step 6 - Summarise

Let’s begin!

Step 4- The teacher will ask the students if they have watched the video links. If some of them have still not watched the video due to some reason, she can select 1 or 2 students to come in front of the class and talk about them. The teacher distributes/displays the worksheet to students and asks them to fill it up. If printing the worksheet is not possible then children can draw the table given below in their notebook/scrapbook.

WorkSheet :-

Daily chores	Male member	Female Member	Both
Cooking		Yes
Cleaning Utensils
Watering Plants
Washing Clothes
Tidying up the rooms
Buying vegetables
Small needs of elders

Note – the teacher is free to add more chores on her own if time permits.

Step 5- Group activity time

The teacher will then divide the students into groups of two students each to discuss how they can help their family members by sharing the load of household work from the given list. Students will prepare the list in their own group. Teachers can then selectively call some groups to share their list with others so that they can benefit from each other’s ideas.

Step 6- Summarise

Teacher to discuss the benefits of sharing household chores.

There are many benefits of sharing domestic chores. Here are the three most important ones:

There is a greater appreciation of family values which strengthens the bond between members and fosters mutual respect.
The family is better equipped to deal with emergencies, should they arise.

Most importantly, sharing responsibilities fills up the home with happiness that comes from a deeper understanding and appreciation amongst family members.

Related Articles

Disclaimer