When you were very young, your parents or other grown-ups did everything for you. They fed you, washed you, dressed you and took you around. But things must have changed since then. Now that you are nearly 11, you must have learned to do many things all by yourself. Now you are a ‘Do It Yourself – DIY kid’, right ? Here’s a list of some things an eleven year old child should be able to do – and never mind if you can’t do some of these things as yet! There’s a whole year for you to learn these things. You will enjoy them. So let’s begin our count –
CAN YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR PERSONAL HYGIENE ?
1 I trim my nails regularly . Do you ?
2I take a wash on my own. A proper wash! I remember to wash behind my ears, under arms, elbows, knees, etc. Do you ? And I use enough water – not more, not less.
3I can oil and comb my hair on my own. I can wash and dry my hair on my own.
DO YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR CLOTHES ?
1I can even wash my own clothes when necessary. I wash my undergarments every day.
2I don’t stack up used and soiled clothes. I put them in the washing bucket on time. I brush or scrub the soiled parts with soap before I add them to the washing pile .
3I can hang the clothes neatly (without creases) to dry on the clothesline.
4I can fold all clothes neatly.
CAN YOU SWIM ?
1 I can swim in a swimming pool.
2 I can swim in a well.
3 I am going to learn free style swimming this year.
CAN YOU RIDE A BICYCLE ?
1 I learnt to ride a bicycle when I was 8 years old.
2 I am learning to ride a bigger bicycle.
3 I am going to learn it in the vacation.
YOU SHOULD CARE FOR AT LEAST ONE PLANT!
1 My aunt gave me this little plant.
2 I water it every day.
3 I loosen the soil around its roots from time to time.
4 I add a little compost to it every 2-3 months.
CAN YOU DRESS UP FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION ON YOUR OWN ?
When I was in Std II, my father helped me. But now I can dress up on my own – even for a special occasion.
CAN YOU CONVEY AN ORAL MESSAGE TO SOMEONE CORRECTLY ?
Write a recent message that you passed on
1 at home
2 in school
3 between friends. (You may write the message in your mother tongue.)
YOU MUST KNOW HOW TO SEW
1 I can thread a needle.
2 I put a knot in the thread when I string flowers or beads in it.
3 I can make these stitches – running stitch and back stitch. I can also hem the border.
4 I can sew up a tear in my clothes. I can even sew a button. There is a stitch called buttonhole stitch.
5 Once I made a handkerchief by sewing the edges of a square piece of cloth.