Question

Conduct a group discussion on the role of children towards their ‘Parents and Senior Citizens’.

Answer 1

Moderator:	You’ve all been given a few minutes to think on your topic for today’s group discussion, which is ‘The role of children towards their ‘Parents and Senior Citizens’. You may now begin the discussion. Who would like to start?
Sakshi:	I think the topic of this discussion is very relevant to all of us here. As children, we all share the responsibility of being obedient and caring towards our parents. However, I think our responsibility doesn’t stop with just being good to our parents; it extends beyond home and we must be equally caring and respectful of the senior citizens in our society.
Vijay:	I agree with Sakshi that our social responsibility extends beyond the confines of home. The society in which we live has a significant role in moulding our personalities. It certainly includes those innumerable people who have held our hands in nurturing our growth in school, the caring people of our neighbourhood, and the vendors whom we have seen since our childhood, who are now in the autumn of their lives. We all owe a lot to such people who have shaped us into the individuals that we are today.
Pooja:	Yes, I would like to add that we should not take a limited perspective of calling ourselves good children just by being obedient to our parents; yes, we must try and measure up to our parents’ expectations because they are our first teachers and they have indeed grown old in seeing us through our childhood and adolescence. But once we cross the threshold of our homes, there are others as well who took charge of our upbringing. Be it our teachers, the bus driver, the doctor or the sanitation worker, who have given the primes of their lives to make way for younger generation; we must see our foster-parents in them and treat them on par in terms of respect and care.
Vijay:	Yes, Pooja, you are absolutely right. But I think we can’t be blindly good to every elderly person around. We never know the type of person we are dealing with unless he or she is an acquaintance or a family friend. We children are also in the vulnerable position of being exploited if we mistakenly engage with the wrong person, irrespective of our good intent to help the elderly.
Priya:	Yes, this is true. We keep hearing so much of bad news through the media about child abuse and molestation. After all, the same society has both virtuous and evil-minded people. Therefore, it is very important for us to be careful while trying to be nice to the elderly of our society.
Pooja:	I agree with what Priya says, We have to be socially responsible while ensuring our own safety and security.
Vijay:	That is right. And coming back to our responsibilities towards our parents, it is important that we spend time with them, ask them about their day, and help them out if they seem stressed. When we were kids, our parents understood what we needed and provided it to us even before we had to ask for it. As they age now, it is essential that we, too, ensure their well-being, just like they did for us.
Pooja:	I completely agree with you, Vijay. In fact, as our parents grow old, they might become forgetful or might not understand everything as quickly as they used to before. We need to be patient with them, because as they lose their old self, their insecurities rise and they begin to think that they have become a burden on their children. At such times, it becomes essential for us to make them feel safe and loved. We must share their responsibilities and assure them that they can count on us.
Sakshi:	I would support Pooja and also like to add that our compassion should also extend to the elderly outside our homes, irrespective of whether we know them or not. After all, kindness begets kindness.
Moderator:	All right, everyone. The given time is almost over. Who would like to conclude the discussion please?
Pooja:	Friends, considering all the points brought forth in this discussion, we can conclude that we children must be responsible individuals both, at home and outside home. Let us be as respectful and as caring of the senior citizens in the society, as we would be towards our parents. Let us bear in mind that the parents and the others have shouldered a collective responsibility in our nurture and hence both deserve similar respect and care from us.