Boring Turns Interesting

“Dhruv, can you keep your study table a bit organized”? shouted Dhruv’s mom – Usha.

“Oh! Mom. Why am I only to clean up all the mess”? Dhruv was kinda flabbergasted. “Even Udisha has kept her toys and play items spread out here and there”! He was clearly annoyed that he had to finish one more work before he could watch his favorite cartoon.

“Well, in that case I should be also be saying that why do I only need to cook and prepare goodies to eat? Have you ever heard me frowning or screaming at that? I also want to have some time off when Id o not need to get into such chores, but I understand that as a family member certain thing I should enjoy doing because it helps others in the house. Doesn’t that go for you as well? Sunny, if you won’t help us, who else would? Udisha is too young”.

Dhruv gave a twitched and sullen look, which was for a moment a mixture of helplessness and disinterest. He knew too well that his mom would not leave him unless he had organized his stuff and hence that would keep him delayed from his cartoon session. So, with huge reluctance, he started to clean up his table. He was angry with himself, with he being the older one, the one perceived to be more responsible and efficient, the one who should be setting up an example against being lazy. But he was still a ten-year-old boy. Howsoever his mind told him that logically it made sense, his heart kept on telling him that this was differentiation not working in his favour. “Today it is the study table, tomorrow it would be the living room too. There is no end to this as I would always remain the older one throughout my life”, he sulked. Caught up with these thoughts, he spent the next fifteen minutes cleaning up his room and his study table. When Usha walked in after a while, she was no less than mighty impressed. Not just because Dhruv had obeyed what she said, had asked him to do; but more so because she noticed that the boy knew how to keep things orderly and organized and had that sense of place and position for his things. It was just his resistance to “do” and being “made to do” which kind of irritated him. “Oh wow! Your room looks so clean. Dhruv, you are so good at this”! complimented his mom. “I am not the house cleaning kaki who comes and cleans our place”, he retorted sharply. “You always make me do odd jobs”, he was kind of serious.

Usha could not write it off as a mere complain. She had been noticing for the past few months that Dhruv was getting very irritated with every small task that he was being told. He would frown, keep on arguing with his grandparents, fight with his sister, back answer his father, trouble the domestic helps at his place. There would often be no obvious reason to why he would do that. But he would generally be irritated. He’d often talk at the pitch of his voice and everybody around him would ask him to speak slowly and softly. This would further get him irritated. His parents would ask him to help in him some way with small little work at the house, and he would say:” Does anyone ask their son to do such household chores?” Dhruv was seemingly bully, lazy, mischievous, impolite and yet a sweet boy. His mom would be worried about his behavior as he was growing up and forming his behavioral patterns. Her friend, Amar, would often say:” Kids at ten are not easy to deal with. You will be left confused whether its you who do not understand them or that they are really such rebels”. Usha was wondering if Dhruv was also passing through such a temporary phase, or inculcating habits for life. Her real concern was that her son was at times so arrogant while speaking with others, would say things in a manner which would hurt others around him. His grandparents would feel sad at the way he would speak certain things. His house maids would feel bad the way he would be harsh with one of them. His friends would often start their games without waiting for him. Dhruv would not like being left out, but when his mom or friends tried explaining him his behavior, he would not agree. Rather, he would either get angrier or feel sad that nobody understood his point of view.

Usha was a working mother. Her work involved dealing with people, their behavior and working around with those patterns to help the people themselves or their company. She used to feel astonished that given the nature of her work, she should have been easily able to relate with what’s happening to Dhruv. But unfortunately, that was not how it was happening! As she sat sipping coffee in her cabin, she kept thinking of what could be done. At that point in time, she hard on the door. “Come in”, said she. Rati came in bumping with joy. “Usha, we are going to introduce reward points as part of the Cafeteria Services improvement”. “Hey what does that mean? It anyways sounds exciting!”, said Usha. “Oh! That’s a simple game and very interesting”, said Rati. “We have noticed that lot of food gets wasted as people take up different food items on the menu and then later, they can’t have it completely. So, they throw it away. We, at the Cafeteria Services department, keep on thinking how to reduce this food wastage and bring it down to the level of zero. But our different means of sensitizing people through posters, banners, etc. Have not really worked. So, we have come up with a new idea”, she chirped excitedly. “Go ahead”, said Usha. Rati continued: “We are going to introduce reward points now. Meaning, anybody who does not waste food, gets reward points added to their kitty. Continuous week of this practice means a person qualifies as the Yellow Kindness Ambassador. One who continues this for two weeks, is a Blue Kindness Ambassador; three weeks qualifies one for a Purple Kindness Ambassador, while four weeks make you a White Kindness Ambassador. Each of these ambassadors would be earning different sets of reward points. At the end of three months, they would be able to redeem these points and get gift items of their choice from a basket of gift options. The Purple and White ambassadors would also be chosen for our organization’s social sensitivity programs as key members. All these champions for the four weeks would become role models for others. Their photos would be out across all places in the office, saying that ‘They value taste, but do not waste’. In these four weeks, they would have inculcated the habit of avoiding food wastage as part of their life practice. They would be mindful of it even when they are back home and promote the culture within their families as well. Lot more ideas around it, but this is the short gist of the larger plan. How do you find it?” Usha was listening with rapt attention. Her face said that she could visualize the amount of energy this initiative would positively generate at her workplace. “Excellent”! she said. Her eyes were lit up, as if she had got the key to unlock some of the most difficult doors.

That evening, on her way back home, Usha was caught up in thoughts, but her mind was not wandering. It was wondering at the possibilities now that could open up if she introduced this       ‘Reward Points System’ at home as well. She said to herself:” I am definitely going to give this a fair try. Fully”. After reaching home and getting fresh, she heated the food and called Dhruv. He came as reluctantly as ever. “Now what? Spread the table and keep the plates and bowls ready for the dinner? Isn’t it”? “Yes. And that gets you five points. You eat your food without wasting, straight ten points more. Eat it without talking and finish your food in twenty minutes, you get another ten points. And the best of it, you genuinely thank kaki for the good food she prepared, you get bonus fifteen points. So, just see the magic. Only your dinner habits get you cool forty points. Think of all that you can earn during the entire day. Aha! in a week’s time, you are a rich boy. You can redeem the points to buy your cards, color pallet, the plane, Flintobox stuff. What not!! Each point has a money value which you can redeem from us every fifteen days”. Dhruv was hearing all curiously with eyes wide open as if he could see all the gifts and prizes that he were to earn now. “If I study, I get points”? “Yes”, said Usha. “And also if you speak softly, show respect, you are kind to kaki, keep your things orderly, don’t fight unnecessarily with Udisha, you exercise daily, and so many things Sunny”. “Ma, is this for real or are you kidding me”? Dhruv could not believe his ears. ‘All the things which I can easily do but am not doing because being that ‘good boy’ image appears so boring. But suddenly, now it seems so adventurous’, he thought. He would be the good boy which he was at the core. But now to present it to others, his mom would treat him with so many points and then the prizes!!! “This is an interesting game Ma”, said he. “Iam in for it. You will soon have to get me so many prizes. Hurray”!!!!

Udisha came running out of her room hearing her brother’s excited voice. “Dhruv! Dada! What happened”? Dhruv smilingly turned back, cast her a affectionate glance and then looked at her mother to say:” Mamma is a magician. She has made boring so interesting. We will have lots of toys, story books, colour boxes, chocolates and what not. I will share with you too. Come, let me make my reward point planner and stick it by my study table. Neither will ma forget, nor will I”. Dhruv and Udisha danced around the house in joy at this sudden discovery of this new rewarding game, which he could now share with all his friends with so much pride. The novelty and the richness both made him amazed. He quickly spread the table as told by his mom. Then called out his dad and grand parents very lovingly to join them for food. He called out his kaki (the maid) and said:” Kaki, will you please help me get the sweet dish out here. I just can’t lift the vessel out from the fridge”. Kaki was amused at his unusually calm voice and politeness. But the happiest of them all was his Ma, who had discovered the magic trick. She got up and immediately kissed her son, hugged him and wiped her tears that had welled from her eyes. She thanked Rati in her heart of hearts. “Reward points will work”, she said to herself with a big smile.