Responsibility

This is one of my favorite places to shop in China Town; don't peek or you can tell why. There is a story to these pictures that I want to share with you.


In the first picture, it appears the mommy is helping customers and the girls are playing:

What is actually happening is the mom is helping customers and at the same time she is telling the girls what they need to do to restock. The girls are ready to run get what mom tells them she needs out. The older girl takes shirts out of packaging and starts hanging them - and they younger one runs around the corner to her big sister for help:

She needs her sissy to fix the pricing gun.

Isn't it amazing? In the states our children would be running around - playing - just as it seemed they were in the first photo. These girls are always helping their mom, just as hundreds of other children are helping out their elders. They are responsible for very important jobs and both are very capable girls. The little tyke went about her business pricing the goods, occasionally asking questions as to the price, the older one hanging shirts and helping mom sell goods. The mom could depend on the girls when she needed more hands; the girls are quite good sales people as well - who can resist their cute smiles?

We went to another place where the son was selling goods. He was probably about 7. He offered something we were looking at for S $3, we paused and he immediately said we could have a good price of S $1.50. His parents scolded him (in another language) - he had come down too much on the price. He took the reprimand quite cheerfully and corrected himself to S $3.00 again - and humbly apologized.

Most places we shop at here in Singapore, the children are helping the elders. Like their parents, they are always cheerful and happy - and they jump in to their chores as soon as they see help is needed. It is a pleasant change from home; most children always wanting more and complaining when they have to lift a finger to help with chores.

How do they do that here? Responsibility from a very young age and the parents correct with love and patience. The children are very confident and happy. We could learn from them.

I should also say the children frolic and play and do normal kid antics during the down time with lots of giggles and fun. They also get to run and get yummy local goodies to snack on. They are not 'child labor' - just helpful children to their parents. When the business gets busy, they immediately jump in to help out.