Civic Responsibility
WHAT
One social issue that I identified was self-confidence. There was one instance where one of the children did not want to participate in the activity because he felt that there was no point trying as he knew he would not be able to do it.
WHY
It is quite disheartening to see when children do not think they will not be able to achieve something and hence give up before they even try. Hence, it is important to help children with their self-esteem. Even though children, in general, might experience low self-esteem, children from low-income backgrounds may be more vulnerable to it.
HOW
As an individual, there may not be much I can do. However, by joining service-learning or community projects, I might be able to make a difference. For example, a community project which involves building up confidence or self-esteem can be really helpful.
One event that impacted me the most was when we were splitting the children into groups for a game. Two of the children did not want to be in the group with this boy and explicitly told him to go away in front of everyone. The boy also went away without arguing. When I asked him why he said there was no point arguing and that he was used to it.
WHAT
Personal Growth
WHY
The experience taught me that children at young ages are very vulnerable to negative words. They easily believe what other people say about them, especially when they have low self-confidence. Eventually, if left unattended, it can really affect how they view themselves and what they deserve.
HOW
In light of this learning, when I participate in such service-learning or community projects involving children from low-income backgrounds, I will do my best in encouraging them and giving them positive feedback so that they can build up their self-confidence.
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