Kids Short Story with Moral – FAILURE
Photo credit: mimiliz from morguefile.com
Akil was a student of standard vi . He was an average boy of his age but was not stable . He was a disturbed boy , neither was he good in his studies nor was he a social boy – sincere and helpful , he was the reverse –selfish and self-centered . The reason for this was that Akil’s father was a very strict and proper man. He was always after his son’s blood,nagging him the whole time, for not doing anything properly , he kept on calling him a failure and comparing him with his younger siblings – namely 2 brothers and a sister . The younger children were obedient and hard working , so this provoked the father more and more and he would keep on lecturing Akil on how good the other children were and what was he – just a FAILURE.
All these scenes lead to Akil’s deterioration in all respects – study wise , manner wise , everything . All this reached to such a stage that Akil was lagging behind other children of his class . For Akil the most embarrassing thing was that his brother , junior by two years was in his class – this created more comparisons and arguments at home .
One day in class , Akil misbehaved with his teacher-Mrs Kiran and answered her back rudely . She punished him by making him kneel in a corner at the back of the classroom . The lesson was being read by the teacher when suddenly there was a sobbing sound from where Akil was kneeling . Luckily for him , spontaneously the school bell rang and the children ran out for their recess break .
The teacher came to Akil and asked him what the problem was . He broke down completely and became heavy sobs related his pent up feelings – how he was considered a failure , how he was always shouted at and punished even if it wasn’t his fault . One thing was for sure , his siblings were very protective towards him and loved him as their elder brother – after all the age old proverb applies here “ blood is thicker then water” .
After hearing Akil’s sad story , Mrs Kiran wrote a note to Akil’s father-Mr Kumar and asked him to meet her at school at a certain time – she had something important concerning Akil to talk to him .
She had understood through Akil’s story that his mother had no say , in the matter although she tried her best to protect him from being ridiculed but it ended up in her being shouted at and told not to interfere and spoil the boy more . Like all ladies of that age from the easter world , Akil’s mother used to keep quiet and just prayed sincerely to God that things would improve on the home front .
She had been brought up with the notion that one should respect one’s husband and never argue with him , even if he was blaming her for nothing that she had done .
Akil’s father visited school on the appointed day and met with teacher .She was very patient and dedicated teacher and dealt with many pupils and parents of different natures . Mr.Kumar was a little disturbed ever since he had received the teacher’s letter…he had not wanted to go to meet her at all but on Akil’s mother’s persuasion he finally agreed.He knocked quietly on her door and saw her busy checking some copies,to his surprise she got up,smiled sweetly made him feel at ease and even asked the peon to get Akil’s father a cup of tea..After a casual conversation,she asked him to follow her in the playground of the school..Mr.Kumar was a little surprised,he was ready to hear the endless complaints about Akil,but what was this…
Mrs Kiran bent down near the big sand box which was filled with bright coloured toys meant for the younger students,taking sand in her fists she tried to lift it up but the sand kept on falling through her fingers,the more she tightened her fist the faster the sand fell thorough her fingers,all her attempts of keeping the sand in her hands was turning unsuccessful. Mr Kumar was quietly watching all this without a word uttered from either side.
.Mrs Kiran didn’t stop there she put her hands in some clay lying nearby and began shaping it slowly & patiently in whatever shape she wanted and the clay was turning out exactly how she wanted..Putting the clay back she washed her hands and smiled at Mr Kumar.He shook hands with her and understood what she had actually meant..Sometimes silence means more than words.
He didn’t go home next,instead he stopped at the Big Clothes shop and bought a pair of jeans and 2-3 new T- shirts for Akil,which was very unusual since Akil’s mom used to do his shopping .Mr.Kumar reached home and went directly to Akil’s room,he put down the clothes on the bed and hugged Akil tightly,”Forgive me son,I guess I was too harsh on you..” Saying this he showed the things he had got for him.
Akil was surprised or rather shocked..he had never expected that his OWN father would hug him,buy clothes only for him..”Dad really cares for me and what I’ve done,I just have let him down..I must do something to make him feel proud of me..”,Akil thought with tears pouring down his cheeks.
This lesson the teacher had taught Akil’s father turned out to be successful – there was a marked difference in Akil – in all respects – behavior wise , study wise , cooperation wise , etc , etc .
Akil , himself , felt he was a changed boy and he forgot the word – FAILURE which had always been linked with him – now he became more confident and he had overcome the feeling of being rubbish and ridiculed as once his father had called him .
This goes to prove that there is no such word as failure , it is we people who has create this word to cover our weaknesses
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