Growing Up as Boys and Girls Class 7 Questions and Answers Civics Chapter 4
Class 7 Civics Chapter 4 NCERT Textbook Questions and Answers
Question 1.
In what ways do the experiences of Samoan children and teenagers differ from your own experiences of growing up ? Is there anything in this experience that you wish was part of your growing up?
Answer:
As soon as Samoan babies could work, their mothers or other adults no longer looked after them. Older children, often as young as five years old, took over this responsibility. Both boys and girls looked after their younger siblings. But, by the time a boy was about nine years old, he joined the older boys in learning out door games like fishing and planting coconuts. Girls had to continue looking after small children or do errands for adults till they were teenagers. All the above experiences are not found in children of our country.
In our country children are looked after their parents even where he is a grown up boy and girl. Children are sent to schools at a very early age. Now-a-days, in our country, education is considered a must, then any other job. Even poor families also send their children to school. Now-a-days, schools have been started in Samoa. Children wear uniform to go to school as children of our country.
Question 2.
Were Harmeet and Shonali correct in saying that Harmeet’s mother did not work?
Answer:
No, Harmeet and Shonali are not correct in saying that Harmeet’s mother did not work. They thought that the work Jaspreet (Harmeet’s mother) did work within the house was real work. Actually, this feeding is not unique to their families. Across the world, the main responsibility for housework and care giving tasks, like looking after the family, especially children, the elderly and sick members, lies with women. Yet, the work that women do within the home is not recognised as work. It is also assumed that this is something that comes naturally to women. It, therefore, does not have to be paid for. And society devalues this work.
Question 3.
What do you think would happen if your mother or those involved in doing the work at home went on a strike for a day?
Answer:
Well it will be in the same condition as Harmeet’s house. The house will look like it has been hit by hurricane!
Question 4.
Why do you think the men and boys generally do not do housework? Do you think they should?
Answer:
In our country, from the very begining it is believed that housework is meant for women and girls. Men and boys have to work outside the house. For this reason, men and boys generally do not do housework.
Question 5.
What are the total number of work hours spent by women in Haryana and Tamil Nadu each week?
Answer:
In Haryana work hours for women per week is 23 + 30 = 53 hours. In Tamil Nadu work hours per women per week is 19 + 35 = 54 hours.
Question 6.
How does this compare with the total number of work hours spent by men?
Answer:
In Haryana work hours for men per week is 38 + 2 = 40 hours. In Tamil Nadu work hours for men per week is 40 + 4 = 44 hours.
In comparison, women in Haryana and Tamil Nadu are doing more work then men.
Question 7.
Are the statements given below are true or false : Support your answer with the use of an example-
1. All societies do not think similarly about the roles that boys and girls play.
2. Our society does not make distinctions between boys and girls when they are growing up.
3. Women who stay at home do not work.
4. The work that women do is less valued than that of men.
Answer:
1. True. In most of the societies boys are considered superior to girls. Boys are given more freedom than girls. However, in Samoa, for example boys do more work than girls.
2. False. Our society makes maximun destinations between boys and girls when they are growing up. Growing girls are not allowed to play with growing boys. Girls are not allowed to stay late outside the home.
3. False. Women who stay at home do maximum work. However, their physical work is not considered work by the society.
4. True. In fact housework done by women is not considered work. Housework is assumed that is something that comes naturally to women. It, therefore, does not have to be paid for. And society devalues this work.
Question 8.
Housework is invisible and unpaid work.
Housework is physically demanding.
Housework is time consuming.
Write in your own words what is meant by the terms ‘invisible’ physically demanding, and ‘time consuming’? Give one example of each based on the household tasks undertaken by women in your home.
Answer:
Invisible means that cannot be seen with naked eyes. Housework done by women is not considered work by society. Physically demanding means more physical work is needed to do housework. For example for cooking, washing, cleaning etc. work is done by hand and this, more physical labour is needed.
In housework there are various activities such as cooking, cleaning, washing, attending to children, adults, etc. It takes time to do all the above activities. Thus, housework is time consuming.
Question 9.
Make a list of toys and games that boys typically play and another for girls. If there is a difference between the two lists, can you think of some reasons why this is so? Does this have any relationship to the roles children have to play as adults?
Answer:
Boys usually play with cars, aeroplanes, motorcycles, etc., while girls play with dolls, small cooking utensils, doctor set etc.
Yes, there is a lot of differences between the two lists. The toys tell children that there will have different futures when they become adults. Boys are told that they have to go outside and work while girls are told that they will have to do housework, like attend children, cook, wash and attend the old, etc. Whatever children learn and play in their childhood, the same role they have to play as adults.
Question 10.
If you have someone working as a domestic help in your house or locality talk to her and find out a little bit more about her life who are her family members? Where is her home? How many house does she work? How much does she get paid? Write a small story based on these details.
Answer:
Malti a maid-servant works in our house as domestic help. Her husband is a carpenter, she has two children, both boys, who go to government school. She stays in a rented house about 1 km from my house. In our house she work for half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening. She also works in some other houses. Everyday she works for about seven to eight hours. Her total earning is about 3000 P.M.