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With his
backpack on his
back, there went
Carlinhos for
his first day at
school.
He was now in
his first year
of primary
school and was
time to take
things
seriously.
In fact, he was
not very happy.
He wished he
could keep on
playing with his
friends without
major
responsibilities.
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In class, the
teacher welcomed
all with much
delight and
started the
lesson by
reminding them
of how to read
and write the
letters of the
alphabet. After
that, she
reviewed the
numbers.
When the bell
rang indicating
the end of the
class, Carlinhos
was tired.
Oh! I miss
kindergarten
where the
“auntie” would
play a lot with
all students,
breaks would
last much longer
and we would go
for a stroll
ever so
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He went back
home looking
sad. His mother,
noticing he was
upset, asked him
with a smile on
her face:
- How was your
first day back
at school?
Carlinhos
answered
disappointedly:
- Oh mum, I miss
kindergarten.
Now everything
is boring and
the teacher
won’t play with
us. She will
only teach the
lessons.
- But son,
studying is
necessary.
Learning
requires a lot
of effort.
Rebelling,
Carlinhos
argued:
- But I don’t
want to learn!
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His mommy, aware
that it would be
pointless to
argue back, kept
quiet. After
lunch, she asked
him:
- Son, will you
please go to the
corner shop and
bring me two
bottles of milk?
Here is the
money. Please,
bring the
correct change.
The boy looked
at his mom
astonished.
- But mom, I
don’t know how
to calculate!
How will I know
if the change is
right? |
The mother
replied calmly:
- Don’t you
know? Well, then
you will have to
learn.
Carlinhos left.
When he came
back, his mother
asked him to
deliver a
package for her
to a nearby
address. The boy
moaned:
- Mum, I can’t
read! How will I
find the house?
Without taking
much notice, she
answered:
- This is your
problem. The
address is on
the paper.
Figure it out.
With a lot of
difficulty,
after asking
passers-by here
and there, the
boy managed to
complete his
task.
Later on, the
mother got all
dressed up,
called Carlinhos
and told him:
- Son, I need to
go out and will
be long. At 5pm,
will you please
go and pick your
brother up from
school?
- But mom, how
will I know when
it is time to
pick Joãozinho
up?
- Check the time
on the clock!
– she replied
serenely.
- But I don’t
know how to tell
the time from
the clock! – the
boy found it
strange.
- Then ask
someone!
And so, the same
went on all
afternoon. By
dawn, Carlinhos
was exhausted
and very
annoyed.
At bedtime, when
his mom went to
kiss him
goodnight, he
complained:
- Oh dear! Today
you did not give
me a rest all
day. You only
gave me tasks
that I did not
know how to
achieve.
Tenderly, his
mom sat at his
bed and
explained to
him:
- Do you realise
now, son, how
many things you
need to learn?
You spent that
much amount of
time only
because you
can’t read,
calculate or
tell the time
and had to ask
for the help of
other people
wiser than you.
Should you have
known;
everything would
have been
easier.
The mother
stopped talking,
stroked her
son’s tiny head
and went on:
- Would you like
to spend your
whole life
ignoring
everything and
relying on
others to help
you?
- Carlinhos
thought for a
while and
replied:
- No, mum, you
are right.
Learning is
necessary. I
will not
complain about
school ever
again.
- The following
day, Carlinhos
went to school
and paid a lot
of attention in
what his teacher
was saying in
class.
Aunt Celia
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