The Road to Self-Reliance | Short Moral Story For Children |

Neil came running into the class, panting for breath. "Excuse me, sir. Sorry, I'm late." The teacher and all the students stared at Neil. He was in a complete mess. His uniform was not ironed, his shoes were dirty, his schoolbag was not properly closed and in his hands were his pencil case, some notebooks and graph sheets.

Everyone was surprised. Neil was usually well- dressed and neat. That was because Neil was always taken care of by his family. His mother helped him to get ready for school and his driver would be ready to run home to bring things, like notebooks or graph sheets, that Neil forgot.

Unfortunately, Neil's mother had fallen ill and was in the hospital. The family was now busy caring for his mother and he had to take care of himself. Neil explained the situation to his best friend Keshav. 

"You know what the worst thing is Keshav? While all of us were worried about mother, she was worried about me and how I would manage! I felt really ashamed when I saw how worried she was. I promised her, and myself, that I would become more self-reliant after that."

Neil laughed ruefully, "It's a lot harder than I thought! This morning I couldn't find my uniform, I had forgotten to clean my shoes and pack my pencil case and notebooks and I even forgot to bring my water bottle. I don't know how my mother managed to remember everything and take care of all of us! It's quite amazing!"

Keshav smiled, "Well at least you've made a start! Look, let me give you a tip. Get your uniform and shoes and books ready the night before. That way, you don't have to rush in the morning and you can have time to make your breakfast and fill your water bottle. It's a simple trick, but it works. In the meantime, you are welcome to share my water."

Neil carried out Keshav's suggestion and soon found that he was managing his time well. He was able to do many things. In addition, he developed a sense of pride in his self-reliance. 

When mother finally returned home, Neil was delighted to welcome her back However, he made sure that he still continued to be self-reliant and responsible. Mother beamed with pride as father praised Neil for his self-reliance and self-confidence.

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credits :- Viva Value Education