The favourite game of my two and a half year old neice is to cook, clean, bathe and put to bed her family of five dolls. She could do that all day long. At times we also are dressed, bathed and fed by her. It is really adorable the way she imitates her grandma and mom in the kitchen.

Just two days ago I saw another 3 year old doing the same thing. The only difference was her game was not make believe. She actually had a pot of clothes she had soaked to wash. and she was busy putting paper to burn a fire to cook a meal. She did not have a roof over her head or doting parents or adoring relatives. All she got at the end of the day were a few whacks if she did not do her daily chores. She was doing what her mother probably does and a few boys (presumably her brothers) were doing what they saw their father do, they were playing cards and betting on it with the few coins they had.

There is nothing shocking or startling about this entire scene esp if you have been in India. But I always wonder where these kids end up.