Responsibility. Too Much, Too Soon ?

Jakjak had a scheduled learning journey with his class to the Botanical Gardens. On his school journal, it said to bring a hat, insect repellent and a camera. That last bit got me, for real. These are 6-7 year old kids who don't pay much attention to their belongings, and they want them to be bringing cameras. Cameras come in a load of different flavors now, but you still can't call them cheap (affordable, yes, but not cheap). I was having second thoughts of letting Jakjak bring one, I know him. One minute he is holding on to something and the next minute he does not even know he had had it. But at the same time, I did want to see if he had grown responsible enough to be entrusted with such a thing.

Well, I got to test it anyway when Jakjak asked for permission to bring his camera on their trip. We did get him one that was shock proof, dust proof and water proof (just to be on the safe side). And it wasn't cheap (affordable, yes). Since he asked nicely, I gave him a chance. I attached a neck strap to the camera (replacing the wrist strap) so that it would be easier for him to lug around. I spoke to him about his responsibility to take care of the camera. That he should make sure that it does not get lost or get snagged by giant spiders. And he was quite sincere and honest that he would do all that as well. So we taped his name, address and our contact number on all sides of the camera just to be on the safe side. And we let him bring it.

One hour into the trip, mum asked one of the parent volunteers to take pictures of Jakjak and the trip. Her friend then informed mum that Jakjak did not have a camera, and when asked, he said he must have misplaced it. Ouch! I wasn't really angry, after all, I did let him bring the camera (thinking that he would be responsible enough now for it). Well, it became a costly lesson for me (and him, hopefully). I was still hopeful that he left it someplace where people would find it and return it to him (like the bus), or maybe back in school. I was thinking about it all through the day until finally, one of the parent volunteers told mum that the camera was found in school! Somehow, he left it at his desk and his form teacher found it. Sigh!