Household Chores on 27 April 2024

By Wallaby Assistant Sixer Zeqi

Today, we learnt how to do basic household chores. The day started early in the morning when the Akela candidates headed off for their interview. Then, cubs started piling into the KidZone when it was eight thirty.

At nine, we started the meeting. Since there was no sixer and senior sixers, assistant sixers had to take over their job to conduct the flag raising. Yichen and Dinesh was our acting senior sixer, and the rest of the assistant sixers were acting sixers.

After the flag raising, Ikki told us the plan for the day. We were learning basic household chores. At first, many of us were not interested in it as they thought that they would never use this skill in their life. However, we soon came to understand the importance of this meeting.

Before he briefed us on the stations, Ikki introduced three alumni to us. They were Abram, Miao Xin, and Luke. Luke was the one in charge of the clothes folding station, while Miao Xin took on the responsibility of overseeing the washing dishes station. Yew Meng was tasked with managing the table and bench cleaning station.

At the folding clothes station, we got the lowdown on the ins and outs of folding clothes. Not content with just the basics, Luke also showed us how to fold clothes twice as fast without sacrificing precision. For some, the steps weren't immediately clear, so we had to ask Luke to walk us through it again and again.

To fold a T-shirt neatly and fast, start by laying it flat on a clean surface with the front facing up. Next, pinch the top of one sleeve and the middle of the shirt's body with one hand, then do the same with the other sleeve using your other hand, ensuring your hands are crossed. Lift the shirt and bring the sleeve you're holding in your bottom hand up and over the shirt, while simultaneously flipping the other sleeve under it. Finally, lay the shirt back down and adjust the folds as needed to create a neat rectangle.

The next station was the dishwashing station. While some grabbed the sponge, others prepared to dry the dishes. What started as a routine chore soon turned into something unexpectedly enjoyable. There was a sense of satisfaction in seeing the dishes go from grimy to gleaming.

The second last station was the cleaning up of tables and benches station. Yew Meng briefed us on what needed to be done, then the sixes begun to wipe the benches and tables. However, it quickly became apparent some six was not cooperating as effectively as they could be.This was the call for the acting sixers to jump into action. The acting sixers organised the six, ensuring that they work together harmoniously. Under the acting sixer’s lead, the sixes finished the task eventually.

The very last station was the singing station. This station was meant to let the cubs to take a break from all the monotony of the chores. Many of us enjoyed this station as let’s many of us rest and relax. DragonHeart led several songs, engaging us in the scout songs.

Following the singing session, Grey Wolf took charge of the next round of entertainment: a game called "Rotten Apples." The objective was simple: ensure the opposing team ended up with more rotten apples than yours. Laughter and excitement filled the air as everyone enthusiastically participated in the game, thoroughly enjoying every moment of it. But like all good things, we wrapped up the games and headed back for flag break. The day was very productive and enriching to many scouts as it not only taught us about how to do the various chores, but also taught us the importance of doing them.