SCRIPT

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Host(Chinmay): Good Morning, I am your host, Chinmay Sharma, and today we are talking
about “Should Wizard Hit Mommy? ”, a children’s story examining many important topics. 
Today Ishaan, Maanas, Kavin, Dhruv, Krishna, and I, shall present our understanding of the
chapter and shall emphasize the important points.

Kavin: The specific themes we have highlighted are the validity of parental authority,
acceptability of peer groups, the importance of moral values, and the difference in
perspective between children and adults.

Kavin: Ishaan, could you briefly tell our listeners about the chapter?

 
Ishaan: “Should Wizard Hit Mommy? ”, is a story about a young 4-year old girl named Jo,
who represents innocence and immaturity. She wants the Wizard to hit Roger’s mommy as
Roger’s mommy has forced the Wizard to replace Roger’s new rose odor with his
objectionable original odor. Jo thinks what Roger's mommy did to get his natural odor
restored was wrong. On the other hand, Jack, her father, tries to justify what she did as right.
 
Host(Chinmay): Dhruv, why do you think this difference in perspective occurs?
 
Dhruv: I think that a child's speech and thinking, his actions, and reactions, are natural and
not guided by any outward influence. A child always speaks from the heart, acting in
accordance with what is ethical in his perspective. On the other hand, an adult has many
things to consider before speaking or reacting and must follow social conventions.
 
Host(chinmay): Now, Krishna, could you perhaps explain to our listeners what is meant by
perspective-taking?
 
Krishna: Perspective-taking is an intentional process rather than something that is
involuntary. It’s also an active process that requires intentional distancing from your own
perspective. Generally speaking, it is easier to put yourself in somebody’s shoes when you
experience positive emotions such as empathy and compassion towards them.
 
Host(Chinmay): Kavin, do you think that looking at a problem with a different perspective
helps?
 
Kavin: In my experience, whenever a new solution is required, the best thing one can do is
change one’s perspective on the problem. This could mean looking at it from a different
angle, asking different questions, or even simply refining one’s language. Once you have
explored a problem from new angles, be they visual, functional, or strategic, you will often
see something new, which will put you on the path to creativity and true innovation.
Sometimes we just need to step back and look at the bigger picture.
 
Host(Chinmay): Maanas, what problems do you face when you try to accommodate
another person’s perspective?
 
Maanas: The most essential aspect of seeing things from someone else’s point of view is
being able to look beyond our own perspective. This can be extremely difficult because our
own perspective is immediate, automatic, and easy. In contrast, looking at things from
someone else’s point of view is a conscious and difficult action requiring patience.

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Chinmay: Another important subject discussed in the chapter is peer acceptance. Maanas,
what is your view on this? 

Maanas: First of all, what is peer acceptance?  It is the degree to which a child or adolescent
is socially accepted by their peers. This includes the ease with which a child or adolescent
can initiate and maintain satisfactory peer relationships. 

Chinmay: Well said Maanas, a wonderful explanation. So Krishna, how are children affected
by it and how is it related to this chapter?

Krishna: Peer acceptance and relationships are important to children's social and
emotional development. Peer acceptance and friendship provide a wide range of
learning and development opportunities for children. Often, as children experiment
with their identity, they may be attracted to peer groups with very dissimilar
interests. 

Kavin: Just like in this chapter, Roger Skunk was very different from the other little
creatures and he still found interest in them. Roger, just like other children, was
experimenting with his identity, this led him to find his true self and finally understand
himself.

Chinmay: What if children don’t get accepted into their peer group? 

Dhruv: Sometimes children may not get accepted by their peers and this can affect
their self-esteem, many children have problems making friends or "fitting in."A lack of
opportunities for normal participation and peer interaction is especially a problem for
children who differ in some obvious way, either culturally or through some mental or
physical disability. Similarly in this chapter, Roger Skunk had low esteem and
wanted to change his smell to the smell of roses, just so that he can get accepted in
the peer group.

Chinmay: Well said, what is the role played by parents and teachers in peer
acceptance?

Ishaan: If children are being rejected by their peers, their parents and teachers
should address issues of peer acceptance as early as possible to prevent loss of
confidence and self-esteem. 

Kavin: This is seen in the chapter as Roger’s Mommy tells him that he smells as a
little skunk should, and he should not let his peers determine his actions and beliefs.
She shows him that his family loves him as he is, and he should not change himself
just to be accepted by his peers.

_______________________________Topic Over _______________________________

Chinmay-  What do we mean by morals and values? Is there a defined set of them?
Or are they subjective at some level?

Kavin- Morals, and values are a part of the behavioral aspect of a person. Morals are
formed from inborn values. Values are the guiding principles of our behavior. Our
values determine what we consider to be right, wrong, fair, unfair, good, or evil.

Chinmay-Another topic discussed in the chapter “Should Wizard Hit Mommy” is the
importance of morals and values. What do you say Dhruv?

Dhruv-I wholeheartedly agrees, the story addresses important moral issues and deals with
the idea that parents know what is best for their children because parents love their children
the most. One should not look for instant solutions to the problems in life, one should wait
patiently for acceptance from friends. Not being accepted by your friends should not mean
that you attempt to change the way Nature has intended you to be.

Ishaan: John Updike addresses common issues found in most families. These issues
mainly arise because children have their own identities and views and parents find it
difficult to accept the fact that their children may not share their beliefs and values.
Both children and parents need to learn to be inclusive and appreciate diversity.
 
Chinmay- Oh, is it so? I did not have such detailed knowledge of morals and values before,
but we may still ask, why should we be moral? What is the importance of moral values?
 
Maanas-  It builds their character, it helps them tell the difference between right and wrong,
it changes their perception of the world, it also determines their behavior as an adult, it
counters bad influence from peers and it helps them cope with difficult situations.
 
Chinmay-  So moral values help us navigate life and understand ourselves. What other
benefits may be conferred by learning good moral values at an early age?

Krishna- Learning good moral values such as kindness, courage, and compassion at an
early age builds a child's character. It forms the very core of their being and becomes the
foundation of their moral beliefs. This is why it is essential to begin teaching moral values to
children.

Chinmay- Well said, Krishna, one should have good morals and values. What are some
basic moral values we should start practicing?

Ishaan- Some moral values include: acceptance, charity, compassion, cooperation,

courage, dependability and especially giving due regard to the feelings of others. We must
also respect rights and traditions as well as practice gratitude, perseverance, and humility.

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Chinmay: Now another theme discussed in the chapter is being true to one's identity, now
we see that mother skunk's role in this story was to make her son understand the
importance of retaining one's true identity.

Maanas: You have a good point there and we need to understand that in today's competitive
world We often change our identities to impress others and avoid conflict.

Ishaan: Yes but, in today's world people who avoid conflict line up to be manipulated and
exploited. The harsh reality of the world is that there is little place for meek acceptance and
excessive avoidance of conflict.

Krishna: That is very interesting, there is an old saying, “You only need six men to carry
your coffin.” If we act honestly there will always be people similar to ourselves who accept us
for what we are. Yes, to change ourselves to suit others is a fool’s game and a sign of vanity
and insecurity.

Chinmay: Now, Dhruv, what does it mean to not be true to oneself?

Dhruv: To not be true to oneself is to change your personality to fit into peer groups. In the
corporate world, people often change who they are so that they may appear more competent
or capable. However, this is a sign of insecurity and the bill eventually comes due. In the
end, it is always better to be true to who you are and what you believe in.

Chinmay: I agree, we must always be true to ourselves. Thank you for tuning in, I’ve been
your host, Chinmay Sharma.

Jo likes listening to her father Jack’s stories. She is not however, merely
listening, she also contributes to the story, adding her own bits. So, we may
reasonably ask, why does she not make her own story instead of listening to her
father’s?
Despite her additions to the story, Jo fundamentally likes the order and meaning her
father gives to the stories. She may not even consciously realise so, but the fact that
each story has a common pattern and moral, as well as ending, holds great comfort
and significance to her. The stories all follow the same pattern, and all reach nice,
simple and proper conclusions.
Despite the wizard being the one who fixes the problem, his parents are the
ones who he returns home to, and one of his sources of order and stability while he
solves whatever problem he is facing, with the supper at the end being the determinate
ending that says, ‘all’s well that ends well’.
His mother, in particular, is shown to love him even though he smells bad and even
prefers him so, accepting him however he is.
In return however, Roger Skunk must accept her authority and her wishes over what
he thinks is right, which is to smell better, as well over what the other animals thought
of him.
In contrast, Jo does not like accepting parental authority, she does not want to
hear the story her father is telling her, instead she wishes to hear the story that she
likes, with the peer group’s opinion winning over the mother’s authority.
 Roger skunk is a highly typical individual in that he likes to play and socialise
with other creatures of a similar age. This means he must value what they say and
think of him and at least to some extent, conform to what they would prefer.
Therefore, the story does not declare that the peer group is wrong, only that parental
authority is more important.
Jo’s emphasis on the wizard hitting the mother is symbolic of her challenging
parental authority in the guise of the skunk’s mother
So it is in some ways ironic that the central message of the story he tells, the
superiority of parental authority over the peer group, is contradicted by how the story
turns out, with Jo throwing a tantrum and stopping only when threatened with a
spanking.

What Jack’s story seems to say is that, in the end, we must place greater value
in the opinions of our family and ourselves, than in those of our peer group and
society.He also emphasises that parental authority must be accepted even when it
seems contrary to our inclinations. However, he himself avoids responsibility, and
showcases vanity as well.
He spoils Jo and shows himself to be weak by allowing Jo’s symbolic rebellion
against her mother and not disciplining her for it. His weakness goes further, as her
rebellion affects him to the extent that he acquires a distaste for aiding his wife in
painting. The author seems to point out the contradictions in parental authority
through his character. Jo sees the mother skunk’s authority as arbitrary or at least
arbitrarily exercised, and exercised incorrectly as well. She also does not like the story
diverting from what she wants and objects to it doing so at all the points that it does.
When Jo sees these two perceived injustices occur concurrently, she vehemently
expresses her disapproval and rebels against her father’s wishes.

Throughout the story, Jo acts as if her wishes were more important than what
her parents tell her. This stands in stark contrast to Jack’s story’s message of accepting
parental authority. To get her to stop, and to have her accede to appropriate behaviour,
or what Jack wants her to do, all Jack is left with is the threat of a spanking, as he has
no effective authority over Jo by the end of the story.
This is not the worst still, as the author shows that Jack himself is affected by Jo’s
wishes and begins to share his own daughter’s contempt for his wife, a truly appalling
outcome. In this matter, the story told by Jack parallels that the author is telling. In
both stories parental authority is piecemeal and arbitrarily exercised, predicated on the
child’s barter of their freedom for the fulfilment of their wishes or for acceptance by
the parents. Nevertheless the author also highlights the importance of a parent in being
 secure and disciplining their children, as well as grounding in them proper values and
instilling a respect for parental authority and proper behaviour.

Bibliography
-          www.zigya.com

-          www.healthofchildren.com

-          www.sciencedirect.com

-          www.ofhsoupkitchen.org

-          http://importanceofstuff.com/moral-values

-          https://www.learncbse.in/

-          https://en.wikipedia.org/

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I wish to express my deep gratitude and sincere thanks to Ms. Aditi Misra (Principal),
Delhi Public School, Sector-45, Gurgaon, Haryana for her encouragement and for all the
facilities that she provided for this project work. I sincerely appreciate her magnanimity in
taking me into her fold for which I shall remain indebted to her. I extend my heartfelt
thanks to Ms. Survi Sinha, who guided me to do this project successfully. I take this
opportunity to express
my deep sense of gratitude for her invaluable guidance, constant encouragement,
constructive comments, sympathetic attitude, and immense motivation which has
sustained my effort at all stages of this project.

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Learning Objective:

1. Students will be able to know the importance of Moral Values and how different
perspectives play a very important role in our lives.
2. Students will be able to know the meaning of peer acceptability, how it shapes the
lives of children in the early stages of their life.
3. Students will be able to know the importance of parental authority and why it must be
acceded to even when it runs contrary to our inclinations.
4. Students will be able to understand and interpret the chapter, so that they may learn
and realise what the author has intended to convey.
5. Students will be able to understand how a child’s innocence conflicts with the
conventions imposed by society.

INDEX

1)Learning Objectives
2)Script of Radio Show 
3)Essay
4)Bibliography
5)Acknowledgement