Whose Child is This? Short Exam-Focused Lesson
পরীক্ষার জন্য দ্রুত প্রস্তুতি নিতে চাইলে প্রথমে Important Questions এবং Exam-Ready Answers পড়ো। কিন্তু সত্যি বুঝে লিখতে চাইলে পুরো poem lesson-টি পড়ো। এখানে তোমার বোঝার জন্য easy English explanation, Bangla support, stanza-wise meaning এবং short answer frames দেওয়া হয়েছে।
Whose Child is This? by Author Unknown
4. About the Poem
This poem is about the shared responsibility of parents and teachers. The speaker asks whose child the little one is. First, the parent says the child is mine. Then the teacher says the child is mine. Finally, both parent and teacher say the child is ours.
5. Main Idea of the Poem
Easy English
The main idea of the poem is that a child needs both parents and teachers. Parents care for the child at home. Teachers guide the child at school. Both help the child become good, gentle, kind, and disciplined. The poem teaches that parents and teachers should work together for the child’s growth.
Bangla Support
এই কবিতার মূল কথা হলো—একটি শিশুকে ভালো মানুষ হিসেবে গড়ে তুলতে বাবা-মা এবং শিক্ষক—দুজনেরই দায়িত্ব আছে। বাবা-মা শিশুর যত্ন নেন, তাকে ভালো অভ্যাস শেখান এবং প্রতিদিনের জীবনের নিয়ম শেখান। শিক্ষক শিশুর মন গড়ে তোলেন, তাকে gentle, kind, disciplined এবং school life-এ সফল হতে সাহায্য করেন। শেষে কবিতাটি দেখায়, শিশুটি শুধু বাবা-মা বা শুধু শিক্ষকের নয়; সে দুজনেরই দায়িত্ব ও ভালোবাসার বিষয়।
6. 10 Most Important Questions for Exam
1. What is the central idea of the poem “Whose Child is This?”
2. What does the parent say about the child?
3. What duties does the parent perform for the child?
4. Why does the parent say “Mine to keep a little while”?
5. What does the teacher say about the child?
6. What duties does the teacher perform for the child?
7. How does the teacher help the child’s mind?
8. Why do the parent and the teacher finally say “Ours”?
9. What does “Ours to love and train together” suggest?
10. What message does the poem give us?
7. Stanza-wise Exam Lesson
Stanza 1: The Parent’s Responsibility
Original Lines
"Whose child is this?" I asked one day
Seeing a little one out at play
"Mine", said the parent with a tender smile
"Mine to keep a little while
To bathe his hands and comb his hair
To tell him what he is to wear
To prepare him that he may always be good
And each day do the things he should"
Bangla Meaning
প্রথম স্তবকে বক্তা একটি শিশুকে খেলতে দেখে জিজ্ঞেস করেন, “এ শিশু কার?” বাবা-মা বলেন, “সে আমার।” বাবা-মা শিশুর যত্ন নেন, তাকে পরিষ্কার-পরিচ্ছন্ন রাখেন, পোশাক পরান এবং ভালো কাজ করতে শেখান।
Easy English / Paraphrase
The speaker sees a little child playing and asks whose child he is. The parent answers with love and says that the child is mine. The parent knows that the child will stay with him only for a little while. So the parent cares for the child, keeps him clean, guides him, and teaches him to be good every day.
Stanza 2: The Teacher’s Responsibility
Original Lines
"Whose child is this?" I asked again
As the door opened and someone came in
"Mine", said the teacher with the same tender smile
"Mine, to keep just for a little while
To teach him how to be gentle and kind
To train and direct his dear little mind
To help him live by every rule
And get the best he can from school"
Bangla Meaning
দ্বিতীয় স্তবকে শিক্ষক বলেন, শিশুটি তাঁরও দায়িত্ব। শিক্ষক তাকে gentle ও kind হতে শেখান, তার ছোট্ট মনকে সঠিক পথে পরিচালিত করেন এবং school থেকে সর্বোত্তম শেখার জন্য সাহায্য করেন।
Easy English / Paraphrase
The speaker asks the same question again when the teacher comes in. The teacher also says that the child is mine, but only for a little while. The teacher’s duty is to teach the child kindness, gentleness, rules, and discipline. The teacher also helps the child use his mind well and learn the best from school.
Stanza 3: Shared Love and Training
Original Lines
"Whose child is this?" I ask once more
Just as the little one entered the door
"Ours" said the parent and the teacher as they smiled
And each took the hand of the little child
"Ours to love and train together
Ours this blessed task forever."
Bangla Meaning
শেষ স্তবকে বাবা-মা এবং শিক্ষক একসঙ্গে বলেন, শিশুটি “আমাদের”। তারা দুজনেই শিশুর হাত ধরে। এর অর্থ হলো, শিশুকে ভালোবাসা ও মানুষ করে তোলা বাবা-মা ও শিক্ষকের যৌথ দায়িত্ব।
Easy English / Paraphrase
In the last stanza, the speaker asks the question once more. This time, both the parent and the teacher answer together. They say that the child is ours. They take the child’s hands and show that they will love and train him together. This is a blessed duty for both of them.
8. 10 Important Questions with Exam-Ready Answers
1. What is the central idea of the poem “Whose Child is This?”
The central idea of the poem is the shared responsibility of parents and teachers. Both must love, guide, and train the child.
2. What does the parent say about the child?
The parent says that the child is mine. The parent says this with a tender smile.
3. What duties does the parent perform for the child?
The parent bathes the child’s hands, combs his hair, and tells him what to wear. The parent also teaches him to be good and do the right things.
4. Why does the parent say “Mine to keep a little while”?
The parent says this because childhood is short. The parent gets only a limited time to guide and prepare the child.
5. What does the teacher say about the child?
The teacher also says that the child is mine. The teacher means that the child is under her care at school.
6. What duties does the teacher perform for the child?
The teacher teaches the child to be gentle and kind. She also helps him follow rules and get the best from school.
7. How does the teacher help the child’s mind?
The teacher trains and directs the child’s dear little mind. She helps him think, learn, and grow in the right way.
8. Why do the parent and the teacher finally say “Ours”?
They say “Ours” because the child needs both home and school. Parents and teachers must work together for the child.
9. What does “Ours to love and train together” suggest?
This line suggests that parents and teachers share the same duty. They must love the child and train him together.
10. What message does the poem give us?
The poem gives us the message that children need care from both parents and teachers. It teaches that home and school should work together.
9. Final Memory Chart
Topic Key Answer
Main subject a little child
Speaker asks whose child is this?
Parent says mine
Parent’s duty care, cleanliness, good habits
Teacher says mine
Teacher’s duty kindness, rules, learning
Child’s mind trained and directed
Final answer ours
“Ours” means shared responsibility
Main contrast home care and school guidance
Main theme parent-teacher cooperation
Main message children need both parents and teachers
Final idea love and train the child together
10. Final Note
This poem is not only about one child. It is about the duty of parents and teachers. For exam answers, remember three ideas: parents care for the child at home, teachers guide the child at school, and both must work together to build the child’s life.