- Travel vlogger Deepak Samal taught his son to clean chips spilled on a train floor
- Samal used the moment to instill civic sense and shared responsibility in public spaces
- He emphasized cleanliness is learned through actions, not just instructions or slogans
A viral video by travel vlogger Deepak Samal has sparked a conversation on civic responsibility and parenting in India after he used a minor incident of his son spilling chips on a train as a teaching moment. Instead of cleaning the mess himself or relying on the train staff, Samal guided his toddler to pick up the chips, emphasising that civic sense is built through everyday actions and shared responsibility for public spaces.
The incident occurred while Samal was travelling by train with his two-year-old son. In a playful moment, the toddler scattered chips across the floor, unaware that such a mess should not be left behind.
"For a brief second, I had an easy option. I could have quietly cleaned it myself. It would take only a few seconds. No attention. No discomfort. But I paused. Because sometimes, convenience steals the lesson," Samal captioned the accompanying video.
He questioned his son as to who would clean the items thrown on the floor. After receiving an unsure look from the little one, Samal gently taught the toddler how to react in such a situation.
"I explained, “This is not our home, but it is still our space. This train belongs to everyone. When we make a mess, someone else has to clean it". There was silence. Then slowly, he bent down and picked up the chips."
In the now-viral clip, Samal's son can be seen slowly picking up the chips and placing them on a heap on the tray while he guides the child.
"No scolding. No anger. Just a moment of understanding. And in that tiny act, a bigger lesson was planted. Cleanliness is not taught through instructions. Civic sense is not built through slogans. It is shaped in everyday moments," said Samal.
"Millions travel daily through Indian Railways. Keeping trains clean is not just the duty of the staff, it is a shared responsibility."
Check The Viral Clip Here:
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'Everyone Should Learn'
As of the last update, the video had garnered over 1.5 million views and thousands of comments as social media users lauded Samal's firm parenting style to instil civic sense in his son.
"Great job! Must be painful for you but this is how you shape the future," said one user, while another added: "Proud of this kind of parenting. Everyone should learn something from it."
A third commented: "Best way to teach an individual that “your waste, your responsibility” most of the Indians lack this basic sense. Good going as a parent."
A fourth said: "This is the kind of parenting we need. Genuinely, you did a great job teaching your child that someone else is not responsible for their mess."
