Build Bridges Of Communication And Care

Ours is a time of sea change. New systems, new sensibilities, new perspective, new technology and newer gadgets are zipping past all around us in the social arena. A new ecosystem is being formulated at a startling speed. Learning and teaching methods should also adapt to this change at the early years itself. 

The way parents and care-givers used to communicate earlier should change to  a more  focussed  and  more responsible approach. You can’t give examples of your childhood anymore. They are not relevant anymore. This is going to be a ‘touchscreen ready’ generation therefore older ways of communication and perceptions are redundant to a large extent. 

Now we need to be more logical, precise and caring while giving any instruction to the child. In other words, your instructions should be convincing, to-the-point and empathising. This is even more significant during the foundation years of early education. While dealing with small kids it is important that we come at the eye-level of the child and then interact lovingly with him/her. Sitting down or lying down beside the child makes it easier to connect and communicate. 

It’s true that every child inherits many things genetically that help shaping up the body and the brain but in today’s world equally crucial is the way the child is nurtured. Child’s mental abilities, cognitive development and social achievement largely depend upon the early experiences and environments. So don’t impose, rather interact. Don’t go onto a long speech and confuse, rather be short and clear. Don’t behave as typically ‘grown-ups’, rather see the world through the child’s sensibility and you’ll discover that the key to raise a smarter, achiever and happy child is to build two way bridges of communication and care at early stages of childhood. 

You’ll be rewarded with great insights, sense of accomplishment as parent and blissful experiences… I can assure you that! 

KITE School Navratri Celebrations!!!

The festive season was at full bloom in KITE School at Navratri celebrations. Each one was cutely dressed in traditional colourful dress. It was all glowing...

Parenting prudence in the digital age

Last week a couple came to my office with their two year old daughter to seek admission. While we talked the little bright girl took her mom’s mobile and started playing a game on it! She was handling the device with appreciable ease.  This is the newest generation growing in urban environment! They start using touchscreen gadgets before they learn alphabets.

The cutting edge technology is a part of their first perceptions of the world around. It is taken for granted. But the point is whether it is all right for kids or there are hidden harms. This is exactly what the father asked me. Let us ponder on it…

We cannot deny the fact that new technology and advancements have changed the way we interact, the way we perceive, the way we communicate, the way we learn, the way we behave, the way we plan, the way we think… in fact, the way we live. And this change is unique. Never ever in the history of mankind the virtual world had overwhelmed us with such enormity and velocity. Actually things are changing at such a speed that we aren’t getting enough time to evaluate and analyse the effects in detail.

However there have been continuous efforts to discuss and assess the effects in certain sections. It has been proven now that we must be discerning in what and how much use of the technology should be allowed to children.

It has been observed that unmonitored use of technology is affecting our children in some serious adverse manner. The most obvious influence is increased irritability and frustration in their behaviour pattern.

Kids get easily obsessed with these devices and any interference may cause annoyed reaction. This may result in exasperated personality over a period of time. Also it diminishes the tolerance level. And intolerant people are not great achievers. Mobile phones are not for kids. Beside other effects, kids are more vulnerable to its radiation.

Physical fitness is compromised. Watching the TV or computer screen for long hours is definitely hazardous for health. Moreover the kinds of images that are rapidly showered upon the child’s psyche during TV shows, promos, advertisements and games are another area of concern. Video games are the worst of all. Video games are created with profit in mind and not with concern for children. Rabbi Shmuley says, “Video games are to children what gambling is to adults: a waste of energy, a waste of time and a waste of resources.”

Technology should be properly incorporated in child’s life with supervised media. What and how much—these two parameters are simplest way to decide. Though I know it is easier said than done. But one should try to be aware and responsible. Our children are too precious to be ignored.

The Joy of giving enriches us from within !!

Let me first wish you a very happy and blissful festive season ahead. We all wait for the festivals. These are the occasions when we celebrate, we socialize, we share and we care. We seek inner joy and feel divine blessings.

During the course of academic session it is the ‘Govinda’ festival that kickstarts the season of festive-celebrations every year. Like yesteryears, we had a mock ‘Dahi Handi’ in the school where every child reached the handi climbing on an elevated pallet, instead of a human-pyramid, and hit the handi. Children really enjoyed the attention, glittered décor and joyous mood. They really loved being photographed in their colourful dresses.

Festive occasions also provide the opportunity to make our little ones experience the joy of giving. Children should be made to understand that these celebrations are meant to have a good time with our near and dear ones. Children should also be taught that festivals are not to flaunt your wealth; it is the inherent spirit that makes it important. These views should be imbibed at an early age so that the child  grows up with this perspective.

It is not important how much money you spend, it is important how socially relevant and emotionally meaningful you make it. Let whole family be part of this affair. Choose gifts thoughtfully. Let your child hand over the gift. If you have more than one child, then give attention equally. Also teach your child how to receive gifts graciously. Social courtesies are the little gems which make a neighborhood full of positive energy. Giving and sharing are the great social values which build self-esteem and character.

These memories are cherished. These moments are treasured. These learnings are precious. Joy of giving enriches us from within. And who else can inculcate the value of giving than the greatest giver ever – the mother! Again, happy celebrations!

Grooming Tomorrow's World

A child groomed with good manners acquires social skills easily. Early years’ behaviour patterns depend on many factors—such as family atmosphere, social surroundings, emotional support, influence of media (mostly TV) and how parents deal with it. We should realise that grooming the child with good manners is a strategic methodology that need to be carefully practised. The best way is to be the role model and behave in the desired way. Then you may initiate your child to behave in the same way with gentle instructions. Children love to imitate their role models. But there are times when they do not behave the way we expect them to. They might be rowdy in public and might embarrass you in a mall. They might interrupt you, or worse, contradict you in front of the guests who have come for dinner. Or, they can be just unruly at the table in the restaurant. They might tear off story book of another child for no good reason. They might refuse to eat the pulao you made and want to eat chips/chocolate/noodles… and so on. There can be unending list of situations and scenario where bad manners might show up.

I may suggest a few tips. Invariably praise the good manners and show that it pleases you. If you need to rebuke at some bad manner, keep it short… maybe just ‘No’ or ‘Don’t’. Sometimes just a warning look should be enough. Even a one year old child understands approval and disapproval of the behaviour in terms of smiles, gestures, stern look and pointing finger. And always encourage them to even up the wrongdoing by saying ‘Sorry’. But don’t try to shame the child further because that will be damaging at this age. And NEVER SHOUT. It never helps. That’s for sure. Shouting creates a kind of distance and natural reflexes try to shut out the noise. So the meaning of those angry words yelled at high decibels will never be received by the child and hence, will be of no positive use. On the contrary, this may inflict a shock upon the child with further regretful consequences.

Children need your holistic care and a lot of love and affection to thrive and bloom into a prudent person. And that will be the most precious award for you, too!

Your little one is on the road to discovery!

Welcome to yet another new academic year at KITE School! This is the tenth year of pursuing our passion!

If learning is fun, you love to learn. This is true for all children—introvert to extrovert, shy to stellar. At KITE School, we take it as our prime responsibility to provide an environment where a child loves to learn naturally. As it takes a start, the child explores and discovers and enjoys it all. They experiment and learn as they participate in various group activities. They discover new words and associate them with things. They sing along and dance along and learn to follow instructions. They ‘play’ and learn the logic of ‘cause and effect’. They enjoy the puppets and learn to emote and express. They build their motor skills as they scribble, draw, fold, dab and stick. They make a line or take turns and develop social skills. Learning is never limited to the classroom. It’s a guided process. It’s a mapped methodology.

As a parent, you can be an enormous help by supporting our methodology. Your involvement is equally important. What seems to you an aimless scribble may be turned into a ‘success’ by appreciating the effort and guiding the child further. Show your praise and encouragement. Let her/him take pride in little new discoveries. This will open up the world of imagination and creativity.

Children have amazing ability to grasp and adapt to new concepts. You’ll notice new changes soon. You’ll be delighted to witness your little one marching ahead on the road to discovery. Cherish it!

KITE School | Mira Road | New Academic Session Begins

KITE School welcomes you all to the new academic session 2013-2014.
We are all geared up with new exciting projects, new energies, new teaching tools and sustained dream!
Here is our opening schedule:

Building A Nation's Character

We are witnessing increasing violence all around. This disturbing trend is affecting our life to the core and changing our priorities. It is re-enforcing the need to carefully imbibe the relevant social values and ethics in our education system and curriculum. At KITE School we introspect and review the study pattern and activities periodically. It is important to understand that value-education must start right from the preschool days. Child’s behaviour pattern should be monitored and should be corrected, if needed. Here ‘correction’ does not mean aggression. Parents should work towards attaining desired results with affectionate and tender training. More importantly, we should inculcate social and human values in children not by preaching or ‘teaching’ but rather by showing them in our daily life interactions. Children observe and learn and internalize.

When children watch adults’ behaviour, they take it as approved social norm, they take it as a model in their sub-conscious mind. Therefore various models, derived from ‘watching’ different day to day situations, accumulate in the sub-conscious and a certain character starts building up in the child’s personality. Therefore it is utmost important that we behave consciously in front of our children. It is also equally important that we do not expose our children to inappropriate situations, scenes and media. We need to set proper example, we need to provide proper paradigm.

Every incident leaves a mark, every experience leaves an imprint. This is how children develop sense of truth, equality, empathy, justice and commitment. This is how society gets healthy and happy. This is how a nation’s character is built. This is how we get sons and daughters who make us proud!