Kidzone

Scores of kids in all sizes made a beeline to our office as part of the 'take-your-kids-to-office' day. I'd have gladly brought my own kid to office- only that my young one has started to work in an office herself! But hearing the kids chatter incessantly, with balloons and goody bags in tow, made my heart warm up.

These days, most kids brave smoky traffic with their knapsacks laden with books, to get educated.

'Educated'. Well, that is, if we call learning rote poetry and cramming math formulae 'learning'. When they can't seem to remember what they don't WANT to remember, all hell breaks loose at home. Mother frets, teacher frowns, and the kid only grows more confused. The smile that is Nature's wonder, just begins to fade. Now what's a kid without that wonderful smile?

Occasionally movie makers remember childhood and make a meaningful film. Like 'Taare Zameen Par' which won many deserving accolades.

Pic taken from the web

Or we have nice functions for kids where that bright smile appears big time. Like the one in our office today.

But are we really creating an environment for children to blossom in? Summer ushers in a few camps and workshops where kids can dabble in fine arts and sports. There are a handful of training course which actually teach children how to beat stress. One such is the Art of Living Foundation offers Art Excel- All Round Training for Excellence which helps shape happy children by relieving them of stress and inculcating positive emotions in them. The course is a huge success all over the world. This month, we will have 1008 children visiting the ashram to participate in Gurudev Sri Sri Ravishankar's birthday celebrations. What a glorious vision that would be!

We need more programs for the kids who are tomorrow's world. Tomorrow's future. Children are so natural, which is why their minds are so pure and untainted. They excel in whatever their tiny hearts set out to do. If they paint, they do so in rapt concentration. If they sing, they don't care if they lose a note, they just sing from their souls. If they play, they do so wholeheartedly. If one is to go by a recent program gaining popularity on Indian TV, where adults and kids answer queries posed by the Quizmaster, kids are winning hands-down (or rather hands-up!).

Photo taken from the web

Let us strive to keep a stress-free, and happy world for the tiny tots.

Ah, now just keep that pretty smile my dear!