Shaping the generation next

Schools have taken up online education, children have become more gadget-savvy and for those whose schools haven't yet parented are referring to next year's syllabus and making children study.

It's the month of April and May summer vacations. I remember we used to have fun all these two months. There was the provision of camp in those days also but very few and for a short time as well. Nowadays summer camps long for months, it is almost other academic courses for children. Children learn many more things like sports, art, gymnastic dance during these two months.

Due to lock down we are unable to send children out so there are online options available.

My idea of writing this blog is what are we teaching our children, how are we grooming the next generation. Our job is not only to send children to camp but also to see what are the additions in the content, what are we looking forward to. What is the quality that we are seeking in for our children? How do we want our children to be? To look like?

Are they going to be cultural, philosophical mythological heroes, No, it is difficult.

According to the concept of Hindu tradition which represents four ashrams the stages of human life.

Here I am talking about the stage brahmacharya ashram. It is a Vedic ashram system. I hope you recollect that it was about the learning phase of children when they were sending to Vana i.e. Forest to their teacher guru's ashram. Children were handed over to their gurus to bring out the best in them. It is difficult to follow the system, but what about the teachings, the content.

I had been to Sandhipani ashram this January. It is a place where Krishna Balram and Sudama studied. Here they were taught all together 64 skills to master the art of living. Let's have a glimpse at a few of them. Apart from singing, painting, dancing, playing musical instruments they were also taught to Cover the bed with a bedsheet, Needlework, and weaving, playing with thread, Carpentry, Testing silver and gold, combing hair, talking with fingers, prediction of heavenly voice, making garlands, understanding animal and birds movement, poetry, medical, perfume making and healing with perfume, aromatics, flower decorations, cooking, palmistry and many more. Here the trained students were the prince of the different provinces as well as poor as Sudama. The idea was to make children self-dependent, thou they had so many sevaks, the domestic help at their service. The teachings were basically the values of humanity.

The idea is this all made them 'Swavalambi'

Self-sufficient, self-dependent. Are we training our children for a few of these? Are our children self-dependent can they serve food for themselves, can they stitch their clothes if needed? Do they have a good knowledge at least on birds and animals around, just names? Do they pick up their plates after their food? What are we teaching them, who we want them to be?

My concern is just to make children self-sufficient, good enough to take care of their life. Once they master a skill or art their confidence will be high with reduced dependency in them, to face no matter what situation comes.

Let's have some Vedic teachings from ashram at home, to shape our next generation at the best we can.

We are developing but in this case, we are going in opposite directions. We are choosing out of all, why choose to explore all possible knowledge and important is believe in gender equality, teach your child may it be girl or boy. Prepare both of them for challenges.

My concern is just to make children self-sufficient, good enough to take care of their life. Once they master a skill or art their confidence will be high with reduced dependency in them, to face no matter what situation comes.

Happy Akshaya Tritiya