Engage Kids With Diwali Prep – Here’s Why
By Sidhi Kapoor
It’s that time of the year when every Indian is busy prepping for the festivities. Diwali and related festivities bring with it loads of excitement, shopping, gifting, seasonal changes, and so much more. Being a mom of two, I too have loads on my to-do list. I try to make it a little organised by chalking down every little detail. Also, I believe our kids should be equally involved in the whole process of preparing for festivities.
So, here are some ways to engage your children in the whole process:
- Keep them in the loop. Every child is curious and wants to know what we are doing and why. So keep answering their questions and talk to them. Tell them everything that you plan to do this Diwali (or any festival). The more you tell them, the more they would like to know and be around to help.
- Tell your children stories about festivals to enhance their knowledge. Also, let your child know about what and why we are celebrating a particular festival, it’s important to tell them stories about it. Children love a good mythological story or stories of bravery about various Hindu Gods.
- Ask them to give you a helping hand. Wrapping gifts, decorating the house, or preparing for a party – Ask your child to help you. They will feel more than happy to do it. Children feel responsible when asked to serve guests, pack gifts, or help clean the house. They feel proud and confident when their parent asks them to do something independently.
- If you are planning a house party, it’s a good idea to encourage your children to do hand-written ‘Thank You’ notes for guests. It looks very personalised and your kiddo will feel involved too.
- Take your children for Diwali shopping. Though the markets are crazy busy this time of the year, allow your child to witness the effort that goes into putting things together. Ask them to choose things they would like to buy to decorate the house.
- Children are creative by nature. Encourage your child to search for a small and doable rangoli design that they can put together with coloured rice or flowers in or outside the house.
- Involve them in the kitchen. Encourage them to make a small dish on their own like a salad or snack. Anything that involves cold cooking and no use of knives. You can also search for an interesting Diwali snack on the internet together.
- Post-festive cleaning is also a very important part of this whole process. I take help from my daughters and ask them to clean up the rooms or tidy the bed. I want them to feel as involved as I am. It also gives children a feeling of being equal which is so important.
While there are many ways to include your children in the whole process of festivities, it’s important to keep communication open, plan things in advance and treat your child as a responsible person. Show that trust in them and you will be surprised to see the response they give!
Sidhi Kapoor is a journalist by profession and currently writes for the Times of India. She has recently launched a magazine ‘Womanpreneur’ which aims to uplift and promote women entrepreneurs across India. She is also the founder of ‘Momimperfecto’ – a parenting community on social media.
