Sanskar Circle by Amar Granth

Introduction

Today’s time is dominated by digital technology; children nowadays are immersed in screen. From online entertainment and social media to online education. While technological advancements offer numerous educational and developmental benefits, excessive screen exposure often results in a disconnect from real world. Excessive use of mobile phones can negatively impact children's development. The challenge of keeping children away from mobile phone is same everywhere.  Parents nowadays also feel convenient by giving phones and tablets to pacify their children when they are cranky, feel bored, or when parents themselves need rest. This creates a dependency on digital distractions as an emotional coping mechanism, reducing a child’s ability to self-soothe by imaginative plays, reading books, engage in independent play, or develop patience and resilience.

The Consequences of Excessive Screen Exposure

• Deterioration of social skills and Interpersonal Relationships: Prolonged screen engagement diminishes face-to-face communication, weakening social as well as familial bonds and emotional intelligence.

• Cognitive development and Attention Deficit: excessive screen time can lead to affect cognitive development by reducing creativity, imaginative play, problem solving skills, reduces concentration and memory. Also it restricts exploring and deep thinking qualities. 

• Physcial and Mental Health: Excessive screen time may lead to a sedentary lifestyle resulting physical health. And Long hours of screen time can disrupt brain functioning. Kids become so addictive to screen that they sometimes start behaving differently or may be like characters they watch on videos. Excessive use of mobiles does not allow kids to lead a disciplined life.

• Increased Psychological Dependence on Digital Validation: Social media fosters an unhealthy dependence on external affirmation, diminishing intrinsic motivation and self-awareness.

Strategies for Cultivating Indian Values Amid Digital Distractions

1. Art of Storytelling

Regular storytelling sessions, where parents narrate Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra epics rather than relying on animated adaptations, will instill a deeper understanding of ethical principles. Encouraging children to dramatize these tales enhances engagement, retention, and a sense of belonging to India’s philosophical traditions.

2. Institutionalizing Family Rituals and Discipline

·         Instill the habit of beginning the day with a Namaste or subh Prabhat or even good morning, whichever is comfortable to  reinforcing respect and humility.

·         Engage children in daily pujas or chanting of shlokas, explaining their meanings for knowledge and  awareness.

·         Introduce practices such as reciting “Annadata Sukhi Bhava” before meals, cultivating mindfulness regarding food and its providers.

3. Experiential Learning Through Traditional Festival and Celebrations

 Involve children in active participation through:

·         Designing intricate rangolis to foster creativity and patience during festivals

·         Engaging in the preparation of traditional sweets, connecting them to ancestral culinary practices, remember how we use to help our mothers in kitchen during sweets making?

·         Encouraging participation in daily puja, strengthening their connect towards devotional practices.

·         Hosting storytelling sessions on festival origins, ensuring they grasp the historical and spiritual significance of the particular festive celebrations.

4. Encouraging active Participation in activities

The basic ideas is to keep children busy learning something or the other so that they don’t feel urge for mobiles or tablets.

By enrolling them in dance / sports/sketching / singing or any hobby classes of their choice their cognitive mind will automatically be engaged. They will start exploring more in the field of their choice.

5. Integrating Exercises or Yoga and Meditation

The incorporation of physical fitness by exercises or yogic practices such as Surya Namaskar and Pranayama, fosters mental clarity, resilience, and discipline.

6. Implementing Mindful Digital Consumption Strategies

·         Establishing “Screen-Free Zone” during family gatherings, meals, and prayer sessions.

·         Encouraging culturally enriching alternatives to screen time, such as engaging in board games like ludo, scrabble, or Chess, which are engaging and strengthens the family bonding.

·         Introducing Indian language-learning applications that support linguistic retention while integrating digital literacy.

·         Organizing one day a week as “Digital Detox Days”, where the family collectively refrains from screen usage and engages in storytelling, outdoor excursions, and artistic pursuits.

·         Educating children on Dharma (ethical responsibility), ensuring that their engagement with technology aligns with self-discipline, respect, and conscious decision-making.

·         Replacing the habit of giving children screens when they cry or feel bored with self-soothing strategies like playing with traditional toys, engaging in creative arts, listening to instrumental music, or practicing guided breathing techniques.

·         Inculcate the habit of reading. Trust me it works like magic.

Conclusion

While digitalization has become the integral aspect of contemporary life, Indian values can coexist alongside technological advancements. The objective here, is not to eliminate digital exposure but to curate a value-driven digital experience, ensuring that children remain connected to their cultural roots and at the same time adapting to global transformations. By conscientiously integrating values into daily interactions, traditions, and educational experiences, we empower the next generation to embrace our cultural depth, ethical frameworks, and rich heritage while blooming in the modern world.

By making intentional efforts to nurture cultural consciousness, we raise children who are not only digitally literate but also culturally enriched, morally grounded, and socially responsible. A legacy of values, ethics, and wisdom will serve as their most profound inheritance—one that transcends the fleeting gratification of screens.