Observe gadget-free hour on November 20, appeals India’s parenting platform

PTI

Chennai, November 17

India’s parenting platform, parentcircle.com, on Thursday urged the people to reconnect with their families by participating in the “Gadget Free Hour” social initiative on November 20, which is celebrated as World Children’s Day.

Families should disconnect from their gadgets and spend time with their children for an hour between 7.30 pm and 8.30 p.m. on November 20 by playing, talking, eating, laughing together, rediscovering the joy of each other’s company in a fun way.

The Puducherry government has also joined hands in this initiative and is keen on spreading the go-gadget-free message across all schools in the Union Territory.

“Playing together and spending time with each other create powerful memories, and even help children and adults pick up essential life skills. This year, all our exciting activities and contests for families were focused on enhancing family bonding and encouraging families to spend time on activities without any gadgets,” a release said.

Nalina Ramalakshmi, founder and managing director, ParentCircle, said the key to successful parenting is building a trusting relationship with children. “For this to happen, parents must make time to spend with their children by listening to them, chatting with them, or just playing and having fun, and creating fond memories,” she said.

During these special moments, the focus must be on connecting with children without other distractions, such as smartphones. “This is the 4th year of our Gadget Free Hour campaign, and we hope that through this campaign we motivate families to spend gadget-free time together on a regular basis, and not just once a year,” she added.

Started in 2011 as a parenting magazine, parentcircle.com, had launched the #GadgetFreeHour campaign in 2019, urging families across India to switch off all gadgets and spend at least one hour with their children on Children’s Day – November 14. This campaign has been a resounding success, reaching millions across the country.

“This year, #GadgetFreeHour is happening on November 20 and the movement is gaining momentum, garnering over 5 million impressions on social media,” the release said.