Vivekananda Kendra Thiruvananthapuram organized a Parents’ Workshop on Amrita Kudumbam on 23rd July 2023 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Sree Sankara Vidya Peedom, Manikandeswaram, Thiruvananthapuram. 79 participants including 64 parents, 12 teachers and 3 Karyakarthas attended the workshop.
Dakshin Prant Sangathak Mananeeya Radha Didi took a session on ‘Amrita Parivar: Good Parenting’. The session started with a small game with the theme: "What we do is more important than what we tell our family members to do."
Didi stressed the importance of practicing the values, which can be summarized as the 6 'BHA's in our family:
1. Bhasha (Language): what should be our language, why matrubhasha is important and how to speak etc.
2. Bhusha (Dressing): Importance of our traditional dress code. The dress changes our attitude.
3. Bhajan: Relating oneself with Ishwara. Read, discuss and understand our scriptures.
4. Bhojan (Food): Traditional food items are important in our growth.
5. Bhavan (Home): How should be our home, systematic approach, when someone enters and how we greet them, what type of photos should be there at home etc.
6. Bhraman (Outings): Where should we go with our family members? How our bhraman can teach our younger generations about our rich tradition and feel for others.
She also explained the four 'A's, namely: (i) Amrita Prabhat, (ii) Amrita Bhojan, (iii) Amrita Charcha, and (iv) Amrita Shayan.
Follow up work planned: All the parents who attended the programme will share their take home points in the formed group, and discuss the points. There will be another session for the same participants and find what is their progress in their family. One of the take home points was 'Jitakrodha' - observing one's own behaviour when one is angry & conscious efforts to control/overcome anger. Our aim is to develop Amrita Parivars and form the sankul in 6 months’ time.
