I wish to begin this blog by relating an incident that took place last year on the 14th of August. An incident that made me feel like a proud mother. My 5 year old son was working on a school craft project in which he had created the national flag with vegetable prints. As soon as he completed the flag, he stood up, saluted it and sung the national anthem.

As the researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development quote, “A child’s mind is like a blank sheet of paper. It is a challenge for the parents to refine and mould it through value added interactions, discussions that instill love for the nation and its people and encourage small but tender actions that make a difference. These are things which enhance the feeling of patriotism in our little ones”.

Well, most of my efforts in putting this article together were directed at interviewing a number of mothers, teachers, and children. What I hoped to arrive at through this research was a consensus on what it means to be a patriot and how do kids express it. The common answer was that no one is born knowing what patriotism means. Children pick this sentiment up as they grow and sometimes it helps when there’s someone to guide them. Parents and responsible adults should teach this to children since they learn by example. Love for country does not and cannot develop on its own. Only through instruction and demonstration, parents and educators can instill a sense of pride in the children who will one day play spectacular roles to make their country proud.

We often hear about kids of this generation being extra smart and gadget freaks. Let’s use these gadgets to entertain and also teach them. They love to sing songs and like to act like they know-it-all, therefore, it’s very inspiring when you hum patriotic numbers like “nanaha munna rahi hoon, Sare jahan se achcha, aao bachcho tumhe dikhaye Jhansi Hindustan ki, etc……” with them. Some of these songs are catchy and inspire our little ones too. As a mother when I sit back and watch the black and white classics like Jagriti, Boot polish and Gharana, it brings back a lot of memories of my childhood days. Movies like Chak De, Gandhi, and Swadesh not only entertain the children but also boost the spirit in them.

Stories too have an incredible educative value due to their influence in memory and also because children love them. When we narrate the inspiring childhood stories of our martyrs and real-life heroes like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhagat Singh and Mahatma Gandhi, I am sure you’ll be surprised to see the spark of appreciation in their dreamy eyes. The stories are so full of valor, heroism and are so real.

Family trips and tours to national monuments also instill in children the spirit of patriotism. A visit to a national monument can be fun and memorable too. India Gate in Delhi, Vidhan Soudha in Bangalore, Gandhi Samadhi in Delhi, Gateway of India in Mumbai, Netaji’s house in Kolkata, Jorashanko Thakur bari, Rabindranath Tagore’s house and the Red Road, etc. Most of these monuments also have special lighting at night for special occasions. Go for a post dinner drive to see these lights and watch your little ones eyes fill with wonder and awe.

Patriotic craft projects or scrapbooks help teach youngsters about Indian history. Working with children on craft projects that involve iconic Indian symbols such as the national flag, the national flower or the great heroes gives us an opportunity to talk to them and explain the historical significance of the symbols.

We can also encourage and involve our children in civic and charitable activities. Lessons in good citizenship, empathy, oneness, sharing and value for what they have, right from the beginning. Let’s start by donating surplus toys and clothes. They will love it too.

Let’s add some fun and color to our national festivals by making it special for our kids. Give it your own personal twist by watching the day parade or organizing a fancy dress party for them. Let them have small contests with patriotic badges and mementoes. It will make our kids relate to them more and make them even more memorable. And of course it will boost their pride and patriotism.

Every country has slogans and words of pledge. Let’s recite the Indian patriotic slogan along with our kids to rebuild India. Jai Hind.