Hi, parents / caregivers!

This time I chose to address you instead of my lovely young friends because you’re doing a very tough job and I really appreciate all the things you do for your child(ren)—right from waking up early in the morning to wake, feed, dress your kid(s) for school, taking care of his/her/their studies, attending parent-teacher meetings, taking care of every need of the child(ren), juggling your professional commitments and parental obligations to staying up all night when the kid is sick. Parenting is not at all easy and you have all my respect and empathy.

Since Bohag Bihu is around the corner, I wanted you to take some time out of your busy schedule and introspect on a few things. 

Bihu needs no introduction. It’s a festival that binds together every person living in Assam, irrespective of caste, creed, class, religion, etc. as it’s a cultural entity. People from all religious and linguistic backgrounds come forward to celebrate Bihu by visiting Bihu pandals and making merry. I’ve seen most of you decking up your little boys and girls in traditional attire and letting them participate in Bihu dance performances in school or in the Bihu pandals. It’s really heartening to see these kids learning about Assamese culture this way. However, as parents, you can further this process of cultural assimilation by taking a few more initiatives. Do introspect on the following:

1. Often, I hear some parents saying, “My child speaks only in English,” with great pride. I’m sorry to break this to you but research says that plurilingualism (using multiple languages) is beneficial for kids. Plurilingual children have many cognitive advantages like improved mental processes—enabling them to focus, plan, remember and juggle multiple tasks. These cognitive benefits begin in childhood and persist throughout one’s life. Long-term use of two or more languages can physically change the brain—studies show that grey matter volume increases in regions responsible for learning and short-term memory retention. There are preventive benefits for brain health, too—in 2017, a University of Edinburgh study of 600 stroke victims found that 40.5% who were multilingual (spoke more than 2 languages) had normal mental functions afterwards, compared to 19.6% in those who only spoke only one language. Speaking multiple languages can also reduce the risk of dementia and generally promote healthy ageing. So, why not teach your child(ren) to communicate properly in the state’s local language (Assamese) too, apart from English, Hindi, or any other language being used at home? To teach, you’ll have to speak the language too, as children usually imitate what adults do.

2. Most of you send your kids for extracurricular activities, which is a good thing. Some of them learn to play the guitar while some learn the piano. Some learn singing and dancing as well. But what about teaching them to play traditional Assamese instruments such as khol, pepa, gogona, etc.? Nowadays, many dance institutes have come up with Bihu workshops. The children can be enrolled there to learn Bihu dance. Don’t you think that’s a fabulous way to teach them the state’s most popular dance form? When it comes to classical dance, children can be taught Sattriya. They also need to be informed about the stalwarts of Assamese society—Mahapurush Sri Sankaradeva, Sri Madhabdev, Jyotiprasad Agarwala, Bishu Prasad Rabha, Bhupen Hazarika, etc. as these are the people who have shaped Assamese society, and as people living in Assam, this is the least we can do—be informed about them. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if your kid(s) can sing at least one Borgeet, Jyoti sangeet, Rabha sangeet, or can dance Bihu, or can play an Assamese instrument? Later, when your child goes out of the state or the country for higher studies or for a job, these are the things he/she will have to call his/her own identity and be proud of.

3. I understand children are fascinated with superheroes and other things which Hollywood movies cater to in abundance. But what about taking the child to watch a nice child-friendly Assamese movie once in a while? It’ll help the child gain mastery over the language, which is even more essential if it’s his/her mother tongue. It’ll also help to revive the struggling Assamese film industry.

4. Some of your children might be interested in cooking. Why not enroll them in cookery classes where they teach traditional Assamese recipes like pitha, maasor tenga, etc.? Along with gaining expertise in cooking, they’ll also learn to appreciate our traditional recipes, which have found much love recently in MasterChef India Season 7, where Assam’s son Nayanjyoti Saikia was declared the winner.