I look back at my life and see a wide-eyed, curious little girl who grew up in India. Surrounded by strong women and a loving family, who encouraged me to follow my dreams, I think I always wanted to explore the world, which led me to live in The Netherlands, U.K, South Africa and now, Singapore,” recalls Kshama Alur.
“My husband and I met in South Africa. He used to sit next to me at work. I only knew him for a couple of months, before he moved to Singapore for work. Coincidentally, I relocated to Singapore three years later, we reconnected and as they say the rest is history,” she tells theAsianparent.
Today, the couple are proud parents to their 4-year-old son and are raising him in a multicultural household to ensure an understanding of race and ethnicity.
“We blend traditions from both of our families as well as the country we live in. We celebrate diverse festivals like Diwali, Christmas, Lunar New Year, and Easter; and we love cooking and eating foods of all types. Our son, Neil, loves Dosa as much as he loves Chicken Rice,” she explains.
This insight of raising a multicultural child gave Kshama the idea to establish Indigrow Kids, an early culture learning platform that promotes diversity and inclusion in the early childhood years.
Parenting In A Multicultural Singaporean Household
Image Source: Kshama Alur
Talking about her parenting journey Kshama says, “Parenting is, as every mum will tell you, a rollercoaster journey. It can be exhausting and draining but also hugely rewarding. For me personally, it has really stimulated my mind and allowed me to embrace the two things I love most – children and cultures.”
She says that the challenge also comes from not just being a multicultural home, but living in a diverse country.
“The one thing we are consciously navigating at the moment is raising a cross-cultural kid who effectively connects himself culturally to 3-4 cultures and countries,” she explains.
“So, like a lot of couples raising kids in a multicultural melting pot, we are consciously trying to form Neil’s multi-hyphenate identity to appreciate his roots as well his environment,” she adds, explaining why the couple try to instil an understanding of race and ethnicity in their son.
Finding A Partnership In Marriage
Image Source: Kshama Alur
A multicultural marriage also makes way for a relationship of equals. And that’s something close to Kshama and her partner.
She says, “I wouldn’t be able to do anything that I set out to as an individual and professional if I didn’t have the hands-on support of my husband. But the true equal partnership goes beyond tasks. It is not just about changing diapers, sorting out the innumerable operational logistics, helping out in the kitchen.”
“Of course, these are all invaluable contributions to an equal partnership. But emotionally participating in the development of your child, being present every step of the way is equally important,” says Kshama, who says this approach has helped create racially harmonious atmosphere at home.
Understanding Race And Ethnicity: “We have to see every colour and embrace it”
Image Source: Kshama Alur
Explaining her approach, Kshama says, “I don’t particularly like the term –Doesn’t see Colour – it makes the person of colour feel insignificant.”
“As I say to my son, Neil – we have to acknowledge every colour, we have to see every colour and embrace it. Every colour is beautiful, the skin you come in is beautiful, it’s the best colour for you because it makes you, you,” she tells us.
The same thought process also inspired Indigrow Kids to create its book ‘Colours of India.’ The protagonist in the book is a little black crow who is unhappy about his black colour. He then goes on a vibrant journey to explore different colours and eventually realises that black is the colour for him.
The book intends to teach kids about self-confidence and also talk about identity in a fun way. In a racially charged environment, colour can play a major role in how kids start perceiving themselves from another person’s gaze.
A continuous effort towards diversifying her son’s horizon
“We make a conscious effort to diversify our playroom. We have books and games representing different races, faiths, physical features, food types – you name it,” she says.
It helps with understanding race and ethnicity during playtime too.
“This automatically sparks conversations at bedtime and playtime about differences and similarities which gives us a chance to talk about how our family or Neil himself, is different. We also speak to him about his cultural background – where Mama is from, where Dada is from and why we made Singapore our home,” she says.
“Neil actually says with great delight and pride – “I am half Indian, half Singaporean, half South African,” she points.
Learning The ‘A to Z’ Of Singapore Culture Through Books
Image courtesy: Kshama Alur
This the exact approach she has used in her books too.
The latest being the new playbook – A to Z of Singapore Culture– that includes little prompts integrated into them to use as a springboard for conversation, imagination and opening the child’s mind and heart to an inclusive world.
“I am most proud of it because it truly represents our purpose. It has inclusivity and open-ended play at its heart and brings to life the multicultural country in a heartwarming, delightful way,” says the mum.
The idea behind this book is to help parents, educators, and kids navigate through an increasingly diverse world of Singapore. “Together we wanted to be a culture destination for kids where pedagogy meets culture. With a focus on early childhood, we wanted to create an ecosystem or universe from a child’s point of view,” she notes.
The books, games, stories and songs make for a hands-on, screen-free, tactile way of connecting families, sparking conversations and making culture come alive.
“We also hope to dive into other cultures in the future,” informs Kshama.
“Singapore’s approach to early childhood education has evolved over the years”
Image Source: Kshama Alur
As far as the future of Singapore’s educational sector is concerned, Kshama believes that it will keep evolving as it has over the years.
She says, “Singapore’s approach to early childhood education has evolved over the years. It’s moved significantly from “preparing kids for primary school” to “nurturing early learners.”
“Early Childhood Education is the foundation for a child’s future capabilities. And not just in academics but as an individual. Social and emotional values are just as if not more important as academic success,” she explains.
Noting, “Singapore’s shift in approach to early education is very much in line with pioneering global thinking – child-led and play-based.”
Kshama’s little one goes to a neighbourhood preschool where they follow a play-based and child-led approach to learning. They’ve also signed him up for the bilingual program where he learns Chinese and English languages.
You need people or books understanding race and ethnicity, and that’s what Kshama is trying to provide. The mum believes that differences are meant to be celebrated, and that’s what she teaches her son as well.
“Some families and people look different from each other but that’s what makes the world beautiful,” she says, signing off. about race and ethnicity
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