Children from over 60,000 schools and their parents, will be celebrating Children’s Day(November 14th) in a unique way by observing ‘#GadgetFreeHour’, when families would disconnect from their gadgets and spend an hour with their children(between 7:30-8:30 PM) - playing, eating, talking and laughing together.

The initiative has been gaining traction on social media, with thousands of users taking up a pledge to abstain from gadget use and spend quality time with their kids. The idea behind this movement was born during one of the routine content meetings of the Parent Circle magazine.

Speaking to WION, Nalina Ramalakshmi, Founder and MD, Parent Circle said, “Being in the parenting space for over eight years, we’ve aimed to bring parents and experts together to raise happy, healthy and confident kids. However, the key concerns faced by families are the inability to spend quality time due to hectic schedules and both parents, kids being glued to their own gadgets at home.”

Experts say that almost 80% of parenting is about the bond and communication that is established by spending quality time, but there are concerns being raised globally on gadget overuse affecting the bond within families. 

“In order for families to ‘disconnect to reconnect’ we thought it was important to have a movement on the lines of Earth Hour. With the support of the Tamil Nadu government, we have reached out to over 60,000 schools whereas the CBSE South region has helped us reach over 1900 schools where circulars have been issued to encourage participation.” Nalina added. 

Schools and educational institutions are looking forward to this special initiative. Andrew Hoover, Head of American International School, Chennai, says, “We are so pleased to see initiatives like this one happening among parents. We are supportive of initiatives that raise awareness, encourage positive relationships, inspire healthy habits, and empower self-management.”

The initiative has also garnered the support of Corporate houses and popular restaurant chains, with hoteliers offering discounts for families that dine-in after leaving their gadgets behind or depositing them. The Parent Circle website would also be temporarily closed between 7:30 and 8:30 PM on Children's Day to mark the #GadgetFreeHour.

Encouraging wider participation, Chess Legend, Vishwanathan Anand said, “On Children’s Day, I’d like to try and ask you to try as well, to spend one hour with your children instead of your gadgets. It won’t be easy and probably, at first, your child isn’t used to having you without your gadget. But, over time, I am sure this will develop into a wonderful habit. Let’s give it a shot this Children’s Day for the ParentCircle #GadgetFreeHour initiative and let’s give our children a big hug.” 

The team that has conceptualized the movement hopes to ensure that children get the uninterrupted love and affection of their parents for at least 15 minutes a day, by creating more awareness and reaching out to larger groups of people. They aim to create global awareness on responsible gadget use as a life skill, for parents and children who are getting more and more immersed in technology.