The Story of 'Saha'

 

 

Behind the Birth of 'Saha' 

Parenting does not come with a handbook, but it is undoubtedly a job that requires a lot of finesse in its execution. Every parenting decision leads to curving out a path for the children. Irrespective of the path, the end goal of any parent is to give the best to their child. Depending upon various internal and external circumstances this path could be one of materialism or spiritualism or that of ignorance or awareness. 

Given a choice, which path would one take?

Without an inkling of doubt, any parent would want to walk the path of parenting with awareness, where they could harness the full potential of their children, not just in the material realm of things but in every other domain. All these culminate into the path of spirituality as well, when it comes to raising a child.

 'Saha' was born out of a desire to partner with parents in their quest to approach parenting with awareness. 

The Problem 

What makes one's parenting journey more complicated and confusing in the present day, is the dissemination of information that does not present the full picture to parents who are to choose between endless options of toys, clothes, furniture, foods, et cetera. This process of spreading information is sometimes purposeful and at other times, it is sheer ignorance. 

For instance, there are so many advertisements about reading workshops and materials designed to help a child read as early as 18 months. They make parents believe that their child would get a head start because of her ability to read. It is however to be noted that, the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that the key to a student's reading development is not the intensity of the instruction but rather the child's enthusiasm for learning. They also note that many early learning programs can dampen a child's natural eagerness by pushing them to focus on tasks before they are ready. Studies have proved this. 

This is just one of the many situations, parents encounter in their parenting journey. There are many more where it is tough to know what is right because, as already pointed out, parenting does not come with a handbook, and we might add that parents without the exception of those who study psychology, neuroscience, or anything related fields of studies, have very little understanding of the phenomenon of growth in children. 

So, despite the best attempts, fructifying the intention to walk the path of parenting with awareness into actions is not straightforward. But what if there is someone, who knows the path and handholds parents on this journey? What if someone puts effort into creating items for children that speak the language of awareness? 

'Saha' - The Togetherness   

The word 'Saha' in Hindi means 'TOGETHER'. The essence of the brand lies in working together with parents to create a nourishing physical environment that plays a critical role in the developmental trajectory of a child. But why the physical environment? 

'Saha' was born with the understanding that the physical environment holds the key to holistic development and overall well-being of a child because a child before the age of seven is like a whole sense organ perceiving every bit of the external environment and coding it into her inner algorithm to make sense, to navigate the world. What happens around a child, and what a child encounters during these few critical years, goes on to shape a great majority of her life. The environment becomes a part of her 'Being'. Understanding this key factor is the first step towards raising children with awareness. 

The notion that our life is governed by our genes has been challenged and proved to be wrong by the Theory of Epigenetics, which suggests that the expression of a gene in a child depends on one's environment. The scientific community is no longer talking about Nature versus Nurture, we are referring to Nature via Nurture. It's how we nurture a child's senses that matters in the long run! That's why 'Saha' is dedicated to helping parents, grandparents, and teachers nurture their children's senses, helping them create the foundation of the overall well-being of their children's lives. 

'Saha', also, embodies a sense of togetherness with nature and with the members of the community. 

About the core nature of the products at 'Saha' 

At its core, 'Saha' stands by the perspective that childhood is not meant to be a preparatory period for achieving success, as defined by society. Childhood is a beautiful period with its nuances, strengths, and vulnerabilities. 

For instance, children's brains function differently than an adult brain. It has been proven that between the age of 2-7 years, children are more creative. The products at 'Saha' are designed to nurture this creativity through their open-ended and unfinished nature. 

At its core, all products and services at 'Saha' are conceptualized based on established educational philosophies, like the Waldorf Education System and the Montessori Education System. The key features of these products are functionality, safety, and being as close to being natural as possible. 

Lastly, 'Saha' is built upon the three values of Education, Sustainability, and Community. These values act as anchors to everything that is done at 'Saha'.