Over the years bringing up Ahan, my firstborn,now a young teenager, has been an enriching journey with many valuable lessons learnt along the way.
We brought up Ahan in a home surrounded by trees, birds and animals,this not only helped him discover his love for birds and animals but also transformed him into an empathetic individual. Encouraging him in his various creative ventures and adventures throughout his early childhood has helped build his personality and develop a positive attitude towards life. It has also helped us strengthen our bond and evolve into confident, open-minded individuals. Throughout his growing years, I noticed that focusing primarily on academics is insufficient for the holistic development of a child. To be happy and successful individuals, children must be exposed to diverse environments.
After a few years, when I chose to become a mother for the second time, I understood nurturing qualities such as kindness, empathy, and confidence help children face challenges bravely and thrive in a competitive world. With a keen interest in early childhood education, I worked diligently towards enhancing my learning curve. I began designing play-based actives for Ayan, my second born and now a toddler. Over the days, I realised that these play-based activities involving social interactions and hands-on exploration have helped Ayan acquire new skills and understand the environment around him effortlessly.
With this wisdom, experience, and a deep love for children, I am inspired to envision Vriksham Ant Hill- a learning space and community to help parents and children build a strong holistic socio-academic foundation with sweet memories as they take their first baby steps into the ever-challenging world.
As a father of two young boys, designing and planning our home with them in mind has helped me to evolve as an architect. Being an ardent nature lover, I ensured trees, colourful flowers, and pets surrounded my home. As my boys grew up in the green space I designed, I noticed that dwelling in proximity to nature has helped them improve their physical well-being, reduce stress caused due to socio-academic pressures, enhance their cognitive abilities and strengthen their bond.
Having more than 20 years of experience creating modern residences and commercial structures, I became aware of the beneficial effects a safe, welcoming, and healthy learning environment may have on a child’s formative years. So, I decided to work with my wife, Anupama, to design a sustainable and socially responsible learning space so that kids and parents can enjoy the joy and happiness of living and learning among nature.
- Alyson Gembala
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[Registration will be open from 8 PM ‘IST’ on Monday 1 May 2023]