This Mom Built A Brand To Help Kids Stay Off Screens

Kidsstoppress will feature a series of successful entrepreneurs in the parenting and childcare segment- the ones who have worked hard to establish a brand that is helping parents in #SimplifyingParenting and living their dreams.
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Kidsstoppress will feature a series of successful entrepreneurs in the parenting and childcare segment- the ones who have worked hard to establish a brand that is helping parents in #SimplifyingParenting and living their dreams.

How do they do it? What is their inspiration? What prompts them to cater to the littlest of their customers in a way that creates an impact? We ask them all of this- that will help inspire fellow moms to think big and follow their footsteps into the world of business and passion. Scroll down to read more about these successful mompreneurs in our exclusive #MomBoss series. 

This week, Deepika Arun, the founder of  Jhoola Activity Centre, based in Chennai and winner of the Best Activity Centre- Chennai category in KSP Awards, tells us her story of what it takes to be a successful mompreneur. 

There are many battles a parent faces today in their journey. Some parents complain about picky eating, while some face homework battles. A lot of us today face this critical battle against screen-time that kids resort to because they 'feel bored!'. Whatever happened to outdoor play, creative crafts or simple idle time, we wonder! This Chennai-based mom felt she had enough with the gadget-riddled childhood that millennial parents were offering their kids and decided to help them stay away from screens. Here is her story. 

An engineering grad from the heartland of Chennai, Deepika didn't find great satisfaction and happiness in her cushiony software- 9-5 job. She found joy in the company of little children and took up a job as a primary school teacher in the city. And that's when the idea of an after-school activity centre for kids came about. Jhoola was born. Deepika explains the shift and the reason. "The main aim of Jhoola is to reinvent childhood for children that they deserve by taking them out of the grip of gadgets and television".

The battle against screen-time:

Deepika speaks like a true mom about gadgets and how it angers a parent today as well as kills our children's creativity. I must agree. When I inadvertently handed over a tab to my little one, little did I realise that it would soon be her best friend for the next 18 months till I had to forcibly take it off her hands. Here is why Deepika feels so strongly against gadgets. "Gadgets are not only killing their social, personal and creative skills but also leaving negative impacts on their health and emotions. I was so shocked to see my nephews and nieces so glued to gadgets and TV; I wanted to provide an environment where children learn that there are other ways to entertain themselves like reading a story or playing a board game or doing a craft activity." In essence, she created a brand that introduces kids to a childhood that we all flourished and grew up in. Isn't that what we all want as parents? 

So how did she manage to convince kids and parents to go gadget-free with her brand?

Jhoola now houses more than 1000 books in their library, a game room that boasts of more than 120 board games and ample space for kids to try arts and crafts and go creative. "Our focus has been on designing activities that serve as a tool for the parent to start a conversation with their child", she says. The topics they touch upon at Jhoola include working on your child's emotional skills, environmental awareness, moral values, communication skills, awareness on current affairs. Now your kids aren't going to learn that from TV and i-Pad, are they?! 

As a mom- how has her journey been? Designing stuff for other kids has been easy, thanks to her parenting skills admits Deepika. From taking her daughter's inputs while planning the activities to taking her child to work so she can play with other kids- this mompreneur has ensured she puts in her skills as a parent as the biggest learning when running a brand. She laughs at this advantage she has. "It is a dream come true for any mompreneur to take her child to work, yet do work without any compromise!" 

We love asking moms about the challenges- be it in everyday parenting or running a brand. And the answer spurs us to better ourselves in our journey.

Deepika keeps it simple when she says, "Every day is different! Isn’t it the same with parenting? Just when you thought you figured something, it just tumbles and turns into something else. It is a challenge to figure out but it’s a fun journey!" The similarities a mompreneur faces at work and at home, she explains, are striking. "The happiness, passion, confusion, helplessness, pride, determination, perseverance, awareness, sense of balance etc- all these are applicable for raising a child and building a brand". 

Planning something this entertaining and interesting for kids must have bowled over the parents and won them over, we think. Not that easy, claims Deepika. She explains how it is still a challenge to explain to parents to steer clear of gadgets and the role of extra-curricular activities for kids to mould them better instead of sending them off to tuitions. The idea is not to blame the kids for screen-time but to help them overcome it by interacting and engaging with them the right way she explains. We quiz her secret to success and Deepika points to her family's unstinted support and her husband's backing right from the beginning. From leaving behind a comfortable IT career to starting something that you strongly believe in and are passionate about could not have been an easy journey.

What about competition? Deepika admits they only help in the journey. "I hope to reach many parents across India with the idea of gadget-free-childhood and hopefully reach out to many mompreneurs to start multiple centres all over India", she says. She attributes parenting platforms like Kidsstoppress to help reach more parents, all across India, and get in touch with fellow mompreneurs too. 

One keyword she wants to share with aspiring mompreneurs? "Time management is the key", she shares. "Plan your finances effectively. Build a brand and not just start a business. Be unique and stay true to that!". We are remembering this key advice- are you, mommies?!

What Jhoola Activity Centre does: 

  • Started in 2016 by Deepika Arun.
  • Based in Chennai 
  • A bootstrapped start-up that focusses on gadget-free after-school activities for children. 
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