Kimaya Shirt - Sunstone/Multi

Beyond Homework: Reconnecting with Our Children

Many MarketPlace artisans are deeply committed to their children's education, often making personal sacrifices to keep them in school. Most didn't finish high school themselves, and today's academic pressures feel overwhelming. Feeling unprepared to help with school homework, about 95% send their children to tutorial classes—despite them being expensive, and overcrowded.

This sparked open conversations: Are these classes truly helpful, or just something mothers feel obligated to provide? The discussions quickly went deeper, revealing how academic stress was straining emotional bonds between mothers and children.

So, the focus shifted: How can we support learning while also nurturing love and connection?

A simple activity helped bridge the gap. Each mother made a bookmark and wrote a loving message for her child—words like “My Star” or “Kind Soul.” Rahat from Pragati shared, “I was ashamed to say that it was hard to think of kind words at first, we are always criticizing our children. But now I see how important it is. We need to speak with love every day.”