Our Philosophy - NaliniKIDS

OUR PHILOSOPHY
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We believe that successful social-emotional learning must be personal, physically active, emotionally enriching, natural, and fun!

Just as students spend time learning about geometric shapes or events in history, they should learn about the different facets of themselves. They should understand how they define and interpret the world, and what their values and biases are. They should understand their body, their mind, their emotions, their viewpoints, their relationships with others, their goals and aspirations.

Because when they do, they will be well-equipped to navigate everything they face in life—whether it be a math exam, a great opportunity, a difficult hardship, or an overdue conversation.

The NaliniKIDS program is founded on the idea that achieving healthiness is not just a physical endeavor— it encompasses our bodies and our minds. We believe connectivity serves as a catalyst to achieving this — when we have a healthy physical and emotional connection to ourselves, we are able to fully engage in learning and positively impacting our community.

“As a fitness instructor, I saw firsthand that encouraging my clients to work through their emotions while working out resulted in strengthening their bodies and minds. They were more confident, empowered, and energized. Seeing how valuable combining physical and emotional awareness was for adults is what inspired me to create NaliniKIDS. Why not start fully connecting at an earlier age?”

- Rupa Mehta on founding NaliniKIDS

OUR NAME
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What does “Nalini” mean?

NaliniKIDS' founder, Rupa Mehta, named the program after her mother, Nalini, because she has always felt accepted, encouraged, nurtured, and challenged by her. Our hope is that each child in the NaliniKIDS program has an environment like this to learn and thrive in.

Nalini is also the Hindi word for lotus. The lotus flower starts small, growing from the bottom of a pond, pushing through mud and muck. Only when it rises to the surface does the lotus bud begin to blossom and turn into a beautiful flower. This journey perfectly symbolizes the fulfilling, yet sometimes arduous, process of reflection.

NaliniKIDS' founder, Rupa Mehta, named the program after her mother, Nalini, because she has always felt accepted, encouraged, nurtured, and challenged by her. Our hope is that each child in the NaliniKIDS program has an environment like this to learn and thrive in.

Nalini is also the Hindi word for lotus. The lotus flower starts small, growing from the bottom of a pond, pushing through mud and muck. Only when it rises to the surface does the lotus bud begin to blossom and turn into a beautiful flower. This journey perfectly symbolizes the fulfilling, yet sometimes arduous, process of connectivity.

Curious how we implement our philosophy in schools?

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