World Children’s Day: the day the world turns blue and kids take overAnd the family takeover to try

For one day a year, children sit in parliament seats, read the news and run radio shows. The idea behind it is older than most people think.

In 1954, the UN General Assembly recommended that every country hold a Children’s Day. November 20 became the global date because of two later moments. On November 20, 1959, the General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. On the same date in 1989, it adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child, without a vote.

The Convention is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. Every UN member state except the United States has ratified it. Its roots go back to 1924, when the League of Nations adopted a children’s rights declaration drafted by Eglantyne Jebb, the founder of Save the Children.

India is a reminder that countries choose their own day. It kept November 20 until 1964, then moved its Children’s Day to November 14.

UNICEF now runs the day “for children, by children,” and around 190 countries take part. Two customs stand out:

• Going blue. Landmarks from the Empire State Building to Petra light up blue for children’s rights. Schools and families join by wearing blue.

• Kids take over. Children step into adult roles for a day, in parliaments, newsrooms, radio and TV stations and offices, and speak about what matters to them. In 2019, children took over Ukraine’s parliament just ahead of the day.

At home, the takeover is easy to borrow.

Run a family takeover on November 20.

1. Hand over one decision that’s normally yours. The weekend plan, the budget for a treat, or the dinner menu.

2. Hold a five-minute “press conference.” The child is the minister. Adults ask the questions, and the child answers.

3. Write down one thing to change. Ask: “If you ran this house, what’s one rule you’d change?” Pick one answer and actually try it for a week.

The point of the global takeover is that adults listen. At home, the same thing works at kitchen-table size.

Inside Kithmark

Let the kids take a turn

Kithmark has games for families and groups, like Family quiz and Pass the story, that you play together when everyone’s on the app. Its shared spaces work things out through games instead of arguments.

Real screens from the Kithmark iPhone beta. Free in the iPhone beta. Android coming soon.

Inside Ritual OS

Start where you are

Short practices from the world’s traditions, for you alone or with the people close to you. Each one has a beginning and an end.

Real screens from the Ritual OS iPhone beta.

How our apps help

Kithmark has family games like Family quiz and Pass the story, and shared spaces where you work things out through games instead of arguments. Ritual OS matches you with short practices from the world’s traditions for the whole household, each with a beginning and an end.