Sharjah24: Children are creative powerhouses, not the media that they turn to, and hence channelling them in the right direction in a way that they utilise their potential in positive and responsible ways is important, said a panel of journalists and authors during the session “Turning Media into a Creative Superpower” at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF 2025).
Moderated by journalist and radio host Abdulkarim Hanif, the talk was an effort to revalidate that media is not just a distraction for kids and teens but a tool for creativity, learning and fun. The session explored how stories can help young readers balance screen time, spot misinformation and turn digital platforms into spaces for education and artistic expression.
“Each of our children is a creative super house. So any media product that we produce is just going to be a shadow of the creative super house that each of our children is,” stated Amrita Gandhi, children’s author and television host from India who now lives in California. She said that her younger child who is seven and very creative uses a particular YouTube channel where she draws along with the artist and his child; another channel helps her learn immersively about underwater life.
According to her, the platforms were merely tools for the brilliance and imagination that children naturally bring. The author of Royal-ish and other books admitted that she had made certain mistakes as a parent but had course-corrected later – firstly, of starting her children’s reading journey with colourful English language books skipping the wonderful books in Indian regional languages; secondly, of often being too tired to read to her child. She advised parents to pace themselves and find time for the child. She was confident that a child’s creativity is such that they will be able to use digital tools in the best way possible.
According to Manajat Al Tayeb, a Sudanese journalist and a writer specialising in children's journalism, technology had found social media an uncontrollable force. “In my works, I have concentrated on Arab values, culture and identity. People must push forward stories for children especially in paper format as it is reliable,” she said, adding that too much screen time was not advisable. She said it is the responsibility of parents to promote the habit of reading in their kids, and she had made it a priority for her own children.
Sarah Taleb Al Suhail from Iraq, who has a triple Masters and writes for several Arab newspapers, opined that there should be responsible consumption of media as well as responsible creation. “Children, especially adolescents, are at an impressionable age and can be influenced by what they see on television. Each of us has a big responsibility towards children. Modern technologies and games have created aggressive children,” she said. She said writing for children has its values especially in regions of conflict. “In my stories, I left many pages blank for children to draw or to write a story of their own”, she observed.
Taking place until May 4 at Expo Centre Sharjah, the 16th edition of SCRF promises an immersive experience under the theme “Dive into Books”. Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), this year’s agenda features 133 guests from 70 countries, and 122 Arab and international publishing houses from 22 nations.
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