Striking the right balance struggle

Your cover story ‘What type of 21st century parent are you?’ (PW March) is useful for parents struggling with striking the right balance between over-protecting children and empowering them with independence. Neither prescriptive nor judgmental, the story encourages self-awareness rather than child control and highlights the importance of nurturing children’s independence, emotional intelligence, and adaptability, essential competencies for success in the 21st century.

Digital influences, academic pressure, and changing social dynamics are reshaping parental roles. In this evolving landscape, parenting must move beyond control to enabling guidance in which boundaries are balanced with trust.

Sudha Kavassery

Calicut

Connect children with nature 

Your Middle Years essay ‘Introducing children to the joys of birdwatching’ (PW March) celebrates the simple joy of connecting children with nature. The feature stands out for its emphasis on using birdwatching activity to nurture children’s curiosity, patience, and observation skills.

By blending practical suggestions with children’s curiosity, it inspires parents and educators to step outdoors and transform everyday surroundings into living classrooms.

Devyani Khanvilkar

Bengaluru

Well-researched & relevant

The Resources feature recommending online apps for family bonding (PW March) is well-researched. It highlights how well-designed apps can transform screen time into shared experiences that encourage communication, collaboration, and bonding between parents and children.

The emphasis on interactive activities and creative engagement makes the recommendations practical and relevant for today’s digitally immersed families while also acknowledging the need for mindful usage and ensuring that technology enhances rather than replaces real-life interactions.

Manisha Sharma

Gurgaon

Vital emotional intelligence

Your special essay ‘Big Feelings: 5 Ways to Teach Kids Emotional Regulation (PW March) is a must-read for parents. It succinctly explains that emotional regulation is not an innate ability but a learned life skill that develops gradually with parental guidance and support. It offers practical, easy-to-implement strategies for parents to help children recognise, understand, and manage their emotions in healthy and constructive ways.

Above all, it reminds parents that nurturing children’s emotional intelligence is as important as academic learning.

Kalyani B.

Mysuru

Actionable advice

Your Health & Nutrition essay ‘Myopia in Preschoolers: Early Warning, Early Prevention’ (PW March) highlights the growing yet often overlooked problem of children’s ocular well-being in early childhood. It explains how myopia can develop silently in young children, frequently going unnoticed due to subtle symptoms and children’s inability to articulate vision problems.

By drawing attention to early warning signs and underscoring the importance of regular eye check-ups, the essay provides parents timely and actionable guidance. Its emphasis on lifestyle interventions such as reducing children’s screen time, encouraging outdoor play, and fostering healthy visual habits makes it especially relevant in today’s increasingly digital environments.

Garima Kapoor

Gurugram

Nuanced writing

Your Leisure & Travel story on Assam and Meghalaya (PW March) is a richly textured, immersive narrative that captures the unique cultural and ecological identity of India’s Northeast.

Author Anil Thakore skilfully blends geography, history, and socio-cultural insights, offering readers a nuanced understanding of the region’s diversity and charm. Particularly noteworthy is his emphasis on indigenous communities and evolving development dynamics, which adds depth and authenticity.

Tuhina Sen

Kolkata