Ingredients 1 cup leftover rice ¼ cup water 1 cup rice flour salt to taste Preparation guide Blend the cooked rice and water to make a smooth paste. transfer the rice paste to a mixing bowl. add rice flour and salt to taste and knead into a dough. Pinch out small ball sized dough and flatten it. Pat and flatten with the help of palm and finger. Make rotis using a rolling pin Place the roti on a hot tawa. Spread water over the roti with help of hand or wet cloth, removing excess dough. Wait until the water evaporates, then flip it to the other side. press gently and cook all the sides. Serve with any chutney.
(4 servings) Ingredients 500 ml chicken/vegetable stock 250 gm leftover rice 200 gm rajma (pressure cooked) or shredded chicken (cooked) 250 gm spinach 2 grated carrots 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp sesame seed 2 tbsp vegetable oil 4 eggs 2 tbsp thick chilli sauce Preparation guide Boil the chicken/vegetable stock in a large pan for 12-15 mins. Add the rice and simmer for a while. Meanwhile, place the spinach in a colander and pour a kettle of hot water to lightly wilt it. Dress the spinach and carrots separately with sesame oil and seeds. Cover the cooked rice with a lid and leave to sit for a couple of minutes. Mix in the rajma or shredded chicken. Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick pan set over high heat. Fry eggs so the white crisps up nicely round the edges, and serve with the rice, if desired. Spoon the rice into large bowls and arrange the spinach and carrots on top. Add a dollop of chilli sauce and serve.
With the on and off lockdowns limiting trips to supermarkets and disrupting food supply chains, get creative and rustle up these simple and healthy treats from leftover rice! – Parvathy Menon Rice Cutlet (8 servings) Ingredients Cutlet mixture 1 cup cooked rice 1 potato, boiled and mashed 2 tbsp grated carrot 2 tbsp chopped capsicum 2 tbsp corn ½ tsp ginger-garlic paste ½ tsp kashmiri red chilli powder ¼ tsp garam masala ¼ tsp cumin powder ¾ tsp salt 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander 1 tsp lemon juice ½ cup bread crumbs ¼ tsp salt 1 cup bread crumbs oil Preparation guide Mash the cooked rice in a bowl until it is smooth. Add the mashed potato, carrot, capsicum, and corn. Mix in the ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, garam masala, cumin powder, salt, coriander and lemon juice. Add ½ cup bread crumbs and mix well. shape dough into cutlets. Prepare the coating by mixing maida, corn flour, pepper powder and salt. Dip cutlets into the coating mix and then roll in the breadcrumbs and deep fry.
In too many Indian households, including well-educated middle class homes, oral hygiene is often neglected in the false belief that deciduous (milk) teeth are unimportant. Quite the contrary. Several research studies have firmly established that cavities in primary teeth further increase the risk of caries in permanent teeth. therefore, it’s important for parents to set a proper oral care and dental hygiene routine for youngest children. Investing time and effort in teaching children dental hygiene is critical for ensuring strong and healthy teeth and savings on dentists’ bills. Dr. Janani Rangaswamy of Growing Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, Bangalore, has written a dental care and hygiene primer for parents of youngest children. Watch out for milk teeth Milk teeth begin to manifest when an infant is six months old. Usually, the first to break through the gums are the front teeth, aka incisors, while the other teeth will continue to erupt until the child is about three years of age. Clean gums It is important to start cleaning an infant’s gum pads even before the first milk teeth erupt. When a child is teething, use a wet washcloth to remove debris and bacteria from gums. Bacteria that fester on the gums can cause infection. Begin a dental care regimen early. Brush twice a day At about 18 months, parents can initiate the teeth brushing routine. Begin with a small amount of toothpaste. For children under three years of age, the quantity of toothpaste should be the size of a rice grain. For children older than three, use a little more toothpaste, about the size of a green pea. the brushing routine should last about two minutes in the morning and at night before bedtime. this will instil good oral care habits and protect children from developing cavities later on. Typically, the front bottom teeth are the first to erupt. When they break through the gums and start to touch, use dental floss to clean between the teeth. this will keep caries away. Teach children proper flossing techniques from young age. Allow selection of toothbrush As children get older, they want more control over their choices. give them freedom to choose a toothbrush. Selecting a brush with a photo of their favourite tV character or favourite colour can be an incentive for them to brush their teeth. Also let them choose a toothpaste with the flavour and texture they like. Make regular visits to the dentist Regular consultation with a dentist is critical to ensuring children’s dental health. Visit the dentist when your child’s first tooth breaks, or by her first birthday. Dentists can provide valuable information on teething and dental hygiene. To ensure children’s dental health, avoid the following: Refined Sugars A sugar-rich diet can adversely impact children’s teeth and gums. Juices and sodas that are rich in acid and sugar can damage milk teeth. Also, foods rich in refined sugar can damage teeth enamel, placing the child at greater risk of developing cavities. Pacifiers Though mouth pacifiers sooth and calm fussy…
– Monojit Ghosh One of the major negatives of schools closures and lockdown restrictions is that children have lost the benefit of physical activity built into everyday activities. The daily rituals of walking to the school bus pick-up point, racing up and down the school building stairs, physical education/ sports classes, free play during lunch break contribute to children’s physical fitness. But with schools closed for over five months now, children have been denied opportunities to engage in physical routine activity. therefore it’s important that parents integrate home exercises into the daily routine of children. I have specially designed a workout routine for parents to be presented as a challenge to children. this workout will improve legs, shoulder and back muscle strength. Before starting, warm-up with spot jogging for five minutes and 40 jumping jacks. Squats. Who can get the deepest squat or the most squats in 60 seconds. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and do deep knee bends. Make sure you keep your knees behind your toes and your arms stretched forward. you could face each other and hold hands for a memorable photograph! Star jumps. Who can jump the highest? Get a family member to take photos while you are both in the air. Stand straight and then jump explosively into the air, spreading your legs and arms so that your body looks like a large x in the air. try to throw your legs and hands as far apart as you can. Lunges. Compete to touch the knees, and do 20 repeats without stopping. Step forward and bend your forward knee to 90 degrees. the goal is to have your back knee touch the ground. then jump and switch your legs. Bear walk. See who can reach the other end of the room first. Place your palms and feet flat on the floor. Arch your back so that you look like a bear. race with children across the room. Mountain climbing. Who can do the highest number? get into a push-up position and then alternately bend your knee and bring it to your elbow. you can try variations like bringing your knee outside your palm. Plank. Who can do the plank the best? Put your elbows on the floor and balance on your toes. you could try this with a small child sitting on your back. your shoulder should be directly above your elbow and your body should be straight. Crunches. See who can do the most stomach crunches without getting tired. lie on your back and straighten your legs. Ask your child to do the same facing you, so that both your toes touch. hold a ball or some other object. As you both get up together, pass the object to your child. then both can go backwards again and pass the object again. Superman hold. Who can do this exercise the best? lie on your stomach and raise your hands and legs without bending knees or elbows. lift your head a little and…
PW invited Parents of the Ardee School, New Friends Colony, Delhi, to share strategies for ensuring children’s safety as Covid-19 pandemic related restrictions are relaxed Good hygiene and health will play critical roles for my children — Reyansh (9) and Reya (5) — as Covid restrictions are gradually being relaxed. currently they wear masks when they play outdoors with instructions to keep a safe distance from friends as far as possible, and restrict hand movement so they don’t touch their eyes or faces. regular hand washing with soap is also being stringently followed at home. Over the past five months since the covid-19 forced schools to shut, my children have taken a liking to nutritious home-made meals which i am confident will help build their immunity to fight any virus.” — Nitika Bawa, Homemaker Despite easing of restrictions, me and my children — Sohum (6) & Avyaan (2) — believe in remaining indoors as far as possible and not stepping out unless there is urgent requirement for food and other essential services. But when we do step out for some fresh air, masks, gloves and safety shields are very much a part of our armour. Sending my children to school if and when they open will depend on safety measures taken by the school.” — Namita Jain, Homemaker With the new normal in visible sight, parents have a daunting task of making children aware of prescribed safety protocols with a strong warning of what may happen if they aren’t followed. therefore i am constantly reminding my children — Vayu (14) and Vardaan (10) — of the importance of regular hand washing, maintaining social distance, wearing masks, and eating healthy meals and maintaining physical fitness.” — Aditi Chopra, Commercial and developerlegal lead for India at Microsoft We have adopted a conservative approach throughout this pandemic. Our son — Agastya lav (4) — has met only his grandparents during this period. it worries me how i should prepare Agastya for school if and when it opens as pre-primary children find it difficult to understand the concept of social distancing. they need affection and freedom in their interactions which defeats the purpose of social distancing. therefore despite relaxations, we plan to limit his interactions with outsiders, continue with virtual school and make up for the lack of social interaction with constructive engagement, regular conversations and loads of cuddles!” — Diya Roopchand Kaul, Businesswoman Also read: Enhancing children’s learning from home experience
Anaphora is a literary device wherein a word or group of words is repeated at the beginning of two or more successive sentences – Roopa Banerjee “I’ll not do my homework.” “I’ll not listen to you.” “I’ll not switch off the television.” Yes, these statements are examples of a child throwing a tantrum. But they are also examples of a powerful literary device — anaphora. Anaphora is a rhetorical and literary style wherein a word or group of words is repeated at the beginning of two or more successive sentences. This adds emphasis and harmony to phrases. For example, the use of ‘if only’. ‘If only I had listened, if only I had stayed back, if only I had believed her.’ Anaphora is a greek word (ἀναφορά) meaning “carrying back”. Because of its rhetorical effect, anaphora is very popular among orators and politicians. American civil rights leader Martin Luther King peppered his career-defining speech with the phrase ‘I have a dream’, which was repeated several times in his address. Another evocative example of anaphora is Us President Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address wherein he said, ‘With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right…’ A more recent example is former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s speech delivered in 1996, ‘To raise a happy, healthy, and hopeful child, it takes a family; it takes teachers; it takes clergy; it takes business people; it takes community leaders; it takes those who protect our health and safety. It takes all of us.’ Popular media including television and movies also use anaphoras liberally. Homer Simpson, the main protagonist of the globally popular American animated sitcom The Simpsons, is remembered for these lines: ‘I want to shake off the dust of this one-horse town. I want to explore the world. I want to watch TV in a different time zone. I want to visit strange, exotic malls. I want a grinder, a sub, a footlong hero! I want to live, Marge!’ Turning the pages of history, anaphora was abundantly used in ancient literature and religious texts such as psalms of the Bible. Popular literature also abounds with anaphora nuggets. In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens writes: ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…’ Another powerful example is American poet Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself. ‘Have you reckon’d a thousand acres much? Have you reckon’d the earth much? Have you practis’d so long to learn to read? Have you felt so proud to get at the meaning of poems?…’ However, because of its repeated use of phrases, anaphora is rarely found in academic, journalistic and other non-fiction writing which shuns redundant use of words. Thus, fans…
Contrary to popular belief there are numerous easily accessible weekend getaway options in and around Mumbai which will help a visitor unwind or celebrate a lucrative deal just signed up The standard advice given to the estimated 6 million people who visit Mumbai (pop. 20 million) every year, the commercial capital of the country, is to stay focused, get your business over as fast as possible and forget all about leisure, travel and sightseeing activities. Don’t take it! Contrary to popular belief there are numerous easily accessible weekend getaway options in and around Mumbai which will help you to unwind or celebrate the lucrative deal you’ve signed up in this fast-tempo metropolis. Mumbai is also the administrative capital of Maharashtra (pop. 115 million), a huge state in western India which sprawls over 307,713 sq. km — a land area three times the size of England. Not surprisingly it offers great beaches, hill stations and leisure resorts with all the modcons which the country’s richest and most famous business tycoons and flashy film stars (Mumbai is the epicentre of the world’s largest feature films industry) insist upon. Most of these playgrounds of the rich and famous are a mere few hours drive out of Mumbai, which is also well connected to the rest of the country by rail and air. The history of the city dates back to the stone age when fisher folk made it their home. Mumbai was under the rule of hindu dynasties from the 6th century AD, invaded by the Muslims in the 14th century and ceded to the Portuguese in 1534. The Portuguese included Mumbai in the dowry of Catherine of Braganza when she married England’s Charles II in 1661. Thus Mumbai became a British possession and in 1668 it was leased to the east India Company for a paltry annual rent of £10. Though with its huge crowds and cramped public spaces, Mumbai is hardly a tourist haven and can be disconcerting for visitors, this megalopolis offers a lively night life (pubs, restaurants, discotheques) and interesting historic monuments, museums and art galleries. Among them: the Gateway of India, an impressive structure built in 1911; Kala Ghoda, between Colaba and Fort houses the National Gallery of Modern Art and the Prince of Wales Museum (renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya), built to commemorate King George V’s first visit to India in 1905. Marine Drive (a.k.a. Queen’s necklace) is ideal for a zippy drive along the sea from Nariman Point to the foot of Malabar Hill. Chowpatty beach, a perennial carnival and the Taraporewala Aquarium are also worth visiting. The Hanging Gardens, (Pherozeshah Mehta gardens) of Malabar hill, the Adinath Jain temple, Kamala Nehru park and the Banganga tank are also popular with visitors. Excursions. Mumbai also offers several day-trip excursion options. The most popular among them are: a boat ride to Elephanta Island famous for its rock cut cave temples; a drive to the Sanjay Gandhi National park, a 87 sq. km protected forest hill on…
With growing awareness of the benefits of animal-assisted therapy as an alternative to traditional medical curatives, there is rising demand for qualified AAT practitioners – Paromita Sengupta Although human beings have shared unique bonds with domesticated animals for over 10,000 years, only recently have healthcare professionals become aware that animal companions have a therapeutic effect on the human psyche and can help homo sapiens develop self-worth, trust and emotional stability. Last year, San Francisco International airport added a five-year-old piglet named LiLou to its ‘wag brigade’ to ease anxiety among stressed-out flyers. Even staffers and senators on Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. often cuddle trained therapy canines. Research studies conducted by Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (USA) suggest that domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits and horses stimulate ‘happy’ hormones — serotonins and endorphins — infusing joy and energy in individuals undergoing animal assisted therapy. Against this backdrop of growing awareness of the benefits of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and animal assisted interventions (AAI) as alternatives to traditional medical curatives, there is rising demand for qualified AAT practitioners in education institutions, hospitals, airports, old age homes, prisons, mental health centres, academia and research. High emotional intelligence quotient, love of animals, attention to detail and well-developed communication skills are essential attributes for a successful career in animal assisted therapy. While over the past four decades, AAT has gained traction in the US and Europe, this is a more recent career option for Indian youth following the promotion of dedicated AAT education centres in Mumbai (Angels and Manav foundations), Bangalore (Paws and Hooves). Study programmes There is no officially approved accrediting organisation for animal-assisted therapy education/training. However, several diploma/certificate programmes are available. Some programmes involve direct on-campus training, a distance learning (online) option, and a combination of on-campus and online training. Most programmes don’t demand any specific educational background, although some require an undergraduate degree. Nevertheless, most successful animal-assisted therapists are psychology/psychiatry graduates and/or diploma holders in rehabilitation and occupational therapy and other healthcare disciplines. Among reputed organisations providing training and certification are Pet Partners, Washington (USA); Animal Behaviour Institute, North Carolina (USA); Paws for Friendship, Florida (USA); Center for Excellence (UK), as also the University of Texas (USA) among other universities in the West. In India, Christ University is the sole established higher education institution offering AAT as an elective subject in its psychology degree programme. Pay & progression Although AAT is not yet a high wage island, salary packages are set to balloon in the near future. Currently, a fresher is likely to earn Rs.20,000-30,000 per month and a practitioner with three-four years’ experience between Rs.60,000-100,000. Prospects of pay packages doubling in the next two-three years are in the offing. Careers in academia and research are other equally lucrative options. Professional profile “With rising awareness of the benefits of AAT and AAI within the Indian healthcare community especially neurologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, and among households with special needs individuals, this is a fulfilling and potentially lucrative career for the growing…
– Sue Atkins is a UK-based internationally recognised parenting expert, broadcaster, speaker and author of Parenting Made Easy — How to Raise Happy Children (2012) Ever since the coronavirus pandemic broke out in March, my teenage daughter is experiencing sleeping difficulty. She wakes up many times during the night, often screams and runs into my room complaining of nightmares. She also asks a lot of questions about covid-19. is this normal behaviour? — Jyothi K, Bangalore Since the covid-19 pandemic breakout in March, children globally are struggling to make sense and come to terms with lockdowns and restrictions imposed on human interaction and socialisation. your daughter’s nightmares are an unconscious expression of her fears and anxieties about the uncertain future. engage in a heart-to-heart conversation with her about what’s worrying her and restrict access to covid-19 news as children tend to get distressed by negative information and sometimes get the wrong end of the stick, misunderstanding and misinterpreting the facts. Also be careful about covid-19 conversations at home as she may be picking up your anxiety Reassure her of your love and reiterate safety and hygiene guidelines such as regular washing of hands, wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing. this will empower her with the knowledge to keep herself safe. i have written Ant I Viral & The Virus — Tina Stubbs & Sue Atkins’ Coronavirus Children’s eBook to help parents and children discuss covid-19 and its implications knowledgably and confidently. you can download it on: https:// sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/product/ant-i-virus-childrens-book/ For the past year, my eight-year-old daughter has been visiting a counselor to resolve some emotional problems. however, because of the pandemic lockdown, counselling sessions are now being conducted online. but my daughter is uncomfortable with these video consultations and refuses to open up and talk to her counselor. Please advise — Worried mother, Pune these are challenging times for children. talk, listen and ask your child how she feels about speaking to her counselor. does she like her, trust her, and feel comfortable with her? Find out whether the online process is scaring and confusing her. Also dig beyond the online technology discomfort reason. is she alone in the room during her online session or are you there too? your physical presence may be inhibiting her from speaking openly and honestly to the counselor. Once you understand the root cause of her discomfort, work out solutions jointly with your daughter and counselor. My five-year-old son sleeps until 11 a.m every morning. then he spends a lot of time playing on the computer tab and watching television. Since i’m working from home, i am unable to keep him engaged all the time. he sleeps only after 1 a.m. i am unable to break him out of this late-to-sleep and late-to-rise cycle. i also work late hours because during the day i have a lot of household chores to attend to as my household help is not allowed in our apartment complex because of coronavirus restrcitions. it is a frustrating situation for…
Paul Haskell-Dowland and Ismini Vasileiou Before COVID-19, children would spend a lot of the day at school. There they would be taught about Internet safety and be protected when going online by systems that filter or restrict access to online content. Schools provide protective environments to restrict access to content such as pornography and gambling. They also protect children from various threats such as viruses and unmoderated social media. This is usually done using filters and blacklists (lists of websites or other resources that aren’t allowed) applied to school devices or through the school Internet connection. But with many children learning from home, parents may not be aware of the need for the same safeguards. Many parents are also working from home, which may limit the time to explore and set up a secure online environment for their children. So, what threats are children exposed to and what can parents do to keep them safe? What threats might children face? With increased use of web-based tools, downloading new applications and dependence on email, children could be exposed to malware threats in the absence of school based controls. This can include viruses and ransomware — for example, Covidlock (an application offering coronavirus related information) that targets the Android operating system and changes the PIN code for the lock-screen. If infected, the user can lose complete access to her device. Children working at home are not usually protected by filters provided by their schools. seemingly innocent teaching activities like the use of YouTube can expose children to unexpected risks given the breadth of inappropriate adult content available. Most videos end with links to a number of related resources, the selection of which is not controlled by the school. even using YouTube kids, a subset of curated YouTube content filtered for appropriateness, has some risks. There have been reports of content featuring violence, suicidal themes and sexual references. Many schools are using video conferencing tools to maintain social interaction with students. There have been reports of cases of class-hijacking, including Zoom-bombing where uninvited guests enter the video conference session. The FBI Boston field office has documented inappropriate comments and imagery introduced into an online class. A similar case in Connecticut resulted in a teenager being arrested after Zoom-bombing incidents. Because video conferencing is becoming normalised, malicious actors (including paedophiles) may seek to exploit this level of familiarity. They can persuade children to engage in actions that can escalate to inappropriate sexual behaviour. The eSafety Office has reported a significant increase in a range of incidents of online harm since early March. In a particularly sickening example, eSafety Office investigators said: in one forum, paedophiles noted that isolation measures have increased opportunities to contact children remotely and engage in their “passion” for sexual abuse via platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and random webchat services. Some families may be using older or borrowed devices if there aren’t enough for their children to use. These devices may not offer the same level of protection against common…
– Swati Popat Vats is president of the Early Childhood Association With Covid-19 infections continually spiking, parents are apprehensive about sending youngest children to school and are increasingly accepting the argument that early childhood care and education is dispensable. This is ill-advised because it has been proven beyond doubt that formal ECCE is the foundation of all education and future learning. The global Covid-19 pandemic, which has forced closure of all education institutions including pre primaries in India since early March, has undermined the many years of hard work done by advocates of early childhood care and education (ECCE) especially the Early Childhood Association (ECA, estb. 2011) to impact the importance of ECCE upon parents and government. With Covid-19 infections continually spiking, parents are apprehensive about sending youngest children to school and are increasingly accepting the argument that ECCE is dispensable. This is ill-advised because it has been proven beyond doubt that formal ECCE is the foundation of all education and future learning. Many parents are asking the question: ‘Surely it doesn’t matter if children between the ages of 3-6 years miss a year of preschool?’ Well, it would mean a huge loss in terms of children’s cognitive, language and socio-emotional development. Early childhood refers to the first six years of life. This is acknowledged as the most crucial period when the foundations are laid for lifelong learning and human development. Neuroscience research and evidence shows that over 85 percent of a child’s cumulative brain development happens prior to the age of six, indicating the critical importance of developmentally appropriate care and stimulation of the brain in the early years. During the ages 0-3 years, quality ECCE includes facilitating the health and nutrition of mother and child as also providing cognitive and emotional stimulation to infants through talking, playing, music and sounds, and stimulating the other senses, particularly sight and touch. Exposure to languages, numbers, and simple problem-solving is also important during this period. From 3-6 years of age, ECCE focuses on teaching children self-help skills (such as putting on clothes, shoes, etc), maintaining personal hygiene and cleanliness, coping with separation anxiety from parents, socialisation skills, and physical development through movement and exercise, expressing and communicating thoughts and feelings to parents and others. During these years, children learn the alphabet, languages, numbers, colours, shapes, drawing/ painting, indoor and outdoor play, and logical thinking. Therefore given the vital importance of ECCE in shaping a child’s future, it’s imperative that youngest children have access to a flexible, multifaceted, play, activity, discovery-based education, provided by trained ECCE teachers. However because of prolonged closure of preschools triggered by the Covid-19 health emergency, children have lost over five months of learning. It’s entirely possible that many households may not send children to preschool once they reopen and prefer to wait for the discovery of a vaccine. But it’s important to bear in mind that long breaks from school result in substantial loss of learning (emotional, psychological, academic, physical, social and cognitive) for children. To enable…
Cynthia John Memorisation is an important skill that helps children to succeed academically. Every day, a school-going child’s memory is challenged by the need to remember numbers, formulae, facts and more. Here are some quick and easy memory enhancement techniques for primary school children: Visual memorisation It’s much easier for the human brain to recall an image than a list of words. Choose a random list of objects and advise your child to ideate a visual representing the list of words. For instance, you could task them to memorise this list: Car Elephant Book Pen Umbrella Plate Chair Visualise a small car with a large elephant sitting on it. The elephant is holding a large pen, with a book balanced on the pen and a green umbrella on which there is a chair with a plate of corn on it. Visualising this image will commit it to memory and recalling it will enable your child to remember the associated words. Practice turning every lesson into a visual learning exercise. You can also encourage children to use flash cards, diagrams, and videos to remember lessons. Acronym An acronym is made out of the first letter of several words. The popular acronym VIBGYOR denotes the colours of the rainbow. It’s not difficult for children to create acronyms to remember lists. For instance, if this list of fruits needs to be memorised: Orange Pineapple Apple Banana Mango Guava Easily recallable acronym suggestions: BAMGOP, POMGAB or BOMGAP. Hum a tune Children and adults memorise songs more easily than fact, figures and school lessons. When an important sentence/paragraph needs to be memorised, try putting it into the tune of a song. Now sing it together with your child several times, and you’ll find that the words have already been memorised. For instance try turning this simple maths lesson into a song (you can also accompany yourselves with a musical instrument): (Tune of Happy Birthday) “Triangles have three sides Rectangles have four sides Yes, squares also have four sides But they are all the same.” Also read: The joy & benefits of learning music
Emotional meltdowns, mood swings, and anger outbursts are becoming more frequent within cloistered households, coterminously with rising incidence of domestic violence, child abuse, murder and suicides – Cynthia John, Archana N. & Mini P. Ludhiana. Seven people have been murdered in Ludhiana district by family members including husbands, wives and children in home isolation since the national lockdown was imposed on March 25. Gurgaon. Frustrated over constant quarrels during the lockdown period, a Gurgaon resident murdered his wife and subsequently committed suicide in April. According to their daughter, her parents were upset and frustrated about being confined at home for over a month and were constantly quarrelling. Mumbai. A seven-year-old boy with complaints of severe temper tantrums and extreme digital dependence was directed to a psychiatrist’s clinic in July. According to his parents, since the lockdown began he has been complaining about not being able to play outdoors. These complaints have escalated into aggravated temper tantrums when denied digital devices. These randomly selected case histories herald a new mental health problem — lockdown rage, aka Covid anger — defined as intense frustration and anger triggered by lockdown restrictions and social distancing rules necessitated by the rampaging Covid-19 pandemic sweeping the country. Six months since the first Covid-19 infection was reported in the southern state of Kerala, this deadly epidemic is showing no signs of abating with cases continuously spiking (2.5 million infections and 49,000 deaths countrywide upto August 15). Even as the country has begun Unlock 1.0, life and living in India’s 274 major towns and cities is nowhere near normal with localised lockdowns being imposed at short notice. Schools, colleges, offices, restaurants, cinemas, and parks are still shuttered and the great majority of the urban population is working from home even as millions are battling job loss, pay cuts and salary delays. The loss of personal freedom and mobility, financial and health anxieties and prolonged social isolation is playing havoc with the psychological and emotional well-being of children and parents. Consequently, emotional meltdowns, mood swings, and anger outbursts are becoming more frequent within cloistered households, coterminously with rising incidence of domestic violence, child abuse, murder and suicides. The Delhi-based National Commission for Women reports that domestic violence complaints hit a ten-year peak during the period March 25-May 31 with the commission having received 1,477 complaints from women across the country. Moreover, the Central government’s Childline India has reported that the number of distress calls from children requiring official intervention have risen to 1.58 lakh in March-July this year (cf. 1.4 lakh calls last year). Complaints of forced child marriages, emotional and sexual abuse of children, child trafficking, corporal punishment and cybercrime are rising by the day, warn Childline managers. “Five months on, many households are still unable to come to terms with the pandemic and the sea change it has prompted in life as we knew it. The new reality is parents working and children learning from cramped homes, in constant fear of the dreaded virus. All too often…
Sleep disturbance at any age during childhood is associated with diminished well-being by the time children are 10-11 years old, reveals a recent study conducted by researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). “Our study shows that although children with persistent sleep problems have the greatest impairments, when it comes to well-being, even those with mild sleep problems experience some psychosocial impairments over time,” says Ariel A Williamson, a psychologist faculty member at the PolicyLab and the Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness at CHOP. The researchers examined data of an Australian birth cohort of 5,000 children. Caregivers reported whether their children had sleep problems at multiple points in time, from birth through 10-11 years age. Children with persistent sleep problems had the greatest impairments across all outcomes except perceptual reasoning skills. Children with less than prescribed sleep or mild increases in sleep problems, also demonstrated psychosocial impairments.
Paying greater attention to internal bodily sensations can increase our appreciation of our own physical bodies, says a study published in Body Image (July) in the UK. The study led by Jennifer Todd, a doctoral student at Anglia Ruskin University, UK, studied ‘gastric interoception’ i.e, feelings of hunger or bloating that originate in the gut. The researchers studied 191 adult subjects in the UK and Malaysia. Researchers measured the quantity of water consumed in relation to stomach capacity, and the sensations and experiences of the adults during the experiment. The subjects were also asked to complete questionnaires examining different aspects of body image, such as appreciation of the body and appreciation of its functionality. The study concluded that a greater change in the intensity of feelings in the gut after consuming water i.e ‘feeling full’ was associated with significantly higher levels of appreciation of the body and its functionality
School-based mindfulness programmes improve decision-making skills of children with autism and also improve their attention spans and reduce anxiety levels, says a study published in the journal Research in Developmental Disabilities (August). According to researchers at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, mindfulness practice in neurotypical children improves decision-making skills and reduces anxiety, a common complaint of children diagnosed with autism The researchers conducted an eight-week mindfulness program (mindful breathing and focusing attention on the body, thoughts and emotions) to 27 autistic children aged 10-17 at Newmark, a private school in New Jersey for children with special needs. “We found that the children improved their executive functions like controlling emotions, maintaining self-control, focusing attention and being flexible in changing their perspectives,” says lead investigator Helen Genova, assistant research professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
A recent research study conducted with 640 adolescents aged 10-14 years in India, has found that teens who promise to be truthful are less likely to ‘cheat’ than those who do not, even when they are sure they won’t be found out. Researchers led by Dr Patricia Kanngiesser, associate professor of psychology at the University of Plymouth, conducted a series of experiments to test the effectiveness of inviting participants to promise to be truthful. They measured the degree of dishonesty by comparing participants’ self-reported results to what would be statistically expected. Comparing the control groups, children who promised to be truthful reported lower cheating rates. “Promises are what we call ‘speech acts’ and create commitments by merely saying specific words. So one would think that they have very little binding power. In contrast, research has shown over and over again that many people do keep their word, even at personal cost. This study provides more evidence of that, and suggests extracting promises could be a powerful way of encouraging and sustaining honest behaviour in academic contexts,” says Dr. Kanngiesser
Your cover story ‘Coping with the online learning revolution’ (PW July) highlighted the stress that families are experiencing in the transition to online learning. In our case, both my children hate online learning; miss interacting with their friends and teachers, and playing sports and games. School managements are also adding to the stress by constantly changing online classes time tables and assessment systems. All this is taking a toll on children’s emotional and physical health. One of my sons has developed a hunch and the other constant eye strain I’m hoping and praying we have a vaccine soon and children can return to schools where they can learn and play with friends. Manasi Khanna Delhi Huge online learning costs Thanks for your informative and thoughtful July cover story ‘Coping with the online learning revolution’. For most households like ours the transition to online learning has been very difficult. I have three children in two different classes — two in class X (twins) and one in class IX. All of them are in the same school, which means that they have classes at the same time. This has put a huge strain on us to provide web-enabled digital devices. My husband and I are both working from home and cannot share our laptops with them. So we had to buy two new laptops on hire purchase. The expense was huge. I can’t imagine how other families in which one or both parents have lost jobs because of the pandemic, are coping with the expense of investing in computers/ laptops. Also what about the large majority of children who cannot afford laptops or Internet connections? The consequences of this loss of learning will be paid by the Indian economy for decades to come. Rashmi Uday Chennai Economic hardship hurting children The July issue of ParentsWorld had many stories focusing on the stress and strain caused to families by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. But one important reality that your writers didn’t touch upon is the economic hardship faced by families. Job loss, pay cuts and salary deferments have hurt many households, and in turn adversely affected children. Some families are unable to pay school fees while others are borrowing from friends and family to scrape tuition fees together for online learning, but are not able to afford online extra-curricular classes. Families have had to also cut down on eating out and buying toys/games for children. Financial uncertainty makes children insecure and anxious about the future, especially when they are socially isolated from friends. Vijayan Raghavendra Chennai Parent touch benefit As a nurse and parent, I was delighted to read the story ‘Benefits of infant massage’ (PW July). Often the benefits of infant massage are under-rated and most parents seldom take to it. As you rightly state, regular infant massages strengthen parent and child bonding as well as relax infants inducing sleep and alleviating stress. That being said, however, the benefits of massage are lost if one hires a professional masseur. The…
Pressure cooker home environments created by Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, are bringing out the worst in people. During the past five months since the deadly epidemic began to spread worldwide, incidents of domestic violence, child abuse, murder and suicide are beginning to dominate media headlines. The loss of personal freedoms, mobility, financial and health anxieties plus prolonged social isolation, is damaging inter-personal relationships and disrupting family life. In India, the National Commission for Women has received 1,477 domestic violence complaints during the March 25-May 31 period from women across the country — a ten-year high. Moreover, the Central government’s Childline India reports that the number of distress calls requiring official intervention have crossed 1.58 lakh between March-July this year. With ‘lockdown rage’ aka ‘Covid anger’ sweeping the nation, parents, children, and adolescents are struggling to maintain the balance of family life. Parents in particular are experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety about managing dwindling incomes, balancing work from home with child care duties and household chores. Unsurprisingly, a rising number of them are reporting anger management problems with vulnerable children often the targets of their frustration. In our August cover story, we highlight the dangers that lockdown rage is posing to family harmony, stability and relationships, and present expert advice on how parents can manage their anger and frustrations in the interest of maintaining domestic peace and goodwill. While simultaneously enabling children to cope with pandemic-related anxiety. Also check out our Early Childhood section written by Dr. Swati Popat Vats, president of the Early Childhood Association of India, on why parents must not neglect early childhood care and education — “the foundation of all education and future learning” — during this health emergency. Other recommendations in this information-packed issue: a dental care primer for youngest children by Dr. Janani Rangaswamy, and Middle Years story on ways and means to keep children safe while they’re learning online.
