ParentsWorld January 2022 Archives

Impactful New Year resolutions

PW invited parents of Manav Rachna International School, Gurugram to share a New Year resolution that made a great impact on their children Setting new goals for most of us is the normal thing to do around New Year. But 2020 broke this habit and ushered in a pandemic world with lockdowns of education institutions and workplaces, and living in fear of losing near and dear ones. A few months into the pandemic year, we promised each other to live for the present and take each day as a fresh beginning. I was pleasantly surprised when my teenage daughter Palak (class IX) took things very seriously. She made an effort to revive old friendships, revisited the madness of excelling in academics, expressed her insecurities openly, and reassessed life’s failures and successes.” — Hemlata Gurnani, French language tutor. “ I strongly believe that if parents become partners in their children’s New Year resolutions, they become fun as well as lessons for all of us. With the same belief, our family decided to make punctuality our collective New Year resolution. Even a minute’s delay would result in penalty we decided. And the penalty was to pay a Rs.10 note into a collection box. For my son Archit (class XI), the penalty meant losing precious pocket money that he has been carefully saving up for years to invest in something big. Believe me, he now wakes up on time and is very prompt in executing any activity related to school or the household.” — Ruchi Garg, homemaker. As my son Arinjoy turned all of eight, we decided to choose a more ‘serious’ New Year resolution for him. Arinjoy loves to hoard books and toys he has outgrown even as they gather dust. The resolution we set for him this year was to make a selection of books and toys to give away to children who need and will appreciate them better. After an initial emotional struggle, he selected a few to give away to our security guard’s little daughter. A meeting was arranged. My son was delighted to see the happy little girl clutching her bag of goodies. Since the experience, Arinjoy has learnt the value of giving and promises to follow this resolution for the rest of his life.” — Shatarupa Basu, senior editor, Dorling Kindersley. Most of us start teaching our children to become independent from youngest age. But in 2021 I requested my son Atharv (class V) to learn to “ask for help” as his New Year resolution because that’s important too! I wanted him to understand that asking for help is also an emotion to be experienced, and that there is nothing wrong in seeking others’ support. I believe we can set our children on the correct path of life only when they open up to confide in their parents and share their thoughts.” — Sumita Tiwary, founder, Aerofly.

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Home spa for stressed parents

Anitha Bennett Parenting is challenging and stressful at all times. However, levels of parental stress and anxiety have increased with the pressures of intermittent pandemic lockdowns and work/study from home schedules. After interviews with several wellness experts, we present a spa guide for parents to de-stress, unwind and rejuvenate in the comfort of their homes. What you need • Bathtub, big or small • Essential oil (Lavender is good for relaxation, but you could also try rose, citrus or jasmine) • Coconut oil • Aromatic candles • Soft music • Aromatic face pack or face pack made of multani mitti or sandalwood • Rose water • Body scrub • Mildly perfumed shampoo and conditioner • Pumice stone • Shower gel • Loofah • Face cleanser • Moisturizer • Cold beverage • Book/magazine Set the mood. Light candles and place them around the bathroom. Play soft instrumental music. Clear your bathroom of clutter. Inform your family members not to disturb you for the next hour. Get things ready. Fill tub with warm water. (If you don’t have a bathtub, collapsible, inflatable tubs can be used). Add a few drops of essential oil. Mix the face pack with rose water and place it in a bowl nearby. Keep the scrub ready. Place the shampoo, conditioner and pumice stone in a tray. Start by rubbing coconut oil into your scalp. Use your fingertips to make small circles, covering the entire scalp. Scrub off. Next, rub your body with the scrub to exfoliate skin. Relax, soak in, sip your favourite drink and catch up on your reading. After 15 minutes wash off the body scrub using firm, circular movements. Shampoo hair. Apply shampoo and massage your head with fingertips before washing off. Apply conditioner. Feet care. Scrub off the dead cells on your feet with a pumice stone. Use an old toothbrush to clean toenails. Rub between your toes to dislodge dirt. Finish off. Wash off your conditioner thoroughly in warm water and wrap your hair up in a towel. Wrap body with a warm towel as well. Apply the face pack and relax once again with your drink and book. After 20 minutes, wash off your face with warm water. End your spa session by slathering your body with a moisturizer. Also read: Natural home remedies for children

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Button mushroom treats

Mushrooms are rich in nutrients and widely used in soups, gravies, stir-fries, pastas and more. Here are three easy-to-make recipes of button mushrooms which children will love, writes Parvathy Menon

Mushroom with baby potatoes

Health benefits: Mushrooms have anti-inflammatory properties which help the body’s immune system fight diseases more efficiently. They are rich in antioxidants that reduce […]

Energy boosting foods for children

Initially it will be difficult for children to forsake junk food and adopt new healthier diets but in the long term it will immensely benefit their overall health and fitness and prevent obesity and other metabolic disorders, writes Sneha Arora With schools having reopened countrywide after the unprecedented 64-weeks pandemic lockdown of education institutions, children and adolescents are returning to their daily schedules of in-person classes and sports activities. This sudden burst in physical activity after months of being home bound necessitates changes and additions in children’s diets. Food is fuel which supplies the body with energy to sustain physical activity and exercise. Initially, it will be difficult for children to forsake junk food and adopt new healthier diets, but in the long term, it will immensely benefit their overall health and fitness and prevent obesity and other metabolic disorders. Here are important changes parents need to make in children’s diets to ensure their overall physical health and well-being. STOP. Aerated drinks, packaged juices and sports drinks – they contain excess sugar or sugar substitutes. START • Lime juice with sugar and/or salt is healthy and nutritious. • Buy a blender or juicer and encourage children to make fruit juices. • Butter milk and sweetened lassi are rich in probiotics, and promote gut health. Yogurt, with food or with sugar, is a healthy substitute. It enhances digestion and helps the body absorb nutrients. • Homemade, unsweetened milk shakes are also very nutritious. Add dates, apples or bananas to them. • Tender coconut water supplies immediate energy to the body. STOP . White, refined foods with maida and processed sugar. START. Seasonal fruits and vegetables; seeds of sunflower, pumpkin and melon — try dry-roasting them. Encourage children to eat vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds when snacking between meals. STOP. Children don’t need artificial protein. Many protein supplements contain harmful ingredients. Also avoid packaged energy snack bars which, though they may contain seeds and nuts, also contain sugar, preservatives and artificial flavouring. START. Protein-rich foods in children’s diets especially after an exercise/play session. • Cooked rajma, channa, green gram, soya beans or other beans • Paneer, chicken, soya or egg roti rolls • Eggs and egg-based salads • Raw channa (soaked overnight), raw green gram sprouts (soaked overnight) • Dry roasted nuts and seeds of all types. Store them in airtight containers • Ragi balls, oats porridge or ragi porridge with nuts (Bengaluru-based Sneha Arora is professionally certified in sports nutrition, exercise therapy, zumba, aqua zumba, and is a functional training fitness instructor) Also read: Weaning children off junk foods

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My daughter’s hair is thin & rough. Help!

My daughter has developed white patches on her face. They are about half cm in diameter. I’m applying coconut oil which is known to heal fungal and other infections. How long should I wait before consulting a dermatologist? — Rima Banerjee, Mumbai Though an accurate diagnosis can be made only by a dermatologist after examining her, she’s most likely suffering pityriasis alba, a skin infection common in children. It manifests as asymptomatic white spots on the face/cheeks. Since there is no itching or any other symptom, you can wait two-four weeks for it to selfheal before consulting a dermatologist. My five-year-old daughter’s hair is very thin and rough. I wash her hair once a week with shampoo. Should I shave her head? Will it improve the quality of her hair? — Leena Prabhakar, Chennai Apply coconut oil to her hair a few hours before washing, followed with a mild conditioner. Tonsuring is not contraindicated although it is recommended to supplement with multivitamins for the next one-three months. Also consult a dermatologist for scalp examination. We live in a cold town where the weather is mostly dry. I am worried that my children’s skin will become dry and wrinkled because of the cold/dry climate. What steps should I take to keep their skin soft and supple? — Priya D. Nair, Mussoorie A coconut oil body massage, followed by a quick lukewarm water bath and good moisturizer, will keep the skin supple and elastic. Also include fruits and vegetables in your children’s daily diet, while ensuring sufficient water intake through the day. My son is seven years old and very active. During play he often tends to get hurt, and has stubbed his little toe so often that it’s turned black. Should we do anything about it? — Shilpa Vinayak, Bengaluru The change in the colour of the toenails from pink to black-brown is due to trivial trauma, often caused by blood extravasation. It takes a few weeks or months to fade. It happens to many children in this age group and is self-healing. However ensure that his toenails are always trimmed to avoid any severe injury. (Dr. Rashmi Ravindra is consultant, dermatology & cosmetology, Fortis Hospital, Bengaluru)

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Short story: The Reluctant Messiah

Lakshmi Narayan This is the story of a girl next door. Ordinary and average like you and me. She fought and resisted plans of the Maker because she was too afraid to be singled out, in case it separated her from her loved ones. She found refuge in mediocrity, so she wouldn’t carry the stigma of being a freak or a fraud. She had no idea if she believed in angels and spirits or life beyond. But most of all, she had no belief in herself. One day, the Person Above decided to make her his messiah. He didn’t place a halo above her head or dress her up in white, or make her give up her family and friends. Instead, he put little gems of home-spun wisdom on her tongue. So every time she opened her mouth, people stopped to listen and nod. The girl became too terrified to open her mouth. She didn’t want to be singled out as the odd one. She was happy to blend in and be Miss Average. She begged the Maker to take away her exceptional powers and make her normal like other people. In reply, he gave her x-ray vision by which she could peep into everyone she knew. She found out to her surprise that the same brilliance, the same intelligence, the same spirituality, existed in all of them. She was as unique and as common as the rest. “I cannot make you ordinary because you are all special,” explained the Maker. The girl then understood that whatever she was spouting was already in her and not deposited there by the Maker. He had only unblocked her channels, so that there could be a free flow of words and ideas. Accepting his bounty meekly, the reluctant messiah went on to become the ebullient messiah, spreading the joy of creation to one and all. There’s no difference between the gifted and the ungifted. We are all lovingly crafted by the Creator. (Excerpted from Fables from Beyond, Authors Upront, 2020) Journalist, author and animal activist Lakshmi Narayan is a former assistant editor of Femina and former editor of Eve’s Weekly & Flair

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Tongue twisters

Tongue twisters Try these new tongue twisters! Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread. Spread it thick, say it quick! Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread. Spread it thicker, say it quicker! Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread. Don’t eat with your mouth full! Through three cheese trees three free fleas flew. While these fleas flew, freezy breeze blew. Freezy breeze made these three trees freeze. Freezy trees made these trees’ cheese freeze. That’s what made these three free fleas sneeze. Brainteasers 1.Set a timer to ten seconds and try counting how many times the alphabet ‘s’ is repeated in the following sentences. A. She sells sea-shells on the sea shore. B. Samosas should be eaten with sauces-spicy and hot. 2. Look carefully at this combination of letters. YOU CONT OL R. Does it tell you something? 3. When is four half of five? 4. “Brothers and sisters have I none, but that man’s father is my father’s son.” Who is he? 5. What is next in the sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8

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Explore the popular art of Origami

Sabrina Rajan Try solving this problem! I don’t have glue, scissors. Nothing except my ten fingers. All I have is a piece of paper. But I can create a hopping frog, flapping bird and pretty flower! How do I do it? Answer. Origami — the Japanese art of paper folding. This art form transforms a piece of square paper into different shapes and forms without utilisation of glue or any other material. Some origami artists don’t even use a surface to flatten the paper. They just use their dexterous fingers to craft different designs. Traditionally, handmade paper was used for origami. But now plain coloured paper (usually white on one side) or paper with delicate self-patterns is used. Types of Origami Action Origami is used to create paper models which move when force or pressure is exerted. The Japanese flapping bird is the most popular action origami model. The frog is another favourite — when you tap on it, it does a realistic hop. The origami fortune-teller model is a hit too. It is flower-like with four compartments. Each compartment fits within a finger. You hold it with both hands using fore finger and thumb to move it. Modular Origami involves creating separate pieces that can be assembled together to design the final prototype. This produces amazing 3-dimensional models such as stars, cubes and decorative balls. Wet-folding Origami is used to give the paper designs curves and shapes instead of straight geometric lines. It is often deployed to make animal shapes. Thicker paper (usually handmade) is used and the paper is damped. After it dries, it retains its shape. History The art of Origami originated in 17th century Japan. It took 200 years for it to become globally popular. The Japanese word ori means folding and kami paper. In Japan, origami art is usually displayed in traditional events, festivals and celebrations. For instance fan-like origami creations adorn Buddhist temples while butterfly art is displayed at weddings. A popular origami design is the Japanese crane — a symbol of world peace. According to Japanese folklore if you make a thousand paper cranes, and make a wish after completing each crane, you will be granted all wishes when you finish the 1,000th crane. The book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr (1977) tells the true story of a young Japanese girl who developed leukemia after the Hiroshima atomic bombing. During her time in hospital, she set forth on the ambitious task of making 1000 paper cranes but died after making 644. Her family and friends completed the job and buried the 1,000 paper cranes with her. A statue of Sadako holding a giant golden crane stands in the Hiroshima Peace Park. Do-it-yourself: Origami bookmark • Use origami or thick card paper. • Fold the sheet into a triangle by folding one corner to the opposite side. Crease well. • Fold the right corner to the top of the triangle to make a diamond shape. Do the same with the…

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Embrace winning ways!

Anitha Bennett Have you wondered what’s the real secret of success? If you think it’s mere good luck, think again! Most successful people are doers who believe in actioning their dreams through perseverance and hard work. As the world-renowned American inventor Thomas Alva Edison famously said: “Success is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” Here are 5 winning ways which will place you on the path of success in academics and your career. 1. Remain positive. Most people are positive when all is well. But when they experience a small setback, they often lose hope and imagine the worst. Successful people see half-full glass rather than halfempty. So train your brain to think and talk positive. Adopting a positive mindset enables children and young people to develop the confidence to overcome obstacles and challenges, and ideate solutions. Obstacles are opportunities to learn from and surge ahead. 2. Get organized. Successful people manage time well. They don’t wait for too long and procrastinate. While their counterparts are drawing up perfect plans, successful people are out on the field implementing less than ideal plans. Invest in a dairy/planner and organise daily schedules. Split difficult tasks into doable chunks. 3. Be focused. Set clear goals and map a path to achieve them. Break goals into weekly, monthly and yearly targets. Clarity and certainty about goals/ vision will enable you to focus on smaller doable tasks and enable methodical plan execution. 4. Find a balance. Strike a balance between interests and life goals. Many people tend to over-invest time, energy and resources on peripheral activities and interests. Introspect and carefully evaluate your aptitude before choosing a higher education study programme and/or career while continuing to pursue extra-curricular interests in free time. 5. Embrace change. Learning from mistakes and accepting new challenges enables children and young people to relearn, adapt and develop into resilient individuals. Be open-minded and accept others’ points of view while being willing to embrace change.

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Start the New Year with these inspiring books

New Year is a time of new beginnings and resolutions. As children enter 2022 under the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic, we present a selection of four books to help them appreciate family bonds and develop healthy new habits and hobbies, writes R. Poornima Dilip The Night before New Year’s by Natasha Wing | Publisher: Grosset and Dunlap | Price: ₹325 This simple and endearing story encourages children to appreciate family bonding and celebrations. It narrates the story of a family that wants to welcome the New Year grandly by staying awake until the clock strikes 12. Everybody is in a festive mode, enjoying card games and cupcakes and trying their best to remain awake. So do they manage to stay up until midnight? How do the youngest family members manage to fight sleep? This attractivelyillustrated book is enjoyable reading for youngest children. Happy New Year, Spot by Eric Hill | Publisher: Warne | Price: ₹337 This picture board book ideal for toddlers and preschoolers, is one of a book series centred on the popular character Spot the Dog. In this story, Spot is too young to be permitted to stay awake till midnight, but he still finds a way to celebrate the New Year with his family. The adorable Spot is endearing to children as he experiments with different enjoyable activities in his quest to make the most of the New Year celebrations. Shanté Keys and the New Year’s Peas by Gail Pernas | Publisher: Albert Whitman and Company | Price: ₹571 The story of a young girl, Shanté Keys, and her New Year party is a great way to introduce children to differing cultures and traditions. Filled with bright, colorful illustrations, this book helps children understand multiculturalism and different food customs. Shanté’s grandma is getting the New Year dinner ready. She has cooked chitlins, baked ham, greens, and cornbread but forgotten the black-eyed peas. Little Shanté sets out to borrow blackeyed peas from neighbours to save the family dinner tradition. In her quest for peas, she also understands how people from different cultures and nationalities celebrate New Year. Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution by Pat Miller | Publisher: Albert Whitman and Company | Price: ₹579 This book provides children insights into the importance of making New Year resolutions. Set in a forest, all animals are busy making arrangements for a big New Year party. The kind and friendly squirrel asks the grizzly bear what a New Year resolution is, and how to make it. The delightful conversations between the innocent squirrel and bear stress the importance of making and keeping resolutions. Featuring thoughtfully detailed acrylic graphics to create a friendly woodland setting, this book is beautiful and though-provoking and provides some simple and interesting ideas for New Year resolutions. Also Read: Books to alleviate exam stress

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2022: Making a positive start

In the first cover story of 2022, PW brings actionable goals-setting advice from a panel of reputed psychologists, nutritionists, parenting and lifestyle coaches to improve overall family health and well-being, writes Aurelin Ruth, Cynthia John & Mini P. The recently concluded year 2021 was transformed into an annus horribilis by the devastating Covid-19 pandemic which has officially claimed 485,000 lives countrywide and unofficially almost 5 million. In particular, the second wave of the pandemic which peaked last April-July destroyed lives and livelihoods on an unprecedented scale, forcing millions of parents and children to work and learn from home, best as they could. Unfortunately, the pandemic is not over. Omicron, a new variant of the novel Coronavirus, detected last November in South Africa, is spreading wildly in India and across the world. Therefore New Year 2022 celebrations were sombre and tentative. But the initial good news is that the Omicron variant is likely to be less lethal with medical experts predicting this third wave of the pandemic will flatten quickly. Nevertheless, onset of the New Year is traditionally a time for optimism and New Year Resolutions, even for forcibly domiciled, besieged families. In this pandemic era expert opinion recommends setting household en famille goals for health and well-being, academics, finance, and relationships building. Though traditionally, New Year resolutions are associated with individual goalssetting, to transform these worst of times into better, lifestyle gurus and parent counsellors recommend collective family resolutions and goals setting. “Being goal-oriented is like having a sense of direction in life. Where do you hope to go? What are you doing to get there? These kinds of questions are important for everyone. Therefore it’s important to set family goals together — and also help young people set and work toward their own goals in life. Goals setting can be particularly significant for teenagers, who are sorting out who they are and their place in the world,” says an essay published on www.searchinstitute.org (USA). In the first cover story of 2022, PW brings actionable goals-setting advice from a panel of reputed psychologists, nutritionists, parenting and lifestyle coaches to improve overall family health and well-being. Getting started “The past pandemic year has been challenging for most families as they coped with the stress of lockdowns, parents working and children learning, from home. The start of 2022 is a good occasion to reflect on the past year’s learnings and set new directions and goals for the year ahead. This serves the important purpose of connecting all family members towards common goals and realising positive change,” says Rajat Soni, a Mumbai-based parenting coach and positive discipline educator. Brainstorming. To get the family goalsetting process started, Soni recommends convening a meeting of all family members and encouraging everyone to share their dreams and desires for self and the family. What are their prime aspirations for this year for themselves and the family unit? “Record all resolutions and ideas in a notebook. After that, brainstorm on ways and means to make these goals work…

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Rising demand for qualified architects

With growing public awareness that urban habitats need to be neat, well-laid out living spaces, the demand for professionally trained architects is growing exponentially Rapid urbanisation and industrialisation of the Indian economy has generated huge demand for business and residential premises, especially in urban India, with investment in the real estate market slated to grow from $14 billion to $102 billion (Rs.408,000 crore) per year during the next decade. Moreover with growing public awareness that urban habitats need to be neat, well-laid out living spaces, the demand for professionally trained architects is growing exponentially. Architecture is the art and science of conceptualising and designing residential, office, industrial, and other buildings. As such, architects have to assume responsibility for planning and designing functionally sound, aesthetically appealing structures in harmony with their environment and within the boundaries of approved project budgets. ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS. For prospective architecture students, study of mathematics and English at the Plus Two level is mandatory. Admission into architecture degree programmes also requires clearance of the National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) conducted by Council of Architecture, Delhi. The full-time architecture degree (B.Arch) programme is of five years duration. The study programme includes a period of work experience either in the form of practical training for one semester or experience at a project site. A part-time diploma course takes seven years to complete. After completing B.Arch degree programme, students can press on to acquire a Masters and specialise in a preferred field of the discipline — urban planning, urban design, architectural construction, property development, industrial design, construction law, disaster relief, architectural journalism, architectural history, landscape architecture etc. Moreover qualified architects have to register with the Council of Architects to practice the profession. Among the most reputable architecture education institutes are: · School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi · CEPT University, Ahmedabad · Sir J.J. School of Architecture, Mumbai, the oldest and largest fine arts college in Asia · Chandigarh College of Architecture · School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University, Chennai · Faculty of Technology and Engineering, M.S. University, Baroda · TYB School of Habitat Studies, New Delhi · IIT-Mesra, Ranchi · University of Roorkee, Uttar Pradesh With India’s residential housing shortage estimated at a massive 25 million units by Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd (HDFC), newly qualified graduates are snapped up by architectural firms at starting salaries of Rs.20,000 per month. After a few years of hands-on experience, remuneration packages can swell to Rs.40,000– 65,000 per month, and for those who go solo the sky is the limit. “Job opportunities are aplenty for professionally qualified architects, especially those who can design memorable buildings. With industrialisation and urbanisation, the country’s housing shortage is getting worse by the day. Unfortunately, most qualified architects are obliged to work under the pressure and influence of developers and big builders intent on profit maximisation. As a result, generous spatial planning and design are often sacrificed on the altar of expediency. Hence reputed architects like Charles Correa, Rusi Cambata, B.V. Doshi don’t…

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Make rules work for your family

Setting and subsequently ensuring rules are followed is not easy, but it’s an essential parenting duty, writes Aarti C. Rajaratnam One of the biggest parenting errors is “I am a good parent because I give my child complete freedom.” Freedom must be conferred responsibly. Children learn responsibility within rules and regulation structures. When a child doesn’t follow rules, she may not be able to initiate or sustain peer relationships. She may not be able to cooperate and collaborate in getting team tasks completed. Setting and subsequently ensuring rules are followed is not easy, but it’s an essential parenting duty. Here’s how to make rules work for your family: 1. Set rules and boundaries, and encourage children to follow them without advising, nagging, comparing, belittling or punishing them. This is the first step towards nurturing emotionally well-balanced children. Children are not born with inherent capability to follow rules; it’s learned behaviour. They will appreciate rules and routines that are predictable and bring rewards, appreciation and acceptance. 2. Drawing up a rules book does not guarantee compliance. Rules are merely the framework for nurturing good behaviour. Appreciate compliance, without expecting perfect outcomes. Nor should rules be set in stone. Provide children choices within the rules framework. 3. Children will manipulate rules because they expect that certain behaviour and/or chain of behaviour gives them certain rewards. To unlearn and learn new behaviour takes time. Therefore, before positive changes kicks in, negative behaviour will escalate and if you are consistent in supporting the direction of desired change, children will learn that the new behaviour gains them your appreciation, approval and support. 4. When you “give in” at the slightest hint of resistance to change, often demonstrated as tantrums, crying, screaming, blackmailing etc, children learn more ways to control you, thereby delaying and destroying your rules and regulations framework 5. Understand that every time you react to negative behaviour you are encouraging its continuance. Your reactions including anger signify that negative behaviour will attract parental attention. It will naturally increase. Better to be a parent who steers change by appreciating children’s positive efforts. 6. Explain that negative behaviour will have consequences, but ensure they are not too severe. 7. Speak with her school teachers and solicit their help in ensuring that she completes school work on time while also requesting teachers to provide understanding and support if your child needs remedial assistance. 8. Behaviour management-related rules are the same for gifted children. The only difference being that you will need to provide opportunities for them to learn new skills to utilise their higher intelligence. (Aarti C. Rajaratnam is a NLP master practitioner, child psychologist, speaker and educationist, and bestselling author of Parenting: Innocence to Inner Sense)

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Managing hyperactive children

My seven-year-old son is hyperactive and doesn’t heed my requests to behave. I have read that because of lack of social interaction during the pandemic, many children have lost their socio-emotional and communication skills. Could this be true for my son, or does he have special needs? — Anonymous, Bengaluru During these unprecedented pandemic times, a seven-yearold can’t be expected to be disciplined and orderly. It’s an unnatural phase in their lives with schools closed and social interaction limited to immediate family members. Many children are also experiencing online learning fatigue. I suggest you do the following: • Set aside at least two hours daily for physical activity and exercise — cycling, playing a sport, or running. • Canalise his energy into open-ended activities such as block play, art and craft, DIY activities, dance and/or music. Also slot in reading time for 30 minutes every day. • Encourage open communication and discussion at home. My daughter is eight, and has developed the habit of striking children, snatching their things, or disturbing them. We have tried persuading, explaining, scolding, and punishing her but to no avail. Please advise. — Vimala Suri, Chennai In ‘normal’ times, school teachers discipline children and correct such behaviour. Unfortunately, this natural learning environment has been disrupted for the past two years. I advise the following: • Investigate and understand the causes of this disruptive behaviour. Is it jealousy, competitiveness with peers or a call for your attention? • Schedule a quiet time for a frank discussion with your daughter. Explain that you don’t appreciate such behaviour. Appeal to her sense of reason and make her open up as to the causes. • Warn that certain privileges will be withdrawn if this behaviour continues — it could be TV time, outdoor play with friends or gifts. Ensure that it’s not an empty threat. I have three children. As a result, we need to buy 3x of everything. So we purchase smaller and cheaper things, compared to their friends, many of whom are pampered single children. We also don’t buy large, expensive gadgets and toys. The children don’t like it, though we have explained to them the virtues of frugality. Please help! — Piyali Mitra, Mumbai Great question! It is perfectly alright and, in fact, ideal to announce a budget for the month within which new toys and gifts will be purchased. This teaches children the value of money. Explain to your children that economics is a choice between alternatives and no one can have everything. They can choose to sacrifice a particular toy and save up for a better bigger common gadget which can be used by all. As they grow up, leave the decision-making to them. It will reduce unnecessary purchases and teach your children the virtues of consensus-building, decision-making, value-assessment and money management. (Dr. Pallavi Rao Chaturvedi is a parenting coach, founder – Get Set Parent, and vice-president, Early Childhood Association of India) Also Read:Eduleader Speaks: Dr. Pallavi Rao Chaturvedi, founder, Get Set Parent with…

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Recovery advice for new moms

It’s common for new moms to struggle with post-delivery pain, postpartum depression, and fatigue. Some recovery guidelines, writes Mini P. A woman’s body undergoes enormous changes during pregnancy and after delivery. The postpartum period — six-eight weeks — requires new mothers to cope with the strain of physical recovery as well as to prepare emotionally to discharge infant care duties. Therefore it’s common for new moms to experience post-delivery pain, postpartum depression, and fatigue. But in the whirlwind that follows the birth of a child, women tend to ignore their own physical and mental well-being. Here are some vital recovery guidelines for new moms. Physical recovery Post-delivery, the body needs six-eight weeks to recover and return to its pre-pregnancy condition. During this period, a well-balanced diet with sufficient liquids and protein — critical for breastfeeding — is vital. Schedule an appointment with your doctor for a post-partum check-up two-six weeks after delivery. However if you notice any of the following symptoms, report to a medical practitioner immediately. • Heavy vaginal bleeding or large blood clots • Severe pain at the episiotomy site • Pain while urinating • High fever • Body cramps Post-partum depression Post-partum blues are common and range from occasional mood swings to anxiety and depression. Hormone fluctuations are mostly responsible for post-partum depression. To beat the blues, undertake mild physical exercise and experience fresh air and sunlight every day. If the depression lasts for over six weeks, seek medical help. Back pain Most new moms complain of back pain. Try not to bend too much and sit or stand for long hours. Also when breastfeeding, ensure your back has adequate support. It’s important to consult a doctor/ fitness expert to suggest mild exercises to alleviate back pain. There are numerous expert videos on YouTube featuring postpartum exercises. Birth control It’s critical that you discuss birth control options with your doctor as within a month of delivery, you can get pregnant again. If you are breastfeeding, it could delay ovulation, but breastfeeding is not a guarantee against conception. Adequate sleep A typical newborn wakes up about every three hours and needs to be breastfed and comforted. You need to adjust your time clock to your infant’s and take short naps during the day/night when the baby is sleeping. You can also ask your partner, a relative or nanny to watch over the infant for a few hours while you rest. Since a full night’s sleep is still months away, new moms need to quickly learn to adjust their sleep schedules to the new routine. Healthy diet New moms need a wholesome, healthy diet. Include protein-rich and nutrient-dense foods such as vegetables and fruits. Never skip meals. Avoid alcohol and tobacco. Very important: drink adequate water as it can affect the amount of breast milk produced. The post-partum period is critical because it’s the time when the body recovers and rebuilds. Get a lot of rest, maintain a nutritious diet, and rope in friends and relatives to assist with…

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Helping children with homework

Ellen Amatea, professor of education, University of Florida

Many parents and educators view homework as an important indicator of classroom rigour. The Back-to-Basics movement, which emphasizes the need for schools to teach basic academic skills in particular, has increased the emphasis on homework as a measure of a school’s success.

In fact, many parents and […]

Wearing two hats with Zeugma

Zeugma skilfully uses a single verb to refer to two different objects in an ungrammatical but striking way, writes Roopa Banerjee In quick succession, Meena lost her job, her house, and her mind! Did this sentence make you do a double take and read again? That’s because it was a zeugma — an interesting literary form that uses the same word to indicate two or more different things in more than one way. Zeugma skilfully uses a single verb to refer to two different objects in an ungrammatical but striking way. It is also often used with an adjective to refer to two separate nouns, even though the adjective would typically be suitable for just one of the two. It has its origin in the Greek zeugma, which means yoking, joining or bonding, and is pronounced ‘zoog-muh’. Zeugma serves two purposes, depending on the intention and skill of the writer. It can either confuse or inspire readers to introspect deeply. The more inspired zeugmas usually do the latter. They add emotion, create drama, and produce shock value. An example: ‘If we don’t hang together, we shall hang separately!’ — Benjamin Franklin, writer & scientist (1706-1790) Zeugmas are also used to generate humour. ‘She exhausted her audience and her repertoire’ and ‘The Queen of England sometimes takes advice in that chamber, and sometimes tea’ are interesting examples. Literature abounds with examples of zeugma. Renowned British novelist Jane Austen used zeugma in her work with great style. For instance this famous line from Pride and Prejudice: ‘Yet time and her aunt moved slowly — and her patience and her ideas were nearly worn out before the tete-a-tete was over.’ Classic zeugma. Novelist Charles Dickens also took great joy in using this figure of speech. He worded sentences cleverly, adding hilarity and intensity to his prose, as seen in this line from Oliver Twist: ‘He was alternately cudgelling his brains and his donkey.’ However zeugmas can easily go wrong if the writer uses a misplaced modifier. For example, ‘She dug for gold and praise in the ground’ fails because one doesn’t dig for praise in the ground. ‘She dug for gold and praise’ is a better fit. Tragedy can also be expressed by zeugma. ‘The storm sank my boat and my dreams’ is an interesting way to capture pathos. Cinema has also used zeugmas, albeit less than literature. For example, this line mouthed by Uncle Fester in the Hollywood movie Addams Family Values: ‘I live in shame… and the suburbs’. Television has seen its fair share of zeugmas, too. A popular and familiar zeugma is in Star Trek: The Next Generation. ‘You are free to execute your laws, and your citizens, as you see fit.’ Exercise Identify the author and novel from where these zeugmas are excerpted: 1. ‘They tugged and tore at each other’s hair and clothes, punched and scratched each other’s nose, and covered themselves with dust and glory.’ 2. ‘She looked at the object with suspicion and a magnifying glass.’…

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Following pug marks in Simlipal Tiger Reserve

Deriving its lyrical name from simul or silk cotton trees of the region, the Simlipal Tiger Reserve is sited in the Mayurbhanj district of the eastern seaboard state of Odisha (pop.46.8 million). Renowned for blazing red silk cotton blooms and shaded by flame of the forest tree cover, this abundant forest hides its secrets in hilly ranges, grass meadows and plateaus, and thousands of sal, semul and palash trees. Extravagantly praised by famous Oriya poet Radhanath Ray in his well-known paean Usha, salmali saila (‘hills of Simul’) are Odisha’s pride. Spread over 2,750 sq.km including core and buffer areas, this deep and gigantic forest abundant in wildlife, is ripe for exploration. Declared a national park and sanctuary by the state government in 1979, initially an area of 303 sq. km was proposed for the national park. However, the size was gradually increased to 845 sq. km in 1986, and in 1994, Simplipal was designated a biosphere reserve. Moreover to implement the eco-development scheme of the buffer zone, two neighbouring forest ranges of Baripada and Karanjia were amalgamated into the tiger reserve. Today the Simlipal Tiger Reserve encompasses 2,750 sq. km within the larger biosphere reserve covering an area of 4,374 sq. km. Straddling several hill ranges and valleys, this conservation biosphere hosts almost 1,000 species of flowering plants, 94 varieties of orchids and is the natural habitat of the leopard, wild cat, wild boar, civet cat, dhole (wild dog), wolves, bear, bison, sambhar, deer, porcupine, pangolin, flying squirrels, crocodiles and snakes. Gliding over the forest are a large number of avian species including hill mynah, the crescent serpent eagle, jungle fowl, pea fowl and the grey hornbill. Yet, the undisputed king and star attraction of the entire biosphere is the majestic (and elusive) Royal Bengal Tiger (RBT), with the reserve’s herds of wild elephants discharging the role of silent courtiers. According to the latest census conducted by the Simlipal administration the current tiger population of the reserve is 103. The census is conducted using the pug mark methodology with distinctive pug marks evidencing approximately 100 RBTs. This claim is refuted by the Wildlife Institute of India whose independent census conducted by camera trap methodology indicates a tiger population of less than 30 in the reserve. Although the anarchic violence of Maoist insurgents in the region and its dwindling wildlife has reduced the appeal of the reserve in recent years, the thrill and excitement of living in the lap of nature and roughing it out minus the comforts of luxury resorts and convenience of electricity, can only be experienced in the Simlipal Tiger Reserve. Simlipal is also famous for Khairi, the tiger cub rescued and adopted by Indian Forest Service officer and field director the late Saroj Raj Chaudhury, in 1974. The twomonths-old hungry and weak female Khairi was brought to Chaudhury by some Khaira tribals of Simlipal. Together with a sloth bear, hyena, snake and a pet dog, Khairi evolved into a majestic RBT, and mascot of the Project Tiger…

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Teens slept longer and better during lockdown

Teens slept longer and better during lockdown A recent study of the University of Zurich (UZH) has found that learning from home during the pandemic lockdown has had a positive effect on the sleep habits and overall health and well-being of adolescents. “Students got about 75 minutes more sleep per night during the lockdown. At the same time, their health-related quality of life improved significantly and their consumption of alcohol and caffeine went down,” says Oskar Jenni, professor of developmental paediatrics, UZH and the study’s co-leader. For the study UZH researchers interviewed 3,664 high school students in the Canton of Zurich about their sleep patterns and quality of life during the lockdown. They then compared the answers with a 2017 survey of 5,308 young participants. The comparison showed that during the three months schools were closed, adolescents woke up 90 minutes later on school days because they didn’t have to commute to school, and went to bed only 15 minutes later on average. Consequently, their sleep duration increased by about 75 minutes per night. Pandemic babies score low on development tests Researchers of Columbia University, USA have found that infants born during the pandemic’s first year scored lower on a developmental screening test of social and motor skills at six months of age compared with children born pre-pandemic. They studied 255 infants born at the New York Presbyterian’s Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital and Allen Hospital between March and December 2020. The study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics (2022) also reveals that infants scored lower on developmental tests irrespective of whether their mothers had contracted Covid-19 during pregnancy. “We were surprised to find absolutely no signal suggesting that exposure to Covid-19 while in utero was linked to neurodevelopmental deficits. Rather, being in the womb of a mother experiencing the pandemic was associated with slightly lower scores in areas such as motor and social skills, though not in others, such as communication or problem-solving skills. The results suggest that the huge amount of stress experienced by pregnant mothers during these unprecedented times may have played a role,” says Dani Dumitriu, assistant professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at Columbia University. Increased letter spacing in texts increases reading speed Increased letter spacing and coloured overlays in printed books minimise reading errors for dyslexic and non-dyslexic children, says a study published in the journal Research in Developmental Disabilities (December 2021). The study conducted by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), UK, found that increased letter spacing between words improved the reading speed of children. On average, the dyslexia group of children showed a 13 percent increase in reading speed, while the comparison group of non-dyslexic children showed a 5 percent improvement. “We found that extra-large letter spacing increases the reading speed of children both with and without dyslexia, and significantly reduces the number of words that dyslexic children skip when reading. We believe that extra-large letter spacing works by reducing what is known as the ‘crowding effect,’ which can hamper the recognition of letters and reduce…

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Treasure grandparents Thank you for your heart-warming cover story ‘Grandparents big pandemic comeback’ (PW December). As a child, I grew up in a large joint family that included grandparents. They were a repository of wisdom, stories and life experiences. We learnt so much from them. Most importantly, they gave us unconditional love and emotional security. I am pleased that grandparents have made a comeback during the pandemic. Earlier during the past decade because of the phenomenal growth of nuclear households, children were missing interactions with grandparents. Visits to grandparents’ home were confined to festivals and holidays. Gen Z needs to be encouraged to develop strong bonds with grandparents. Grandparents need to be treasured. Manvi Shah, Mumbai Grandparents a boon Your December cover story has rightly acknowledged the important role that grandparents played in keeping families together and functional during the pandemic. With parents stressed while working from home and children learning from home, grandparents stepped in to share household chores and child care duties. As many parents have testified in your story, their generosity in volunteering for child care has enabled several women to fulfil their higher education and career dreams. Personally, I can’t thank my parents enough for volunteering to move in with us during the pandemic. As both of us returned to work physically in office and schools remained closed, they took charge of caring for our two children. Maria Rodrigues, Mangalore Big task Your Adolescence story about how parents can effectively handle the morning rush to school was excellent (PW December). Whether to an in-person or online school, it’s a big task to get my two children to rise early in the morning, feed them breakfast, prepare lunch and get them ready for school. Fortunately, I am still working-from-home, and am able to supervise their online classes. Nimisha Tanmay, Delhi Offline exams stress As Covid-19 cases are on the rise and some states have imposed lockdowns, there is again a lot of uncertainty about school board exams. Over the past two years, children have got used to writing tests/exams online, with many schools also conducting open book exams. With all exam boards insisting that the exams will be held offline this year, there is real apprehension that many children won’t be able to cope with the switch to offline exams. My daughter was always an aboveaverage student but her academic performance has dropped during the pandemic. She is stressed about writing physical exams. Please write a story about how parents can prepare children for the transition from online to offline exams, to help children cope with exam stress. Soity Mukherjee, Bengaluru Informative & useful My 15-year-old loved your recent Careers feature about cosmetic makeup artistry. It was very informative and useful. I also enjoyed reading the cover story ‘Grandparents big pandemic comeback’. For several generations, within the traditional Indian joint family, grandparents have played an important role in nurturing grandchildren by providing them love, security and benefit of their life experiences. Monica Thakur, Pune Children’s vaccination fears…

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Letter from Managing Editor

For all 260 million households of the world’s most populous democracy — and perhaps for households worldwide — the year 2021 has proved to be the most tragic 12 months of the new millennium. The recently concluded year was defined by images widely circulated on social media, newspapers and television of people gasping for breath outside crowded hospitals; desperate citizens scrambling for oxygen cylinders; mass funeral pyres and exhausted doctors and nurses. Officially, the novel Coronavirus and its variants have claimed 484,000 lives in India, but according to unofficial estimates, ten multiples of that number. The New Year 2022 promises more of the same. Omicron — a new mutation of the novel Coronavirus — has precipitated an alarming spurt of virus infections across the country with new cases touching 250,000 on January 12. Schools which had cautiously opened their doors to students last November after an unprecedented education lockdown of 60-70 weeks, have been ordered to shutter again countrywide. Children fortunate to afford Internet connectivity and digital devices are once again back to learning from home best they can, while millions of children in rural India lacking connectivity and digital gadgets are compounding their already heavy learning loss. The good news is that the third pandemic wave will flatten quickly and perhaps the worst is over. In this New Year issue of ParentsWorld we recommend ways and means for parents to put the past disabling, disruptive year behind and make new, positive resolutions for themselves and their families. In this upbeat story, we present actionable goals-setting advice from a panel of expert psychologists, nutritionists, parenting and life style coaches under five basic heads — health and nutrition, family bonding, financial planning, good habits, and physical fitness. There’s much else in this New Year issue of PW. Check out our Early Childhood story featuring recovery guidelines for new mothers, Middle Years essay in which child psychologist Aarti C. Rajaratnam offers advice on making New Year rules for the family, and Health & Nutrition story recommending energy boosting foods for children. Wishing all PW readers a happier and healthier 2022!

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