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ParentsWorld January 2024

child with food

Building good food habits in children

My five-year-old loves eating noodles, pasta and pizza — all of which are made from unhealthy refined flour — and shuns fruits and vegetables. How do I help him develop good food habits? — Meenakshi Kiran, Bengaluru You need to make efforts to include locally available nutritious foods in your son’s diet to promote his orderly physical growth and development. My recommendations: Whole grains. Whole grains such as ragi (finger millet) and bajra (pearl millet) provide essential nutrients and fibre. Fruits and vegetables. Opt for seasonal and locally sourced fruits and vegetables. Incorporating indigenous produce into your child’s diet not only supports local farmers but also provides fresh produce without preservatives. Homemade food. Prepare traditional foods at home using locally sourced ingredients. This will not only meet his nutritional requirements but also introduce him to your state’s culinary heritage. Gradual changes. Abrupt dietary changes can be met with resistance. Implement dietary changes gradually, allowing him time to adjust to healthier food choices. Begin with small modifications, such as incorporating more vegetables and whole grains. My ten-year-old plays cricket for two hours after school and is hungry after practice. Please suggest some healthy snacking options. — Rama Vikram, Chennai Baked snacks. Replace fried snacks with baked or roasted alternatives. For instance, baked samosas, bread-based snacks, and roasted chickpeas, nutritious alternatives to deep-fried foods. Fruit chaat. This is an excellent, healthy snack option. It not only satisfies sweet cravings but also provides essential vitamins and minerals. Nuts and seeds. Add almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds to his snacks box. They provide healthy fats, protein, and micronutrients. Education. Children are more likely to make positive food choices if they understand the implications of their dietary habits. Provide information about the long-term adverse effects of junk food on energy levels, mental well-being, and physical health. Meal planning. Involve children in the planning and preparation of meals. It inspires them to make positive decisions about their diet, while making sure that parents also respect the food preferences of children. My three-year-old sees his friends eat junk food and wants to do likewise. What should I do to promote healthy eating in my preschooler? — Shakira Shinde, Pune Meal planning. Despite the frenetic pace of city life, take time to incorporate meal planning into your routine. This involves preparing a weekly menu that includes a diverse range of foods from different food groups. By planning ahead, you can ensure that toddlers receive a variety of nutrients essential for their physical and cognitive growth. Healthy snack alternatives. In lieu of processed snacks that are high in sugar and low in nutritional value, offer healthier alternatives. Nutrient-rich snacks such as fresh fruit, yogurt, and unsalted nuts are convenient and wholesome snacks for toddlers. Hydration. Proper hydration is paramount to a toddler’s well-being. Water, diluted fruit juices, and herbal teas are also good options.  (Dr. Mamata Panda is senior consultant, paediatrics, CARE Hospitals, Bhubaneswar)

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literature

Embroidering stories with Motifs

Roopa Banerjee Did you ever wonder why most fairy tales have an older female villain character? For instance, the wicked stepmother in Cinderella and Snow White. In A Little Mermaid, the sea-witch is an aging woman who yearns for youth and beauty. These characters are examples of a literary device known as motif — a recurrent element (such as an image, sound, or idea) reiterated throughout the story to develop a central theme/ message. The origin of the word motif is French, and means pattern. In the vast tapestry of literature, authors often use a varied range of literary devices to weave intricate narratives that resonate with readers on multiple levels. Motifs stand out as recurring elements that thread through the fabric of a story, introducing depth, cohesion, and often, profound symbolism. A motif need not necessarily be a character in a story. It could be an object, image, sound, idea, word or even a phrase. In Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Slaughterhouse Five, a phrase marks every death in the book: “So it goes.” The phrase is inevitable, much like death itself, and pulls the reader’s attention to the book’s larger theme of inescapability. The phrase “so it goes” is used as a motif with great symbolic significance. It provides depth to the story. Motifs catch our attention on an intuitive level. However, if you don’t pay close attention you can easily miss a story’s motif. Authors also use motifs to create suspense and uncertainty. For example, in A Series of Unfortunate Events, author Lemony Snicket uses the acronym ‘VFD’ all through the narrative to indicate the Baudelaire children are in danger. This creates a sensation of suspense every time the reader spots the three letters in succession (e.g. Volunteer Feline Detectives, Voluntary Fish Domestication). A more common way of using motifs is to create symbolism. In The Godfather, director Francis Ford Coppola uses motif by repeatedly featuring oranges around scenes of death. Another example of a motif is in Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Every time the reader encounters worms, maggots, or skulls, they’re directed to reflect on the broader themes of death and mortality. The most prominent motif in literature is in Harper Lee’s famous novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. The motif of the mockingbird appears during specific moments to symbolise innocence and integrity. As a motif, the mockingbird keeps reminding the reader of the book’s main theme. Similarly, in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, the motif of fire surfaces in many ways throughout the novel. It depicts comfort as well as destruction. Also, characters are described with words like hot and fire. However, every symbol appearing in a story is not a motif. For instance, a scale is often a symbol of justice, a flag may symbolize freedom, and a crown power. Even though these are used symbolically, if the author mentions it only once, then it’s not a motif. Motifs need to appear consistently during important moments all through the story. Exercise Here are 5 books which use…

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Indian,Young,Family,Of,Four,Eating,Food,At,Dining,Table

Make mealtimes matter

Mealtimes provide an excellent opportunity for parents to teach children good eating habits such as mindful eating, chewing food well, choosing right mix of healthy foods, and dining etiquette. Latter-day fast-paced lifestyles constrain parents from paying sufficient attention to family mealtimes. This needs to change because mealtimes provide an excellent opportunity for parents to teach children good eating habits such as mindful eating, chewing food well, choosing right mix of healthy foods and dining etiquette. Here are some ways parents can make mealtimes matter for children. Ban screen-time during meals. When children dine sitting in front of any digital screen, they are not mindful of what they are eating and not in control of portions being served. They may either eat less or over-eat. Both are detrimental to health and well-being in the long run. Therefore ban viewing digital screens during mealtimes. Set a routine. A mealtime routine and serving children their food at the same time every day is very beneficial. Avoid frequent snacking as it lowers mealtime appetite. Also switch off mobiles, tablets, and the TV during meals. Children tend to take their time to finish their meals, so don’t rush them. Solutions for fussy eaters. Mealtimes with children who are fussy eaters is a big challenge. Here are some tips to manage children with fussy eating habits: Introduce one or two new healthy dishes per week. For a toddler, start with simple foods (such as rice) then add dal, after few days add ghee, then vegetables, allowing the child to take time to develop taste for and adjust to these new foods. In the case of an older child, discuss the health benefits of a new food with her and suggest the family tries it out. Introduce it with some anticipation. You could ask her to search for recipes. Involve your child in selecting groceries from the vegetable market/grocery shop. Also involve her in food preparation. Make an effort to prepare and present food interestingly. For example you could cut fruits and vegetables into different shapes. Serve small portions on a large plate. Children tend to get overwhelmed by large portions of foods that are unfamiliar or not their favourite. Children have their likes and dislikes. As far as possible, respect their food choices. But, make sure never to discuss your dislikes before them. They are likely to develop the same food aversions. Encourage them to eat but never force feed, which will create physical and psychological problems. Lead by example. Your children will want to try new vegetables and fruits, if they see you and others at the dining table enjoying them. Avoid appetizer medicines to boost children’s appetite. They are usually not beneficial and have unpleasant side effects. (Dr Himanshi Kashyap is a well-known paediatrician and Director and Head of the Cheerful Child Development Centre, Gurgaon)

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20231209_131905

Making weekends meaningful for children

PW invited parents of Navrachana Higher Secondary School, Vadodara to share their insights on how they help make weekends meaningful for their children “It’s a given for my children – Yushika (class X) and Adit (class V) – to spend maximum time with us every weekend. Therefore, we carefully plan small trips close to nature. On home weekends, we encourage our children to help in household chores like cooking, baking, gardening or even decluttering. Inviting our children’s friends over or sending our children to their friends’ places is a routine practice. Children also need to learn to share and develop emotional bonds with individuals outside the family.” — Tejaswini Anurag Gupta, CSR Head, Arkel Electronic India Pvt Ltd “Weekends have always held great value for us as family. Our weekend activities with our daughter Hivah (class XII) have transformed through the years from queuing up for entry into parks and zoos, to cheering for her at football games and athletic tracks to calm walks in the neighbourhood and discussing the hits and misses of the previous week. We also like listening to podcasts of people from diverse professions and their success stories. Moreover we ensure adding a touch of humour in all that we do and set the tone for the following week.” — Dr. Chinar Nitin Patel, Professor, Dept of Anaesthesiology, Parul institute of Medical Sciences, Vadodara “Throughout the week, we are so immersed in our respective work schedules that we are unable to interact with our son Advik (class I) till late evenings. Hence, weekends are the best time to bond and regain energy for the upcoming week. We take long refreshing walks around the neighbourhood. Some weekends, we make dining out plans at fancy restaurants. The idea is to spend quality time with the family. We also ensure our son interacts with other children” — Prof. (Dr.) Vijaykumar Srivastava, Vice Chancellor, MS University of Baroda “Weekends in our second generation fauji family are far from laid back. Our children — Raghav (class VII) and college going daughter Jahnavi — get woken up early by our golden retriever Casper who won’t rest till he is taken for a brisk early morning walk and run in the neighbourhood. The children are then made to either clean their rooms or finish their homework. Dinner at home means cooking lessons for the children who act as assistants to their father/chef. On some weekends we make trips outside the city for the children to cycle, trek, visit historical places, or engage in adventure sports like rock wall climbing which promote love for fitness.” — Wg Cdr Amrita Basudev (Retd). Also read: Re-Evolve: Steer the change TEDx @ Navrachana School, Sama

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Nurturing independent preschoolers

PW invited parents of Gurukul the School, Ghaziabad to share their insights on how they encourage their preschoolers to become independent in action and thinking “We allow our son Shravil (prenursery) to complete simple tasks on his own like brushing his hair or eating meals by himself. To promote independent thinking, we ask him open-ended questions inquiring about his feelings, thoughts, or experiences to improve his conversation skills. We also let him use his imagination while drawing and colouring. If he colours a leaf with a purple crayon, we don’t judge him” — Sneh Khar, Operations manager, Bank of America “I firmly believe the greatest gift for children is ‘roots of responsibility and wings of independence’. I allow my son Prashit (Nursery A) to explore and experience the world on his own as far as possible. I also involve him in making choices in day-to-day life and praise him for his decisions. Practicing daily routines with repeated and predictable tasks helps him complete them independently” Rashi Vashishtha, homemaker “Allowing my son Samyak (kindergarten) to make his own decisions in day to day life was the first big lesson in independent thinking. I also entrust him with simple tasks to promote self-help skills such as changing clothes or tidying his toys. For each good decision taken or task completed, we celebrate his effort to boost his confidence. I also allow him to freely express his feelings and ideas and promote problem-solving through age-appropriate challenges” — Dr. Neha Bansal, practicing doctor “Parenting is exciting as well as challenging. To make our daughter Amaya (kindergarten) self-reliant, we give her small tasks to perform independently and allow her to join us in routine tasks. Acceptance of her mistakes rather than continuous interruptions, letting her choose what to play, what to wear has boosted her self confidence. We add physical and mental activities to her daily routine and encourage her to help others” — Neena Singh, Senior officer, Unichem Laboratories Ltd. Also read: Gurukul The School: Setting new benchmarks of K-12 education excellence

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parent

What type of parent are you?

Authoritarian parents insist on children following hard and fast rules based on the ‘because I say so’, philosophy. Permissive parents give their children great latitude to choose what they want to do and tend to fudge discipline issues. Progressive parents balance the need for rules and regulation with encouraging freedom combined with responsibility, Take this quiz to determine which type of parent you are: 1. You have just become aware that your child has been watching television for more than three hours daily and want to reduce TV time to an hour a day. a. You declare that the new rule is one hour of TV per day with immediate effect. b. You believe it’s too difficult to turn back the clock and decide not to introduce new rules. c. You discuss the health and academic downsides of watching too much TV and explain the need to cut down TV time. 2. Your child insists on junk food at a mall after eating a lot of fried food during the past two days. a. You refuse outright, and drag a crying or sulky child outside. b. You give in and let her have it. c. You offer to buy healthier alternative snacks or fruits instead. 3. Your child went shopping without your permission though you had forbidden it. a. You scold her, remind her of the dangers of her act and withdraw privileges for a day. b. You ignore the issue. She is back home safely after all. c. You give her a yelling, cut off all outings, visits and hobby classes for the next three weeks 4. Your child’s teacher complains that she responds rudely to teachers. a. You tell her to give no cause for complaint and leave it at that. b. You sit down for a heart-to-heart talk with your child about what happened and insist on proper behaviour, spelling out the consequences if misbehaviour is repeated. c. You give your child a harsh punishment and insist that the rudeness won’t be tolerated. Scoring. Give yourselves ten marks for each of these answers: 1. c, 2. c, 3. a, 4. b If you’ve got 30-40, you can consider yourself a progressive parent. If not, try to examine your parenting style and consider making appropriate changes. Progressive parents are assertive in expressing their opinions and rules, yet are democratic in discussing and accepting children’s viewpoints. They are consistent about discipline and try to correct behaviour, rather than impose punitive measures. Also read: Over-parenting dangers

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child

“I have a gifted child…”

I seriously believe I have a very gifted eight-year-old child. She’s amazing at painting, craft and clay modelling. I feel her school’s art education and the hobby classes she attends are not helping her develop her potential to the fullest — R.K, Pune It’s wonderful to be able to spot a gifted child early. Helping her reach great heights can be a long, rewarding process for a parent. Look for different learning options. Visit supplemen- tary education providers to find the best fit in terms of a teacher and class. Explore the option of having her train under a mentor one-on-one. Allow her to give priority to art, without neglecting her studies. Help her create time in her schedule for art every day. Teach her to use online tutorials and websites to learn about a variety of arts, so she can try her hand at many before specialising in a few. Provide opportunities to showcase her work. This can be very motivational. Send her work to school magazines, websites and children’s magazines which publish children’s art. Encourage her to enter competitions, participate in workshops and visit art galleries. Help her create an art blog or page on social media. Hobby-related career options Most parents are quick to advise their child to cut down time spent on hobbies if it interferes with formal studies. Parents are pleased when their child excels in a hobby but are uncomfortable about accepting a pastime as a vocation. However, co-curricular interests can turn into viable and lucrative careers. And if it’s a hobby your child is really passionate about, both you and your child should explore related career options. At the same time, we never know which subjects children are likely to excel in or which career path they may choose to follow as they mature. Help your child understand that a hobby can develop into a career, but it is also possible to find a career path without sacrificing the hobby. Giving their best to studies is important for pursuing ‘right’ academic knowledge paths whether it is hobby-related or not. Also read: The gifted teachers option

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India

Patriotism begins at home

How often we wonder if the young generation truly understand the struggles of people in pre-independence India! Here’s an activity to help your children understand how one man with a fistful of salt changed the course of history. In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi decided to give the British a taste of his unique brand of satyagraha. And now, with this hands-on project, you can talk to your children about an event that played a big part in wresting India’s independence from the British Raj. Historical backdrop On December 31, 1929, just as the New Year was being welcomed, the Indian National Congress planted the tricolour Indian flag firmly on the banks of the River Ravi at Lahore. What followed was a chain of events that led to Mahatma Gandhi publicly opposing a tax on salt levied by the British government of India. Though the Congress was baffled that Gandhi would choose to shake things up by opposing something as minor as the salt tax, the Mahatma had an idea. The British discouraged Indians from collecting or selling salt, forcing them to import it. Gandhi knew that the salt tax, levied under the Salt Act of 1882, was hard on nearly everyone in India, especially poorest Indians. Gandhi also discerned that this was a cause that would unite Hindus and Muslims. So, on March 12, 1930, together with 78 satyagrahis, he set out on foot from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, Gujarat, and on April 5, Gandhi and thousands of his followers arrived on the seashore. The Mahatma immediately proceeded to break the salt law by filtering it from seawater and encouraging his followers to do the same. Soon it was being done all over India, and it was the beginning of several events that led to India’s freedom. Find out more about it and plan a trip to the seaside to replicate the experience. Making salt What you need A large, deep pan Cheesecloth or muslin 3 litres of sea water A shallow tray Wooden spoon Slowly and carefully strain sea water through the cheesecloth or muslin. This gets rid of dirt and debris. Repeat the process at least twice or more times. Place the pan on a stove and pour the filtered water into it. Bring to boil. Let the water boil slowly and evaporate. Stir regularly. Soon you will have a thick salt sludge. Spread the sludge on the tray and leave it out under the sun. Natural sea water has 3 percent salt, and as the sludge dries in the sun, the salt will dry to the touch. The salt can now be stored in an airtight container, and used for cooking. Unlike store purchased salt, homemade salt is coarser. If you want finer salt, simply grind your homemade salt in a spice grinder. Also read: ‘Wrong portrayal of freedom fighters in textbooks should be corrected’

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Papri,Or,Papdi,Chat,Also,Known,As,Sev,Batata,Puri

Healthy snacking with chaats

Described as the king of Indian street food, chaats are all-time favourite snacks. Here are three chaat recipes you can rustle up at home!: writes Khushboo Nehaal Jashnani Pav bhaji (4 servings) Ingredients • 8-10 pieces pav bread • 2 potatoes • 3 tomatoes • ½ capsicum • ½ cup peas • 1 large onion • 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste • 1 tsp garam masala • 1 tsp chaat masala • ½ spoon chilli powder • 1/4 cup methi leaves • 1/4 cup coriander leaves • 3 tbsp butter • Salt to taste Preparation guide • Chop onion, tomatoes and capsicum finely. Wash and chop methi and coriander leaves. • Heat one tbsp butter in a pan and fry onions together with ginger garlic paste. Add dry masala powders. Add tomato and stir until finely mashed. • Heat remaining butter and fry potatoes, capsicum and peas with a little salt. Add water and cook until done. Mash this mix finely. • Add this mix to the onion-tomato paste, along with chopped methi and coriander leaves. Cook for a few minutes. Set aside some coriander for garnishing. • Add more salt if needed. Garnish with a dollop of butter and coriander leaves. • Toast pav bread with butter and a pinch of chilli powder. Sprinkle coriander leaves on the butter. Serve hot. Aloo chaat (3 servings) Ingredients • 3 potatoes • 1 onion • 1 tsp tamarind juice • 1 tsp tomato sauce • 1 tsp ginger garlic paste • 2 tbsp butter • 1 tsp chilli powder • ½ tsp jeera powder • 2 tbsp sev • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder • ½ cup peanuts • Salt to taste Preparation guide • Boil potatoes (but make sure they are not too soft). • Slice them into cubes. • Heat butter, and toss potato cubes together with salt, jeera, turmeric and chilli powder. • Stir fry until you get a golden brown, lightly crisp layer. • Fry onions separately with ginger garlic paste. Set aside 1 tbsp chopped onion. • Add this mix to potatoes, tamarind juice, tomato sauce and chopped onion. • Roast peanuts. • Garnish the aloo chaat with peanuts and sev and serve. Papdi chaat (4 servings) Ingredients • 12 papdis (buy baked ones if possible) • 2 potatoes • 1 large onion • ½ cup peanuts • 2 finely chopped tsp coriander leaves • 1 tsp green chutney • 1 tsp tomato sauce • ½ cup sev • 1 cucumber (optional) Preparation guide • Chop onion and tomatoes finely. Set aside. • Chop coriander leaves finely. • Boil potatoes, and cut into small cubes. • Roast peanuts. After they cool, crush them into large pieces. • Peel and cut cucumber into slices. • Arrange papdis on a platter. • Place potato cubes. • Mix chopped onions and tomatoes, together with green chutney and tomato sauce. Add crushed roasted peanuts. • Top with sev and chopped coriander, and serve with a few slices of cucumber.

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Kerala
Ladakh India's little Tibet

Seven day whistle-stop tour of Kerala

A desire to check out whether the God’s own country hype which attracted 15 million tourists last year is warranted, prompted a short investigative tour of the better northern half of the state Within a continent-sized nation which despite its rich heritage of ancient cultural monuments and natural attractions draws a mere 7.24 million foreign tourists annually (cf. China 30 million), the southern littoral state of Kerala — heavily promoted as ‘God’s own country’ — is a rare success story. Last year this modestly populated (34 million) state attracted a massive inflow of 15 million tourists including 4.47 lakh from abroad to savour its unique combination of beaches, backwaters, game sanctuaries, ayurveda, meditation and yoga. Though overseas, Kerala has projected itself as an exotic holiday destination offering sun, sand and ayurveda, in India the state has a dubious reputation as a bastion of communism, a thousand trade unions and nit-picking bureaucrats who have driven out the best human resources and capital from the state, creating an industrial wasteland. The desire to check out if the God’s own country hype — ironic for a state which has been ruled by communist governments for decades — is warranted, prompted an investigative, short holiday tour of north Kerala, reportedly the better half of the state. In the high-pressure scribe’s profession in which deadlines are omnipresent, lengthy holidays are impossible. Therefore I planned a tightly-packed six nights-seven day tour package (entirely self-financed) which would combine sight-seeing (to get a feel of the much-hyped Kerala experience) with rest and recreation. December 1 (Bengaluru-Cochin) The starting point of the tour was Cochin aka Kochi which can be conveniently accessed from Bengaluru by train. Indian Railways Ernakulam Inter City Superfast Express departing at 6 a.m. daily from Bengaluru (city and cantonment stations) offers a convenient and painless passage to Cochin arriving at 5 p.m. December 2 (Cochin-Allepey) Following a tepid breakfast in Cochin at the Avenue Regent (Best Western) Hotel, the seven-day tour of Kerala began with a two-hour drive to Allepey aka Allappuzha, a scenic backwater town (pop. 240,990) which is the most-preferred jump-off point for Kerala’s famous backwater cruises. Fully furbished houseboats can be hired on a day or night basis to cruise the tranquil backwaters of Alleppey. Though one could strike a bilateral deal with any of the several houseboat operators located on the main jetty, it’s best to book your houseboat beforehand through a travel agent who will bargain hard on your behalf. Around noon we boarded a fully equipped two-bedroom houseboat of Rainbow Cruises. Twenty-25 m long, meticulously crafted from huge jackwood planks without use of nails, the houseboats or kettvalloms offer open deck lounges, roomy bedrooms with attached baths and chemically treated toilets, fans/ air conditioning and a well-equipped kitchen. On board everything is eco-friendly starting from the solar powered energy system to coir decor and cane furniture. The courteous crew comprising the captain, chef and two skilled oarsmen are on service round the clock. It’s advisable to let the chef…

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Helping children cope with nightmares

My daughter (8) often wakes up in the night complaining of nightmares. We’ve tried consoling her, but she gets very distressed. How can we help her cope with recurring nightmares? —  Disha Patel, Ahmedabad Dreams are a natural component of sleep, and sometimes they can be unsettling. Addressing nightmares in children is critical to ensuring they have restful sleep and maintain overall emotional well-being. Here are some ways to ease her distress: Create a calming bedtime routine. Establish a consistent and calming bedtime routine. This can include activities such as reading a book, listening to soothing music, or practicing mind relaxation exercises. Address possible triggers. Pay attention to any potential triggers for the nightmares. It could be something she watched on television, read, or experienced during the day. Eliminate exposure to violent/horror content before bedtime. Encourage self-expression. Create an open and non-judgmental environment for your daughter to express her emotions. This reduces anxiety and prevents it from manifesting in her dreams. Empower with positive imagery. Encourage her to create a positive mental image when she feels scared. This can be a favourite memory or comforting thought she can revisit when distressed. Night light or comfort object. Provide a subdued night light or allow her to sleep with a comforting object, such as a stuffed animal or blanket. Limit screen time before bedtime. Reduce exposure to screens (TV, computer, mobile phones, etc) at least one to two hours before bedtime. Remember that every child is unique, and it may take some trial and error to find what works best for your daughter. If the problem persists, consult a counselor. Whenever my toddler encounters new foods, she refuses to eat them and throws tantrums. How can we encourage her to try new foods without causing mealtime stress? — Rohini Deshpande, Mumbai Try these strategies to make the introduction of new foods a positive and enjoyable experience for your toddler. Role modelling. Demonstrate a positive attitude towards trying new foods yourself. Children often imitate the behaviour of adults, and seeing you enjoy a variety of foods will encourage her to follow suit. Offer choices. Provide your child with food choices. This will give her a sense of control over her meal and will encourage her to try new foods and dishes. Food presentation. Present new dishes in creative and visually appealing ways. Use interesting shapes, colours, or arrange the fare in a playful manner on the plate. This will make the meal experience more engaging for her. Gradual introduction. Introduce new foods gradually, alongside familiar ones. This allows her to develop a taste for new flavors over time. Be patient and persistent. It may take several attempts before your toddler is willing to try a new dish. Be patient and avoid pressuring her. Maintain a positive and relaxed atmosphere during mealtimes. Celebrate small wins. Praise and celebrate small victories, even if it’s a tiny taste or willingness to explore new cuisine. Positive reinforcement is a strong motivator. Limit snacking. Limit snacks close to…

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Book cover

Ujjwal Chourasiya

Mansi Zaveri

Mansi Zaveri is Founder & CEO of kidsstoppress.com, a parenting and child care online platform with a digital reach of 10 million per month. She also hosts India’s first parenting original podcast on Jio Saavn. Her debut book, The Parents I Met, is an anthology of her conversations with parents of […]

parent child

3 things parents should teach their kids about AI

It is almost a year since ChatGPT burst onto the scene, fuelling great excitement as well as concern about what it might mean for education. The changes keep coming. Earlier in the year, MyAI was embedded into social media platform Snapchat. This is a chatbot powered by ChatGPT, which encourages teens to ask anything — from gift suggestions for friends to questions about homework. Meanwhile, Microsoft is rolling out ‘Copilot’ on its systems, billed as an “everyday AI companion”. This follows the introduction of ‘Bing Chat’, an AI-enhanced assistant to accompany the Bing search tool. All of a sudden, generative artificial intelligence — which can create new content such as text and images has become accessible to everyone, including children. We are researchers with a background in digital technology and are highly enthusiastic about the potential for AI. However, there are risks as well as benefits. Here are three things parents can keep in mind as they navigate AI technology with their kids. AI is here to stay Artificial intelligence itself is not new — chatbots and generative AI have been around since the 1960s. But over the past year there has been a rapid expansion in the size of AI databases, huge financial investments into these technologies, more innovative code, and enhanced accessibility and usability. Parents are naturally hesitant about AI. Many schools have considered banning some AI use, amid claims it would lead to cheating and undermine academic integrity. But AI is not going away, and will only become more widely used in our lives. The sooner young people learn to use this technology, the more informed they can be about how to use it wisely and productively. If you are a parent, it is important to learn about and try these technologies for yourself so you can help your child navigate a world with AI. Start by logging in to a free generative AI tool, and experiment together by asking the bot some questions and reflecting on the answers. 1. Be critical Generative AI can do amazing things — like generate images or write stories — but it does not reflect on what it’s writing. It will string text together in a way that makes sense but not “read between the lines”. Generative AI cannot evaluate the credibility of sources, nor can it always find authoritative information to back up claims. The generative AI software is also trained on data from a specific time so recent events may not be included. So children need to learn that although it looks similar to other writing, such as in a book or article, the text has been pieced together by computer code. This means every word, sentence and claim should be treated with scepticism. You can use this as an opportunity to help your children develop critical thinking skills. Go to a free AI art generator with your school-age child and put in some searches. Then ask your child questions such as, “What type of people are shown? What…

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2150886850

Spiralling demand for deep sea divers

With offshore oil exploration and production set to intensify, a huge demand for deep sea divers, who inspect, maintain and repair sub-sea installations, is on the cards The workplace is deep underwater; the hours long requiring hanging by an umbilical cord-like link which supplies life-giving oxygen, and a connection with the world above. That’s perhaps why deep or sub-sea divers are a small minority. It’s also why this vocation is offbeat, adventurous and financially rewarding. Broadly speaking, sub-sea divers are of two types — air divers and saturation divers — with both categories trained to inspect, maintain and repair undersea installations which suffer heavy corrosion due to sea-water salinity. The differentiator is that air divers dive up to 50 metres and lodge in cabins after their shifts. Saturation divers plunge to greater depths and remain in special saturation chambers for the entire operation. The biggest employer of sub-sea divers is the offshore oil and gas industry. As a training regime for deep sea office, every diver needs to acclimatise to the pressure he will be exposed to. Therefore, before a dive he is placed in a sealed saturation or ‘sat’ chamber aboard a ship in which the pressure is gradually increased to match the levels he will be diving to, a process which can take up to three days. Subsequently, the diver’s work begins underwater after he descends to the predetermined level in a diving bell. Saturation divers usually spend eight hours underwater per shift, before returning to the sat chamber to gradually decompress. STUDY PROGRAMMES. The basic education required of commercial air and sat divers is completion of secondary school (class X) with physics as a compulsory subject, and ability to speak and write in English. However, certification by IMCA (International Marine Contractors Association) is mandatory for those seeking employment in registered companies. Apart from the Indian Naval Diving School, Kochi which conducts IMCA approved air diving courses, there are no certified training institutes. Therefore, aspiring Indian divers are trained and certified by diving institutes in the UK, South Africa, France or Australia. The Underwater Training Centre, Scotland and Institut Nationale De Plongee, Marseilles, France are two of the most popular institutes for Indian divers. Opportunities for growth and advancement are good for qualified professional divers. The McKinsey Global Institute has projected a 2.2 percent annual increase in the demand for crude oil every year for at least another 20 years. With offshore oil production and exploration set to intensify, there will be a substantial hike in demand for inspection, maintenance and repair of sub-sea oil rigs and installations, necessitating a huge requirement for deep sea divers. PROFESSIONAL PROFILE. “Experience and qualifications govern the remuneration of deep sea divers. At entry level, divers earn between Rs.20,000-30,000 per month. With experience and further training for saturation divers, earnings rise substantially to Rs.250,000-300,000 per month plus saturation bonuses,” says Tapan Banik, chief operating officer and vice president (operations) of Dolphin Offshore Enterprises (India) Ltd, which provides offshore oil and gas companies…

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sick baby

12 ways to boost your child’s immune system

– Dr. Saurabh Khanna is a neonatologist and paediatrician with over 15 years’ experience, and lead consultant, Pediatrics and Neonatology, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram An oft-repeated complaint of parents is that their toddler tends to fall ill frequently. This could be because of exposure to ailing children in preschool or low immunity to viruses. Here are some ways parents can build and strengthen their child’s immune system. Minimise exposure to air pollution. In urban areas, rising air pollution is a big threat to children’s health and well-being. So, where possible, limit time spent in areas with heavy pollution and use air purifiers at home. Avoid second-hand smoke. Exposure to second-hand smoke can weaken a toddler’s immune system. Ensure that your home and surroundings are smoke-free to minimise this risk. Limit stress. You may be surprised but it’s true that mental stress negatively affects a toddler’s body immunity. Create a nurturing and supportive home environment to minimise stress levels. Breastfeeding. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends continuation of breastfeeding up to the age of two years. This provides vital antibodies and nutrients that bolster a child’s immune system. Good nutrition. A well-balanced diet plays a crucial role in strengthening children’s immunity. Ensure that the diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. This provides essential vitamins and minerals that support development of a strong immune system. Moreover avoid junk food and limit sugar intake. Regular exercise. Encourage active play and physical activity to boost immunity. Whether it’s playing in a park or participating in toddler-friendly sports, encouraging young children to keep physically active is important to developing good bodily immunity. Immunisation. Keep your child up-to-date on all recommended immunization. This is vital to protecting toddlers from serious infections and diseases prevalent in the local community. Sufficient sleep. Quality sleep is vital to building a strong immune system. Establish a bedtime routine and ensure that your child gets the recommended hours of sleep. Good hygiene habits. Teach children the importance of good hygiene, such as handwashing before meals, after playing outside, and after using the toilet. This reduces the likelihood of contracting infections. Probiotics and supplements. Consult with a pediatrician about the potential benefits of giving probiotics and vitamin supplements to your child. Probiotics support a healthy gut, which is linked to a strong immune system. Regular health check-ups. Schedule regular visits to a pediatrician to ensure consistent monitoring of your child’s overall health and development. This will ensure early detection and treatment of illnesses. Social interaction. While being cautious about exposure to ailing individuals, encourage positive social interactions with children. This builds resilience to common infections over time. By implementing these strategies, parents can boost their children’s immune system and reduce risk of common infections. However, remember that each child is unique, so it’s important to consult a healthcare professional for personalised guidance. Also read: Natural immunity boosting foods for children

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green

Creative parenting green activities to try together

Want to be a green household? Take time out from your daily routine and try these activities to bond as a family unit and create evergreen memories. Go for a walk in the garden or in your neighbourhood to find a tree you like. Let your child name the tree as you would name a pet, and adopt this tree. Observe it every day. Find out if it needs water and/ or fertiliser. Study the birds and squirrels housed in the tree. Discover their scientific names and gather other info. You’ll grow to love it. Choose some indoor plants for your child. Plants give out oxygen and are good for brain development. They also teach children nurturance, care and responsibility. With a magnifying glass, go to a garden and find insects and discuss their physical and other characteristics. Insects have unique, fascinating lifestyles that you can discover by reading about them on the internet. Go on a leaf hunt to discover the various shapes and colours of leaves. Encourage children to draw them in their scrapbooks. Help children collect pebbles and paint animal shapes on them. Make a collection of pebble animals. Also read: Five plants to purify indoor air

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News Bytes

Combine mindfulness with exercise for happier 2024 Lifestyle habits that focus on both physical and mental health are effective in lifting mood and improving overall well-being, says a study published in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity (December). Researchers of the University of Bath reviewed research studies to highlight that combining mindfulness practice with physical exercise has several psychological benefits. The study concludes that mindfulness improves the benefits of physical exercise by motivating people to overcome minor pain, discomfort and feelings of failure when exercising gets hard. Moreover mindfulness is highly effective for reducing worry, stress, anxiety, and helps people live healthier, happier lives. “Mindfulness is an approach that can help us ‘train up’ the psychological strengths we need to exercise and be more in tune with our bodies, as well as make exercising more interesting and help us recognise its benefits,” says Dr. Masha Remskar, study author and behavioural scientist at Bath University, who suggests using apps to practice guided mindfulness. Pet ownership slows decline in verbal memory and fluency “Pet ownership offsets the association between living alone and declining rates of verbal memory and verbal fluency,” says a study published in JAMA Network Open (December). The study conducted by researchers of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, observed 7,945 participants aged 50 years and above to determine the impact on their health of owning a pet. They found pet ownership was associated with slower rates of decline in verbal cognition, verbal memory and fluency in adults who lived alone without a pet. “Older adults living alone are at high risk of developing dementia. It is worth noting that compared with pet owners living with others, pet owners living alone did not show faster rates of decline in verbal memory or verbal fluency,” say the researchers. The researchers obtained data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), an ongoing, prospective, and nationally representative cohort of community-dwelling UK adults aged 50 or older. In wave five of the study, participants were asked, “Do you keep any household pets inside your house/flat?”. Information relating to cognitive function was obtained from subsequent waves of the study, with the researchers particularly examining verbal memory and fluency. Early breakfast and dinner cuts heart attack risk Delaying eating the first meal of the day is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, with a 6 percent increase in risk per hour of delay, says a study conducted by the French research institute INRAE — National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment On the subject of the last meal of the day, eating late (after 9 p.m) is associated with a 28 percent increase in risk of cerebrovascular disease such as stroke compared with eating before 8 p.m, particularly in women. The study published in Nature Communications (December) found that eating the first meal of the day at 8 a.m and dinner by 8 p.m reduces heart diseases. For the study, INRAE scientists used data from 103,389 participants to examine the association…

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Timely & useful advice Your Health and Nutrition column (PW December) ‘Protecting children from air pollution’ was timely and informative. With the onset of winter, children in major cities are being exposed to high levels of toxic air pollution which is causing respiratory infections and other health problems. Pulmonologist Dr. Ganesh Pratap’s preventive measures were very useful. With the government doing very little to control rising air pollution, the onus is on parents to ensure their children are protected from the adverse effects of inhaling toxic air. Diwakar Mike Bengaluru Lead by example Your cover story on digital addiction urging parents to practice what they preach (PW December) has hit the nail on its head. Children and teens are merely mimicking parents’ digital behaviour. To greater or lesser extent, parents are addicted to the Internet, digital gizmos and social media platforms, but choose to be in a state of denial. It’s time for parents to accept that their digital addiction is fuelling their children’s digital dependence and follow insightful advice featured in the cover story on ways and means to digitally detox and switch to a healthier lifestyle. If we aren’t able to control our screen time, how can we preach to our children? An ounce of example is better than pounds of preaching. On another note, I tried your Christmas cake recipe which turned out to be a big hit with my family. Mrinal Panda Bhubaneswar Off-beat careers Your Careers Watch story ‘Rising demand for art curators’ (PW December) was specially appreciated by my teenage son who is an art enthusiast. He has taken fine arts as an elective in class IX, and I believe a career as an art curator is worth exploring. There is little practical information available in the public domain and your essay was well-researched and informative. Looking forward to PW featuring more off-beat careers. It was also refreshing to read your Fun with Words feature on chiasmus and the very informative Early Childhood story which busted myths about milk and health drinks. Shireen Babu Hyderabad Greater parental duty Your cover story on parents digital addiction (PW December) made a good case for parents to reduce their digital dependence and set a good example for children. However I don’t believe you can compare the digital addiction of children and parents. For one, children’s physical and mental needs are different. Two, there is no pressing need for them to use digital gadgets for work. Three, adults have the maturity to make choices about what to watch and how much. True, they can go overboard, but they are expected to self-regulate. On the other hand, parents have a duty and responsibility to strictly monitor and regulate their children’s screen time. Therefore I believe that the greater duty of parents is to enable and empower their children to break free from digital addiction through a mix of strategies including strict monitoring, education, patience and understanding. Shreeja Shah Mumbai Focus on extra-curricular activities I enjoyed reading your Adolescence story…

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Summiya Yasmeen, talks about fitness, sleep, health

Letter from managing editor

To say that the world — India included — is facing an unprecedented environment destruction crisis is an understatement. Climate change, air pollution, deforestation, water and food insecurity, melting ice caps, rising sea levels and global warming are gradually despoiling the life supportive ecology of Planet Earth — and threatening the survival of humankind, and children in particular. At the recently concluded COP 28 United Nations (UN) climate meeting in Dubai, world leaders from 200 countries discussed these threats to life and happiness of homo sapiens and what governments can do to limit damage and repair for the future. However, we don’t need a global COP 28 Meeting to tell us about the severity of the environmental crisis. Last year (2023) was the hottest year on record with global temperature rising by 1.50C. In India, Delhi, the national capital, has been designated the most polluted city in the world by Swiss Group IQAir. Air pollution has risen to such dangerously high levels in Delhi that an increasing number of even relatively well-provided middle class children are reporting respiratory health problems which adversely affect brain development. According to a report of NITI Aayog — the Union government’s thinktank — 21 metro cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad are confronted with severe water shortages crisis due to overexploitation, pollution, and climate change, and are expected to run out of groundwater by 2025, i.e, next year. On all other parameters of environmental protection, India’s record and stats are similarly alarming. In our first cover story of 2024, we highlight what safeguards and steps need to be taken in the country’s 260 million households to reduce the impact of environment despoliation at the grassroots level. Parents have to implant new ideas about sustainable living and lifestyles in the minds of children from youngest age. Read our cover feature to learn about simple ways and means parents can motivate children of all ages to practice green and sustainable living and forsake environmentally damaging wasteful over-consumption which has brought Planet Earth to the brink of disaster. There’s much else in this issue. In our Early Childhood essay, neonatologist Dr. Saurabh Khanna shares 12 ways to build young children’s immune systems and in the Health section, pediatrician Dr. Himani Kashyap advises parents to teach children good eating habits such as mindful eating, choosing right mix of healthy foods and dining etiquette. Also check out the Special Essay highlighting three basics parents should teach children about ubiquitous Artificial Intelligence. Happy and healthy 2024!

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Heart to Heart

Heart to Heart

Hello Parents! For parents, the possibility of a school massacre, a bomb blast in the city and sexual abuse in schools is a nightmarish prospect. What we don’t often dwell upon is how insecure such incidents make our children. With television and newspapers headlining horrific incidents, their hyperactive imaginations can go into overdrive. The safety and security a child should experience in familiar places like the home, apartment complex, road or school can no longer be taken for granted. Young children whose imaginations can conjure monsters in the dark may now eye a new sports coach in the school with suspicion, wondering if he could be a dangerous person. A child can no longer freely adore every teacher, when child safety classes warn her to be careful with any man, even a known individual. The strange effort to balance warnings against the unknown with feelings of security is not easy. Teaching child safety and expecting a child to feel safe don’t always go together. In the new uncertain world, when streets and schools could transform into danger zones, parents need to be supportive and reassuring. Spend time with children to explain the initiatives you’ve taken to ensure their safety and security. In the midst of lurking dangers, calmly advising children about what to do in emergency situations is necessary to prepare them for all shocks and eventualities. Of course safety education is necessary and imperative. But at the same time it’s important to help our children feel safe and secure.

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Raising children to practice sustainable living

There’s a rising consensus among educators and green activists that it’s also important for families and households to adopt sustainable living practices to protect the next generation from the impending environmental disaster that’s looming ahead writes Kiran Balimane, Mini P. & Cynthia John At the COP28 Meeting — the 28th United Nations (UN) climate meeting — which recently concluded (December 12) in Dubai, world leaders (including Prime Minister Narendra Modi) representing 200 countries discussed the catastrophic impact of climate change on Planet Earth, how to mitigate it and prepare for the future. For the first time, all countries agreed on the need to “transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems”, reduce carbon emissions and approved a climate disaster “loss and damage fund” to aid vulnerable communities and developing nations most heavily hit by climate disasters. However, the ‘agreement’ doesn’t compel countries to take specified action and no timeline was set. The COP28 Meeting was held against the backdrop of scientists confirming that 2023 was the hottest year ever experienced by Planet Earth with average temperature rising by 1.5oC. There is rising panic around the world that Planet Earth is inexorably gravitating towards an unprecedented environmental crisis. Global warming, climate change, destruction of natural habitats of wildlife and plants, air and water pollution, rising sea water levels due to meltdown of polar ice caps, are slowly but surely destroying environments around the world and threatening humankind leaving children in particular, staring at a bleak future. India, that is Bharat with its large population heavily reliant on fossil fuels, and under-educated citizens is among the worst hit countries. According to a recent report of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), three Indian metros — Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata — are ranked among the world’s Top 10 most polluted cities. Another report of the NITI Aayog — the Union government’s thinktank — reveals that 21 metros including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad, are experiencing a severe water crisis due to overexploitation of ground water, pollution, and climate change, and are expected to run out of groundwater by 2025 which will directly hit 100 million citizens. A study of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) highlights that only 22 of 51 urban cities countrywide have functional solid waste management systems. Even as governments are doing their bit at the macro level to limit the impact of an environmental crisis threatening Planet Earth, there’s a rising consensus among educators and green activists that it’s also important for families and households to adopt sustainable living practices to protect children from the impending environmental disaster that’s looming ahead. “The global environmental crisis is real with climate change, dwindling natural resources and toxic air pollution casting a dark and deep shadow over the future of our children. In the circumstances, it’s the duty of all parents to start actively contributing towards limiting environmental damage by adopting sustainable living practices. Sustainable living is way past being a fashionable trend, it’s become a necessity. Parents need to educate…

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