PW invites parents of Gems International School, Palam Vihar, Gurgaon to share ideas to make summer holidays meaningful for families “I believe this summer is the perfect time for my nine-year-old twins Ahaan and Sparsh, to pick up a skill or two which could go a long way in enriching their lives. Therefore we have enrolled them in a music school to learn the nuances of playing the piano. We also intend to engage them in the kitchen to learn to prepare breakfast as I feel it is a critical life skill for every child regardless of gender to value and acknowledge the time and effort that goes into preparing a meal. Visiting historical sites, long drives, picnics and last but not the least, a visit to their grandparents are also on the agenda.” — Anita Patnaik, homemaker “Summer holidays are the best time for children to bond with family. Given that all of us — adults included — spend a substantial chunk of our time on digital devices, I am planning a technology-free vacation for my son Bir Kunwar Singh (class II) and daughter Prabhgun Kaur (class VI) in the lap of nature. I believe the simplest things like talking to each other, playing indoor games and engaging in outdoor adventure sports will make our bonds stronger and better while teaching us useful life lessons.” — Sukhmeet Kaur, senior technical writer, Ciena India “Summer vacations are about doing things together as a family. Whether it’s playing indoor board or card games together or teaching my son Agamdeep Singh (class II) and Apardeep (kindergarten) to play rustic outdoor games that I remember playing in my childhood, or even reading books together. All these are joyful activities best enjoyed during a holiday break. Of course a getaway holiday to the seaside or the hills has its own thrills as well.” — Ramanpreet Kaur, primary teacher, Gems International School “To begin with, I plan to introduce a health regimen by going on an early morning jog with my daughter Ira (class VI). After that we’ll chat about her interests and plan her day’s activities. I also plan to visit a nearby nursery with her so she can be inspired to go green and plant saplings in the neighbourhood and take up small-time gardening project at home. Additionally, we plan to travel to our native Madhya Pradesh to give Ira a glimpse of rural life as well as visit places of historical importance.” — Ashroopal Gupta, asst manager, Target Australia India sourcing office
PW invited parents of Excellere World School, Gurgaon to share their insights on how they ensure their children experience a stress-free exam season “My mantra is very clear. When the academic term begins for my children — Yash Vardhan (class III) and Harsh (class VI) — I advise them to maintain a home-work routine from day one followed by an hour of self-study and revision. Weekends are for question hour and mock tests. This way, their academics are up to date with minimal stress during the exam season. Plus I always remember to have normal conversations with them and remain mindful to leave out the word ‘exam’.” — Ajay Vir Yadav, project head, Bharti Infratel Ltd “It’s important to treat children as God’s gifts for nurturing in a loving environment. They are not pressure cookers for our desired recipes. On exam days especially, it’s early to bed and early to rise for my 11-year-old son Arnav (class VI) and eight-year-old daughter Avni (class III) so they can join me for a brisk morning walk followed by some yoga. Trust me, it works wonders! On weekends between exams, apart from cooking their favourite meals, we encourage them to watch TV and cycle during breaks from exam preparation.” — Monu Chauhan, plant head, Antech Engineers “I believe the key to a relaxed exam season is adequate sleep, healthy and regular meals and some recreation. Monitoring the academic progress of my children — 14-year-old Naman (class VII), nine-year-old Mayank (class IV) and five-year-old Harshita (UKG ) — on a daily basis without micromanaging, makes it easy for me and my wife to plan our time with them and advise them accordingly. Since we are aware of our children’s strengths and weaknesses, we only have realistic expectations from them.” — Sandeep Kumar, bank professional, HDFC “Exams are inevitable and an integral part of students’ lives. Our children look up to us for inspiration. Therefore, it’s our duty to help them overcome the stress that comes with exams. I have made it a practice not to compare my children — Tanya (class VII) and Divyanshu (class IV) — with their peers. Instead, I appreciate their strengths while convincing them to work on their weaknesses. I help both my children to plan exam preparation well in advance and work out a stress management plan as well.” — Vijender Singh, hospital administrator, SGT University
Refreshingly the great education that Egypt’s ancient civilisation offers to students of history, archaeology, museology, architecture, art, engineering, medicine, etc is accessible at Indian prices In 400 BCE the greek historian Herodotus wrote of Egypt that “nowhere in the world are to be seen so many things of unspeakable greatness”. This observation is as true today as it was then. The legendary Nile, the Pyramids and the Great Sphinx, ancient Luxor, Karnak, Abu Simbel, Mt. Sinai, Egypt’s rich historic legacy stretches back 6,000 years. The land of the Pharaohs continues to attract fascinated tourists from around the world, especially when winter breezes start blowing across the desert sands beyond the Nile delta. In 2019, 13 million people visited this north African country, the site of one of the world’s oldest and greatest civilisations. The Indo-Egyptian connection is as ancient as it is durable. Post-independence this connection was strengthened when India, Egypt and Yugoslavia authored the non-aligned movement (NAM) of newly independent nations which pledged to remain equidistant from the US and the Soviet Union during the Cold War decades (1945-85). Moreover, the India-Egyptian bond has been renewed in recent years by cable television which makes Indian serials and movies easily accessible to Egyptians who love them. Unsurprisingly, following liberalisation of the Indian economy and easy availability of foreign exchange, the number of Indian tourists visiting Egypt has risen from 60,000 in 2014 to 126,000 in 2018. Refreshingly the great education that Egypt’s ancient civilisation offers to students of history, archaeology, museology, architecture, art, engineering, medicine is accessible at Indian prices. Hotels, taxis and food are reasonably priced and Indian style bargaining is de rigueur. Excellent package tours are offered by travel agencies including SOTC and Cox & Kings. Currently ten-day package tours are priced at a reasonable Rs.100,000-110,000 including air fare and a three-day Nile Cruise. For those who avoid group package tours, flexible customised tours with transport and guide are available. Alternatively tourists can do their own thing, get the cheapest airline and hotel deals through the Internet and backpack their way through this friendly, pro-India country. Cairo Cairo (pop. 20 million) is Africa’s most populous city and the base point for all excursions into Egypt. An all-out assault on the senses, Cairo, the admin capital of Egypt, is very much like Mumbai’s “functioning anarchy” with snarled traffic and overcrowded streets, seething with people. But it also houses the treasures of Tutankhamen, the citadel and the Khan-El-Khalili bazaar. And from its excellent hotels, the Great Pyramids of Giza on the edge of the Sahara Desert are just an hour’s drive. Excursions ex Cairo Great Pyramid of Giza. One of the universally acknowledged wonders of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid of Cheops at Giza made with two million stone blocks, stands 455 ft tall. The Sphinx, together with the Great Pyramids of the three Pharaohs — Cheops, Chephren and Micernius — are sited here. The smallest of them, Micernius, barely 66 metres tall, has three small satellite pyramids of…
Slips-of-tongue are speech errors in which words are pronounced incorrectly or uttered unintentionally – Roopa Banerjee Uttering accidental words when you intend to say something else is commonly referred to as a slip of the tongue. Slips-of-tongue are speech errors in which words are pronounced incorrectly or uttered unintentionally. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), the founder of psychoanalysis, believed that such slip-ups were truths embedded in the subconscious mind finding release through normal conversation. He posited that what people said but didn’t mean to say are repressed thoughts that weren’t meant to be disclosed. This resulted in many slips of the tongue being called Freudian slips or parapraxes (faulty action). But Freud’s hypothesis explains only a minority of speech errors and is somewhat out-dated. Latest research by cognitive scientist Gary Dell, professor of linguistics and psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana, contends that slips of tongue are revealing of an individual’s capacity to use language and its components. There are three types of slips of tongue: sound, morpheme and word errors. Sound errors occur when word sounds get swapped. Thus, instead of saying flower pot, one may say power flot. This is also known as a spoonerism. A morpheme error is when morphemes (smallest meaningful units in language) swap with neighbouring words. For example, instead of saying ‘He has already packed two trunks,’ one may end up saying, ‘He has already packs two trunked.’ In word errors actual words get rearranged. For example, ‘I must let the cat out of the house’ may become ‘I must let the house out of the cat.’ There are also some additional ways of categorising these errors. Anticipation error is when an alphabet in a later word is replaced by another. This would cause ‘reading list’ to be said as ‘leading list.’ Anticipation errors are the most common phonological slips. A perseveration error is when a later word is mixed up with an earlier. For example, one might say ‘box blackses’ instead of ‘black boxes.’ Deletion error is when some linguistic material is left out. Like ‘unanimity of opinion’ becoming ‘unamity of opinion.’ Exchange errors are double shifts where two linguistic units change places. Here, ‘getting your nose remodeled’ becomes ‘getting your model renosed,’ and a metathesis error is when two sounds are switched, each taking the place of the other, where ‘pus pocket’ will become ‘pos pucket.’ Omission errors are one of the most common errors of speech — an entire word is replaced while speaking fast or under stress. Many politicians are prone to this speech gaffe. Some famous political slips of tongue have gone down in history as hilarious faux pas. In 1988, US President Ronald Reagan, while trying to quote American statesman John Adams who had said, “Facts are stubborn things,” instead said, “Facts are stupid things.” Interestingly, we are more likely to create an existing word (leading), rather than a made-up word (wabbit) when we make slip of tongue errors. Also, we are less likely to invent a word with…
Back pain is one of the most common health complaints of people with an estimated 540 million people worldwide reporting low back pain. Adults bound to desk jobs 9-5 slouching over computers or driving long distances on two-wheelers are more susceptible to back pain. The key to prevention as with most lifestyle aches and pains is regular physical exercise. While pain killers and physiotherapy provide temporary relief, the long-term solution is to incorporate regular exercises which build back strength, tighten the glutes (group of three muscles which make up the buttocks), and improve flexibility into your daily routine. Here are three simple yet effective exercises to prevent and fight back pain. Core strength 1. Lie flat on your back. 2. Lift your legs, and fold them towards your chest. 3. Release slowly until your legs touch the ground. 4. Raise your legs again and repeat. 5. Start with 10 reps and gradually increase to 20 6. Do three sets of 10-20 reps everyday. Benefit: Builds lower back core strength. Glute-tightening lifts 1. Lie on your back. 2. Bend knees until they are perpendicular to the ground. 3. Lift your hips off the floor and get into a position where your body forms a triangle. 4. Hold for 20 seconds. 5. Gradually increase to 30 seconds. 6. Do three sets of 20-30 seconds. Benefit: It tightens your glutes, which support your back. Stretch 1. Sit with your legs stretched forward. Or sit in a chair. 2. Bend forward and try to touch your knees with your chin. 3. Hold for 20 seconds. 4. Repeat five times. Gradually increase to 10 reps. Cobra stretch 1. Lie on your stomach. 2. Place your palms flat on the floor beside your chest, and lift your upper back. 3. Try to stretch your back as much as possible. 4. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat five times. Benefit: Doing this stretching exercise 4-5 days a week will improve back muscle, glute and core strength. (Monojit Ghosh is a former national level gymnast and fitness trainer/coach at Art Corner Gymnastics, Bangalore)
Here are four easy-to-make and store protein and vitamin-packed nuggets that will delight children – Parvathy Menon Spinach cheese balls (12-15 servings) Ingredients 500 gm spinach 2 cups bread crumbs 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese ½ cup melted butter 4 finely chopped onions 4 eggs, beaten lightly Salt and pepper Preparation guide Preheat oven to 180°C. Mix chopped spinach, bread crumbs, cheese, butter, onion, eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl. Shape the mixture into 1 inch round balls. Arrange the balls in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly brown. You could substitute the spinach with broccoli. Health tip: Cheese is rich in protein and spinach in vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and folate. Date balls Millet balls Sausage chicken balls
(24 servings) Ingredients ¾ cup fresh breadcrumbs ¼ cup low-fat milk 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese ¼ cup finely chopped parsley 2 large grated garlic & cloves ½ tsp ground pepper 75 gm chicken sausage, casing removed 300 gm minced chicken Preparation guide Mix breadcrumbs and milk in a medium bowl; set aside for 10 minutes. Add egg, cheese, parsley, garlic and pepper into the breadcrumb mixture. Cut sausages into small pieces. Add sausages and chicken to the breadcrumb mix. Shape the mixture into meatballs. Arrange the meatballs on a baking sheet. Broil for 9 to 10 minutes. Broiling uses dry heat to cook. Health tip: The balls are rich in protein, and provide sports playing children quick energy.
(25 servings) Ingredients 210 gm (1 cup) of any millet, such as ragi 2 tbsp sugar 500 ml (2 cups) apple juice 100 gm (½ cup) sesame seeds 100 gm (½ cup) pumpkin seeds 100 gm (¾ cup) chopped dried apricots 30 gm puffed rice 20 gm coconut flour 80 ml (N cup) lime juice 60 ml (¼ cup) honey 2 tbsp cocoa powder 100 gm icing sugar Preparation guide Preheat oven to 180°C. Add washed millet, sugar and apple juice in a saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes until tender. Cool the mixture for 15-20 minutes and then refrigerate until cold. Roast the sesame and pumpkin seeds on a pan, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until just golden. Cool and grind to a fine powder. Mix in a large bowl the apricots, puffed rice, ground seeds, cooled millet, coconut flour and lime juice. Heat the honey in a small saucepan, and pour the hot syrup over the apricot mixture and mix. Using wet hands, blend the mix, and set aside for a few minutes. To make the dusting, mix the icing sugar and cocoa powder in a shallow bowl. Then shape the mix into rounds about the size of golf balls. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Health tip: Apricots promote gut health. Millets are rich in minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium and also in essential vitamins such as folate.
(20 servings) Ingredients 1 cup peanut butter 3-5 pitted dates (add more if you have a sweet tooth) ¼ cup seeds (pumpkin etc) ¼ cup chia seeds 3-4 tbsp oats Preparation guide Blend peanut butter, pitted dates, seeds, and oats in a food processor until a cookie dough-like texture forms. If too crumbly or dry, add a little peanut butter. Roll into balls. Place balls in the freezer or refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes. Serve chilled Health tip: Seeds are rich in protein and fibre. Dates contain antioxidants and choline, which boost memory and concentration. Dates help maintain bone mass and are a nutrient-rich source of sugar.
The gut i.e, gastrointestinal/digestive tract, plays an essential role in sustaining, protecting and boosting the overall health and wellness of every human being. A healthy gut builds a strong immune system, healthy heart and brain, ensures effective digestion, good sleep and alleviates depression For years in biology class, school children learnt that there are 11 organ systems in the body — the integumentary (skin), muscular, skeletal, nervous, circulatory, lymphatic, respiratory, endocrine, urinary, reproductive and digestive. Recently, two more important organ systems have been added which focus on the fat around the internal organs (intra-abdominal obesity) and the micro flora (bacteria, viruses, fungi) living in the alimentary canal (commonly ‘gut’). The gastrointestinal system, aka gastrointestinal tract, digestive system, digestive tract and gut, comprises a group of organs including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, small intestine, colon, and rectum. Gut health is essential for sustaining, protecting and ensuring the overall well-being and wellness of the human body. It is vital for building a strong immune system, healthy heart and brain, effective digestion, refreshing sleep and alleviating depression. The small intestine of an adult human being is not small at all. It is about 6 metres or 20 ft long and the large intestine 1.5 metres or 5 ft in length. This means there is plenty of room in them for microorganisms to grow. It is also open at both ends so access is easy. That is why there are 200-300 different types of bacteria living in all intestines. To this in-gut population, add numerous viruses and fungi. Every individual’s alimentary canal is colonised with these organisms while she is a foetus in her mother’s uterus. After birth, the growth of these organisms is facilitated by the distinctive composition of mother’s breast milk. These organisms feed on milk and release amino acids, antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory chemicals. This is how breast milk protects newborns against gastrointestinal and viral infections. Infants born by caesarean operation are delivered in a artificial sterile environment. Therefore the process of colonisation of caesarian babies’ guts is slower. The diversity of the microflora is less and catches up with children born by vaginal delivery after the age of two. If children are fed formula-milk and there is little or no breast milk intake, newborns take even longer to develop gut diversity. Likewise prematurely delivered infants have smaller, immature intestines, which are colonised slowly. Moreover they are less likely to be exclusively breastfed. This contributes to lower immunity and higher morbidity in preterm infants. Inevitably organisms in the stomach of infants come into contact with the food consumed by them. The amount they ingest, the amino acids released and waste produced, contribute to their overall health. They can make digestion and absorption more efficient. That is why even when two differing individuals eat the same type and amount of food and expend the same amount of energy, one may be obese and the other lean. Your gut is unique Each person’s fingerprint is unique. In the same way, each…
Psychologists the world over are warning that chronic parental stress can lead to burnout with disastrous consequences for children – Jayalakshmi Vaidyanathan & Mini P. “Parental stress is a distinct type of stress that arises when a parent’s perception of the demands of parenting outstrip his or her resources.” — Carina Coulacoglou & Donald H. Saklofske (Psychometrics and Psychological Assessment, 2017) Most parents are unaware that high stress they experience juggling household chores, child rearing duties, children’s school and co-curricular activities schedules, the workplace, friends and family daily, is now a classified mental health condition. Psychologists the world over are warning that chronic parental stress can lead to burnout with disastrous consequences for children. In the new era of all-pervasive social media, the pressure millennial parents experience to live up to media glorification of super-parents has intensified. A 2018 survey of 2,000 parents by the well-known Michigan-based breakfast food/cereals multinational Kellogg Company, found that parents clock the equivalent of a full day’s work (ten hours) per week getting their children ready for school. The total number of routine tasks a parent performs every morning adds up to 43, including supervising children’s morning wash and getting them ready for school, packing the school lunch, commuting and even uttering the words “hurry up” more than 500 times per year. Rakhi Vashist, a Bangalore-based fashion industry professional and mother of a 15-year-old, is conscious of the price of multi-tasking which is draining her and adversely affecting her physical well-being and workplace productivity. “I am becoming increasingly aware of the toll extracted by never-ending parenting duties and its impact on my professional work. Now with my son writing the class X boards, I am experiencing greater than ever pressure of being the ideal, supportive mother. The onus that he prepares and performs well in the boards is as much on me as on him. This is a time of high stress and fatigue,” says Vashist. According to a 2017 study published in Frontiers in Psychology, 2-12 percent of parents suffer parental burnout, defined as a “unique and context-specific syndrome resulting from enduring exposure to chronic parenting stress”. The study differentiates parenting stress from depression which affects every facet of an individual’s persona. Parental burnout adversely affects parenting duties execution capabilities. Typical symptoms include exhaustion, fatigue, exasperation and emotional distancing from children. In particular, within India’s stubbornly patriarchal society where child rearing continues to exclusively remain “women’s work”, mothers are expected to be primary care-givers tasked with nappy-changing, school drops, laundry, and cooking. They are obliged to assume the lead role in nurturing children through early childhood, adolescence into adulthood. Unsurprisingly, maternal stress is ubiquitous and visible. Dr. Satish Ramaiah, consultant neuro-psychiatrist and sleep disorders specialist at the People Tree Hospitals, Bangalore, opines that in latter-day nuclear households with gadget-dependent children, parenting stress has aggravated. “The breakdown of the joint family and multiplication of nuclear households with both parents work ing has intensified parenting pressure on women who are finding it increasingly difficult to balance parenting and…
Against the backdrop of a fast developing transnational ITES gaming industry, there’s no dearth of career opportunities as India establishes a reputation as the next gaming hub A by-product of the booming IT, ITES (information technology enabled services) and the BPO (business process outsourcing) businesses, the gaming phenomenon, born out of the leisure pursuits of IT geeks, has become a major global industry in its own right. Not only in the US and Japan, but also in slow-coach India where only 41 percent of the country’s population has Internet connectivity. A rising star of India’s entertainment sector, the annual revenue of the country’s nascent gaming industry is estimated at $890 million (Rs.6,675 crore). According to the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), the sales revenue of Indian gaming companies is expected to rise to $1.1 billion (Rs.8,250 crore) by 2020. The global gaming industry is expected to reach $196 billion (Rs.14.7 lakh crore) in annual revenues by 2022. Currently, specialist divisions and subsidiaries of IT megaliths as well as garage start-ups are inventing console video, desktop, online, mobile and wireless games at bewildering speed. In particular, the online gaming market which allows contestants separated by vast oceans to play mind games and match skills, is set to experience boom conditions as access and broadband connectivity rates improve significantly. Against this backdrop of a fast-developing transnational gaming industry, there’s no dearth of career options as India’s reputation as the next gaming hub is growing by leaps and bounds. The process of digital games development generally involves three stages — the creative process (conceptualisation and visualisation), production (graphics, animation, and programming), and finally, testing on a multiplicity of platforms and media (video, desktop, mobile etc). Designations in this sunrise industry range from lead artist, preproduction concept artist, modeller, texture artist, lighting environment artist, creative writer and FX artist, game coder, level designer, technologist/programmer. Graduates from the engineering, fine arts, science, and commerce streams, are best qualified for this industry. For programming and game design, IT, engineering, and science graduates are generally preferred. In the graphics and concepts divisions, a fine arts background is a prerequisite. For porting and testing (the final stage of game development), individuals with engineering/technical backgrounds are most suitable. For sales and marketing, an MBA or any other degree will do, as long as you are passionate about online gaming. The best institutes offering study and preparation programmes in this field are: Sir JJ Institute of Applied Art, Mumbai, which offers a bachelor’s in fine and applied arts (BFA) with specialisation in visualisation National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, offers a graduate diploma programme in design with specialisation in communication design and postgrad diploma programmes in graphic design, new media design and animation film design The arts faculty of MS University of Baroda, offers a postgrad degree and diploma in graphic arts Academy of Animation and Gaming (AAG), with branches in Noida, Delhi, Bhopal and Lucknow, offers bachelor’s, postgraduate and several short-term diploma courses…
Have you experienced how the stress and strains of a hard school/work day melt away when you listen to your favourite musical tracks? Listening to music has a calm and soothing effect on the body, slows down heart and pulse rate, and lowers blood pressure and stress hormone levels. While hearing music has palliative effects, encouraging children to learn to play a musical instrument not only reduces stress but enables their cognitive development. Cognitive Development In multiple studies conducted, and reports published around the world, it’s been clearly established that music education greatly aids the cognitive development of children. Children who learn music have higher IQs because music engages the left and right brain simultaneously. A study conducted jointly by the University of Wisconsin and University of California at Irvine in 1997 indicates that three-four-year-olds with eight months of music instruction, including singing and keyboard lessons, averaged 43 percent more in IQ tests than children who weren’t signed up for music lessons. Similarly, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study reveals that the cerebral cortex of concert pianists is 30 percent larger than of acknowledged intellectuals without music education. Likewise, a research study conducted by Susan Hallam in 2010 at the Institute of Education, University of London, concluded that students with formal music education tend to record higher academic scores in primary, middle and high school years. Anxiety Reduction Playing a musical instrument or singing a tune or even mere listening to music helps to reduce anxiety and depression in children and adults. A 2019 research study conducted by Florida National University found that students who studied while listening to ambient music reported reduction in stress and anxiety and improved concentration and brain function. Some common types of ambient music include orchestra and recorded sounds of waterfalls, birds, rain. Improved Concentration Numerous research studies have highlighted that violinists, saxophonists, keyboardists and other instrumentalists tend to have better concentration skills and and tend to be less aggressive, depressed and more equable than non-musicians. Music focus primes and prepares the human brain for heightened emotional arousal and concentration. Moreover playing a musical instrument triggers the release of dopamine — the ‘happy’ hormone which also controls body movement, memory, and focus. “Music probably does something unique,” says neuropsychologist Catherine Loveday of the University of Westminster. “It stimulates the brain in a very powerful way because of our emotional connection with it.” Music learning changes brain structure and function for good. Unlike any other brain stimulating puzzle or game, playing a musical instrument improves coordination and integration of the visual and tactical senses and motor movements. “Music reaches parts of the brain that other things can’t. It is a strong cognitive stimulus that grows the brain in a way that nothing else does, and enhances things like working memory and language skills,” adds Loveday. Instils Discipline Dedicated learning and practice of music instils discipline and simultaneously develops children’s motor skills and hand-eye coordination. I strong recommend you enroll your child in a music class in…
My 14-year-old son gets sweaty palms before an exam. The condition became so intense before a recent exam that he soaked through ten tissue papers. How can I help him? — Riyanna Kapoor, Mumbai Medically, the condition of excessively sweaty palms is known as palmar hyperhidrosis. It can be caused by emotional stress and/or the body trying to control its temperature (thermoregulation). When excited, scared, or nervous, a specific type of sweat gland from our fight or flight (sympathetic) nervous system is stimulated. The stress your son experiences before an exam makes him sweat profusely. Here are some useful tips to alleviate this condition: • Make sure he has a well-balanced diet. This is vital for your child’s good health during the exams period. • Ensure he gets adequate sleep. A good night’s rest improves thinking and concentration. Adolescents need an average eight-ten hours of sleep every night. • Be flexible during exams. When he is studying and revising lessons, don’t fuss about undone chores such as untidy bedrooms and wardrobes. • Reassure your son. Let him know that you love him unconditionally, regardless of his exam scores. Remind him that it’s normal to feel anxious before an exam. • Listen to your son, support him and avoid criticism. Let him know that failure is not the end of the world and exams can be written again. • Encourage him to drink plenty of water throughout the day and remain hydrated. • On exam day, wash hands in cold water, avoiding soap, as it dries skin and induces sweat. • Give him a cotton handkerchief to wipe his hands when he feels sweaty during the day. My 15-year-old daughter who is at home for the study holidays to prepare for her class X board exams, has suddenly put on considerable weight. Now she is embarrassed about her weight. Please advise. — Sreepa Nair, Kozhikode Pre-pubertal weight gain and pudgy physical appearance is part and parcel of adolescent development. It’s not unusual for teenage girls to put on up to 7 kg during puberty. Boys could more than double that weight during puberty. However, your daughter’s sudden weight gain could be linked to a sedentary lifestyle during the study holidays. Therefore… • Encourage her to exercise — take a 20-minute walk, jog or run. • Appreciate her special attributes and build up her self-esteem. • Discuss the benefits of healthy eating, drinking adequate water and physical exercise. • Encourage her to maintain a food diary to record diet changes. • Exams are stressful so help her relax and unwind in ways that don’t involve bingeing — such as listening to music and playing sports and games. My three-year-old son hates preschool. I feel guilty about leaving a crying child in playschool. Please advise. — Vineeta Kumar, Bangalore Your child’s anxiety is the perfectly normal reaction of preschoolers as they have absolutely no idea what to expect in a new environment outside of home. Please… • Focus on telling him about the…
Spatial intelligence is capability to visualise three-dimensional images, shapes and positions of an object in relation to another object and is vital for developing mathematical thinking and conceptual understanding – Dipta Joshi Spatial intelligence or visual-spatial processing may sound unfamiliar and highfalutin. But the truth is that you are using this intelligence in everyday activities. Think of the times you visualised how to pack differing items into a suitcase. Or how you know which Russian Matryoshka wooden doll fits into another. Spatial intelligence is capability to visualise three-dimensional images, shapes and positions of an object in relation to another object. The development of children’s visual-spatial intelligence gained traction in the 1980s after Dr. Howard Gardner, celebrated professor of education at Harvard University, in his book Frames of Mind — The Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983), propounded that all humans have one or more of eight different intelligences — visual-spatial, logical-mathematical, linguistic-verbal, bodily-kinaesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic. According to Gardner, individuals with high visual-spatial intelligence are adept at solving puzzles, reading, drawing, painting, reading maps and are better at science and maths as they have the capability to generate sharp mental images. This facilitates calculation, measurement and pattern recognition which is important for excellence in geometry, chemistry and physics. “The right side of the brain controls spatial tasks and ability to comprehend three-dimensional shapes and images. Research has shown that spatial intelligence is critical to the development of mathematical thinking, conceptual understanding, and enables success in careers such as medical surgery, architecture, engineering, professional sports and art. Educators are becoming increasingly aware of the vital connection between spatial intelligence and high academic performance,” says Suzanne Perkowsky, co-founder and head of education, New Nordic School, a Finland-based education solutions company. Though children with higher visual-spatial intelligence are likely to excel in architecture, art or engineering, it’s pertinent to note this intelligence is required even if to a lesser degree, in all careers and to perform everyday tasks. Therefore, it’s important to encourage children to develop this intelligence from young age. A University of Chicago research study titled ‘Relation Between Spatial Skill and Early Numbers Knowledge’, published in Development Psychology (2012) found that exposing children between the ages of five and six to spatial learning activities accelerated their understanding of maths concepts and abstract reasoning. “Spatial reasoning skills can be developed in several ways and are especially important for success and innovation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) careers. Teachers and parents should introduce children to activities such as solving puzzles, using maps, visual aids, and drawing from early age to improve their spatial intelligence. Simple tasks such as asking three-five-year-old preschoolers to copy shapes from a blackboard on paper, helps them develop their spatial and fine motor skills. The development of this intelligence will help them in any career they choose,” says Dr. Akhil Shahani, the Mumbai-based chairman of Global Discovery Schools, a chain of 14 institutions across India. While introducing spatial tasks in early childhood education is important, child development experts believe…
A new-born’s first cry is joy to a parent’s ears as it shows first signs of life. But as you progress into parenthood, incessant crying by infants can cause stress, anxiety and feeling of helplessness. It’s important to understand that for a toddler — yet to develop language skills — crying is the strongest and most effective way of communicating her needs as well as discomfort and distress. Here are 5 most likely reasons why your infant may be crying out loud. Stomach pain. Infants often swallow air while feeding, which causes flatulence aka abdominal gas. They could also be allergic to a new food or suffer constipation. Usually babies communicate pain through facial expressions and kick their hands and legs vigorously. To relieve gas, lift her legs and move them back and forth, with knees bent. Burping the baby after every feed also helps. Hunger. Infants sometimes cry out for a feed even when you think they have already had their fill. In such cases breastfeed again. Also little tots experience high growth spurts and may need to consume more food than usual. Fatigue. A long day of travel or play can make infants tired and sleepy. Loud music and dramatic visuals can also disturb infants. Switch off the television, turn down lights, give your baby a warm bath and massage, and let her unwind and sleep well. Dirty diapers. Infants are often uncomfortable because of diaper rash or wet and dirty diapers. Check and change diapers as often as needed. However give your tiny tot some diaper-free time, to let the skin breathe. Use corn flour instead of talcum powder to keep her dry. Weather woes. That refreshing breeze of a ceiling fan could be too much for a new-born while an over-dressed infant could sweat profusely. Infants are more sensitive to temperature than adults. During winter, use layers of clothing but be sensitive to the changing temperature and remove one or two layers if needed. Teething. If your child is being fussy and crying without reason, teething troubles is a likely reason. Freeze a wet towel (soaked in drinking water) and allow them to suckle it to ease the discomfort. Also wash your hands in boiled, cooled water, and massage their gums to provide quick relief. If none of these reasons explain incessant bawling, find ways to distract her attention by playing with her. She could be bored or want a change of scene. Taking a walk can also help her settle down. Observe your infant’s reactions closely and you are likely to understand her demands better. The body language of infants reveals symptoms of distress. For instance, some children indicate distress by touching a body part that feels itchy or sweaty. Comforting weepy infants can be overwhelming for new mothers. Allow your spouse, parents and others to soothe a crying baby. A change of hands can help your baby focus on someone new and give you a much-needed break as well. Parvathy Menon
Eating is a more enjoyable experience when high self-control individuals eat with their hands, compared to use of cutlery, according to a study published in the Journal of Retailing (February). Direct touch triggers an enhanced sensory response, making food more appetising and appealing, says Adriana Madzharov, lead researcher of the Stevens Institute of Technology, USA. For the study, researchers asked 45 undergraduate students to examine a cube of Muenster cheese, hold it before eating, and then answer questions about the experience. Half the people in the study ate cheese with an appetizer pick, while the other half ate it by hand. People who are more aware and controlled their food intake reported that the cheese was tastier if eaten by hand. “Our results suggest that for people who regularly control their food consumption, direct touch triggers an enhanced sensory response, making it more desirable and appealing,” says Madzharov.
Vitamin D deficiency in early to mid-pregnancy increases the risk of children developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by 34 percent, reveals a Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (February) study. Researchers of the University of Turku, Finland surveyed 1,067 children born between 1998 and 1999 in Finland diagnosed with ADHD. “Our research offers strong evidence that low level of vitamin D during pregnancy is related to attention deficiency in offspring. As ADHD is very common in children, the research results have a great significance for public health,” says Dr. Andre Sourander, professor of child psychiatry at the University of Turku. The study data was published before the government’s recommendation for intake of 10 micrograms of vitamin D per day during pregnancy.
To improve classroom environments, teachers should focus on praising children for positive behaviour, rather than telling them off for being disruptive, according to a study published in Educational Psychology (January). Brigham Young University, Utah researchers spent three years observing 2,536 students, across three US states, from kindergarten through to class VI (5-12 years). They found that children focused up to 20-30 percent more on tasks when teachers praised rather than reprimanded them. In short, the more teachers praised and the less they scolded, the greater the attention students paid to teachers and assigned classroom tasks. “Everyone values being praised and recognised for endeavour — it hugely stimulates children’s self-esteem and confidence. Also from a behavioural perspective, behaviour that is reinforced tends to improve. So if teachers praise students for good behaviour — paying attention, asking appropriately for assistance, etc, it stands to reason this positive behaviour will increase, and learning will improve,” says Dr. Paul Caldarella, lead researcher and professor at the David O. McKay School of Education, Brigham Young University.
Family conflict is a significant predictor of suicidal thoughts in children as young as nine and ten years, says a study conducted by the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, USA. The study, published in JAMA Open Network (February), analysed 11,814 children aged nine-ten and found that 2.4-6.2 percent of them experienced suicidal thoughts ranging from wishing they were dead to devising plans to commit suicide. When it came to translating thought into action, less than 1 percent of the children said they had tried to commit suicide while 9 percent reported non-suicidal self-injury. In more than 75 percent of cases, parents and/or caregivers were unaware of their children’s suicidal tendencies. “Historically, the belief has been that people don’t ask children about suicidal thoughts before adolescence. Our data suggests that’s very inadvisable. Kids are having these thoughts. They’re not as suicidal as adults, but they are not trivial,” says Deanna Barch, professor of radiology in the Washington University School of Medicine.
I salute ParentsWorld for publishing a powerful cover story ‘Don’t judge. Enable single parents!’ (PW February). As a single parent in the early years of the new millennium, I experienced social prejudice and disdain, and had to move to three different cities with my daughter. In small town India especially, single moms are harshly judged and stigmatised for their personal and parental choices. For instance, when we were living in Varanasi, we were never invited to any social gatherings. But today the scenario has vastly changed. Now my daughter is in class XII and I realise that many of her peers come from single parent households. There is definitely more acceptance of single mothers than a decade ago. Rashmi K. Bangalore Patriarchy deep & alive Your cover story on single parent households was relevant and timely (PW February). As a single mother, I want to share with your readers a personal experience which has shattered my belief that social attitudes are changing for the better in India. Unfortunately, India is still a deeply patriarchal society with regressive attitudes towards women, divorce and marriage. I faced an ordeal when I went to renew my child’s passport recently. Though my application clearly said that I was divorced, the passport office executive (male) unleashed a barrage of unnecessary questions about my divorce. When I replied that I wasn’t comfortable answering them, I was shunted from one department to the other resulting in considerable delay. Again, during my child’s school admission interview, I was asked several questions about my divorce and financial status. It was embarrassing to answer these questions before my child but I had no choice. Given the rising number of single mothers in India, my request to school managements is to be more sensitive during admission interviews. Reeja S. Kochi Acknowledge teenage suicide reality Your story ‘8 ways to discuss suicide with teens’ (PW February) is an eye-opener. It is a common misconception that suicide is an irrelevant issue — most middle class parents including myself believe that it will never happen to our children. In fact, it’s all too relevant in today’s hyper-competitive era. National Crime Records Bureau data indicates that suicide is among the most common causes of death among youth in the 10-24 years age bracket. Even more disturbing are media reports that a rising number of high school students are thinking about suicide or making the first self-injury attempt. I believe it is important for all parents to acknowledge that suicide among adolescents is a reality. Bullying, sexual molestation, depression among other problems can lead adolescents to contemplate suicide. Children should know that they can rely on their parents for sympathy, advice and counsel when they experience depression and suicidal impulses. Mohamed Ansari Chennai Teach male children gender sensitivity We are regular subscribers of ParentsWorld. My son often tries out the recipes included in the Health & Nutrition section. Unfortunately my in-laws make sexist comments about his culinary interest. I wonder when Indian families will start changing…
Even as the spreading coronavirus aka Covid-19 is grabbing media headlines and setting off sirens around the world, a covert insidious parenting stress virus — even if it hasn’t attained pandemic proportions — is taking a heavy toll, especially of women, across India. Breakdown of the joint family, explosion in the number of double income nuclear households and intensely competitive school/college admission processes, are imposing extraordinary demands on millennial parents. In the new age of social media scrutiny, parents especially women, are finding it increasingly difficult to juggle household chores, child rearing duties, children’s school and co-curricular activities schedules, the workplace, friends and family. Currently with the class X and XII board exams having commenced across the country, the parental stress barometer is at its highest level. For most parents, their children’s success in exams is as much a vote on their parenting capabilities as on their children’s academic competence. In short, a time of great anxiety and angst. In this month’s cover story, we beam a spotlight on parenting stress and burnout and its dangerous consequences for children. There’s a substantial body of research indicating that chronic parental stress adversely impacts children’s mental health leading to mood disorders, addiction, and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). To beat stress, counselors and child development experts advise parents to focus on balancing home and office duties, co-opting older children and extended family into sharing household chores, refraining from making comparisons, and adopting healthy lifestyles including physical exercise and well-balanced diets. There’s much more in this issue of ParentsWorld, which has quickly emerged as India’s #1 parenting magazine with a national readership of over 500,000. Check out the essay on the importance of promoting good gut health for overall wellness by popular Vellore-based pediatrician Dr. Gita Mathai; Early Childhood story on five plausible reasons why infants cry and Middle Years feature highlighting creative strategies to develop children’s spatial intelligence.
