ParentsWorld March 2022 Archives

Short Story: When wishes come true

When wishes come true -Lakshmi Narayan Once upon a time there was a girl so greedy, she wanted everything. She asked the Source for more and more and the Source, like an indulgent parent, gave her all she desired and said with a smile, “And when will you be satisfied?” Dimpling, the lass coquettishly replied, “I’ll let you know when the time comes.” Before you jump to any conclusion, let me tell you this lass didn’t demand usual stuff like wealth and power, good looks and everlasting youth. She thirsted to be famous the world over, so that people would listen to her. So the Source made her a renowned author. Through her writing she spread the idea of compassion towards the mute, the helpless and the weak in the fur and feather world. Her words were so inspiring that many reconsidered their prejudices and decided to be kinder and more sensitive towards the four-legged, especially the homeless and the hungry. She then sought stamina from the Source so long-lasting that she could work for days without tiring, so that she could rehouse the very old and the very young in shelters safe from the elements. Her demands were never ending. In quick succession, she asked for a silver tongue so that she could convince druggies to give up their addiction and for criminals to follow the straight and narrow. She pleaded for a dip in the ocean of knowledge so that she could educate those who needed help. She wanted healing powers so that she could cure mental and physical pain. She craved for the personality of the Pied Piper so that others would tread her chosen path. One morning she sat on her porch, soaking in the gentle warmth of the sun when, out of nowhere, a three-legged pup hobbled towards her and licked her face. A few minutes later, a smiling child toddled up and threw her arms around her, kissing her soundly. And just ahead of the gate, she could see a bedraggled old woman lift up her hands in benediction. Recognizing the signs for what they were, she whispered joyfully, “I’m content at last.” Looking up at the sky, she said, “I have just one more boon to ask. I haven’t been happier than I am today. Will you now take me up to you? I’m ready. My work here is done.” The Source smiled ruefully and said, “Child, work such as yours is never done. You have to keep at it and keep at it and keep at it. You think you’ve achieved what you have because of me. I might have helped you a wee bit here and there. But it was all your effort, grit and determination.” “When the time is right I promise I’ll lift and take you to my bosom, never to be parted. Till then, keep going, and best of luck.” With that, the girl had to be satisfied. For when you do good, the need to do more…

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Encouraging healthy habits in children

PW invited parents of Delhi Public School Mihan, Nagpur to share healthy post-pandemic habits that they have introduced in their children’s life “In the initial days of the Covid pandemic-induced schools’ lockdown, my eight-year-old daughter Sarisha would complain endlessly about how bored she was feeling and didn’t know what to do next. To end this condition, I decided to assign her a task. That of drawing up a daily routine allotting time for her favourite activities apart from academics, and most importantly sticking by it. I noticed Sarisha was happy to follow the timetable set by her which kept her engaged. A sense of accomplishment made my daughter a more responsible and mature human being.” — Richa Vaidya, IT professional, TCS, Nagpur “It’s been almost two years since my son Siddharth — class IV— has been learning from home after Covid-19 hit India. I believe developing hygienic practices has been the best lesson he has learnt during this period. For fear of contracting the infection in the deadly first and second waves, all of us took great care to sanitise our hands, bodies, food items, and our surroundings. These habits are so ingrained in him that I am more than certain he can cope with any future pandemic.” — Menaka Bhargava, founder of Nagpur Circle of Moms. “I am an anxious mother especially when it concerns my 15-year-old daughter Anushree. Since the Covid pandemic forced schools to lock down and subsequently switch to online learning, her screen time exposure has risen exponentially. To protect her from eye fatigue. I introduced her to a diet rich in Vitamin A and also started her on a regimen of eye and posture exercises. I also ensured she drank adequate water every day, engaged in outdoor play/walk/cycling and meditation, and got minimum eight hours of sleep at night.” — Ruchi Shrivastava, homemaker “I was raised knowing that my family has the time for me anytime anywhere. Therefore despite our busy schedules, we make it a point to spend quality time with our son Arnav — class II — on a daily basis. This routine has improved our communication with him on various issues, making him feel important and loved. We believe teaching young children the importance of maintaining a positive attitude and self-esteem in life is critical. This skill will enable him to succeed in life no matter what challenges he encounters.” — Dr. Sonali Prashant Deshpande, general physician. Also read: Preparing children for on-campus schooling

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Mind the gap with ellipsis

In its oldest sense as a rhetorical device, ellipsis implies the skilful exclusion of words suggested by a previous clause in the sentence Roopa Banerjee Many of us know ellipsis merely as a punctuation mark with three periods to indicate that some written matter has been eliminated from a sentence. However, in its oldest sense as a rhetorical device, ellipsis implies the skilful exclusion of words suggested by a previous clause in the sentence. For example: “The American soldiers killed eight civilians, and the French eight” omits the word soldiers after French, and civilians after eight. Yet, readers have no trouble following the writer as both missing words are clearly implied by the previous clause. The word ellipsis comes from the Greek élleipsis, i.e, to leave out or fall short. In a larger context, ellipsis is used in literature to denote entire chunks of a story missing in the narrative. This literary device is used to reduce time, or sometimes as a rhetoric method to allow readers to fill in the missing segments of the story with their own imagination. A famous extension of ellipsis was used by American writer Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) who initiated the Iceberg Theory, aka the theory of omission. As a young journalist, Hemingway had to focus his reporting on current news events, which allowed very little personal perspective or interpretation. When he became a writer, he continued this minimalistic style, focusing on external elements without overtly discussing underlying themes. Hemingway maintained that the deeper meaning of a story should not be obvious. In his posthumously published memoir A Moveable Feast, he explains: “I omitted the real end (of Out of Season) which was that the old man hanged himself. This was omitted on my new theory that you could omit anything… and the omitted part would strengthen the story.” In the writing style of the Iceberg Theory, the complexities of a narrative run beneath the surface of a story. Another striking example of literary ellipsis is in To the Lighthouse by American novelist Virginia Woolf (1882-1941). The novel is composed in two parts and many years pass between them during which World War I is fought and won. It is left to readers to deduce the events that take place during the two parts by changes clearly evident in the characters of the novel. Literature apart, ellipsis is commonly used in filmmaking. It is normal procedure to edit sections of the story where the action is not essential to the narrative. For example ellipsis was prominently used in 1970s Bollywood films where the hero’s childhood was segued into his grown-up scene just before the credit titles of the film rolled. Stories with flashback, in films as well as novels, have to use this literary device as the narrative treads the back-and-forth journey of the characters. No book or film can be written in real time and that makes the use of the ellipsis essential. Similarly, chronological jumps always need an ellipsis. Most Harry Potter films…

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Superfood Moringa

Drumstick leaves aka moringa, which have been used in Indian cuisine for ages, is the new superfood. The moringa oleifera plant is often referred to as the ‘miracle tree’ because of its medicinal benefits. Moringa leaves are rich in iron, calcium, potassium, vitamin A and B vitamins. They help to nourish skin and hair, protect against oedema and cancer and have antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial properties. Moringa leaves can be used in different types of preparations, from soups and salads to omelettes and gravies. Belcia Prakash Moringa soup (4 servings) Ingredients 1 chopped carrot 2-3 small onions 1 chopped tomato ½ chopped beetroot 5 chopped beans 1 sprig coriander leaves moringa (drumstick) leaves ½ tsp cumin 5 peppercorns 2 pinch turmeric powder Ginger and garlic Preparation guide Pressure cook chopped carrot, onion, tomato, beetroot, beans and moringa in five cups of water. Add cumin, peppercorns, turmeric powder, ginger and garlic. Cook for five whistles in the pressure cooker and serve hot! Health benefits The selected vegetables and moringa are rich in vitamins A, C, E and K, protein, iron and folate. They build body immunity against ailments such as the common cold, fever, food poisoning, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Moringa and rajma salad (2 servings) Ingredients 2 cups kidney beans (rajma) 1 cup moringa ½ chopped cucumber 1 chopped tomato 1 chopped onion 1 tsp lemon juice Chaat masala Coriander leaves Salt and pepper to taste Preparation guide Soak the kidney beans in water for 6-8 hours. Drain the water and pressure cook the beans in three cups of water for one whistle. Transfer the beans to a bowl and add the finely chopped vegetables, moringa, lemon juice, chaat masala, coriander leaves, salt and pepper. Mix well and serve on a platter. Health benefits Calcium, protein, iron, and amino acids present in moringa leaves boost muscle and bone growth and development. They also soothe stomach disorders such as constipation, gastritis, and ulcerative colitis, and reduce the risk of kidney stones. Moringa spread (3 servings) Ingredients Sliced loaf of bread (preferably wheat) 7 pods of garlic 2 tbsp butter Parsley/coriander leaves ½ cup moringa leaves Red chilli flakes and oregano Preparation guide Mince the garlic finely. Chop the parsley/coriander leaves into tiny bits. Mix 2 tbsp butter, minced garlic, moringa leaves, and parsley/coriander. Spread the mixture on the bread. Roast the bread slices on a hot pan or tawa until light brown. Sprinkle chilli flakes and oregano. Serve hot. Health benefits The combination of garlic and moringa helps stimulate the immune system, regulates blood sugar levels and prevents heart disease. Moringa omelette (1 serving) Ingredients 1 egg ½ cup moringa leaves 1 chopped onion 1 tsp oil 1 small green chilli Salt and pepper 1 cheese slice ¼ tomato Preparation guide Chop moringa leaves, chillies and onions into tiny pieces, and add to egg. Add salt and pepper Beat the contents in a bowl until frothy. Pour one teaspoon of oil into a pan and fry the mix. Chop tomato…

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Five healthy hi-energy foods

With primary-secondary schools having reopened countrywide, children’s lives are again packed with full school days, music/dance and sports classes which result in hungry stomachs and frequent energy lows. Most parents dread the 4 p.m slump, when children’s energy levels plummet. The easy option is to reach for ready-made snacks, biscuits, chocolate bars or sugar-coated cereals, all of which are advertised as hunger-fixes. But they aren’t the healthy option to satisfy children’s hunger, and keep young minds active and energetic. Instead, try these five easy-to-make hi-energy snack foods. Peanut Butter According to the American Dietetic Association, peanut butter is a healthy energy supplement. Spread a spoonful of peanut butter on apple slices. Or to make it more interesting, make peanut butter and date sandwiches. For this, you need to keep some chopped dates (preferably Arabian). Spread the peanut butter on whole wheat bread, add chopped dates to make a quick sandwich and you have a nutritious meal in two minutes! Serve with fruit on the side. Baby Potatoes The humble potato — the common man’s filler — is rich in carbohydrates, vitamin C, B-complex, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous and zinc. However, when served as chips or French fries, most of this legume’s benefits are dissipated. Therefore, baked or boiled potatoes are the better option. In particular, baby potatoes pressure-cooked are healthy and easy to prepare. Add butter, salt and pepper to make a tasty snack. Bananas Bananas are an easily digested super food. They contain an abundance of natural sugars and are high in potassium and are good for the kidneys, bones, heart and nerves. Moreover, this energising fruit is readily available in all markets. If your child is picky and reluctant to eat this energising fruit plain, cut round slices and serve with a bowl of honey dip. Better still, serve with muesli and honey to make a crunchy and satisfying snack. Eggs Nutritionally, an egg is the equivalent of a multi-vitamin capsule. Eggs are supremely versatile, and can be cooked quickly in numerous ways. To add an Indian touch, beat eggs with salt, toss them in a little oil, spices and serve as scrambled eggs with rotis. Alternatively, serve with rice, pepper, and herbs as egg fried rice. Nuts A nutty snack takes no time at all to prepare. Stock small quantities of nuts (almonds, cashews, pistas and raisins) and serve any time you or your child needs to fuel up. Nuts are rich in protein and minerals including zinc and folate. They fight heart disease and contain ‘good’ fats. But avoid packaged nuts as they usually contain excessive salt and sometimes palm oil. Instead, roast groundnuts and store in an airtight container and serve with puffed rice. However, keep the portions small as nuts are calories-intensive. Also read: Healthy Snack: Homemade Trail mix

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Go snorkelling this summer

Anitha Bennett Fortuitously India has a 7,516 km coastline offering picturesque tropical beaches and exquisite coral and marine life. So if your family is mesmerised by multi-coloured corals and bright coloured fish that live deep under, you needn’t go far. India offers many exotic snorkelling destinations. Among the most popular are Goa, Pondicherry, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Snorkelling is an enjoyable family activity with children above six allowed to snorkel under adult supervision in most destinations. Though knowledge of basic swimming is preferable, there are many non-swimmers who can snorkel with ease in shallow ocean waters. Moreover all locations rent snorkelling gear and offer crash courses by experts. Snorkelling equipment Mask. A good quality mask with lens that don’t fog up enables snorkelers to see underwater life clearly. Snorkel. A dry snorkel is ideal as it has a valve that ‘shuts off ’ the snorkel top when submerged and automatically ‘opens up’ when you are overwater. Fins/flippers. For deep diving and fast swimming, lightweight, flexible flippers are good. They also protect you from the jagged coral underwater. Wetsuit. It keeps the body warm under the sea. But a swimsuit works just fine in Indian tropical waters. Precautions Before going snorkelling, ensure you are physically fit and especially check that blood pressure levels are normal to avoid dizziness underwater. Ask your instructor about possible dangers in that part of the ocean. The dangers could range from protruding coral reefs to jelly fish. Always better to snorkel in a group, especially if it is your first time. Best snorkelling locations Andaman and Nicobar Islands Havelock Island Neil Island, Cique Island Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park Lakshadweep Kadmat Island, Bangaram Island Goa Grande Island Davy Jones, Suzy’s Wreck Tunnel Shelter Cove, Locker Sail Rock Training centres Barracuda Diving India 339/2A, Coima Vaddo, Quitula Aldona, Bardez, Goa 403508 www.barracudadiving.com Ph: 9822182402 / 9822367947 Dive India Scuba diving in Andamans, with training centres in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore Ph: 9531835508 Temple Adventures 9 Archbishop Gandhi Street 1st Road, Colas Nagar, Puducherry 605001 Ph: 9940219449 Andaman Scuba Club Pvt. Ltd P.O. Bag 9, Port Blair 744 101 Also read: Andaman and Nicobar Islands: India’s islands in the sun

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Step-by-step drawing

Step-by-step drawing Draw this duck, following the steps, and colour it. Brainteasers The 3 x 3 grid has three missing letters. Guess them so that each row and each column has a complete word. Fill in the missing boxes so that every row and every column adds to 15. You can only use numbers from 1 to 9. And a number can be used only once. Answers: Amazing facts The vocabulary of an average person is 5,000-6,000 words. Earth is the only planet not named after a god. You burn more calories sleeping than you do when watching television. Some worms will eat themselves if they can’t find food! Fingernails grow nearly four times faster than toenails! The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as a substitute for blood plasma. There is a town in Sweden called ‘A’ and a town in France called ‘Y’. Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand. Your left lung is smaller than the right to make room for the heart. Human hair and fingernails continue to grow after death. Inspirational Quotes “Make each day your masterpiece.” — John Wooden “Education is not filling a bucket but lighting a fire.” — William B. Yeats “Learning makes a man fit company for himself.” — Anon “Skill to do comes of doing.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” — Thomas Edison “Each day the world is born anew for him who takes it rightly.” — James Russell Lowell “All the so-called ‘secrets of success’ will not work unless you do.” — Author Unknown “Books are the windows through which the soul looks out.” — Henry Ward Beecher “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” — Albert Einstein “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” — Maria Robinson Also read: Recycled Treasures

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Recycled treasures

Nandini P. Teaching children to recycle objects and materials is a great way to encourage them to adopt an environment friendly lifestyle. Here’s a DIY activity recycling old newspapers and magazines to craft a pen stand and/or flower vase. Materials Needed Newspaper Thin wooden stick (skewer stick) or stiff plastic straws Craft glue Flat brush Wood primer (optional) Acrylic paints (optional) Varnish (optional) Methodology Cut a newspaper page in half. Starting at one corner, place the stick on it, and start rolling the paper inwards. As the stick disappears, keep pulling it out and continue rolling till the end. Pull out the stick, and paste the edge to form a neat roll. Prepare 30 rolls. Making the base Take one roll, flatten it, and apply glue to one side. Roll it tightly into a coil. Take another roll, and continue to make the coil bigger by pasting this one where the other one ends. Do this, until you have a good base, about the size of a coaster. Making the sides Stick the rolls firmly against the side of the coaster. When about ten are stuck, hold them in place for a few minutes till they are well glued, then place them against a wall or object, and dry. Make more rolls until the glue is completely dry (about 15 minutes). Next paste the remaining rolls. Place a bottle or similar object in the middle to give the rolls support until dry. After it is dry, flatten two rolls to paste around the container. Check the size and cut the rolls to fit. Paste one near the top and one near the bottom to strengthen the container. Let it dry. If you want to keep the container as is, you can. If you want a different finish, proceed as outlined below. Colourful finish If you want to make the container sturdy, mix three tablespoons of craft glue with one teacup of water and blend well. Coat the container with this mixture using a big, flat brush. After it is dry, coat it with wood primer, then paint it with acrylic colours and decorate as you like. Finally, coat it with varnish and your pen stand/flower vase is ready for use!

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Start your own business

Cynthia John Entrepreneurship education is the new subject of Indian K-12 education. Several progressive schools across the country are offering programmes in entrepreneurship development, including the Delhi state government which has recently launched an ‘Entrepreneurship mindset curriculum’ in all its public schools. The objective: to develop children’s entrepreneurship skills including communication, risk-taking, networking, critical and creative thinking, problem-solving and business management. In this edition of Kidzone, we provide children guidelines to encourage them to start their own small business during the summer holidays. The concept/idea To begin with, you need a good business idea. It can be something new or tried and tested, but most importantly it should address and solve a problem/need of people and be marketable i.e, people should be willing to pay for it. It can be either a product or service. Here is an example: Need. Families living in your apartment complex love to keep potted plants in their balconies, but don’t have the time to maintain them. Business idea. You could offer to buy suitable potted plants for them and maintain them for a monthly fee. Business plan Once you have chosen a business idea, you need to prepare a business plan. Here are some pointers: 1. Nature of business. Detail the type of business. For instance, selling art and craft items, offering babysitting services, potted plants management etc. 2. Budget. What is the amount of seed money you need to start and sustain the business? List out likely expenses and incomes. Check if you can spare money from your piggybank/ pocket money savings, or if someone is willing to lend the seed money. Keep the initial investment small. 3. People. Do you want to start your business alone or with friends? If you are working with friends, be careful to maintain detailed rules and records for profit-sharing. It’s enjoyable to work with friends, but ensure they share a passion for the business. 4. Workplace. Is there a spare room in the house or garage you can use as your workspace? Where would you sell your products? For instance, if you are selling lemon juice to children in your housing society every evening, after playtime, you could set up a small table on the terrace. For safety reasons, avoid visiting neighbouring homes to supply/sell any product unless accompanied by an adult. 5. Marketing. What marketing and sales strategies will you adopt to make the business succeed? For instance, you can create leaflets advertising your product/service and drop them in the postboxes of all neighbouring homes. Or you could list it online in a free classifieds services website. 6. Your resources. Do you have a computer and printer at home? Can friends pitch in when needed? Will your parents allow use of the home landline/mobile phone regularly? Once the business plan is ready, discuss it with your parents and solicit their suggestions. Ensure you have their permission before giving out personal phone numbers and/or home address for business purposes. If your business has got off to…

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Dhuandhar Waterfalls Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh

Seven off-the-beaten-track destinations

In this issue, we feature seven off-the-beaten-track domestic destinations for rest and recreation. Jabalpur Sited near the geographic centre of India, Jabalpur (pop. 1.4 million) is one of the major cities of the Hindi heartland state of Madhya Pradesh (pop. 87.4 million). Its defence related industries apart, Madhya Pradesh is famous for its Marble Rocks, a rocky gorge through which the River Narmada flows in profound silence. At Bhedaghat, 27 km from Jabalpur, the rocks rise a hundred feet on either side of the river presenting a fascinating vista during the day, and at nights when expert oarsmen row tourists across the silver nightscape. The sunlight reflects off the marble-white magnesium limestone pinnacles in daytime, prompting them to cast dappled shadows on the pellucid waters, while on moonlit nights the white rocks produce a luminous effect, transforming the waters into a sheet of liquid silver. The Narmada enters Marble Rocks by dropping several metres, creating the Dhuan Dhar waterfall. To the north and south of the Narmada are the sylvan Vindhyachal and Satpura mountain ranges. Jabalpur also boasts heritage monuments and sites. Among them: the hilltop Madan Mahal Fort built by Gond ruler, Raja Madan Shah, in 1116; Tilwaraghat, where Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes were immersed in the Narmada, and venue of the open session of the Tripuri Congress in 1939; Rani Durgavati Memorial and Museum with its fine collection of sculptures, inscriptions and prehistoric relics. Also worth a visit is the Chausat Jogini, also known as Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple, a sixty-four goddesses temple atop a hillock accessible via a steep flight of rock cut steps. The temple offers a singularly beautiful view of the Narmada flowing through the jagged Marble Rocks. Excursions. Ex Jabalpur, an interesting getaway is the Kanha Tiger Reserve (129 km), the largest national park in Central India. Pachmarhi (90 km) is the scenic hill resort of Madhya Pradesh. Accommodation. A small town, Jabalpur doesn’t offer many options in terms of hotel accommodation. Among the popular ones are Vijan Mahal (Rs.6,956 per night), Hotel B K Castles (Rs.2,820), Hotel Krishna (Rs.2,195), Grand Samdareeya (Rs.1,938). Belum Caves Down south in Andhra Pradesh (pop. 55.2 million), the state’s tourism development corporation is aggressively promoting the Belum Caves, an underground 3.25 km long subterranean labyrinth below the limestone plains of Kurnool district. The caves are famous for several natural wonders including 4,000-year-old stalactite and stalagmite formations. Belum is derived from the Sanskrit word bilum which translates into cave. The main entrance to the caves is via a concrete staircase down a sinkhole, which takes visitors to the main passage 30 ft underground. Walk through the subterranean passages for surreal vistas of stalactites and stalagmites crystallised over numerous millennia. This apart, the caves comprise numerous spacious chambers, freshwater galleries and siphons. Several natural formations have been highlighted with soft illumination by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. Of special interest are Simhadwaram — an arch with stalactites in the shape of a lion’s head; the Kotilingam Chamber which contains thousands of…

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My daughter has gluten allergy. Help!

Dr. Chandrasekar My ten-year-old daughter has suddenly developed gluten allergy. She doesn’t have any other allergies. Should I cut out gluten foods completely from her diet or try to reintroduce them after three-four months? — Sarah Thomas, Bengaluru Gluten allergy or gluten sensitive enteropathy is also known as celiac disease, the severe form of which is diagnosed in the first two years of life. Almost 1 percent of the Indian population suffers from this illness. I would advise you to confirm the diagnosis with serum tests IgA TGA2. If the doctor wants to investigate further she may recommend intestinal biopsy. If celiac disease is confirmed, she needs to be evaluated thoroughly by a pediatrician who will advise a gluten-food free diet at all times. She needs to avoid wheat, rye, barley, and oats. I would not advise restarting gluten foods if she is diagnosed with celiac disease. My son is one year and two months of age. I stopped breastfeeding him when he was three months because he fell very ill. Thereafter I stopped lactating. However of late, he has started crying for breastmilk. Please advise. — Mitali Sharma, Mumbai At the age of 14 months, breastfeeds alone may not be of sufficient nutritive value. Also after a gap of 11 months, it may be difficult for you to restart lactating. A child of this age can be fed semisolid to solid foods of good calorific and nutritive value. My nine-year-old daughter sometimes complains of stomach pain. A gynaecologist we consulted said it’s time for her to start menstruation. Could this be the cause of her stomach aches? — Meenakshi Kannan, Chennai Over 95 percent of girl children start menarche or menstruation between10.5 and 14.5 years of age. Pelvic pain is a common complaint of prepubertal girls. However the pain needs to be investigated and evaluated for its location, timing or actions that exacerbate or relieve the pain. Please consult a doctor to rule out other causes before concluding it is menstruation-related cramps or prepubertal pain. My ten-year-old daughter has become very conscious of her physical weight. She is 4.7 ft tall and weighs 29 kgs. Is the weight ideal for her height and age? — Rima Sen, Noida Her growth is normal for her age group. To be more specific, her weight is between the 25th and 50th centile and height at 75th centile according to the growth charts we follow. So there’s no cause for anxiety. Encourage her to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly and keep fit. Provide her a healthy and nutritious diet for optimal development of bones, muscles, and blood circulation. (Dr. Chandrasekar is a consultant paediatrician, Narayana Multispecialty Hospital, and paediatrician, Swathi Kids Clinic, Bangalore) Also read: Coping with food allergies Treating allergic reactions in children

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Make a birth plan

A growing number of expectant parents are making birth plans – a written plan which communicates parental preferences during childbirth and post-delivery Mini P. Childbirth is a physically and emotionally draining experience for all couples, especially women. Many tend to feel out of control and intimidated by several decisions that need to be made during labour and post-delivery. That’s why a growing number of expectant parents are making birth plans — a written plan which communicates parental preferences during childbirth and post-delivery. The plan sets out preferences about pain relief medication during labour, type of delivery and infant care post birth. Though qualified medical practitioners will take health and well-being decisions depending on the situation, nowadays most hospitals and birthing centres across the country are more than willing to accommodate choices of would-be parents. Therefore it’s advisable to discuss the birth plan with your consultant obstetrician/gynecologist. Typically, a birth plan communicates choices on the following: Delivery options. Natural, caesarean, or induced labour in certain circumstances, etc. Birthing partner. Allowing a spouse, family member or friend to be present in the labour room. Environment. Think about what will make you most comfortable. Would you like the lights dimmed in the delivery room? Do you want it to be as quiet as possible or do you prefer soft music? Labour preferences. Include any preferences you have for your labour. For example, do you want to walk around freely? Do you want to use a birthing stool, ball, or chair? Would you like to take a warm shower or bath? Pain-relief preferences. What pain medications will you prefer during labour — epidural, pain killers, or natural relievers such as massage, breathing techniques, reflexology, acupressure? If labour needs to be induced and permits a choice, the birth plan can include your preferences of using the following: artificial rupture of membranes (breaking the water), syntocinon or pitocin, prostaglandin gel or tablet If you need assisted delivery, would you prefer ventouse or vacuum-assisted delivery, forceps, episiotomy or C-section? Post-delivery painkiller medication preferences. Or after the procedure, would you prefer not to be sedated? Would you like to see and hold your infant soon after delivery or would you like to hold her after a nurse cleans her up? Would you like your baby to be placed on your chest for skin to skin ‘kangaroo’ care? Would you like your spouse to be the first or second person to hold her? Would you like to breastfeed her as soon as possible? Would you like your infant in your hospital room with you at all times, or would you prefer she stays in the hospital nursery sometimes? Nomination. Nominate a person who will make decisions in case of an emergency Also make sure to write out a list of essentials including clothes and toiletries you want packed in your hospital bag Plan review. After completion, review your birth plan with your partner and anyone else who will be with you in the delivery room such as your mother…

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Letter from managing editor

Much of the national debate within the educator and parent communities during the past two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, has centred around dangers of children contracting the virus, pros and cons of reopening schools, efficiency of online learning, and the learning loss suffered by children. Several studies have assessed and documented children’s learning loss and projected income loss in adulthood because of prolonged schools closure. However, the quantum of emotional, mental and psychological damage suffered by children and youth during the world’s longest education lockdown and pandemic-related restrictions hasn’t been sufficiently assessed. Yet, it’s an indicator of the shock and trauma that children suffered when all education institutions were abruptly locked down that in April 2020 — a mere month after the lockdown — Childline India reported receiving 92,000 SOS calls from disturbed children, an increase of 100 percent over the previous month. Three pandemic waves later, children’s distress has surely multiplied manifold. In our cover story this month, we beam a spotlight on children’s mental health in the post-pandemic era. Child psychologists, counsellors and mental health experts are unanimous that a large and growing number of children are exhibiting symptoms of anger management difficulty, irritability, anxiety, fear, depression, digital addiction, disturbed sleep, nightmares, and appetite loss. They warn that failure to focus on repairing children’s emotional and mental health could lead to disastrous consequences. In our detailed and well-researched story, we present expert advice to enable parents to cope with five commonly reported mental health disorders afflicting children in the immediate aftermath of the most prolonged education lockdown in Indian history. There’s much else in this issue of ParentsWorld. Check out the Early Childhood story on the trend of a growing number of expectant parents making ‘birth plans’ to communicate their preferences during childbirth and post-delivery. Also an insightful essay on how worrying about being a perfect mother makes it harder to be a good parent. Don’t miss out the Health section providing valuable information on five healthy hi-energy foods for children.

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Parenting teens advice

Parenting teenage children is especially challenging because the adolescent years are a period of intense physical, psychological and emotional changes. We present a curated list of books to prepare and guide parents to cope with the challenges of parenting teenage children -Poornima Dilip HOW TO TALK SO TEENS WILL LISTEN AND LISTEN SO TEENS WILL TALK By: Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish Publisher: Piccadilly press Price: ₹345 This book offers parents valuable advice on managing children during stormy adolescence years. It is packed with useful guidelines for parents and teens to improve their mutual understanding and cooperation. It stresses the importance of two-way communication and honest, non-judgemental conversations. Most importantly, the authors provide useful suggestions for resolving problems amicably. PARENTING TEENS WITH LOVE AND LOGIC By: Jim Fay and Dr. Foster Cline Publisher: NavPress Publishing Group Price: ₹1,409 This practical guidebook provides parents useful strategies to teach adolescents responsible behaviour and ways and means to motivate them to follow rules and regulations while encouraging independent thinking. It succinctly explains the importance of preparing teenage children for responsible adulthood with “love and logic” and permitting freedom within rules. Its prime virtue is that it educates parents about the importance of empathising with adolescent children and encouraging and supporting them to grow and develop at their own pace. PARENTING FOR TEENS By: Seema Gupta Publisher: V&S Publishers Price: ₹250 Psychologist and counselor Seema Gupta advises parents on how to bridge the generation gap with their teenage children. She recommends that parents observe the behaviour of their teens closely to prevent them from making hasty and inappropriate choices. According to Gupta, teens, whose parents use effective monitoring practices, are less likely to indulge in deviant behaviour such as smoking, drinking alcohol, underage sex, or dropping out of school. Parenting Teens provides constructive insights into the behaviour of teens and how parents can respond without alienating them. Also read: 3 valuable Indian parenting books

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Boom time for yoga professionals

The demand for yoga professionals by far exceeds supply. And a career as a yoga trainer is fast emerging as a new vocation offering glitz, glamour, and upward mobility Thanks to the global communication revolution, yoga — the ancient Indian science of mind and body therapy — has become a wonder science for people around the world. Increasingly it is acquiring a magical reputation for its therapeutic values and as a cure for stress conditions. Consequently, the demand for yoga trainers and exponents by far exceeds supply. And a career as a yoga trainer/therapist is fast emerging as a new generation vocation offering glitz, glamour, and upward mobility. With yoga gaining popularity around the world, there’s a huge global shortage of trained yoga instructors. The Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (www.ccryn.gov.in), a autonomous body under the Union ministry of AYUSH, is tasked with the mandate to develop yoga in terms of “research, education, training and propagation”. Study programmes One of the most renowned institutes for yoga education is Kaivalyadhama at Lonavala, 90 km from Mumbai. It’s one of the few private institutes to be recognised by the government of India and empowered by the Union ministry of education to discharge the duties of a national nodal agency to impart yoga education by licensing a network of yoga institutions and conducting periodic workshops. Its diploma in yoga education is recognised by the National Council for Teachers Education. Established in 1924 by Swami Kuvalayananda, the institute enjoys an international reputation for its excellent training programmes and research activities. During the past four score years, Kaivalyadhama has been able to harmonise yogic culture with contemporary sciences. For the first time, asanas, bandhas, mudras, kriyas, and pranayamas have been subjected to laboratory experiments with the help of hi-tech equipment. The G.S. College of Yoga (a consitituent of Kaivalyadhama), which is accredited by the Central and Maharashtra governments as a research institute, also offers numerous training courses. Its certificate course in yogic culture (of six weeks duration) is devised for those eager to learn about the philosophy and psychological underpinnings of yoga — about why and how it affects body and mind. The diploma course in yoga education is of longer (nine months) duration. It is designed for those who want to teach yoga. On the other hand, the diploma in yoga therapy is for medical practitioners interested in holistic healing and using yoga to complement conventional medical prescriptions. Diploma awardees usually find employment as yoga teachers in schools and universities. Among other reputed institutes are the Bihar School of Yoga, Munger, which has branches across the country and the Iyengar Institute, Pune, promoted by the legendary B.K.S. Iyengar, a globally renowned exponent of yoga, who has a large following worldwide particularly in the US. Moreover the University Grants Commission also offers incentives to universities to establish yoga faculties. At the pre-university level the Central Board Secondary Education Education — India’s largest pan-India secondary schools examination board — has mandated yoga training…

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Why children lie

My ten-year old daughter has started to tell lies. We have been trying to get her out of this habit but it doesn’t seem to be working. How do we make her understand that it’s wrong to lie? — Priyanka Varma, Mumbai It’s not unusual for young children to lie. There could be many reasons your daughter is avoiding telling the truth. Among them: She is scared or insecure of the outcomes of telling the truth and feels the lie will protect her She thinks it’s harmless to lie and mislead parents — it’s a harmless prank She could be exaggerating or hyping information Talk to her to understand why she fears telling you the truth. Reassure her that there will be no repercussions. Also explain the importance of conveying factual information and not misleading people. If you are able to win her trust consistently, she will feel confident to speak the truth. My 14-year-old daughter has a speech problem and doesn’t mingle with peers of her age. She is much more comfortable interacting with younger children. I want her to make friends in her age group. — Siri Reddy, Hyderabad The past two years of intermittent pandemic lockdowns and prolonged school closures have not been kind to children. Most of them have lost out on developing vital socialisation and communication skills because of lack of peer-to-peer interaction. Now that schools have reopened, request her teachers to provide her special opportunities to express herself. I would also recommend consulting a speech therapist. The teen years are socially difficult, so provide full support, guidance and encouragement. Since online schooling started two years ago, my 11-year-old-son has lost interest in studies and his exam grades have also dropped. Earlier, he used to score 70-80 percent in offline school. Please help. — Fiona Morris, Goa Prolonged school closures and the switch to online learning have resulted in children suffering huge learning loss. Screen fatigue, lack of human interaction and monotony of impersonal one-way learning have contributed to children losing interest in studies. Now that normative in-person schooling has resumed, a lot will fall into place over time. School managements and teachers are putting in extraordinary efforts to make up for children’s learning loss. Trust the process. Children are very resilient and in a few months, he will readjust to in-person schooling. It will also help if he actively participates in extra-curricular activities in school. Is homeschooling a good option for working parents? My daughter is nine years old. Please advise. — Meena Nair, Trivandrum Schools provide more than just academic education. They provide tutoring and mentorship of teachers, peer-to-peer learning, teach children independence and socialisation skills. Personally, I believe children lose by way of learning experientially and developing into well-rounded individuals if they don’t attend school. The pandemic has shown us the downsides of home-based learning. Home-schooling is a better option in highly developed countries with enabling public infrastructure and individualised learning options. But in India, it’s likely to be difficult for parents…

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Worrying about being a perfect mother makes it harder to be a good parent

Even armed with a Ph D in developmental psychology, I remember the frightening first moments after bringing my newborn daughter home from the hospital. I wasn’t sure what to do — and not at all confident that I was capable of being the parent she needed me to be. Every little decision about feeding and caring for this helpless human seemed momentous and fraught with anxiety. What if I don’t make it a full year of breastfeeding? Should I turn off the TV whenever she is in the room to avoid passive screen exposure? Is it OK for her to enter full-time day care at five months? Popular press accounts of parenting and child development research were not particularly helpful, either. Even though as a scientist I knew better, the way the research was translated for the public lacked nuance and easily penetrated my vulnerable state of mind. I fretted that my daughter’s formula consumption would result in lower IQ. I worried that if I was too tired to read to her one evening before bed, she would never learn to read. And, since she’s started elementary school, I have slipped numerous times and called her “smart” instead of more appropriately praising her effort, as so many articles advise. My personal experiences as a parent are in part why I study the experiences of other parents. In my New Parents Project, an ongoing longitudinal study of nearly 200 dual-earner couples who welcomed their first children in 2008-2009, I have tried to measure this “parenting perfectionism” — that is, holding oneself to impossibly high standards for parenting, and, perhaps even more important, believing that others hold you to impossibly high standards for parenting. Pressure to be perfect Mothers — even those in dual-earner families — not only bear the brunt of parenting responsibilities, but also experience the strongest pressure to be perfect parents. In the latter half of the 20th century, at the same time mothers entered the workforce in greater numbers, norms for mothering evolved toward an “intensive mothering” ideal. This norm dictates that mothers’ parenting should be time-consuming, emotionally absorbing and guided by expert advice. This pressure is particularly intense for middle-class mothers, who may practice a childrearing style called concerted cultivation, an approach identified by Annette Laureau in the early 2000s. This style focuses on deliberately providing children with experiences and activities that will help them develop their intellectual and social skills. Middle-class parents, especially those toward the upper end of the socio-economic spectrum, have the human capital resources — time and money – to practice concerted cultivation and do so to ensure their children’s future success. Striving for perfection can harm parenting The quest to be a “perfect” mother may actually harm a mother’s parenting. In my lab’s research on new parents, we found that mothers showed less confidence in their parenting abilities when they were more worried about what other people thought about their parenting. The popularity of social media has exacerbated this phenomenon because parents…

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Post-pandemic child mental health crisis

Teachers are reporting that children returning to classes after almost 700 days of remote online learning and all too often no learning at all, have suffered great emotional and mental damage. This is manifesting by way of deficient socialisation skills, irritability, anxiety, fear, depression and digital addiction -Poornima Dilip, Johanna Preeti Shama, Nishiha David, Mini P. & Cynthia John With education institutions countrywide having reopened their campuses and resumed normative in-class teaching-learning after the world’s longest education lockdown, educators are beginning to assess the extent of damage suffered by the world’s largest population of children and youth during the 82-weeks closure of all education institutions countrywide. And the consensus of informed opinion is that school children from pre-primary to higher secondary have been hit hardest. Teachers are reporting that academic learning loss aside, children returning to classes after almost 700 days of remote online learning and all too often no learning at all, have also suffered great emotional and mental damage. This is manifesting by way of deficient socialisation skills, anger management difficulty, irritability, anxiety, fear, depression and digital addiction. A recent study titled, ‘School Closure and Management Practices During Coronavirus Outbreaks including Covid-19’ published in the UK-based Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, highlights that severe psychological conditions of increased irritability, inattention and clinging behaviour were discerned in all children irrespective of age group. “Research among parents revealed that children felt uncertain, fearful and isolated during current times. It was also shown that children experienced disturbed sleep, nightmares, poor appetite, agitation, inattention and separation-related anxiety.” Children from economically weaker sections and particularly whose parents’ health and jobs were impacted by the pandemic, displayed greater mental distress. Dr. Samir H. Dalwai, development behavioural pediatrician, New Horizons Child Development Centre, Mumbai, and treasurer of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, in an interview with EducationWorld (February) — an affiliate publication of ParentsWorld — warned that the “deleterious effect” on the mental health of India’s 260 million school-age children is greater than their academic learning loss. “Millions of children are showing signs of anxiety, depression, irritability, poor attention span, hyperactivity, sleep disturbance and post-traumatic stress disorder with younger children below six years showing regressive behaviour like clinging to parents, thumbsucking and bedwetting. We are facing a grave child mental health crisis,” says Dr. Dalwai. Against the backdrop of parents and educators confronted with unprecedented emotional and mental damage suffered by children during the past two pandemic years, in the pages following, ParentsWorld presents expert advice to enable parents to cope with five commonly reported mental health disorders afflicting children in the immediate aftermath of the most prolonged education lockdown in Indian history. 1. Social skills loss Pre-primary and primary age children develop social skills in interaction with peers and teachers in classrooms, playing spaces, during family gatherings and other social situations. But with pre-primaries and primary schools having suffered the most stringent lockdown, youngest children have been deprived of social and emotional learning (SEL) for two years. “My daughter is six-years-old and son three.…

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Insomnia in childhood impacts sleep in adulthood

Insomnia in childhood impacts sleep in adulthood Children who don’t get good quality, restful sleep are likely to suffer insomnia in adulthood, says a recent study of the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine. Researchers followed over 500 children from childhood, adolescence through young adulthood. The sample respondents and their parents answered questions about sleeping patterns and overall quality of sleep. This first-of-its-kind longitudinal study concluded that 43 percent of those who suffered insomnia symptoms during childhood had persistent symptoms in young adulthood as well with 20 percent experiencing spikes in symptoms as adults. “The key finding of this study is that insomnia symptoms in childhood are much more likely to persist over time than we previously believed. Those with insomnia symptoms and laboratory-measured short sleep duration are much more likely to evolve to develop a clinical condition in early adulthood, and not just to persist with the symptoms,” says Dr. Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral health, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine. Lockdown didn’t impact infants’ language development An international consortium of scholars from 13 countries recently released its findings on the impact of Covid-19 pandemic-related social isolation upon 2,200 infants aged between eight and 36 months. Their findings provide insights into the effects of lockdown on language acquisition in youngest children. A study led by the University of Oslo and published in the journal Language Development Research has found that children who were read to more frequently during the lockdown were reported by caregivers to have learned more words, compared to their peers who were read to less frequently. A second study on the impact of increased screen-time on language development, led by the University of Göttingen and published in Scientific Reports, highlights that children with increased exposure to digital screens learned to say fewer words, compared to their peers with less screen time. However, overall, the studies concluded that children learned more words than expected during lockdown, relative to pre-pandemic levels. “Relatively short isolation did not detrimentally impact language development in young children,” says Natalia Kartushina, associate professor, University of Oslo. Green spaces reduce oxidative stress in children A study of over 300 Italian children by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (IS Global) has found that increased exposure to green spaces reduces oxidative stress in children. Oxidative stress is defined as “a disturbance in the balance between the production of reactive oxygen species and anti-oxidant defences”. Symptoms include fatigue, memory loss, muscle and/or joint pain, decreased eyesight and headache. The researchers found that exposure to green spaces also increased Vitamin D synthesis — vital to combat the ill effects of oxidative stress. “Increased exposure to green areas may contribute to children’s immune development by bringing them into contact with organisms that tend to colonise natural environments,” says lead author Judith Garcia-Aymerich, researcher and head of the Non-Communicable Diseases and Environment Programme at ISGlobal. Positive parenting reduces children’s obesity risk Children exposed to positive parenting are at reduced risk of obesity, reveals a study published in…

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Parenting coaches need Your cover story on the rising popularity of parenting coaches (PW February) was interesting. A few years ago, parents consulting professionals to improve their relationship with children was unheard of. It was believed that parenting is instinctive and no additional training is needed to become a good parent. But after reading your cover story I’ve got thinking that seeking professional advice to improve parenting skills and family life is a good idea. Especially nowadays when both parents are working and children are overexposed to a flood of age-inappropriate information on the internet and social media. Parenting workshops and expert guidance are very useful in equipping parents with the knowledge and skills to manage children in the Google age. Thank you for this cover story which is positive and informative, and sure to encourage parents to seek professional advice. Disha Thomas Trivandrum Include physical exercises for children I enjoy reading your Health & Nutrition section. It provides excellent information on fitness exercises. For the past few years I have been practising yoga on and off. But I’ve never tried pull-up exercises, the benefits of which have been explained so well by gymnastics coach Monojit Ghosh (PW February). It was great to read that pull-ups benefit children too. I am hoping in the next issue Mr. Ghosh will write about fitness exercises safe for children. With children having missed out sports and fitness activities for almost two years because of school closures, they really need to get back to playing sports and following a physical exercise regimen. I also liked the special essay ‘10 parenting strategies to reduce children’s pandemic stress’. Many parents are worried about the possible long-term effects of pandemic-related disruptions on children’s mental health and well-being. Nupur Banerjee Delhi Don’t ignore body-shaming complaints Thank you to parenting coach Dr. Pallavi Rao Chaturvedi for empathetically answering parenting queries in her ‘Ask your counselor’ column. In her most recent column she has given useful advice to enable children to cope with body-shaming by peers. Persistent body-shaming can destroy children’s self-confidence leading them to depression and even suicide. Parents need to be educated to not take complaints of poor body image of teenage children lightly in particular. It’s the duty of parents to provide an emotionally safe and secure home environments and fully support and encourage children to become the best version of themselves. I would love Dr. Chaturvedi to offer some suggestions to wean children off digital games addiction. The past two years of online schooling have made children over-dependent on digital devices and many are finding it hard to give them up. Tina Saxena Mumbai Best road trips shortlist With the pandemic hopefully having ended, our family is making plans to travel during the summer holidays, and Bhutan seems to be the most inviting (Leisure and Travel ‘Untouched charm of Bhutan’ PW March) destination. Its rich spiritual Buddhist culture, peaceful monasteries and warm and friendly people make Bhutan an enjoyable as well as educative holiday experience for…

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