Hello Parents!
Our children are usually more tech-savvy than we are, and are much more knowledgeable about some types of internet activity. This could give us a false sense of security, prompting us to trust them to manage their social networking and other online activities well. But we need to ensure they aren’t subjected to cyber-bullying.
Cyberbullying […]
Hello Parents!
The joy on a toddler’s face as he walks with both parents, holding hands and skipping along never ceases to amaze. Likewise pre-teens brighten up as much when their mothers accompany them on outings.
Simple joy on children’s faces is an emotion all parents value.
Yet, how often we miss it because we are too stressed […]
Nisha Daniel
After-school programs offer great benefits to working parents, providing them with opportunities to keep children engaged and out of trouble. But how do you choose the most suitable program?
There are a huge number of social, academic enrichment, and health programs available, offering art, technology, reading, math, sports, civic involvement, and other learning opportunities. Scheduling […]
School toppers, achievers and record-breakers are hailed as winners. But what about children who are not in the Top 10, or have not made a mark in any field? Are they losers? Certainly not. Every parent knows how talented and special her child is. Here are some ways to make your child feel like a […]
Cynthia John
Ever been embarrassed by your child hiding behind your legs when a visitor greets her?
While some children are shy and reserved by nature, and may remain so throughout life, most children experience short phases of shyness which will soon pass. Your attitude can make the difference between permitting low self-esteem and building confidence.
Don’t add […]
Hello Parents!
Our children are usually more tech-savvy than we are, and are much more knowledgeable about some types of internet activity. This could give us a false sense of security, prompting us to trust them to manage their social networking and other online activities well. But we need to ensure they aren’t subjected to cyber-bullying.
Cyberbullying […]
While you can keep lines of communication open, it helps to prepare your child to handle cyber-bullying by herself. Here are a few solutions you could ask your child to follow if she encounters cyberbullies.
1. Block unwanted posts. Removing a cyberbully from your contact list and blocking posts and messages from them is the first […]
Nisha Daniel
chools and parents are steadily introducing new and more activities to encourage digital and interactive learning. Here are some ways to enrich your child’s education.
Theme-based sleepovers
Organise monthly sleepovers or parties that focus on a theme like ‘Mars’ or ‘marsupials.’ Every invitee must bring some interesting inputs in the form of a PowerPoint presentation, […]
Between school, television and homework, my six-year-old just doesn’t get enough outdoor activity. I’m working and there’s no one to pick and drop him to sports coaching classes. He spends free time on the internet. How do I ensure he gets enough physical activity? — D.K., Mumbai
Browse the net and youtube for videos which invite […]
Nisha Daniel
I did not do it!”
“You did!”
“I didn’t!
“You’re lying!”
Parents often feel cheated and betrayed when told blatant lies. But angry words won’t fix the problem. Such behaviour needs to be tackled at a deeper level.
Pre-schoolers who lie
For pre-school children, the line between imagination and reality can sometimes be thin. When asked […]
While struggling to meet school bus timings, packing lunchboxes, and getting children ready for school, it’s not easy to make breakfast the most important meal of the day. Try these options to add power to your family’s breakfast with minimal extra effort.
Stock up dry grains
Rice flakes, cornflakes and muesli don’t need cooking. If children […]
My son has no interest in science and maths, though I’d love to see him become a professional engineer or a scientist. He likes to draw and sketch and is mad about music. How do I convince him that drawing and music can only be leisure pursuits? — F.R, Delhi
It’s perfectly normal for some children […]
Sunil Noronha
It’s hard for children to avoid junk food altogether unless they live in remote outbacks. Even as mothers struggle to serve healthy nutritious meals, there are some innocent-looking snacks which can be dangerous to their health and well- being if consumed in excess.
These are the easiest snacks to serve. Available in a wide variety […]
Hello Parents!
An HR (human resource development) vice president quit his company job at 45 to start a new career in teaching. A 28-year-old electrical engineer decided to call it quits and go back to college when he realised he should have qualified as a media professional instead.
To go with the flow, hundreds and thousands of […]
Authoritarian parents insist on children following hard and fast rules based on the ‘because I say so’, philosophy. Permissive parents give their children great latitude to choose what they want to do and tend to fudge discipline issues.
Progressive parents balance the need for rules and regulation with encouraging freedom combined with responsibility, Take this quiz […]
I seriously believe I have a very gifted eight-year-old child. She’s amazing at painting, craft and clay modelling. I feel her school’s art education and the hobby classes she attends are not helping her develop her potential to the fullest — R.K, Pune
It’s wonderful to be able to spot a gifted child early. Helping her […]
How often we wonder if the young generation truly understand the struggles of people in pre-independence India!
Here’s an activity to help your children understand how one man with a fistful of salt changed the course of history. In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi decided to give the British a taste of his unique brand of satyagraha. And […]
Want to be a green household? Take time out from your daily routine and try these activities to bond as a family unit and create evergreen memories.
Go for a walk in the garden or in your neighbourhood to find a tree you like. Let your child name the tree as you would name a pet, […]
As children survey the world around them, they naturally want to emulate people they admire — teachers, sports stars, actors, astronomers. They become interested in computers, spaceships, fire engines, and often want to make them. These inspirations don’t always come from their school syllabus and curriculums, but arise out of sheer amazement that such things […]
Hello Parents!
For parents, the possibility of a school massacre, a bomb blast in the city and sexual abuse in schools is a nightmarish prospect. What we don’t often dwell upon is how insecure such incidents make our children. With television and newspapers headlining horrific incidents, their hyperactive imaginations can go into overdrive.
The safety and security […]
Skill-building classes and courses aren’t the only way to develop a child’s talents. Children need to be inspired and motivated, to keep their passions and interests alive. They often get bored with hobby classes and lose interest after a while.
The best way to ignote children’s passion is by way of exposing them to great ideas, […]
Dear Parent
It’s not unusual these days to meet youngsters unwilling to conform with formal schooling systems. A growing number of smart and savvy students are disillusioned with the annual scramble for marks and grades, and rebel against the system in different ways.
Recently I met a class X student who refused to write his exams, though […]
Sunil Noronha
“You learn something new everyday.” This oft-used phrase indicates that learning is a 24 x 7 process. We never stop learning which started in the womb. It’s happening right now, as you read this article!
The key to learning something new every day is to redefine what we mean by learning. Everything we see, every […]
My 12-year-old daughter has great academic potential, and I want to do my best to help her realise it. I just don’t know how to ensure she doesn’t lose the best opportunities available. What should I get her involved in?
You shouldn’t hurry to enrol her in too many courses or get her involved in multiple […]
Anitha Bennett
“I was always a topper in my school. I had my notes picture perfect and I was a model student. But my daughter is just the opposite — incomplete notes, complaints of day-dreaming from her teachers and almost total disinterest in studies. She doesn’t care for extra curricular activities either. Every evening, homework time […]
Minu Sarin was a Mom who loved books. And both her children — Veena (6) and Ashutosh (10) — loved them too.
Minu always found it a challenge to afford all the books she bought. She did not want to spend too much. So she started the ’10-book Club’.
To kickstart the club, she bought a […]
Hello Parents!
I recently met a mother who is waging regular battles with her daughter. Her 14-year-old daughter wants to go out with friends and hang out at malls as do most teenagers.
But given the deteriorating law and order situation countrywide, her parents refuse to allow her to go anywhere unaccompanied. Her mother fears the dangers […]
Annie Besant Jon
Do you know a child who wants to learn but can’t afford school? Or a child who has a hard time doing her homework because her parents are illiterate? Your family could help teach such children! This way your children will discover the joy of helping others.
Helping an underprivileged child to learn the […]
Stepping Outdoors
Increasingly, school, homework, television and computers conspire to keep children indoors. Here are some ways to get kids outdoors for activity and vitamin D.
Host a photography contest. Give your children and their friends an outdoor theme, and prompt them to take some good photographs.
Organise a nature search. Make a list of things that can […]
Anitha Bennett
Restaurants serving multinational cuisine are popping up all over the place, and can help your family savour foreign delicacies in your own city. It’s a good way to get your kids off junk food and fast food joints. Here are international dishes you could try at home.
Fajita
This is a staple of Mexican menus. […]
I’m tired of listening to my 11-year old daughter’s complaints. She is forever comparing the extravagance of her classmates and what they buy with large sums of money. We don’t believe in celebrating birthdays at fancy restaurants or buying expensive gadgets to keep up with the Joneses. I don’t know how to keep her happy.
Your […]
Anitha Bennett
If you have been attending ʻWhat kind of parent are you?ʼ quizzes, you are like most parents who are not sure if they are exercising good parenting. Parenting can sometimes be a difficult balancing act. Most parents don’t seem to know whether they are doing it right.
Friends or parents?
Children too want democracy and […]
Bananas
Bananas contain a lot of fibre, and help fight constipation. They are also high in potassium, and good for kidneys, bones, heart and nerves.
Milk
Milk gives kids the calcium they need for growing bones, and also contains protein and vitamins, aiding growth and strength. Children need two-three glasses of milk every day. If they […]
By the time he comes home from school, my son is tired though he eats a good lunch. He gets home at 4 p.m. in the school bus. As a result, he is in a bad mood for one-two hours after coming home. I am sure lack of food is the main reason. How can […]
Peanut-butter date sandwich
Store some chopped dates (preferably Arabian) in a box. Any time you want, spread peanut butter on brown bread, add chopped dates to make a sandwich. You can have a nutritious meal ready in two minutes! Serve with a slice of watermelon or apple.
Baby potatoes
Pressure cook baby potatoes and get a family member […]
Dear Parent,
Parenting 24×7 is a full-time demanding job. While we manage the myriad chores while getting through the day, there are several casualties like our health, sleep and marriage, which could easily take the back seat.
Therefore it’s time to step back from the roles of SuperMom or SuperDad and work towards a better life-parenting balance.
While […]
Anitha Bennett
You might not be able to make that dream vacation to the Alps, but there are other ways to treat your family to some out-of-the-world stuff. Find some exotic ice-cream flavours for them to sample. At the same time, drive home the point that such desserts are a rare treat, only to be consumed […]
Every home experiences days when children don’t want to go to school. Morning battles are difficult to handle. Try these options:
An energising snack of fruit or nuts before breakfast.
Small rewards kept ready for good behaviour.
A chart listing things to be done in the morning, including brushing, bathing, and eating. Stars can be rewarded every day […]
Veena Shankar
My daughter is five and usually loves school. But after every weekend or holiday, she refuses to get back to school, and I have a hard time persuading her. I know it’s a common issue, but it’s a pain. Any solutions? — R.S.
This problem is not unique to children. Adults also suffer ‘Monday morning […]
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