Kidzone

Heart to Heart

Dear Parent

We all want our children to be all-rounders. Teacher’s pet, the most popular kid in class who aces academics with ease and shines in extra-curriculars as well.

But is it really so important to be an all-rounder? What about introverted inventors who gifted hundreds of inventions to the world? What about school drop-outs whose art […]

The importance of creative play

Why should children play? Simply because play is the work of childhood. Play helps children learn better, retain learning and enjoy the process. Play teaches children to reason, use logic, plan, work with others, sometimes lead, sometimes follow, to win or lose and to shake hands and make up after a contest.

It’s important that children […]

Talking to your child about personal safety

Nisha Daniel

Children’s saftey is a hot button subject in these perilous times. All parents need to talk about body awareness with their children. Here are some basic child safety precautions all parents must observe.

Speak frankly
Tell your child that some people can touch us in ways we don’t like. Some people also hurt us by […]

why does my son behave badly ?

My son behaves perfectly well at school and in the presence of others, but at home, he throws tantrums, talks rudely, and behaves badly. He bullies his little brother and screams while he sleeps. I want this situation to improve.
D.K, New Delhi
The fact that he has a younger sibling may be influencing your […]

Do children grow out of sibling rivalry?

While sibling rivalry is common and natural, it’s not something to be ignored. Parents can’t assume that children will automatically grow out of it.

Deep-seated resentment and jealousy could well extend into adulthood, affecting relationships in the family. There are many case histories of adult brothers and sisters fighting over property, business, and other issues.

So while […]

SINKING INTO THE PRESENT

Lakshmi Narayan

Hers was a typical upper crust family living in a plush neighbourhood, with typical upper middle-class biases. Because they had been posted abroad a few times, they considered themselves more Angrez than Hindustani. They spoke to each other only in English. Their maids were made to wear stiff nursy uniforms. They ate Continental food, […]

Heart to Heart

Dear Parent,

The recent rape of a 11-year-old girl child in a school in Delhi allegedly by senior students, has outraged and shaken the confidence of the community of parents countrywide.

But while sexual safety awareness, personal safety videos and guidelines can help, they need to be supplemented by parental vigilance and guidance.

Videos of children’s cartoons, and […]

24-hour prayer

Lakshmi Narayan

There was once a lady — simple and straightforward — who thought good and did good without contemplating twice about it. When their guru visited them, she asked him how she could better herself. “Prayer is the most important form of worship,” he pontificated. “You must offer benediction to the Creator daily without fail.”

“What […]

What is my son scared of?

My six-year-old is usually reluctant to attend school. He doesn’t tell me why. He looks scared at times when I ask him why he doesn’t want to go. I fear his teachers are being too harsh on him. What do I do?
Such behaviour could be related to classroom problems with teachers, students, bullies, or […]

DIY-Kids’ Room decor

Cynthia John

Rainbow-coloured butterflies flying brilliant blue skies, flitting on the wall. Flowered pillows resting on pastel bedsheets. Children’s room decor can be pleasing, with a plethora of options to choose from. And it can be expensive.
Instead with some imagination, you and your kids can create your own decor to match any mall display. Not […]

Turn sibling rivalry upside down

“Will these children ever stop arguing?” you groan for the umpteenth time. Just face it. You can’t eliminate sibling rivalries altogether. But you can get them to work for you. Try these ideas:

1. Use their competitive spirit. Organise a contest to see who can make their play area/ room the tidiest in half an hour. […]

Heart to Heart

Dear Moms and Dads,

Most families are busy juggling school work, office work, household chores, extra-curricular activities, social life, and myriad little things that make daily schedules a hard grind.

It’s easy to spot a room that needs decluttering, but terribly hard to admit that our lives need decluttering too. But once you start, you might discover […]

Short story: Darkness Demystified

Lakshmi Narayan

There was once a gori chokri who despised everything dark to such an extent that she refused to step out at night and slept with the lights on. She hated ravens and crows because of their colour and even decided to mehendi her hair a bright orange to hide its rosewood hue.

She wore green […]

“Are my son’s teeth in danger?”

My son is seven. and eats sweets and chocolates almost every day. His grandparents keep buying him soft drinks and confectionery. I have repeatedly explained the dangers of such indulgence but they take my words with a pinch of salt. Should I worry about my son’s teeth? – M.P, Chennai

Definitely. Children can experience tooth decay […]

Is your child’s vision perfect?

Anitha Bennett

Several studies show that during the past 20 years, the number of children wearing spectacles has doubled. A chat with Dr. Isai Mitra, ophthalmologist of the I Center, Chennai, who specialises in child ophthalmology is likley to be an ‘eye-opener’ for parents.

How should parents as certain if their chidren need glasses?
A child will […]

Heart to Heart

Dear Parent,

All knowledgeable parents try to keep children away from junk food, fizzy drinks and unhealthy lifestyles. But in the busy whirl of daily life, when popping a pack of biscuits into a snack box is much easier than packing chopped fruits, it’s easy to lose sight of these ideals.

The same goes for good intentions […]

Family Fitness

Setting aside time to go to the gym, or signing children up for sports and games training may not fit into your schedule through the year. But a family exercising together could work.

Instead of figuring out when to leave the family and hit the gym, you can have your kids urging you to work out […]

Cli’mate’ Corner

Nishant Saxena

Hey kids! It’s me your mate, cli’mate’!
You seem surprised. Don’t you know me? Well, if you don’t, let me introduce myself. I am climate. But, I’m pretty sad these days. I’m losing friends and that’s what’s making me sad.
I think I mustn’t leave you wondering what I am and what’s changing me. […]

“Iʼm tired of birthday parties…”

“We spend a bundle year after year on birthday celebrations with school friends which seem so meaningless, as children have become accustomed to such birthday celebrations. I want to break out of this routine but it’s hard to do, as it is socially expected.” M.R, Kolkata

Yes, birthdays parties can become repetitive with the type of […]

Bonding over craft: Rainbow chimes

Anitha Bennett

Rainbow colours streaming in through your window, tinkling chimes. Sounds good? Get your children excited about it, and work on making it happen. Moreover, working on a craft project for your home is great for family bonding.

Materials needed
• Cardboard —1 sheet
• Cellophane/metallic paper — 5 sheets in different colours
• Black chart […]

Nurturing friendships that last

Cynthia John

Remember the close friends who stood by you through thick and thin? Your children need such friends too!
In times when children are separated from family, they will need precious friends who can give them good advice and moral support.

While such friendships grow over the years, you can do your bit to develop them. […]

Heart to Heart

Cynthia John

Dear Parent,
The recent earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria highlight the precarious preciousness of life. But the natural instinct is to shield children from such tragedies.

Yet while it’s prudent not to expose them to gory images in the media, it’s not necessary to over-protect children from learning about the realities of life.

In a world […]

When your child fails to meet expectations

Cynthia John

“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 daydreaming from her teachers and total disinterest in academic study. She doesn’t like extra curricular activities either. Every evening, homework time becomes […]

Redefining ‘Learning’

Sunil Noronha

You learn something new everyday. It’s now commonly accepted that learning happens 24×7. It’s a continuum that starts from the womb and never stops. It’s happening right now, as you read this article!

The key to learning something new everyday is to redefine learning. Everything we see, every new experience, each new book, every movie […]

Heart to Heart

Cynthia John

Hello Parents!

It’s not unusual 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 differing ways.

Recently I met a class X teen who refused to write his exams, although he […]

Raise a great communicator

Nisha Daniel

Nurturing your child to love (English) language and become an effective communicator is one of the best gifts you could bestow upon her. Strong linguistic skills are an asset and the passport to success in academics, higher education and workplaces. Here are some simple tips to develop your child’s communication skills.

Watch your words

When you […]

Heart to Heart

Hello Parents! Heard enough about quality time? Forget psychologists and educationists who cry themselves hoarse about how children need quality time. If you are an average busy stressed-out parent, it will help you to learn that investing quality time in your children will benefit you just as much as them. Perhaps this is a good […]

Idea Box: The Magic of Science

Fortunately, science is not just about high marks and entrance exams. Though the subject is associated with toppers, medicine and engineering, its breadth is so wide that most children are enthralled by it. If your child gets hooked to the magic of science, she could be studying marine life in the Maldives, conducting research to […]

Heart to Heart

Dear Parent,
What’s your pain point? Latchkey kids? No family dinners? More time at playschool/daycare? Some lament these issues. Others dismiss them as inevitable. Some frown at lifestyle choices of parents. And parents try to ignore critics, or justify their choices.

Like it or not, urban realities are here to stay. Long distance or broken marriages. […]

Movies to enjoy together

Anitha Bennett

Looking for family weekend ideas that you and your children will enjoy? Children may not share your enthusiasm for Scrabble, but they will definitely enjoy a good movie.

Create a ʻmovie timeʼ weekend once a month, distinctly different from watching the telly daily. This can be a starting point for conversations about the issues highlighted […]

Short Story: Broken wings

Lakshmi Narayan

There was once an angel, beautiful beyond compare, with teeth like white marble, hair like black coal, eyes a deerlike amber, skin the colour of honey and wings of shimmering gold. She was so wondrous to behold that all who saw her fell in love with her.

Then one day, she fell down from the […]

Five international dishes to try

Restaurants serving multinational cuisine are sprouting countrywide. They help your family savour foreign delicacies in your own city. It’s a good way to wean kids off junk food and fast food joints. Here are international cuisines you could try at home, writes Anitha Bennet

Fajita
A Fajita is a staple of Mexican menus. Typically it consists […]

Reaching out to teach

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 such children! It’s a good way to teach your children the joy of helping others.

Helping an underprivileged child to learn […]

Heart to Heart

Cynthia John

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, hang out at malls and visit friends, like most teenagers.

But given the deteriorating law and order situation countrywide, her parents refuse to allow her to go anywhere unaccompanied. Her […]

Short story: The Princeling

Once, there was a little boy who roamed the streets of the city, because he didn’t have a roof over his head. He had no idea what his name was or who his parents were. If he was lucky, someone threw him a stale vada pao or a half-drunk bottle of Coke. But most nights, […]

Transforming television time

According to 2010 survey of ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry), urban children (aged 6-17) are spending an average of five hours per day watching television. The survey covered major Indian cities in which 52 percent of children had a television in their own rooms.

The survey warned that excessive television viewing prompts aggressive, anti-social […]

Short story: The Super Computer

Lakshmi Narayan

Once, a long while ago — perhaps in a previous life — I found myself abducted by aliens and taken to their spaceship. After the initial fear, we started chatting. Needless to say, I was full of questions. Since I was a UFO tracker and a sci-fi buff, I wanted to know how the […]

DIY: Lava Lamp Experiment

Johanna Preethi Shama M.

The lava lamp experiment demonstrates and explains the concepts of liquid density and chemical reactions to children.

Materials
 Food colouring
 Small cup
 Vinegar
 Baking soda
 1 litre bottle or jar
 Vegetable oil
 Spoon
 Small torch or phone

Experiment
Step 1
 Put three tablespoons of baking […]

Imaginary companions are good for children

Cathrinal Silvia

In a room full of eight-year-olds, everyone’s busy talking to each other. But suddenly, Shiva leaves to talk to ‘SuperKid,’ an imaginary friend who is waiting to take him on a space adventure. Shiva feels compelled to explain to Superkid why he can’t join him on his adventure right now, but will do later […]

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 […]