Children’s perceived laziness has underlying causes ranging from the physical to psychological: Aruna Raghuram
“Roshan is so lazy. He sits doing nothing once he is back from school.”
“Aarthi just doesn’t want to do her homework. She is so lazy.”
“Geeta hates to play any sports. She is so lazy.”
“Aryan keeps his room so untidy. […]
Children love family life and invariably suffer anxiety and insecurity when parents break up. Here are some ways parents can help children adjust to divorce writes Belcia Prakash
For children, separation and divorce of parents is an emotionally draining experience. While parents going through divorce spend most of their time sorting out their own feelings of […]
Child development and parenting experts are increasingly becoming aware that providing children choices from young age enables them to develop independence, decision-making skills, and confidence writes Aruna Raghuram
Adults cherish their freedom. And, a large component of this freedom is the autonomy to make decisions. Why wouldn’t children want the same? Child development and parenting experts […]
It’s the duty of all parents to lead by example and also teach their children to communicate with autistic children with sensitivity and empathy writes Ritu Jain
Does your child have a sibling, neighbour, classmate, or play buddy who is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? If yes, your child may be reporting difficulty in communicating […]
Growing up in a dysfunctional family adversely impacts children’s socio-emotional development, health and well-being writes Nishiha J
“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” — wrote Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy in the opening lines of his novel Anna Karenina.
The family is the fulcrum around which a child’s life revolves, […]
A multiplying number of children are experiencing and displaying anxiety about damage to the environment, flora and fauna, and adverse effects of climate change writes Ranjini Rao
When seven-year-old Kyra Kumar exclaimed to her mother, “Mama, I’m a nature-an!” she not only meant she loved nature, but that she also wanted to care for it and […]
Parents need to make efforts to wean children off digital devices by engaging them in non-tech activities writes Mini P
The time children expend staring at digital devices such as smartphones, desktop computers and laptops has increased dramatically after the Covid pandemic. According to a recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics, children’s on screen time spiked […]
A growing number of new millennium parents are suffering burnout with disastrous consequences for children
In the fast-pace age of ubiquitous social media, parents are increasingly experiencing high stress as they juggle household chores, child rearing duties, children’s school and co-curricular activities schedules, the workplace, friends and family. They are discharging responsibilities that parents of preceding […]
Practising mindfulness is highly recommended to 21st century parents weighed down by the multifarious challenges of raising children in the age of ubiquitous social media, writes Aruna Raghuram
Mindfulness is more than a trendy buzzword in this age of high-stress lifestyles. It’s being increasingly acknowledged by scientists, psychologists and wellness experts as the prerequisite of mental […]
Parents need to take special care to guide, educate and protect tweens from sexual abuse and cyber bullying, write Shubhashree Karmakar & Veena Joshi
The ‘tween’ or ‘pre-teen’ phase is a bittersweet transitional period for children as they prepare to transition from childhood to adolescence. During this period they struggle to cope with onset of puberty-related […]
With sharp decline in the menarche age, it’s become critically important for parents to mentally prepare girl children for the onset of menstruation and its associated physical changes, writes Ramiya Saktivel
Menarche or the onset of menstruation is a time of anxiety and apprehension for girl children. More so, since the age of menarche has been […]
With the ravages of climate change, global warming, pollution and deforestation manifesting globally and impacting children’s physical and mental well-being, a growing number of parents are switching to consciously purchasing green eco-friendly products, writes Aruna Raghuram
Upper middle class and elite parents spend a great deal on child care and nurturance — from infant care products, […]
Play this interesting game — Troubleshooting — to improve children’s creative thinking and problem-solving skills, writes Cynthia John
Thirteen-year-old Jeet Sanyal accidently broke his mother’s favourite bowl made of dark blue glass dotted with white flowers. Before his mother could learn of the accident, he put on a pair of gloves, cleaned up the floor and […]
With parents forced to work from home and children learning at home, male parents had never-before opportunities to participate in child care, nurturance and education duties usually dispensed by overworked mothers, writes Aruna Raghuram
If there is a bright spot of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns and related restrictions, it’s that it gave millennial parents, in particular […]
Setting and subsequently ensuring rules are followed is not easy, but it’s an essential parenting duty, writes Aarti C. Rajaratnam
One of the biggest parenting errors is “I am a good parent because I give my child complete freedom.”
Freedom must be conferred responsibly. Children learn responsibility within rules and regulation structures. When a child doesn’t follow […]
Aruna Raghuram
“When we are gentle with our children, we model and help create the inner voice that will accompany them through their lives.”
– Dr. Allison Andrews, well-known American psychologist
Picture this scene. Four-year-old Asha has thrown a huge temper tantrum and is bawling as she lies on the kitchen floor. Her exasperated mother Renu picks […]
The joy of witnessing a caterpillar fly away as a beautiful butterfly is educative and heart-warming for children. Their love for nature and nurture can be fulfilled by engaging in this pet project, writes Anitha Bennet
Has your child been pestering you for a domestic pet such as a kitten or puppy? If you are unsure […]
There’s growing awareness within the parents community that physical fitness apart, sports and games enable children to build character and life skills, writes Mini P
The recently concluded Tokyo Olympics 2020 and India’s unprecedented seven medals haul including a first-ever gold in athletics that attracted over-the-top media and public adulation and big-ticket cash prizes, have aroused […]
Five positive ways parents can make mealtimes enjoyable for children, writes Anitha Bennet
Mealtimes in most homes with children often resemble a battleground. Verbal wars, whining over food, sulking and crying tend to be the norm especially when parents insist on children eating healthy food. During the on-going pandemic with families confined to home and social […]
The subject of children suffering the loss of loved ones during the pandemic when mourning rituals are truncated, support systems are inadequate, and the weight of social stigma is often suffocating, is insufficiently discussed – Punita Malhotra
In its second wave, which began in March, the rampaging Covid-19 pandemic is raining a second round of death […]
WENDY GROLNICK
Parents have always helped children with homework and made sure they fulfill responsibilities like chores, but the extended and often unstructured time families are spending together during the current crisis creates new challenges.
After a disaster like a hurricane or fire, establishing structure is important to keep consistency and maintain a sense of control for […]
Parents and teachers have the critically important task of easing and smoothing the return of anxious children to school amidst fears of outbreak of a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic – Punita Malhotra
As schools cautiously reopen for middle and senior classes countrywide after almost a year of Covid-enforced shutdown, amid a battery of safety […]
– Wesley Kufel is clinical assistant professor (pharmacy practice) at Binghamton University, State University of New York
Vaccines help the immune system recognize viruses, typically by injecting weakened virus or the virus’s proteins. Pfizer and Moderna developed a new type of vaccine that instead uses mRNA, the molecular instructions for building virus
The first Coronavirus, […]
Children can also be Coronavirus super-spreaders. Some precautions to take against the pandemic
– Zoë Hyde, epidemiologist, University of Western Australia
The role children, and consequently schools, play in the Covid-19 pandemic has been hard to work out, but that puzzle is now finally starting to be solved.
The latest research shows infections in children frequently go […]
– Sathish Nandagopal is founder and director, S Cube Ergonomics Pvt. Ltd, Bengaluru
It’s important to create a study space at home that encourages good posture reduces exertion and fatigue and promotes overall student well-being
Six months into study from home through online media, there are increasing complaints of a growing number of children countrywide experiencing […]
(James M. Lang is professor of English and director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, Assumption College, Massachusetts, USA)
Millions of working parents have spent months trapped in their homes with their children. Many are trying to do their jobs remotely in the constant presence of their kids, and they are desperate for some peace and […]
Paul Haskell-Dowland and Ismini Vasileiou
Before COVID-19, children would spend a lot of the day at school. There they would be taught about Internet safety and be protected when going online by systems that filter or restrict access to online content.
Schools provide protective environments to restrict access to content such as pornography and gambling. They also […]
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 […]
Is your child a jack of all trades and master of none? Do you worry that she’ll never hold down a job, given her short attention span?
If you’re concerned that your child won’t fit in with society’s and your expectations, your fears may be overblown.
Instead, celebrate your child’s uniqueness and find ways and means to […]
Most parents are unaware that children are also citizens whose rights are guaranteed by the Constitution of India, national and international legislation. It’s the duty of every parent to respect the rights of children and protect them from exploitation, abuse and discrimination, starting from home.
In the majority of Indian households where disciplinarian parenting is the […]
While coping with the demands of two or more children can be overwhelming for parents especially mothers, for first-borns and older children the arrival of a new sibling is stressful and difficult as they now have to share parental attention and affection – Shreya Iyer
The arrival of a second child in a family can be exciting, […]
The onus is on parents and teachers to help children overcome maths phobia and anxiety by creating stress-free learning environments and stimulating love of math – Jayalakshmi Vaidyanathan
Ravi Saxena, a class V student of a private school in Delhi, is running late for school. He hasn’t finished his math homework, and is anxious and frustrated as […]
Take this quiz to determine whether you are an authoritarian, progressive or over-indulgent parent.
Authoritarian parents insist on children following hard and fast rules based on the ‘because I say so,’ philosophy. Progressive parents balance the need for rules and regulation while encouraging freedom combined with responsibility. Over-indulgent parents give their children too much latitude and […]
Positive psychology focuses on the positive events and influences in life, an individual’s strengths rather than weaknesses, and building the good in life instead of repairing the bad
Positive psychology is the new mantra for leading happy and fulfilling lives. Coined and propounded by Dr. Martin Seligman, professor of psychology at the University […]
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder in which an individual has uncontrollable, recurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that she needs to repeat continuously
Does your child indulge in a series of repetitive actions? Is she gripped by strong obsessions and unwarranted anxiety? Is she slow in getting ready for school […]
Over the past decade, there’s heightened interest and discussion about the critical importance and impact of different parenting styles — in particular eastern vs. western parenting — on a child’s academic performance, self-confidence, emotional development, behaviour and ability to cope with life’s challenges – Aruna Raghuram
A progressive educated new-age parent would not imagine forbidding her child […]
With society favouring extroverted people who exude positivity and enthusiasm, an introvert child is generally shunned for shy and socially awkward behaviour. But contemporary research indicates that the reflective traits of introverts helps them develop into good communicators and leaders – Aruna Raghuram
Eight-year-old Anupriya Mathur, a class III student of a top-ranked Delhi school, has few […]
With the school year well on its way and the Feb-March exam season not far away, most children are likely to experience stress and pressure coping with homework, project completion, and exam preparation. This is an apposite time to stimulate and reenergise their cognitive capabilities and improve concentration and retention through innovative strategies. K.P. Malini […]
For most mothers, the morning rush to get children ready and packed for school is a stressful time. However with sensible time management and chores planning, you can cut down morning stress significantly -K.P. Malini
Uniforms lie in a crumpled pile. Socks cease to exist in pairs. Lunch box is half-done, breakfast nowhere near done. Child […]
Unfortunately because of lack of awareness about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder parents seek professional help only when their children’s academic performance dips. All other problems are swept under the ‘bad behaviour’ and ‘indiscipline’ carpet – Aarti C. Rajaratnam
Anwar Kumar is a class VIII student in a private school in Coimbatore. His teachers know him as […]
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