Refreshing suggestions
Thanks for your very refreshing summer activities suggestions in the latest cover story (PW March). My children are 10 and 12 years respectively, and keeping them busy during the summer holidays is a herculean task. I especially liked your Connecting with Nature recommendations. Most of the year, children are so busy juggling packed school and tuition schedules that they get hardly any time to spend outdoors. Summer is a good time for children to connect with nature and engage in nature-related activities such as trekking and gardening.
In this connection, I was surprised to read the story about eco-anxiety. I didn’t realise that so many children are experiencing anxiety about damage to Mother Nature. While it’s good that they are concerned about protecting the environment, I was distressed to read that in some cases this anxiety is escalating into a mental health problem. The new eco-anxiety phenomenon is a wake-up call to adults especially parents to take immediate corrective steps to address challenges of climate change and environmental degradation. We owe it to our children!
Shalika Dewars
Chennai
More vegan recipes
My two boys are aspiring to become professional cricketers. But being a vegetarian family, it is a challenge to provide protein-rich meals to meet their physical needs. Therefore I loved that you featured exclusively vegetarian recipes in your latest Health section. Tofu is truly a boon to vegetarians, as it is rich in protein. Please also share some vegan recipes.
Moreover the Parents Corner interviews with parents were interesting. With children becoming increasingly addicted to social media, it’s become imperative for parents to strictly monitor and limit children’s social media usage.
Lima Himani
Bengaluru
Informative health advice
The interview with ophthalmologist Dr. Isai Mitra titled ‘Is your child’s vision perfect?’ was very informative (PW March). Over the past two years, the time children spend on digital screens has increased dramatically.
Therefore, not surprising that a rising number of children are reporting eye problems. As parents, we need to look out for tell-tale signs of vision problems in children and immediately address them. If vision is not perfect, spectacles become necessary, regardless of age.
In your next issue, please include a story on preventing diabetes in children. Childhood obesity is rising and juvenile diabetes has become more prevalent. The occurrence of eye strain and diabetes in children are all related to unhealthy sedentary lifestyles.
Malvika Ravinder
Delhi
Schools should provide water breaks
The past month has been unusually hot for us in Delhi. My son fainted at school while playing football. He was dehydrated and exhausted.
In the summer months, it’s important to allow water breaks and reschedule sports sessions to avoid exposure to the harsh sun. In fact not just during play time, also in classrooms, provision should be made for children to access clean, drinking water. Some schools don’t allow water breaks because children may get distracted. This is wrong. Keeping children hydrated is especially important in summer.
Binu Varghese
Delhi
Gentle birth method awareness
I enjoyed reading the interview with Dr. Gowri Motha, founder of the Gentle Birth Method (PW March). Congratulations and credit to her for founding a minimally invasive and needle-free childbirth method.
For time immemorial, women have been having natural births. It’s only recently that it’s become normal not to have a normal delivery. Today, when you visit an obstetrician, she is eager to discuss the caesarean delivery option. Dr. Motha should do more to create awareness about the gentle birth method.
Sherly Pinto
Kolkata
