Must-read story
Your cover story ‘Resolve to Break 5 Common Bad Habits This Year’ (PW January) is a must-read for those looking to start the new year with a positive mindset and commitment towards self-improvement. The story provides a clear and concise overview of five habits that negatively impact personal growth and practical ways to shed them.
I especially liked the advice on reducing the consumption of processed white foods such as refined flour, rice, bread, sugar and salt. It’s well-known that processed foods provide little nutritional value other than calories. But still, many parents don’t substitute them with healthier alternatives in children’s diet because they are convenient.
Krishna B.
Hyderabad
Excellent resource
Your Kidzone story ‘Heart to Heart’ (PW January) excerpted from the book Growing up with the Mahatma authored by Dr.Swati Popat Vats is an excellent resource enabling parents to introduce the Father of the Nation to children. It beautifully captures the essence of Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings in a way that is engaging for young readers.
I enjoyed sharing with my son the excerpt about Mahatma Gandhi’s fitness mantras and practices such as walking, which he regarded not only as a means of physical exercise but also as a way to connect with nature and his inner thinking.
Reena Rao
Mangaluru
Urgent community action needed
Your Middle Years story ‘Noise Pollution Hurts Children’s Health and Learning’ (PW January) is insightful and well-researched. Author Aruna Raghuram does an excellent job of highlighting the detrimental effects of noise pollution on children’s health, focusing on hearing loss and cognitive impairment.
By addressing the sources of noise pollution, such as traffic, construction, and industrial activities, she rightly called for urgent policy changes and community action. We need greater awareness among parents and educators about the importance of creating quiet environments for children.
Shahnaz M.
Hyderabad
Empathise with parents, don’t criticize
The Special Essay on how parent-shaming damages children (PW January) was thought-provoking. Author Frank Furedi rightly argues that targeting and shaming parents creates a ripple effect of negativity within families and communities. What makes the essay stand out is its empathy for the struggles parents face.
Kudos to ParentsWorld for addressing such an important issue with sensitivity. It serves as a reminder to all of us that empathy and encouragement are far more powerful than criticism.
Shivani M.
Chennai
Move beyond traditional disciplining
The Adolescence story ‘Rethink Rewards and Punishment Parenting’ (PW January) by parenting coach Nikhil Gupta correctly encourages parents to move beyond traditional methods to discipline children. The conventional reward and punishment system is outdated and doesn’t provoke behavioural changes in children. Rather than merely focusing on external behaviour, parents should try to engage with their children at deeper level, fostering open communication and empathy.
This shift in perspective will make children feel valued and understood and will stimulate intrinsic motivation.
Richa Dubey
Gurgaon
Encourage healthy eating habits
I liked Dr. Chinthalapalli’s advice in the Ask the Doctor column to help children gain healthy weight (PW January). Like he says, a good diet must be supported with parents maintaining regular meal and snack times and encouraging three balanced meals and two healthy snacks daily.
Moreover, involving kids in meal planning and preparation can spark their interest in healthy eating.
Puneeth Gowda on email
