Wake-up call
I was shocked to read in your March cover story titled ‘Protein Adequacy: Building Block of Life’ that 34.7 percent of children under five years in India are stunted and 17.5 percent wasted. It’s a wake-up call for parents to provide protein-rich foods to growing children.
Your well-researched story rightly emphasised the critical role of proteins in boosting growth and immunity and preventing infections. It also debunked common myths surrounding protein intake by providing evidence-based insights.
Manisha P.
Kochi
Useful practical advice
Your Special Essay ‘Guide to navigating social media parenting groups’ (PW March) offers useful practical advice on how to engage with online parent communities. What I loved most about this guide was the advice to find the right parenting support groups. It doesn’t just list popular ones — it provides tips on how to assess whether a group aligns with your parenting styles and values. There’s also an excellent section on maintaining healthy boundaries, which I think is crucial in this age of social media oversharing.
Additionally, the guide highlights the potential pitfalls of online parenting groups — misinformation or judgmental behaviour — and gives parents tips to navigate these challenges. It’s important to respect diverse opinions while seeking the support and camaraderie that social media groups offer.
Nasreen Siddiqui
Mangaluru
Insufficient & sketchy
Your Early Childhood essay ‘Inculcating healthy eating habits in children’ (PW March) was a bit of a letdown. The advice lacks practical strategies for parents to make real changes in children’s eating habits. It’s too sketchy and focuses mostly on broad ideas like “encourage variety” and “lead by example” — both of which are valuable but don’t provide sufficient insight into how these can be implemented effectively.
Parents face many challenges when trying to encourage healthy eating, such as picky eaters, screen time, peer pressure, etc. The nutrition experts should have explored the specific struggles of parents and offered detailed solutions.
Ishita Dubey
Vadodara
Valuable insights
Your Middle Years Essay ‘Special Needs Children: Effective Behaviour Management Strategies’ (PW March) offers valuable insights for parents navigating the challenges of raising children with special needs.
I am the mother of a three-year-old autistic child. I agree with author Aarti Takawane’s views that by setting clear expectations and maintaining consistency, parents can provide children with a sense of security. In particular, I liked her focus on positive reinforcement, the importance of visual support, and establishing a calm-down space within the home.
Speaking from experience, my child prefers a room with soft textures and calming visuals to manage his emotional overload.
Karen Mathews
Mumbai
Excellent selection
Thank you for the excellent selection of potty-training apps for children (PW March)! In particular, I liked the Potty Whiz app as it allows parents to document potty trips, accidents, and fluid intake, and provides a visual record of children’s progress.
Also, Potty time with Elmo is an excellent recommendation as most children love interactive games and storytelling.
Kali Sharma
Ghaziabad
India holidays, please
As always, your well-written Leisure & Travel section featuring Malaysia (PW March) was an interesting read. Punita Malhotra has covered a diverse range of activities and places to visit, making it an excellent guide for planning a family vacay. However please also write up holiday destinations in India as they are more affordable for families with two or more children.
Moroever the Ask the Doctor column written by Dr. Chiranth R. on preventing childhood anaemia — causes, symptoms, and most importantly, preventive measures — was very informative.
Baishali Sen
Kolkata