ParentsWorld April 2024

Enabling children to manage cultural differences

Priyanka Sethi

— Meenakshi Sinha, Mumbai
Acculturation requires striking a balance between adapting to the dominant culture […]

Girl,Having,Argument,With,Mother,At,Candy,Counter,In,Supermarket

Managing children’s temper tantrums

Dr. Himanshi Kashyap

Temper tantrums indicate children’s lack of ability to process emotions. They also signify the emergence of autonomy while simultaneously being a cry for parental attention

It’s common for children aged 15 months-four years to exhibit temper tantrums — brief episodes of unpleasant, disruptive behaviour and emotional outbursts. Sometimes, tantrums may be extreme […]

Enabling children to manage cultural differences

I have recently moved to Mumbai, a cosmopolitan city with people from diverse cultures. My children, 8 and 12, are experiencing identity and cultural conflicts. Please suggest ways to enable children to deal with and accept cultural differences. — Meenakshi Sinha, Mumbai
Acculturation requires striking a balance between adapting to the dominant culture for practical […]

Nutritious vegetarian diet for children

Cynthia John

It’s up to parents to plan their children’s diets carefully to ensure every meal is balanced with vegetarian fare rich in nutrients required for orderly physical growth and […]

Mailbox

Duty to raise good ecological citizens
Your Special Essay ‘What Makes a Good Parent?’ (PW March) made absorbing reading. The statement that modern parenting practices need to go beyond merely providing love, support and reading bedtime stories to children in this day and age of manmade environmental disasters and climate change, is more than justified. […]

News Bytes

Obesity linked to higher risk of stillbirt

Obesity increases the risk of stillbirth as pregnancy progresses to full-term, according to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (March). Researchers of Dalhousie University analysed data from the Better Outcomes Registry and Network on 681,178 singleton births, 1,956 of which were stillbirths, in Ontario between 2012 […]

Ways to build children’s resilience

Mandie Shean

Protecting children from failure isn’t helpful. Better to build their resilience

In recent years there has been a concerted effort to protect children from failure to safeguard their fragile self-esteem. This seems logical — failure is unpleasant. It tends to make them look bad, and have negative feelings of disappointment and frustration. And […]

Educating teens about online dating dangers & safety

Dr. Priyanka G Halwasiya

Dr. Priyanka G. Halwasiya, a child psychologist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, shares guidelines for parents to educate adolescent children about online dating safety and dangers

The advent of the internet, social media and dating apps has changed the way people meet and interact. Especially for tech-savvy adolescents, the online […]

Why and when to introduce solid foods

Dr. Tarun Singh

How do I know when my infant is ready to eat solid foods? Please advise.

— Garima Goel, Delhi

According to the Dietary Guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Indian Academy of Pediatrics, children should not be introduced to foods other than breast milk or infant formula until six months […]

Great future in boom industries

The essence of a sound recordist’s job is to detect minutiae which are unnoticed by the untutored ear and to utilise hi-tech equipment to give crystalline clarity to recorded sound

With the pervasive growth and development of the electronic media there is a continuously rising demand for sound engineers and sound recording professionals. Consequently, this 21st […]

Heart to Heart

Hello Parents!

The joy on a toddler’s face as he walks with both parents, holding hands and skipping along never ceases to amaze. Likewise pre-teens brighten up as much when their mothers accompany them on outings.

Simple joy on children’s faces is an emotion all parents value.

Yet, how often we miss it because we are too stressed […]

Choosing the right after-school activities

Nisha Daniel

After-school programs offer great benefits to working parents, providing them with opportunities to keep children engaged and out of trouble. But how do you choose the most suitable program?

There are a huge number of social, academic enrichment, and health programs available, offering art, technology, reading, math, sports, civic involvement, and other learning opportunities. Scheduling […]

Creative parenting: Get your child to feel like a winner

School toppers, achievers and record-breakers are hailed as winners. But what about children who are not in the Top 10, or have not made a mark in any field? Are they losers? Certainly not. Every parent knows how talented and special her child is. Here are some ways to make your child feel like a […]

Getting a shy child to talk

Cynthia John

Ever been embarrassed by your child hiding behind your legs when a visitor greets her?

While some children are shy and reserved by nature, and may remain so throughout life, most children experience short phases of shyness which will soon pass. Your attitude can make the difference between permitting low self-esteem and building confidence.

Don’t add […]

The Power of Less with Understatement

Roopa Banerjee

An understatement is a literary device where the author deliberately diminishes or plays down the importance or intensity of a situation, typically for rhetorical or satirical purposes. Or paradoxically, for emphasis.

Understatements are used to emphasise the exact traits that they downplay. When used ironically, they provide humour and effect. When used literally, they downplay […]

Nutritious treats

Lisha Arvind

Here are three recipes featuring foods high in nutritious content to boost children’s immunity

Chickpea salad
(3 servings)

Ingredients
• 2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas (kabuli chana)
• 1 thinly sliced small onion
• 1 diced tomato
• 1 small diced cucumber
• 1-2 finely chopped green chillies
• 2 tbsp finely […]

Anatomy of applause

Suresh Subrahmanyan

It has been barely three weeks since I returned home from my annual Carnatic music adrenalin rush — a non-stop, round-the-clock festival of musicians of every hue strutting their stuff across the length and breadth of Chennai. In earlier missives, I have dwelt at length with all the usual trappings, musical and non-musical, […]

In Search of Rumi

Forsake the beaten paths of tourists’ Turkey to trek through the mountains of Kurdistan to visit the shrine of one of the world’s most revered mystics, the 13th century Hazrath Jalaluddin Rumi –YOGINDER SIKAND

Partly in Asia and partly in Europe, Turkey is one of the most fascinating countries to visit. I had been to Turkey […]

Making summer holidays meaningful

PW invited parents of The Chintels School, Kanpur to share their thoughts on how they plan to make this summer meaningful for their children

“After much thought, we have drawn up a summer routine for my son — Raghav (class I) — packed with activities yet ensuring limited digital screen time.

The day begins with swimming, a […]

Building children’s natural talents

PW invited parents of Sat Paul Mittal School, Ludhiana to share their insights on how they identify and nurture the natural talents of their children

“Despite being a working parent, I have carefully observed my children — Josya (class VII) and Bhavya (class XII) — in their formative years. Those days, my son loved to build […]

Managing children’s temper tantrums

Dr. Himanshi Kashyap

Temper tantrums indicate children’s lack of ability to process emotions. They also signify the emergence of autonomy while simultaneously being a cry for parental attention

It’s common for children aged 15 months-four years to exhibit temper tantrums — brief episodes of unpleasant, disruptive behaviour and emotional outbursts. Sometimes, tantrums may be extreme […]

Minding children during the long, hot summer

With summer holidays having begun across the country and children likely to spend more time outdoors, it’s especially important for parents to protect children against summer heat. In this special summer cover story, eminent medical practitioners and health experts provide precautionary guidelines to cope with common summer heat-related ailments -Kiran Balimane & Cynthia John

“April […]

Letter from managing editor

It’s hot, hot! Record-breaking weather, enough to compete with General Election 2024 for front page coverage. With 2023 having been confirmed by scientists as the hottest year ever experienced by Planet Earth, the auguries for 2024 were not good. March, the first month of spring, has been cruel, setting new mercury records across the country. […]