As the country enters Unlock 5.0 and travel restrictions are being eased by state governments, trekking is emerging as a popular outdoor family activity to unwind and de-stress – Archana N. In his bestselling book The Land Beyond: A Thousand Miles on Foot through the Heart of the Middle East (2017), Irish author Leon McCarron chronicles a trek from Jerusalem to Mount Sinai in Egypt, and details his interactions with people en route who often asked him why he was walking. His answer: “Walking is the slowest possible way to go through a place. And that means that you see it in a much deeper way.” 2020 — the pandemic year — has been tough on all people of all age groups. Covid-19 restrictions and stay-at-home orders have taken a toll on people’s physical, emotional and mental health. Now, as the country enters Unlock 5.0 and lockdown restrictions are being eased by state governments, a rising number of families are venturing forth to local destinations, and several treks and trails have opened up to hikers and trekkers. Trekking is emerging as a popular outdoor en famille activity to unwind and de-stress. It improves health and fitness, alleviates emotional well-being and promotes family bonding. A 2015 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, found that individuals who walked 90 minutes within a natural habitat indicated decreased activity in part of the brain associated with depression compared with those who walked in high-traffic urban settings. Here are some guidelines to plan a family trekking expedition: With Covid-19 infection still a threat, choose a local/driving distance destination for trekking. Check the latest weather report of the destination before heading out. “It’s important to check out the weather report as excessive rain may damage trekking trails,” says Chandan H.N., founder, Trekkers, a Bengaluru/Mysuru-based camping and trekking tours company. If you’re a first-timer it’s advisable to accompany professionals. “Safety is important. If a trek includes adventure activities such as rock climbing, it’s important to sign up for the services of professional instructors. Also if the trek is in a forest/remote area, it’s advisable to enlist the services of guides familiar with the trekking trail. Moreover, forest treks require permission of forest department officials,” says Clement Dominic, operations executive, Bangalore Mountaineering Club. Write down a backpacking checklist. Under-packing is as detrimental as over-packing. An ideal backpack should not be more than 25-30 percent of your body weight. Pack clothes, toiletries and other items according to their need. Essential items include travel documents, first aid kit, medication and sterilizing kit, mosquito repellent, sanitiser, mask, raincoat, water bottle, torch light, personal medication, energy food, sunscreen and sunglasses. “For overnight treks, you can rent waterproof tents, solar lanterns and other equipment to reduce expenses,” says Chandan H.N Distribute the weight in the backpack so the lightest items are packed at bottom. Heavy items should be packed at the centre of your pack and close to your back. Also read: Discover the Garden City & its environs
Ingredients 1 egg yolk 2 cups maida ¼ cup semolina Pinch of baking soda 1 tbsp vanilla essence 2 tbsp oil or butter ½ cup water ¼ cup sugar For icing ¼ cup water ½ cup sugar Preparation guide Beat the egg yolk lightly, add the water, and beat some more. Next, pour in flour and all remaining ingredients (except those required for the icing), and mix well. Knead until it becomes soft, adding more water if needed. Cool for 20 minutes. Pinch off an inch-sized piece of the dough. Flatten it on the back of a fork, ensuring that the back of the dough has a ribbed effect, striped all the way down. Then, gently curl it away from the fork, towards the bottom of the fork, until it forms a tight curl. This is slightly tricky but it can be done! Once all the curls have been completed, deep fry them over medium heat. Fry until golden brown. For the icing Boil sugar and water together until the consistency becomes sticky and thread-like. Drizzle this syrup over the fried kalkals, mixing thoroughly until the glaze covers all the kalkals. Health benefits. Semolina is rich in protein, fibre, and B vitamins and aids in digestion. Also read: Chicken balls (From Kerala)
(2-4 servings) Ingredients 4 cups minced chicken 2 tbsp chopped onions 2 tbsp chopped parsley 1 egg yolk 300 gm cream cheese 2 tbsp butter 1 tbsp maida 2 eggs 1 cup bread crumbs Salt and pepper Preparation guide Heat butter in pan, add onions and cook until tender. Remove from the heat and mix with parsley, and let it cool. Mix minced chicken with salt, pepper, egg yolk and cream cheese. Mix in the sautéed onions and parsley. Divide the mixture into 24 even-sized balls and refrigerate for two to three hours. Beat two full eggs. Dust the chicken balls with flour; dip in egg mixture and then in bread crumbs. Fry in hot oil and drain on a kitchen towel. Serve hot. Health benefits. Parsley is rich in antioxidants and boosts heart, lung and eye health. Cream cheese, though high in calories, is a good source of vitamin A. Also read: Kalkals (From Kerala)
(25 servings) Ingredients for a quick Christmas cake Fruit 300 gm raisins 150 gm diced dried apricots 75 gm orange peel, diced 180 gm dates, diced 1 cup + 2 tbsp (280 ml) apple juice Cake 1 and cup maida/flour 3 eggs ½ tsp salt ½ cup oil 3 tbsp molasses or sugar syrup 8 tbsp unsalted butter 1 and ½ cups dark brown sugar ½ tsp cinnamon ½ nutmeg ½ tsp baking powder ¾ cup chopped walnuts Preparation guide Microwave dried fruit and apple juice for 1.5 minutes. Stir to coat all fruits in apple juice. Cover and set aside for 1 hour (to plump, soak and cool). For the cake, preheat the oven to 160°C. Beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add oil and molasses syrup, and blend well. Add salt, spices and baking powder and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating all the while. Now, add the flour. When it is mixed well, add and stir fruit mix (including all the extra liquid in the bowl) and walnuts. Pour into a cake pan, cover with foil and bake for 3 hours 15 minutes, removing foil for the last 45 minutes. A skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean with no batter on it. Remove from the oven and cool before serving. Health benefits. This recipe for a quick Christmas cake contains nutmeg, which is a wonderful digestive aid. It also relieves pain, strengthens cognitive functions, detoxifies the body, and improves oral health. Also read: How to make Gingerbread cake
Bring India with this platter of Christmas fare from Kerala and Goa to your dining table. Try out these homemade delights, without preservatives and artificial flavouring – Parvathy Menon Kokad (From Goa) (24 servings) Ingredients 1 coconut, ground dry 300 gm rava semolina 650 gm sugar 2 tbsp ghee 1 tbsp butter 10 cardamoms, ground ¾ cup water Preparation guide Pour the water in a large saucepan, add the sugar and stir. When the sugar water begins to boil, add the ground coconut and mix well. In another pan, roast the rava semolina on a slow fire. Add the rava to the coconut mixture and stir over medium flame. Add pinch of salt. When the mixture thickens, add ghee and butter. Continue to stir for about 45 minutes. Keep stirring the mixture so it doesn’t stick to the saucepan. When the mixture is thick, sprinkle cardamom powder and continue to stir. Apply butter or ghee to spread the Kokad mixture. Flatten with a rolling pin while it’s hot. Cut into diamond-shape pieces and it’s ready. Health benefits. Coconut is rich in protein, several minerals, Vitamin B, and especially in manganese, which promotes bone health and metabolism. Also in copper and iron, which help form red blood cells, as well as in selenium, a vital antioxidant.
Stair climbing is a great cardio exercise that burns calories, develops muscle strength and stamina. If you transform this routine activity into a workout — at least 15 minutes every day — you will develop strong glutes, thighs, hips and abdominals and also lose weight – Monojit Ghosh is a former gymnast and fitness trainer and gymnastics coach at Art Corner Gymnastics, Bangalore Do it right Warm up by slowly walking up and down a flight of steps. Follow up with 20 jumping jacks and spot jogging slowly, then fast for one minute. Now, start climbing 15-20 stairs up and down for 10-15 minutes. First briskly, then slow down. Keep your breathing steady throughout the exercise. It will spread oxygen to your muscles. Maintain an upright posture to avoid strain on the lower back. If you experience any type of sharp pain while climbing stairs, stop immediately. If you need support, hold onto the railing when walking up and down the stairs. During the workout, focus on proper knee alignment, to avoid knee or ankle sprain. Sip water before, during and after the activity, even if not feeling thirsty. Don’t be in a hurry. Take your time with this workout. Use shoes with good grip. Take short breaks. If you feel dizzy, stop and take a break. Warning If you are suffering pain in your feet, ankles, knees, or hips or ligament tears, stair-climbing workouts are not for you. Advantages of climbing stairs Burns calories much faster than walking or running Improves stamina, muscle tone and increases energy Strengthens glutes and quadriceps Doesn’t require training equipment Temple stair climbing holidays Many temples in India are sited on mountain tops. Family visits to such mountain temples can transform into a stairs-climbing holiday. Some suggestions: The Talakaveri temple in Madikeri, Karnataka has 370 steps to climb. The picturesque Kolli Hills Temple, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, has 1,000 steps to ascend. Tirupati temple in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, has 3,500 steps. Also read: A stretch in time saves nine: Stretching exercises
Engineering jobs are no more about improving shopfloor production but also about product design, innovation, cost reduction and improved organisational and employee productivity. Career growth opportunities for professionally qualified engineers have multiplied considerably With myriad new age career options now available to the nations youth, engineering, whose popularity as the first choice of most bright young plus two students had faded, is re-emerging as a favoured choice after undergoing radical transformation. With the onward march of technology, engineering jobs are no more about improving shopfloor production but also about product design, innovation, cost reduction and improved organisational and employee productivity. In short, career growth and development opportunities for professionally qualified engineers have multiplied considerably. Of the over 30 different branches of engineering, the mechanical stream has remained the front-runner. Certainly, its the biggest branch of engineering requiring professionally certified skills of design, product manufacturing, installing, maintaining and operating machinery to produce manufactures. Mechanical engineers find ready employment in the aerospace, agriculture, automotive, bioengineering, materials, manufacturing industries and numerous other areas of technology. Essentially engineers are technology problem-solvers with love of mathematics and science and possess the knack of resolving complex mechanical or logistical problems. Entry into most four-year BE/B.Tech study programmes is either through an all-India level entrance exam such as IIT-JEE, AIEEE (All India Engineering Entrance Exam) or competitive state level CETs (common entrance tests). A Plus Two school-leaving certificate in science with physics, chemistry and maths is mandatory to write these entrance exams. The aggregate number of engineering colleges offering undergraduate and postgrad education across India is estimated at 3,500. Among them the most prominent are the 15 Indian Institutes of Technology sited in Kanpur, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Bangalore, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Bhuba-neswar, Gandhinagar, Patna, Rupnagar; the National Institutes of Technology (Nagpur, Trichy, Warangal, Suratkal, Kurukshetra, Rourkela, Jamshedpur); BITS Pilani; University of Roorkee; VJTI, Mumbai and the Delhi College of Engineering. Another option available to students interested in engineering disciplines is to enrol for shorter-duration diploma programmes. Three-year diploma cour-ses in engineering are offered after class X in Industrial Training Institutes/polytechnics (private and government sponsored) supervised by the State Boards of Technical Education. With infrastructure investment booming in India and rapid growth of the manufacturing sector which is experiencing a paradigm shift with innovation, cost reduction and productivity leaps having taken centre stage in Indian industry, theres great demand for professionally qualified mechanical engineers. As a result, most technology and manufacturing companies are offering excellent salaries and career paths on a par with the IT industry, says Sharad Jambukar (31), a brilliant mechanical engineer who’s a manager (IT) in the industrial major Larsen & Toubro Ltd (revenue: Rs.43,854 crore in the year ended March, 2010). An alumnus of Mumbai’s highly respected Veermata Jijabai Technical Institute (VJTI), affiliated with Mumbai University, Jambukars is an inspiring story of a vernacular school student from a poor illiterate family liberated and empowered by education. Equipped with a first class BE degree, he was handpicked by Tata Power, where he worked on the…
– Sue Atkins is a UK-based internationally recognised parenting expert, broadcaster, speaker and author of Parenting Made Easy — How to Raise Happy Children (2012) During the pandemic lockdown, my son has lost interest in academics. He is in class XI and despite my best efforts he shows no motivation to pursue schoolwork seriously. Please advise. — Manasi G, Bengaluru A good starting point is a non-judgmental conversation with your son about what’s worrying him. This will help you to try and transform his negative attitude into positive motivation. The pandemic has disrupted academic calendars worldwide and many children are finding it difficult to cope with online classes. Work together to find solutions to this problem. Encourage him to take regular breaks from academic work. He could exercise or go a walk, watch a movie, read a book, cook, chat with friends, or sketch during study breaks. My college-going children have returned home to live with me through the pandemic lockdown. While things for the most part are going well, I often wonder if I am controlling them too much. I feel that after going to college, they have become more irresponsible, lazy and messy about the house. So, I tend to shout and yell at them. Should I back off? — Jocelyn Bangera, Bengaluru Most parents of boomerang kids find it difficult to adjust when adult children return home to live with them. With colleges shut and work-from-home policies in force during the past nine months of the pandemic, many young adults have returned home to live with their parents. The best way to adjust to this new situation is to set simple, clear and specific house rules. Try these practical tips: It’s your house and you get to set the house rules Draw up an agreement on sharing household chores and stick with it Accept that you have to change your behaviour with adult children Insist they inform you when they are coming home late at night Be firm, fair, consistent and respectful Don’t wait on them hand and foot Don’t micro-manage and control them As parents you are role models. For instance, if the dad expects mum to do all the household chores, the adult child will too Don’t ignore bad behaviour. If it upsets you, speak to them about it. Work out compromises, solutions and ways forward. Don’t let resentment, anger and arguments build up. Boomerang college kids won’t stay at your home forever. But while they are at home, it is an opportunity to nurture and strengthen familial bonds of love and respect. I feel the past nine months of the pandemic have sapped out the joy of parenting. With children at home all day and my hectic work-from-home routine, the stress and frustration of managing it all is making life unbearable. Help! — Depressed Mom, Mumbai You need to carve out some ‘me’ time to replenish your energy and motivation. It’s important to be in…
– Dr. Harikah is a paediatrician at Sprout Children’s Clinic, Bengaluru My five-year-old son weighs 23 kg. Despite my best efforts, he tends to eat a lot of junk food. Should I worry about him becoming obese at this age? — Chitra Subramaniam, Chennai Yes, his weight is too much for his age. You have to instill healthy eating habits in him and mandate regular exercise. If eating right and exercise does not become integral to his lifestyle now, he is likely to suffer grave health problems in later life. Naturally, children want junk food. But you should make an effort to provide healthy snack options such as makhana, puffed rice, chikki, salad, fruits, soups, dry fruits, brown bread with homemade peanut butter/almond butter etc. Involve your son in preparing healthy snack foods, and he will slowly and surely realise their health and nutritional value. Another simple way to stop children from consuming junk food is to not keep it at home. My seven-year-old son loves to play outdoors and he often suffers scratches and bruises. What first aid should be administered to him and is a tetanus injection necessary every time he suffers an injury? — Disha Vemu, Mumbai If your son is vaccinated according to the national vaccination schedule, he doesn’t require additional tetanus jabs for minor injuries until he is ten years of age. The compulsory immunization programme includes tetanus protection. Whenever he hurts himself, wash the injury area with soap and water to get rid of external dust particles and germs, and apply antiseptic lotion twice daily until the wound becomes dry. But if there’s a deep injury, consult a doctor. My eight-year-old daughter keeps touching her ears. She says she has no pain but some wax is always seen in the outer area. Does the ear wax need to be removed? — Hima Kiran, Pune Generally, a small amount of wax in the ear is good as it protects small insects from crawling inside the auricle. Wax is natural protection against foreign bodies. After a shower, the wax and dirt in the outer ear becomes soft, and you can gently clean the outer ear with the edge of a towel. But take care to clean only the outer area. Don’t attempt to insert anything inside the ear. Sometimes, there is hard, impacted wax which causes pain and cannot be easily removed except by an ENT specialist. During winter, my children’s skin becomes very dry. As a result they are always scratching their legs and backs. Please advise. — Rema Smitha, Bengaluru Apply coconut oil immediately after a shower to retain skin moisture and prevent dryness. Pure coconut oil is free of artificial perfumes, chemicals and colours, making it safe for children. It also has several preventive health properties. Moreover it’s important to keep children hydrated as they don’t feel thirsty during the winter months, and tend to drink less water. Encourage them to drink water and fresh juices. You could also prepare fresh vegetable/chicken soup…
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 undetected, and that children are just as susceptible as adults to infection. Children likely transmit the virus at a similar rate to adults as well. While children are thankfully much less likely than adults to get seriously ill, the same isn’t true for the adults that care for them. Evidence suggests schools have been a driver of the second wave in Europe and elsewhere. This means the safety of schools needs an urgent rethink. It’s hard to detect COVID-19 in children Infections with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, in children are generally much more mild than in adults and easy to overlook. A study from South Korea found the majority of children had symptoms mild enough to go unrecognised, and only 9 percent were diagnosed at the time of symptom onset. Researchers used an antibody test (which can detect if a person had the virus previously and recovered) to screen a representative sample of nearly 12,000 children from the general population in Germany. They found the majority of cases in children had been missed. In itself, that’s not surprising, because many cases in adults are missed, too. But what made this study important, was that it showed young and older children were likely to have been similarly infected. Official testing in Germany had suggested young children were much less likely to be infected than teenagers, but this wasn’t true. Younger children with infections just weren’t getting tested. The study also found nearly half of infected children were asymptomatic. This is about twice what’s typically seen in adults. But children do transmit the virus We’ve known for a while that around the same amount of viral genetic material can be found in the nose and throat of both children and adults. But that doesn’t necessarily mean children will transmit the same way adults do. Because children have smaller lung capacity and are less likely to exhibit symptoms, they might release less virus into the environment. However, a new study conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found children and adults were similarly likely to transmit the virus to their household contacts. Another study, of more than 84,000 cases and their close contacts in India found children and young adults are especially likely to transmit the virus. Most of the children in these studies likely had symptoms. So, it’s unclear if asymptomatic children transmit the virus in the same way. But outbreaks in childcare centres have shown transmission by children who don’t show symptoms still occurs. During an outbreak at two childcare centres in Utah, asymptomatic children transmitted the virus to their family members, which resulted in the hospitalisation of…
Parents need to take proactive steps to wean youngest children from digital media and devices by introducing them to stimulating toys that develop fine and motor skills while nurturing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills – Archana N. It’s no longer startling or shocking to witness tiny tots effortlessly playing games and navigating apps on smart phones, iPads, and other digital devices. Over the past nine months since the global Covid-19 pandemic, which has caused 9.88 million infections and resulted in 143,000 fatalities countrywide, forced families indoors, usage of digital devices by youngest children has increased manifold. The highly-respected American Academy of Pediatrics recommends zero screen time for children below two years, and one hour per day for children aged two-five years. Moreover child psychologists and health experts advise parents to take proactive steps to wean youngest children from digital media by introducing them to stimulating educational toys that develop their motor skills that nurture their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. “Play is learning for children. Therefore by encouraging children to play with physical toys, parents are aiding their children’s intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development. Toys stimulate the right and left brain, and develop verbal and visual-spatial/visual-motor skill sets and creativity within children,” says Dr. Dherandra Kumar, consultant clinical child psychologist and director, AHEAD, and consultant at Apollo Hospitals, Noida. Dr. Dherandra Kumar recommends that parents introduce these toys to 2-5 year olds: Toys which teach children role play Kitchen sets, dolls, doctor sets, costumes, etc prompt children to imitate adult roles. Parents should join in role play, taking care to avoid gender stereotyping. Encourage male children to play with kitchen sets and girls with meccano sets. Role play enables children to connect with the real world and develop empathy, communication skills and emotional intelligence. Toys to promote dexterity Clay modeling and building blocks develop children’s dexterity, motor and hand, eye coordination skills. Toys that develop gross motor skills Balancing boards and river stones Trampoline Pull-along toys Rocking toys on which children sit Rings, cones, etc Crawling tunnels Outdoor sports such as cricket, football and badminton Toys t0 develop fine motor skills Peg boards Beads and bead mazes Snap-lock beads Dress-up toys Stacking toys Sketch boards Jigsaw puzzles Music is simultaneously stimulating and calming for children. Toy musical instruments are ideal for young children to experiment with sounds. Soft balls which young children can easily bounce, throw, spin or catch are not only fun, but develop children’s coordination skills. Hard-back picture books will instill the reading habit in youngest children. From gadgets to toys Dr. Maulik Shah, paediatrician, Vatsalya Superspecialty Child’s Clinic, Mumbai, shares tips for parents to unhook children from gadgets and hook them on to constructive play with toys. Don’t forbid gadgets completely. Instead set time limits for gadget use, such as 10 minutes during a one-hour play window. Choose and select toys which the child enjoys — puzzles, building blocks,…
Though Bangalore has morphed into Bengaluru, it still retains some of its old-world charm and is an established base for excursions into neighbouring hill stations and seaside resorts Once known as the pensioner’s paradise and India’s garden city, over the past two decades, in particular, the southern city of Bangalore aka Bengaluru (pop. 12.3 million) has metamorphosed into Asia’s fastest-growing metropolis, India’s Silicon Valley and the undisputed hub of the nation’s information technology (IT) and IT-related businesses. Almost overnight this sleepy, laid-back city has impacted itself not only upon the consciousness of Indian but also foreign investors and industry as a metro city of fast-track businesses including research and development, real estate development, retailing and education hub. And it’s a measure of Bangalore’s swift growth and development as a business hub that 658 flights from across the country touch down and take off every day at its expansive 4,000-acre Kempe Gowda International Airport (estb. 2008) named after the founder of Bangalore. Moreover, several foreign airlines including Air Nepal, Sri Lanka Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Etihad and Emirates have introduced direct flights from Bangalore to their headquarters and further afield. But though latter-day Bengaluru has morphed into a business and industrial metro, it still retains some of its old-world charm — particularly in its two great public parks (Lalbagh and Cubbon Park) which are the lungs of the garden city — and offers numerous other rest and recreation options. Among them: the largest number of pubs and bars in the country, innumerable restaurants offering virtually all the major cuisines of the world and a variety of spas, resorts and hotels in scenic spots on the peripheries of the city. In addition, Bangalore is now a well-established base for excursions to neighbouring hill stations and seaside resorts which are within comfortable driving distance and well-connected by air, road and rail links. The history of Bangalore dates back to the 11th century when King Veera Ballala II reportedly lost his way while on a hunting expedition. After a long march through a forest, the famished royal chanced upon a peasant’s hut. Its sole woman resident had nothing to offer except boiled beans. As a token of gratitude, the king built a town in the region and named it Benda Kalooru which translates into ‘town of boiled beans’. Over time, this name evolved into Bangalore after which it was renamed Bengaluru in 2014. In 1761, Hyder Ali usurped the Mysore throne from the Wodeyar dynasty and ruled over Bangalore until his death in 1779. His son Tipu Sultan aka the Tiger of Mysore, took over and ruled till 1791 when Lord Cornwallis, the British governor general of India besieged the city and defeated Tipu’s army. When the treaty of Srirangapatnam was signed, Bangalore was handed back to Tipu. The fourth Mysore war (1799) resulted in the fall of Srirangapatnam and death of Tipu following which Bangalore was absorbed in the kingdom of Mysore ruled by Krishna Raja Wodeyar III. In 1831, the British assumed control…
At some point of time all clichés were excellently worded phrases. In fact, so well-liked that they were overused, moving gradually to the category of disliked axioms – Roopa Banerjee A cliché is a phrase, idea or expression that has been overused to the extent that it loses its original meaning and uniqueness. Sometimes, events or occasions that are predictable are also referred to as clichés. The word cliché has its origin in the French clicher, meaning ‘to click’ — the clicking sound made by a printer’s metal stereotyping plate. Thus, it implies lifting and reproducing something unchanged and is a good metaphor for clichéd writing abounding in worn out and much too used phrases. It’s pertinent to note that at some point of time all clichés were excellently worded. In fact, they were so good and liked that they were overused, moving gradually to the category of tired disliked axioms. ‘In the nick of time’ and ‘only time will tell’ were surely refreshing phrases at the time of their origin, but today they are clichés. The French poet Gérard de Nerval rightly declared: ‘The first man who compared a woman to a rose was a poet, the second, an imbecile. However, not all phrases oft used are categorised as clichés. ‘I now pronounce you man and wife’ and ‘I do solemnly swear’ are frequently used but are, by no means, clichés. Nor is ‘Happy Birthday’! Many common similes are now clichés. Writing or speaking about something being ‘as swift as a cheetah’ or ‘as cunning as a fox’ is trite. But clichés are not the sole horror of the written world. Movies and films abound with them. For instance, the hero being able to shoot down bad guys precisely while villains miss every time is one of the worst movie clichés. Every Star Wars fan has wondered why all the stormtroopers miss almost every shot. Cars never start on the first try in an escape and a film shot in Paris has the Eiffel tower seen from every window. These are clichés that make eyes roll every time. English literature has given us numerous literary gems that have become clichés. The famous lines from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: ‘A rose by any other name would smell as sweet’ as well as ‘All that glitters is not gold’ from Merchant of Venice now have a dubious reputation. Similarly, Shakespeare would be sad to see ‘Jealousy is the green-eyed monster’ from Othello has moved to the cliché world. Some story plots can be cliched, too. For example, an orphan growing up to conquer all evil is a fantasy cliché. That is not to say that no clichés work in the publishing or film world. Harry Potter is a fine example of a fantasy plot cliché which resonated with readers. In addition, there are character clichés. For instance, a plain Jane who suddenly becomes glamorous before the denouement and marries the man of her dreams. Then, there are setting clichés where rain…
PW invited parents of Mount Litera Zee School, Amritsar to share their views on the effectiveness of online learning “The unprecedented crisis triggered by the global Covid-19 pandemic outbreak has shaken the entire world, forcing mass closure of schools and colleges. When my 13-year-old daughter Mannat was first introduced to online classes in early April, I was quite skeptical. However given the excellent school and faculty support, I can confidently say online teaching-learning has been as effective as traditional face-to-face learning. It has enabled Mannat to dive deep into the world of technology and enhance critical 21st-century life skills. She is now devoting substantial time to self-study than ever before.” — Nidhi Samra, purchase director, Jackson Laboratories Pvt. Ltd, Amritsar “Online learning has dramatically reduced wastage of time and resources and kept our children continuously engaged. It is amazing to see how my class IX twin daughters — Krisha and Kaashvi — have matured by utilizing their time to learn beyond their courses. School and faculty support has been commendable. I believe 80 percent of online learning is effective, although 20 percent gets lost because of reduced personal interaction, experiential and practical learning-by-doing. For example the absence of physical activity and sports has left a huge void in my daughters’ lives as they are both good badminton players.” — Shipra Arora, homemaker “Online classes and assessments have proved highly effective and productive for my children — Rehaan (12) and Tiara (7). The school even conducts early morning assembly and prayers, and celebrates important festivals online. What has touched me most are extra classes provided for lessons revision. I am yet to see more committed staff. Thanks to them and dynamic director Mrs. Manjot Dhillon, the school has inculcated a spirit of camaraderie and taught students team work which is a critical 21st century skill. Being an education entrepreneur myself, I can discern the growth opportunities this school has offered to students in the current Covid-19 crisis.” — Nagma Khanna, Director, Excellence Academy, Amritsar “In these trying times, online school has enabled my son — Dhananjay (11) — to achieve academic continuity. He is learning at his own pace, reading and revising concepts as and when required. In my opinion, attending classes from the comfort of students’ homes has a positive impact on their learning and growth. Mt. Zee Litera has designed a strong curriculum and follows innovative pedagogical practices that make interactive online classes enjoyable for students.” — Priya Chouhan, homemaker Also read: New Year resolutions and their importance
In these difficult times of social isolation, we recommend a selection of books to advise children to understand and embrace diversity — cultural, gender, racial, among others — as well as let loose their imagination in fantasy worlds – Mini P. Made by Raffi by Craig Pomranz and illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, Price: Rs.755 At its heart, this book is about “embracing our differences”. Inspired by a true-life story, Made By Raffi narrates the tale of a young boy who loves to knit and sew. At first, he is teased and ragged for his girlish hobby, but he emerges a hero to his classmates when he steps in to design a prince’s cape for the school pageant. Translated into Chinese and Korean, the purpose of the book, says the author, is to support male and female children who are perceived as ‘different’ because of their physical attributes, clothing choices or hobbies. Creatively illustrated and simply told, it celebrates diversity. The Big Thoughts of Little Luv by Karan Johar and illustrated by Priya Kuriyan Publisher: Juggernaut Kids, Price: Rs.280 (Hardcover) This picture book for 2-5 year-olds is written by popular Bollywood director Karan Johar and tells the story of twins, Luv and Kusha, and the subtle ways in which gender expectations and roles are foisted on young male children in Indian society. “I am the proud mom of Yash and Roohi or that’s how I see it,” writes Johar, who is a single dad to twins born through surrogacy. In this beautifully illustrated picture book, Johar posits that there shouldn’t be social rules for what men and women can and cannot do. “In fact, I wear bright pink sneakers with more style than my female friends,” he writes. The bottomline, he says, is that if “we love our children we should let them flower into whomsoever they want to be”. Hungry Sky Monster by Rohini Nilekani and illustrated by Megha Punater Publisher: Juggernaut Kids, Price: Rs.248 Mama, why does the moon become small and then so big? Could there be a naughty little sky monster that gobbles it up? This bedtime story in poem form is a fable that imagines a sky monster on a rampage. Philanthropist and author, Rohini Nilekani, wrote the book keeping her three-year-old grandson in mind. Also read: Satyajit Ray children’s classics
A growing number of youth are opting to take a gap year after school/college to explore career options, travel, take a stab at a fantasy project, learn a new skill and/or just contemplate future directions – Mini P & Cynthia John A decade ago, the idea of school-leavers and young adults taking a gap year — a year-long break before or after college/university to indulge in travel, sports, cultural pursuits, NGO work, learning music etc — was highly unusual and an option available only to spoilt rich kids. However in recent years, especially after hundreds of school and college drop-outs have shaken up stockmarkets world over by promoting unicorn companies ($1 billion-plus market value), a growing number of youth are opting to take a gap year to explore career options, travel, take a stab at a fantasy project, learn a new skill or just contemplate future directions. And with the global Covid-19 pandemic, which has caused 74 million infections and 16 million fatalities worldwide including 9.9 million and 144,000 in India, having shuttered schools, colleges and universities globally and hugely disrupted academic progression and higher study plans of school and college leavers, the idea of taking a gap year has become an appealing proposition to thousands of youth worldwide, India included. A case in point is Chennai-based school-leaver Hariharan Natesh who was admitted into the University of California, San Diego, for the fall term beginning October. Rather than fly to the US and remain cooped up in students’ housing taking online classes, Natesh has taken a gap year. “It’s a blessing in disguise. I have very productively spent the past four months improving my research skills as an online intern at the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad. Simultaneously, I am learning household chores, cooking, driving a car and improving my health and fitness by working out regularly. I have also developed my self-confidence and several life and social skills. I will be fit and ready to make the best of my higher education when I join U Cal next year,” says Natesh. While the pandemic and its unsettling impact has pushed a large number of youth to contemplate writing off 2020-21, the idea of taking a break from 15 years of schooling before taking on another three-four years in higher education, has been growing in popularity in developed OECD countries during the past two decades, and is appealing to an expanding number of young school-leavers in India. In September, an online Unlock Your Year: Gap Year Summit 2020, hosted by the Indian Multiversities Alliance (a network of several higher education organisations including Swaraj University; Shikshantar — The People’s Institute for Rethinking Education & Development; Project Anveshan and Creativity Adda) attracted 250 participants from across the country. Over a week, participants discussed agenda topics such as ‘Are you someone who takes learning in your own hands’? ‘Reimagining education’, ‘Developing Life Skills’ among other subjects in discussion groups and workshops. “We received an overwhelming response to our Gap Year Summit. The…
Three of every four children in India reported increase in negative sentiments since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, reveals a report A Generation at Stake: Protecting India’s Children from the Impact of COVID-19 released by the well-reputed NGO Save the Children in November. The study which surveyed 11-17-year old children highlights that a majority of them attributed their stress to factors such as ambiguity over returning to school and loss of livelihoods in their families. The study also found that two-thirds of children had access to one or two types of learning material, and that 10 percent children in poor families said they would not return to school, and 17 percent of children in migrant families reported increase in domestic violence. “The most vulnerable children are becoming the biggest victims of its social and economic impacts. It is agonising to see that Covid-19 is likely to exacerbate existing deprivation from both a monetary and a multi-dimensional poverty angle, hugely impacting the mental health and psychological well-being of children,” says Sudarshan Suchi, CEO, Save the Children. Also read: Pregnancy stress adversely affects infant brain development
An infant’s brain development may be impaired by stress levels experienced by the mother during pregnancy, says a study conducted by the University of Edinburgh and published in eLife (November). Researchers found that high stress levels in pregnant women — measured by a hormone (cortisol) linked to anxiety and other health problems — are linked to changes in an area (amygdala) of the infant brain associated with emotional development. For the study, scientists assessed hair samples of 78 pregnant women to determine their cortisol levels. Subsequently, their infants underwent a series of brain scans using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) while they were asleep. “Our findings are a call to action to detect and support pregnant women who need extra help during pregnancy as this could be an effective way of promoting healthy brain development in their babies,” says James Boardman, lead researcher and director of the Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory, University of Edinburgh. Also read: One child/youth infected with HIV every 100 seconds: UNICEF
Every 100 seconds, a child or young person under 20 years of age, was infected with the HIV/AIDS virus in 2019, reveals a report — Reimagining a Resilient HIV Response for Children, Adolescents and Pregnant Women Living with HIV — released by UNICEF in November. Nearly 320,000 children and adolescents were newly infected with HIV and 110,000 children died of AIDS last year with less than half children worldwide not having access to life-saving treatment. “Even as the world struggles in the midst of an ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic, hundreds of thousands of children continue to suffer the ravages of the HIV epidemic. There is still no HIV vaccine. Children are still getting infected at alarming rates, and they are still dying from AIDS. This was even before Covid-19 interrupted vital HIV treatment and prevention services putting countless more lives at risk,” says Henrietta Fore, executive director, UNICEF. According to UNICEF, the Covid-19 pandemic has impeded access to life-saving HIV services for children, adolescents and pregnant mothers.
Adolescent children who have good, supportive relationships with their teachers enjoy better health as adults, says a study published in School Psychology (October). Jinho Kim, assistant professor in the faculty of health policy and management at Korea University, analysed data from the Add Health Study, a nationally representative longitudinal research study conducted in the United States that followed 20,000 participants for 13 years, from class VII into early adulthood. Teen participants answered questions such as, “How often have you had trouble getting along with other students?” and “How often have you had trouble getting along with your teachers?” Kim found that participants who reported better relationships with peers and teachers in middle and high school reported better physical and mental health in their mid-20s. “This research suggests that improving students’ relationships with teachers could have important, positive, and long-lasting effects beyond just academic success. It could also have important health implications in the long run,” says Kim. Also read: 3 of 4 children suffering lockdown stress
I loved the November cover story on nurturing entrepreneurship skills within children. I run a fashion boutique in Chennai and wish that I was exposed to entrepreneurship education early on in my life. As I learn on the job navigating the ups and downs of starting and running my own business, I have realised that entrepreneurship is a vital skill which must be incorporated into all school curriculums. Entrepreneurship develops communication and problem-solving skills, self-confidence, and most importantly builds resilience within children. The ten pointers to nurture entrepreneurial skills of adolescents written by Sriram Subramanian, co-founder & CEO, Clever Harvey, were especially brilliant. Shreshta Reddy Chennai Inspiring & relevant Thank you for the inspiring and relevant cover story ‘Nurturing children’s entrepreneurship skills’ (PW November). I loved the suggestion that schools and parents must encourage children to start and run a business — during the summer vacation — as a school/college project. Starting and running a business — however small it is such as setting up a lemonade stall on the weekends in the neighbourhood — provides invaluable life skills experiences and develops children’s organisation, financial management, problem solving and communication skills. Many of the world’s successful entrepreneurs started young. For instance Daymond John, host of the hit TV show Shark Tank, started a gifting business when he was eight years old. He would scrape the paint off pencils and replace it with a girl’s name for a fee. There is also the story of Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad who rode around his tiny Swedish town at the age of five, selling fire matches in the 1930s. He started Ikea when he was only 17 years old. Seema Rajeev Delhi Motivate children to exercise I’m a fitness freak and used to frequent the gym at least three days a week. But after the lockdown, like most people I am nervous about working out in the gym. I liked your Health story on push-ups and why it’s an excellent home-based fitness activity for all family members. Unfortunately during the past nine months of lockdown and home isolation, physical activity of children has suffered greatly. With schools closed and most parents still apprehensive about sending children for sports classes, children are losing out on physical play and exercise. It’s critical that parents motivate children to remain fit and healthy by doing indoor exercises. There are many videos on youtube showing excellent indoor exercise routines suitable for children. These fitness activities don’t require any gym equipment and/or expert supervision. Binosh John Bengaluru Reopen schools now! I am a parent of two adolescent children who are sick and tired of online classes. It’s been almost nine months since schools closed because of the pandemic. Children have been locked indoors for almost a year, without any real-time interaction with friends and teachers. No sports and co-curricular activities either. Now, with the Covid-19 infection rate falling across the country, I think it’s time we reopened schools. Abroad, in the UK, France and even in New York, schools…
A new academic phenomenon which is becoming incrementally popular with school-college leavers, is to take a gap year to explore career options, travel, perfect a new skill or sports intelligence, sign up with a community service NGO and/or contemplate future directions. A decade ago, this option would have been considered a waste of time and an indulgence of spoilt rich kids. But with greater awareness that teens and young adults need time off after 15 years of K-12 hard grind, parents and educators are warming to the idea of a gap year to best develop teenagers’ co-curricular and extra-curricular skills which are becoming increasingly important in complex and continuously evolving workplaces. Moreover, with the rampaging global Covid-19 pandemic having thrown academic life out of gear, many young adults believe this is a good time to take a sabbatical. According to the American Gap Association, 90 percent of college/university students who take a gap year return re-energised and refreshed and their subsequent grades tend to be higher than of peers. The association also highlights that gappers return more self-confident, mature and independent. In our year-end cover story, we focus on the rising popularity of gap year option, the advantages of taking a sabbatical, and the many learning resources — online and offline — available to gappers. The consensus of opinion among educators is that a structured gap year with equal measures of learning, travel, workplace experience, adult mentorship and quiet contemplation is the perfect mix for a sabbatical year. But they also caution that a gap year shouldn’t be wasted. There’s much else in this information-packed issue of ParentsWorld. Check out the Early Childhood essay ‘Replace gadgets with toys’ in which child psychologists and pediatricians advise parents on ways and means to introduce youngest children to stimulating educational toys; and our Middle Years feature on Covid-19 transmission by children. Moreover, our highly-qualified columnists, the UK-based parenting expert Sue Atkins and well-known pediatrician Dr. Harika answer parents’ queries ranging from managing boomerang kids to weaning children off junk food. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
