ParentsWorld January 2019

Compassionate parenting linked to generosity in children

Growing popularity of Slow Parenting

A social response to helicopter parents who micro-manage children’s lives by organising a host of structured activities including academic tuitions and after-school music/sports classes, slow parenting encourages children to learn, live and grow at their own pace in non-stressful environments. Aka simplicity parenting, it is increasingly finding favour with educationists, psychologists and parents worldwide – Jayalakshmi […]

The historic charm of Rajasthan

Battle-scarred fortresses, grand palaces, golden sand dunes, colourful culture and friendly folk combine to make this desert state a must-visit destination

The erstwhile royal state of Rajasthan is visited by millions of Indian and foreign tourists every year — 4.75 million Indian and foreign tourists visited Rajasthan (pop. 69 million) in 2017. Of them 1.61 […]

Letter from the Managing Editor

A jet-setting action-packed life is no longer a status symbol. The need-to-be-busy and too-much-to-do culture is fading out of fashion. Worldwide people are becoming aware that fast-paced hectic living is robbing them of peace, family time and most important, health and emotional stability. Therefore, there is a nascent but growing shift towards slow lifestyles. Known […]

Warped priorities

I was shocked to read about the baby cot with an in-built iPad in your latest cover story ‘Saving children from digital addiction’ (PW December). Are we so hooked on to gadgets that we now want to rely on them to help put our infants to sleep? It is a sad reflection of the warped […]

In-school nutrition programmes help prevent obesity

Schools with enhanced nutrition policies and programmes help reduce body mass index (BMI — a measure of obesity) and nurture healthier eating habits within children, says a study jointly conducted by Yale University’s School of Public Health and Connecticut University and published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (December). The study, based on a […]

Baby-wearing practical & joyful

Baby-wearing is gaining popularity in India with a multiplying number of women finding it practical and convenient to strap their children to themselves. It also promotes parent-child bonding with both infants and mothers experiencing less stress and anxiety – K.P. Malini

With her baby strapped to her back, the legendary Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi fought off […]

Empower your introvert child

With society favouring extroverted people who exude positivity and enthusiasm, an introvert child is generally shunned for shy and socially awkward behaviour. But contemporary research indicates that the reflective traits of introverts helps them develop into good communicators and leaders – Aruna Raghuram

Eight-year-old Anupriya Mathur, a class III student of a top-ranked Delhi school, has few […]

Help children overcome fear of failure

Failure is a learning experience and pre-condition of success. When children experience disappointment and failure, if they are given counseling, support, and advice, they become better and stronger people – Bandana Brahmin

Learning to cope with challenges, disappointments and often failure, is a rite of passage for all children. However, during the teenage years when adolescents […]

Dysgraphia – Diagnosis and treatment

I was informed by my son’s school that he has dysgraphia. He is in class I. I think this is too early a stage to make this diagnosis. He does experience some difficulty holding a pencil but I’m wondering if the school is jumping to conclusions too soon. Should I consult a child psychologist or […]

Hone your child’s critical thinking skills

Capability to analyse and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs, summed up as critical thinking, is acknowledged as essential for academic and workplace success in the 21st century. Therefore it’s become incumbent upon parents to introduce children to this 21st century skill at early age – Jayalakshmi Vaidyanathan

Cogito, ergo sum (I think, therefore I am) — […]

Not a bad use of language!

In the world of litotes, two double negatives make a positive – Roopa Banerjee

Hey, not bad!” When someone says that after you play Chopin (Polish composer Frédéric François Chopin) on the piano, you would be right to experience pride. ‘Not bad’ means you were good. This figure of speech wherein two double negatives make a positive […]

Bioinformatics – Plethora of options

The immense potential of the IT, life sciences and biotech industries in India and the West has encouraged promotion of corporates which are allying with academia to conduct path-breaking research

The 21st century’s most promising industry, bioinformatics — a marriage of IT (information technology) with life sciences — offers a multiplicity of high-potential and rewarding career […]

St. John’s High School Borivali (E), Mumbai

Sited on a half-acre campus adjacent to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in the Mumbai suburb of Borivali (East), the CISCE-affiliated K-10 St. John’s High School (SJHS, estb. 2007) has established a good reputation for providing holistic values-based education to its 1,431 students mentored by 71 teachers.

Promoted by Balakrishnan T, a highly-respected educationist and founder-chairman […]

Is your baby product hazardous?

It’s the duty of parents to exercise maximum care and caution in selecting and using baby products. In this month’s column, I highlight three widely used baby products which may be unsafe for new-borns and infants, writes Dr Gita Mathai

There is something endearing and lovable about a clean, cooing baby smelling of lightly fragranced […]

Usher in the harvest season!

It’s the first month of the year and onset of the harvest season in south India, celebrated as Pongal or Sankranti.

Here are some sweet and savoury recipes for celebrating the harvest festival

Ven Pongal

Ingredients

1 cup rice (or dalia)
1/2 cup yellow moong dal
2 tbsp diced carrot
1 tsp black pepper
1 green chilli
1 inch fresh ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 […]

Top 3 family reads

Calling Sehmat
by Harinder S. Sikka (Penguin Random House)

The recent Bollywood film Raazi starring Alia Bhatt was a big hit at the box office, but few people know that the film is based on Calling Sehmat, published in 2008. Inspired by a true story, the espionage thriller tells the tale of Indian woman-spy Sehmat. […]

Beating the morning rush

PW invited parents of Just Kiddin’ International Preschool & Daycare, Mumbai to share some insights on ways and means to beat the morning rush to get children ready for school

In my opinion, team work and advance planning hold the key to restful nights and stress-free school mornings. My four-year-old daughter Amyra (junior KG) follows an […]