ParentsWorld June 2022

Planning activities for the new school year

PW invited parents of Vista International School, Hyderabad to share extra-curricular activities they are planning for their children in the new academic year Our children have become so involved in the online world that they have lost their connect with the real world. Therefore, this year I am planning to introduce my 13-year-old son Jaiaditya to sports such as cycling, basketball and cricket with the hope that he can spend substantial time outdoors, bond with peers and lead a healthy lifestyle. Values education is another activity I have in mind so he can develop a sound personality and associated life skills to find success in life. — Srilatha Srinivas, proprietor, Sri Technologies, Hyderabad This year we are planning book reading sessions for my son Abhay Ram (class II) of select books that deal with drastic changes, tough emotions and have reassuring endings. We believe that discussions on how book characters manage adversity and adjust to new situations will enable Abhay to manage his own fears and challenges in uncertain times. Learning about characters who confront difficult situations and emerge triumphant helps to assure children that their family can make it through hard times, too. — Jagadeesh V, senior manager, Cotiviti India Pvt. Ltd,. Hyderabad Diary writing is an activity I have planned for my 12-year-old daughter Nishkka as she has simply forgotten the importance of writing and expressing her thoughts in the pandemic years. I believe diary writing will not only enhance her writing skills but also help her to express herself and confront problems she may be facing. I intend teaching her the nuances of troubleshooting. Another activity I have in mind for her is to record her happiness factor daily on a scale of 1 to 10. The idea is to help her reflect on happy times and learn to appreciate life. — Prerana Oswal, entrepreneur, Hyderabad The plan this year is to encourage my son Anish (class V) to practice setting goals for himself so he can discover, plan, act, and reflect. To improve his stamina, we intend to expose him to a range of activities including a fitness regimen and rigorous sports. Moreover, we will also encourage him to sign up for after-school club activities, school excursions and inter and intra school competitions to raise his awareness and develop leadership skills — Ramakrishna Segi, principal consultant, Infor Global, Hyderabad

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Education and the Fine Art of Character Building at DPS MIHAN

According to American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead, the first evidence of “a civilised society” was a 15,000-year-old, fractured femur, that had healed. “Wounded in this way, you are meat for your predators. In the wild, no creature survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal. You are eaten first. A broken femur […]

Preparing for a pediatric emergency

Most parents tend to panic in health emergency situations involving children as they are seldom prepared to cope with them For parents, a paediatric emergency is terrifying as it can be life-threatening. Most parents tend to panic in health emergency situations involving children as they are seldom prepared to cope with them. While maintaining calm is necessary, being equipped with knowledge to provide immediate first aid and care before reaching the clinic/ hospital is critical. Here are some common child health emergency situations for which parents should be prepared. Breathing trouble Sometimes, children suffering an allergy, asthma or infection struggle to breathe. If your child has a pre-existing asthma or allergy problem, ask the doctor to prescribe a nebuliser and show you how to use it. Keep the nebuliser with you at all times, together with other prescribed medication, so you can administer it as soon as your child experiences breathing difficulties. Moreover, always keep the telephone number of the nearest hospital handy. Rush her to the emergency room if she is turning blue at the lips or fingers, using stomach muscles excessively to breathe, vomiting, coughing continuously, or is unable to talk or eat during an asthma attack. Severe injury A traumatic accident such as a car or house door slamming vulnerable children can result in a finger, toe or even limb being severed. Use an ice pack or apply direct pressure to stop the bleeding. Administer first aid and rush her to the hospital immediately. Also, take care to preserve the severed body part in a cloth dampened with saline solution or clean water. Place it in an airtight plastic bag or container and keep it in cold water. Don’t place it directly in ice or ice water. Most often, it’s possible to surgically reattach a severed body part. In cases where a child loses a tooth because of accidental fall and injury, Dr. Smita Vincent, dental surgeon, Dental Care Centre, Bangalore, advises parents to preserve the fallen tooth in a cup of milk and rush to the dentist. “If the child is older and unlikely to swallow the tooth, preserve it in saliva by asking her to keep it under the tongue. If there is bleeding, apply direct pressure and a cold pack to stop it,” says Dr. Vincent. Scalds and burns Burns and scalds are among the most common home injuries children suffer. Incidents of a child tipping over a cup of hot coffee or suffering burns while lighting fire crackers are not unusual. For burns and scalds, wash the affected area with running water for 15-20 minutes. Avoid using ice or ice water. Cover the area with a clean cloth without wrapping it tightly. You can also give the child paracetamol tablet as a painkiller. If you need to rescue a child from fire, wrap her in a woollen blanket to cut off oxygen supply and douse the flames.

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My boys are constantly quarrelling. Help!

I have two boys, aged seven and nine who are constantly bickering. I am aware that sibling rivalry is normal but it’s getting a bit too much. When will they grow out of it? — Leela Mansi, Hyderabad It’s common for siblings to fight and usually it’s more pronounced when both children are boys or girls. Avoid getting involved in their quarrels. Instead set boundaries and conditions — no abuse or badmouthing each other and proscribe all physical violence. Encourage them to develop negotiation and peace-making skills bilaterally. As they grow, they will learn to settle their disagreements amicably. My daughter used to enjoy school. Now she finds it tiresome. Some of her friends are homeschooling and she wants to do likewise. Homeschooling is impractical for me because I am a full-time working mom. How do I motivate her to appreciate her school? — Sheetal Madhu, Mumbai During the past two years of the Covid pandemic when schools were closed, children have become accustomed to learning online from home. But homeschooling is very different from online classes conducted by school teachers. The homeschooling system in India is not very well-developed and not on a par with Western countries. It’s natural for children to entertain apprehensions about returning to full-time in-person school after two years of learning from home. Give her time to adjust to the school routine. As a parent, you know what’s best for your child, so make the decision without any guilt. My son loves science but hates history. He says studying history isn’t going to help him in the future. How do I explain to him that he needs to study all subjects? — Roma Sharma, Delhi Today’s children have a greater clarity about what they want to study in higher education than we did. However, it’s important to make him understand that having a good grounding in all subjects — including history and the humanities — is critical to acquiring holistic education. It doesn’t matter whether he will pursue another stream in college. Insist that he must invest his best effort to study all subjects at the school level. My seven-year-old daughter is often depressed because her friends tease her for being a little overweight. She has begun eating less at meal times. I have counselled her but still she doesn’t seem happy about it. — Mishka Singh, Bengaluru Bullying is an unfortunate reality in schools. Children are teased and taunted about their weight, height, for wearing braces, spectacles, dark complexion, bad accents, etc. As parents, our responsibility is to help children develop a positive body image and social confidence. Encourage her to exercise, eat healthy and enrol in sports and co-curricular activities. Simultaneously, you could consult a paediatrician or endocrinologist to examine if she is predisposed to obesity. (Dr. Pallavi Rao Chaturvedi is a parenting coach, founder – Get Set Parent, and vice-president, Early Childhood Association of India)

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Rising demand for forensic scientists

The forensics scientist makes sure that victims of crime and murder/violence are thoroughly examined, appropriate tests are conducted and data interpretation is accurate With crime and criminal activity of all types — murder, rape, kidnapping, terrorist bombings, cyber crime, and credit card frauds — rising exponentially, the demand for forensics science professionals, trained to detect crimes and ferret out the guilty, is growing commensurately. For science and whodunnit aficionados, the emerging career of forensics science offers ample opportunities to bring ungodly law-breakers to book. Forensics science or forensics is the application of scientific concepts and principles to the investigation of criminal and civil breaches of law. All clues collected from a crime scene are analysed by forensic scientists in specialist crime laboratories and converted into evidence adduced in courts of law. The evidence might include traces of blood, saliva, other body fluids, hair, fingerprints, footwear and tyre impressions, explosives, specimens of tissue, blood and alcohol, DNA etc. Primarily a lab-based profession, forensics science requires people with highly developed analytical and investigative skills apart from in-depth knowledge of science. The forensics scientist makes sure that victims of crime and murder/violence are thoroughly examined, appropriate tests are conducted, data interpretation is accurate, and written reports are logical and comprehensible to non-scientists enabling the police to use them to solve crimes and convict criminals. With demand for forensic scientists set to explode, several colleges and universities have introduced forensics science as a study option. The minimum eligibility criterion is graduation in any branch of science for a postgraduate programme, and Plus Two for under-graduate studies. For admission into a Masters programme in forensics science, applicants need to graduate in any of the following subjects: physics, chemistry, zoology, botany, biochemistry, microbiology, applied science, B.Pharm, MBBS, BDS, engineering, computer science or psychology. STUDY PROGRAMMES. The National Forensics Sciences University, New Delhi is the country’s nodal institution for training professionals employable in the fields of criminology and forensics science, as well as for research relating to these sciences. It conducts training programmes for government officers and also offers diploma and certificate courses. Among the reputed institutes for graduate and postgraduate study programmes are: ► The Forensics Sciences Department, Chennai ► University of Delhi ► Anna University, Chennai ► University of Lucknow ► Institutes of Forensics Science, Mumbai and Aurangabad affiliated with Mumbai University ► Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh ► Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwa Vidyalaya, Madhya Pradesh Specialisation in branches of forensics science such as forensic anthropology, archaeology, and serology improves career progression prospects. Moreover there is tremendous scope in training and employment, especially in the US. REMUNERATION PROSPECTS. Career progression depends on qualifications and work experience. A forensics science graduate typically starts as a lab attendant while a postgrad starts as a junior lab assistant and progresses to scientific officer after attaining a Ph D, and subsequently to the position of senior scientific officer, assistant director and director. Pay scales range from Rs.30,000-80,000 in government agencies and departments. PROFESSIONAL PROFILE. “Job opportunities are growing by the…

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My daughter is not getting enough sleep. Help!

My seven-year old daughter is not getting enough sleep. I try to get her to bed early but she doesn’t sleep before 11:30 pm. Is this a case of childhood insomnia? — Nithin Joseph, Trivandrum Childhood insomnia is rare. I suggest you make some lifestyle changes. If she tends to sleep in the afternoon or late evenings, that might be the cause. So reduce day time naps to minimum possible. Excessive digital gadgets use and watching television also disturbs sleep patterns. LED photons in digital screens alter melatonin — the sleep hormone — synthesis. Therefore reduce her digital screen time with all gadgets use prohibited two hours before bed time. Encourage calming activities at night such as reading a book, listening to a story, or playing with a pet. Moreover parents’ sleeping habits also influence young children. If the entire family puts lights out and goes to bed early, she will follow suit. Is it safe to send my two-year-old to a playschool, considering that the Covid-19 pandemic is still not over? Please advise. — Shravanthi Das, Noida It is quite safe if all teachers and staff in the playschool/day care are vaccinated against Covid-19. Currently, Covid-19 cases are low and most infections are mild. But make sure that all including housekeeping staff are vaccinated and the playschool is compliant with good hygiene practices and safety protocols. Parents should not send children suffering coughs, colds and fever to school to prevent cross-infection. My five-year old son is suffering enamel deficiency. What’s the treatment? — Sheela John, Nagercoil Enamel hypoplasia is characterised by sensitivity, pain and discolouration of teeth. If there are no other symptoms and complaints, you can ignore the problem as these are deciduous teeth which will be replaced by permanent ones. But if he is complaining of sensitivity while consuming hot or cold food, consult a paediatric dentist who may advise dental fillings. Also include foods rich in calcium in your child’s diet. Is it advisable to give vitamin supplements to pre-teens? Or is it better to eat natural vitamins-rich foods? — Somy Sinha, Mumbai Pre-teens and adolescents need supplements if they are suffering vitamin deficiency reflected in poor skin, hair and nail health. If there is a deficiency and visible symptoms, vitamin supplements can be taken on doctor’s advice for a month or two but not regularly as it might cause hypervitaminosis which affects the renal system. Include foods rich in vitamins such as fruits and vegetables in your child’s daily diet to promote good health. (Dr. J. S. Prasanna Karthik is consultant paediatrician at Padma Speciality Care Hospital, Madurai)

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Nurturing creative thinking skills

Play this interesting game — Troubleshooting — to improve children’s creative thinking and problem-solving skills, writes Cynthia John Thirteen-year-old Jeet Sanyal accidently broke his mother’s favourite bowl made of dark blue glass dotted with white flowers. Before his mother could learn of the accident, he put on a pair of gloves, cleaned up the floor and used the broken pieces to create a pretty mosaic picture by sticking the glass pieces on a sheet of silver paper. His mother was impressed by the artwork and quickly forgave Jeet for breaking the bowl. Imagination and creativity come naturally to children. Parents need to nurture this natural talent of children by encouraging them to engage in creative activities and pursuits. Play Troubleshooting — an interesting game — to improve children’s creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Troubleshooting game Sit the family in a circle. Flash a thumbs-up at one of the players and say “Challenge.” That person moves to the centre of the circle and is presented with a problem to solve. After she successfully solves the problem, she passes the Challenge to another person in the circle who must provide an alternative solution to the problem. After two players have provided solutions to the first problem, propose another problem. If an individual is unable to present a solution, she should pass on the challenge to another player. This is a great game to encourage children to think creatively and present different perspectives and solutions to one problem. Here are some problems you can pose in the game: 1. You are left home alone with your younger brother. He wants to play but there are no toys around. But you have old newspapers, scissors, glue, cellotape and a stapler. Find a way to entertain your brother. (You can provide these items and ask her to demonstrate the solution. Some suggestions: make paper rockets, boats, balls or a dress by cutting a hole for the head and stapling the sides. Or cut a big ad in the newspaper into pieces to make a jigsaw puzzle) 2. You want to buy an ice-cream. But the doors of the shop are closed and there’s a huge wall around it. Some of your friends are already inside the store. What will you do to access the ice-cream shop? Some possible answers: • Ask a friend inside to open the doors. • Climb over the wall. • Throw a rope over the wall and ask a friend insideto fasten it to a tree. Climb over the wall using the rope. • Use a ladder to get over the wall. • Ask your friends to pass some ice-cream through the doors. • Break a hole in the wall. • Dig a passage under the wall. • Ask the gatekeeper to open doors. 3. You want to prepare a project for your school science exhibition on the theme ‘Nature.’ You have glue, cardboard, paper and scissors. What can you make? (You can make a forest scene with cardboard cutouts or…

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Guide to choosing baby names

Given that the name defines a child’s identity life-long, every parent wants to choose that perfect, beautiful name, writes Mini P One among the many difficult decisions expectant parents have to make is to choose a name for their child. Given that the name defines a child’s identity life-long, every parent wants to choose that perfect, beautiful name. But it’s not an easy task. Parents have to consider several factors while naming their child including tradition (taking on grandmother’s or family name, place name, etc.), religion, culture and trending baby names. Moreover, the surfeit of ‘baby name’ websites has made it both easy, and difficult for new parents to choose that perfect name. Sabrina Rogers-Anderson, a US-based author who has been “writing about baby names for more than five years”, says that parents should avoid baby naming traps. “Many parents have told me in hushed tones about their baby name regret and the shame it causes them. Some fall prey to trendy options and realize shortly after inking it on their child’s birth certificate that it was a mistake. Others feel pressured to uphold a family naming tradition and end up with a name they hate. And then there are the parents who just can’t agree, so one parent ends up begrudgingly giving in to the other,” writes Rogers-Anderson in www.thetot.com. PW spoke with parenting experts to offer guidelines to enable expectant parents to choose the right name for their little one. Some guidelines: • Avoid grossly misspelled names. Many parents for numerology reasons play around with the spelling of names. Avoid gross distortions which will make it difficult for your child to spell and explain her name. • Study your family tree. Are there names that are special to your family and you would like to honour? • Discuss the surname. It’s possible and acceptable to include both the father’s and mother’s surname. Just hyphenate. You could also use the mother’s first name followed by the father’s name as surname. • Before making the final decision, utter all the shortlisted names aloud. Listen to how they sound. If you enjoy hearing it, so will others. • Brainstorm possible nicknames. You don’t want your child to be bullied and taunted with unpleasant nicknames. • After you’ve made a shortlist, google them for history, etymology and most important, meaning and connotation. • If you have a word in mind, such as ‘beloved,’ you could search for names with that meaning in different languages. • Always make a shortlist, sleep on it, and devote a few days discussing pros and cons with your partner. Ask these questions: Does the chosen name sound good? Is it too common? Is it too uncommon? Will people have difficulty pronouncing it? • Avoid passing trends and fads. Your child’s name should stand the test of time. Ask yourself: Will this name sound ridiculous in ten years? • Don’t rule out common names for the sake of being different. There is a body of research which says…

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Smacking children: What the research says

The question of whether it is ever acceptable to smack a child — hitting her with the flat inside of the hand with the aim of achieving compliance — is still highly controversial. In England, this controversy was recently reignited by the education secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, who has said that “the discipline of children should be left up to parents”. Smacking is currently illegal in 63 countries, including Wales and Scotland. In England and Northern Ireland, parents are free to smack their children. Typically, the main argument against banning parents from smacking their children is based on respecting parents’ rights. Zahawi said that the state should not “nanny” parents about how to raise their children. In contrast, child protection groups and psychologists argue that the decision on whether to ban smacking should be based on what is best for the child rather than the parent. They point to psychological research as a source of information on whether smacking is good or bad for children. Research on smacking Research has found that physical punishment such as smacking is both ineffective and bad for children’s development. Research which analysed a range of studies on physical punishment such as smacking found that, in fact, this punishment made child behaviour worse. Often, children still do not obey parents’ orders after being disciplined. And even when they do, a punishment such as smacking does not help the child understand why their actions were wrong. This is because sometimes the discipline comes with no explanation. Also, children may be too caught up in their own emotions to be able to understand why their actions were wrong. In the future, a child may follow her parents’ orders because of a fear of being physically punished again, not because she understands that it’s the right thing to do. In terms of how smacking affects child development, physical punishment has been linked with behavioural, social and mental health problems throughout childhood and adolescence. Smacked children are more likely to have emotional and mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. They also have greater probability of developing aggression and engaging in risky behaviours. These effects can harm the relationship between parents and children and between a child and her peers. A strong argument against smacking is that children who are physically punished are at higher risk of experiencing maltreatment and abuse by their parents. This is because over time it may take more and more force to have the same effect. Stress response Parental stress plays an important role in the use of physical punishment. When parents are stressed, they are less sensitive towards their children’s needs and are more likely to impose harsher discipline, such as smacking. A parent who occasionally smacks their child may end up smacking their child more often or using harsher forms of physical discipline when they become stressed. Smacking is an emotional response, often done when parents don’t know how to control their children. My colleagues and I at the University of Winchester…

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7 child health truths & myths

Around the world, child development professionals are warning that even high-information parents can become susceptible to child health and nutrition myths recklessly viraled on the internet, WhatsApp groups and social media platforms, write Poornima Dilip, Cynthia John & Mini P. In the new age of the worldwide web and ubiquitous social media, young parents have free and easy access to good, bad and indifferent advice on ways and means to nurture 21st century children. But startling new evidence is emerging that information overload is confusing and stressing young parents worldwide.Unsurprisingly childcare and nurturance professionals are unanimous that reliance on online health and medical advice is dangerous. In an essay for the Washington Post, Dr. Alice Callahan, a US-based author and well-respected nutritional biologist, writes: “Know that no website can be a substitute for a healthcare provider. If you think your child is really sick, don’t bring her symptoms to Facebook. Get real medical care”. This advice is fast assuming choral proportions. Around the world, child development professionals are warning that even high-information parents can become susceptible to child health and nutrition myths recklessly viraled on the internet, WhatsApp groups and social media platforms. With the after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic continuing to threaten children, parental anxiety about children’s well-being is unabated. ParentsWorld spoke to well-qualified medical experts and paediatricians to compile a list of seven important child health truths and myths of which every parent should be aware to enable orderly child development. Pregnant women should not eat for two A myth perpetuated through generations is that pregnant women should eat for two people. Therefore, they are often force-fed high calorie foods such as ghee, sweets and meat. For instance in Indian joint family households, it’s quite common for elders to insist that women consume 10-15 litres of ghee during their pregnancy. Such advice should be disregarded. Over-eating during pregnancy leads to weight gain, increases the risk of gestational diabetes, backaches and high blood pressure and ups chances of delivering an overweight infant. Moreover, there’s increased risk of both mother and child being predisposed to obesity throughout life. “This is an ancient myth. A pregnant woman should definitely not eat for two in terms of quantity. They should consume a nutritious diet rich in folate, vitamins and minerals, protein and fibre. Quality of food matters, not quantity,” warns Dr. Vasanthi Venkatesh, obstetrician gynaecologist at Shraddha Clinic, Bengaluru. The Indian Council of Medical Research recommends pregnant women should increase food intake by a mere 300 calories per day against the average daily consumption of 2,000-2,500. Milk intake can never be enough Milk is hyped as a compulsory and often sole nourishment for infants and children. In most middle class homes, parents insist that children continue this habit into adult life. Though there’s no denying that milk is a good source of nutrition and calcium, over consumption can cause dental caries. According to Dr. Ashmita Sudhakar, dental surgeon at the Akshaya Dental Care Centre, Bengaluru, though milk is not cariogenic and doesn’t…

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Leisure & Travel

Land of the Mahatma and ancient monuments

Despite the communal riots of 2002 which cast a long shadow over Gujarat, its kinder and gentler image endures. The state attracts over a million domestic and foreign tourists annually Since the turn of the new century the western India state of Gujarat (pop. 60.4 million) has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. In particular the communal riots of 2002 allegedly conflagrated by the BJP state government has cast a long shadow over this region, until recently widely admired for its gentle, enterprising people and as the native state of Mahatma Gandhi. But despite its recently acquired notoriety, the state’s gentler, kinder image endures. This explains why Gujarat continues to attract over 36 million domestic and 16 million international tourists annually — an inflow which increases as the Navratri festival and Rann Utsav begins (October-February). Locationally situated in the area which hosted the Indus Valley and Harappan civilizations, even before the Aryan occupation, Gujarat is reported to have developed trade linkages with Sumer (Iraq) in the Persian Gulf as early as 1000-750 BC. Subsequently in 250 BC the mighty Emperor Asoka imposed his suzerainty over this west coast state and during Mauryan rule, the region experienced the benign influence of Buddhism. In 150 BC Bactarian Greeks under the leadership of Meander imposed their rule upon the region and continued to reign till about 40 AD. Later Scythians took over and ruled from about 130-390 AD. About a century later the Guptas kings established their supremacy over the region until 460 AD. Soon after fall of the Guptas, the Vallabhi dynasty took over and held sway from 500-700 AD. After the death of Harshvardhana, Gujjars kings reigned until 746 AD followed by Solankis until 1143. The era of Muslim rule in Gujarat began when Muhammud of Ghazni invaded the state and ransacked Somnath temple in 1024, precipitating the downfall of the Solanki dynasty. The conquest of the region by Ala-ud-din Khilji in 1288 formally imposed the rule of the Delhi sultanate which ruled Gujarat from 1298-1392. Ahmad Shah I, the first independent Muslim ruler of Gujarat founded the state’s premier city Ahmedabad in 1411. Two centuries of Mughal rule was terminated by the Maratha kings in the 18th century. The era of British rule in Gujarat began when the British East India Company sited its first headquarters in Surat in 1612. Following independence, the state of Gujarat was carved out from the north and west portions of the Bombay presidency on May 1, 1960. Ahmedabad Ahmedabad is a city that blends ancient heritage with a vibrant present. Built in 1411 by Sultan Ahmed Shah to serve as his capital, Ahmedabad has since transformed into a major textiles manufacturing centre and hosts prestigious educational institutions such as the Indian Institute of Management, National Institute of Design and the Mudra Institute of Communications, among others. Currently, though one can only see the ramparts of the 600-year-old Bhadra fort built by Ahmed Shah, eleven of the twelve gates have withstood the…

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