Blessed with undulating topography, sub-tropical forests, exotic flora and fauna, gushing springs, waterfalls and misty mountains, this sparsely populated north-eastern state is attracting eco-tourists from around the world One of the beneficial outcomes of post-liberalisation India’s communications revolution, particularly in television, is that it has brought the hitherto remote and isolated states of the north-east into the drawing rooms of middle-class India. Suddenly there is growing national awareness that citizens of India’s hot and humid cities of the plains have easy access to the cool climes, exotic cultures and well-mannered people of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur — the seven sister states of the north-east inhabited by ethnically distinct citizens whose number aggregates 38.6 million. In August, ParentsWorld featured the north-eastern state of Mizoram in our leisure and travel section. Now we present Meghalaya (pop.2.65 million). Meghalaya, which translates into the abode of clouds in Hindi, is one of India’s most scenically gifted states. Blessed with undulating topography, swathes of sub-tropical forests which host exotic plant species and fauna, gushing springs, waterfalls and misty mountains, two national parks and three wildlife sanctuaries, this sparsely populated state which sprawls across 22,429 sq. km of mountainous plateau (average elevation 6,500 ft above sea level) is attracting a growing number of eco-tourists from across India and around the world. In 2018, 1.20 million domestic and 18,000 foreign tourists visited this hitherto remote naturalist haven. Meghalaya is bound by the Golpara mountain ranges of Assam in the north, Kamrup and Nowgong in the east, Bangladesh in the south-west and Manipur to the south-east. With a low population density (103 per sq. km), Meghalaya is dominated by the people of the state’s most prominent tribes — Khasi, Garo and Jaintia. Of them the Khasi and Garo tribes migrated from south-east Asia and the Jaintia from Tibet. They administered their own kingdoms until the British, par excellence practitioners of divide-and-rule, subjugated them in the early 19th century. In 1835 the British incorporated Meghalaya into Assam with Shillong as the capital. After India’s independence in 1947, Meghalaya was accorded autonomous status within Assam. However, the states’ Khasi, Garo and Jaintia people were less than satisfied with this political arrangement and launched a peaceful and constitutional struggle for statehood. The turning point in their struggle came when the government of Assam introduced Assamese as the state language, a tongue totally alien to Meghalaya’s tribes. In 1972 following widespread protests, Meghalaya was accorded the status of a full-fledged state within the Indian Union with its own state legislative assembly (60 seats) and representation in Parliament in Delhi. A naturalist’s paradise, Meghalaya hosts over 500 limestone and sandstone caves, including five of the longest and deepest in the subcontinent. Cavers from around the world visit the region to explore these fascinating subterranean formations. Krem Um-Lawan in the Jaintia hills and Tetengkol Balwakol in South Garo hills, are prime tourist attractions. Meghalaya also has pretty natural and man-made lakes. Umiam Lake (popularly called Bara Pania’s or big water)…
PW invited teacher-parents of Nehru World School, Ghaziabad to share their insights on how they ensure online safety for their children “With digital devices becoming ubiquitous, we have installed child safeguard options on our mobile phones and laptops so our 12-year-old son Priyansh can access only age-appropriate online content. I also believe it’s important to stay connected with preteens. Therefore, we encourage dinner table and bedtime conversations to advise him and raise his awareness about online safety. We have also enrolled Priyansh in basketball and theatre classes to minimise his screen time.” — Nishu Verma, nursery mentor “Online safety is of critical importance for children exploring the online world. Therefore I make it a point to monitor my eight-year-old son Advik’s online activities and have password protected download options. Moreover with my teenage daughter Ananya (13), we have daily conversations about the dangers of cyberspace and appropriate online behaviour. Ananya loves to watch Youtube videos of dance tutorials but only under our guidance.” — Poonam Gairola, facilitator “My daughter Aadriti (5) is fascinated by the Internet. But we ensure her screen time is limited and work actively to inculcate this discipline. We also engage in friendly conversations with her to make her aware as far as possible of the dangers of cyberspace. Given that children often imitate their parents, we hope Aadriti takes to a healthy reading habit as we love reading books and keep our digital devices usage to the minimum.” — Kamini Mittal, science teacher “Inspired by my tech enthusiast husband, our ten-year-old daughter Anavee is turning tech-savvy. While we don’t formally restrict her screen time, we warn her about the dangers of divulging personal information online and making friends with strangers, among other dangers. We have also installed security safeguards and content filters on our browsers. Additionally, we check her browsing history to ensure she is not under any threat online.” — Sunaina Sabherwal, PGT English
An allegory is a type of literary work in which the characters and events represent qualities or ideas that relate to morals, religion, and/or politics – Roopa Banerjee Most of us have heard Aesop’s fable of The Tortoise and the Hare during childhood. The objective of parents/teachers/caregivers recounting this fable to children is to drive home the fact that steady progress towards achieving an objective pays off. The tortoise and hare were deliberately selected by the author, to symbolise the qualities of slow and steady progress over hastiness. This type of literary work in which the characters and events represent virtues and positive qualities propagated by morality, religion, and/or politics is known as an allegory. The word allegory is derived from the Latin allegoria which means figurative or veiled language, which in turn comes from the Greek word allos i.e, different. An allegory can be an entire book or even a series of books, or it can be part of a longer work such as the allegory of the cave in Plato’s Republic (circa 380 BC). In Book 7 the renowned Greek philosopher Socrates describes a group of people who have lived chained to the wall of a cave all their lives, facing a blank wall. These people watched shadows projected on the wall from objects passing in front of a fire behind them, and give names to these shadows. The shadows were the prisoners’ only reality. Plato allegorises that if we remain shackled to limited ideas of reality, our life will also be limited. Almost all features of an allegory (characters, objects, dialogue, and setting) can be construed as having a secondary, symbolic meaning that fits into the allegory’s broader meaning. For instance, in the 17th-century allegory tale Pilgrim’s Progress (1678), the protagonist Christian encounters characters such as Obstinate, Pliable, Mr Legality and his son Civility who lives in the village Morality on his journey through life. They symbolically fit into author John Bunyan’s prescription of how to take the right path to reach heaven and attain salvation. There are two types of allegory — historical and conceptual. Historical allegories effectively condense and simplify complex history to engage readers with an emotional intensity. A perfect example of a historical allegory is George Orwell’s Animal Farm, an allegory of the Soviet Union under Communist Party rule, where the farmer Mr. Jones is the Russian Czar. Old Major represents either Karl Marx or Vladimir Lenin, and the pig named Snowball represents the intellectual revolutionary Leon Trotsky. Napoleon is Stalin, while the dogs are his secret police. On one level, the book is about animals living on a farm but, at a deeper level, it is a history of Soviet communism. Conceptual allegories use characters and events to symbolise abstract rather than actual people. An example is the animation Pixar film Inside Out. The film is set in the mind of a young girl named Riley whose five personified emotions — joy, sadness, anger, fear and disgust — lead her through life as…
(for four adults) Most fruits are high in dietary fibre, low in fat, sodium and calories and zero in cholesterol. Dietary fibre aids healthy bowel movement, lowers blood cholesterol and risk of heart disease. For pregnant women, fruits are a good source of folate (folic acid) which helps the body build red blood cells. Ingredients Half cup containing following fruits Strawberries Seedless red grapes Seedless green grapes Bananas Mango Kiwi fruit Pineapple Half cup fruit juice of your choice Preparation guide Wash the grapes and strawberries. Cut the strawberries in halves. Peel the bananas and cut into pieces. Wash, peel and slice kiwi fruit. Peel the mangoes and pineapple and chop into pieces. Mix all the fruits in a bowl. Pour in the fruit juice and whisk well. Refrigerate for some time and serve chilled.
(for two adults) Sardines are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids which prevent cardiac ailments, reduce the risk of blood clots and control blood pressure. They are also rich in vitamins B12 and D, calcium and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, niacin and phosphorous. Ingredients 240 gm sardines in brine, bones and skin removed and flaked 150 gm whole wheat pasta 1 finely chopped small onion 1 tbsp olive oil ½ lemon 1 tsp mustard sauce 50 gm black olives, halved ½ cucumber, halved lengthways, deseeded and finely diced (optional) 40 gm mixed salad leaves of choice ½ cup boiled corn Salt to taste Preparation guide Remove lemon skin. This is lemon zest. Now squeeze the lemon and collect juice in a bowl. Boil the pasta in water with a pinch of salt. Rinse in cold water and set aside. Soak the onion in boiling water for 5 minutes and drain. In a large mixing bowl, add the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and mustard sauce and whisk well. Add the pasta, onions, olives and sardines. Set aside to cool. Add the corn. Stir in the cucumber and salad leaves and serve.
(for four adults) This is an easy-to-prepare gluten-free classic salad. Since it contains chicken, eggs and potatoes, it can be a full meal. Potatoes are a good source of Vitamin B6 and don’t contain fat, sodium or cholesterol. Ingredients 800 gm cleaned unpeeled potatoes 2 eggs 1 tsp mustard sauce. 75 gm light mayonnaise. 400 gm boneless chicken 2-3 cloves of chopped garlic Six lettuce leaves Black pepper Salt to taste Preparation guide Chop the cleaned potatoes and boil for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside. Boil the eggs for 10 minutes, drain and cool. Unshell and slice into quarters. Set aside. Mix the mustard sauce and light mayonnaise well. Boil the chicken. After it cools, cut the chicken into strips. Mix potatoes, chicken, mayo-mustard blend, garlic and black pepper in a salad bowl. Add salt to taste and top with eggs. Layer the lettuce leaves and arrange other ingredients on top.
Broccoli is an all-star vegetable which is low in calories and high in essential vitamins, minerals and fibre. It contains vitamins K, C, B1, B2, B3, and B6, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Red peppers are a good source of vitamin C, B6, folate and antioxidants and improves eye health – K. P. Malini Broccoli & Red Pepper Salad (for two adults) Ingredients 125 gm broccoli, cut into small florets 2 red peppers, deseeded and finely sliced 1 crushed garlic clove ½ tsp chilli sauce 2 tbsp salt soy sauce 2 tbsp sesame oil 1 tsp honey ½ tsp freshly grated ginger 1 tsp sesame seeds Preparation guide Pour half the oil in a frying pan or wok. Stir fry the broccoli and peppers for 5 minutes or until the peppers are tinged golden and are slightly soft. Add all other ingredients except the sesame seeds and remaining oil and stir fry for few minutes. Transfer into a mixing bowl and drizzle the remaining oil over it. Sprinkle the sesame seeds and serve.
If your child is constantly complaining of stomach ache, loss of appetite and fatigue, it’s time for a round of deworming Though people of all ages can be infected with stomach or intestinal worms, children are more susceptible to this particular infection which negatively affects their mental and physical development. Children with worms are often underweight and tend to be stunted. Heavy infections often make children too sick or tired to concentrate at or even attend school. Treatment involves deworming i.e, the process of removing infestation of worms in the intestine with the help of prescription drugs. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are among the most common contagions in humans. Worldwide, an estimated 1.5 billion people are infected with STH, caused by parasites such as roundworms, whipworms, and hookworms commonly found in contaminated soil. WHO estimates that in India, 64 percent of children below 14 years are at risk of STH infections. Therefore, it is imperative that children are dewormed regularly because if left untreated, worms can multiply and lay eggs in the intestines, leading to severe health complications, which can be fatal. Children suffering this infection are more prone to diseases such as intestinal obstruction, anaemia, and diarrhoea. Moreover, STH reduces the body’s ability to absorb vitamins, iron and proteins and results in loss of appetite, reducing nutritional intake and physical fitness. Causes Children between 4-11 years of age are highly susceptible to STH. Intestinal worms are usually found in children exposed to unclean surroundings and who are in direct contact with soil contaminated with faeces of affected humans or animals. Unwashed hands, toys and food are common media for transmission of these parasites, which travel easily from contaminated soil to the mouths of children and eventually lodge inside the body. Sometimes undercooked food, meat, fruits and vegetables are infected with worms. Symptoms Sore tummy Loss of appetite Weight loss Bouts of hunger Vomiting and nausea Anaemia Diarrhoea Rashes, itching in the anal region Rare occurrence of blood during diarrhoea or in stool Sleep deprivation due to itchiness Frequent and painful urination Constant cough Fatigue and lethargy If your child shows any of these symptoms, instead of administering over-the-counter tablets, consult your general physician or paediatrician. Deworming Deworming eliminates worms and improves childrens’ health by helping the body absorb nutrients. The commonly administered deworming tablet is Albendazole, given twice a year to children. Following consumption, children expel worms via natural excretion. WHO (World Health Organisation) recommends regular deworming of school children. Several studies have shown that deworming has a significant impact on the health, education and livelihoods of children. Benefits of deworming children include: Decreases anaemia and improves nutrition Stimulates growth and weight gain Improves cognition and mental and physical development Prevents other infections Supports school attendance Improves children’s ability to learn better and become more active in school Increase in hours worked…
India’s ancient and once highly respected textiles and garment industries are experiencing a renaissance The nationwide buzz generated by the Lakme Fashion Week staged in Mumbai annually, is an indicator that India’s ancient and once highly respected textiles and garment industries are experiencing a renaissance. Unlike in an earlier era when textile designing in India was a hereditary profession handed down from generation to generation, in today’s competitive age when the textile and garment industries have to keep pace with ephemeral trends and preferences of the crystallising global market, there’s rising demand for professionally qualified textile designers. Some textile design professionals have already established themselves as haute couture fashion designers and their creations range from exclusive sarees to prêt-a-porter garments which are marketed in chic boutiques and mushrooming retail chain stores. Among them: Tarun Tahiliani, Rohit Bal, Ritu Beri, JJ Valaya, Abraham & Thakore, Malini Ramani, Manoviraj Khosla etc. These new generation fashion gurus have set their sights on national and global markets for their highly creative, customised and readymade garments. Not surprisingly they are constantly looking for textile and garment designers endowed with creativity, resilience, self-confidence, and talent. Most textile design institutes of learning in the country require Plus Two as the minimum qualification. Thereafter aptitude tests which evaluate artistic ability, spatial perception, and aesthetic and colour sensitivity are administered to applicants. The selection process also evaluates enthusiasm, motivation, and interest together with academic qualifications, general awareness, scientific, and technical skills. STUDY PROGRAMMES. The duration of the study programmes in textile design ranges from two to five years. Polytechnics run by state governments as also private sector edupreneurs, offer two to three year courses in one or more specialised areas of industrial design including textile design (commonly offered by women’s polytechnics). Some art colleges offer specialisation in textile design as a component of their bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree courses. Among them: Sir JJ School of Arts, Mumbai College of Arts and Craft, Lucknow Kala Bhawan, Shantiniketan Lalit Kala Institute, Jabalpur College of Art, New Delhi Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi Allahabad University, Allahabad Apeejay Institute of Design, New Delhi Pearl Academy of Fashion, Delhi, Jaipur and Chennai NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DESIGN. The most comprehensive study programme in industrial design (which includes textile design) is offered by the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad. Christened the School Leaver’s Professional Education Programme (SLPEP), it is of five years duration during which students experience a mandatory foundation course followed by optional specialisations, one of which is textile design. NID has devised a three-prong admission programme. Initially it scrutinises application forms to evaluate factors such as motivation, interest, attitude, and perception for a career in design as revealed by applicants’ answers to questions set out in the admission application form. After careful scrutiny, shortlisted applicants are summoned for an admission test which evaluates competence in mathematics, science, social studies (secondary school standard) and drawing/sketching. Applications for SLPEP are advertised in October, the written test…
Cycling is a great workout for the heart and lungs, builds stamina, and prevents obesity and arthritis. Moreover it alleviates stress and promotes family bonding – K.P. Malini “Cycling is excellent physical exercise, great way to relive childhood days, explore local neighbourhoods, meet like-minded people and promote family bonding,” says Abhishek Tarfe, cycling enthusiast and founder of Velocrush India (estb.2012), a Mumbai-based company which offers bicycle learning classes, organises biking expeditions and rents a variety of bicycles and related accessories. Advertised and flaunted in the new millennium as an aerobic activity, bicycles were introduced in the 19th century as a mode of transport. Though now they are used mostly for exercise and recreation, many people around the world, particularly in the West, continue to use bicycles for short distance commuting for a variety of reasons including physical fitness, carbon footprint reduction, parking convenience, frugality, and enjoyment. The physical benefits of cycling are numerous. It’s a great workout for the heart, blood vessels and lungs, builds stamina, and prevents obesity and arthritis. Latest research highlights that cycling aids in the release of endorphins — happy hormones — which has a positive effect on cyclists’ mental well-being and alleviates depression and stress. Tarfe believes cycling is a great stress buster and one of the best available options for urban families to change their sedentary lifestyles. “In the past few years there’s been a big rise in the number of adults and children signing up for cycling classes. Many parents want to enrol their children with us because it’s also a good way to keep them away from digital devices. Learning to cycle and continuing with it is one of the best investments you can make in your health and wellbeing,” he says. Currently, Velocrush offers its services in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore. Chennai-based exporter Gautham Rajashekharan believes a family which cycles together stays together. “We started cycling as a family activity when my children were young. We would load our cycles, food, and mats into the car and drive to the city outskirts, where we would spend all morning cycling followed by lunch. Continuous conversation on these cycling trips have helped us bond as a family. We have kept this family cycling tradition alive and my daughters Shruthi (15) and Sharika (13) still look forward to these weekend biking expeditions,” says Rajashekharan. Getting the right cycling gear To derive the full benefit of this physical activity, it’s important to invest in the right cycling gear. There are three basic bicycle models — mountain, hybrid and road. Tarfe advises newbies to choose a bike from whose saddle the feet can easily reach the ground when brakes are applied. This helps reduce injury risk, especially while riding in mountainous terrain. “When riding on inclined routes a geared cycle is preferable because it reduces stress on the thighs and prevents muscle tear. Begin with half hour sessions and then gradually increase your riding time. Most important stay hydrated, throughout all rides,” advises Tarfe. Moreover to ensure…
My son is 4.3 years old and uses his potty seat to urinate whereas he demands a diaper to poop. I have tried rewarding him with goodies to use the potty for both purposes but he refuses. How can I toilet-train him? — Divya Manvik, Pune There’s no need to worry. Toddlers gradually get toilet trained. However, what you should worry about is this shouldn’t lead to him suffering constipation or encopresis. Use an adult toilet with a soft/colourful seat (toddler seats can be placed on top of adult commodes). This will make it more attractive for him. Also, encourage your son to sit on the pot at set intervals during the day. My eight-year-old daughter overreacts to loud noise and sounds. I live in a neighbourhood close to an open ground where they often ignite firecrackers and my daughter is petrified by the loud sounds. Could she be suffering from a sensory processing disorder? What steps should I take to alleviate this problem? — Meenakshi Valli, Chennai Diagnosis of sensory processing disorder (SPD) requires standardised auditory tests and detailed clinical observations together with a parent report checklist. SPD can be a standalone disorder or associated with autism spectrum disorders. Early medical intervention in SPD leads to better neuro-development outcomes in children. From what you have described, I suspect it may be an isolated hypersensitivity response to the sound of firecrackers but it needs to be evaluated by a development pediatrician. The pediatrician will determine if she is suffering spatial disorientation, tactile or other sensory hyper/hypo stimulation and performing routine tasks in an uncoordinated way. My four-year-old is physically active and playful. However, his class teacher says he lacks interest in writing and that he has not attained the maturity expected of his age. I don’t know whether the teacher is being insensitive or whether he is really unable to write like other children. Please advise. — Vinodini Parth, Bangalore Writing needs fine motor, tactile, cognitive and language skills development. Children develop these skills at different speeds. Therefore every four-year-old cannot be expected to display the same degree of skill or maturity, and they cannot be compared with each other. A four-year-old child is expected to write letters/numbers separately, may write their name, and draw pictures or objects. If you don’t see improvement after trying to help him improve his writing skills, and allowing a few months to pass, you should consult a pediatrician for further evaluation. (Dr. Shalu Jain is a consultant pediatrician & neonatologist, Femiint Health Care, Bangalore)
My teenage daughters keep their wardrobes untidy and messy. Their main excuse is that they don’t have time to clean-up, as one is preparing for the class X board exams and the second for professional entrance exams. Should I insist on their tidying up or wait until their exams are over? — Prameela Rao, Vijayawada Time and task management are essential life skills which all children must develop. You should insist upon children maintaining minimum personal hygiene standards which include keeping their rooms and cupboards clean and tidy. They must also make time for exercise, follow meal timings and balanced diets. Don’t be too strict nor should you volunteer to do the tidying up yourself. Instead encourage them to manage their time more efficiently. My husband’s mother lives with us. She is addicted to TV soaps. She begins binge-watching from 6:30 p.m until late night. My 14-year-old son plays video games on the television after school in the evening. He is allowed only 30 minutes of screen time every day. So there is always a clash between the two. With each insisting on their TV time, who should compromise? — Ratna Parameshwaran, Vellore It’s not about asking one person to compromise. Request your mother-in-law to skip one serial which is her least favourite. It will have the dual benefit of reducing her TV addiction and freeing the television set for your son. Also ensure that your son adheres to his 30-minute time limit. My 17-year-old son has a steady girlfriend. Though he confides in me about his girlfriend, he is not comfortable disclosing this to his father who is very conservative. He has also asked me not to divulge this relationship status to his father. I feel guilty and am in a dilemma about keeping this secret from my husband? Please advise. — Poornima Nair, Kochi It’s wonderful that you share a good bond with your teenage son. It shows that he trusts you. Therefore if you share his relationship status with your husband without his knowledge, it would be a breach of trust and will affect your bond with him. Secondly, as your spouse is conservative, he might not readily accept the idea of your teenage son dating. You need to slowly prepare your husband by discussing the benefits of healthy interaction between the sexes and giving examples of other teenage children with girlfriends. Two of my daughter’s school classmates (class V) have working mothers, and live in our apartment complex. As I am not working currently, I assemble the children in my flat and help them complete their homework. I have observed that one of them takes a disproportionate amount of time to finish his homework. Should I inform his parents and suggest they consult a psychologist? — Asha Talwar, Mumbai The parents should definitely consult with a psychiatrist/psychologist. It could be plain laziness or learning disability such as dyslexia. If the child is diagnosed with dyslexia, he will require professional help and intervention. Also, if the child…
While coping with the demands of two or more children can be overwhelming for parents especially mothers, for first-borns and older children the arrival of a new sibling is stressful and difficult as they now have to share parental attention and affection – Shreya Iyer The arrival of a second child in a family can be exciting, challenging and a roller-coaster of emotions for both, the big brother/sister and parents. While coping with the demands of two or more children can be overwhelming for parents especially mothers, for first-borns and older children the arrival of a new sibling is stressful and difficult as they now have to share parental attention and affection. Even best-behaved children tend to react regressively with the entrance of a new sibling. Therefore it’s imperative for parents to invest time and effort in preparing children for the expanded family. Ahmedabad-based freelance writer Shivli Tyagi, who is all set to welcome her second child, believes that the older child needs equal and perhaps more preparation than parents themselves for this change in family dynamics. “Start preparing your first-born from the moment your baby bump begins to show. Many parents break the news to children late in pregnancy and expect them to understand and process the news quickly. I have already begun involving my six-year-old in planning, shopping for the baby’s clothes, toys etc and hope to give both my equal time and attention after delivery,” says Tyagi. Yet while explaining morning sickness, baby bump and different stages of pregnancy to inquisitive and curious children, it’s important that parents use age-appropriate language. Neeraj Dabral, commercial manager with a Dubai-based healthcare company, who has two children Aarush (8) and Taanya (3), says that he and wife Shilpa accessed specially curated pregnancy websites to help them “use the right language and phrases” to explain pregnancy and childbirth to children. “Thankfully, there are several superbly written and researched websites which explain the pregnancy cycle to young children in developmentally and age-appropriate language. We used them to explain Shilpa’s pregnancy and prepare Aarush for the arrival of his little sister. Once my daughter was born, we made sure to involve Aarush in several baby care activities and made it a point to appreciate his efforts,” says Dabral. However, inevitably even the best-prepared children experience envy and resentment when parents divide their love and attention. The most common complaint is that older children tend to act younger, demanding the same attention their new sibling is getting. For example, a toilet-trained elder child might start having accidents or insist on wearing diapers or want to feed from the bottle. In some extreme cases, they may take their frustrations out on the infant by harming her. Parenting experts and counsellors advise parents to actively involve elder children in developmentally appropriate chores for the new-born and actively praise their positive behaviour. “After the arrival of a new sibling, first-borns often throw tantrums because they want parental attention. Parents can deal with this in many ways. For instance,…
Pooja Goyal recommends the ACT — Awareness, Communication and Take action — mantra to keep children safe It’s no longer a rarity to read bone-chilling reports of child sexual abuse in newspapers every day. India leads the world in child sexual abuse with 36,022 cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in 2014-2016. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, a child under 16 is raped every 155 minutes in the country. Moreover, a 2007 study conducted by the Union ministry of women and child development found that 53 percent of children countrywide reported experiencing “some form of sexual abuse”. In the new Google age, the issue of child safety is not limited to the home, park and school, but extends into the online world that 21st century children inhabit with as much ease as the physical world. The dangers and threats lurking in cyberspace are numerous. A recent cyber bullying study conducted by the US-based i-Safe Foundation found that more than half of adolescents surveyed are victims of cyber bullying with most of them not reporting such abuse to their parents. Obviously, it’s impossible for parents to shadow their children, especially teenagers, every waking hour. Therefore it’s imperative that parents educate and train children, especially adolescents to be watchful, alert, identify offline and online threats and immediately report abuse, enticements and threats to parents. I strongly recommend the ACT — Awareness, Communication and Take action — mantra to parents to keep children safe. Awareness. The first step for the safety of children is to remain connected with them and encourage two-way communication. Dinner table conversations, bedtime routines, or a walk in the evening are ideal times to have free-flowing one-on-one conversations with children. If you are a connected and involved parent, your antenna will easily detect signals of a distressed child. Also, make it your business to monitor websites and apps frequently used by children while making efforts to know their friends. Communication. Educate children about good and bad touch and the meaning of consent at young age. Teach her that it is OK to say No to an adult, child, grandparent and/or relative if their touch makes them uncomfortable. I strongly recommend these two books to help start the conversation — No Means No by Jayneen Sanders (2015) and Amazing You by Gail Saltz (2008). Moreover, educate them about the dangers of sharing personal information or interacting online with strangers. Children whose parents have explicit conversations with them about online/offline safety threats are more likely to report abuse. Take action. Supportive and decisive response from one or both parents is critical for stemming abuse and aiding emotional recovery. Children need to know that parents will listen, believe and respond swiftly to their complaints. Moreover, as teenage children spend more time away from parents, encourage them to trust their own instincts and develop good judgement skills. (An alumna of IIT-Delhi and INSEAD, France, Pooja Goyal is a serial entrepreneur and chief strategist officer of…
In the YouTube and new confrontational television news era, the ancient Socratic art of debate is making a big comeback, particularly in India. For millennial parents who value the skills of communication and leadership, encouraging children to polish their debating skills has become one of the 21st century skillset tick boxes – Jayalakshmi Vaidyanathan “Jaw jaw is better than war war,” said Winston Churchill (1874-1965), former British prime minister who led the UK to a famous and improbable victory in the Second World War, and a great debater since his days at the elite Harrow School. In the YouTube and new confrontational television news era, the ancient Socratic art of debate is making a big comeback, particularly in India. Within the country’s progressive schools and colleges, debate is emerging as a popular co-curricular activity which develops children’s reasoning, argumentative, persuasive, conflict resolution and leadership skills. For millennial parents who value the skills of communication and leadership, encouraging children to polish their debating skills has become one of the 21st century skillset tick boxes. Popularity of the ancient co-curricular activity of ‘reasoning together,’ i.e, debate, is certain to receive a huge boost following the victory of a team of Indian students in the recently concluded premier World Schools Debating Championships 2019 (WSDC, estb.1991) held in Bangkok in July. For the first time in WSDC’s history, a five-member student team from India argued its way through topics ranging from international relations and economics to sports and pop culture, winning the champion’s trophy that was thus far monopolised by native English-speaking countries such as Australia — which has won the maximum titles — followed by England. Proposing the motion “This house regrets the glorification of soldiers as heroes,” Team India defeated Canada with all nine judges unanimously voting for it — a feat that the Chennai-based Indian Schools Debating Society (ISDS), which coached the team, says has not been achieved by any country in the past decade. Tejas Subramaniam, a class XII student of Padma Seshadri Bal Bhavan School, Chennai bagged the ‘Best Speaker of the World’ title. “Every year, carefully selected teams from over 50 countries compete for the World Schools Debating Championship title. This year, India shattered records by winning every round of the competition. This is no mean achievement as we began participating in the championships only 11 years ago. And as a non-native English speaking country, our team had to not just work on the content but also language fluency and style,” says Dhruva Bhat, a doctoral student at Oxford University, UK who coached this year’s India WSDC team. An alum of Harvard University, USA and Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, Bhat himself won the best speaker title at WSDC 2012 and 2013. Bhat believes there is resurgent interest in debates within the parent and students communities countrywide. “Clued-up contemporary parents are aware that communication skills i.e, the art of putting forward evidence-backed cogent arguments is very important for success not only in the workplace but also in personal relationships. Moreover,…
Red meat may not be so bad for health, after all, indicates a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (October). Researchers at McMaster and Dalhousie universities, Canada, have found that cutting back on red meat consumption has little impact on overall health and physical well-being. The researchers conducted systematic reviews following random controlled trials and observational studies to evaluate the impact of red and processed meat consumption on cardiometabolic and cancer outcomes. In a review of 12 trials with 54,000 people, the researchers didn’t find statistically significant or important association between red meat consumption and the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. “The certainty of evidence for these risk reductions was low to very low. For most people who enjoy eating meat, the uncertain health benefits of cutting down are unlikely to be worth it,” says Dr. Bradley C. Johnston, associate professor at Dalhousie University. Also read: Are vegetarian meat substitutes actually good?
Women are less likely than men to be offered a workplace promotion after having children, says a report recently published by the universities of Bristol and Essex for the Government of Equalities Office, UK. The study highlights that only 28 percent of women were in full-time or self-employed work three years after childbirth, compared to 90 percent of new male parents. Moreover, the study found that the women who returned to work after becoming a parent were two thirds less likely to be promoted in five years after childbirth compared to 26 percent of new dads. The researchers surveyed 3,500 new parents (2,281 mothers and 1,687 male parents) for around five years after the birth of their baby to study the effects of childbirth on employment and careers. “This loss in work experience, and in particular fulltime work experience, is an important part of the explanation for the gender pay gap and suggests women still suffer economically as a result of taking on childcare responsibilities,” says Professor Susan Harkness of the University of Bristol. Recommended: Working mom: Striking the right balance
Adults who were lied to as children are more likely to lie to their parents in adulthood, reveals a recent study led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU). The study, conducted by NTU in collaboration with Toronto (Canada), California, San Diego (USA), and Zhejiang Normal (China) universities, found that lied-to children also face social and emotional adjustment problems in adulthood. For the study, NTU researchers asked 379 Singaporean young adults whether their parents lied to them when they were children, how much they lie to their parents now, and how well they adjust to adulthood challenges. The results analysis found that parenting by lying could place children at a greater risk of developing socio-emotional problems such as aggression, rule-breaking and intrusive behaviour. “Parenting by lying can seem to save time especially when the real reasons behind why parents want children to do something is complicated to explain. But such behaviour can send conflicting messages to their children. Parents’ dishonesty may eventually erode trust and promote dishonesty in children,” says Prof. Setoh Peipei of NTU’s School of Social Sciences and lead author of the study. Also read: 13 Steps to Bloody Good Parenting
The best strategy to get your child to eat her vegetables is as simple as just serving them up on the dinner table regularly, says a study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (October). The study published by Elsevier, the well-known Dutch analytics company, found that repeatedly offering a variety of vegetables to children increases acceptance and consumption. Researchers led by Dr. Astrid A.M. Poelman of the CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Sensory, Flavour and Consumer Science, Australia, surveyed 32 families with children between the age of 4-6 in which low vegetables consumption was reported. Three groups were constituted: first in which children were introduced to one vegetable; the second was served multiple vegetables; and in the third group eating habits were unchanged. Researchers found that families that regularly served multiple vegetables at meal times recorded an increase in consumption, while no change was observed in families serving a single vegetable. “The study shows the strategy of offering a variety of vegetables to children is more successful in increasing consumption than offering a single vegetable,” says Dr. Poelman. Also read: Are vegetarian meat substitutes actually good?
My eight-year-old daughter experiences difficulty with some hand and leg movements. But she is very smart and intelligent. Therefore I was delighted to read your cover story about the growing popularity and relevance of mind sports (PW October). Learning and excelling in mind games such as Scrabble and/or memory sport is a great morale and confidence booster for challenged children who are often frustrated because of their physical limitations. In India, children with special needs are often excluded from all sports and games. Schools and parents must encourage children with special needs to participate in mind sports to boost their cognitive capabilities and self-worth. Sharmista Sharma Mumbai Fighting math phobia As a child, I hated maths because my maths teacher was rude and yelled at us when we didn’t understand difficult problems. I scraped through maths in school and happily dropped the subject in college. Therefore I was happy to read the story about how parents can help children overcome maths phobia (PW October). As the writer has reiterated through the story, it’s the duty of teachers to create stress-free learning environments where children can learn maths without fear. Also, maths cannot be learnt by rote. Children need to understand, practice and enjoy maths. Fortunately, my children have a wonderful maths teacher and I also chip in by using the many excellent maths resources available on the Internet. Ridhima Sengupta Kolkata All parents are not cooking enthusiasts! My son is a booklover and avid Scrabble fan. Therefore he was overjoyed to read your October cover story on mind sports and discover that there are state, national and international championships in Scrabble. He is determined to improve his skills and enroll in the next state-level Scrabble tournament. He also enjoys reading your Kidzone section. However, I wonder why you have a regular recipes column. All women don’t necessarily love cooking and all parents are not falling over themselves trying to cook elaborate meals for their offspring. Sauravi Das Kolkata Healthcare is business I am a regular reader of ParentsWorld and enjoy reading the variety of stories published in the magazine. I especially love reading Dr. Gita Mathai’s health and nutrition columns. In her October column, Dr. Mathai has highlighted an important 21st-century phenomenon — the disappearance of the family physician and private corporate takeover of India’s healthcare system. In fact, the private healthcare system is a big scandal where doctors and corporate executives are in cahoots with each other to rip off patients by recommending unnecessary diagnostic tests and surgeries. Doctors no longer provide the personal attention and care they once did. Against this backdrop, it’s important that families invest time and effort in locating a reliable and trustworthy family physician who keeps her patients’ interest above all else. Sunaina Kumar Chennai Using gadgets as baby-sitters is child abuse! I travel a lot on work and I’m shocked to observe that many parents give their children unlimited access to mobile phones during train and flight journeys, without any care about its…
Some of the world’s most famous, charismatic and powerful orators and leaders such as former British prime minister Winston Churchill, former US presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton cut their teeth in school and university debating societies, learning and perfecting the art of presenting persuasive arguments. In Western countries, the ancient Socratic art of debate is highly prized with schools and universities establishing formal debate clubs and societies way back in the 18th century. The Cambridge Union Society was founded in 1815, and claims to be the oldest continually operating debating society worldwide and Princeton University’s (USA) influential American Whig Society was founded in 1769. Other prominent university debating societies include the Oxford Union (UK), Yale Political Union (US) and Conference Olivaint (France).Moreover, the presidential/ election debates of the US, UK and France in which political rivals argue, reason and engage in verbal jousts are much-anticipated events attracting worldwide viewership. However, though shastrartha — philosophical and religious debates in which scholars interpreted the meaning (artha) of scriptures (shastra) — were common in ancient India, the practice of public debate fell out of fashion in the 18th and 19th centuries. In post-independence India too, most of the country’s fledgling institutions of higher learning at best half-heartedly encouraged debate because of discipline breach apprehensions. However in the 21st century with the advent of Google, YouTube and confrontational television news, debate is making a big comeback. Indian parents and educators are cottoning on that developing communication, including debate capabilities is a valuable life skill. Therefore almost all self-respecting schools, colleges and universities in the country have established debating societies with students encouraged to participate in inter-school, inter-state, national and international championships. This renewed parental and academic interest in debate has paid off mightily. In July, a five-member student team from India won the prestigious World Schools Debating Championships 2019 for the first time. The Indian contingent which included a visually challenged student, shattered records by winning every round of the competition beating debaters from over 50 countries including the UK, Canada and Australia. In this month’s cover story, we discuss why parents need to encourage children to engage in debate. Learning to reason and advance evidence-backed arguments while gracefully accepting opposing views is an essential skill which will hold children in good stead in 21st century workplaces. There’s much else in this November issue of ParentsWorld. Check out our Middle Years’ story on why it’s important for parents to prepare older children for arrival of a new sibling and Health & Nutrition column by Bangalore-based pediatrician Dr. K.N. Harsha emphasising the importance of regularly deworming children.
