Sanjay Edwin Balasundaram is Founder and Chief Story Teller at www.keenowl.com. Award-winning KeenOwl Books have helped parents and caregivers teach life skills, share family values and traditions, and build character in young children through personalised life-lesson stories. Their books were awarded the prestigious USA-based ‘Parenting Choice’ Award
Aparna Samuel Balasundaram is a psychotherapist, and Parent and Child Expert with 10 years of experience in the USA. She is the Founder of www.LifeSkillsExperts.com and www.AFlourishing.Me. and confident kids, offer parent coaching, and life skills and teacher training workshops for schools.
Our parents never ever read a ‘parenting’ book, but we turned out fine, or at least mostly fine, right? The fact is no child is ever born with a manual and a generation ago that was accepted at face value. So, when did the media start bombarding us with all the things we do wrong as parents and how anything negative our child does is a direct reflection of parenting gone bad? This leaves many parents feeling guilty, confused and insecure. Now, do not get us wrong, having worked with hundreds of families, it is very evident that parenting does have an impact on the well-being of a child and hence as responsible parents, it is good for us to be purposeful about our parenting. However, at the same time, we believe on many levels we have swung the other extreme and are micromanaging our parenting styles, turned parenting into a contrived strategy and have taken the joy out of parenting!
So, it’s time to take a step back and ask ourselves this question, ‘Is there anything I ever do right as a parent?’ And the resounding answer to that is a ‘YES’! Absolutely. After all no one will ever know and love your child as well you do! When your child is hurting or sad and needs comfort, you sense that or they come straight to you - there a good reason for that. The reason being that amidst all the noise of all the things we mess up as parents, there are many things we are doing right as parents! It’s time we celebrate this!
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Releasing Your Teens From Internet Lockdown
The new normal demands a large chunk of time to be spent online. For teenagers, time spent in online classes, assignments, project work, homework, tests and exams - all these add up to many hours a day, glued to screens. Furthermore, the current generation's usage of social media and online gaming is increasing day by day. So is parental anxiety about their children's wellbeing. How do parents help their teens and themselves?
Helping Children Manage Big Emotions
Parenting is a roller-coaster ride filled with loads of fun as well as moments where we feel as if we are walking on eggshells. When our child has an outburst, we either make frantic attempts to soothe them or end up having a fit ourselves. Though it appears as if we are stumbling in the dark when it comes to understanding our child's emotions, there is still hope. When armed with information about how to help them deal with their emotional challenges, we will be able to sit back and enjoy this ride. Read on.
HANDLING Fussy Eaters
Fussy eating is a part of normal childhood development — how we handle it will influence our children's future eating habits. Many mothers struggle with their children's eating habits. Some children are fussy eaters, while others are not as troublesome; so is fussy eating something to do with the child, or parents, or both? There is no one right answer, but there are things we can do so as to not fuel this problem further. Read on for some tips on dealing with your child's fussy eating.
DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES: 6 TO 16 YEARS
As parents, we eagerly look for the early milestones in our child's life - the first step, the first word. There are other equally important markers, rites of passage into independence, when our children are primary schoolers, adolescents or teens. What are these? When do these typically happen? What should a parent be watchful about? Read on. A child learns to ride a bicycle A teenager takes the local train by himself for parents, these milestones are as important as teaching opportunities as they are occasions to rejoice (with a sense of apprehension, of course). Let us examine some of these:
Cooking up stories together
Children and stories go together like birds and the open sky. Stories offer a place to soar uninhibited and unrestrained in their flights of imagination.
Books for Children
Book Reviews
Preventing Obesity In Children
Obesity in childhood has wide-ranging consequences hypertension, cardiac issues, emotional disturbances such as inappropriate behaviour, relationship problems, depression or an inability to learn.
Managing Exam Stress With Ayurveda
Stress and anxiety could hinder the thinking capability of students, especially in the times of pandemic when there is so much uncertainty around. For teenagers, appearing for exams is not just about the exam preparation but also about taking all the necessary precaution to safeguard their health. Read on.
Safety Products for Children
It is an undeniable fact that young children are our greatest treasure. The way they are nurtured and protected will have a huge impact on their future as well as society as a whole. So, is it not our foremost duty to safeguard them? Of course it is. That’s why we have featured below a list of products that will not only ensure your child’s physical safety but also give you peace of mind!
Boosting Immunity In Children
Children who learn to love physical activity in all of its forms will grow up to be adults who are active.
