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Handling Baby Talk Problem

Jan 06
Posted by Mritunjay in Advice

Quite a large number of children face speech children. It implies that even when a kid is growing up he still talks like a baby. Parents often feel stressed about this issue but trust me; this is not an unusual occurrence. Many parents face similar set of problems but with some adequate steps and practice they have managed to solve this problem. Before you begin to take any step remember one thing, you cannot make your child to talk like a big guy overnight. It will take some time and of course, patience.

Have you observed yourself how you talk back to your child when he talks like a baby? If you talk back to him similarly as you used to when he was a baby then you need to stop this habit right away. Because, this way you are encouraging him to continue his baby talk way. You need to check your response and should probably devise a new strategy. You might think of responding to your baby by saying that, “I am not getting what you are saying. You need to convey in big guy words” or something like that. If you keep doing this for few times, child will get the message and may start trying big words after some time.

You can also sit calmly with the kid and tell him that he is now a grown up boy and should start talking like grown up kids do. There could be several such ways to motivate your child and send across your message. After certain duration, child will definitely get what you want to say and will start talking normally. Just be patient and try out ideas and soon results will be there for you to see.

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Exam pressure and stress in children

Jan 06
Posted by pankti in Advice

We may have spoken about this topic earlier on this site but due to the increasing number of students’ suicides in the country, it is important that parents play a keen role in easing the stress and pressure that most kids face during exams…

Parents need to be their child’s study buddy. What most parents do is that they “tell” their child to study. Sometimes, telling is not enough. Sit with your child, open his books, read for him, explain to him in case you feel he has not understood the concept, do not rely on “tuition teachers” as no one can teach your kid the way you do, hug him, caress him and be his best support, mentor and guide and always be available for your kids especially during exams!

Most Indian mothers do this but I will still highlight this: ensure that your child is eating properly. You may have noticed that the eating patterns in your kids will change during exams, he or she will feel puckish, giddy, or sometimes children overeat to cope with stress. Increase the intake of fruits during exams. Do not force him to drink milk or eat every two hours. This may not work. Let your child eat when he or she feels hungry. Also make sure your child sleeps properly – at least 8 hours. Avoid food that contains high-fat, high-sugar and high-caffeine foods as these products can make studying harder. One thing that parents need to be strict about is watching TV and sitting on the computer during exams. These activities are in no way helping your child to relax. Also, they are addictive and your child will not realize how much time he has wasted watching TV or chatting. Be strict and don’t allow your child to do the same especially during exams, instead take them for a walk or tell them to shut their eyes and concentrate on the breathing.

Incase your child has done poorly in the one exam; don’t let that affect the next paper. Try and keep a healthy and a happy atmosphere at home where the child can study stress free!

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How to motivate your kids

Dec 20
Posted by pankti in Advice, Motherhood

Motivation can drive you to do the impossible. Every person needs a certain amount of push to accomplish their task and so is the case with kids as well. They need a little motivation to finish their homework, to get up on time, to go to school, to perform better, to achieve preset goals etc. While internal motivation comes from one’s own self while external motivation comes from the environment and in most cases, children do require some form of external motivation. Motivational forces can be negative and/or positive. Sometimes forces such as fear and anger can also drive you to a certain behavior. Positive thinking is generally an action which includes enjoyment and optimism about the tasks that one is doing. Negative motivation on the other hand pushes one to do a task because one fears failure or facing an angry boss if work not completed on time etc. For example, a student studying hard for the exams is intrinsically motivated towards accomplishment of his goal to perform well. On the other hand when a student is motivated by his teacher to study hard for the exams, he is externally motivated. Getting motivated and feeling motivated is important to move and tread on the path of success. In the journey of a student, one experiences all kinds of motivation including loss of motivation at times. It is important to know that negative motivation is equally effective and important as positive motivation.

There are many ways in which parents can bond with children. It is said that the company of inspiring people around your children can be a great source of motivation. Also, reading motivating articles, motivational quotes or listening to motivational talks can pep you and also your children up in a great way.

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apprehensions of a child

Dec 17
Posted by kamakshi in Activities, Advice

When my daughter was asked to perform a skate dance on stage, I said aloud to my hubby, “Will she be able to balance.” What was actually an innocent expression from my end got transferred to my daughter and she started getting apprehensive of the same. Confidence and apprehensions are linked. A child at any age is quite excited and wants to win on stage but at the same time as they grow they understand the finer parts of a competition. Airing our fears must not be done in front of them.

 Owing to lifestyle changes and nuclear family trend, people opt for day care services and the child is apprehensive about going there in the initial days. Most things can be programmed about the child. In the sense, the child can be casually taken to the place and make himself or herself familiar with the environment. Seeing other kids play and be by themselves gets them into an independent mood.

 Many kids find crowds unappealing. The do not mingle with a party environment or again they do not like to participate in games. Outdoors is very much important and going to a park, rocking on the swing is very much an effortless experience for a child. Kids love to be encourage and hence simple things by them can be appreciated. Tell them you love them and yet they need to do a particular thing alone.

 After several practice sessions and repetitions, a child refuses to go on stage. This could be a tint of stage fear or a general attitude that stems from a mood swing. Prepare the child well and if possible draw a picture of the event. Kids relate very well to pictorial representations. Hence I drew the stage show performance of the skate dance and my daughter is very much excited about the same. Actually they just need to know that their care givers or parents are watching and cheering them.

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Baby’s Clothes

Dec 10
Posted by Mritunjay in Advice, New Baby

One of the toughest works for any mother would be taking care of baby’s clothes. It is no doubt a problematic task that needs to be done any which way. The thing with a cloth is that it is very close to a baby’s skin and because of that clothes need to be in hygienic condition. It is quite imperative for parents to keep baby’s clothes germ free. Baby will also feel comfortable if her clothes are cool, comfortable, soft and clean. Parents need to devote utmost attention to hygiene factor and any carelessness in this regard can prove costly. A new born baby is susceptible to allergy or any sort of reaction if clothes are not well managed. So apart from health perspective, clean clothes also help in making baby feel comfortable and relaxed.

Ideally, baby’s clothes should be washed with a soap or mild detergent. Don’t use any detergent that has high levels of chemicals in it. Strong detergents make clothes very harsh and rough and that will make baby uncomfortable. It is also important to get every ounce of detergent out of clothes so health perspective.

You can also use fabric softeners while washing baby’s clothes. That will help in keeping baby’s clothes soft. One mistake often committed by people is washing baby’s clothes with adult’s clothes or others clothes. Avoid that habit as germs from other clothes can harm your baby. Soap should always be washed completely off from baby’s clothes. You should also dry baby’s clothes in sun because that will ensure all the germs present in clothes will be killed completely. Finally, avoid using detergents with strong scents and soak your baby’s clothes in warm water before washing. Following all these suggestions will keep your baby healthy and hearty.

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Sleeping Tips

Dec 08
Posted by Mritunjay in Advice, New Baby

So you along with several other parents are facing the problem of sleeping cycle of the baby? Sleepless nights are often faced by parents and they keep wondering to handle this problem. When the baby is born there is all round excitement and parents experience world of emotions. But soon enough the pleasure is accompanied by gamut of emotions ranging from hormonal changes, sleepless nights and constant feedings. This is experienced by every mother and no doubt it is hard. So ideally, mothers should prepare themselves for such eventualities. When it has to happen anyway then why not get yourself ready for it any which way? Probably, few months or years down the line, you are going to remember all this and feel proud of whatever sacrifices you made and pain you endured. For the first few months, you have to be ready for sleepless nights keeping aside all your works. You have to adjust your timing according to baby’s sleeping pattern and hours.

As the baby grows, she will start sleeping longer. You should never try your baby to change sleep pattern like forcefully keeping her awake during the day so that she will be sleeping all night. Don’t do that. A baby needs lots of sleep and forced sleeping cycles will adversely affect her. Let her sleep as and when she desires. You can also change certain things like keeping silent in nights and turning off the lights so that baby will learn that night is for sleeping.

Baby must be fed whenever she demands it. Do not try to enforce a routine as per your convenience. One more thing that you can do is to bundle up the baby in a cloth preferably cotton sheet. This way, she will feel secure and will sleep properly.

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Is Playschool Education Necessary?

Dec 08
Posted by pankti in Advice, Schools

If not in the metros and the urban cities of India, many families still feel that playschool education is not necessary and that it adds burden on to the child at an early age. This is a wrong thought. In fact, playschool education builds a foundation for the child for his suture. It is a bridge that prepares the child for school. It is true that a few decades ago, the concept of playschool was unheard of in India however, this is now hugely popular. Most parents living in urban cities want to send their kids to playschools because they have realized the importance of a playschool in a child’s life.

Most preschools in India are privately owned. This is one of the major reasons that the concept of playschool has not reached semi urban and rural areas. Government must build a scheme that lays importance to playschool education.

Playschool concept has been adopted from the west. In the west most mothers and fathers are working and they do not have enough time to devote to their kids. Hence, they send the kids to playschool where they are not just taken care of but are also made to learn and understand using a variety of toys and techniques. In India however, many mothers want to completely devote their time to their children. Such parents who feel that they can be with the kid and teach them something may consider not sending their child to the playschool. Having said that, I feel playschool helps a child to develop social skills. He or she meets other children, interacts with them, and learns from the environment and grasps a lot of new things which I feel contribute to a child’s learning.

Sending your child to a playschool helps ease him into a routine earlier on. Playschool is definitely something that helps your child in his learning and growth and more than that, most schools in today’s time prefer giving admission to children who have completed their playschool course.

Resource: http://www.preschoolsinindia.in/

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Understanding Crying Babies

Dec 06
Posted by Mritunjay in Advice, New Baby

One of the biggest challenges for a parent is to how to handle crying baby. The problem is a common one faced by all the parents. The first thing you need to notice is what makes your baby cry? There could be several reasons like hunger, thirst, irritation, pain, health issues and likewise. Try remembering how did you react when the baby started crying? One option could be of picking her up every time she cries or to simply ignore her tears and pray that she stops on her own. Both options have their pros and cons. Like in case you don’t pick her up and let her cry she might develop low self-esteem and feel insecure without your touch. This can have a long term repercussions. On the other hand, if you pick her every time she cries, she will understand that what she needs to do to get held.

Parents must know that usually babies cry when they feel sleepy. What normally happens that parents let babies cry so they get tired and sleep on their own. This is more like a time tested method. This way, parents can also have a peaceful sleep. One thing parents need to remember is that a baby is not smart enough to fake her cry. She has some genuine reasons and that could be something like discomfort she is facing. She is sleep as well and has no clue how to react and what to do so she is crying.

But don’t assume that letting her cry is the only option you have. Try to comfort her and fed her because that normally makes babies sleep. Balance out the things. She may also have a need that you need to identify. May be her nappy is wet and something on the bed is making her uncomfortable. Try to recognise those signs. Don’t get panicked and understand that it is a normal thing.

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Aloe Vera beneficial for kids

Dec 02
Posted by pankti in Advice, Family

Aloe Vera is extensively used these days in many skin care and hair care products. This is because of the many benefits that the plant offers. Aloe Vera is a plant that is rich in polysaccharides, phytosterols, glycerol, vitamins E, B and C and zinc. This makes it the ideal for kinds of skin ailments like; wounds scars and burns, milder eczema a mild skin disease in which the skin swells and you feel itchy and chronic eczema, recurring acne, dark circles and psoriasis which is a common chronic, inflammatory skin disease characterized by scaly patches.

Aloe Vera plants can be grown at home as well and used. When drunk as a juice, Aloe Vera also helps to detoxify the body. Aloe Vera juice can be given to children as well. It not just detoxifies the body but also helps them to get the necessary nutrients. The plant is readily available at any nursery and can be kept indoors. At home, there are various ways of using it depending on the ailment. The best way is to cut a leaf, use the inner gel and apply it directly on the affected area. Do not apply any part of the outer covering as it causes skin irritation. Aloe Vera is also very good for hair and can be applied on the scalp to treat dandruff problem.

Processed aloe creams and lotions gives the skin a special glow. Creams are also available for the hair scalp. Brands like Himalaya and Kaya have a range of aloe lip balms, sunscreen lotions, acne creams, etc. These are priced between Rs.75 – Rs.120. Aloe fresh creams are also available which are reasonably priced. Parents should in fact use Aloe Vera creams, lotions etc for the entire family.

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Sharing among children

Nov 01
Posted by chandni in Advice, Discipline

Does your child share his toys with his friends or siblings? If not, how do you handle it? Do you snatch it from him and give it to his brother? That is the worst thing a parent can do as it does not instill the idea of sharing but develops a kind of discontent and irritation towards the other sibling.
You should realize that instead of obeying you, your child will develop a feeling of rivalry. Some more kind kids will not have a trouble giving out their chocolates with their siblings or best friends, but most other children are far more overprotective about their possessions. This is the period when kids start valuing and developing a fondness towards certain things, and they also know that it is far too easy to have these things taken away from them.
Kids don’t part with their belongings is as they believe they don’t have power over them. The instant your child knows that his toys are owned by him, and he can get them back whenever he wants, he will be keener to part with them.

For making it easier every parent should play give and take games with their child. If your child is overprotective about a specific thing, kindly ask her if you can take it from her for a while. If she gives it to you, you can hug the toy, tell her how much you love her and love the toy and then maybe give it back to her. Don’t forget to give it back to her in a few minutes so that she feels that she has made the right decision by giving it to you and wouldn’t mind doing it again. This would probably make her realize that her toy is going nowhere and she can have it when she wants. She would feel more comfortable at sharing next time.

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