Understanding Needs and Behaviour

A Generous Dose of Love

“You don’t love me!” When our child says these words to us, it breaks our heart. We wonder how she can think that way! We show our love in so many ways and yet… There is absolutely no doubt that we all love our children. The more important question here is ‘do our children feel...

What does child directed play look like?

A variety of toys are available in the market today. Each one is designed to fulfill some role in keeping the child engaged. Some toys are sensory – playdoh, kinetic sand, water toys etc. Some fuel imagination – kitchen sets, cars, blackboard, colours etc. Some are entertaining – soft toys, animals that move and make...

Preparing a child towards independence

“I want to do it by myself’ is a common refrain among children of all ages – whether it’s a toddler who wants to put on her shoes by herself or an older child who wants to travel by public bus or auto. As parents we often find ourselves in the unenviable position of having...

The importance of unstructured play time

Nowadays, a typical day for young school going children is fairly structured. There is little time for leisure with both parents working, running homes and raising their children by themselves. Let’s first examine the kind of day that young children typically have. The early morning is rushed to reach school on time. The environment in...

Understanding the backstory – A tool in communication

“How well you listen impacts your relationship positively or negatively.”- Anonymous Relationships are built on trust, even in a parent and child relationship. In any conflicting situation, as we parents are the adults, we could take a pause, step back, try to understand what the disagreement is about, by seeing what is happening in each...

Is thumb sucking really harmful ?

When we see our baby sucking her thumb or fingers we immediately get alarmed. As we want the best for our children, we find ourselves worrying about the implications of allowing this. Will she get addicted to thumb sucking? Will it affect her teeth? Will he be made fun of by others? What will others...

When children are thought to be manipulative

CHILDREN ARE OFTEN THOUGHT TO BE MANIPULATIVE- IS THIS TRUE? ‘She knows exactly who to ask to get permission, so that the answer is yes’. ‘He will do everything he can to make sure bed time is pushed by at least an hour’. ‘Did you hear what she said to me- making me feel guilty...

Why do children need to move

If you have ever had the chance to participate in or eavesdrop a conversation between parents of young children a common refrain, often is, “She just doesn’t sit still! I get so tired running behind her.” “It’s like he has skates on his feet. If he is not running, he is jumping, if not jumping,...

Development of a child through exploration

“You know my two year old, touches everything she sees, plays in the mud, puts toys in the mouth, puts her finger into plug points or into any hole! I am so worried that she will get sick or hurt herself. I get so exhausted!”Preeti vents out to her friends. They nod empathetically. Sharda replies,”As...

Understanding our child’s need for order

When I joined a Parenting Workshop, I was asked how I felt if i found the spice jars in my kitchen were kept in a different order from how they normally are, or what if the files in my computer got mixed up, or to enter my home after a long day to a room...

Crying is beautiful

Most of us would find this statement hard to believe. As a society, we see crying in a bad light. We believe it signifies weakness or is used for manipulation. Hence, when anybody cries, we feel helpless, frustrated and uncomfortable. With children, we try to stop the crying by either distracting, threatening or shaming. But...

A hug a day keeps stress away!

As adults when we feel sad and low, a loving smile, a pat on the back or a warm hug instantly makes us feel better. The effect physical affection has on children is even more positive! There is a scientific reason for this “feel good”. Margot Sunderland, author of “The Science of Parenting” says that...

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