Are there any psychological effects on children watching cartoons on TV or mobile?Cartoons are the most popular entertainment for children. Earlier children would spend time outside playing with their friends, compared to now where they choose to spend time in front of the TV, watching their favourite Cartoons for hours. Ever since the emergence of the cartoon industry, it has been noted that watching cartoons can have both negative as well as positive impacts on a child's psychological growth along with their physical growth. Positive Impacts:<ol><li>Early Education: Preschoolers can get help to learn alphabets, shapes, numbers, and colours while watching TV. Undoubtedly, television can be an excellent educator and entertainer. The moving, talking pictures and colourful visuals make learning interesting and fun for kids.</li><li>Cognitive development:&nbsp;Watching TV and cartoon can help in the development of cognitive skills in kids. Skills such as logic and reasoning ability, visual and auditory processing, and sustained and selective attention of a child are developed and enhanced in kids.</li><li>Linguistic skills:&nbsp;Watching cartoons in different languages can assist children in not just learning different languages but can also help them improve their pronunciation and their manner of talking.</li><li>Creativity:&nbsp;watching cartoons enhances creative thinking in children. They may start thinking of new creative ideas like stories, characters, situations, etc on basis of cartoons they watch.</li><li>Morals and Culture:&nbsp;Mythological cartoons can introduce children to their religion and culture. Many cartoons end with good lessons of morals like kindness, caring and compassion.</li></ol> Negative Impacts:<ol><li>Violent Behavior:&nbsp;Kids who watch violent acts are more likely to show aggressive behaviour and also may fear that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them. Also Because Cartoon characters display no more than little harm during violent scenes, children may believe that no one gets hurt or feels pain since cartoons escape unscathed after experiencing violence or an accident.</li><li>Less-empathetic behaviour:&nbsp;Few cartoons characters display a lack of empathy and rude/ disobedient behaviour towards others. Kids might mimic this behaviour and challenge their elders when they are disciplined for bad behaviour.</li><li>Rough Language:&nbsp;Few cartoon characters make use of rough language, as a result of which children begin to use foul/ rough language in their day to day life.</li><li>Anti-social behaviour:&nbsp;Several cartoons encourage antisocial behaviour and give wrong messages to kids. Cartoon characters often display risky behaviour, such as smoking and drinking, and may also reinforce gender-role and racial stereotypes. These can affect a kid's behaviour and make them believe it is normal to be aggressive, spoiled, or violent. cartoons may be the reason for many children to even become bullies in schools.</li><li>Health Issues:&nbsp;Children who consistently spend more than 4 hours a day watching TV are more likely to be overweight. They watch cartoons even when they eat because many parents believe it gets easier to feed babies watching television. Health issues arising due to sedentary lifestyle and inactivity for hours include obesity, vision problems, and nutritional deficiencies due to bad food habits.</li><li>Role models:&nbsp;From a very young age children start to mimic their role models. A role model is someone who either inspires and motivates the kids or discourages and admonish them, thereby shaping their character and personality as adults. Children often idolize their favourite cartoon character which could be Often a misleading role model that encourages the wrong habits or displays insensitive behaviour towards others. This kind of impact of cartoons on children’s psychology can often lead to devastating outcomes and result in kids being withdrawn, uncommunicative, antisocial, or unruly.</li></ol> Tips for parents: <ul><li>To make cartoons a healthy entertainment and a good and effective source of learning for kids, parents should pay more attention to providing selected cartoons to their kids that could positively influence them.</li><li>Parents must control the time children spend watching TV. They can choose appropriate cartoons for their kids. It would be better if parents also regularly watch and discuss the characters of cartoons with children. This way they will not only keep their kids away from violence but also direct them to different activities.</li><li>Lastly, it is recommended for parents to avoid placing their kids in front of screens while they’re eating.</li><li>Let's protect kids from the negative impact of Television media! Because healthy kids mean a healthy future!</li></ul>

Watching cartoons programs had a significant effect on the behaviour of children. Cartoons can have both positive and negative effects on cognitive and behavioural development.

Influence of watching cartoons on children

Watching cartoons can both negatively and positively influence children. Along with being the best educator, Watching TV can surely encourage children to become aggressive and violent. Hence, the cartoon industry is believed to influence a child's brain as well as physical development.

Parenting is a process, not a learned behaviour. Raising a child in a nuclear family requires several measures, the most important of all being the sharing of responsibilities between both the parents equally.<ul><li>Children in a nuclear family are more confident as they are more independent compared to children raised in joint families.</li><li>A joint family offers a lot of family time, so parents in a nuclear family should properly schedule their day to assure sufficient and efficient time for kids in the family.</li><li>Being in a nuclear family brings many responsibilities on parents’ shoulders. This might drain you out, more if you are a working parent. This draining out will make you frustrated sometimes but it is very important to stay positive in front of your parents. The serious discussions can be limited to bedrooms between you and your spouse.</li><li>If you live in a nuclear family, it is important to maintain good ties with the extended family. This is because they will be at your help to look after your child when you cannot be present for your child.</li><li>Instead of relying on gadgets, invest in educational play boxes for your child which will aid your child’s intellectual development.</li><li>Involve your kids in household chores. Nothing can be a better way to spend quality time with your kids. This also develops emotional, motor, social skills in your child.</li><li>Make sure to plan outings – even to the nearest park – once in a while. This will help you ease a bit and also give your child the time to bond with you.</li></ul> In the end, it is up to parents to weigh the pros and cons of raising a child in joint and nuclear families and then decide what’s best for their child(ren).

A nuclear family or elementary family or conjugal family is essentially a family which has parents (mother and father) and children.

Parenting in a nuclear or conjugal family

A nuclear family or elementary family or conjugal family is essentially a family which has parents (mother and father) and children.

Parenting in a nuclear family

A few things said in haste messes up a child's brain and have a considerable impact psychologically, like low self-confidence, self-doubt, anxiety, depression, and so much more. Throughout your parenting journey, make sure you are not saying things or acting out in a way that could damage your child(ren) mentally. Sometimes parents are not aware that their actions affect their child(ren) negatively, and sometimes parents overlook it and justify their bad behaviour due to their stress. Here are a few practices which you should avoid telling your child(ren): Pick these up right now. I don't want you leaving a mess like that again.Instead, say:&nbsp;I don't like this mess you are leaving. Can you please clean this up when you have time? You should know better.Instead, say:&nbsp;It's OK not to know some things. Here, I will help you out. You're a bad kid.Instead, say:&nbsp;Can you tell me why you behaved/acted in such a way? I feel it wasn't right, is there anything you want to talk about? Or Else.&nbsp;Example: Eat dinner, or else you won't get your dessert.Instead, say:&nbsp;How about you take a healthy dinner quickly so that we can all enjoy dessert together?&nbsp; Stop being shy.Instead, say:&nbsp;You can come to say hi to your aunt when you are ready. You should set a good example for your brother.Instead, say:&nbsp;Your brother looks up to you; you're such a good role model. Wait until your father/mother gets home.Instead, say:&nbsp;You're grounded because you said a bad word. I will never forgive you.Instead, say:&nbsp;What you did was not acceptable, but we can look past it and move on if you think the next time. I'm ashamed of you.Instead, say:&nbsp;Although I feel bad about what you did, I love you for who you are. Don't worry; everything will be OK.Instead, say:&nbsp;Mom and Dad are always nearby, and we're going to set up a plan in case of emergency. Here, I'll do it.Instead, say:&nbsp;Let's do it together!" Don't cryInstead, say:&nbsp;I know you're sad, and it's OK to cry. It's OK to let out your emotions. Let me hug you. If you don't clean your room, you're going to be in big trouble.Instead, say:&nbsp;When your room is clean, then you may go out to play. Family finances aren't your business.Instead, say:&nbsp;Finances are how we make and manage money, and when you like, we will teach you what we know. I'm disappointed in you.Instead, say:&nbsp;I'm surprised and was not expecting this to occur. Come here, NOW.Instead, say:&nbsp;It's almost time to go. Do you want one minute or two? Because I said so.Instead, say:&nbsp;Explaining why you feel a certain way about something. We can't afford that.Instead, say:&nbsp;We're not going to buy that because we're saving our money for more important things. Don't talk to strangers.Instead, say:&nbsp;What would you do if a man you don't know offers you candy and a ride home? OR If anyone makes you feel sad, scared, or confused, you need to tell me right away. You should listen to adults.Instead, say:&nbsp;You need to listen to your parents. Don't be greedy!Instead, say:&nbsp;Would you please be kind and share your toys with your friend? Who taught you this? (about mischief)Instead, say:&nbsp;Why did you do that? Look at this lovely girl.Instead, say:&nbsp;I love you. You can do this too. I do everything for you.Instead, say:&nbsp;We do things for you because we love you, so please do for me. Do I have to tell you this 100 times?Instead, say:&nbsp;I've told you this before, but could you please. That's only for boys/girls.Instead:&nbsp;Say nothing at all. Try your best at raising gender-neutral children. You live under my roof, so you follow my rules.Instead, say:&nbsp;You know the household rules. Please stick to them. That's how I was raised.Instead, say:&nbsp;I don't think it's a good idea to do [ ]. Even my parents used to tell me that [ ]. You're just like your mother/father!Instead say:&nbsp;I’m not happy with [ ] because [ ]. I told you so.Instead, say:&nbsp;I'm sorry to hear about [ ] ... let this be a lesson. It's just a little white lie.Instead, explain to them that it's OK to use white lies to be polite and not hurt someone's feelings. Explain to them the fine line between lies and little white lies. Man up. / Be a man.Never disregard your son's feelings. Don't teach them that showing emotions is weak. To show emotions is only human. Why can't you be more like your sister?Instead, say:&nbsp;I don't quite like this behaviour of yours. Do you think we can work on it? If you loved me, you wouldn't do (this/that).Don't teach them that love needs to be proven all the time. Love comes without ifs and buts. I wish you'd never been born. / I hate you.No matter how angry you are, this is the worst thing to say. You would be scarring your child. Why can't you do anything right?Instead, say: What's the barrier? Is there anything I can help you with? I don't believe you.Instead, say: This comes as a shock for me. But I am sure you can tell me the whole thing. There's nothing to be afraid of.Instead, say:&nbsp;Everyone has their fair share of fears. We appreciate that you shared your feelings with us. We promise we will work on this together. You're lazy/stupid/selfish.Never label your child. Never. Your friends don't do that.Comparison will never bring any positive change. Accept your child for who they are and appreciate them. You should have done better.Praise them for their achievement. Do not over expect. You don't know what you're talking about. / You're too young to know what you want.Often children know what they want or how they feel. Saying this will show your distrust in their feelings. You'll never be able to do that.Instead, encourage and push your child to do better, of course, without any comparison. You're so fat/skinny, or You're going to get fat/skinny.Never attribute a child's identity to their looks. You make me so mad.Calm your anger down, and then talk to your child(ren).&nbsp;Instead, say:&nbsp;We will talk about this after a while when I am in the right state of my mind. Impact of such phrases on children:<ol><li>Antisocial behaviour</li><li>Poor resilience</li><li>Depression</li><li>Aggression</li><li>Lack of empathy</li><li>Difficulty in relationships</li><li>Self-doubt</li><li>Lack of self-confidence</li><li>Anxiety</li></ol>

A few things said in haste messes up a child's brain and have a considerable impact psychologically, like low self-confidence, self-doubt, anxiety and so on

Speaking Gently: Things you should never say to your child

A few things said in haste messes up a child’s brain and have a huge impact psychologically.

Things You Should Never Say to Your Child

<ul><li>Make sure to get your child fully checked before the winter starts.</li><li>Make sure that all heating appliances like geysers &amp; heaters are in working condition.</li><li>Adequate warm clothing is essential but makes sure to NOT over-dress your baby as it can be extremely uncomfortable for him/her. Several thin layers will keep them dry and warm. Always remember to make them warm boots, gloves or mittens, and a hat. The rule of thumb for older babies and young children is to dress them in one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear in the same conditions.</li><li>Give warm water baths to your child. Make sure that there is a balance between the bathroom and the bedroom temperature so that your child does not get uncomfortable after the bath.</li><li>There should be no gusts of cold winds when you are bathing your baby.</li><li>Give adequate necessary vitamins and nutrients essential for proper growth to your child.</li><li>When riding/travelling in a car, make them wear thin, snug layers rather than thick, bulky coats or snowsuits.</li><li>Use sleep clothing for babies like warm one-piece sleepers or wearable blankets instead of loose bedding like blankets, quilts, pillows, bumpers, and sheepskins as they are a cause of suffocating deaths.</li><li>If a blanket must be used to keep a sleeping infant warm, it should be thin and tucked under the crib mattress, reaching only as far as the baby's chest.</li><li>Prevent cold and flu by getting kids to:</li></ul>-Use soap and water: Washing their hands frequently will reduce the spread of germs.-Cover their mouth: Sneezing or coughing into the bend of their elbows also helps prevent the spreading of germs.-Get immunised: Keep vaccinations current, including the flu shot.<ul><li>Include soup in your baby’s diet. A healthy soup in cold weather will keep your baby warm.</li><li>Maintain your own hygiene: Make sure to wash and sanitise your hands before you attend to your baby every time. You need to stay healthy so that your child does not catch any infections because of you.</li><li>Use a Humidifier: When using a heating apparatus during winters it could rob the room of water vapour, making the air dry as well as your child’s skin. Hence, install a humidifier in the room so that the moisture levels are maintained.</li><li>Make use of a moisturiser for your baby as your little one's skin will be extremely sensitive and the harsh atmosphere of the winter can make it dry. Opt for skin creams or moisturisers that are made for the baby’s skin.</li><li>Protect your child from hypothermia. Hypothermia develops when a child's temperature falls below normal due to exposure to colder temperatures. As hypothermia sets in, the child may shiver and become lethargic and clumsy.&nbsp;Speech may become slurred.</li><li>If you suspect your child is hypothermic, call for an emergency at once. Until help arrives, take the child indoors, remove any wet clothing, and wrap him/her in blankets or warm clothes.</li><li>Another thing to keep your baby safe from is frostbite. Frostbite happens when the skin and outer tissues become frozen.&nbsp;This condition tends to happen on extremities like the fingers, toes, ears and nose.&nbsp;They may become pale, grey and blistered. At the same time, the child may complain that his/her skin burns or has become numb.</li><li>If you suspect frostbite, bring the child indoors and place the frostbite parts of his/her body in warm (not hot) water. Warm washcloths may be applied to frostbitten noses, ears and lips. Do not rub the frozen areas. After a few minutes, dry and cover the child with clothing or blankets. Give him/her something warm to drink. If the numbness continues for more than a few minutes, call your doctor.</li></ul>

Taking the right precautionary steps before the arrival of any season will keep your baby safe and healthy.

Winter Precautions for Babies

Taking the right precautionary steps before the arrival of any season will keep your baby safe and healthy.

Precautions for Babies During the Winter Season

Are we exhibiting what we want our kids to be? Call it a harsh reality but children rarely learn from what we preach, they learn from our actions. Take this for an example, an anonymous user on the internet confessed that her child would hit her younger sibling while playing. Her explanation in defence was, “We are playing ‘mommy”. We all aspire to become perfect parents for our kids because we want to inculcate values in them that would make them better human beings. But the larger and the more significant question is do we exhibit that kind of discipline in our behaviour? We expect our children to use modern-day gadgets judiciously but do we supervise our use of these products? We want our kids to watch their words and actions when angry but do we manage our anger appropriately? We want our kids to show decorum and discipline with their daily routine but are we exhibiting ourselves as an example to do the same? Dr Haim Ginott, a renowned child psychologist, pointed out, “Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression.” If we give the child an environment of hostility he is more likely to learn to fight. An environment of ridicule and shame can lead to the child resulting being shy and guilty. But similarly, if the child had always lived with tolerance, he learns to become more patient. If he has always received praise, he learns the virtue of appreciation. What is important during the child’s growing years is that we model the kind of behaviour we expect our children to be. It is impossible to not be stressed or angry under circumstances. But when the parents manage their stress and anger appropriately, the message is loud and clear to the kids that it is normal to feel negative at times but it is only the positive attitude towards solving these problems that reap good results. Parents should ‘speak’ and ‘do’ what they expect out of their children. Saying statements like. “I love all kinds of food”, “I love playing outdoors”, “Let’s clean up the mess together”, “Let’s help little brother/sister with eating the food”. These kinds of statements bring about assurance in the kids and before indulging in the wrong they are forced to do what think what they have been taught. The brains of children are like sponges. They absorb everything without discriminating information into right or wrong. Let's set ourselves as better examples for our children. Let's exhibit what we want our children to be.

Are we exhibiting what we want our kids to be? Call it a harsh reality but children rarely learn from what we preach, they learn from our actions.

Children See Children Learn - The pillar of parenting

Being a positive role model for your child can help instil the right attitude and habits from an early age for your child to nurture a healthy lifestyle.

Children See Children Learn ~The pillar of parenting

Fighting in front of your kids has a very negative impact on their growing years. So whenever a situation arises where you think that things might get heated, it is better to walk away from that place or tell your spouse “we will talk about this later”. You can talk about your issues separately and vent everything out because keeping things to yourself will affect your mental health.<ul><li>The first step is just walk out of that situation.&nbsp;</li><li>The second step is to wait till you are not around your children or you both are alone.</li><li>The third step is to reflect whether it is worth fighting on that particular point or not. If you can, just let it go with the passage of time.</li></ul> If your argument is related to your child’s upbringing or academics or just a difference of opinion between you and your spouse regarding your child, talk this through in a calmer but firmer tone. Not everything needs to be shouted and sorted. This will also help children understand that things can be sorted out without shouting on each other. <ul><li>If you and your spouse cannot sort things out without shouting on each other, it is better to pen down your opinions. Then you can exchange your written points with your spouse. This way there will be more understanding and less shouting.</li><li>After you have listened to or read your spouse’s side of opinions, you can discuss the solutions. Again, if you think that things will not be smooth during verbal discussion, then pen down your views and then discuss with each other.</li></ul>

Arguments between parents have an impact on children for a long time so it's advisable to keep the arguments limited to your room.

How not to fight in front of your child!

Ravina Sewani

When an insect flies into your child’s ear, it is possible that it might die while inside the ear. But it’s also possible that the bug might remain alive and try to burrow its way outside of your ear. This can be painful, irritating, and worrisome. If the insect is alive, the buzzing and movement of the insect is loud and painful. The insect inside the ear causes:<ul><li>Inflammation</li><li>Irritation</li><li>Bleeding</li><li>Infection</li><li>Redness</li><li>Swelling</li><li>Discharge from the ear, including blood or pus</li><li>Damage to the eardrum</li><li>Hearing loss</li></ul>Apart from insects or flies, babies and young children are known to put small objects in their ears like candy and beans. Treatment:<ul><li>If an insect has entered your child’s ear and if it is alive, kill it before you try to remove it. To kill the insect, put a few drops of warm (not hot) baby oil or vegetable oil in the ear. Tilt and gently shake your child’s head to dislodge the bug. Remember to not use this method for anything other than an insect, and don't use it if your child is in pain, the ear is bleeding, or if (s)he has tubes in his ear.</li><li>Using a cotton swab or other probing object can push the insect farther into the ear and potentially damage the middle ear or eardrum. So, never use those.</li><li>If the insect is dead, you might be able to remove it by flushing it out of the ear by using water and a syringe.</li><li>If you are worried that you cannot do this on your own, immediately rush to the nearest doctor or an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist.</li><li>The doctor will use an otoscope to peer within the ear and determine if it is an insect or not. They may use tweezers to grab the insect and remove it from the ear. Alternatively, they may use gentle suction or flush the ear canal with warm water and a catheter. Children may need to be sedated during this process.</li><li>Your doctor might also prescribe antibiotics if there’s severe damage done to the ear canal of your child.</li></ul>

Apart from insects or flies, babies and young children are known to put small objects in their ears like candy and beans.

Insect flying into child's ear

Juhi Mishra

The school years (most importantly the preschool years) are the most important years in a child’s life. These years lay the foundation of an individual’s personality. The school years affect the learning style of an individual. It is very important for a child to be in school and around teachers who nurture the growth of the child and let the child BE. Following are the points which need to be considered while selecting a school for your child: <ol><li>Distance: The school should be close enough to the house so that the child does not have to spend more than half an hour travelling one way.</li><li>Age: The school should be following the correct age criteria for admission. Especially for preschools, the child should be 2+ for playgroup, 3+ for nursery, 4+ for Jr. KG, 5+ for Sr. KG and accordingly. By the time the child is 6+, s/he is ready to be in grade 1. It is not advisable for the parents to save 1 year while seeking admissions in the school. The child is ready to learn better if the age of the child is appropriate for that grade.</li><li>Child centric curriculum: Look for the curriculum, which should be child centric. The way the curriculum is imparted in the school. The school should be respectful towards the individuality of a child. Also, if the school works closely with the parents for the betterment of the child, it is an added advantage.</li><li>Fee and infrastructure: Though it is suggested to select a school that fits the budget, but it is also advisable to check if the fees being paid is utilised appropriately. It is better to ask these questions beforehand: If the fee is too low, are the teachers appointed not qualified enough? If the fee is too high, how is it being utilised? Is the school just focusing on building fancy infrastructure? Is the school focusing on teacher training and development programs? Is the basic infrastructure in place (toilets, learning resources, etc.)?</li><li>Teachers: The adults who would be in the child’s environment should be qualified enough to impart the knowledge.</li><li>No-judgement environment: It is better to talk with parents who are already sending their children to a particular school. This is to check if the children are judged as per the performance/ behaviour/ background of&nbsp;child. The children in their growing years do not need any kind of labels: brilliant, poor, intelligent, dumb, etc. Any label (good or bad) is not helpful in a child’ early years. One needs to be sure that children are not shouted at or physically assaulted in the school.</li><li>Safety: It is very important that the school takes care of the safety of a child. The staff should be reliable and their background has been checked, is of utmost priority. The place should be such that the opportunities to get hurt are less (though certain incidents are unavoidable). There should be CCTV cameras all around (except the toilet booths). But, it is also very important that parents are not given the access to live streaming of the cameras (as one never knows the intention with which any one may look at any child while going through the live streaming).</li><li>Interview for the child and the parents: If the school interviews the child (especially preschools) to check the level of the child or if the school interviews the parents (to see if they will be able to help the child at home), such a school should be avoided. The school should be confident enough to impart education in a way that all children are happy learning.</li><li>Cleanliness: It is very important that the environment in which the child is going to spend a lot of time is hygienic enough. The school should not be having breeding grounds for insects, dust coated furniture and fixtures, dirty toilets, smelly rooms, damaged doors and windows, etc. Cleanliness is of paramount as the place where the child is going to spend his/ her time should not affect the health of the child.</li></ol>

The school years (most importantly the preschool years) are the most important years in a child’s life. These years lay the foundation of an individual’s personality.

Preschool Selection

It is impossible for a parent to not get angry with children during their parenting journey. The out of sorts behaviour and tantrums of a child may lead to a parent getting angry hitting the child. But remember, hitting not only hurts the child physically but also emotionally. Hitting your child is not acceptable no matter the circumstances. Bringing a child into this world was your decision, not anyone else’s. Even if your child is at fault, you cannot hit your child. (S)he is not your guinea pig to take your aggression out on.<ul><li>Whenever you hit a child, reflect on your actions and ask yourself, “Did I hit my child because of his/her wrongdoing or was it just my frustration and aggression that I took it out on him/her?”</li><li>If it was your aggression, you need to solve your issues because if once you have hit your child, it will soon turn into a habit.</li></ul> Hitting makes a child stubborn and a rebel. The child will start developing negative emotions about the parent and this will ruin your long term relation with your child. Moreover, when you hit your child, the child learns that the only way to get our things done is through violence. Hence, they too will depict this behaviour in the future.Same goes for aggressive language. The words spoken in haste and anger have a long lasting damage. Once in awhile, if you shout on your child for their mistakes, it is okay but you cannot do this every time. If you shout on them always, you will receive the dose of your behaviour from your child in future. Parents sometimes hit children for the following reasons:<ul><li>To temporarily control bad behaviour.</li><li>To teach discipline.</li><li>Venting out frustration of spouse or family members.</li><li>When a child misbehaves in public.</li></ul> Parents feel guilty about the situation later and regret hitting the child. On the other hand, a child feels that (s)he is being treated in an unjust and unfair manner. This form of treatment can inculcate feelings of anger, humiliation, aggression, and fear. It may make the child feel very normal about physical violence. This is how you can be a calm parent:<ul><li>See if your breathing is normal. If not, try coming to the normal breathing pattern. Reflect, if you are reacting or responding to the situation. When you get under control, your kids will also calm down. Make a commitment and remind yourself to not vent out anger in haste.</li><li>Do not shout or raise your voice, if you speak calmly, you will feel calm and also receive calm response. Remember you are a role model for your child.</li><li>Move away from the child physically so that you are not tempted to touch or hit the child.</li><li>If your child is too young to be left alone, go to the kitchen and keep your hands under water.</li><li>Sit on a couch with your child and ask what made him/her misbehave in the situation, explain the impact and consequences of their actions.</li><li>Identify and avoid getting angry on routine habits like shoes in the living room, toys around the bed. Instead play a game to sort out these little things.</li><li>Have a glass of water.</li><li>Talk about the issue when both you and your child have calmed down.</li><li>Take your partner’s help.</li><li>If nothing helps, it might be good to talk to a counsellor.</li></ul>

It is impossible for a parent to not get angry with children during their parenting journey. Maintain your cool and things will get back to normal.

Keeping your anger in control

Most eye injuries are minor, like getting soap in the eye or a speck of dirt under the eyelid. Getting chilli in the eye has to be the most irritating one. Before you comfort your child, properly wash your hands clean with soap and water. Remember, that no soap remains in your hand. Symptoms of eye injuries:<ul><li>Redness around or in the eye</li><li>Stinging or burning</li><li>Watering</li><li>Sensitivity to light</li><li>Blurred vision</li><li>Swelling of the eyelids</li><li>Discoloration around the eye</li></ul> Chilli in eye:<ul><li>If your child has got chilli in the eye, (s)he will experience burning sensation in the eye and the eye will turn red.</li><li>To relieve your child, you need to grab the milk from the refrigerator.</li><li>Soak a paper towel in milk and then gently pat (don’t rub) around the child’s eye. Let the milk-soaked paper towel then rest gently on your child’s eye.</li><li>Once your child is relieved from the immediate pain, pour a few drops of milk in your child’s eyes to calm down the rest of the burn. Then soak another paper towel in the milk and gently pat around the eye.</li><li>Milk is more effective than water so if you have milk available, it is better not to go for water.</li></ul> When an irritant enters the eye like sand or dirt: If you think your child has a particle in the eye or a minor irritation:<ul><li>Wash your hands before touching the eye area.</li><li>Flush the eye with water as soon as possible.</li><li>Tilt your child's head over a basin with the injured eye pointed down.</li><li>Gently pull down the lower lid.</li><li>Gently pour a steady stream of lukewarm (not hot) water over the eye.</li><li>Flush the eye for up to 15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes to see if the particle has been flushed out or not.</li></ul> When there is a foreign body embedded in the eye: This happens when an object reaches the globe of the eye. If an object, such as a piece of glass or metal, is sticking out of the eye, take the following steps:<ul><li>Call for emergency medical help.</li><li>Cover the affected eye with a small cup taped in place. The point is to keep all pressure off the eye.</li></ul> In case of Chemical Exposure:<ul><li>If your child gets a chemical in the eye and you know what it is, look on the product's container for an emergency number to call for instructions.</li><li>If you don't know what caused the irritation, flush the eye immediately with lukewarm water for 15 to 30 minutes. If both eyes are affected, flush them in the shower.</li><li>Call for emergency medical help.</li></ul> Black Eyes and Blunt InjuriesA black eye is often a minor injury. But this bruising of the eye can sometimes lead to a significant eye injury or head trauma. A visit to the doctor or an eye specialist might be needed to rule out serious injury. For a black eye:<ul><li>Apply cold compresses intermittently: 5 to 10 minutes on, 10 to 15 minutes off. If you use ice, cover it with a towel to protect the delicate skin on the eyelid.</li><li>Use cold compresses for 24 to 48 hours, then switch to applying warm compresses intermittently. This will lead to the discolouration of the injured area.</li><li>If the child is in pain, get a painkiller prescribed by the doctor.</li><li>Give an extra pillow to the child at night and encourage him or her to sleep on the uninjured side of the face (pressure can increase swelling).</li></ul> In any type of injury, call for medical help if your child has:<ul><li>Been struck in the eye with a ball or other object</li><li>Increased redness</li><li>Trouble seeing</li><li>Severe eye pain</li><li>Visible eyeball abnormality</li><li>Been exposed to chemicals</li><li>Blood in the eye</li><li>Eye discomfort</li><li>A swollen, red, or painful area around the eye or eyelid</li><li>Nausea or vomiting after an eye injury</li></ul> Prevention:Make your child wear protective gear while they play sports. Keep chemicals and other hazardous objects out of the reach of children.

Most eye injuries are minor, like getting soap in the eye or a speck of dirt under the eyelid.

Eye injury in children

Palak Vyas

Children are active human beings. They want to walk, run, and climb anywhere and everywhere. Choosing the footwear which provides them with proper grip and balance is very important. <ul><li>Socks: Even when babies have not started walking, you can buy socks for them for protection from cold. Select socks made up of natural breathable fibres like wool and cotton. Never invest in 100% nylon material.</li><li>Soft and comfortable: The first shoes should be soft and comfortable; the baby should be able to feel his feet through the shoes.</li><li>Let it be lightweight and proper fit; not too tight but not that loose that it comes out while the child is walking.</li><li>Slippers of your child should properly fit at the toes so that they have a good grip.</li><li>Velcro fasteners are better than anything else because they are easy to wear and easy to remove.</li><li>Ensure the soles or bottoms of the shoes are not slippery. It should stay firm and hold the ground properly so that the child can maintain his/her balance.</li><li>Seams and edges should be soft.</li><li>Space near the toes should be wide enough so that the child can wiggle his/her toes easily.</li><li>Check the shoes after every 6 to 8 weeks for the right fit.</li><li>Make sure the shoes have proper padding on the heel backs, around the ankles and in the bottom inside.</li><li>Keep on checking babies’ toes regularly.</li></ul> Allow your child to walk barefoot wherever it is possible. They find perfect balance and grip by walking bare feet.

Footwear plays a major role in balance and grip of a child.

Guidelines to choose shoes for babies

When a toddler asks you a question, either it comes out of curiosity or it could be just attention seeking. Figure out if your child needs your undivided attention. If yes, please give proper attention. In the times of social media and technology all around, a child misses that personal time with parents and so (s)he might be asking questions in an attempt that you pay attention to them.But Sometimes it is just curiosity. For a few initial years, a&nbsp;child comes across so many things that (s)he hasn’t seen or heard about. So, (s)he will have a few questions almost everyday. It is always best&nbsp;to satisfy their curiosity and never shush them. The problem arises when they ask too many questions which ultimately annoys parents to a limit that they lose patience. How do deal with this:<ul><li>Acknowledge their questions and postpone it&nbsp;until a more convenient&nbsp;time. For example your child doesn’t eat spinach and asks you why should he eat, you can say, “I understand you don’t like it but let’s talk about its value after dinner. You have it now and i will tell you how it has benefited you, when we talk”. You need to answer them later without fail on due time.</li><li>Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.” Sometimes parents get exhausted trying to come up with answers to all the questions a child has, particularly when they don’t know anything about that field. In such cases, tell them, “That is a great question. I don't know exactly about it right now but we can find out later this night or on the weekend. Whenever you postpone, be specific about the timings and discuss about it. Stick to your own words.</li><li>How about asking them questions instead of getting angry and shooing them away.For example, when the child asks why should (s)he be eating spinach. Ask him what does (s)he think will happen if (s)he does not eat it. If your child asks why can’t (s)he have ice cream when he is suffering from cold, ask him what does (s)he think would happen if (s)he eats.</li><li>Keep cool when you say that. Be ready and patient to listen to their answers.</li><li>You can also make a list of questions or ask them to do so on a sheet of paper, notebook or on stick pad on fridge. Fix a convenient time in a week and solve their queries.</li><li>All these things can take a lot of time. But by doing this you are encouraging their curiosity. In case if you have 20 questions at the end of the week, ask your child to select 10 first. Like this you will know about their thought process and ideas too.</li></ul>

When a toddler asks you a question, either it comes out of curiosity or it could be just attention seeking. Whatever is the case, it is always best to feed your child's curiosity and give them undivided attention.

Being patient with child’s numerous questions.

Swaddling is a part of caring for newborn babies since centuries. This makes the babies feel as if they are in the womb. It is one of the best techniques to calm a cranky baby and help them sleep for long. It can be particularly helpful for babies with neurological problems (problems associated with nerves, like migraine, stroke etc.) or colic (abdominal pain during infancy). It also can really help babies to fall and stay asleep on their backs. Consider these points when you are swaddling your baby:<ul><li>If your baby is happy without swaddling, don’t swaddle.</li><li>Always put your baby to sleep on his back if he is swaddled.</li><li>Make sure that whatever you are using to swaddle doesn’t become loose.</li><li>For the healthy development of the hips, babies’ legs need to be able to bend up and out at the hips. Swaddling for short periods of time is likely fine, but if your baby is going to spend a significant amount of the day and night swaddled, consider swaddling a little easy that lets the legs move.</li></ul>

Swaddling gives a very cosy feeling to a newborn baby. The baby feels as if it is still in the mother's womb.

The art of Swaddling a baby

Helping your child to cope with moving anxiety:<ol><li>Prepare your kids by proper information beforehand.</li><li>Let them ask questions and answer patiently.</li><li>Answer them honestly and be prepared for a variety of reactions.</li><li>If the place you are moving to a new place, take your child there and let them explore the new place.</li><li>Encourage their opinions and participation. For example ask them which plants they would want in their new house.</li></ol> Helping your child cope with stress:1. Stop over scheduling their day:Limit your child’s activities as per his age. 2. Make sleep a Priority:See that your child has enough sleep, let there be quiet time in the afternoon where they can read, or listen to music, rest and relax. 3. Teach them how to listen to their body:Consider asking them questions about how they feel whenever you see their energies are going down. This way they also stay aware about his body. 4. Prepare your kids to deal with mistakes:You can prepare them by narrating your own experiences of how you made mistakes and how you deal with it, how you solved it or handled it calmly. They always model you. 5. Limit the use of technology:Set time limits for using phones or watching television or playing video games. Overuse of technology makes child irritating. 6. Schedule relaxing activities:You can also enrol your child for music, painting, sketching, swimming or yoga classes as per his choices and preferences. 7. Get help:Any time you feel that your child looks over-stressed and none of the things are helping, take expert advice and consult a counselor.

In times of stress, it is important to let your child know that you are there for them.

biting nail parenting concerns

Parenting issues are a part of the everyday parenting journey. Following article(s) might help you with your concern(s).

How not to fight in front of your child!

Insect flying into child's ear

Preschool Selection

Keeping your anger in control

Eye injury in children

Guidelines to choose shoes for babies

Being patient with child’s numerous questions.

The art of Swaddling a baby

Helping a child cope with stress

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