Palak Vyas

In this techno savvy and fast-paced world, it becomes difficult to get our children out of screen time and make sure that they spend some quality time with their grandparents. This is required to build warm and loving bonds in the family. Ultimately it is our relationships and family bonding that matters in life. Tips to increase closeness between your child and their grandparents: <ul><li>Let your child talk to his grandparents. In case they are not staying around, make sure your child talks to them over regular calls. The more they talk, the more they bond. This way they will get to know each other well.</li><li>If it is possible, take them to their grandparents’ place often and allow them some quality time.</li><li>You can plan a dinner date for your child and their grandparents. They can visit libraries or parks or some art exhibition together.</li><li>You can ask your parents to narrate their life stories to your children.</li><li>Your child and his/her grandparents can cook some dishes together.</li><li>A perfect picture is also a good option. Ask them to go to a picture studio and get clicked. Get this picture framed and hang it in their room.</li><li>They can read books to each other. Play chess and some vintage games like snakes and ladders, ludo, carrom etc.</li><li>Eventually, they will develop a beautiful bond and will be sharing stories soon.</li></ul>

Many families observe that children don't want to spend time with their grandparents. This can be improved with a few steps.

Making children spend time with grandparents

Try the following to help your child boost his/her self-confidence: 1. Step back and let them choose.Let your child take risks, obviously stay around and stay watchful. Let them make their own choices, solve problems and stick with what they start. Do give children choices within a reasonable set of options pre-selected by you. This can make them feel empowered. 2. Don’t do everything for your child:Be patient and let him do his own thing. For a preschooler to dress is a challenge. Let them take this challenge. New challenges make them more competent and confident. For example, letting them wear their shoes, wearing their clothes, etc. 3. Assign age appropriate household chores:Let little difficulties and risks and problems come in their ways. For example, you can ask them to arrange their bags for school and fold their little clothes or helping you arrange dining table with glasses and plates.. Maybe you can help a little if required. When they accomplish, they will have a feeling that yes they can do it. That is what builds self confidence in them. 4. Let your child know it is okay to be imperfect:Show by example that it is fine if anything is not done perfectly. Give them understanding between perfection and excelling. Teach them that we can always excel and do better than before. 5. Don’t offer insincere praises:Children can easily distinguish between real and fake compliments. Like if they had made a not so good drawing, don’t say wow, that’s amazing. Instead focus on its details and tell him/her that (s) he has added beautiful details in the picture. 6. Appreciate individuality:Don't compare your child either with his friends or siblings. No one likes comparison .Appreciate your child’s uniqueness and teach them the same. 7. Make clear that your love is unconditional:Be always clear that you would love them no matter what. You may not like the habit and you may be a little harsh to them for a bad habit but that doesn’t mean you stop loving them.

Self esteem or self confidence plays a huge role in an individual's life. Encouraging a child's confidence at the right time can do wonders.

Promoting child’s self esteem

Genes can significantly impact the height of our children. But there are a few measures you can take to increase your child’s height.<ul><li>Healthy eating Habit: Milk is a rich source of calcium and calcium plays an important role in the development of bone structure of your children. Protein plays a vital role in increasing height and is present in natural food sources like milk, eggs, soyabeans etc. Maintaining a healthy diet which contains ample amount of protein, vitamins and minerals will help a lot in child's growth.</li><li>Regular exercises: For younger kids, you can take them to a park where they can do hanging exercises and vertical jumping. Yoga, swimming, stretching helps in lengthening spine and muscles.</li><li>Adequate sleep: Thickening and lengthening of bones happen during sleep. Children’s bodies produce various hormones during sleep which support their growth.</li><li>Good posture: Sitting and standing in upright postures can make children look taller.</li></ul>

Every child tends to grow at different pace. Height growth is also affected by genes. Nonetheless, making a few lifestyle changes can result into better height growth.

Increasing your child's height

Juhi Mishra

It common for parents to wonder about which schooling system to got for their children. Following are some of the major differences between the two to help you decide which one to go for: <ul><li>Academic Environment</li></ul>In a regular school, children are exposed to an environment which is majorly controlled by the school.Homeschooling gives an opportunity to control the learning environment by minimising distractions. <ul><li>Individualised attention</li></ul>In a regular school, one teacher is there to attend to 20-30 students at one time.In a homeschool set-up there is an opportunity of one-on-one lessons. <ul><li>Curriculum</li></ul>In a regular school, the curriculum is pre-set.In a homeschool set-up, the curriculum may be designed as per the requirement of the child. <ul><li>Health and Safety</li></ul>In a regular school set up, the children are exposed to various kinds of germs and illnesses. Also the safety is a concern as the parents are unable to be around in such a set-up.Children in a homeschool set-up are saved from direct contact to diseases and germs. Also the safety of the child is under the parents’ control. <ul><li>Social aspect</li></ul>In a regular school, children get to meet, connect and socialise with children of their age.In a homeschool set-up, the children may miss out on the socialisation component, if they are not made to mingle in group activities on a regular basis. <ul><li>Travel</li></ul>In a regular school, there may be very limited opportunities for the children to travel and learn.Homeschool families may opt to travel together as a part of their education. <ul><li>Mastery vs. grades</li></ul>While in a regular school, grades may seem to be more important than the learning of a concept, hence, leading to mugging up of the content taught.In a home school set-up, mastery is given more importance hence leading to life-long learning. <ul><li>Religion</li></ul>Religion may not be the focus of teaching and learning in a regular school.Families may decide to take up religious studies as a part of their daily routine and also discuss science, literature and current happenings in the light of their religious beliefs in a homeschool set-up.

Conventional or regular schooling is when children go to an authorised school with other children to study as per the school norms and curriculum. While homeschooling is when the child is educated in the comfort of his/ her house.

Homeschooling vs Conventional Schooling

Points to keep in mind while buying and using the stroller: <ol><li>Buy a stroller that is specifically designed for your child’s age, height and weight. Newborn babies should be able to lie down fully in the stroller.</li><li>Five-point harness: Shoulder straps, a strap between the legs and waist belts that connect together.</li><li>If the stroller has a hand-rest at the front of the seat, ensure that the opening between the hand-rest and the seat can be closed when the stroller is used in the reclined position. This means the hand-rest needs to be an adjustable one.</li><li>Check for strollers that have brakes which are easy to use and works as per required.</li><li>Ensure it doesn’t have any parts that pinch your child’s fingers or is some kind of a choking hazard.</li><li>A stroller should be stable. The wheelbase should be wide and the seat should be low in the frame.</li><li>It should not tip backwards while in resting position.</li><li>The leg openings should be appropriately designed so that the child’s legs don’t slip off.</li><li>The handlebars should be at your waist level or maybe lower than that.</li><li>Never leave a child unattended in a stroller.</li><li>Always use the safety harness while using the stroller.</li><li>Ensure to put on brakes when the stroller is not in use.</li></ol>

A stroller is a wheeled vehicle to transport children generally in a sitting up or semi-reclined position by a person pushing on a handle attached to the stroller

Selecting a stroller for your baby

Following points can be considered while selecting a baby box for your baby: <ol><li>The box should be spacious and sturdy, basically appropriate for your baby.</li><li>The material should be able to stand your baby’s weight.</li><li>Baby Boxes can be used until 6 months or till your baby learns to sit or crawl on their own. So buy the boxes keeping in mind your baby’s growth for six months at least.</li><li>Ensure the base is well balanced.</li><li>Check whether it is comfortable for you and your baby to use a baby box. Generally, babies feel safe, secure and happy in the baby box.</li><li>The bottom mattress should be firm and properly fitted.</li></ol>

Baby boxes are also known as sleep boxes. These are simple cardboard boxes which can be used in place of cribs for babies to sleep in.

Selecting a baby box for your baby

A younger child is not just a huge change for parents but also a very drastic one for the elder child. To make your elder one comfortable with a new family member you can:<ul><li>Initiate by talking to your child about the arrival of his/her sibling.</li><li>Seek his/her help to setup the place for the newborn. Explain to him/her about the milestones and growth of the baby. Discuss and elaborate about the baby’s schedule and explain to them that the baby will feed, sleep and cry most of the time.</li><li>If you have to change room or the elder one’s bed, this is the right time to prepare the child.</li><li>Remember, it is difficult for children to accept sudden changes or adjustments. Prepare the child to temporarily sleep/bath/dress-up with grandparents or nanny; this will help him/her when you are in hospital.</li></ul> Take their age into consideration:<ul><li>Child younger than age 24 months of age: Young children won’t understand about adjustments and sleeping with grandparents or nanny. Talk to them only about the arrival of newborn in the family. Show them pictures of babies in books and draw a complete family picture.</li><li>Child between 24 to 48 months of age:&nbsp;Children at this age may feel a little jealous about shared attention. You can prepare the child by informing that the baby will be too young for eating and sleeping, so mumma and daddy will have to take care of the small baby. Start involving them in baby shopping and let them pick for their sibling. You can encourage pretend play with a doll and inculcate emotions of love and care for the sibling.</li><li>Child between 48 to 72 months:	Children are excited to welcome the new addition in the family however, only if they are given equal attention. Display elder one’s drawings to the infant and share empowering stories of elder brother or sister with the little one. This will make the elder one feel special and will in turn encourage them to take care of his/her sibling.</li></ul>

All elder siblings are excited about having a younger brother or sister. But keep in mind to prepare them enough so that there's no insecurity in them when a newborn arrives in the family.

Preparing the elder child for sibling

Samiksha Choithani

Parents should be able to understand about half of a child's speech by the age of 2 years and about three quarters at 3 years. Identify these signs to understand language or speech delay issues among children:<ul><li>by 2 years: the child says only certain sounds or words repeatedly and can't use oral language to communicate more than his or her immediate needs</li><li>by 2 years: can't follow simple directions</li><li>by 2 years: has an unusual tone of voice</li></ul>Parental involvement plays a major role in treating delayed language/speech problems. Some of these steps can encourage speech development among children:<ul><li>Spend more time in communicating with your child, talk, sing, use gestures and encourage your child to repeat the sounds or gestures.</li><li>Read stories or show pictures to your child; try and name them while the child looks at them. You can then move on to rhymes, sing loud and clear with proper lip movements.</li><li>Talk about everything in routine situations – like when you use a refrigerator tell that I am opening a refrigerator to get fruits/vegetables – name them and show it to the little one.</li><li>Try to talk to your child throughout the day, Point out objects and ask questions.</li></ul>If required meet a speech therapist, a therapist can help the child to pronounce words and sounds by strengthening the muscles of mouth and face.

Delayed speech can be treated with the help of a speech therapist. There is nothing to worry about much as every child achieves milestones at different times.

Delayed Speech Problems among children

Children get cranky for many reasons. However, neglecting the cranky behaviour of a child is clearly not a solution. It is important to identify the cause and find a solution for it.If your child is a toddler the reasons can be:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Change of usual schedule.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Upset stomach</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Pain in some part of the body</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Suffering from cold or flu</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Sleep deprived</li></ul>You may try some home remedies like having simple food for few days, give your child a long night sleep or you can put some nilgiri oil drops in the hanky and place it near the child. Rest and food can help your toddler overcome this behaviour.If your child is an infant the reasons can be:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Hunger</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Fatigue</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Messy Diaper</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Rashes</li></ul>To make your child calm, check the diaper regularly, try and feed the child more often. If the mother is breastfeeding the child, she should avoid spicy food for a few days or any food that can create stomach problems in infants. Additionally, keep a regular check on rashes on neck and thighs. Give proper amount of sleep to your child.

grandparenting parenting concern

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