Before guiding your child towards the spiritual path, accept it in your life first. Children can feel when parents fake something. So it is important to be completely true to what you believe in before nurturing your child’s spiritual side. Developing spirituality is a lifelong journey towards self-discovery. What is spirituality?The dictionary defines it as being concerned about the human soul and spirit as opposed to physical and material things. It does not matter in which religion you believe. It is important to believe in the energy that is greater than us. Spirituality is developing life values like gratitude, compassion, sharing, acceptance, faith, etc. Being spiritual is respecting life, respecting the rights of others, and appreciating the environment. For example, teaching ‘sharing’ to children is important; be it sharing their toys with other children or sharing their time and energy with elderly people. It is important to let our children know how these actions make other people feel good. Not to mention when we help others, we are truly helping ourselves. Spiritual kids are happier and healthier and have a better sense of values and morals.Spiritual well being leads to fewer chances of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Spiritual well being also leads to emotional well being in children. There is no particular age when you can start instilling spirituality in your children. You can teach your babies and toddlers too. At this age, they might not understand it mentally but they will feel the energies, vibrations, and love and will know that this is a state of being. Here are a few ways to nurture your child spiritually:<ol><li>Set an intention:&nbsp;First thing in the morning have everyone in your family set their intention for the day. Have your children state their intention, for example, their intention for the day could be something like: I intend to be mindful in school today, or I intend to have a happy day.&nbsp;At the end of the day, ask them if their day turned out as they intended it to. If not, ask them where it went off track and what they could have done differently.</li><li>Gratitude journal: Make it a habit that everyone in the family writes down at least one thing they are grateful for every day in the evening. It can be anything from being happy for being alive to thanking another family member for something they have done for them. Alternatively, if you as a family eat dinner together, have everyone at the dinner table state what they are grateful for.</li><li>Guided visualisation: Children are visual learners so guided visualisations or meditations work great. Guided visualisations can create healthily, thought-provoking images to transform negativity into positive affirmations. Guided visualisations provide relief from stress and anxiety, decrease panic attacks, boost self-esteem, and provides opportunities for children to connect with themselves on deeper levels. Guided visualisations are best to use before bed so as to calm your baby down and put them in the space to have good dreams.</li><li>Martial Arts:&nbsp;As odd as this sounds, martial arts actually emphasises self-control, respect, and compassion. Apart from teaching self-control and discipline, martial arts boosts self-esteem and confidence, it provides a tool to channel anger. It is also a great exercise</li><li>Yoga:&nbsp;Yoga brings about inner peace, is a good way to increase children’s awareness of their own bodies, aids their sense of balance. It also reduces stress and lowers anxiety levels in children.</li><li>Arts and Crafts:&nbsp;Arts and crafts provide children with the opportunity of being creative and use their imagination. Hence, art and craft is great way to explore spirituality. Art also helps children in expressing their deepest feelings for which they don’t have the words to say out loud. Children tell the truth through their art.</li><li>Explore nature: Exploring nature helps in self-discovery. You can teach several aspects of life using the elements of nature. For example, you can teach your children about transformation by talking about butterflies; teach them about the interconnectedness of life by talking about ecosystems while hiking in the forest; teach them about conservation by picking up trash wherever you are; take them for stargazing. There are endless ways to teach children about the universe and its place in it through the exploration of nature.</li><li>Community Service: Volunteering for a community service project can provide children with a broader understanding of how they fit in the world. It helps them develop compassion and empathy for others and find gratitude that their own circumstances are different from others.</li><li>Encourage your child to share his or her dreams with you: By showing a genuine interest in your child’s dreams, the child will learn to value them. Encouragement to share will build their self-confidence and in turn create an optimistic and cheerful approach to life. By encouraging a child to share aspirations we are ultimately supporting them in believing and achieving them.</li><li>Listen to your child with full attention and concentration: When children try to communicate but aren’t heard and honoured, they try to guard their feelings over time and keep to themselves most of the time. Take time out to sit and listen to your child’s joys, achievements, frustrations, and dreams.</li></ol>

Children can feel when parents fake something. So it is important to be completely true to what you believe in before nurturing your child’s spiritual side. 

Nurturing your child's Spirituality

Spirituality keeps one grounded and helps an individual live an emotionally and mentally content life.

Nurturing your childs Spirituality

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

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.

<ul><li>Protect your child from too much sun. The sun's rays are strongest between 10 AM and 4 PM so avoid taking your child out during these hours.</li><li>If you plan to take your child outside, apply sunscreen to them which provides protection against UV rays. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours and after being in the water or sweating. Use sunscreen on cloudy days too as the sun’s rays pass through the clouds as well. Do not skip sunscreen if you are taking your child out; only skip if your child is wearing clothes that cover his/her entire body.</li><li>If your baby is less than a year old, keep them out of the sun as much as you can. Dress your baby in lightweight, light-coloured clothing with long sleeves and long pants. Make sure to cover their head.</li><li>Select sunglasses for babies and children that provide 100% UV protection.</li><li>When it is too hot and humid, children should not play outside or exercise for more than 30 minutes at a time.</li><li>Make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids even if they are not thirsty. Water is best of all. Dehydration can cause fatigue and muscle cramping.</li><li>Keep your child covered at all times when outside or sit in the shade as your child’s sensitive skin can get a sunburn. If your child gets sunburn, the best remedy is to use a cold compress for the affected area. If it’s too much, consult a doctor.</li><li>Never leave your kids unattended in a closed car even for a few minutes and even if the windows are open. The temperature inside a closed car increases too quickly and can be fatal for a child.</li></ul>

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

Handy Summer Care and Tips For Babies

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

Summer Precautions for Babies

If your child is laughing without any specific reason or if (s)he is talking, crying or staying silent way too much without any understandable reason, this might indicate that your child is unable to understand what is going on in a particular situation. When children have insecurity of being judged as someone who cannot gauge what is going around in his/her space, they react in a way in which people around them are not able to catch the fact that the child is not understanding anything happening around him/her. From the child’s perspective, (s)he feels, "Come on! I don’t get it. Why do you want me to understand everything”. They choose not to be vocal about how they feel. So they keep reacting in odd ways. Sometimes children are scared and think "If I go say that I don’t understand this and ask again, my parents will get angry and scold me.” You need to analyse the scenarios in which your child laughs too much. Ask you this question - Is this situation particularly funny and laughable or is my child just acting oddly because of (s)he lacks understanding of the situation? If you feel that your child lacks understanding, talk to them in private and ensure them that you are there to understand them and not mock them or be angry at them. Reassure them that if they don't feel right about anything, they can come to you and talk to you; there will be no judgements. If things are out of control and you cannot help manage your child's behaviour, you should consult a child psychologist who can help you solve this problem by taking steps in the right direction.

Pay attention to the situations in which your child laughs too much; this will help you to understand the problem better.

When a child laughs too much

Pay attention to the situations in which your child laughs too much; this will help you to understand the problem better.

Palak Vyas

Following measures can be taken to make your travel happy and comfortable: <ul><li>Confirm the train timings: Whether it is going to be late or not. This is to make sure that you won’t have to wait long hours with the baby on the station.</li><li>Carry a fold-able baby cot: Infants usually sleep a lot. So carrying a fold-able baby cot is a wise decision. It occupies less space and you don’t have to carry the child in your lap all through the journey. They too can have a comfortable sleep.</li><li>Carry an extra baby bag: This may seem extra baggage but it’s easy and comfortable to have a separate bag for baby’s belongings. That small bag can include diapers, baby wipes, cream, soft blanket, towels, sanitiser, milk powder, thermos with warm water, hairbrush , a mattress for the cot, feeding bottle, medicines and other such essential things for baby. Don’t forget to put your baby’s favourite toy and a water bottle.</li><li>Medicines: Please carry emergency medicines for fever, colic, stuffy nose, and nausea. Gastric pain is very common in babies so if your baby has been prescribed special medication take it along without fail.</li><li>Comfortable seat: Try and book lower berth so your baby can easily play and there are less chances of falling. Look for any sharp edges or such objects around that can hurt your child while playing.</li><li>Carry your baby’s food: You can prepare his/her favourite food for the journey. Try to keep food light and easy on your child’s stomach.</li><li>Avoid travelling with a baby who is less than 3 months old because they are easily prone to infections.</li></ul>

Travelling by train with a child can be tricky. The key is to be all prepared before boarding the train.

Travelling with a child in train

Dr Ajab Primuswala

There can be multiple reasons behind a child not playing alone: <ol><li>The child is scared to be alone, which means (s)he doesn’t feel safe alone. (S)he is looking for a company to feel safe.</li><li>The child is seeking attention and hence wants someone to be with him/her all the time.</li><li>The child is extrovert. If your child is an extrovert, (s)he needs to be vocal and express himself/herself. (S)he will need someone to be around to share his or her views and opinions.</li><li>If your child is someone who constantly needs appreciation,&nbsp;&nbsp;(s)he feels the need to be appreciated either by elders, peers or friends and so he doesn’t want to be alone.</li><li>One of the major reasons that a child cannot play alone is low self esteem. Sometimes the child is not able to trust themselves so they seek company for every aspect, to go to school, to study and even to play.</li></ol> As a parent, you can help this situation by: <ul><li>The first thing is to understand that it is okay to allow them to play with peers or any other company. When you want your child to get accustomed to playing alone, give him/her verbal motivation like “It is okay to play alone”. “You can try making art work or craft work. Tell him/her that “I am watching over you.” “I am always around if you need anything.” “You can do this.”</li><li>These motivation will help them overcome their loneliness and give them confidence to be with themselves.</li><li>You can give them logo toys from which they can create something out of their imagination and then flaunt it later. This way they can see appreciation coming and they will be motivated to play alone often.</li><li>But also know that if the child is not okay being alone, it is fair enough to allow him to have his or her friends, peers, or guided elders around.</li></ul>

If a child is not playing alone, it does not mean (s)he is an introvert child, there can be other reasons as well.

Child does not play alone

Ravina Sewani

Treatment for animal bites depends on the type of animal that has bitten your child. Your child's healthcare provider will determine specific treatment for an animal bite. Treatment may include the below: For bites from a household pet that is immunised and in good health:<ul><li>Wash the wound with soap and water from a tap for at least 5 minutes. Don’t scrub the wound as this may bruise the tissue. Apply an antiseptic lotion or cream.</li><li>Watch for signs of infection. These signs include fever, increased redness or pain, swelling, or fluid leaking, or red streaks from the bite. Call your child's healthcare provider right away if you notice any of these.</li></ul> For deeper bites from any animal, or for any bite from an unknown animal:<ul><li>If the bite or scratch is bleeding, apply pressure to it with a clean bandage or towel to stop the bleeding.</li><li>Wash the wound with soap and water from a tap for at least 5 minutes. Don’t scrub the wound as this may bruise the tissue.</li><li>Dry the wound, apply antibiotic ointment, and cover it with a sterile dressing. Don’t use tape to close the wound as it can trap harmful bacteria in the wound.</li><li>Call your child's healthcare provider to decide if more treatment is needed. This may include antibiotics, a tetanus booster, rabies vaccine, or repair of the wound with stitches.</li></ul> Get medical care if:<ul><li>the wound is on the face, neck, hand, foot, or near a joint</li><li>the wound won't stop bleeding after 10 minutes of applying pressure</li><li>the wound appears to be deep, large, or severe</li><li>the attacking animal was stray or wild or behaving strangely</li><li>if there is a broken bone, nerve damage, or serious injury.</li><li>If your child has diabetes or a condition that weakens his/her immune system.&nbsp;</li><li>your child’s last tetanus vaccine was more than 5 years ago.</li><li>the bite or scratch has pus coming out from it, or becomes red, hot, swollen, or increasingly painful</li></ul> Keep in mind:<ul><li>If the animal was unknown, try finding the animal if possible. This is necessary to capture the animal and watch it rabies. Contact the nearest animal control office in your area to capture the animal. If the animal cannot be found or is a high-risk species (raccoon, skunk, or bat), your child may need a series of rabies shots.</li><li>Call your child's healthcare provider for any flu-like symptoms after an animal bite. These symptoms may include fever, headache, ill feeling, loss of appetite, or swollen glands.</li><li>‘Cat scratch disease’ is a bacterial infection that develops from a cat scratch (usually from a kitten) even if the scratch site doesn't look infected. So it is crucial to report to your child’s healthcare provider if a cat has bitten your child.</li></ul> Prevention:<ul><li>Teach your children to stay away from stray animals, and not to tease or provoke any animals, even if it’s family pets.</li><li>Make sure your pet is properly immunised and licensed.</li><li>Never leave your child alone with a pet.</li><li>Stay away from animals that are sick.</li><li>Keep your pets on a leash when in public.</li><li>Do not disturb animals when they are eating or sleeping.</li></ul> In case of a Snake bite: Other than basic procedures carried out during animal bite treatment, snake bites specifically require treatment with antivenom. Prevention of snake bites:<ul><li>Avoid tall grassy areas.</li><li>Wear protective shoes/boots.</li><li>Keep storage areas clear of rodents.</li><li>Remove rubbish and woodpiles from around the home.</li></ul>

Treatment for animal bites depends on the type of animal that has bitten your child.

Animal Bites in children

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!

There is no specific age limit as to when a child should get his/her first haircut. However, in some cultures, such as in Hinduism, it is believed that a child should get the tonsure ("mundan" as it is called in the Hindu culture) done by the end of the first year. If you don't hold such beliefs, it does not matter if you get your child's first hair cut done at 2 months or 2 years. A few signs which will help you know when the child needs the first haircut:<ul><li>When hair starts to get in your baby’s eyes or is bothersome on his or her neck</li><li>When “fly-a-ways” on the sides start to look like wings</li><li>When the hair is making your child extremely irritated</li></ul> Tips to keep in mind BEFORE that first hair cut:<ol><li>Before you take your child for the first haircut, you should take him/her to your own hair appointments. This will make their fear go away and they will understand that getting a hair cut does not physically hurt.</li><li>Take an extra towel/shirt to the salon if in case your child does not want to wear the hair-cut cape.</li><li>Choose the time of the haircut wisely; it should not be your child's nap time or snack time or even playtime.</li><li>Going to a kid's salon is the best approach but if you cannot access a kid's salon, ask around and book an appointment with the stylist who is known to work with kids' haircuts.</li><li>Reach the salon 15 minutes before your appointment time, so your child gets accustomed to the environment. Do not reach very early as the wait will make your child cranky.</li><li>Kids salons usually have playthings and chocolates, lollipops, cars, books etc. to keep children distracted until their turn. If you are not going to a kid's salon, take your child's favourite toy or a book.</li></ol> Tips to have a smooth experience DURING the first haircut:<ol><li>Do not use the word "cut", use a less scary word like "style", "trim". Tell them, "We are going to get your hair styled".</li><li>If they refuse to sit in the styling chair, make them sit on your lap. This way they will be less scared as you would be with them.</li><li>If they have an elder sibling, schedule their haircut on the same way. Your child will get confidence by watching their sibling getting the haircut while they get theirs. If your child has no sibling, you can schedule any of your family member's haircut.</li><li>Do not lose your calm. If you panic, your child will take up the vibe and get even more uncomfortable. So remember to be relaxed at all times.</li></ol>

Convincing your child for the first haircut can be difficult. Nevertheless, you can make this easier.

Going for the first hair cut of 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

This is absolutely your personal choice. In some cultures and traditions, it is compulsory to pierce the baby's ears. Whereas in some cases people do it just for fashion. Certain points to keep in mind while getting your baby’s ears pierced: <ul><li>If you want to get your daughter’s ear pierced, get it done at an early age. Because after she grows up, it will be difficult for you to stop her from touching her ears. If her hands are dirty and she constantly touches her ears, it can lead to infection.</li><li>Piercing should be done hygienically and by professionals only.</li><li>Do not use danglers at the time of piercing because they might get tangled in your baby’s dress and may worsen the pain.</li><li>Using gold and silver studs reduces chances of any allergic reactions.</li><li>After you have gotten your child’s ears pierced, do not make them wear very heavy earrings at a young age.</li></ul>

Get your child's ear pierced only if they like it.

Getting your child's ears' pierced

Divorce is harsh on both, the parents and the child(ren). If you have planned for divorce, then surely it must have been after a lot of thought and because the relationship was just too difficult to carry on with. First and foremost thing is to remember that divorce is between husband and wife. The child is nowhere at fault in the whole scenario. So (s)he should not suffer. Things to keep in mind before going ahead with divorce:<ul><li>When you have decided to get divorced, take into consideration your child’s age and also take their consent for the same. It is important to get your child(ren) on the same page as you are because the divorce is going to affect them as well.</li><li>Our social structure dictates that a child should stay with both the parents. But with divorce, that’s not going to happen. So explain this change to your child that now (s)he will be staying with only either of the parents.</li><li>It is understandable that both the parents might want the custody of the child. But here, don’t be selfish. Instead of keeping yourself first, keep your child at the centre. Both of you might know who the child is most comfortable with and with whom (s)he close to. When you have the answer, decide mutually that the custody of the child should go to that parent.</li></ul> Things to keep in mind during the legal process of divorce:<ul><li>Avoid heated arguments and conflicts in front of your child. Keep legal talks away from your kids. If there is any disturbing conversation to be made, do it in your child’s absence.</li><li>Confine negativity and blame to private therapy sessions.</li><li>Converse with your child: Listen to them carefully. Make them comfortable. Ensure they feel safe, secure and heard whenever they want to talk. Help them put their feelings into words.</li><li>Show validation for their feelings: Let them know it is okay to feel sad without their father or mother. And at the same time there are reasons to be happy as well for the changes in the future. Like if there is going to be change in the house or school, let them know it's going to be new and exciting too. Give them perspective.</li><li>Make it very clear that they will always be loved by both parents. They are never at fault; children tend to feel guilty so make sure they know it clearly that divorce is no one’s fault. It is just that sometimes elders can’t adjust the ways the other person lives. That is why they have mutually decided to stay in different places. Keep it simple and truthful and explain keeping their age and maturity into consideration.</li><li>Allow kids to express disappointment: They can talk about their pain or grief. They may exhibit some awkward behaviour when they can’t accept the changes. Sometimes they themselves do not understand or realise the cause of their anger or frustration. Give them some time to adjust. Be supportive and co-operative. We all go through such rough phases so allow them to feel it and be with them, talk to them. Get clinical help if required. Talk to a counsellor. Get help whenever required.</li></ul> After the divorce, keep in mind:<ul><li>Once the custody matter of the child is resolved, it is upon the parent with whom the child stays that they don’t speak negatively about the other parent in front of the child. Divorce is an issue between a husband and a wife, the child is never at fault. And so the child should not suffer nor should (s)he have any negative feelings about either of the parents.</li><li>Whatever arrangements you have made for you and your child – number of times the child meets the other parents, meeting arrangements as a family, family outings, etc. – all need to be discussed with the child in plain black and white terms. Never keep a child in shady greys of doubts.</li><li>Keeping them in doubt will hamper a child’s relation with both the parents.</li></ul>

Divorce can be quite difficult for a child. It is important that parents handle this situation very carefully.

Planning the best for the child during and post divorce

Symptoms of an ant bite:<ul><li>Redness</li><li>Swelling</li><li>White yellow pustule at the site of the bite</li></ul> What to do after an ant bite:<ul><li>﻿Clean the bite site immediately with warm soapy water, then with plain water and wipe it dry.</li><li>Apply an ice pack or cold compress.</li><li>Do not touch or pop it unnecessarily.</li><li>Apply antibiotic ointment on the site of the bite.</li><li>If the child is old enough, give him/her paediatrician’s prescribed pain reliever and oral antihistamines to reduce pain and itching if it’s unbearable.</li><li>If there is facial swelling, itching, stomach cramps or trouble breathing, immediately seek medical attention.</li></ul>

grandparenting parenting concerns

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

Travelling with a child in train

Child does not play alone

Animal Bites in children

How not to fight in front of your child!

Going for the first hair cut of your baby

Selecting a baby box for your baby

Getting your child's ears' pierced

Planning the best for the child during and post divorce

Dealing with ant bite in children

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