It's time to get creative and know that your children will remember the fun, no matter what you end up doing.&nbsp; <ul><li>Balloon Balloon:</li></ul>Kids love balloons so wake them to lots of balloons. Stand over the bed and shower them with a laundry basket full of balloons and pieces of curled ribbon. Or scatter balloons in their room after they've fallen asleep the night before so they wake up to a sea of colour.<img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/birthday-balloons-in-room-2.jpg_image_1637134022133.jpg" width="309" style="cursor: nesw-resize;"> <ul><li>Make a Paper Crown:</li></ul>Decorative paper, scissors, and a small piece of tape are all you need to craft a cute crown for your birthday king or queen. Sticking with the royal theme, let your child choose a title or name they'd like to be called for the day.<img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/papercrown-main.jpg_image_1637134039436.jpg" width="310" style=""> <ul><li>Dress in their Favourite Colour:</li></ul>Favourite colours are a big deal to kids. The whole family dressing in their favourite colour is a beautiful sight to smile for them.<img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/photo-1511348547654-09ef00c65feb.jfif_image_1637142205348.jfif" width="312" style=""> <ul><li>Let them Decorate the Cake:</li></ul>Make a cake or buy one and allow your child to do the decoration. They can include their older siblings and do the teamwork. Provide them with chocolate chips, icing sugar, colourful gems, whipped cream. They would enjoy it so much.<img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/toddler-decorating-cake.jpg_image_1637134398150.jpg" width="313" style=""> <ul><li>Treasure Hunt:</li></ul>Play treasure hunt with them. You can hide their gifts in different places and leave clues for them to search for it. It's always fun to figure out riddles and clues.<img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/1155287281-1024x700.jpg_image_1637134817639.jpg" width="312" style=""> <ul><li>Watch their Favourite Movie:</li></ul>Kids love to watch their favourite movie again and again. Fix some time and all the family and friends&nbsp;can have a small get-together followed by a movie night. You all can book a mini theatre and have more fun.<img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/homes_outdoor_theaters_02474.jpg-df9a7-1226x0-c-default.jpg_image_1637135064640.jpg" width="313"><ul><li>Size Them Up:</li></ul>Each year, mark their height on the wall, take their hand-prints or take a photo in the same spot so you can see how much they grow and change each year.<img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/74e1c2f084a4a242417979fab7d0f59a.jpg_image_1637138211985.jpg" width="105" style=""><img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/img_1974.jpg_image_1637138084741.jpg" width="212" style=""> <ul><li>Gift Hamper:</li></ul>Give a birthday gift hamper with all the little things the child has ever asked for once in a while, like some small toy, pencil, stopwatch, globe or some book of their favourite character. Sometimes picking up little things they told you once makes them happier and they feel heard and very special.<img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/adobestock_85273473.jpeg_image_1637141848847.jpeg" width="309" style=""><ul><li>Decorate with Pictures:</li></ul>Fill a wall or a sheet of poster board with some of your favourite photos of the birthday kid from birth to present day, or just from the past year.<img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/birthday-party-decoration-500x500.jpeg_image_1637138745386.jpeg" width="307" style=""><ul><li>Write and Give Letters:</li></ul>Write an annual birthday letter to your child highlighting special moments and milestones from the year. You can also write letters to your child throughout the year and gift them together on his birthday. The letters may have funny interesting incidents and events. There are so many fun things you can do together with your child to make their birthday special. And enjoy to the fullest.<img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/1200-173940516-child-giving-card.jpg_image_1637139010443.jpg" width="306"> Shower them with lots and lots of Love.

It's time to get creative and know that your children will remember the fun, no matter what you end up doing. Start with creative decorations, balloons, gifts, cake designs, and party games.

Creative Birthday Celebration Ideas for Children

Your child's birthday is special not just for your child but for you as well. Try keeping it minimal but yet full of memories.﻿

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

It's just a few days to your child's birthday and you are wondering if everything will go according to your plan or not. Well, here are a few things you can prepare beforehand so that on your child's special day you are not busy with organising and execution and are able to spend quality time with your child: <ul><li>If you're calling your child's friends over, make all the calls at least 3 days prior and take the confirmations so you can make the arrangements accordingly.</li><li>If you are planning to get food from outside, call the catering people and make appropriate arrangements for the special day.</li><li>If you are going to plan an activity for children, get all the materials for the same and keep everything in one place so that you don't have to rush around for everything on the day of celebration.</li><li>Get a house help for the whole day to help you with the arrangements prior to the celebration and also to help you tidy up the place post the celebrations.</li><li>Make your child try on the clothes and footwear before their birthday so that if any changes are to be made, they can be done within time.</li><li>Wind up all your personal/professional work one day prior to your child's birthday so that you can give your undivided attention to your child.</li></ul> If you are confused as to what you can do to make your child's birthday fulfilling, take a look at our 'Birthday Celebration Ideas' article to get some ideas.

Don't fuss about the preparations on the day of the celebration of the child's birthday, instead, see what you can manage prior to the celebration to make the day less stressful.

Preparing for your childs Birthday

Don't fuss about the preparations on the day of the celebration of your child's birthday, instead, see what all you can manage prior to the celebration to make the day less stressful.

It's trickier to keep babies safe in monsoons, but taking care of a few important things can make it alright: <ul><li>Make sure that your baby’s clothes are dry and warm. Clothes often remain cold and damp after a wash in the monsoon. Clothes that remain damp can result in your baby catching a fever or cold. It is also best to opt for breathable cotton fabrics and avoid synthetics that may cause rashes.</li><li>Monsoons are always accompanied by several insects and germs like flies, fungus mosquitoes, etc. Hence the chances of babies falling ill also increase during monsoons. To keep your baby free of these, ensure that you and everyone else handling your baby should stay clean. Keep an eye out for nappy rash - change diapers regularly and apply a good diaper rash cream.</li><li>Disinfect your home and surroundings too regularly to keep germs away. Unclean surroundings can harbour many disease-causing insects and pests, as well as bacteria.</li><li>Monsoon brings with it malaria and dengue causing mosquitoes. To prevent your baby from catching these diseases, it is best to use bed nets or mesh windows. You can also use mosquito repellent creams for your baby after consulting with a doctor. There are also liquid, card and coil repellents available that are safe and effective against mosquitoes.</li><li>It is best not to take your baby out during monsoons, especially when it is raining. The humidity and the change in temperatures might lead to your baby catching the flu. If you have to take your baby out, make sure that your baby is covered correctly and completely dry throughout your outing. If you go out, avoid dirty areas with puddles and mud. Ensure that you are not taking your baby to crowded places as it’s easier to get infected with people around. When you take your child outdoors, keep wet wipes handy to ensure your baby stays clean all the time.</li><li>Some infants are allergic to specific pollen and allergens. Make sure your baby is kept away from these during the rains. If you notice any rash, redness or other symptoms, consult your doctor immediately and get it checked.</li><li>Check your house for dampness, leakage before the monsoon arrives. Get them fixed if there is a problem. Check for fungus or moulds around the house. Secure the loose electric wiring, if any. Clean the drains and keep bathrooms hygienic</li><li>Always feed freshly prepared food to your baby in monsoon as food tends to spoil quickly in monsoon.</li><li>Since you can’t always find clean water when you’re outside, make sure you carry a small bottle of sanitiser and use it to clean your hands whenever handling the baby.</li><li>Many doctors recommend getting a flu booster shot when the monsoons are around. Make sure your baby gets all his/her shots before the monsoon.</li><li>Since a baby is primary indoors in monsoon (s), he doesn’t need a daily bath. Two to three times a week, and especially around humid times, can give your baby relief from the heat as well. If your child has been outside, definitely give him a nice warm water bath.</li></ul>

Monsoon Precautions for Babies | Tips & Precautions

Monsoon Tips and Precautions for Babies

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

Ravina Sewani

Most small cuts aren't a danger to children. But larger cuts often need immediate medical treatment.For minor bleeding from a small cut or scrape:<ul><li>Rinse the wound thoroughly with water to clean out dirt and debris.</li><li>Wash the wound with a mild soap and rinse well.</li><li>Cover the wound with a sterile adhesive bandage.</li><li>If the bandage gets wet, remove it and apply a new one.</li><li>Check the wound daily.</li><li>Call your doctor if the wound is red, swollen, tender, warm, or draining pus.</li></ul> For bleeding from a large or deep cut:<ul><li>Rinse off the wound with water. Do not use alcohol, or similar agents to clean the wound. They will cause pain and irritation and will not clean the wound any better than clean water.</li><li>Wash your hands so they are clean before you help your child. Preventing the wound from getting infected is your first priority. Place a piece of sterile gauze or a clean cloth over the wound.</li><li>Using the palm of your hand on the gauze or cloth, apply steady, direct pressure to the wound for 5 minutes.&nbsp;</li><li>If blood soaks through the gauze, do not remove it. Apply another gauze pad on top and continue applying pressure.</li><li>You can use an antibiotic ointment to protect against infection and help keep the bandage from sticking to the wound.</li><li>Once a cut or scrape has formed a scab, you can leave it open to the air.</li></ul> Call your doctor for all large or cuts if:<ul><li>You can't stop the bleeding after 5 minutes of pressure</li><li>Something else stuck in the wound</li><li>The wound is on the child's face or neck</li><li>The cut is more than half an inch long or is deep — large or deep wounds can result in nerve or tendon damage.</li><li>Fever</li></ul>

Most small cuts aren't a danger to children. But larger cuts often need immediate medical treatment.

Cuts and Scrapes in children

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

Parenting is indeed a tough job and we always thrive to learn skills that can make us a better parent. Parenting is a natural relationship that goes stronger with every passing day with your child. While we may ensure we do not commit any mistakes that can hurt our child, here are some of them we should totally avoid: <ol><li>Neglecting child: Hectic work schedules and domestic responsibilities may keep us busy but avoiding our children will make them feel disinterested in society and people around them. Remember, giving them a substitute (games or smart phones) is not the solution; a child feels happy and empowered only with a parent’s attention.</li><li>Disrespecting the child: Never insult them; they are too young and tend to make many mistakes. Even if the mistake is in front of guests or a large crowd, it is always better to explain it to the child when alone. Shaming will undermine a child’s confidence.</li><li>Comparing hurts: Although it may not be intentional, comparison will lead to jealousy. Also it lowers the self confidence. The child starts liking himself/herself lesser. Hence, avoid comparing your child’s behaviour or work with their friends or siblings.</li><li>Fighting in front of children: Research shows that children who grow up observing their parents fight at home are more likely to bully others. It is difficult to avoid arguments but make sure the disagreements do not turn into a fight (in front of children). One of the parents can decide to discuss it when the child is asleep or is in school.</li><li>Protecting your child more than required: Let them face situations and experience difficulties in solving problems. It is difficult to resist but try it, the child will be independent and will avoid making same the mistakes again. Do not solve problems for your child on a regular basis.</li><li>Scolding the child excessively: If you constantly scold your child for their mistakes, (s)he might either go completely silent or will behave recklessly in the future. Try to understand their viewpoint and let them know that it’s only human to make any mistakes and that it’s okay to make mistakes as long as we learn from them.</li><li>Disciplining the child in front of everyone: If you keep on scolding/yelling at your child to be disciplined in front of others, it scraps them off of their self-confidence.</li><li>Not showing affection.</li><li>Lack of support.</li><li>Not praising them for their achievements.</li><li>Not talking about their feelings.</li><li>Not giving them a choice.</li><li>Not spending time.</li><li>Lack of trust.</li><li>Hitting your child.</li><li>Threaten to leave your kids behind.</li><li>Lie to your child.</li></ol> These are very basic pointers but parents unintentionally tend to overlook them. From time to time, take a break and reflect on your parenting and you will be good to go.

Parenting is indeed a tough job and we always thrive to learn skills that can make us a better parent.

Avoiding Negative Parenting Practices

Entomophobia is defined as the fear of insects; this type of phobia is focused on particular insect and not on situation or experience. It is not just about avoiding to see insects but the mere thought of insects creates anxiety. Causes:<ul><li>Developing the phobia from family, some of the family members could have experienced it in front of the child, for example a parent would have shouted in front of the child while seeing a cockroach/spider.</li><li>Traumatic brain injury in early years of age could be one of the possible reasons for anxiety and panic.</li><li>A traumatic experience during early years of childhood, for example the child would have a lizard fallen on his/her arm.</li></ul> Physical symptoms of phobia:<ul><li>Sweating</li><li>Increased rate of heart beat</li><li>Trembling</li><li>Discomfort in speaking</li><li>Tightness in the chest</li><li>Shortness of breath</li><li>Upset stomach</li><li>Numbness</li><li>Feeling dizzy or fainting</li><li>Nausea</li></ul> Psychological symptoms:<ul><li>Feeling out of touch with reality or detached from your body</li><li>Fear of fainting</li><li>Fear of losing control</li><li>Fear of dying</li></ul> Diagnosis:<ul><li>A mental health expert can diagnose phobia; keep a regular track of your child’s behaviour/health in particular situations and with objects.</li><li>Phobia diagnosis is based on diagnostic guidelines and a thorough clinical interview. If you feel that your child has a phobia, take him/her to a healthcare expert. Your child's doctor will either ask you or your child about the symptoms. The doctor might also take a medical, psychiatric, and family history.</li><li>Your child's doctor might also use the diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).</li></ul> Treatment:<ul><li>Exposure Therapy: It is a method by which the child is deliberately set to experience the situation, phobic trigger until the panic attack passes away. “Imaginary exposure,” in which the child just thinks about ticks, may be the first step in therapy. Next, your child may be shown a cartoon picture of a tick, and then a photograph of an actual tick, and then a video of a tick. At last, your child might be exposed to an actual tick or bug. Keep your child close to you and assure them that they are safe with parents and the therapist around.</li><li>Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT): The therapist of your child will help your child challenge their own thoughts about ticks. They will help your child write down the thought, look at it and think about it, and then replace it with a more appropriate thought - such as that there are ticks in the country, but not in this neighbourhood.</li><li>Virtual reality (VR): It's a treatment where your child will be exposed to computer simulations of insects. Getting the experience of an insect in the virtual world can help your child get over his/her fear in a setting that feels safe.</li><li>Modelling: In this method, the child sees other person facing the situation without fear and panic.</li><li>Medicines like tranquillisers and antidepressants (prescribed by a doctor) can be helpful along with the above treatments.</li></ul>

Entomophobia is defined as the fear of insects.

Entomophobia - Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment

Before asking them to stop shouting, identify from where they learned it. Usually, children learn such behaviour from home itself or from their surroundings. If as a parent, you are yelling at your child, the first thing you need to do is stop shouting at your child. Child models your behaviour. What they see, they learn. If you have screamed at your child for a certain thing, they learn that screaming at people gets the task done. Once they learn to yell, it's difficult for them to unlearn. Steps you can take to stop your child from yelling: <ul><li>Face to face communication: Whenever you talk to your child, look them in the eye and calmly convey your message. Do not make faces. Stop staring and glaring at them. Always, go near to your child or call them near and then talk calmly. Do not show a frustrated or angry face or use abusive language.</li><li>Use a timetable to avoid conflict: When the time table is pre-decided there are fewer chances of conflict and anger and frustration. Gradually, the child develops the habit of accepting the time frames for particular activities and follows it. Stay flexible and understanding if your child fails to follow the timetable once in a while.</li><li>Walk out of the argument: In instances where the child is yelling, tell them, “It is not right to shout and yell at others. Let’s calm down and then talk”. Don’t sound stubborn but be firm.</li><li>Set an example: Yes! We know the situation is frustrating and triggering for you, but this is your test. Maintain your calm and composure during the argument. This may seem difficult but with practice, you will learn it too.</li></ul> In cases of toddler’s yelling there are few points that need to be considered:<ul><li>Toddlers scream just to check their ability to scream and experiment. It might be a fun thing for them.</li><li>Sometimes they yell to grab attention or to have a toy. In short, they yell to show the power and make you believe that you either fulfil their wish or they will shout and get it. In such cases, if you do what they ask just to escape their shouting, you are making a huge mistake. Be firm and calmly tell them whatever they do, you would only listen to them when they lower your voice.</li><li>At times they might be really uncomfortable in some situations so always make it a point to first ask them the issue and then respond accordingly.</li></ul>

Shouting only makes matters worse, be it you or your child.

Dealing with a constantly shouting child

Nikita Thacker

Despite our best intentions, we repeatedly find ourselves eating large amounts of unhealthy foods. Ingesting them has become a regular part of our lives. It is said, "Everything is good in moderation" i.e. eating a slice of pizza or some ice cream once in a while is okay; however, when such consumption is regular or become uncontrollable cravings then it can be a problem. If you feel you are one such person who has uncontrollable desires towards junk food, what should you do? Here are a few simple steps for overcoming addiction to junk food:<ol><li>Make sure you do not get extremely hungry: When you are extremely hungry, you're more likely to make bad food choices. You should eat something healthy at regular intervals to make sure you do not get extremely hungry.</li><li>Eliminate one junk food at a time: Completely avoiding junk foods can be very difficult. Identify which junk food you are craving the most and start from there. If you cannot completely get rid of cravings, have a bite or a slice once in a while to satisfy your taste buds.</li><li>Inform your friends, colleagues or people around you that you are staying away from junk food. This way, they will better help you and will avoid offering something unhealthy.</li><li>Remove soda beverages including diet sodas from your diet.</li><li>Track the amount you put in for your fast food habit. Having a figure can be a form of motivation for you to cut back.</li><li>Include protein-rich food in your diet: The best way to avoid sugar cravings is to eat protein with each meal and as snacks. Protein helps to balance blood sugar levels and hence controls sugar cravings.</li><li>Meditate: Researches have shown that even a few minutes of meditation can relax your mind and will help you in overcoming any sort of addiction.</li><li>If you still struggle a lot it may be best to seek official help. Health professionals and nutrition experts can aid you in overcoming your addiction. They have the training to help you plan healthier meals.</li></ol> It won't be easy to listen to your healthy self but it is important to kill that addiction devil for your baby.

If the mother intakes healthy food during pregnancy and a few years post pregnancy, the child will receive all the essential nutrients in the right amounts. Hence it is important to let go of your junk food addiction for your baby's sake.

Overcoming junk food addiction during and post pregnancy

Palak Vyas

While buying a crib for your child, keep the following things in mind: <ol><li>The crib should not have drop-side rails, which means it should have fixed side rails. The cribs with drop-side rails have been banned because infants get trapped or strangulated in the side space of the drop-side rail.</li><li>The next important safety measure is to check the slat distance. The safe distance between slats is 6 cm. This distance protects the infant from falling out and trapping their heads between the slats.</li><li>Buy a crib that has the firmest mattress. Check it yourself. Soft mattresses increase the risks of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).</li><li>Ensure that there is no extra space between the mattress and a crib to avoid baby from sliding. So the mattress should fit in properly.</li><li>The corner posts should be at the right height that is over 16 inches. In case if you are using a used crib from family or friends make sure to look for its condition and fittings and in any case, it should not be older than 10 years.</li><li>Always place your baby on his/her back to sleep.</li><li>Keep checking all the screws and hardware regularly and tighten them if needed.</li><li>Do not put anything extra in the crib like soft toys, extra mattresses, comforters or anything. This can cause your baby to suffocate.</li><li>Whenever you are placing your baby in the crib, see that (s)he is not wearing any bib or neck-piece as it may strangulate the baby.</li><li>Keep a vigilant eye over your baby when (s)he is in the crib, do not leave the baby unattended for longer duration.</li></ol>

A crib or a cot is a small bed especially designed for infants and very young children.

Selecting a crib for your baby

Every child needs full attention of a parent. While you are busy with the younger one, your elder child will experience a range of emotions, from excitement to jealousy or may be responsible and caring. In order to seek your attention, the elder child may show more tantrums or misbehave or refuse to eat. These emotions are short-lived but if not addressed well can have lasting impact on a child’s mind. Here are a few ways to make sure that your elder child does not feel neglected:<ul><li>Let them not feel left out: Take an extra care to ensure that the elder child never feels neglected (unintentionally though). Ask their suggestions for picking up clothes for newborn, choosing the toys for little one and more. Make sure you spend equal time with both the kids</li><li>Avoid giving excuses: Never make the younger one an excuse for not attending the elder child – “we can’t go to the park/playground as the baby is sleeping” “Keep quiet the baby will wake up” “After I attend the baby, I will listen to you” Instead tell him/her , “ We will play together when the baby wakes up, We will go to the park together May be giving a hope and the feeling of togetherness will help the child.</li><li>Pay more attention: Express extra care and love for elder one, increase your daily hugs and play some games or increase story time for the elder one.</li><li>Avoid comparing: This comes unintentionally but it can have a strategic impact on a child’s mind. Little things like who crawled first, child’s weight or who walked first can be taken as criticism by the elder one.</li></ul> Ensure both the children get equal attention and feel loved.

Every child needs full attention of a parent. So, pause and reflect on your parenting to make sure none of your children feel left out.

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

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Dealing with a constantly shouting child

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