Is Bowling an under rated sport for Children ?

When I am brainstorming for ideas about what to do with my child on a weekend, bowling is the last thing my mommy instincts would allow. Why? Because bowling means going to a mall, paying up for a pastime which is located inconveniently close to a video gaming area full of money minting machines. I am a ‘thinking parent’ and I don’t take my child too often for such activities. Until recently!

Having a preteen at home has its advantages; they can enlighten you with information which you otherwise choose to avoid. So the last time I turned down a request to go bowling, I was informed that bowling is a sport with health benefits that I am completely oblivious of.

What is Bowling?

Bowling is a sport for the entire family. It is an excellent recreational activity which is fairly simple to understand and does not require much physical effort.
Ten-pin bowling is the most common form of this popular sport in which each player throws a ball aiming for a set of ten bowling pins placed at the other end of the bowling lane. Every player gets a total of 20 chances in a game of ten frames. Indoors, bowling is played on flat wooden floors and outdoors, it can be played on grass or concrete. Now it is also available as video games and mobile apps.

What Are The Health Benefits of Bowling?

So long that any activity has the word ‘health’ associated with it, most mums are happy to comply. Many parents are unaware that there is more to bowling than being just a fun family outing.
1. Bowling helps to build muscle mass and promotes physical strength and speed.
2. It works a range of muscles that are not usually exercised and improves flexibility.
3. Strengthens arm and leg muscles, bone tissue, joints and ligaments.
4. Improves a child’s balance, hand-eye coordination and motor skills.
5. Increases endurance and helps release stress.
6. There is no age bar. A novel way for children to spend some quality time with their grandparents. The automatic scoring system means that even a first timer can play with ease.
7. For mums looking to shed a few extra pounds, bowling helps burn fat. Each game can burn about 180-250 calories.
8. A family sport where everyone can get together and enjoy, irrespective of gender, age, size or physical strength.

Safety Tips For Young Bowlers

Hygiene

Bowling alleys offer shoes which are to be compulsorily worn by each participant. For hygiene, it is advisable to carry a pair of socks to wear inside the shoes.

The right bowling ball

To avoid injury, the child should be given bowling balls which are of the right weight and size for his/her age. Most bowling balls have the weight mentioned in lbs or pounds. Children and new bowlers should use a bowl weighing 10 lbs or less. If you cannot figure out which ones to pick, ask the attendant. The thumb rule -1 lb. of weight per year of child's age. Hence an 8 year old should use an 8 lb ball, or close.

The return rack

Make sure that the child does not put fingers between bowling balls on the return rack. A ball on its way back can severely injure little fingers.

Picking and throwing the ball

The child must know the correct hand and wrist position to avoid wrist and back injury. Do not hesitate to ask the bowling attendant to teach your child how to pick and throw the ball correctly. When releasing the ball, ask the child to follow the arrow marks on the bowling lane.

The approach line

Children tend to collect near the approach line to get the best view when someone else is bowling. A child can get seriously hurt by a swinging ball. Also, children and even adults can drop a ball or release it backwards accidently. Ensure that your child stays off the rolling area when it’s not their turn.

The Climax

Compiling all this information ended in the most wonderful way – An unusual birthday party for my child where we took 7 of his best buddies to the nearest bowling alley for a super fun filled (and healthy) birthday. The picture is a proof!

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Conceiving, Healthy Pregnancy & Childcare in Early Years

Becoming a parent is perhaps the most anticipated moment of the lifetime. All most all couples at the prospect of becoming parents experience joy and excitement with a tinge of anxiety, which may turn into pangs of fear if not armed with the facts/truth and knowledge/awareness about the whole process around having a child. It has been seen that the modern day lifestyle related stress and the phenomenon of late parenthood seem to be adding more twists and turns to the road destined to 'newborn's first cry and parents' tears of joy'. 

With the vision of supporting parents in their journey to parenthood, Parentune, organized a workshop on conceiving a child, healthy pregnancy and childcare in early years. 

The parentune team wishes the very best to all those would be parents who participated in the workshop however for those parents who could not become a part of this workshop but are keen to know the finer details as elaborated by our experts this write up may be the way to go.

This workshop was conducted by Gynecologist & IVF Expert Mrs. Rita Bakshi & Parentune child care expert and Neonatologist Dr.Vaneet Parmar. The experts addressed important areas like conceiving a child, best practices to follow from conceiving to birthing, birthing options; normal or cesarean, care of the new born, tips on a healthy pregnancy, tips on early childhood care and also clarified the several myths around the issue.

Experts made an invigorating start by assigning a role-modeling task to two volunteers from participants. One played a mother-in-law and the other played the daughter in law already on the road to motherhood (read 2 months pregnant). The participants played their parts enthusiastically and brought up real time issues concerning pregnancy on the surface. The role play showcased a caring know-it-all mother in law directing her daughter in law to eat for two, add oodles of ghee to the diet and mop the floor as a good exercise to easy delivery, whereas the daughter in law couldn't eat much and felt unexcited about the suggested mopping the floor exercise. 

Would be parents' reflection: While reflecting on the enacted role play a soon-to-be a mother shared, " I am 4 months into pregnancy, I feel confused when family members and elders prescribe various to do's like what and what not to eat, what to and what not to watch on T.V and what and what not to do of house hold work. Some times their opinions are contradictory to what the doctor says. So what should I do? I often wonder."  

Experts take: Experts reflected that the scenario depicted by the role modeling task is quite common where in lack of clarity on "How to have a healthy pregnancy" leads to confusion and conflicts. They suggested that a safe and healthy pregnancy is simple to achieve and suggested a couple of tips in order to facilitate the same. Below are some of the tips that the experts shared:

1) Ensure that the routine Scans are done as per schedule to monitor child development and health of the mother.

2) It is beneficial if the Pre-conception diet includes folic acid supplement for a minimum three months prior to conception and should be continued all the way into the second trimester.

3) Eating nutritious food in only as much quantity that the body can retain is ideal for the mother and child.

4) Second trimester diet should include protein rich foods that can be eggs, soya, nuts, oats and pulses to name a few, supplemented by iron and calcium.

5) Third trimester diet should include all supplements. Nutritional needs and increasing appetite of the mother due to growing fetus can be well satiated by including more number of nutrients rich smaller meals. 

6) Fat rich foods in large quantities may be avoided however the consumption of some fats in moderation may be consumed.

7) Keep tab on weight gain. The ideal weight gain during pregnancy should be around 10 -11 kgs

8) Engage only in pregnancy safe exercises like brisk walk, swimming, yoga and breathing exercises to name a few. Must consult a doctor before starting.

9) Any exercise that puts pressure on the abdomen must be avoided.

10) House hold work and other activities are safe unless otherwise prescribed by the doctor.

11) Two hours resting period a day is a good option.

11) Avoiding standing at a stretch and bad postures like slouching. Bending the knees as well when bending to pick something off the floor is the ideal way.

12) Keeping oneself well-hydrated and wearing comfortable attire and foot wears may also led to positive results.

13) Relaxing activities like reading, watching T.V, listening to music, singing, art and others are beneficial to the mother as well as the baby as long as they are not loud or shocking (roaring music, war films).

14) Most importantly - Be Happy and Positive

15) Completely avoid smoking and alcohol 

Further in the workshop, experts endorsed the fact that the new-generation couples face more challenges in conceiving a child naturally in comparison to their counterparts from previous generations primarily due modern day lifestyle. However, at the same time, the experts quipped that becoming a parent is increasingly becoming a matter of choice driven by awareness about the science behind fertility, perfect timing of ovulation, intricacies of pregnancy and various birthing options. Dr. Rita Bakshi sealed the discussion with the declaration that,"with IVF (In vitro fertilization), availability of surrogate wombs, sperm and ova banks, nothing can stop a couple from having a child." Here are a number of points that Dr. Bakshi shared when it came to conceiving a child:

1) Problems in conception can be because of causes like - low sperm count in males, poor quality ova in female, blocked fallopian tubes and lack of awareness about the prime days of fertilization for a couple. The cause can be singled out through diagnostic tests.

2) Cause specific treatment and options can be considered then in consultation with gynecologists and fertility experts. Those couples who cannot go in for natural conception because of specific reason can very well plan for surrogacy, IVF, donated sperms and eggs.

3) Couples who are not able to conceive can make sure that they are getting their timing right for fertilization to happen. They could take the help of "ovulation prediction kit' available locally to ensure the right days. They can take the assistance of a gynecologist for complete understanding of this issue.

Once the child is safely conceived and pregnancy moves on smoothly, couples can plan for the mode of delivery. Experts recommended natural birth as the best option, unless otherwise suggested by the gynecologist. Various pregnancy condition makes it necessary to go for a caesarean birth. Couples can certainly make an informed and prepared choice. 

After the above mentioned discussion Dr. Vaneet Parmar was asked a number of questions around childcare in the first couple of months after birth. These included questions like, how do I (as a mother) know that my child is consuming appropriate amounts of milk (when being exclusively nursed)? Another mother of a 4-month baby asked, " Is it true that whatever i eat will go to my baby? if true than what should i avoid eating?"

The list of questions was endless but our experts tried to answer most of them, below are some of the consolidated points that Dr. Vaneet Parmar made while addressing the questions of the young mothers:

    Breast-feeding the baby as soon as possible after the birth is ideal for milk formation in the mother's body.
    The first 3 days milk after delivery is called colostrum, which is crucial for immunity of the newborn, and then it changes to milk on its own.
    Learning proper latching technique may ease out early breast-feeding issues.
    Feeding the baby every 2 hours for first 2 to 3 weeks is beneficial for lactation adjustment.
    Maintaining good hygiene of the self, surroundings and the baby is a necessity.
    Learn skills like giving bath to the newborn, cleaning the genitals and burping the baby to name a few is important.
    In an ideal scenario a baby should be exclusively breast fed for 6 months and continue till 1 year along with semi solid foods.
    While breast-feeding spicy food, foods of cabbage family, tea and coffee may be avoided.
    After 6 months introduction of semi-solid foods can be done to the child.
    Introduce solid foods after one year.

11. It is important to make sure that the baby is given all the prescribed standard immunizations and be informed about vaccines and their corresponding diseases. 

The session became more captivating when experts busted some of the commonly held myths:

Myth 1: After adopting a child the couple will conceive a child naturally. The fact is that in many cases medical intervention is a must.

Myth 2: Ultrasounds are harmful for the baby. The fact is that this myth is baseless and unsupported by any research.

Myth 3: A pregnant woman should eat for 2. A normal weight woman requires only about 300 calories more than usual to support the growing baby. However, those women who are having twins or were underweight or overweight prior pregnancy have different calorie needs that can be ascertained by a health practitioner.

Myth 4: Consuming large amount of ghee in the last days of pregnancy will lead to easy delivery. The fact is that ghee only adds more kilos to mother’s body and doesn't ease labor at all.  

Myth 5: Feed the baby every 2 to 3 hours. The fact is the baby needs to be fed every 2 to 3 hours during the first 2 to 3 weeks. After that it should be as per the baby's need and overfeeding would only cause problems.

Myth 6: Feeding the baby in lying down position is not good for the baby. The fact is that any position that ensures comfortable and proper latching of the baby is safe.

Before concluding the workshop the experts answered some interesting questions in the question and answer session: 

Question: A would be mother asked, " I am a social drinker, is consuming alcohol safe during breastfeeding?"

Expert's Answer: Nutrients from the mother’s food reach the breast milk. Consuming alcohol rarely is permissible as far as the sanctity of the definition of 'rare' is maintained otherwise it is indeed harmful for the baby.

Question: Can breast-feeding be continued longer?

Expert's Answer: Yes it cam be continued up to 2 to 3 years but not as a substitute to food, else the baby's growth will be compromised due to nutritional deficiencies.

Question: Should the baby's milk be added with supplements like Horlicks, Bournvita and Pediasure?

Expert's Answer: These can be started around 2 years. Supplement containing DHA should be preferred. 

Question: How to check if the baby is having enough milk?

Expert's Answer: Check for certain pointers like:

a) If the baby is urinating 6 to 10 times in 12 hours, it indicates normal feeding.

b) The baby is feeding normally if the baby gains 20 to 30 grams per day or 600 grams - 1 kilogram per month

Question: If the baby refuses mother's feed and bottle-feed as well then how to feed the baby?

Expert's Answer: Spoon-feeding may be tried in such cases.

Question: How to manage breast-feeding when not possible at times?

Expert's Answer: Such situations can be effectively managed by using the expressed milk of the mother by using breast pumps. It can be used up to 2 to 3 hours when kept at room temperature and can be used up to 24 hours when refrigerated. It should be warmed before giving to the baby by keeping the bottle in warm water for some time. It is imperative to warm it indirectly and not directly as heating it over the stove or in a microwave can compromise the nutrient quotient of the milk.

Question: How is breast-feeding possible in cases of babies born through surrogacy?

Expert's Answer: Willing mothers can breast feed by undergoing a hormonal therapy.

Right from the decision to have a child, the news that confirms pregnancy, the nine months journey there after, giving birth and finally caring for a newborn is exciting inter-play of whole gamut of delicate emotions and pro-active action. The future parents said good-bye and commended Parentune, for this supportive initiative. I hope that the expert tips and insights from this blog would empower soon-to-be-parents to embark on their parenting journey with more ease and confidence.

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Children and Internet

My father had gifted me, an Oxford English Dictionary when I had passed out of class 12 (1995). It still has a prominent place on my book shelf and I consult it from time to time but truth be told the Oxford English dictionary gets updated every year and if I need to consult for a word that is not in my version of the dictionary I have to either buy a dictionary or log on to the internet which will have the latest/updated version of the dictionary and it is accessible on a single click.

Times today have changed and our children have access to the Internet that they use in all phases of their lives. Children and Internet are walking hand in hand towards the future. There are positives with regard to children and Internet while at the same time the evils that come along with the Internet cannot be ignored.

Children and Internet – Some Positives

1.Entertainment and Information leading up to edutainment

2.Knowledge and mental stimulation

3.Fostering creativity, self-expression and a feeling of validation in children

4.Information and research helps with the school work

Internet for children has led to a parallel world where communication, learning and fun all happen at the same time.

Children and Internet: Some Negatives

1.Exposure to media that may carry sexual, hateful or Violent content

2.In some cases, children have been introduced to Internet sites promoting drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

3.Internet has led children at times to receiving persecuting messages that are demeaning and lead to harassment leaving psychological damage on the innocent minds

4.Children on Internet have created this alternate reality world where lack of contact with the real world may lead to anti-social behavior and the real potential of the child is not harnessed

5.Physical development of a Child may get affected as children spend most of their free time indoors hunched before computer screens.

Children and Internet – Signs to watch out for.

1.Screen Switching: When you notice that your child has switched screens the moment you have entered the room, you should know it is not a good sign.

2.Odd times for calls: If you notice that your child is receiving phone calls at odd times or from people unknown to you that it is time for your intervention. Most often sexual predators try to form some sort of a connect with the children and talking to them is the easiest first step.

3.Indoor-all-the-time syndrome: If your child starts to stay indoors and is not interested in interacting with friends and family, it is a clear warning that he/she is being harassed in some way through the Internet.

4.Unidentified gifts: If your child suddenly has unaccounted gifts, new clothes or excess cash then it again means that your attention and intervention is required.

Children and Internet - What can we do as Parents.

1.Filter and Block Programs that a have offensive content

2.Keep a check on the download folder on the computer and watch out for any files with endings as .jpg, .gif, .bmp, .tif and .pcx these can be graphic files with inappropriate content

3.Participate with your child online to know more about your child’s Internet behaviour

4.Have the computer in a common Place that is accessible to all, that way you can keep an eye too

5.Be a role model for your child, if you respect piracy laws then most likely your child will also do the same.

Tips that we can have our children adhere to:

1.Children need to understand the financial and legal implications, if they give out information on the Internet. We need to let them be aware of how innocent information can be used against them/ to harm them

2.Children need to have clarity on the purpose of Internet Usage. It should be defined clearly that the Internet is to be used mostly for research and education

3.Children cannot respond to mails from unknown people for their own safety and the safety of the computer as sometimes these unknown mails are the carriers of viruses that can steal valuable financial and social information from your computer

4.Children need to follow the guidelines and time rules that have been set by the Parents

5.Children need to know the importance of passwords and personal information-Under no condition can they divulge these to anyone on the Internet for personal protection

As children and Internet walk hand in hand towards the future, we as Parents can try our best to protect them from Cyber Predators and at the same time enrich their lives with the vast ocean of knowledge that is out there within their grasp.

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Martial Arts For Children

As her 5 year old leapt into the air screaming, in what looked like a karate kick, it instantly raised her blood pressure! Without panicking, my friend knew right away that it was time to channel her son’s energy by getting him to train in martial arts.

Childhood is one of the best times to train in any form of physical defence as a child’s bones are more malleable than an adult’s bones, thus reducing the chances of any serious injuries. Children are more likely to pick up complex skills as their brains are like sponges, soaking up any information put before them. The average starting age for both boys and girls is 4 years. At this age, training is more about fun and co ordination. The other aspects such as discipline and self-defence are gradually introduced at later stages.

Martial Arts is said to be as old as civilization itself. Over time the concept of primitive martial arts spread as civilizations grew and expanded and it became a way of self-defence. China was the home to martial arts and very soon it spread to the other Asian countries. Martial arts grew and evolved in the same form as concepts such as language, religion. It is now learnt and practiced the world over.

Styles of Martial Arts

There are numerous martial arts styles today. Most of them rely on the hand and foot combat technique. Let us take a look at a few styles in detail:

Judo:

Judo or ‘gentle way’ was founded in Japan in 1882. It is the most widely practiced martial art in the world. It is a combat style and develops self-discipline in the learner. In judo, it is learnt that nobody can be perfect at everything, but through training, weaknesses can be overcome and limitations can be broken. As an exercise, it promotes flexibility, develops speed and co-ordination, promotes muscular development and benefits the cardiovascular system. The stages in judo training begin with a white belt then follow a yellow belt, a green belt, three degrees of brown belt and finally a black belt.

Kickboxing:

Kickboxing involves a variety of kicking techniques along with those of boxing. Kickboxing requires a great deal of balance, flexibility and provides a good cardiovascular workout. In children kickboxing provides physical and mental challenges. While in some schools, the approaches maybe more on fun and fitness rather than strict training, there are other schools providing training for age appropriate tournaments. This is considered as a dangerous sport and a protective gear is a must when training.

Tae kwon do:

Tae kwon do, like any other form of martial arts, is known for training the mind along with the body. It involves a series of punching and kicking techniques. Children are taught complicated techniques which help them to learn to coordinate their movements and improve concentration.
Indian Martial Arts: India is home to a variety of fighting styles. Some of them are closely connected to yoga, dance and performing arts. The following are a few fighting styles still prevalent in modern India:

Gatka:

It is a combat sport and finds its origin in the Punjab region. The main weapon used is a sword, often paired with a shield or another sword. These days Gatka is showcased mostly during Sikh festivals.

Musti Yuddha:

It is unarmed martial art that uses kicks, punches and elbow strikes. It originated in Varanasi and is rarely practiced today.

Thang-Ta:

Thang-Ta is a weapon based fighting style that finds its roots in Manipur. A sword and a spear are the weapons used for this style.

Mardani Khel:

It is an armed style of fighting, which originated in Maharashtra. It is still practiced in Kolhapur.
Pari Khanda: This is a type of sword and shield fight and is prevalent in Bihar but originally created by the Rajputs.

Kalaripayattu:

This is the oldest fighting style in existence in India and originated in Kerala. This style uses strikes, kicks, use of weapons and healing methods.

Kathi Samu:

This is a sword based combat style of fighting from Andhra Pradesh.

Paika Akhada:

This style uses weapons and was formerly practiced by the warriors in Orissa.

Silambam:

This is a weapon-based martial art from Tamil Nadu.

Wrestling:

Wrestling is considered to be one of the oldest forms of martial arts. Numerous wrestling styles are still practiced in different parts of India.

Benefits of Martial Arts

    Self Discipline: Martial arts training teaches children discipline through emphasising on mental focus. This focus can be then applied to other aspects of life such as homework or even reading a book.
    Respect: Students are taught to respect their teachers, opponents and themselves. They learn to treat and respect others in a way they would expect to be treated.
    Benefits children with ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Self-control and coordination are the two skills, which are underdeveloped in children with ADHD. Martial art teaches exactly those skills thereby greatly benefiting children with ADHD in the long run.
    Enhances self esteem: In most competitive sports a child needs to compete with a peer and if that does not go well, it could lead to diminished self worth. Martial arts, concentrates on encouraging and building on the inner strength of the Child.
    Fitness and coordination: Martial arts tones the body, improves flexibility thereby improving coordination. Learning the importance of being fit from a young age will help a child make healthy choices in the future.

Tips to consider before enrolling your child in a martial arts training:

    Choosing the type of martial arts: The choice for self defence classes is endlessUnderstanding the different styles in detail, keeping in mind your child’s skills and strength, will make it easier for the child to adapt to the techniques.
    Finding a good instructor: An instructor holding many credentials may not necessarily be a good teacher. A good instructor is one who takes the time out to answer your questions and addresses your concerns.
    Training costs: Enrolment in martial arts training is usually for a minimum duration. Finding out information on the courses offered by the different schools and comparing them will give a better picture of the costs involved as some schools may charge too much, which may not equate to a better training being offered than the schools with lower fees.
    Most Important : Going for a trial class: Attending a trail training class will give a better understanding of the technique and style of the art as well as of the instructor. Discussing the option with the instructor on letting your child join a trial class will give your child a clearer idea of what to expect and may make it easier for him/her to blend in from the outset.

Some parents may consider martial arts as promoting violence, but in reality, it teaches self defence, trains the mind by improving concentration and reasoning skills, which is directly related to academic success. Self-defence activities are a fun ways for children to achieve fitness and the other numerous benefits that these activities provide.

Any child will love to be able to kick and punch like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan or the new hot favourite Kung Fu Panda!

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Hygiene in Children - An Introduction

While growing up there were two boys (brothers) in my school, one about 10 years old and the other was 6 years old. The reason I remember them 25 years hence, is their nails would always be too long, and caked in black, and often the younger one would have snot running down his nose. Even at that age children understood this was dirty and unacceptable and made fun of them.

At this age, with a child of my own, I realize how I took personal hygiene for granted at that age, but how my mother had grilled the clean habits into my very psyche that it became a part of my daily life. As parents, one of our major responsibilities is to keep our kids healthy and hygiene plays a very important part in this process or endeavor.

The major part of the work of a caregiver is to ensure our children stay clean and away from potential infections and illnesses. And that means day-to-day care about personal hygiene. What we teach our kids about hygiene in their formative years may go a long way to determine, how clean and disciplined they are later on in life. And since this is a subject that I feel, is too wide to finish within a few hundred words, I have divided it into two parts. The first part here deals with what personal hygiene means and the results of having poor hygiene standards. This part will also tell you age specific hygiene practices and how you may want to teach your child about hygiene.

What is Personal hygiene?

Keeping the body clean and maintaining proper personal appearance can be described as personal hygiene. This also would include the clothes children wear. Small children would not understand the importance of keeping their body and clothes clean unless we teach them and hope they will grow into hygienic adults themselves.

What happens if you have poor hygiene?

Usually it has been recorded, that children with poor hygiene practices become the center of negative attention and ridicule in school, much like the two boys from my school. Badly kept nails, unkempt hair, dirty clothes or body, body odor, greasy hands or hair, snotty nose, all this can be part of poor hygiene. This plays havoc with their self-esteem, something they take with them to their adulthood. It has been seen to affect performance in school. Poor hygiene in small children can also be a sign of parental neglect. It makes children more prone to illness, by being more exposed to germs or by reducing their immunity. Low dental hygiene results in tooth decay, gum problems and premature loss of teeth. Poor ear hygiene may lead to life-long ear trouble and infections.

Age specific hygiene practices

Hygiene practices can be honed into children from the time they are toddlers.

1. Children as small as 3 can be taught to wash their hands themselves and brush their teeth with proper parental guidance. They can be left to bathe themselves for some time, but taught how to use the shower and soap in order to clean themselves properly. Bath time itself can be fun, with toys and waterproof books, nice smelling children’s soap or bubble bath. Smaller children love bubble baths, and even if you don’t have a bathtub, a large wide bucket would serve the purpose. Please ensure proper safety of your child in any area that has water.

2. By the time a child reaches the age of 4, they should be able to bathe themselves and wear their clothes with some assistance.

3. From the age of 7, puberty sets in in many children. It becomes imperative that children of this age are well informed about the changes expected in their bodies in the coming years. Hormonal changes may make them moody while also bringing in problems like body odor. So they need to bathe frequently and change clothes often, especially if they play sports.
How to teach your child about hygiene.

4. You may want to set an example for your child. Making your child brush his/her teeth when you are brushing yours can be an effective way for the same. Cutting nails together or going for a haircut together may instill in your child the importance of Hygiene.

5. Having discussions around illnesses and germs and explaining to them why hands need to be washed or bodies cleaned is also a great teaching tool.

6. Children should be made aware of the importance of extra care after using the toilet or before touching food.

7. Providing the necessities; soap, toothbrush and paste that is age appropriate and interesting. (My child loves strawberry flavored everything) You can mutually decide on a favorite color or flavor.

What to do if your child refuses hygienic practices?

The refusal to clean themselves, bathe or brush has often been linked to depression in children. If by chance, you notice any behavioral changes in your child, which includes bad hygiene, poor performance in school, or even if just your child’s lack of hygiene is becoming a health risk, with your child falling ill often, or leading to dental issues, please take help of your child’s pediatrician. It might help to rule out any mental health issue before you tackle your child’s lack of hygiene.

However for most kids, this may be just a phase where they are just bored of cleaning and want to do something else more fun instead. For toddlers, it is up to you to make them maintain their own hygiene fun by using music, books, stories etc.

1. For a child between 4-6 year old you might want to explain the logic and guide them through the process of hygiene, brushing, bathing.

2. The ages 7-9 is a transition phase in children with puberty setting in. it is also a time when controlling children becomes harder as they develop strong likes and dislikes. Making them practice without nagging and giving them extra time and attention usually helps. Talking to them about the changes in their body and why it is important to keep their body clean because of over active sweat glands might have the desired positive impact.

3. If your child is not bathing or brushing without any reason you might want to have a talk with him or her. Be understanding and inquire the reason behind their behavior.

4. Setting rules that cannot be broken, while being accepting of certain things helps for example; if your child wants to bathe in the night and not in the morning you may want to indulge him/her .

5. Letting them know how much you love and respect them will make them strive towards excellence.

6. Your child may be shy or embarrassed to discuss certain issues with you, in such times you may want to respect their boundaries while making your point empathetically.

7. Name calling never works hence you may want to refrain from calling your child smelly or stinky as that would simply be reinforcing school behavior.

8. Motivating them through incentives, simple enough for them (preferably not money). For smaller children making a chart of days s/he has been good and marking it in front of them usually is a great motivating tool. Simple things turn out very effective in the long run. Make sure to keep changing your rewards to avoid boredom.

That said, we still have to know the different types of hygiene that one can follow starting from the time one is a toddler. The second part of my article will be on “Hygiene 101” – a comprehensive list of types of hygiene practices that will turn our clean children into disciplined and well-behaved adults.

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Right Nutrition and Diet For Your Child

Parent's Day Workshop 3: Right nutrition and diet for your child
"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art." - La Rochefoucald

Feeding children with nutritious food and inculcating healthy eating habits in them is the top most priority for almost all parents. However, parents are finding promoting healthy eating with their children a big challenge. Many a times parents have to helplessly watch their child being pulled towards unhealthy eating options, which include their all time favourite varieties of junk foods, processed foods, eatables and drinks containing high sugar content to enlist a few. No wonder, health experts fear obesity as a new-gen epidemic.

With an intention to serve parents by spreading awareness around the core issues concerning healthy eating, importance of role-modeling in inculcating good food habits and physical fitness in children, Parentune, organised this workshop - on "Right nutrition and diet for your child" - on this Parent's day. This workshop was conducted by Parentune Nutrition+ Wellness expert Mrs.Tanuja Sodhi and Parentune Parenting expert Mrs. Bhavna Awasthy.

Those parents who missed the action may go through this blog to grab their chunk of healthy food for thought ;) I mean, some handy tips to make your kids pick healthy food as a choice.
The experts started by sharing the common food issues that parents are grappling vis-a-vis their children (of ages 1 to 12). They referred to various 'Parent Talks' (parent's queries on Parentune's website) about parents' struggle with their kids over healthy eating.
To add some zing to the show, experts called for parent volunteers for two tasks :
Task 1: Role-play - 2 parents were asked to enact the roles of a mom and a 4 year old. The parents wonderfully portrayed the mom and a 4 year old, fussy eater. Mother tries several healthy food options to feed the child but the child shows least interest in eating and does everything to resist food.
Parent's reflections - Many parents could identify themselves with the enacted situation and echoed the common concern that meal time is struggle time as kids don't wish to have regular food. They sometimes either resist food all together or many a times fancy the (not so healthy) food items marketed through the media.

A parent summed up, "my 2 year old child refuses food at the very sight of it and no reasoning works after that, I just choose to force feed as I can't think of any better option."
Expert's take - Experts endorsed that urban parents are facing feeding issues with their children so much so that it is causing a lot of stress to parents. In many cases force feeding is adopted to make sure that kids get some nutrition. However, it complicates the problem further as many children associate negative experiences around eating and choose to resist food altogether.
Task 2: Making a diet plan - A group of 4 parents were asked to make a diet plan of a 3 year old child keeping in mind the child's activity level and age. They were provided with a list of food items as options. Parents made a well calculated diet plan which included various healthy food items meeting the nutritional demands decently.

Parents' take - Parents acknowledged that, while they want to feed their children healthy and nutritious food however, it's easier said than done because of various reasons like lack of time, knowledge and creative ideas around healthy feeding.
Experts' take - Experts explained the nutritive value of each food choice in terms of calories and components like protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. They elaborated on the core issue of right diet.

Some key points extracted from the experts' on right nutrition and diet:
1.Our bodies need calories to function. Calories should be derived from foods containing carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
2.Besides carbohydrates, proteins and fats other basic nutrients needed by the body includes various vitamins and minerals
3.The calorie needs vary in children and it depends on factors such as age, gender and the amount of physical activity that a child does. So an active child may need more calories than a child who spends more time doing sedentary activities.
4.Research suggests that around 60 % of the diet should be derived from carbohydrates rich food groups. These include grains like wheat, rice, oats and more. Including whole grains and fibre rich carbohydrates in the diet is nutritionally better.
5.Vegetables and fruits forms the next major component. it is ideal to include maximum variety. Ideally 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2 - 4 servings of fruits should be included in a daily diet of a child.
6.Proteins are building blocks of the body hence children need them in abundance. Protein rich foods include Milk and milk products , eggs, nuts, pulses, fish and meat.
7.Good fats are also essential for growing kids. fats obtained from fish, olive oil, canola oil and other vegetable oils are good.
8.Water as it is the best health drink and children should be encouraged to consume as much as possible in a day.
9.Fresh fruit juices made at home are better than high sugar canned juices and soft drinks as they kill appetite.
10.Diet of a child should be planned according to the weight of the child: for overweight children, focusing on nutritive diet without adding calories while for underweight children focusing on calorie dense nutritive diet is ideal.

How to build good attitude about food?
1.All children follow parents and that is why it is crucial for parents to be an effective role-model who promotes healthy eating and staying active. Parents may avoid multitasking on the dinner table. Doing things like watching T.V, checking e-mails, talking over phone may during meal times lead to mindless eating since children as well as adults do not register when they are full leading to mindless eating and weight related issues as a consequence. Moreover, we may not appreciate the look, taste and texture of food while multitasking. When children see parents consistently enjoying healthy food sooner or later they will too.
2.Parent's may avoid to put pressure on children to clean up the plate. Children might feel overwhelmed by the size of the serving. Giving small serving at a time and second serving when they ask for it.
3.Positive strokes by a parents may go a long way in boosting healthy eating, so abundantly acknowledge and appreciate when they finish.
4.Set achievalble targets before the act like eating or behaviour in the market place and then pad it with appreciation and acknowledgements for effective results .
5.Be flexible and always justify your actions to your child. For example when you say no to noodles then explain. Banning unhealthy food may be too radical so being flexible and letting them have their choice of junk food in moderation may promote better understanding and compliance.
6.Force feeding may lead to food avoidance so it could be avoided.
7.Engaging children in the kitchen may develop their awareness around healthy food and they also might appreciate the food because of the effort that goes in the making
8.Avoiding force feeding and offering healthy (calculated) choices may do wonders.
9.It may help if parents think like a child to understand them well. It's natural for a child to fancy a food like pizza. A parent may choose to pleasantly surprise the child by making pizza role at home that may be something like steamed vegetables tossed in cheese and oregano rolled in a roti :)
How to introduce food to first-time eaters and how to make toddlers eat well?
1.Parents may introduce food one by one and watch for a day for any allergic reaction, if any.
2.As introducing food to toddlers is a transition time for them so resistance is normal. Patience is the key as on some days a toddler will avoid food completely and eat well on some days.
3.Make meal time special so that the child associate positive experiences with having food and avoiding force feeding may help
4.Every bite counts for small children so, feeding even a few spoons of nutrients and calorie dense food helps
5.Parents may watch the child preference towards sweet or salty and plan accordingly.
6.Providing finger-foods to toddlers may help, as it is attractive to chew and easy to handle . Toddlers may like to fiddle and experiment with food, parent's may allow that.
7.Parents may plan for small meals every 2 to 3 hours for toddlers
8.Parents may introduce food in yummy and visually appealing varieties and then choose to transition slowly to expand to more healthier options
9.Notice the pattern. For few days they might like to have some particular food item a lot and then they suddenly may not like to have it
10.Parents may slowly and slowly introduce more varieties of foods like fruits and vegetables in various forms
11.Parents are generally keen to make their toddler chubby, however, fat child is not the healthy child. Fat child face the danger of becoming obese and hence vulnerable to a host of diseases in the future .
Experts' Tips to establish healthy eating in children home:
1.Respect the meal times. Let it be a bonding time with no other distractions
2.Think like a child: to understand our children we have to think like them and only then can we connect and appreciate them
3.Patience is the key in achieving success with picky eaters.
4.Ensure that your child never skips breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day.
5.Serve 5 - 6 small meals per day rather than 3 big meals.
6.Ensure a balance of proteins, complex carbohydrates, good fats and enough fibre in the meals.
7.Add variety - which means variety in fruits, vegetables, milk products etc. as different foods have different set of nutrients
8.Be a role Model. Children mimic parents, so eat healthy to set an example.
Parenting Workshop ended on a note that nothing can stop a parent to inculcate values around healthy eating in the child except their own lack of enthusiasm, creativity and most importantly patience to enjoy the process.

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