The daily ritual of early morning bath, observance of rituals, and important days of avoiding of certain foods is inculcated in children too as a family tradition. Parents despite their work pressure make it a point to chant mantras or read a passage from religious books in order to let the children know about our rich culture. The culture again is kept alive while observing yearly festivals and the daily prayers.

The real learning starts at home and parents also explain to children the rich tradition of guru and shishya that is highlighted by the stories of Eklavya and the observance of Guru Purnima. By way of respecting elders, seeking their blessings and asking their permission the mark of respect is always maintained by children towards their elders and grandparents. Parenting is just made wonderful when children grow up to be good human beings with their values agile despite so many worldly influences.

Our Indian value also denotes dignity which the freedom fighters maintained via protests and the spirit of ahimsa which was well told in the tough fight under the guidance of Mahatma. Earning titles and world recognition stalwarts like A.R. Rahman and Sachin Tendulkar are personified as grace and humility which makes them ideal human beings. The strength of a woman is seen in politics, achievements, career and also the mother who cooks for her children with lot of love and affection.

Parenting also instills an outlook that is secular where a family follows a religion and also respects the many traditions of our cultural influence. The values are highlighted when all Indians feel the Indianism while hoisting our national flag high during the national days. Though parenting books are excellent means to learn novel ideas related to parenting, our values present in us help us set us an example before our children and they follow the path of honesty, self respect and love.

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In a realtiy show like ‘Is Jungle Se Mujhe Bachchao’, there is adventure and excitement on nearly every aspect of the show because it is in a jungle setting, with the celebrity contestants living amongst the wilderness and the wild. This brings in an edge to the show because of the varied and sometimes, creepy adventures the contestants experience in the show. Children seeing this do not necessarily read the disclaimer or notice that comes before the show. Nor in India do you have a concept of rating tv shows as PG-13 or A or U. This makes it incredibly sensitive for kids to view this show. If they do, what is the guarantee that they are not going to try stunts at home? What is the guarantee that they are not going to start bottle up live cockroaches? This is why the tv shows have to be viewed with discretion and if children watch a show like this, then they have to be properly explained as to how these stunts simply cannot be tried out anywhere by them and this explanation might have to be repeated several times by an adult.

Sure, kids have reached another level of smartness these days! This will allow them to realize that Reality shows mean there are mostly aspects that are real in nature. They understand and differentiate between reality and non-reality based tv programmes. But truth be told, Kids do not always see reason and this is why the beginning of a negative influence of tv shows happen.

A reality show like ‘Big Boss’ was seen to be exceeding TRP ratings which is why they roped in the Big B to represent Big B 2—-the sequel of Big Boss. ‘Big Boss 2’. Children, Adults watch it all the same. There is intrigue in watching people lead their normal lives in the vicinity of an enclosure over a period of time which brings to light emotions and drama and one would wonder whether this has a positive, negative or any influence at all on children. And vola, it does! It has sometimes, a neutral effect on children because often, there is no significant impact that is had on children by viewing a normal kind of tv show like ‘Big Boss’  but the fact that they portray drama and emotions running wild at times gives ideas to children and this leans towards negative influence.

Positive influencing shows are shows that have good, strong messages sent out to the youth. Even shows like Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa which has children of different age groups singing in their children segments of the show, create a fierce sense of competition in the participants and this is not healthy as children should understand that competition is meant to only be healthy otherwise it’s not like a competition it’s like a feud. Children who watch this show get carried away and there is a possibility they may start ignoring their education in the quest of trying to ape their favourite singer in the competition. These are the various impacts that Reality TV Shows have on children.

In conclusion, let the quote of Dr. Haim Ginott be read—————————

Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression

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 Parents too get stressed during their children’s exams. It is important to first lower our pressure so that the child is not affected. Working parents need to make their days more flexible and allow themselves to unwind early so that the child is not neglected. Many times children are well prepared and yet go blank when the paper arrives. This is a case of chronic phobia and many times it’s a kind of mental pressure that disallows clear thinking.

 It is important to get the child attuned to daily tasks like homework. Though it is good to be around the child constant nagging will not help. Children who perform due to pressure will succumb to low grades once they are on their own. Though parents play a huge role in helping the children with academics, in the later years the child has to solve his own chemistry equations. Hand holding in an emotional support is more preferred.

  The relation between unhealthy eating habits and studies is very much proven. The enzymes produced in a child who is constantly craving for junk food does not calm the mind. Hence there is confusion and the result is untimely eating or sluggish life habits. Help the child finish his cereal and make time to converse on the breakfast table. Without building pressure, concentrate on the positive points and strike a balance it expressing your expectations.

 Both parents have a different style of parenting and the positive traits in both parents help a child excel in studies. It is about building an attitude to work hard so that the results are consistent in terms of grades or knowledge. Stress is a common occurrence before any performance and it is important to not let the child lower his confidence. A bit of pranayama and relaxing well before receiving the questionnaire is beneficial.

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Kids today have a lot of opportunity to go on stage. The idea is to let them participate and also understand their strengths. The preschool is the best time to dress them for fancy dress and get them comfortable with the attire. Many kids are fussy about caps or things that are bit touchy on their skin and hence a bit of practice will be required. Before coaching them to move or hold the mike it is more important to understand that winning is secondary.

It is strange that kids at times have vague memory. Though they used to dance of stage or do their solo shows at the age of 3, they still find it awkward or lost when they are called on stage at the age of 6. As they get growing they develop self consciousness. They are very aware of their looks and their performance. A kind of pressure which is subtle develops on them. Here is a situation where parents need to instill in them loads of confidence.

Exposing children to public areas and community circles is very important so that do not cringe in their own shell. Allow them to reach out on the play ground or let them seek new people as friends. As a parent our duty is to supervise and also let them grow in the right way. Children need the approval of their parents at all times. Imagine if we had to go on stage and say a few lines or enact. All of us are not talented in fine arts and hence this will be quite an effort.

A shy child may have loads of talent and it is on us to let them efface it. Let them enjoy the childhood with a picnic and an on-the-spot talent exhibit. Most schools hold participatory and competitive spirited acts and the idea is to get all of them involved. At any point of time when the child is not selected, seek the advice of the supervisor and get to know the details. Children can be sensitive and negative strokes can be diminishing for their growth. Cheer them, encourage and do a home practice before they go on the stage.

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Like Snoopy, Pokemon is also a craze amongst kids. The name Pokemon comes from the Japanese term ‘Poketto Monsut?’ for Pocket Monsters. Pokemon was an instant hit with the young Japanese children.

Pokemon video games are very popular amongst young children. The Pokemon video game is based on a story that requires the players to find and collect as many as possible Pokemon characters scattered around the world of Pokemon and train them to compete with Pokemon characters trained by others. Collecting and battling Pokemon characters is the central theme of the entire Pokemon game. In fact Pokemon video game titles have a record sale of 155 million copies.

Apart from the videogame, children love collecting Pokemon soft toys, Pokemon notebooks, Pokemon wallets, Pokemon mugs, Pokemon T-shirts, Pokemon key chains, and other Pokemon goodies. In fact, there are so many birthday parties organized for children that have Pokemon as a theme. Here, not only are children given all kinds of Pokemon goodies and gifts, but there are Pokemon cartoons all around. Pokemon is also an ongoing animated series, which has since been adapted for the North and South American, Australian and European television market.

There are so many Pokemon cartoons that feature on the Indian cartoon television. Not just that Pokemon card games, books and comics too are available. Not just children, people of all age groups love to play Pokemon games simply because they are fun and you get addicted to the excitement. However, make sure that your child does not spend too much of time on these cartoons.

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How many kids love to study? Well, answer is not so inspiring enough. But kids are like that only. They are not willing to study. Instead they would prefer to watch TV, play games or just wandering around. They will often remind you of your own childhood. How we as children, used to bunk classes taking the risk of spanking from teacher and parents and yet we did not feel like studying. But then, time teaches one and everyone learns the value of study sooner or later. As a parent, you can always strive to make your kid study through different methods. But the best method is to motivate your kid so that he can be confident and achieve success in his life.

While you try to motivate your child, never ever try to compare your child to anyone. The thing is every child is completely different from one another and he is special in his own way. Though your intentions may be right yet the method of comparison is never fruitful. Make sure to use encouraging language for your child. Patience is the key while you try to motivate your child to study. The basic fact that after all you are trying to motivate a child will always remain the same so it makes sense to be patient and persistent. Don’t give up and don’t give in. don’t insist but rather assist the child. One of the interesting ways to motivate your child is to tell them inspiring stories. It will include the essence of why they should study and how it is going to benefit them in future.

Try to use affirmative sentences so that kid understands the importance of studies. Anger is a complete no-no. Try to schedule a study routine. Try to have a free flowing talk with your child about study and related aspects. Appreciate him whenever he performs well.

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Thumb sucking is a common problem found amongst the babies. In psychological terminology, it symbolizes as a process of calming. Normally, when a baby is feeling lonely, worried, hungry or bored, he or she starts thumb sucking. The origin of it goes to the stage when they were in womb and it is a way to comfort themselves. There are certain side effects of thumb sucking like increased chances of getting sick, bad dental development, and yes, social acceptance issue. It has been generally witnessed that some babies kick this habit when they are two to three years old whereas some other continue it as late as six or seven years.

So how should parents handle this problem? The ideal way is to break the habit as soon as baby starts it. Toddlers and infants are commonly prone to this habit and that is the right stage when parents should get this habit out of their system. Parents should ensure that child is not hungry or should not be left alone. Babies should be comforted while they are found sucking thumb as it indicates the need for comfort.

In case you find toddlers sucking the thumb, gently take the thumb out of the mouth and it generally works. The habit of thumb sucking also develops when child has nothing to do. In such cases, give something creative to child so that he exhausts his energy. It could be baby toys or some other means. Sooner than later, you will find child has stopped thumb sucking. Don’t spank your child for this habit because that will lead to further psychological issues. Instead, adopt a loving and caring method. Motivate the child to quit this habit.

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Today’s kids love Harry potter, superman, Spiderman, Mario, Pokemon and Snoopy. Snoopy has become a brand in itself. Snoopy is a famous comic character that featured in the long-running comic strip called Peanuts. This strip was developed by Charles M. Schulz. Snoopy plays an ordinary dog but eventually he becomes the most popular character of the story. Kids indulge in collecting various Snoopy items like Snoopy toys, Snoopy watches, Snoopy figures and the like.

The character of Snoopy has been so well developed that one can actually imagine a real dog instead of a fictional character. Snoopy has a rich fantasy-like life. He loves to play tennis, hates coconut candies, loves root beer and pizza, loves to play with soap bubbles, is afraid of icicles over his doghouse etc. Hence with such development of this character since the 1950s, Snoopy has almost become a part of many individual’s life.

Since kids love snoopy so much, there are Snoopy books, CDs and DVDs that are available in the market as well as on the internet. Some of the popular Snoopy books/ CDs/ DVDs are “Snoopy’s Guide to the Writing Life by Barnaby Conrad”, “Peanuts: A Golden Celebration: The Art and the Story of the World’s Best-Loved Comic Strip by Charles M. Schulz” etc. Kids pester their parents to buy them Snoopy soft toys, Snoopy notebooks, Snoopy wallets, Snoopy mugs, Snoopy T-shirts, Snoopy key chains, Snoopy rings, Snoopy Aprons, etc.

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As a parent I often used to read to my child when I had time. But the general rule is that we must read to the child when we are relaxed. Children are almost like moulds and their behavior can be set as per our conditioning. Below five kids are very receptive and absorbing like a sponge. The right diction, tone and pronunciation instill in them a listening ability and also reproduce the same in a correct manner.

Teachers in school offer an invaluable service in teaching the child the right way to read English through phonics. This is one way the child enjoys and also feels less burden to understand the dictation process. They split words and hence are able to learn by a play way method.

Kids also love to read while pointing pictures. Find a cozy corner for your child and yourself. Set aside the chores and begin with a mood to enjoy. Teaching is an enriching or rejuvenating experience provided we have the time for the same. It’s an effort worth the time as the child’s vocabulary enhances in this way. Bring them tiny books which are hard bound by which they are able to hold. Toddler books are specially designed.

Many books for toddlers are also designed for bathroom reading. This is an adorable way to inculcate them to read and have fun. Tiny tots per se do not understand reading but love the pictures and colors on the same. Concepts of figures, expressions and shapes can also be taught while reading.

It is almost magical to see your five year old address words, conjunctions and exclamations which had been taught to them in a simple way. They all love reading. As they write make it a point to tell them the word once in a phonetic way and the rest will come with practice. Using a neutral accent is highly important.

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The thing of babies is their natural tendency. They overgrow their diaper size, turn around, shake their head and try holding things with a stronger grip. ‘Letting go’ is also a new thing a parent learns while parenting. Often parents complain that the child is still not turning over or is still not sitting. But then each child has his or her set pattern in doing things.

Dual feelings are created in a parents mind. A loving mother would love to hold the child’s hand and walk on the road and also complain when she does not feed herself. Milestones in a child cannot be compared. We as individuals are blessed with different skill sets. A sibling may have different inclinations or talents and we may not be able to share the same capacity.

Help the child in creating their own individuality by helping them to choose a pair of socks to go along with the shoe or dress. Let the girls go on and mix n match and do not show your disapproval each time. Kids love praises and in case the combination is weird gently suggest them mildly. It helps a teenager if you could encourage positive thinking,  praise their initiative skill or the value of their time management ability.

Letting go also means to create space for our children and a bit for ourselves too.

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