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Top 5 Books You Should Read to Your 4 – 7 Year Old

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One of the greatest gifts you can give your child is the gift of reading. Toddlers start to learn how to differentiate between letters and how each letter sounds – this is possible only when you constantly read to them. And by the time they turn 6 or 7, your children will be reading on their own!

For this you need to introduce to them books that are fun with simple and easy to understand story lines.

Read slowly to them so they understand each word clearly. Use different tones of voices and expressions – not only will this be fun for them, but it will also help them understand the meaning of words easily.

Here is a list of great books that can help your toddler:

1) Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

This book is about a brave little girl and her adventurous trip to the hospital. She isn’t afraid of mice or lions and she definitely wasn’t going to get disturbed by a little appendix! The author cleverly tells this story in a rhyme format making it entertaining and appealing to children.

2) Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss is the best author for children’s stories and this is one of his best-selling books! Written for beginners, the text and storyline is simple and fun for a toddler to read. And the unique thing about this book is that it consists of only fifty different words! The story is about a grumpy man who refuses to eat green eggs and hams and it is presented in a rhyme format making it fun to read!

3) The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper

This story is about a blue little engine that takes on a task of pulling a train over a high mountain while other larger engines refuse to do so. All the while the engine chants the famous phrase, “I think I can”. Not only the beautiful illustrations and sweet story line fascinate your child, but it will also teach them the value of perseverance at such an early age. A great read, this book is a must have in your toddler’s book shelf.

4) What Do People Do All Day? by Richard Scarry

Beautiful illustrations with big, bold colours – this book tells what people do all day; how they build houses, grow food and sail ships. The story shows the lives of busy people and with the help of drawings it also shows how they go about doing these jobs. Simple story with a beautiful backdrop, this story with its amazing sense of humour will definitely catch your child’s attention!

5) The Mitten by Jan Brett

From the author of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, comes the sweet story of a boy who loses his mitten in the snow which then becomes a refuge for many animals. The detailed artwork and the drawings of the animals will be an absolute delight for your child. It makes for a great bedtime story!

If these books are not in your child’s library yet, then make sure you pick them up today. Happy reading!

To Praise or Not to Praise

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I have grown up on a diet of healthy praise. Especially from my father

In many families praise does not come easily to people. Even if something is good, it would be treated in a matter-of-fact manner.

Let me give you an example. My mother was a good cook. On some days her sambhar would simply be out of the world. We kids would praise the sambhar and say “Good”.

However my father would say “Oh, our daughter & son-in-law are coming for lunch is it?”

Whenever my sister and her husband came home, the sambhar was indeed special. Hence this would be the way we would all tease her ‘special’ sambhar on an ordinary day.

My mother would laugh it off but I could make out that she was really pleased.

For a long time I thought that praise was natural in all families, but soon discovered it was not so. For instance in my classmate’s family his father would never praise anything my friend did, even if it was outstanding.

His father belonged to the school which said “Never praise your son to his face, because it will go to his head.”

There is a theory that if we praise a child often, he will get used to the praise and start craving for it. Therefore the child will start doing things just to get that word of praise.

I beg to differ. If our praise is authentic, and well communicated then I do not believe that any child will get ‘addicted’ to praise and crave for it.

Take a look at this situation.  My wife and I are on a visit to our daughter’s place. It is a Saturday morning and starts in a nice leisurely way. Her husband is busy fixing something in the garage and I am playing with her two sons (6 & 4).  My wife is in the kitchen chatting with our daughter. Our daughter gets a call from her friend to check whether they could drop in that evening; it seems fine. When the visitors arrive in the evening – husband, wife one kid (6 years old), we are all at home. Within minutes our grandsons take the kid to their play room and get busy. I am curious to see what they do so I excuse myself and go to the play room to observe the kids. There is a lot of play, sharing, some fights, but on whole the kids seem to have fun.

After the visitors leave, I ask our grandsons

“So was that fun?”.

They shout a cheerful “Yes” in a chorus.

Then they tell me what happened and how they played etc.

“I wish I was a kid too” I said.

“Why Thatha?”

“So I can have so much fun playing with you.”

Both the kids came gave me a big hug.

When the kids went back to their play our daughter asked me “Did you notice what happened?”

“No. What happened?”

“When you said ‘I wish I was a kid, so I could play with you’, you acknowledged that they are nice kids to play with.   But you said it with feeling and they could make out you meant it.”

“How do you know?”

“That is why they gave you a big hug, Appa.”

“OK, but I am not getting the hang of what you want to say.”

“It is just this. Praise is not about words. It is a genuine acknowledgement of someone’s good work. It is a reinforcement of their belief in doing the right things. Kids do a lot of good things instinctively. All we have to do is to let them know that they are doing right.”

“So praise is good?”

“Of course praise is good when it is genuine and authentic. As long as you don’t make it as part of some carrot & sticks formula.”

So to praise or not praise is NOT the question.

The question  is “When to praise and how to praise authentically”

Re-published with permission from the blog of ParentEdge, a bi-monthly parenting magazine that aims to expose parents to global trends in learning and partner with them in the intellectual enrichment of their children.

Top Five Books You Should Read to Your 3 Year Old Baby

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Don’t you just love the moments when you can curl with a book and read to your child? But, you may wonder what good might reading do for your baby who is barely 3 years old.

Here is the fascinating thing. Reading to your baby from such a young age will actually help him/her develop listening skills. They might not understand what you are saying but the sound of your voice can be quite stimulating for their growth. And as they grow, reading will become an inherent part of their lives.

What’s more…it is also a great moment of ‘bonding’! Create warm fuzzy memories of a great book that will make you and your family laugh, cry, gasp, wonder – something that you and your child will reminisce years down the lane.

Here are some great choices of books for your 0-3 year old baby:

1) Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

A beautiful children’s story with dreamy illustrations, this book is perfect when you are trying to put your little one to sleep. Read out in your most soothing voice and wish everyone – the room, the moon, the clock, the socks, the chairs etc. – a goodnight!This classic modern children’s literature has been a best-seller for years and has been putting babies to sleep for generations!

2) The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Distinctive illustrations and a sweet storyline have made this book “one of the greatest childhood classics of all time.” It follows the story of a caterpillar that eats everything on its way and finally grows into a beautiful butterfly! This beautiful picture book is a must for your baby’s early collection.

3) Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt

This book was way ahead of its time. Not only did it tell a story and entertain children, it also had ‘touch and feel’ elements to it – it was unique then, it is unique now! This interactive book will have your children quite excited and fascinated. On one page they can pat the fake fur of the rabbit and on the next the ‘scratchy face’ of their dad. No wonder ‘Pat the Bunny’ became one of the fastest selling books ever!

4) Corduroy by Don Freeman

Every child wants his/her toys to come to life and take them on a fun adventure! Well, here is a story of a very lovable teddy bear that comes to life and explores the wonders of the department store. With a happy ending, this exciting journey of a teddy bear is definitely going to win your child’s heart!

5) Freight Train by Donald Crews

With larger and easy-to read texts, this book is a great way of introducing words to your children. Beautiful and bold illustrations make it even more exciting for toddlers. The Freight Train is a great book to read to your child (especially if they love trains). You can make train noises while reading it to them and have a whole lot of fun! Choo Choo..!

Tips to Make Your Child’s Birthday More Special

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children at birthday party

Birthdays are always special. It is that time of the year which brings out the child in everyone. No matter what your age, everybody wants to get pampered and get that special attention!

And as a child the excitement is more! As parents it is up to you to make their day extra special and memorable – give them something that they will cherish all their lives.

So how can you do that? Besides a huge birthday bash there are things that you can do right from the beginning of the day.

First of all take a day off from work – let your child know that nothing is more important than him/her and work can take a backseat when it comes to their special day!

This is how you can start their day:

1) Quietly wake them up at 12:00 midnight (something children don’t do normally so it can be quite exciting for them!) and wish them happy birthday and tell them how special they are. Then tuck them back in and kiss them goodnight.

 2) Prepare a special breakfast for your child. Whip up their favourite pancakes and put a smiley face. With chocolate or maple syrup write happy birthday on their plate.

 3) Dress them up in new clothes and head to an orphanage, an old age home or a pet shelter. Let them start the day on a good note. Birthdays usually involve getting gifts from people and sometimes kids can get cranky when they don’t get what they want. Not only will they be more grateful for what they have but they will also share the gift of love and laughter with others who aren’t as fortunate.

 Make them proud of themselves on their special day!

 4) You can then take them for a movie or to the park for some special family time before the party begins and all your friends come over.

 5) Buy a range of small inexpensive gifts and arrange a treasure hunt. It will be a fun birthday activity! Save the best gift for the party.

6) While you and your spouse may have arranged for everything for the party, leave some things to do for your child as well. He/she can decorate the party hats or the balloons – a fun arts and crafts thing to do. They can proudly display their art work at the party later!

 7) Then comes time for the birthday party – have fun games, great food and nice music organised.

8) Once it is all over and all guests have gone home you will be left with a tired yet a very happy child. Tuck them in and don’t forget to tell them how special they are.

 Have a great birthday for the apple of your eye!

5 Indoor Activities to do With Your Children

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indoor games

“Rain, rain go away, little Johny wants to play.” Rainy season tends to make children grumpy and cranky. So here are a few ideas on how to make staying indoors fun for them. It is a great way to bond with your children as well.

Have a movie marathon

Grab a tub of popcorn, dim the lights, create a theatre ambience and have your movies ready. Choose from classic children movies including educational ones and have a marathon! It is a great way to spend time with them and they won’t even mind staying indoors.

Don’t make it a habit to let them watch the TV for so long at a stretch though.

Get baking

Children love sweet-nothings. Cakes, cookies etc. are a great hit with them. Now, get them to the kitchen and use their help in whipping up some baked goodies. Let them do simple things like assembling the ingredients, mixing the batter, pouring it in pans and decorating the cakes with icing, sprinkles, chocolate chips etc. Keep them away from the oven though. Not only is it fun, but it will also help them use their imagination and give them a sense of accomplishment.

Have a dance party

Kids have a lot of energy. Staying indoors and doing nothing can mean chaos for you. And if you have more than one child, then you know a ‘war’ is about to start! Channel their energy into something more fun and constructive and have a dance party instead. This way you won’t be prying them off each other or cleaning away the remains of a broken vase.

Find some age appropriate songs and get dancing with your children!

Make a scrapbook

Bring out all your old photos and make a scrapbook out of them with your children. Get colourful papers, glitter, ribbons, stickers, crayons or poster colours etc. and let your child discover his/her inner artist. Making a scrapbook is time-consuming, yet fun. This is hard work your kids won’t mind doing!

Scrapbooks are great way of reviving good old memories while making new ones!

Play board games

Nowadays, indoor games mean PS3 and Xbox for children. Steer them away from these violent and addictive games and re-introduce old fashioned board games. Get the whole family together and play games like UNO, Monopoly, Scotland Yard, Bingo etc. Not only is it a lot of fun, but some games which involve trivia are also quite educational.

Shake your kids out of gloomy boredom and make indoors fun for them!

Why Having Choices Should be a Choice for Children

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Bril blog Jul 30thBroccoli or beans? Snow White or Bambi? Dance class or art class? Let your child decide. Giving children the freedom to make small choices today is probably the best way to prepare them for the world tomorrow.

In our society, this is a phenomenon that is rarely exercised. As children, we were told by our parents what to do and what not to do. They in turn followed their parents’ instructions. But times have changed! And with the changing times our parenting techniques should change as well.

We want our children to grow up to be responsible adults who make smart choices in life. We want them to know the difference between right and wrong. But, if they have always been dependent on us to make any choices in life, then how can we suddenly expect them to become independent?

External influences are plenty. The pressure of smoking, drinking, doing drugs and bunking classes all come with teen life. Without being groomed to make the right choices, when the time comes to make unsupervised decisions, children usually give in to peer pressure or end up making the wrong choices.

Did you know you can actually even avoid the angry outbursts of the ‘terror teen’ years…just by encouraging your children to learn smart decision taking early on in life! For example, let your toddler pour his/her own glass of juice. Don’t reprimand him/her for spilling the juice if they do. Gently suggest that maybe next time they could figure out a better way of doing the same task or ask for your help. Either ways a choice exists and knowing that he/she has a say makes a world of difference!

When you give your child choices, it is not a carte blanche to let your children do as they please. As a parent you should monitor those choices for them. This way, with your guidance, they will learn what is right or wrong for themselves.

You will soon see, that encouraging your children to decide for themselves, instills confidence and a sense of responsibility in children which stays with them forever. Let them make mistakes early on – let them make the wrong choices. When they make the choice they have to take the onus of the consequences as well. As adults they will be equipped enough to make the right choices tomorrow when it comes to important issues.

Children should know that when it comes to certain issues they have no choice. For example, ‘Don’t play with fire’, ‘Don’t talk to strangers’, ‘Eat your veggies’ or ‘Bed time is 8:00pm’ are things that children don’t have a say in. As a parent you definitely know better! Letting them choose what pyjamas they want to wear to bed when they stick to their bed time is permissible.

Having choices means having control – turn your frustrated or angry child to someone responsible and motivated. Tomorrow, when they are away from you, they won’t feel helpless and at a loss not knowing what decision to take or what choices to make.

Tips for Travelling with Your Baby

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The thought of travelling with your baby can bring nightmares to you. Your baby may be the apple of your eye, but let’s face it he/she is definitely a handful. That too at home! No wonder then travelling with your baby seems like an intimidating task!

So, to ease your worries we have some really effective tips for travelling with your baby. Trips and getaways need not be a thing of the past. By overcoming some of hiccups and with strategic planning your travelling days can be back!

So, the first thing you need to remember while travelling with your baby is to make sure you pack all the required items. This includes basic items like baby clothes, few toys, milk bottles, pacifiers etc.

A travel crib, portable baby chair and stroller are also good choices to take along!

When it comes to food, carry your baby’s formula in an air-tight bag or their favourite cereal and porridge. Even though you might get it in stores, there are chances you might get stuck in some place where there are no stores nearby!

Besides food and other essentials, pack necessary medicines for flu, stomach bug, fever and other common illnesses.

This holds good especially during road trips.

While travelling with your baby via car, make sure you pack enough snacks for them. Take frequent rest stops and get out of the car. This way you can take enough breaks to feed your baby and give them a rest from sitting in the car. This will help your baby not get cranky!

Now when you are travelling with your baby in a plane, make sure you feed them during take-offs and landings – this helps ease the ear-pressure off.

Flights can get real chilly sometimes, so dress your baby with in layers. Carry extra clothes (warm ones) with you, just in case.

One of the most helpful tips while travelling with your baby via plane is to book an extra seat. You can bring your car seat along and strap in your baby safely and conveniently.

If your baby gets cranky, hold him and walk on the aisle, feed him (window seat is preferable here) and play with him. Don’t worry other passengers are not glaring at you! They probably understand and some of them might actually offer to babysit!

If you are travelling with your baby to your parents’ house or a friend’s house, then you can have the whole house at your disposal – creating a home here away from your home will be easy!

But, if you are staying at a hotel, try to get a bigger room – where you can have a changing station and a feeding station for your baby. A play space will be a bonus!

The best way you can enjoy your vacation while travelling with your baby is by giving your partner breaks. Take turns to take care of the baby and let the other person enjoy some ‘me-time’ to relax or explore.

So travelling with your baby will not be a problem anymore. In fact it can be the most memorable experience of your life and you find so many ways to bond with your baby on a trip!

 

It’s Story Time!

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“There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside of you.” —Maya Angelou

Story-telling session. Image courtesy: Vinitha Ramchandani

Story-telling session. Image courtesy: Vinitha Ramchandani

One of the latest researches being driven in many organizations today is related to developing story-telling capability in leaders to enhance their effectiveness. Being able to tell a story is an art and also a skill, which, often, is a key success ingredient for people in many professions. If you follow a story telling ritual at home, the good news is that your child may already have a head-start in this area.

Many parents make stories a bedtime ritual with their children while some designate some time during the day. Some parents get the child to choose their favorite story and it might mean repeating the same story for many days till the child chooses another one. Some parents look for a new story to tell. Some rely on just audio story telling while some engage the child in visuals as well.

Stories are a great tool for facilitating the development of a child. Stories are not only able to get a child to listen and comprehend but also encourage thinking. Children are able to memorize key aspects of the story and ask questions.

Some simple steps that parents and child caregivers can take to make story telling a joyful event and to maximize the learning for a child are:

a) Get access to a story repository. Sign up for a conventional library, which can provide children’s books or get access to online stories (in text format). While you can make a child listen to pre-recorded audios, listening to a story in your voice is likely to be much better appreciated by the child. Don’t shy away from making up your own story some times too. It is a great way for you to get your message through.

b) Designate a specific time during the day as ‘Story Time’. This is uninterrupted time with no eating, no phone calls, no television or other interruptions.

c) Allow the child to have a say in which story / kind of story he / she would like to listen to. Everyone loves choices. Children do too.

d) Talk slowly and clearly. Children need to follow the words, need time for comprehension and to visualize.

e) Encourage imagination. Paint the scene by using more words than might be written. Point to the pictures to enable visualization. Use facial expressions to bring out emotions.

f) Make it participative. Do not hush the child when he / she laughs about something or asks a question. Encourage observation and curiosity. Ask questions about new words or what just happened. It is important to ensure that the child was able to comprehend the story and it is interesting to note what the child registered from the story.

g) Have fun. Story time is not a serious time. While the message might be serious from your perspective, making it a fun experience for the child will drive the message home much faster.

Story telling is a wonderful way to get a child to pick up a language. One of the experiments we have recently started at home is to get my daughter to tell us a story every day, at bedtime. I am amazed by her imagination and how she is able to string together various events during the day, bring out aspects she wants to communicate in the form of a story. It is a great way to also encourage her to develop fluency in English too.

It’s Story Time!

Re-published with permission from the blog of ParentEdge, a bi-monthly parenting magazine that aims to expose parents to global trends in learning and partner with them in the intellectual enrichment of their children.

Swaddling your Baby is Sweet

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The practice of baby-swaddling dates back centuries and is still common in many cultures. Swaddling involves wrapping a baby securely from shoulders to feet with a small blanket.  American Indians and people from the Middle East use bands and more sophisticated swaddling techniques, but more traditional swaddling techniques are still practiced in such countries as Turkey, Afghanistan and Albania.

 Not only can swaddling be a great way to calm and sooth a fussy infant, it’s also been shown to lower the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). At the age of three months, when the risk for SIDS is greatest, traditional American swaddling techniques allow a baby to escape.  It allows the baby to stay in a more stable position while sleeping, thereby lowering the SIDS risk.  In addition, swaddling has been shown to help babies sleep longer and more restfully by preventing the sudden movements that can cause them to wake up, thereby improving mom and dad’s sleep quality and quantity also.  Babies who are swaddled are said to feel secure, similar to how they felt while in utero.  It can also assist in temperature regulation, keeping baby nice and toasty warm while sleeping.

A couple of additional perks to swaddling come during waking hours, too.  A swaddled baby is easy to carry and hold ¾ an adorable, compact little package. It can also help baby focus on breast or bottle feeding by keeping little hands out of the way.

Swaddling usually works best from newborn to approximately four months, but if baby is used to being swaddled, and then it might be utilized even longer.  Babies just being introduced to swaddling may require an adjustment period.  Modified swaddling, such as leaving arms free while swaddling the rest of baby’s body, might be needed when first introducing the practice to your baby.  The blanket should always feel snug but not tight.  Take special care to ensure baby’s circulation is not compromised in any way or that baby is not uncomfortable.  Ask a nurse, physician, midwife or other knowledgeable healthcare practitioner to demonstrate the correct technique for swaddling your baby.

Getting my child to do what I want him to do

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I had always believed in getting my older child to do what I want her to do (eat vegetables, go to bed early) by reasoning with her. Of course, as she grew older, the ‘reasoning’ became arguing and sometimes even yelling. When I felt ashamed that I had raised my voice and called names, I would tell myself that she had pushed me to the limit. After all, I had still communicated why she needed to do certain things.

With my younger son, however, I find that coaxing does not work. Neither does yelling. So I have to resort to some imaginative storytelling, some exaggeration (white lies?).

I used to find this distasteful earlier; I used to believe (rather naively) that if children are told why something is good for them, they will eventually come around to doing it.

I now realize that given constraints of time and mommy energy, I have to resort to methods that I earlier looked down upon as ‘underhand’.

Let me give you an example – my son needs a hair cut every three weeks (yes!) which he detests. I tried explaining the reason (he gets a bad cold otherwise). I tried saying firmly that he has to get a haircut, no choice. But he refused to budge. And it is not practical to transport a kicking, screaming four year old boy.
Then came the saving grace – a policeman! Yes, there was a neighbour who dropped by, in full uniform. And since my son wants to grow up to be a policeman, I pointed out the really short hair…and lo behold, my son was ready for a hair cut!

Now, when my son gets too rough with his sister or friends, or when he refuses to eat vegetables, I say, “A policeman is rough only with thugs.” or “How will you chase thieves if you dont eat veggies and become strong?”

While these methods are highly effective for my son (and are a blessing in disguise for my vocal chords), I still have not reconciled fully to this approach.

Should I not get my child to do what I want him to do, simply because it is the ‘right’ thing to do?

 

Re-published with permission from the blog of ParentEdge, a bi-monthly parenting magazine that aims to expose parents to global trends in learning and partner with them in the intellectual enrichment of their children.