Summer vacations are all about fun before the next school year begins and life goes back to its usual routine. This is the time when parents are looking at ways to keep their children engaged and away from screens, which has otherwise become an indispensable part of life. Now that summer breaks are about to end, it is good to still be mindful of ways to minimise screen time from your child’s daily routine.

What is the problem with screens?

We all know and acknowledge that screen time should be limited, as uncontrolled screen time has detrimental effects on a child’s overall development, but do we know why? The effects, according to several experts in the field of psychology, include obesity, issues with sleep schedules, delays in language and social skills development, to name a few.

How can you engage your children without letting screens become the default?

Recently, a survey commissioned by Kantar for Amazon’s Alexa among more than 750 parents, revealed that almost 96% of parents are looking for ways to keep their children meaningfully engaged through fun and learning activities. In fact, the surveyed parents expressed what they would like to see their children do instead, and these included things like improving English speaking skills (50%), learning social skills (45%), performing arts (36%), etc.

Meghna Yadav, Child Psychologist and Head of Training, KLAY Centres for Child Development and Care shares few things that parents should explore for the overall development of their children:

Arts & Crafts – a multisensory activity:

It is always advisable to engage them with arts and crafts like painting or clay work which not only makes children happy, but also helps in developing fine motor skills in children, improving hand-eye coordination, accuracy, and learning functional skills which they will apply throughout their lives. Parents could consider giving them a project a week, such as painting a flower pot, or making a doll house with play doh, or making a paper-mache greeting card. The happy news is, arts & crafts provide a wealth of benefits for children both in short and long-term. It offers them an opportunity to learn and grow in a fun and creative environment while staying indoors.

​​Music and the beautiful mind:

Musical experiences in childhood can actually accelerate brain development, particularly in the areas of language acquisition and reading skills. It is also a great way to help in a child’s overall social and emotional development. It also demands practice and perseverance on the part of the child – all of which are qualities that will hold them in good stead in the long run. Parents could consider sending their child for singing classes or to learn an instrument, and also work practice time with their children into their schedules – an activity for them to enjoy together.​

Hone language and communication skills:

Indian children by default are exposed to at least two languages, it would be good to consolidate this and improve their command over them. Parents can turn to smart speakers and AI-based voice assistants to help children improve their communication skills along with grammar, and proficiency in English and Hindi in a more effective manner.​

​​Activity-led play groups:

Children need other children to feel stimulated and the value of peer-to-peer learning cannot be downplayed. In interacting, playing, and even fighting with other children, they get further socialised and learn how to negotiate and resolve issues and collaborate with one another. Adding a nice twist to this, parents can set up weekly playgroups with one activity as the focus of that week, such as reading together, storytelling sessions, painting together, etc.​

​​Learn a new Skill​

New skills can help build a sense of independence, confidence, and self-esteem amongst kids. Parents can start with simple things like engaging them in simple household chores, like watering the plants, or folding the laundry – a great way to set a daily routine and learn simple life skills. At the same time, an effective way of getting children to pick up new skills is by creating an interactive and fun environment at home with voice assistants that have thousands of built-in skills and features.

There is a wide array of activities that one can do with their children this summer, and once the schedule is set, treat it as sacrosanct. Before you know it, the summer will have passed, and it will be time to go back to school again.

The post 6 Screen-Free Ways To Engage Your Child appeared first on Institute of Early Childhood Education and Development.

Motherhood comes with responsibilities

Mothers constantly try to give their best at home or at work. However, having spent several years as a career oriented person, boundaries for moms are always blurred. Long days at work, childcare emergencies, and having to stretch themselves to be more productive are some of the many phases mothers go through while navigating through both these worlds. All mothers go through similar journeys while managing multiple roles and responsibilities. In this journey, most mothers end up questioning themselves and might go on a guilt trip for a while. A recent survey highlighted that the top two challenges for working mothers are time management and juggling childcare.

Here’s what the expert says​

Meghna Yadav, Child Psychologist, Head of Training, KLAY says, “It can be very easy to lose sight of your goals as a mother and as a professional when negative feelings plague your mind. While supporting families as a child psychologist, I have concluded that it is important for mothers to continue pursuing passion through work, embrace shortcomings, constantly refocus energy and work around the guilt in order to achieve a rewarding life.”

“Easier said than done- actually not necessarily. I can share what thousands of mothers have added in their day to day functioning and feel benefitted of these small but significant changes. But before that, a word of caution- Each child is unique and so, each mother is unique. I can only share what has worked with many mothers and you can decide if this will fit into your thread of life or not,” she adds.

​​Work-life balance is like water flowing through a forest​

Life is an integration of many things. For a working mother, it is career, children and family. Yet, struggles between these 3 aspects of life are inevitable. Often, one side dominates over the other, making you feel like you’re not being a good mother or a committed professional. But the truth of this conundrum is that there is no either/or. Putting two different sides of life against one another is tantamount to comparing the hare with the tortoise – essentially, it is not an apple to apple comparison. Please note that there is nothing like an “eternal state of balance” between work and life. There are days when work takes priority and there are days when your child needs you much more than any other commitment of life. Accept it as quickly as possible.

Motherhood comes with its own set of tradeoffs, whether it’s requesting leave from work because your child is unwell or forgetting your child’s lunch because you’re running late to a meeting. So, when you think about striking a balance between work and childcare, the best strategy would be to go with the flow. Every day is different from the other and maintaining the same balance is close to impossible. To begin with, creating a list of small successes that you have had at work and home, will show you how well you’ve fared at maintaining your role as a mother and a colleague.

​​Learning to forgive yourself is difficult but necessary​

Guilt sometimes takes the form of disliking certain choices you have made. Constantly thinking and feeling that you’re not good enough can turn into an emotionally painful experience, which finally leads to cementing the thought of being an inefficient mother or non-committal colleague.

Letting go of this guilt is not easy but the good news is that being aware of guilt is the battle half won! If you know you are going through a guilt trip, you just have to channelize your thoughts in the right direction. Every time, such thoughts come to you, look on the bright side. Remember why you made a certain decision and what led you to do so and then move ahead.

According to Yadav, “Nobody can make perfect decisions, so thanking yourself and practicing gratitude for the decisions you took and will take, will help you identify new ways to unlock positive energy to manage work and childcare.”

​​Redefining what constitutes being a good parent​​

John Bowlby, a well-known researcher who extensively studied attachment between parents and children, discovered that being emotionally present for a child helps build a healthy and secure attachment style between the parent and child.Unfortunately, the definition of being emotionally present is very subjective, open to interpretation, and therefore confusing. So, many women tend to set the bar for what makes for a ‘good parent’ astronomically high without taking into account that this is ambiguous as well. Moreover, such definitions tend not to take into account the nuances of each individual’s unique lived experiences.

This creates a pressurized environment to be the ideal parent or a ‘super mother’ who is always there for her child and is a great employee at the same time. Being in this environment for the long run will lead to an exhausting experience for mothers who are always swinging between work and childcare. Rather than following these ideals, being realistic to yourself and recalibrating these ideals will help create a positive mechanism to address parenting.

A survey among working mothers showed that 46% of working mothers have felt their relationship with their children has improved as compared to the pandemic period. This change is simply rooted in coming out of the “comparative” mode with other mothers. So Mommy Dear, trust your own instincts and stick to your own ways of comforting your child, being attuned to their feelings, showing delight when you see them, and supporting them. This will be enough to create a lifelong impact on your children.

​​Quality time spent is greater than quantity​

“It’s easy to feel like you miss out on important parts of your child’s life when you’re not around them most of the time. Further, the ability to switch off from work and other distractions, though easier said, can be difficult to achieve. Multi-tasking is often the norm for many mothers today and that usually means that you focus on many things, of which your children are one too. Many mothers have shifted from “doing all at one” to “one task at one time” and feel less stressed as well as more involved in the task on hand,” says Yadav

It’s common to see guilt as a negative emotion, and overlook the positive side of it. Guilt is also a by-product of other feelings such as compassion, care and concern. As long as your guilt is restricted to checking your own emotional health, it is good. Ask questions like, “Am I taking care of myself amidst all the roles that I play?” or, “Am I making the mistake of thinking that self-care is being selfish?” I would urge you to try and focus on these questions and invest in your own health to enjoy each and every role that you play. Not only will it help you channel your guilt positively, but it will also help you stay motivated at work and seek the joys of being a mother.

The post Plugging The Guilt: A Guide For Unstoppable Working Mothers appeared first on Institute of Early Childhood Education and Development.

Separating from a parent, partner, person, children, pet, spaces or objects can trigger panic attacks or anxiety. Here’s how to deal with separation anxiety

Separation anxiety is typical anxiety manifested in the form of concern, worry, dread or panic that stems from being away, separating from or losing an attachment figure. It could be a parent, partner, person, children, pet, in some cases it could be spaces and objects.

No matter how much we like to live in peace and harmony but so long as there are humans, conflicts are bound to happen however, smart people resolve conflicts and don’t run away from them. You really can’t preempt and prevent most conflicts but you can address them before they blow up into big confrontations as conflicts routinely happen in offices and homes.

Dealing tips for adults:

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Shweta Singh, PhD MSW, Professor and Life Coach at Loyola University Chicago and Founder of Think Women Company, shared, “Conflicts happen for number of reasons, with the primary reason being expectations being a mismatch. Also, sometimes values are different, thinking is different. The perspective matters and most people want to explain their reasons. With reason, you can resolve conflicts and not dissolve relationships. Unaddressed conflicts lead to breakdown of relationships and can lead to separations and divorces.”

She emphasised, “A breakdown in a relationship makes people feel rejected and unwanted and insecure, which is not easy to deal with, on your own. Their self-esteem takes a hit, and it becomes a vicious cycle of negativity. Digging a little deeper, at the heart of conflict, is hurt and disappointment – a disappointment that declares, “I expected and thus imagined X, but I got Y”. This seems unfair and inability to express it leads to people internalizing the hurt and then it manifests as anger. Just like, basic needs of the body, the needs for emotional fulfillment are essential too. When people lose that sense of fulfillment, it raises other doubts and leads to separation anxiety too.”

Asserting that a relationship can evolve over time, Shweta Singh said, “When we begin a relationship, we must also anticipate problems, hurt disappointment and maybe separation. That makes dealing with relationship breakdown and the arising separation anxiety easier. Otherwise it can be overwhelming. Also families stay together even when partnership between a husband and wife breaks down. Its important to always bring in relative perception. No absolutes in life after all. So begin one step at a time and stay in balanced perspective. One day it does become the past but the journey of anxiety can be line of discovery and renewal of a different type of relationship. Always keeping an open mind and sensitivity towards the other helps diffuse conflict. Ultimately all feelings are valid and conversation brings reason and perspective.”

Dealing tips for children:​

Meghna Yadav, Child Psychologist and Consultant Head of Training and Development at KLAY Centre for Child Development and Care, highlighted, “Separation anxiety is common in young children especially when they are about to start school or attending daycare after a long summer vacation. To begin with, parents need to be aware of the fact that this can be very stressful not only for children but also for parents, and it is this acceptance that enables parents to be able to deal with the anxiety more effectively, and be able to support their children in managing these feelings as well.”

She advised, “Open communication with the child about the upcoming changes is a good way to prepare them for school beforehand. Moreover, constant repetition over a period of time, leading up to the eventual return to school, helps reinforce the message at a subconscious level and can result in a more positive overall experience. Finally, following a routine that mirrors school hours is a wonderful way to reset the child’s body clock well ahead of time and also allows them to ease back into the routine gradually. Lastly, and most importantly, how the parent feels and emotes easily gets transmitted to the child, and in light of this, it is essential that a positive attitude and a happy atmosphere around the child, demonstrate trust in the school such that the child learns that it is a safe space for them.”

Dealing with separation anxiety in general:

Shubhangi Rastogi, Founder of Mind Alcove, pointed out, “Particularly in adults it could be dread or panic setting in from big life changes, such as moving away for college, or a preferred city, a new job, adjustment after marriage, having a child, separating from a romantic partner or break down of a marriage, friendship or relationship, or death. Physical symptoms are often seen in these individuals ranging from headache, nausea, heart palpitations, excessive sweating or nervous energy. It could impact sleep, social life and work.”

She suggested a 4 step process to deal with separation anxiety:

1. Plan Ahead: Individuals experience separation anxiety because of the fear of the unknown. Planning ahead helps with priming your mind and body to expect the change or separation to happen.
2. Start Small: Break the separation time into smaller time slots to get comfortable at a convenient pace. If a parent is looking at getting back to work, he or she should start by spending a couple of hours away from home for a week, to let the feeling sink in for both the parent as well as the child.
3. Be Consistent: Slowly increase the separation time to make it comfortable and relaxed during the separation hours. The key here is acceptance, that this is a temporary separation and not a permanent one. In case when you plan to move cities or countries, start incorporating some things like food or culture from the new location to make you more comfortable for a more permanent change.
4. Have Faith: The most important aspect is to have faith in yourself and the process. Once you have created the systems to keep things comfortable for your loved ones and yourself, have that faith and continue about your work in a peaceful way.

Feeling anxious while leaving a loved one is a completely normal emotion. It is important to get out of that comfort zone and use the above four steps to deal with this anxiety. Once this is achieved it will be easier to go about your daily routine in a calm manner.

The post Dealing with separation anxiety appeared first on Institute of Early Childhood Education and Development.

Here is a quick eight-point guide that can help parents in ensuring that summer vacations can bring a lot of learning opportunities for preschool goers at home without taking away the fun of summers.

By India Today Education Desk:

Parenting starts even before the child comes into the world and then, it never ends. Once a parent, always a parent. Probably because the parent-child bond is fluid in nature. It changes with time and takes different forms as children grow. It is actually a kaleidoscope of emotions that both parents and children experience throughout their lives.

Every child is unique, every family is unique and, therefore, every parent-child bond is unique as well. But there are certain facts about this bond that are applicable throughout the world. And one such fact lies in summer break! It is that ideal time of the year when parents can utilise the opportunity to not only invest in the bond but also bring a whole world of stimulation for children at home. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

The World Economic Forum produced a report last year about the skills needed for the period from 2030 to 2050. The report clearly highlights that communication skills will be of paramount importance during those years for the human workforce to gain success. Parents can use this summer to prepare children for the future by taking them to this memory lane.

Here is a quick eight-point guide shared by Meghna Yadav, Consultant Head at KLAY Daycare that can help parents in ensuring that summer vacations can bring a lot of learning opportunities for preschool goers at home without taking away the fun of summers.​

BOND OVER FITNESS

The importance of fitness in child development is immense. Allocating at least half an hour per day to physical activity during the holidays can make a world of difference in your child’s fun and learning. So, add a morning walk to your routine with your pre-schooler or have yoga or Zumba with your child in the morning. When children use gross motor skills like jumping, walking, and dancing- the body starts working on the bottom-up stress regulating system and hence, stress hormone levels reduce among children.

FOCUS ON DAILY CHORES

In summer vacation, involve your children in routine activities as much as possible. Boring mundane daily chores will be so much fun when done together. So, take a change this summer season: Go fold laundry with your child and you will be amazed to note how quickly she understood the concept of segregation and classification! Clean the dirty dishes together and see how the pre-schooler explores the solution and solvent concept while doing this activity!

FAMILY MEAL TIME

As per recent social studies on child development, the most important and impactful family habit which is guaranteed to play a role in your child’s core personality is eating at least one meal together as a family. Not only eating together but also preparing meals together is a great fun family activity! Baking and cooking provide umpteen opportunities for parents to teach concepts like measurements, mixtures, temperature, etc. to children.

GO DOWN MEMORY LANE​

Let your child know that you are a team and keep them highly involved in your life as much as possible. Take your children in the past by sharing your own childhood summer break stories, and connect your children with your school friends through calls. This will not only keep the tunnel of communication wide open when your pre-schoolers are grown-ups but will also allow them to share their own stories with you.

GRANDPARENTS ARE BLESSINGS

The beauty of grandparents is that they love doing what they do when it comes to grandchildren. Plan something where your children get some time to spend with grandparents. Allowing children to be with grandparents is the best gift of summer that parents can offer. Try not to intervene when they are interacting or playing with each other. Positive emotions like empathy, respect, care, and joy are seen at their peak when children are elderly.

CHILD NEEDS CHILDREN

No matter how much you try to be a friend to your child, it is highly advised to have more children around your child. Select a few families to create a social network of peers for your child and give this fantastic opportunity for socialisation to your child. Fights with peers while playing are great breeding grounds for human brains on how to handle disagreements amicably.

SAND AND WATER

You need not get too many toys to keep your child’s spirit high this summer break. The two favourite toys of children are sand and water. Allow your children to have some kind of play in the sand pit and let them make bubbles while taking a bath. These little fun elements are wonderful ways to reduce stress hormones in children. Sand tracing of alphabets, building sand castles, pouring water into different containers, and splashes of water on each other in scorching summer are rated as highly desirable activities for pre-schoolers.

KEEP YOUR OWN ENERGY LEVELS INTACT

The post Summer vacations 2023: Home-based creative ways for preschoolers to learn and grow this summer appeared first on Institute of Early Childhood Education and Development.

1. Nature impacts overall child development

In the early Eighties, Edward O. Wilson, a Harvard naturalist coined the term biophilia. It stated that humans are instinctively drawn towards their natural surroundings. Research suggests that children have this tendency at its peak in early years of life. In Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv brought to light how children were the most impacted by the lack of nature around them which he termed as “nature deficit disorder.” Meghna Yadav, Child Psychologist and Head of Training, KLAY says, “Less exposure to nature during the developmental years of a child’s life – especially during the years of 2-6 – can be detrimental. Stress, anxiety, higher rates of obesity and ADHD are some of the effects that have been studied in children who are not surrounded by nature. Its benefits, on the other hand, are boundless. Nature creates an environment of learning, creativity and stimulation for a child’s mind that no other artificially created/man made environment can. Hence, it is crucial we surround children with nature to boost their development and connect them to their surroundings.” Here are 5 ways nature benefits children:

2. Nature enhances the attention span of children

Children have faced trouble paying attention in the classroom, more so after the pandemic. Being confined in four walls of classrooms may cause early exhaustion to a child’s brain. Concrete surroundings might be detrimental in enhancing the attention span of children as limited movement in class is found to be exhausting for a child’s growing brain.

To redirect the brain’s focus and bring back attention in class, natural environments can play a big role. Parks and gardens in schools stimulate the child’s brain to release happy hormones, where a child can effortlessly reduce the stress of concrete classrooms. Just a window in the classroom that overlooks trees is found to be helpful in allowing the children to take a break, re-energize and restore their attention.

3. De-stressing through nature

Children are sensitive to changes at times. As children learn to stabilize emotions with every change with support and assistance from their parents and teachers, nature can also help them destress and become resilient over time. Further, taking children to green spaces occasionally can help them improve their responses and ability to adapt to stressful situations. Having interactions with nature allows them to see, hear, smell, and touch outdoor environments, activating their senses and relaxing their minds.

4. Nature supports discipline in life

Yadav says, “Discipline is the stepping stone to the development of good habits. These practices carry a child forward in making them emotionally and socially mature adults. Hence, it is important for a child to have a disciplined life so that they can learn to manage time. Taylor, Kuo and Sullivan’s study on the correlation between nature and self-discipline in children concluded that natural environments improve concentration, inhibit impulses and delay gratification in children.”Learning to regulate their actions and behaviours, children improve their impulse controls and develop a better understanding of right from wrong. By understanding and learning to exercise self-control, children also learn how to be responsible.

5. Nature brings happiness

Research shows that children enjoy classes outdoors, especially as it gets them more involved with nature, and motivates them to be physically active. The kinesthetic movements in open and natural surroundings release happy hormones called endorphins that boosts laughter, excitement and happiness. Interacting with natural environments allows children to learn by doing, and encourages them to experiment with ideas. This experiential learning is found to stay longer in a child’s brain and also acts as a catalyst to take initiative in group settings.

6. Nature promotes socialisation

For a child to learn better, the social and physical environment makes a huge difference. Being outdoors gives children the time to engage with their surroundings and also develop relationships with their peers and teachers. By enhancing their social and emotional skills through meaningful interactions with each other, their learning improves. Thinking freely in nature and approaching studying in their own way, helps them create and invent methods to absorb and comprehend knowledge, boosting their creativity.“In summary, incorporating nature into preschools and daycares is a great way to rejuvenate a child’s mind in between classes. By doing so, the child’s psychological well-being is boosted making them calmer, cheerful and bright. Giving importance to natural environments in a child’s development, aids their social, emotional and mental well-being. It also gives them the delight of learning, growing and thriving in nature,” according to Yadav.

The post 5 benefits of children’s much exposure to nature appeared first on Institute of Early Childhood Education and Development.

1. Nature impacts overall child development

In the early Eighties, Edward O. Wilson, a Harvard naturalist coined the term biophilia. It stated that humans are instinctively drawn towards their natural surroundings. Research suggests that children have this tendency at its peak in early years of life. In Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv brought to light how children were the most impacted by the lack of nature around them which he termed as “nature deficit disorder.” Meghna Yadav, Child Psychologist and Head of Training, KLAY says, “Less exposure to nature during the developmental years of a child’s life – especially during the years of 2-6 – can be detrimental. Stress, anxiety, higher rates of obesity and ADHD are some of the effects that have been studied in children who are not surrounded by nature. Its benefits, on the other hand, are boundless. Nature creates an environment of learning, creativity and stimulation for a child’s mind that no other artificially created/man made environment can. Hence, it is crucial we surround children with nature to boost their development and connect them to their surroundings

2. Nature enhances the attention span of children

Children have faced trouble paying attention in the classroom, more so after the pandemic. Being confined in four walls of classrooms may cause early exhaustion to a child’s brain. Concrete surroundings might be detrimental in enhancing the attention span of children as limited movement in class is found to be exhausting for a child’s growing brain.

To redirect the brain’s focus and bring back attention in class, natural environments can play a big role. Parks and gardens in schools stimulate the child’s brain to release happy hormones, where a child can effortlessly reduce the stress of concrete classrooms. Just a window in the classroom that overlooks trees is found to be helpful in allowing the children to take a break, re-energize and restore their attention.

3. De-stressing through nature

Children are sensitive to changes at times. As children learn to stabilize emotions with every change with support and assistance from their parents and teachers, nature can also help them destress and become resilient over time. Further, taking children to green spaces occasionally can help them improve their responses and ability to adapt to stressful situations. Having interactions with nature allows them to see, hear, smell, and touch outdoor environments, activating their senses and relaxing their minds.

4. Nature supports discipline in life

Yadav says, “Discipline is the stepping stone to the development of good habits. These practices carry a child forward in making them emotionally and socially mature adults. Hence, it is important for a child to have a disciplined life so that they can learn to manage time. Taylor, Kuo and Sullivan’s study on the correlation between nature and self-discipline in children concluded that natural environments improve concentration, inhibit impulses and delay gratification in children.”Learning to regulate their actions and behaviours, children improve their impulse controls and develop a better understanding of right from wrong. By understanding and learning to exercise self-control, children also learn how to be responsible.

5. Nature brings happiness

Research shows that children enjoy classes outdoors, especially as it gets them more involved with nature, and motivates them to be physically active. The kinesthetic movements in open and natural surroundings release happy hormones called endorphins that boosts laughter, excitement and happiness. Interacting with natural environments allows children to learn by doing, and encourages them to experiment with ideas. This experiential learning is found to stay longer in a child’s brain and also acts as a catalyst to take initiative in group settings.

6. Nature promotes socialisation

For a child to learn better, the social and physical environment makes a huge difference. Being outdoors gives children the time to engage with their surroundings and also develop relationships with their peers and teachers. By enhancing their social and emotional skills through meaningful interactions with each other, their learning improves. Thinking freely in nature and approaching studying in their own way, helps them create and invent methods to absorb and comprehend knowledge, boosting their creativity.“In summary, incorporating nature into preschools and daycares is a great way to rejuvenate a child’s mind in between classes. By doing so, the child’s psychological well-being is boosted making them calmer, cheerful and bright. Giving importance to natural environments in a child’s development, aids their social, emotional and mental well-being. It also gives them the delight of learning, growing and thriving in nature,” according to Yadav.

The post 5 Benefits Of Children’s Much Needed Exposure To Nature appeared first on Institute of Early Childhood Education and Development.

“I started my career just by chance where I conducted summer workshops for preschools, activity centres and Gymnasiums. They were weekend hobby classes while I was still studying. At one of a schools workshop I was offered a part time teaching job and took that up. Alongside I got connected to many activity centres and started conducting evening dance classes and fitness sessions for children. When IB schools came into India I was approached for the same and went onto that. 

Later realised that it is important to have a Curriculum of my own which I truly believe in and worked on that. That’s when Hipakids was registered as a company over a decade back. With curriculum, session plans and moving across the city for sessions the time came where I had to bring staff on board. Training’s and multiple centres opened up at all areas inside Mumbai as well as across India. I then decided to have a learning outcome, a showcase which turned to a yearly show for students to gain confidence with a non-competitive environment. 

Now 19 years down the line HipaKids works across the country with children of all age groups who share a similar passion for Movement and Dance. 

Hipakids now works Children of all age groups, International schools , Day care centres , Activity centres , Teachers , Parents and Educators across the globe for Dance Programs. 

One thing stands the same is the reason HipaKids was created, there is no Right or Wrong , Each child is free to interpret the movement in his / her own unique way. We focus on a non competitive class and show , no comparisons are drawn and each child is free to move that their individual pace.

If you really want to build a brand and create something you need to remember it’s time to Give Back to the System. No dream is unattainable if you are ready to put the right amount of Honesty Focus and Dedication. “

-Hashmin Currimbhoy -Founder Director at HipaKids India, The Creative Movement & Dance Company 

The post Hashmin Currimbhoy # Teacher Pride appeared first on Institute of Early Childhood Education and Development.

“From an early age, I gravitated towards teaching, whether it was dance, singing or even teaching my house helps children. Teaching was always something I was passionate about.
Even though I did my B’Com to keep my options open, I was still drawn towards teaching and was hooked back with just one visit that I made to observe a class in a Montessori school.
Going into teaching full time was a tough decision to make even though it was the most rewarding job to me, as I didn’t know if it would help me be financially independent.
However, it was clearly apparent that teaching was my first love so I took up 2 jobs – teaching in a school in the mornings and working at an event management company through the rest of the day.
After two years of doing this I finally I got an opportunity to start my very own Montessori school along with a friend and we have never looked back since 2006!
It hasn’t been easy but I look forward to every new day as an opportunity to enlighten and empower each child with the knowledge and tools to be whoever they want to be!”
As Dr Seuss says – “ You’ll never be bored when you try something new, there’s really no limit to what you can do!”

-Mirelle Drego-Founder Proprietor-Little Butterflies Montessori School

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As a young girl I always wanted to be a Lawyer and I became one. After working for 4 years in a Law firm I was exhausted. Just then I married the man of my dreams and moved to the United States. This change was scary and exciting at the same time. Giving up your career not knowing what the future holds for you was something I never really thought at that point in life. All I wanted was a break from the monotonous life that I was living as a Litigation lawyer. Sometimes you need to step outside, get some air and remind yourself of who you are and who you want to be. Living in the U.S.A gave me a lot of free time to think, learn, grow and understand myself better. I realized that I wasn’t unhappy in my job as a lawyer but I was unhappy with the work-life balance. I always enjoyed the academic side of law and I had this itch to teach be it law or anything else for that matter. To my visits to India every year I was teaching various law subjects to students and while I was in the U.S I was teaching art (which is my hobby) to a lot of preschool and kindergarten children. Two totally different subjects but the only thing common was – “Teaching”. I enjoyed Teaching! After spending 5 years in the U.S. teaching young children along with my own daughter I was sure about what I wanted to do when I was back to the Bay. I wanted to teach! So I enrolled myself for a Teacher Training Program for which I got a Gold Medal. Today I am a Training Manager. Law was my profession but not my passion. I have realized that my impact as a Teacher is clear but my impact as a Lawyer is ambiguous. Don’t worry that life is passing you by-it won’t. It’s never too late. Try a bit of this and that and see what works! It’s all about believing that your goals are possible.

-Palak Pitale- Training Manager at IECED (Institute of Early Childhood Education & Development)

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• 82% parents shout/hit at their children in morning (when they are running late for a meeting/reporting time at work) or when parents (NOT children) are pressed for “Time”
•  66% parents notice negative behavior of their child in public. In private settings (Like home, car) the same behavior remains unnoticed
• 42% parent believe that they have no control on child’s negative behavior after a certain limit. To simplify, I will quote a father’s words, “I have tried all strategies: love, care, counselling, hitting, and yelling: NOTHING works in some situations”

Do these facts sound similar to you? Do you feel the same at times? If yes, please continue reading this article. If not, please share your discipline policy with as many people as possible including us. To begin with, let us try to understand that why do we see negative behavior among children, and if we see, what should we do as a responsible adult in their lives.

WHY DO CHILDREN MISBEHAVE?

Children’s behavior is influenced by a variety of factors. I can only share few of the possible causes and you as an honest parent, can choose the option that best suits your child.

Reason 1: Instinctive Behaviors

Recent research in the field of child development have proven that many of the behaviors that parents find troubling are part of a child’s instinctive repertoire. Yes, it runs in the genes!!!!!!!!

Reason 2: Developmental Stage                                                                                                                                      

At different stages of development, children are likely to exhibit different behaviors. Toddlers are egocentric and will react based on what they believe to be best for themselves such as pushing, are typical at certain ages and then extinguish themselves as the child matures.

Reason 3: Environmental Factors

The environment influences behavior. How contradictory to the first reason!!!

Again, research has clarified that children will become often more active, disruptive and physical in homes that lack consistency in routines or are haphazardly arranged. Invest in organizing your routine activities and beautify your home, it helps!!!!

Reason 4: Learned Behaviors

So, the story is not only about genes, that’s actually just a tiny bit of it. The fact is that children are good observers and excellent imitators. Scary!!!! You are being watched always!!! But, that’s true!!!

WHAT CAN I DO AS PARENT?

Clinically, you just need to know three ways to help your child. Simple, isn’t it???

Actually, easier said than done. I am proposing three strategies here based on timing:

Proactive Strategies (STOP, before it comes)

These are the things that can be done to help prevent challenging behaviors before they occur.  In simple words, invest in/encourage/ appreciate/ acknowledge the good behavior. I can share some simple methods of proactive strategies, and most of these, you must be following with your child. If not, it’s not too late Mommy or Daddy.

• Always use simple direct language in giving directions

Don’t talk much and choose words wisely. For example, Pick up the books, please. Put in the shelf. If need be, repeat the exact same words.

• Organize books, clothes and toys logically and thoughtfully

Invest in buying organizers for children. Clear lines and clean cupboards help in decreasing stressful stimuli to a child’s brain.

• Maintain a well-organized daily schedule

The most important fact! And, please do NOT break it on weekends also. From Infancy to age 8, routine is the key. You may get bored of it, but your child will love it!!!!

• Invest in your child

In today’s world of “Outsourced Parenting”, it’s really a tough choice. Remember, “The child who need the most love will ask for it in the most unloving ways later”

• Limit Resources

Please avoid filling up your home with manipulatives, puzzles, and toys. Research has proven, the two most desired play for children from infancy to age 6 are SAND PLAY and WATER PLAY!!!!

‘In the Moment’ Strategies (ATTEND the behavior)

These are the things that are done at the time a challenging behavior is occurring.

• Ignore annoying but not dangerous behaviors

Avoiding/ignoring to certain annoying acts of your child is perfectly fine in parenting. For example, your child keeps pulling/tangling you sari/shirt when you are talking to your friend to whom you suddenly met in grocery shop. Your child is pulling your clothes to gain attention (by negative means): AVOID.

• Offer logical consequences

Again a simple example, “You lose the chance to play with that toy if you break it” and let the toy be broken if your child does not stop there and NEVER replace with new one immediately. Loss of that toy is worth it!

• Walk closer to the child-proximity

Physical proximity helps especially when your child is losing temper and crying, shouting or throwing himself on floor. Do NOT walk away from the scene. Stay in scene and ONLY leave when you feel like hitting your child.

• YOU SHOUT: I SHOUT

That is the problem. Instead, YOU SHOUT: I STAY CALM. The higher your pitch is, the lower the impact of your message is to a child. Remember the thumb rule: “The most significant messages of world are generally whispered”

‘After the Interaction’ Strategies (LESSON from the event)

There are things that can be done after the immediate situation has been resolved to help prevent future guidance challenges and to cement the learning that takes place.

• Console and cuddle

The first and foremost reaction from parent should be to give Love and care soon after the episode is over or as soon as the child exhibits controlled behavior.

• Discuss later as a group to generate new ideas

Discuss in your family on what could be done to avoid such behaviors. If your child is 4 years and above, make sure to involve your child in these discussions.

• Talk with experts for ideas

Sometimes, just a small fact needs to be reminded. And, that is perfectly normal. DO NOT hesitate in taking help of professionals. And do it, before it’s too late.

• Be a Parent, not a friend

Last but not the least, DO NOT try to be a friend to your child. Earn the respect, so that your child will listen to you when you want him/her to listen. Remember, it did not come easy to your parents as well. They also earned it from you or may be, still earning J

WHERE, WHEN and HOW TO START?

Ponder and Pick anything from this article that you found most useful and start from now. Keep revisiting these points and do not give up easily. Parenting is the most challenging task of god and therefore, the most rewarding as well. I will conclude by sharing what I recently read,

The moment you created another human, was the moment you chose to spend the rest of your life putting somebody else before yourself.

Happy Parenting!

-Meghna Yadav
Head, Training and Development
Founding Years Private Limited

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