The Mealtime Challenge By Joy Ride School

One of the most common concerns of parents is always related to food and their children. Mealtimes make the parents very anxious due to power struggles between the parents and the child at those times. Parents unintentionally indulge in bribing so that by hook or crook the child eats something atleast.

As parents, the mealtime of your child should be regarded as a sacred activity. The entire experience needs to be made enjoyable.

The food intake of the children is directly related to their activity levels as well. Children who lead a sedentary lifestyle will not be as hungry as children who go for outdoor activities.

Here are some strategies which have been useful for parents in reducing the mealtime challenge:

• Never ever force-feed anything especially milk, at a time when the child is stressed and has other anxieties to deal with as milk has complex protein and takes longer time to digest when the child is under stress. In such a situation the child will not finish his/her Tiffin as they would feel full. Therefore till the time the child is not settled in pre-school parents are advised not to serve milk in the morning to the child.
• Arrange Family Meals and let the child eat with you. Let the child also use the same crockery as yours.
• Whenever you are serving food or packing tiffin for your child, make sure you give them child sized portions only. Children feel frustrated when they cannot finish their food like their friends. It also encourages children not to waste food.
• Involve your kids in the proves of serving food, laying table etc.
  
• Do not put too many restrictions in the name of table manners when your child is making effort to become independent at the task of eating.
• Do not expect children to eat what you cannot eat. We recently dealt with a case wherein a mother came to us telling that her child does not eat green vegetables. It was later found out that the mother herself was not in a habit to eat green vegetables. Since the child had not seen his mother eating green vegetables and often arguing with her mother in law about green vegetables the child developed a phobia of green vegetables. Once the mother started eating green vegetables on her own and started talking positive about the same within 45 days the child started developing habits of eating green vegetables.
• Do not make the TV the mealtime babysitter. Your child will hardly come to know about the food that is being eaten.

JoyRide school

Safety measures for Children during Diwali

Come festive season and the spirit of the season is sure to rub off on everyone, most of all children. Not without reason, for what can be a better time than Diwali when they have a break from the routine of school, dress up in new clothes, gorge on sweets and most of all have oodles of fun bursting firecrackers. This is also a time that often has parents on tenterhooks, worried about the safety of children, with enough and more newspaper reports talking about freak accidents that have left children hurt.

It is absolutely imperative therefore to ensure that you take adequate safety measures for your children to be able to enjoy the season the way it is meant to be. Here are some MUST DOs, this Diwali season:

Adult Supervision – While in Delhi at least, the fate of sale of firecrackers hangs in balance this time with the Supreme Court judgment, if bursting of firecrackers is allowed the one thing that is imperative is adult supervision. It is a common sight to have adults engaging in hospitality with their guests or busy with card parties and children running in and out of the house taking more supplies of firecrackers to be burst. Not having a responsible adult with the kids is a compromise you cannot afford to make from a safety standpoint.

Safety Precautions – Even if there is an adult with the child, it always helps to explain the safety precautions to the child well in advance so the child is informed and hence safe. Small things like telling the child that lit crackers should not be relit or that long incense sticks work best, can go a long way in ensuring safety.

Cracker disposal – Ensure that the burnt crackers are disposed off safely, preferably in a bucket of water to ensure that the child doesn’t step on a hot, partially burnt cracker. Also remember to keep a bucket of water, fire extinguisher and a first aid box handy.

Safe clothes – A part of the fun of Diwali are those ethnic clothes that look ever so gorgeous and give a whole new hue to the festival. While flowing, synthetic clothes are great for Diwali Puja for example, ensure that the children are dressed in well fitting clothes when it is time for them to take on the firecrackers.

Candles and diyas – Children love to illuminate the house with candles and diyas. Ensure you make it a point to see that these are not being lit around flowing upholstery as it can be a potential danger alarm.

Eat well – Not all Diwali accidents arise on account of firecrackers. Food is a very important aspect of our celebrations and if not done right can lead to a whole lot of problems. Each year there are enough and more reports about spurious sweets harming people. Be sure to stick to reliable stores as also be watchful of what your children are eating. As far as possible stick with home cooked food.

Life lessons – Besides keeping the kids physically safe, Diwali is the best time to teach kids life lessons in empathy so that they value the safety of other people as well. Sensitizing them to the needs of the elderly who are disturbed by the sound of fire crackers or people suffering from diseases like asthma, or even to the plight of pets, not to mention the overall impact of fire crackers on pollution levels can go a long way in the children valuing the safety of others.

May we wish you great Diwali & a super year ahead!     

  

JoyRide School for Lilliputs