The normal period of pregnancy is 280 days (40 weeks) from the first day of the last menstrual period. Throughout pregnancy, the growing foetus is entirely dependent on its mother. The mother’s diet, her general state of health and the amount of physical work she does all have their effect on the child. Therefore, proper antenatal care throughout pregnancy is …

Aditi is barely eight years old. But lately she’s put on more weight than many children her age. It’s a cause of worry to her parents, both of whom were overweight as children. They have cut down on her food intake though it’s rather difficult to get her to follow her new diet. For years of being fed large amounts …

One of my favourite family pictures is that of my father astride a black stallion with me as a young child, sitting with him. The picture was taken during a visit to a hill station. What is very evident from the photograph is my adoring face looking up at my father from layers of jackets and blankets packed around me. …

Play and play materials are part of the basic needs of all children. If your child has enough stuff to play with, half your problems connected to the child are solved. It would keep him occupied and prevent boredom. A bored child develops a bad temper and becomes irritable. Thus toys are of great importance for your child’s and your …

These little miracles growing up under our own eyes are the cause of our greatest happiness but can also be the source of our deepest pain and just as we need acceptance and love, they also need to know they are loved and accepted. There are two main things a parent must provide for his child and these will leave …

The sounds that emanate from the dentist’s clinic in our neighbourhood are the regular ones – of the drill, spit vacuum and water being sprayed on teeth. But those sounds are often drowned by children’s giggles. This must be our desi version of Patch Adams, I thought. Even my little niece enjoys her visits to the doctor. In fact, this …

Feeling kicked that your 20-day-old daughter smiled at you? Actually she did not. Her cheek muscles just happened to move for no reason and you happened to be in her line of vision. Don’t be disappointed, it will be this way till your daughter learns to control her movements. In the first two months of her life, her movements will …

Your daughter scarfs down peanut butter sandwiches on weekends, but the ones she totes to school come home uneaten. Your son adores snacking on baby carrots but begs you to pack Pringles in his lunch box. What gives? To young students, school lunch is less about food than about socializing. “The cafeteria is one of the first places they experience …

The cry of an infant is a signal to the world for help. Learning to distinguish between these signals is part of the process of learning to be a parent. Most of the time babies cry because they are hungry. The golden rule for the breastfeeding mother is to put the baby to her breast whenever the baby cries. And …

Children growing in self-esteem manifest many changes: they look more grown-up, more in control of themselves, more poised and self-confident. Generally, they seem more outgoing, even walk straighter with their heads up instead of looking at the floor. Relationships with peers often improve markedly, and so does their school work. Telling children the signs of growth you deserve in them …