My friend Roma was very disappointed. She could not breastfeed her baby due to low levels of lactation. If your problem is related to your inability to feed due to sore or cracked nipples, try massaging edible oil or ghee on it. This will soften the nipples and will make you get used to your baby’s suckling. Also try to …

Trust is important in building self-esteem. When my stepdaughter Rita, aged eight, stayed with us during our first summer, it was a difficult time for her because her mother was moving their family (Rita and her older brother and sister) to another city, and Rita would be leaving many of her friends behind. She seemed generally grouchy and out of …

About five percent of children are left-handed. You can notice it even at a few months of age, when the baby uses one hand more than the other to pick up his toys or while playing or trying to put something in his mouth. By the age of one year, the left-handedness becomes quite definite. Left-handedness seems to run in …

The overnight bag is by the door. The labour and childbirth book you are reading is open to “Labour.” Your contractions are five minutes apart, and as you climb into the car, you know exactly what awaits you… and pigs can fly. No matter how many books you’ve read or how many hours you’ve spent on pregnancy websites, labour is …

If as parent or teacher you are always the listener, children do not get a chance to show acceptance of you. One sided sharing fosters inequality in relationship. Both sides in a relationship need to be listeners and listened-to. For example, my daughters come home from school tell me all their gripes. It might be that sometimes children feel all …

When your child eats, food passes through the mouth and it meets the germs or bacteria that live in the mouth. These bacteria have sugars and starches found in many foods. If you do not clean your child’s teeth after eating, plaque bacteria use the sugars and starches to produce acid that destroys the hard surface of the tooth. After …

When children are being put into an unavoidable stress situation, for example, being given a test, meeting new people, or facing a challenge, some physical outlets to drain off excess anxiety are helpful. These might include something to touch, hold, squeeze, stroke, rub, bend- something that allows them to release anxiety through physical activity. With Sandy, who had to be …

When children are likely to be overwhelmed by strong feelings, it is often useful to find ways to help children find a bit of emotional distance from the events. Here are four ways I have found helpful: First, make up a story showing how the situation could be worse and, when possible, do it in a way that might be …

The point of telling stories about the failure and misfortune of people dear to you, such as your children, your spouse, or your friends, is that they have failed or gotten into trouble – yet you still like them and accept them as they are. I mention storytelling again because it is such an important technique, especially in dealing with …

Children with low self-esteem generally find it difficult to see and name the positive specialness in themselves. Instead they tend to sprinkle their conversations with negative self-image comments. David, who was eleven, would have been tall for his age if he stood up straight. His large brown eyes gave the impression he was trying to hide from the world. Not …