Mama's View | Parenting, Education, Money & Mindful Living

School bus is one of the safest modes of travel for children.If your child is using school bus ,teach him some important and good rules to follow. Safety Rules Every child should know about the danger zones and should always stay away from them. Teach children about the rules while crossing the road. When your child is near the school bus he should have the attention of  the driver. Never allow children to play near or around the school bus. When crossing in front of the bus,children must measure and take atleast 10 big steps in order to identify the danger zone. Getting On the Bus Always reach the bus stop 10 minutes before the actual pick up time. Find a safe place away from the road and wait for the bus. Wait for the bus to stop before getting on board. Board the bus carefully holding the side rail carefully. Do not push or shove your friend. Find a vacant seat and sit on it quietly. Keep your school bag on your lap.Remember not to keep your bag at a place w...

It can be distressing for parents to see their children not feel well and have frequent motion sickness.Children from 5years to 12years are more susceptible to motion sickness. What is Motion Sickness Motion sickness is caused by a disturbance of the inner ear where there is a conflict between the vestibular inputs and visual inputs.These conflicting messages are sent to the brain which results in imbalance and thus leads to motion sickness. Motion sickness can occur in air,sea,bus,car,roller coaster or from playing video games. Symptoms and Signs Dizziness Nausea Vomiting Headache Pale skin Cold sweat Fatigue Remedies for Motion Sickness Always ask the child to look at a distant point,at the horizon or focus his attention somewhere out of the window. Have a plastic bag ready.Wiping your child's face with wet towels will also make him feel better.While traveling in air keep the air sickness bag ready for the child. If traveling by car,let your child sit in...

Oatmeal is one of the healthiest foods known for its high nutritional values.Oatmeal has been approved as a heart friendly food as it lowers cholesterol and lowers the risk of heart diseases. Types of Oats and Oatmeal Oatmeal is a whole-grain cereal made from ground oat groats.It has very low fat content and is rich in soluble fibers called Beta-Glucan. Oatmeal comes in several forms: Instant Oatmeal -It is dried and precooked.It often contains sweeteners and other flavours as additive. Rolled Oats -This old fashioned oats is steam processed and rolled into flakes.This helps the oats to stay fresh for a longer time.Rolled oats are used as an ingredient in muesli and granola. Steel-cut Oats/Irish Oatmeal -The oat groats are chopped into small pieces using  large steel blades and are usually roasted. Nutrition Vitamins -Oatmeal is a good source of B-complex vitamin.Vitamin B is water soluble and is important for metabolic functions. Minerals- Oatmeal cereal is a ric...

 Irrespective of your religion and background,spirituality defines your values and is a source of inspiration and stability for you.   Children,Spirituality and Happiness Spirituality is the way we experience and relate to God.Though religion and spirituality are both different things we all need to remember that all living bodies belong to the spiritual world that is governed by spiritual laws. Spirituality is important for children because it brings them happiness.A recent study shows that children who are more spiritual(inner belief system) are more happier than those who report a certain level of religiousness.Developing a strong sense of personal worth in children will make them more happier. Help your Child grow Spiritually Parents should not limit their child's spirituality to visiting places of worship or just talking about God. Here are a few practical tips-  Be a supportive spiritual companion to your child by modelling love,kindness,compassion a...

According to psychologists parenting begins even before the child in unborn.A mother talking,reading and singing to the unborn child creates a mother-infant bond early on.Even after the child is born,parent's interaction plays a very very important role in child's brain development.This goes a long in shaping the child's brain and affecting his psychological state.Some studies have also shown that children who have received responsive and sensitive care from their parents in their early years grow up to be more confident and successful individuals in their lives.Recent advances in brain research has shown that the brain development in children is not only dependent on genetics but is also determined by the child's experience. Child's Developing Brain - A Miracle Research shows that the first three years are vital to the child's brain development.The child's brain responds to the continually changing experiences in different ways.These experi...

We have all read news reports about the negative influences of video games.It is true that these games can have some bad consequences on the child's behavior but there are also a lot of positive benefits.Video games engage children in many learning activities which help children learn certain skills.Computers are an important social tool in today's modern world and children should be given enough opportunities to play with them.Some studies have also shown that video games can teach children with attention deficit disorders to modulate their brain waves associated with focusing.With proper training these children have shown to improve their social and organizational skills. Positive Benefits for Children As Educational Tool -These games are fun and exciting for children so they stimulate learning. Spatial skills -It develops spatial abilities in children by helping them visualize objects in two and three dimensions. Goal Setting- Goals are set in every game and they ...

  How serious is Childhood Obesity? The increasing number of childhood obesity cases is a cause of concern in many families globally.A recent survey says that the number of childhood obesity cases have almost tripled in the last 30 years.Obese children and adolescents are at a high risk of developing long term health problems later in life.In addition to major health problems,obese or overweight children may also have problems with their emotional health like low self-confidence and self-esteem which can lead to diminished academic performance and sometimes depression. Parents must help children understand that just like food,our choice of beverage can affect our health and nutritional intake. Consuming healthy food and beverages in moderation can help children live a balanced lifestyle. Why are Beverages added with sugar Unhealthy? High intake of beverages sweetened with sugar not only causes obesity but it also lowers the intake of certain important nutrients like vitam...

  Developing number sense in children can help them excel in Maths  Why Maths is Important for Children? How do you respond when your child asks you why he needs to learn maths.Do you have a positive way to explain or is your approach negative? Just like reading skills,developing early math skills in children is equally important.Maths can help children solve real-life problems. Reasoning and Logic-Maths teaches children reasoning and connecting ideas logically. Maths in everyday life-While shopping we check the weight and size of food packets.This is where we apply maths.We use maths in our kitchen by the amount of ingredients we need to make a recipe. What is Number Sense? Number sense is the ability of a person to understand numbers, their operation and also the ability to use this understanding in various flexible ways.It is as important to maths learning as phonemic awareness has been to reading.Young children develop number sense by visualizing and explorin...

Pretend Play - An effective tool for cognitive development Let me first tell you what cognitive development in early childhood means and how it is associated with pretend play in children. Cognitive Development: It is the changing process of perception,thought and learning that starts from infancy to adulthood and thee abilities are associated with reasoning,problem-solving and memory. Young children discover new things by manipulating toys and various objects while playing and while doing so they are developing  mathematical thinking, language and social skills. Pretend Play and Child's Magical World of Imagination Parents know that play is a vital component for optimal development of children but most of them are unaware of the power of pretend play.Pretend play is the cornerstone of a child's world where he is free to explore numerous possible combinations of emotions and ideas.Science has confirmed that such type of play has important positive effects on child...

Help your child have a Good and Sound sleep Sleep is the power source of our body.It recharges our brain and keeps our mind alert.Young children need to have enough sleep.It is  important for their growth and brain development.Good sleep restores energy in their little bodies and it also helps parents get some free time.With long working hours for  parents and packed schedules for school and other activities regular sleeping habit in children is pushed back.We often think that children missing naps and late bed times is no big deal but the consequences can greatly affect their psychological wellbeing. Children and Sleep Sound and good sleep is very important for growth and  development of children . There are a few things which are essential for healthy sleep.   Quality of sleep -This means uninterrupted sleep.It is essential for the development of child's nervous system. Length of sleep -Sufficient amount of sleep is important.This varies with the age of...

Music Lessons for Brain Development in Young Children Music is loved by people from all cultures and young children naturally love music.When my son was 14 months old he used to hum to the beat of the songs i played on my laptop.I'm not saying that all children who love music will grow up to be prodigies but as parents there is a lot we can do to stimulate different areas of the child's brain through music. Research says There is evidence that a child can respond to sound and music inside a mother's womb.Trillions of nerve cells are sprouting every day in an unborn child's brain.After birth,the child's brain is still not completely developed.The early years in a child's life are a period of incredible development. It has been discovered that music training can significantly improve brain development in young children.Several studies and research have also established the fact that music lessons can also help young children improve memory. Researchers ...

 How to discover your child's learning style:  Discovering Multiple Intelligence in children can help both parents and teachers find fields where children can excel. According to Gardner's theory,intelligence is- ability to solve new problems ability to solve problems in real life He has identified 8 different types of intelligence -Verbal/linguistic- Children are good storytellers and can write poems and stories . They can even create word games and write jokes . -Mathematical/logical- Children are good at organizing facts and can solve story problems by analyzing facts . They also like to create and find patterns . -Musical- Children like to compose  melodies or learn in a rhythmic pattern.They can even change the words to a song.They also learn to play and sometimes create musical instruments at an early age. -Kinesthetic/Bodily - These children are good at role playing.They perform well in plays and skits and also like putting together puzzle p...

Good parenting comes with a great deal of responsibility.Teaching kids about money isn't always easy,but it is the duty of every parent to raise financially-fit kids. Talking about money to your children and teaching them how to save and spend wisely is the key to building a healthy relationship with money. A child who has been taught to make wise money decisions can also handle financial responsibilities with confidence. Here are a few kid-friendly guidelines: 1 Be a good role model Before talking to you kid about money you must make sure that you talk about money with yourself.Your approach in handling financial matters will help you educate your child about money. Positive money practices like responsible spending and saving will also help your child understand money matters better. 2 Be patient with your kid If your kid makes wrong buying decisions or overspends,do not argue or scold him.Instead make your conversation positive and listen to him. 3 Encourage sav...

  RAISE AN EARLY READER Learning to read is one of the most important milestones in your child's life. Literacy begins at birth and is developed through everyday interactions with your child like pointing out, singing songs and story telling. Reading to young children is one of the ways to build literacy skills and also prepare them for school. Several research studies have shown that children who have been read to at home are well prepared to read and write in school as compared to children who have not had any experiences of listening to books read aloud. Many people believe that children are ready to learn to read and write in kindergarten or first grade,but that's not true.Literacy skills actually starts in the earliest months of the child's life. Helping your child to learn to read at an early age has several benefits. Early Language development for Infants to 1 Year: Read to your infant.Yes,books are important at this stage.Reading aloud will help yo...