why kids lie

Why Kids Lie: What I Learned When Reyansh Looked Me in the Eye and Fibbed

The empty chocolate wrapper was lying on the sofa. Chocolate was smeared across his cheek. “Did you eat the chocolate?” “No, Mummy. I didn’t.” I remember standing there with a strange mix of anger and heartbreak. It was not about the chocolate. It was about the calm, steady way he said it. If you have …

Hyperactive Child

Hyperactive Child: Recognizing & Managing Impulsive Behaviour

Quick answer: A hyperactive child may be bored, under-active, stressed, tired, unwell or, sometimes, have ADHD. Help by building daily physical activity and routine, protecting sleep, limiting fast-paced screen time, breaking tasks into small steps and praising effort. If hyperactivity and impulsivity are intense, happen everywhere and affect school or friendships, speak to your paediatrician …

The gift of empathy

Empathy in Kids: How a Playground Incident Taught Me to See Beyond

Quick answer: Empathy in kids grows through everyday moments: naming feelings, modelling kindness, asking “How do you think she felt?”, reading stories, encouraging helping at home, and showing empathy to your child when they’re upset. Children who feel understood learn to understand others. The day started out normally enough. I took my daughter Aanya, age …

introvert child

Introvert Child, A Normal Child: A Parent’s Guide by Sonali Dhume

Quick answer: An introvert child recharges with quiet time and prefers deeper connections over big groups. That is a personality trait, not a problem. Accept their nature, give them downtime after busy days, prepare them for new situations, avoid labelling them “shy”, nurture their strengths like listening and focus, and gently encourage small social steps. …

emotional-strength-in-kids

Emotional Strength in Kids: How I Helped My Daughter When She Was Excluded

Quick answer: To build emotional strength in kids, listen without rushing to fix, name and validate their feelings, help them see their own worth, encourage friendships outside one group, teach simple coping tools like deep breathing, model kindness and forgiveness, and give them chances to solve small problems on their own. When my daughter was …

When Your Child Suddenly Refuses to Go to School

Child Refusing to Go to School? Causes, Real Parent Advice & 8 Steps That Help

“Mumma, my tummy hurts. I don’t want to go to school today.” If this has become a daily morning battle in your home, you are not alone, and you are not a bad parent. A child refusing to go to school is one of the most stressful things a family can face, especially in India, …

Boredom in Kids

Boredom in Kids: What Happened When I Stopped Being the Entertainment Manager

“Mummy, I’m bored.” “Mummy, there is nothing to do.” “Mummy, what should I do?” If you have heard these three lines before 10 a.m. on a holiday, you know the feeling. A small panic rises in your chest. You start offering ideas, colors, puzzles, a movie, a park trip. And somewhere in that moment, you …

Postpartum Depression

My Postpartum Depression Recovery: 7 Practical Steps That Actually Worked

Quick answer: Postpartum depression is common and treatable. It is more than the “baby blues”: low mood, anxiety, guilt, exhaustion or losing interest in things that lasts more than two weeks after birth. Talk to your doctor, accept help with the baby and housework, prioritise sleep, and consider counselling or medication. Get urgent help if …

Joint Family Parenting

Joint Family Parenting: How I Stay Respectful and Still Hold My Boundaries

Joint family parenting sounds beautiful from the outside. Extra hands, extra love, extra stories at bedtime. And honestly, most days it is exactly that. But nobody warns you about the other side, where all the adults love one child and each of them is completely sure they know what is best for him. The evening …

screen time

How I Reduced My Son’s Screen Time From 1 Hour to 10 Minutes in Just One Week

Quick answer: To reduce screen time for kids, talk with your child about why, replace screens with appealing activities, set screen-free zones and times (meals, bedrooms, the hour before bed), co-view instead of using screens as a babysitter, model healthy habits yourself, and focus on what your child watches and how it affects them, not …