Relationships | ParentsSquare

Snapshots of Memory

A green hedge encrusted with white mountain roses – the smell I carry in my nostrils to this day. Pure and heady. I was three. It’s a snapshot of memory. I put a name to the memory much later. Lansdowne, a quiet and picturesque cantonment town set in the hills of Uttar Pradesh. My father… [ Continue Reading → ]

Getting Along with your Siblings

A friend told me once you aren’t a parent until you have your second child. Parents of one child may not understand this statement but those with two or more children will immediately relate to this. My friend was referring to the seemingly constant bickering and fighting between siblings. This continual fighting between siblings is… [ Continue Reading → ]

When We were Young

My friend was horrified. He had just discovered a pornographic magazine in his 12-year-old son’s cupboard. His wife stood next to him, almost in tears. And I stood mum, not knowing what to say. Actually, he wanted to show me his son’s drawings. Rohan, his son, was very talented and had a way with colours…. [ Continue Reading → ]

Planning For A Child’s Own Room

Children seem to grow at a fast pace and there comes a time when she seems ready for her own room. Your child will enjoy this ‘space’ and you too, will appreciate having some quiet time during the day! However, before you go ahead with this plan, plan it out. Room at a child’s eye… [ Continue Reading → ]

Of Parental Roles and Responsibilities

To have a child is every parent’s delight. Then, somewhere along the way, there creeps in a feeling among parents that despite their nurture and care, their child has not “come up to expectations”. Here it becomes imperative for parents to introspect and identify areas of concern before jumping to conclusions regarding the behavioural pattern… [ Continue Reading → ]

The Middle Child

Siblings have their own set of joys as well as unease. Especially if you have three children. The middle child somehow seems to be a little ill at ease – neither here nor there, as one would say. In her growing years and as a middle sibling, all she needs is understanding and words of… [ Continue Reading → ]

In Touch with Grandparents

In the olden days it was common for children to grow up surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings. Today we see many nuclear families living far away from other members of the family, primarily due to career considerations. Of all such relationships the most significant is the one of grandparents and grandchildren. While… [ Continue Reading → ]

How do you get your child to say happy goodbyes?

Monday morning, 9 am, time to get to work. As you hastily down a sandwich, your three-year-old daughter rushes toward you. You know what’s going to happen next. As you sit with her, talking to her about all the interesting things that she will do during the day, she lets out a scream and begins… [ Continue Reading → ]

Stories enrich our children’s lives

Stories are like a path taking your child to new places with surprises at every step – so novel and exciting it is. I believe stories sustain us in times of trouble and encourage us to think of solutions we would not envision otherwise. They enrich our children’s lives but unfortunately all of us don’t… [ Continue Reading → ]

Making Friends

Everyone needs friends; the world would be a sad place without them. However, the ability to make friends varies from child to child. To some children, making friends is easy, and to others it’s a tough call. It is a skill, and you have to encourage your child to develop this skill. For instance, if… [ Continue Reading → ]