For a healthy, happy child
N. KRISHNASWAMY
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A book that shows young parents the tell-tale signs of things going awry.
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Are You Unknowingly Harming Your Child?; Swati Popat Vats; Podar Education Group, price not mentioned.
In an age when life moves at a frenetic pace, especially, for young working couples who plan carefully before taking on the role of parenthood, a book such as Are You Unknowingly Harming Your Child? couldn’t have come at a more opportune moment. The author, educationist Swati Popat Vats, declares that it is meant for parents of children in the age group of 0-10 years. The vision and concept is that of Pavan Podar, trustee of the 80-year-old Poddar Education Group.
Communication problems
Although parenting may appear to be a natural role, it is made all the more problematic because the support system that existed some decades ago is no longer there. Families have gone nuclear, jobs are stressful and stretchable… The result: there’s very little time to care for the youngster.
While we are sensitive to the needs of the newborn infant, we appear benumbed during the growing years of the child. Such a child has a hundred languages to communicate in, different from language as we know it; these hinge on various needs “of communication, of questioning, of self-esteem and of trust”.
If young parents don’t pay attention, it is as though they are helping spawn maladjusted problematic children who may, in later years, turn out to be a burden to the society.
The book has 12 chapters and each dwells on parenting ideas that may sound very simple and very basic. Yet, it is this very simplicity which makes us ignore the tell-tale signs of things going awry. A child going to school on a near-empty stomach is incapable of any sustained mental activity. A “food pyramid” shows what a health-giving breakfast ought to be. Some sound advice on how to avoid colas, wafers, chocolates, packaged drinks and ready-to-eat packs is timely. Meal times should be adhered to, says the writer, and home-made food will go a long way in keeping the child healthy.
A parent should have a firm control over other timings too: lights-out, ensure a good night’s rest for the child. Lullabies, some pleasant music and reading bed-time stories are time-tested methods and can never go out of fashion. A chapter on toys advises the parent on what to buy and when to buy. Also explained in a simple, down-to-earth style is to tell us what happens when children are given a free-run in TV-watching. The role of play-school is discussed but with a warning that the choice of school is of paramount importance.
Not error-free
The book is printed on glossy paper and the cover is colourful and attractive. While the author uses language appropriate for a conversational mode, there are quite a few grammatical errors. Greater care should have been devoted to editing the mistakes. A sample: Eight or nine month’s babies (page 37); … so its o.k.? (page 9); No full-stops between sentences in the columns on page 47; One road that lead to your house (page 51); Maslow has listed down (page 63). The price of the book has not been mentioned. The verdict: Useful for young parents. Lexis is often too colloquial and editing leaves much to be desired.
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