The idea family picnics bring up in one’s mind is of an outdoor setting, a picnic basket filled with delicious homemade food and fond reminiscing about the old times. The kids are playing games while the adults while away an afternoon enjoying snacks. It’s a lovely scene. That is why everyone should plan a picnic every chance they get it. It’s such a healthy way to keep life interesting and keep connections together.

Courtesy Photobucket.

Picnics are a great activity, especially for families with children. They are inexpensive, fun and if we go somewhere such as the park, they can be full of physical activity such as football, soccer, playground romping or long relaxing walks. Bring food items that taste good at room temperature and skip items that don’t travel well. Regardless of where you go and even though it’s in the most casual of settings, it’s good to plan ahead so that you can enjoy good food and have some fun while you’re out. The destination is not as important as spending time together. It’s time to enjoy an informal meal outdoors, as a family, with space for little ones to scamper about without annoying anyone.

Picnics helps children to acquire many necessary life skills through play way method, if there are more than one family member; the kids play together, share their toys, chocolates and learn to interact with other people as well. Since all the members of the family are usually available during picnic, the kids feel comfortable and become more confident. Overall, the family picnic helps the children to develop good behavior and etiquettes. Kids become motivated for their studies and enjoy while playing in large open space.

Article written by Sachitra Kumar Chakravorty

Sachitra, a Psychotherapy and Counseling evangelist, has been involved in many educational initiatives by the government. He has been State Regional co-ordinator of Unified Council Hyderabad for National Science Talent Search Examinations. He is a visiting faculty at Institute for Psychotherapy and Management Science, Nagpur. He is an active contributor in Mind Plus and other net groups.

Some people are very important in a child’s life. Who are the important people in the lives of the children you care for? They usually include Mom, Dad, brothers, sisters, and grandparents. People who are important to children have a great affect on the development of self-esteem in the children. The overall happiness and success of children primarily depends on parents building self-confidence in their children, as having high self-esteem will have tremendous impact on a child’s success and independence as adults.

Patterns of self-esteem start very early in life. For example, a toddler who reaches a milestone experiences a sense of accomplishment that bolsters self-esteem. Learning to roll over after dozens of unsuccessful attempts teaches a baby a “can-do” attitude.

Children With High Self-Esteem Are Able To:

• They act independently
• They assume and perfectly know the responsibilities
• They know how to deal with their emotions
• They accept new challenges willingly
• They can handle problems efficiently

Kids with healthy self-esteem tend to enjoy interacting with others. They’re comfortable in social settings and enjoys group activities as well as independent pursuits. When challenges arise, they can work toward finding solutions and voice discontent without belittling themselves or others. For example, rather than saying, “I’m an idiot,” a child with healthy self-esteem says, “I don’t understand this.” They know their strengths and weaknesses, and accept them. A sense of optimism is always seen in these kids.

Children With Low Self-Esteem:

• They always feel unloved and unwanted
• Always blame others for their own mistakes
• Avoid taking on new challenges or tasks
• Put themselves down
• Discredit their own abilities
• Are easily influenced or manipulated by others

Kids with low self-esteem may not want to try new things, and may frequently speak negatively about themselves: “I’m stupid,” “I’ll never learn how to do this,” or “What’s the point? Nobody cares about me anyway.” They may exhibit a low tolerance for frustration, giving up easily or waiting for somebody else to take over. They tend to be overly critical of and easily disappointed in themselves. Kids with low self-esteem see temporary setbacks as permanent, intolerable conditions, and a sense of pessimism predominates.

17  Self-Esteem Activities For Children:

1. Help set the table with spoons, napkins, placemats
2. Help clear the table after meals
3. Wash the table after meals with a cloth or sponge
4. Carry in the newspaper
5. Pick up toys, clothes and shoes
6. Make their bed
7. Help carry in groceries
8. Help put groceries away
9. Help prepare dinner, wash vegetables, stirring
10. Wash kitchen counters
11. Make their own lunch
12. Sweep, dust or vacuum
13. Sort and fold laundry
14. Help with yard work
15. Help with gardening, plant flowers or vegetables
16. Feed and walk family pets
17. Help wash and clean the family car

How Parents Can Build Self-Esteem In Children:

Parents can help build self-esteem in children and teens, avoiding problems associated with low-esteem by focusing on giving praise and encouraging comments, as well as opportunities to discover and experience success.

If children show an interest in art or drawing, promote self-esteem by providing children with art supplies. Help children discover who they are, promote and encourage their interest in gardening, dance, reading, music, animals etc, and allow children to do for themselves what they are capable of doing safely. After-school sports or other after-school activities help build self-confidence and a spirit of teamwork, which are important character traits to be learned. Be loving and firm in giving children activities or chores, offer choices of chores to be done so they can learn how to make decisions, and learn consequences of decision-making.

By building healthy self-esteem in children and teens, parents help ensure their kids grow up to become independent, self-sufficient adults as opposed to children who grow up believing the world owes them everything they want.

Article written by Meghna Bhagwati

Meghna Bhagwati is a Psychologist and Child consulting counselor. Prior to it, Meghna was a Professor of Psychology at Amity University, Jaipur. She has been involved in child consulting and counseling and presented/attended various national & international seminars on Guiding and Counseling Psychology. She has a fair experience as a child psychologist in preventing, understanding, treating and diagnosing children’s problems such as behavioral problems, emotional problems, family problems, cognitive problems, developmental, and psychological problems.

What to Look for

Among all the dilemmas facing a parent of a child with emotional or behavioral problems, the first question-whether the child’s behavior is sufficiently different to require a comprehensive evaluation by professionals-may be the most troublesome of all. Even when a child exhibits negative behaviors, members of a family may not all agree on whether the behaviors are serious. For instance, children who have frequent, severe temper outbursts or who destroy toys may appear to have a serious problem to some parents, while others see the same behavior as asserting independence or showing leadership skills.

Every child faces emotional difficulties from time to time, as do adults. Feelings of sadness or loss and extremes of emotions are part of growing up. Conflicts between parents and children are also inevitable as children struggle from the “terrible two’ s” through adolescence to develop their own identities. These are normal changes in behavior due to growth and development. Such problems can be more common in times of change for the family – the death of a grandparent or family member, a new child. a move to the city. Generally, these kinds of problems tend to fade on their own or with limited visits to a counselor or other mental health professional as children adjust to the changes in their lives. At times, however, some children may develop inappropriate emotional and behavioral responses to situations in their lives that persist over time.

The realization that a child’s behavior needs professional attention can be painful or frightening to parents who have tried to support their child, or it may be accepted and internalized as a personal failure by the parent.

Many parents are afraid that their child may be inappropriately labeled, and point out that the array of diagnoses, medicines, and therapies have not been agreed upon by all specialists. Still others become alarmed after obtaining an assessment for their child only to discover that the evaluator believed emotional disturbances originate in family dynamics and that “parenting skills” classes were the best way to address the problem. While many parents will concede that they may need to learn new behavior management or communication techniques in order to provide a consistent and rewarding environment for their child, many also express deep anger about the blame that continues to be placed on families with children who behave differently.

Before seeking a formal mental health assessment, parents may have tried to help their child by talking to friends, relatives or the child’s school. They may try to discover whether others see the same problems, and to learn what others suggest they might try. Parents may feel that they also need help in learning better ways of supporting the child through difficult times, and may seek classes to help them sharpen behavior management skills or conflict resolution skills. Modifications in a child’s routine at home or school may help to establish whether some fine tuning” will improve performance or self-esteem. If the problems a child is experiencing are seen as fairly severe, and are unresponsive to interventions at school, in the community or at home, an assessment by a competent mental health professional is probably in order. Assessment will provide information which, when combined with what parents know, may lead to a diagnosis of an emotional or a behavioral disorder, and a recommended treatment program.

So when is that magical moment when parents should recognize their child’s behavior has surpassed the boundary of what all children do and has become sufficiently alarming to warrant a formal assessment? There probably isn’t one. It is often a gradual awareness that a child’s emotional or behavioral development just isn’t where it should be that sends most parents on a quest for answers.

Perhaps the most important question of all for parents of school age children to consider is, “How much distress is your child’s problems causing you, the child, or other members of the family?” If a child’s aggressive or argumentative behaviors, or sad or withdrawn behaviors are seen as a problem for a child or members of his or her family, then the child’ s behaviors are a problem that should be looked at, regardless of their severity.

While there is no substitute for parental knowledge, certain guidelines are also available to help families make the decision to seek an evaluation. In Help for Your Child, A Parents Guide to Mental Health Services, Sharon Brehm suggests three criteria to help in deciding whether a child’s behavior is normal or a sign that the youngster needs help:

• The Duration of a Troublesome Behavior – Does it just go on and on with no sign that the child is going to outgrow it and progress to a new stage?
• The Intensity of a Behavior - For instance, while temper tantrums are normal in almost all children, some tantrums could be so extreme that they are frightening to parents and suggest that some specific intervention might be necessary Parents should pay particular attention to behaviors such as feelings of despair or hopelessness; lack of interest in family, friends, school or other activities once considered enjoyable; or behaviors which are dangerous to the child or to others.
• The Age of the Child – While some behavior might be quite normal for a child of two, observation of other children of the youngster’s age may lead to the conclusion that the behavior in question is not quite right for a five year old. Not all children reach the same emotional milestones at the same age, but extreme deviations from age-appropriate behaviors may well be cause for concern.

Attempts at self-injury or threats of suicide, violent behaviors, or severe withdrawal that creates an inability to carry on normal routines must be regarded as emergencies for which parents should seek immediate attention, through a mental health or medical clinic, mental health hotline, or crisis center.

Parents will also want to consider whether their child’s behavior could be influenced by other factors:

• whether a specific physical condition (allergies, hearing problems, change in medication, etc.) could be affecting the behavior;
• whether school problems (relationships, learning problems) are creating additional stress;
• whether the adolescent or older teen might be experimenting with drug use or alcohol; or
• whether changes in the family (divorce, new child, death) have occurred which may be causing concern for the child.

Young Children

Special consideration needs to be given to identifying behaviors of concern in very young children. Their well-being is so connected with that of the family that services must be developed with and directed to the family as a unit. The goal in assessing and providing services to a young child should include helping families to articulate their own stresses and strengths. It is in the context of family that a child first explores his or her world and learns to adapt to the varied demands of families and the world at large.

Historically, many professionals have not been anxious to have a child “labeled and judged” at an early age. On the other hand, the earlier that parents and professionals can intervene in the life of a young child with delays in emotional and behavioral development, the better it is for both the child and the family. Early assessment and intervention requires that parents be involved in both giving and receiving information about their child’s development. Interviews with families and observations of their child to assess how well he or she communicates, plays, relates to peers and adults, and is able to self-regulate behavior is useful in deciding whether the child has a developmental problem that needs attention.

Most often, the first indications that an infant may be experiencing significant problems will be delays in normal development. An infant who is unresponsive to his or her environment (doesn’t show emotion such as pleasure or fear that is developmentally appropriate, doesn’t look at or reach for objects within reach or respond to environmental changes such as sound or light), who is over-responsive (easily startled, cries), or who shows weight loss or inadequate weight gain that is not explainable by a physical problem (failure to thrive), should have a thorough evaluation. If parents have questions about their child’s development, they should call their child’s pediatrician or family physician. Many doctors who include young children in their practice will have materials available for parents on normal childhood development.

Toddlers may have a tremendous range of behaviors that would be considered developmentally appropriate, depending on the child’s own history. However, any significant delays (six months or more) in language development, motor skills or cognitive development should be brought to the attention of the child’s pediatrician. Children who become engrossed in self-stimulating behavior to the exclusion of normal activities or who are self-abusive (head banging, biting, hitting), who do not form affectionate relationships with care providers such as baby-sitters or relatives, or who repeatedly hit, bite, kick or attempt to injure others should be seen by their pediatrician or family physician and, if indicated, by a competent mental health professional.

Especially with a first child, parents may feel uneasy, uncomfortable, or even foolish about seeking an evaluation for their very young child. While sorting out problems from developmental stages can be quite tricky with infants and toddlers, early identification and intervention can significantly reduce the effects of abnormal psychosocial development. Careful observation of infants and toddlers as they interact with caregivers, their family or their environment is one of the most useful tools that families or physicians have, since many mental health problems cannot be diagnosed in any other way.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires states to provide services for children from ages three through twenty-one who have disabilities, and established an Early Intervention State Grant Program (part H of the IDEA) to serve infants and toddlers from birth through the age of two. The law specifies that states who apply for and receive funds under Part H must provide a multi-disciplinary assessment of infants or toddlers who are experiencing significant delays in normal development, and identify services appropriate to meet any identified needs in a written Individual Family Services Plan (IFSP). As of this writing, all states are receiving funds to provide services to infants and toddlers. Parents who have questions related to preschool or early intervention programs should call their local school district offices or their state Department of Health or Human Services for guidance.

Cultural Considerations

Appropriate assessment of a child’s mental or emotional status is key to developing appropriate school or mental health services. For children who are cultural or racial minorities, parents will want to know how, or if, those differences will affect assessment results.

Tests, by their very nature, have been developed to discriminate. if everyone taking a test scored the same, then the test would be of no use. What’s important, though, is that tests discriminate only in those areas they were designed to measure – such as depression, anxiety, etc. – and not along measures such as cultural background, race, or value systems.

If the professional who is responsible for assessment is not of the same cultural background as the child, parents should feel free to ask what his or her experiences have been in cross-cultural assessment or treatment. Professionals who are sensitive to issues of bias related to language, socioeconomic status or culture in formal assessment tools should willingly share such information with parents.

One way of minimizing the effects of cultural bias in obtaining an appropriate diagnosis is to utilize a multidisciplinary approach to assessment involving persons from different backgrounds (teacher, therapist, parent, social worker) in completing the assessment. Several questions to consider are:

• Do the various professionals agree with one another?
• Did the professionals use family information about the child’s functioning at home and in the community to aid in making a diagnosis?
• Does the family believe the assessment is accurate?

When a multidisciplinary approach is not practical or available, the person providing the assessment should give a battery of tests to reduce the effects of bias in an individual test when making a determination that a child needs mental health services.

If children from specific ethnic or cultural groups appear to be over-represented in the program that has been selected or recommended for a child, parents should carefully examine the procedures for determining their child’s placement.

If parents decide that the placement decision was not influenced by racial or cultural bias, that perspective can increase confidence in the therapeutic program selected for their child.

Seeking Assessment

Once parents have decided that their child or adolescent has behaviors that deserve at least a look by a mental health professional, the question then becomes where to turn for an evaluation.

If the child is of school age, a first step could be to approach the school’s special education director and request an assessment by the school psychologist or teacher. If the family doesn’t want to involve the school at this point, there are several other places to turn for an evaluation.

A family doctor can rule out physical health issues and refer families to an appropriate child or adolescent psychologist or psychiatrist. Also, many hospitals and most community mental health centers offer comprehensive diagnostic and evaluation programs for children and adolescents.

Assessment can be costly, but there are some supports available for families. For instance, most insurance companies will cover all or a portion of the costs of an assessment or, Medical Assistance Medicaid) will cover costs for eligible families.

For Medicaid-eligible children, the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) Program provides preventive health care, including screening (assessment), diagnosis, and appropriate mental health services.

Under EPSDT, a screen is a comprehensive health evaluation, including the status of a child’s emotional health. A child is entitled to periodic screenings, or an interperiodic screening (between normal screening times) whenever a physical or emotional problem is suspected and is entitled to receive health services to address such problems from any provider (public or private) who is a Medicaid provider. Because of the numbers of changes being proposed in the Medicaid program at the time of this waiting, it is a good idea for parents to check with their state Medicaid office if they are concerned about services under the EPSDT program.

Other parents, particularly those in rural areas, may want to first approach their county’s public health nurse or mental health services director. Either may be able to direct them to an evaluation program available in their area.

Community mental health centers are also a good source of help, and can be less expensive than seeking out a private doctor or mental health professional. Parents will want to ask for professional staff with experience in evaluating the mental health needs of children if in doubt, ask for the credentials and expertise of the professional who is assigned to work with the child. Credentials should be offered and should be displayed in the professional’s workplace.

Article written by Dr Smita Pandey Bhat Dr Smita Pandey Bhat is a Counselor and Clinical Psychologist. She has completed her M.Phil and PhD in Clinical Psychology, from Central Institute of Psychiatry (C.I.P), Ranchi. She has seven years of experience in this field at different places. She provides psychological counseling, psychotherapies like, Supportive Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Social Skills Training, Assertiveness Training etc. as per the requirement of the people. She also provides assessments like Intelligence Tests and Personality Assessments for Children as well as Adults. Dr. Smita Pandey Bhat gave lectures on clinical psychology to nursing students and staff, as well as M.Phil students. She is a clinical psychologist of repute and has made appearances on several live television shows and appeared as Celebrity Guest on Indiatimes.

One big concern of ours as I’m sure most other parents also have was about sibling rivalry and particularly about the feelings of the older child when the younger one arrives. And of course you end up hearing advice galore about this subject from so many “experts” which starts off with some of the visitors who come to see the younger sibling at the hospital!

Here are some tips on this from our experiences -  some of it we were prepared for, but a lot of it came out of this incredible journey of being a parent all over again.

(Note: My daughter is the older one and son the younger so the genders in the narrative are according to that to avoid using “he/she” all over the place)

1. Pre-baby: Talk to your older sibling about how she was also once a tiny baby inside your belly, and about your experiences with your first baby being born and how it made you feel. Also explain about how you’ll need to be spending time in the hospital and maybe away from her to prepare her for the upcoming birth.

2. Anticipate the reactions: Don’t assume that your older sibling will be the best adjusted of children – assume the opposite! Starting from the time of delivery, involve the older child by keeping her with you as much as possible. This becomes difficult sometimes as in the case of a difficult or sudden onset of labour, but even if some time is lost initially you can make up for this later, by making a big deal of when she comes to meet the younger one, taking photos of “Older sister with baby” and giving her older sister gifts like printed t-shirts and so on.

3. Keep extra gifts/chocolates handy: A new baby in the house is when people come to visit and bring gifts for the baby. I was lucky to have a lot of sensitive family members and friends who brought something for my older one also, but obviously this is not very fair to expect out of everybody. So always keep some special chocolates or small gifts handy which go a long way in making the older child feel less left-out.

4. Involve older sibling in baby-time: The new baby may not know much about bonding yet, but the older one sure will feel left out if she is excluded from too many “baby” activities. Try to creatively arrange activities so that both are involved – even holding my daughter’s hand while I was feeding my younger baby made her feel so much happier that I wondered why it was not something I thought of immediately!

5. Avoid comparisons: Use the “older sister” card to make her feel proud and not as a sword over her head to make her behave better like “You’re the older one now – you can do a better job at this!”. Even if you try to keep away from comparisons, there will always be the “helpful” hints and observations from visitors or family like “See how well behaved he is! You used to cry like crazy when you were a baby” – this is comparing a 2 day old to a 3 year old!! Try to have a counter argument/reason ready at a time like this such as – “You were such an aware baby at this age! See how sleepy-eyed your brother is all the time!”.

6. There will be baby-times: Point 3 is good to do especially when you are home, but there will surely come times when you have to spend time alone with the baby like when you need to take him to the doctor and you don’t want the older one tagging along. At such times, the best thing to do is explain to the older one that it is important that you go to do this, but try to keep her engaged in an activity such as playing with her friends or watching a favourite TV program with a reliable babysitter or friend who could look after her. Make sure the person she is with makes a big deal out of her and doesn’t keep talking about baby brother.

7. Make time for discussions: Most important of all, you are the best judge of your child’s mood and make sure to talk to her sometimes about how she might be feeling. In my case my daughter was nearly 3 and very articulate, so I made sure to let her know that even though baby was tiny and needed me and sometimes everybody made a big deal out of him, she would always be my “first baby”!

I knew my job was nearly done, when I had the following conversation with my daughter a few days back:

D: Amma, who do you love more – me or S?

Me: Hmm.. Equally of course baby, both of you are my children isn’t it, remember you both came out of my tummy ?

D: Yes yes of course you love us the same because we are both your babies. But I was first!!

Me: Yes that’s right, you’re so special to me as you’re my first baby. But I still love both equally all right!

Postscript: Next article may have to be on how to make the younger sibling not feel less loved .

This article is writer by Aparna George, a mother of two beautiful children. SchoolSearch thanks her for this excellent article and believe that it will help thousands of parents out there.

MomBlog Special:

We at SchoolSearch encourage modern moms to share their parenting experience. With this column we are trying to help parents to learn from their peer parenting network. If you want to be featured on our next MomBlog Special Weekly, contact us at contact@schoolsearch.in

People who are your age, like your classmates, are called peers. When they try to influence how you act, to get you to do something, it’s called peer pressure. It’s something everyone has to deal with — even adults. Let’s talk about how to handle it.

Peer Pressure is two types; such as positive and negative peer pressure.

Negative peer pressure can cause great stress for young teens struggling to discover their individuality and gain independence from their parents. Some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that other kids might make fun of them if they don’t go along with the group. Others go along because they are curious to try something new that others are doing. The idea that “everyone’s doing it” can influence some kids to leave their better judgment, or their common sense, behind. Teach your child how to form positive relationships. Research shows that the pressure to use tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs comes most often from wanting to be accepted, wanting to belong, and wanting to be noticed. Help your child learn what qualities to look for in a friend, and advise him about what to say if offered harmful substances. Children who have difficulty making friends need your support to avoid being isolated or bullied.

Peer pressure isn’t always negative. Peers may pressure others into negative behaviors or away from positive behaviors, but can push in positive directions as well. Not all teens react to peer pressure in the same way. Gender and age are factors. For example, Younger teens are more easily influenced than older teens, with peer pressure peaking in about eighth or ninth class. Individual characteristics such as confidence level, personality and degree of maturity make a difference. Peer pressure varies according to the situation: being with one close friend, in the small group of friends, or seeing what the larger peer group is doing in school.

It is tough to be the only one who says “no” to peer pressure, but you can do it. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do. Inner strength and self-confidence can help you stand firm, walk away, and resist doing something when you know better. Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this. If you choose friends who don’t use drugs, cut class, smoke cigarettes, or lie to their parents, then you probably won’t do these things either, even if other kids do.

Even if you’re faced with peer pressure while you’re alone, there are still things you can do. You can simply stay away from peers who pressure you to do stuff you know is wrong. You can tell them “no” and walk away. Better yet, find other friends and classmates to pal around with. If you continue to face peer pressure and you’re finding it difficult to handle, talk to someone you trust. Don’t feel guilty if you’ve made a mistake or two. Talking to a parent, teacher, or school counselor can help you feel much better and prepare you for the next time you face peer pressure.

When communicating with your child about peer pressure, ask your child for his ideas and allow him the opportunity to tell you what his thoughts are on how he would handle specific situations. It is important that he knows you trust his judgment. Keep the lines of communication open and your child will be more likely to approach you to discuss challenges and concerns when you remain non-judgmental and respectful of his feelings.

Article written by Meghna Bhagwati

Meghna Bhagwati is a Psychologist and Child consulting counselor. Prior to it, Meghna was a Professor of Psychology at Amity University, Jaipur. She has been involved in child consulting and counseling and presented/attended various national & international seminars on Guiding and Counseling Psychology. She has a fair experience as a child psychologist in preventing, understanding, treating and diagnosing children problems such as behavioral problems, emotional problems, family problems, cognitive problems, developmental, and psychological problems.

There are so many professional streams we see and admire. We listen to Zakir Hussain, appreciate A R Rahman, we like Rohit Bal’s Designs, we are a fan of Boman Irani’s acting but did we ever think that these people are different and are not a common man, not a common Doctor, Engineer or a CA. There are umpteen number of fields and arena in which the growing kids can venture into if we as their parents/relatives let them to. We all agree that there needs to be more awareness, more information about such courses and fields.

I would like if Indian parents let the students free to chose their area of interest and let the students select their own career. A person can best perform when he is working on his interests, the work seems to be fun and if its fun it can be done 24 x 7. Let there be that extra edge of support with your child and see what difference he/she can create.

Below is an article from MSN. Spread it!!

10 offbeat courses after 12th standard

Here you are, at the crossroads. You have finished your 10+2, and are on a hunt for the course that best suits your taste and chances in the future. A good number of students choose Engineer, Medicine, Management or IT after their PUC. But there are other offbeat, yet interesting, courses too. Here is a collection of 10 of them. Check them out.

SchoolSearch Team

They haven’t taken a single breathe and their fate is decided. why..? why he needs to be a doctor and she an engineer?  because you couldn’t do that or you want a free medical checkup every day.

before coming to the world he has to compete with millions of sperms and this competing, struggling goes life long. Life is a race, if you don’t run fast you will get lost somewhere.

so this is the first step when parents  start making their grip on the child. this grips get stronger with the time.
parents decide the first school the kid gonna be. obviously he has to perform best in studies, extra curricular every thing after all he is my son…and if he doesn’t what would i say when my friends would discuss the brilliance of their kids.

now comes class 11. he has to decide what subject he gonna choose for further studies. Again a big confusion. he doesn’t like science, he is a failure in maths but he cant take humanities also , they are treated like beggars, science students are the hero. some how he  manages to get through with 11 and 12th with science. now what…?Another exam, to get into a good college he has to clear Pre Medical Test or Joint Entrance Exam. and people are in so hurry that they start preparing for these exams from class 11th only. after college if you want good salary then there is another exam..

this and that and this and that. he never gets time to think what he is doing and why he is doing. he does it as his friends are doing or his parents are forcing him to do that,  may be because his elder brother is already an engineer or because of financial problems.one exam doesn’t gets over and another is in pipeline. there is no place of learning here. exams and marks and then again exams. the whole idea of learning has been belittled by exams.

once he gets over with these exam things some how then the marriage. after marriage here comes the kids. the small kid who was just trying to escape from the formalities, responsibilities of the life has now become the father of a child. the new born child also will not be able to escape from the grips of the life and cycle goes on…
he tries to escape but life doesn’t let him escape..

Nishant-VMV64C5YA5W8

School Search Team

http://www.schoolsearch.in

What is learning diability

Our brain is very powerful. It can do lot of multitasking. reading magazines, reading while listening music, recognizing some one after seeing him,  writing after memorizing things, imagineing while thinking. for me , for you it is quite easy, we dont even think about these activities as these are pretty normal but each one of them require a hell lot of processing in our brain. and if some one’s brain is little less functional he might have difficulties in reaidng or in writing.

it’s no wonder things can get messed up sometimes. Take the simple act of looking at a picture, for example: Our brains not only have to form the lines into an image, they also have to recognize what the image stands for, relate that image to other facts stored in our memories, and then store this new information. It’s the same thing with speech – we have to recognize the words, interpret the meaning, and figure out the significance of the statement to us. Many of these activities take place in separate parts of the brain, and it’s up to our minds to link them all together.

but still why neha..?she is not alone. Nearly four million school-age children and teens have learning disabilities, and at least 20% of them have a type of disorder that makes it difficult to focus. but still why..?

An analogy to better understand learning diability-

faulty wiring in the brain disrupts normal lines of communication and makes it difficult to process information easily. If service was down in a certain area of the city the phone company might fix the problem by re–wiring the connections. Similarly, under the right learning conditions, the brain has the ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. Those new connections facilitate skills like reading and writing that had been difficult using the old connections

- brain development-

as I said brain plays an important role. problems such as low birth weight, lack of oxygen, premature birth may cause brain to remain less developed.  head injuries might also cause disabilities.

- Genetic reasons-

Researchers are debating that hereditary plays a role in disabilities or not but still they have figured out cases where kids with disabled parents were also suffering from those disabilities.

Environmental factors

poor nutritions, environmental toxins may also be responsibe.

It is a hurdle definitely but not a full stop. learning disabilities can be coped with. Walt Disney, Alexander Graham Bell, and Winston Churchill all had learning disabilities.

Signs of learning disability-

You can’t tell by looking that a person has a learning disability, which can make it hard to diagnose. Learning disabilities typically first show up when a person has difficulty speaking, reading, writing, figuring out a math problem, communicating with a parent, or paying attention in class. Some kids’ learning disabilities are diagnosed in grade school when a parent or a teacher notices a kid can’t follow directions for a game or is struggling to do work he or she should be able to do easily. some times  kids develop sophisticated ways of covering up their learning issues like they write in such way which is hard to read for others. they try to hide the fact that they cant recognize what is written on black board. so learning disabilities don’t show up until the teen years when schoolwork – and life – gets more complicated.

the most common symtomp may be the difference in the efforts put by kids and their performance in school. if they are trying hard still  not able to make it, they might  be suffering from learning disablity.

What to do ?

What to do once you know your kid is having the problem.?? go to school, talk to his teachers, his friends , meet doctor and be sure about the problem.  remember it is ultimately the brain who has got some wiring problems which could be repaired. You definitely need to put more efforts but you can get success. the way you behave and what you do has the most impact on your child’s chances of success. Everyone faces obstacles and the most important thing you can show your child, apart from your consistent love and support, is how to deal with obstacles. A good attitude won’t solve the problem, but it can give your child hope and confidence that things can improve.

keep a tract of new learning techniques, different educational programs. try consulting teachers , doctors and therapists to geta better inside of problem. You may have to speak up time and time again to get special help for your child. Embrace your role as a proactive parent and work on your communication skills. It may be frustrating at times, but your calm, reasonable and firm voice may make the difference in achieving what you want for your child.

Will try to cover up types of learning disabilities in my next post..