Parenting Tips

OLD THINKING	NEW THINKING	ANOTHER APPROACH
Old-timers are sure: TV, as well as new-fangled gaming and web-surfi ng are all poor pastimes that spoil the eyes, make children inactive and anti-social, and fi ll their heads with nonsense.	Modern educators have argued these can all be used as instruments of learning. So, they cannot be all that bad.	Nope, the idiot box does not make a good babysitter. Fixed TV time with parental supervision is essential.
Rated content (TV, movies, even music videos) is rated for a reason—we never watched an adult movie until we were nudging 25!	Today, so-called mature content is everywhere you can not escape it. So you can not really protect children. Probably, it is not even necessary to protect children from such content. But yes, we do worry when she is out late.	Parental guidance is just that guidance!
Granny says stuffing the tots with milk-cream makes for bonny babies. No milk, no health.	Go easy on milk-cream. All saturated fats are bad for the heart and indeed, for all blood vessels.	That is an easy one: be a middle-of-the-roader!
Clean up your plate and eat whatever you are given, your mother always insisted.	Your sister says, leave the child alone. She will eat if she is hungry. Your sister-in-law asks why fuss when it is easier to just offer the child her favourites and get her to eat something?	No need to battle over meals.
Free play is the only play. How can you structure it?	Organised and scheduled activities make the most of the short time available, making it quality time.	Mix the two.
There has to be home tutoring if the child is to stay ahead in a competitive world. How else is she to have an edge over other children? How else can she come first?	New educational methods teach your children more efficiently - best to leave it to the school.	Leave teaching fundamentals to the experts. Make your role the cheerleader's, offering support and encouragement.
Mobile phones are for the super-busy and/or super-rich! Why should children be given fancy gadgets?	These days, with both parents working, children do not even see them when they get home, let alone at the school gate. And with so many extra-curriculars and evenings out with friends, how are we to keep tabs if the child is not given a mobile phone?	Notwithstanding peer pressure (Everyone has a phone, Mama!), call the conservative line.
Children's birthdays should be celebrated at home, and parties with cakes, candles and a guest list restricted to a small group amongst your social circle.	The child yells, "But Mama, everyone has their party at McDonald's/Pizza Hut/nearest theme park/club!" And if you can't book one, you must hire a farmhouse and set up a disco. Outsourcing is easy!	You first examine your own response to peer pressure!
Spas and gyms are places for adults, certainly not for children, and preferably not for teens.	What is the harm in 12-year-olds going to beauty parlours? They grow up faster these days. And if they are riding BMX bicycles and skateboarding surely, they can gym at 14 too?	Ask why they need to, before you decide what they need.
Two new sets of clothes a year are quite sufficient.	Now, all international brands are easily available, so I want to give my child the best.	Live by the rules you would have them value.