Man, or to be more gender neutral, the human being, is by nature a social animal. This isn't something which is taught to us, nor is it necessarily the result of extensive interaction on account of the huge numbers which represent our populace, although that might play some part in the whole process. What I am talking about is the fact, that even when we are all grown up, and free to make our own lifestyle choices, a very small percentage of us actually go the hermit route.  We have a small body of kids who come to our day care and preschool. And most of them have friends there, other humans who are closer to them in age, and who are all going through the same development landmarks. I think the same happens to us as we grow older too. We are much more comfortable in being around other people with whom we have something in common, only we add a level of complexity like matching hobbies, likes and dislikes, political opinions and so on. However, the last 4-5 weeks have taught...

Parenting is a wonderful journey. It is also one of the biggest learning experiences in life. And while everyone has their own journey, and their own learning curve, it never hurts to draw on from other people's experiences.  In light of that, we would like to share some parenting tips, based on our own journey and experience, based on various studies, and probably a lot of learning which have been carried through generations before us- instinctive, yet never given a name 1. In today's times of high stress levels and fewer people around kids, being emotionally intelligent is extremely important What is emotional intelligence? - Managing your emotions and working your way around them In the first four years of their lives, maximum brain development takes place, so it is important to get the basics of emotional intelligence in place. - Each child is different and so is the parenting style - If your child thinks before reacting- is not impulsive- then you are ...

This article came in HT City today, 5 April 2020. It was at least there in the Gurugram version, so I assume it must have been there in the Delhi version too. Not too sure of the national reach. Though of course, most of these terms have international reach, courtesy our wonderful social media, which let’s face it, is probably the major reason for both maintaining our sanity, and at times not. These terms are soon going to be part of our fancy dictionaries, i.e., as soon as publication of dictionaries resumes. Hmm, maybe I should check if the web versions, if they exist already have incorporated these. It’s funny, with the increased use of Google for searching the most basic of things, I have no idea how frequently Oxford or Websters update their lexicons, or whether with everything going digital, they even have a web version of their wonderful dictionaries. I only remember the various ones we had at home or carried to school, all in different sizes. Anyway, I digress. The ...

I know, you read the title here, and warning bells start ringing around you. Me too. It’s how most of us are accustomed to reacting whenever we have anything to do with mental health. But you know what, that’s not how things are supposed to be. What we are only talking about here is basic stuff to begin with- our mood, our thoughts, especially now in these difficult times. Focus on yourself first-how differently are you feeling now as compared to “normal times”? sometimes good, when you think about all the good which this lockdown has brought- family time, good and clean air to breathe in, not getting stuck in traffic etc. The funny- the weird poses we all seem to take in trying to do jhadu pocha, me or my sister trying to do some kitchen work which we have never done before, with some pretty funny results (like parathas in all sorts of shapes and sizes). And then the bad- no maids, having to do all household chores yourself (or with your partner, but in any case chores you are ...