The Princess Syndrome

Parents have referred to their daughters as princess for times unknown and this “label” has been more or less accepted the world over without much thought. It was taken for granted that your daughter would inevitably be addressed as “your princess”. However, lately child psychologists have had a totally different take on this matter. Researchers feel calling a little girl a princess most of the time, eventually dominates her personality. It could even prove to be damaging in the long run.

Young children who are in the midst of exploring their individuality & developing their personality often get attached to such labels & carry it’s burden with them through their growing up years. 

Technically there is nothing wrong in being called a princess but the attributes that are associated with the term is what makes it burdensome. Some parents refer to the term as being laden with 'blatant sexism'. It basically portrays someone whose inner goodness has hardly ever been talked about. However the only characteristic of theirs that is highlighted is outwardly beautiful, does not work and waits for her “prince charming” when in trouble. "Princess culture encourages girls to be damsels in distress whose role it is to look good and wait for a handsome prince to swoop in, ‘save her’ and bring value to herself and her path," says Anea Bogue.

The point here is to not instill shallowness into your child’s consciousness, don’t make them someone they aren’t. Don’t let them appreciate ONLY the external beauty of human beings & overlook other important personality traits. Ensure they know the importance of choosing admirable qualities of others over trivial fancy titles. Celebrate your child’s positive distinctiveness & help them develop it further. 

Image Credit All of me now

Have you got a TaleInAMail Yet?

At one magical instant in your early childhood, the page of a book – that string of confused, alien ciphers – shivered into meaning. Words spoke to you, gave up their secrets; at that moment, whole universes opened. You became, irrevocably, a reader. - Alberto Manguel

Books... Books... Books. All parents love seeing their kids evolve as readers... but who will tells us...

Which Books do we choose?

How to read books?

What is age appropriate for my child?

I'm too busy, how can I make sure 

my child gets regular supply of books?

Till the time I understand what my child likes

s/he has already outgrown those books...

HELP.... 

Children Advertisements And Gender Stereotypes

This post 1st appeared on Parentous

Most of the topics I write about here are arrived at courtesy a heated discussion on my blog. Recently, something caught my attention and I started thinking and researching about it. Television is flooded with advertisement, whatever channel/program you watch you have to sit through loads of ads.

“QUICK” Weekend fun with kids

It’s a crazy-crazy world & we are all running against time-running to meet deadlines professionally, personally, socially, etc. Time is at a premium and we all feel awful for not being able to spend enough time with our loved ones. Here are a few quick family activities that take less than 3 hours of time, yet are extremely high up on the fun quotient. 

Bringing-up environmentally conscious children

How often have you engaged in a serious conversation with your child on topics pertaining to our environment? Don’t you think it is important in an environmentally degrading world to do our bit in conserving whatever little is left of nature? If yes, then what better way than to make the coming generation environmentally aware of their duties. However, this is not a one-time deal, parents need to constantly drill the idea of being ecologically friendly into their child’s ever-evolving brains. A few discussions coupled with some activities go a long way in changing your child’s perspective towards nature.

Here is a compilation of few activities that can help your child come close to nature.

Are Pets Good For Kids?

Have you been contemplating getting you & your little one a pet? Are you wondering if having a one will have a positive or negative influence on the child? Being on the fence & having to make a decision about something can be extremely stressful & we at Momsters know about it. If you are looking at doing a little research then you are at the right place today, Momsters puts down together a few pointers that will help you in making the decision.

Father Day Gifts-Top Picks

 

What Is A Dad?

A dad is someone who
wants to catch you before you fall
but instead picks you up,
brushes you off,
and lets you try again.
A dad is someone who
wants to keep you from making mistakes
but instead lets you find your own way,
even though his heart breaks in silence
when you get hurt.
A dad is someone who
holds you when you cry,
scolds you when you break the rules,
shines with pride when you succeed,
and has faith in you even when you fail...

Printable - Free Book Label (3 Different Themes)

School has started and a new session means new books/notebooks, new books mean covering them with brown paper and colorful labels... As a kid we always got excited about new books and new name labels. I remember, buying books and covering them was one of the best part of my schooling years.

Communicating With your Little One

This is a chapter from my life and this was 1st published in Parentous 

 

Does communicating with your child means just giving instructions, setting boundaries, telling them what is wrong and what they cannot/should not do? I think it is extremely important to strike a one to one communication with your child.

Yummy Summer Treats for Kids!

We know the mercury has been soaring & there isn't much respite from the heat in the coming months. Mommies worry about keeping their children hydrated as well as excited about the thirst-quenchers & heat-beaters that are offered to them.

Momsters found some exciting fun recipes online which are perfect for the summer. Your child will absolutely love them.

Momster's 25 Picks to Decorate your Child's Room

Designing Zoe’s perfect room has been in my top to-do-list for a long. Now that I’m on mission “Zoe’s room” I keep doing a lot of research about designing the perfect room for my little munchkin. That’s when I decided to share Momsters Top 25 products to Design your baby’s nursery.

Summer Care for your Child

The harsh Indian summer is here & most part of the country gets engulfed in terrible heat. Along with many other concerns, parents of little ones are also worried about how to take care of their child… how to keep them cool as well as safe from the scorching sun.

Choosing The Right Paediatrician

Like new mommies or mommies-to-be didn’t have enough on their minds, that the exercise of finding the right paediatrician for their precious little ones comes daunting in their faces. 

Looking for a doctor for your baby can be an anxiety inducing job. Momsters understands how difficult it is & therefore we have put together a few pointers that will make your HUNT a little easy. These tips come from our own personal experiences, tips from old-timers & some research. Here goes:

Help your Beginning Reader Read Better

At one magical instant in your early childhood, the page of a book – that string of confused, alien ciphers – shivered into meaning. Words spoke to you, gave up their secrets; at that moment, whole universes opened. You became, irrevocably, a reader. - Alberto Manguel

One of the proudest moments of a parent’s life got to be seeing their little one read independently. I can’t imagine how happy I will be when I see my little girl read. It will sure be a proud moment, but for kids this milestone is not very easy to achieve. Many kids get irritated when they don’t get things right. Though it is not advisable to force your child to read, they might get all the more irritated. There are a few things that parents can do. Before getting into a to-do list for parents, let me tell you what a beginning reader exactly is. Beginning readers are those who “rely on print more than illustrations to create meaning. They read a range of early-reader series, and recognize all alphabets and sounds. Your child still needs pictures on every page to help him/her read. Reads aloud without expressions and stops at difficult world.”

Picking Kid's Health Drink

Picky Eaters… it is not just a phrase, it gives parents nightmares. I have heard so many parents out there say “My kid doesn’t eat ANYTHING”. I know how it is; Zoe has been on a no-food diet forever. We all keep on worrying about the right diet, nutrition, et al. And when we see so many advertisements on Television, boosting “Just 2 glasses are enough for your child’s daily nutrition…" You have no option but believe what they claim. You start feeling happy that you are raising stronger, healthier, sharper, brighter kids. 

Health drinks are not at all necessary, if your child is an extremely fussy eater, then you might want to opt for one of the health drinks available. Dr. Rachna Sethi, a nutritionist says, “These health drinks like Horlicks, Complan, Bournvita, more than anything else have malt in it which gives taste and flavor to milk. Other than that, these drinks are fortified with minerals like iron and vitamin C which milk lacks hence these drinks do add to the nutrition.” Another renowned nutritionist Dr. Shweta Iyengar believes “Nutritional drinks are not indispensible; these are required today because kids have become fussy about what they eat and drink. If you think your child is not getting the required nutrition for his age, these options are necessary.”

Music and your Little One!

When we are really in a bad state of mind, music has the ability to make our mood better instantly. Children are no different… Infants and toddlers enjoy and benefit from music as much as adults do. Research suggests ‘Exposing young children to music for few years help improve their adult brain. Introducing some form of music in childhood goes a long way in improving how the brain functions in adulthood when it comes to listening and the complex processing of sound’ according to a new Northwestern University study.

Music tends to have a positive effect on children… their entire learning … like comprehension, expression, vocabulary, listening ability. Music also has an amazing effect on your child’s social and emotional development, besides others.

Kukucrate – “REVIEW“

 

All those who have been following Momsters know that we are very particular about engaging our kids in age-appropriate activities. Weekends give us all the more reason to indulge in some activity as a family that Zoe/Zefan will benefit from. Zoe loves colors and she loves helping her mom and dad in whatever craft activities we do. She does end up messing the project and herself up, but I strongly believe it’s all worth it.

When Charu Agarwal (the person behind Kukucrate) contacted Momsters to do a review for their product, I was super excited. Their boxes offer theme based, hands-on learning projects designed for kids between 3-8 years. Though Zoe is just 2.3 years old but I wanted to see her reaction, and boy… did she have fun or what. It was more work on her parents part and less on hers but she loved being with us, inspecting what we did. 

Compliments Your Kid Needs to Hear

When someone gives you an unexpected compliment, it can make your day. So, why not do the same for your kids?  Observe the little things they do every day and let them feel appreciated. Children do not need to be fussed over and over praised for doing simple things that should be done every day, or told they are geniuses for putting a Sippy cup in the sink. Children do, however, need to be encouraged—DAILY. They DO need a hug and a kiss every day. They need to feel that they are important. One of the ways you can do this is by complementing.

Now the question is do you know how to compliment your child? Strangely enough, many parents don’t. Here are some handy tips that will help you around it.  

No more monsters under the bed!

Help your child get over their fear of the dark!

 

I remember I used to be so scared of dark, now it does seem funny but back then I spent many sleepless nights fearing that ‘Boogeyman’ will come and eat me up. I am sure a lot of you have kids who are scared of the dark. 

Precious Moments captured by "TinyLove Photography"

Who does not love a beautifully captured photograph? And when it comes to capturing moments and preserving them as memories, we never miss an opportunity. I remember, my mom going click click all around the house behind us. The difference between now and back then is that, now we don't just have moms and dads clicking but professional photographers have stepped in. The result is amazing shots and beautiful memories. Momsters came to know about TinyLove Photography a few weeks back and we fell in love with what we saw.