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Kapalbhati Pranayama - Benefits, How to Do It, and Precautions
Yoga originated in ancient India and has been a part of our culture since then. It is a set of physical, spiritual, and mental exercises that are practised for our well-being. It has now become popular as a form of physical exercise in the west, too. Yoga reduces stress and promotes good physical health and mental well-being. Kapalbhati Pranayam or Pranayama is a popular yoga asana. Read on to know all about it.
What is Kapalbhati Pranayama?
Kapalbhati Pranayam is a type of breathing exercise which promotes overall well-being and good health. ‘Kapalbhati’ means ‘shining forehead’ in Sanskrit and ‘Pranayam’ means ‘breathing exercise’. It is named so because practising Kapalbhati is said to improve mental health and intellect. It is a yoga technique where you sit in a particular pose and do breathing exercises.
Types of Kapalbhati Pranayama
There are 3 types of Kapalbhati Pranayam:
1. Vatakrama
In this type of Kapalbhati Pranayama, we sit cross-legged on the floor and breathe. In this form of Pranayama, your inhalation should be passive and exhalation active.
2. Vyutkrama
In this Kapalbhati technique, you need to sniff in water in through your nostrils, let it go into your mouth and then spit it out.
3. Sheetkrama
This Kapalbhati technique is the opposite of the Vyutkrama. You take water in through your mouth and expel it via your nostrils.
Amazing Benefits of Practising Kapalbhati Pranayama
Kapalbhati has numerous benefits for your body and mind. Some of them are as follows:
Practising Kapalbhati Pranayama can soothe your eyes and remove dark circles under your eyes.
It de-stresses you and brightens your mind.
It gets rid of heartburn, acidity, and gas.
It increases the capacity of your lungs and makes them strong.
Improves concentration and memory.
It can cure asthma and wheezing.
It alleviates sinusitis.
It stops hair loss and prevents premature greying of hair.
It prevents depression and boosts production of endorphins, making you feel positive.
It improves the health of your skin and gives you a radiant glow.
This yoga asana helps improves blood circulation.
It aids in digestion.
Practising this asana is known to improve the metabolic rate of the body, thus helping in weight-loss.
It removes toxins and wastes from your body by generating heat and dissolving them.
This yoga asana can also improve the functioning of your kidneys and liver.
It lowers blood sugar by stimulating the pancreas.
It strengthens bones by causing an increase in your body’s calcium levels.
It can cure uterine fibroids.
It Increases your body’s energy level.
It can cure acne and treat varicose veins.
It slows down your body’s ageing process.
Practising this yoga asana can also cure insomnia.
It can regularise women’s menstrual cycles and prevent menstrual cramps.
1. Benefits for Health
Kapalbhati has numerous health benefits and can remedy various ailments.
The benefits for Kapalbhati for diabetes include lowering of blood sugar by stimulating the pancreas to produce sufficient insulin and reduction of stress, which is a significant barrier to effective blood sugar control.
The benefits of Kapalbhati for weight loss include reducing abdominal fat, toning abdominal muscles, and increasing core abdominal strength. Kapalbhati thus helps in fighting obesity.
Practising Kapalbhati regularly can also provide relief from constipation. This is a problem for many people across all age groups. Bad eating habits, not staying hydrated, and other health conditions cause constipation. Practising Kapalbhati can alleviate constipation and doing this for 3 to 5 minutes every day can remedy constipation within one week.
Kapalbhati Pranayama can improve your immune system and your ability to fight disease-causing microbes.
2. Benefits for Brain/Mind
The benefits of Kapalbhati for the brain and mind include:
It can help stimulate your nerves, energise your brain, and de-clutter your mind.
Kapalbhati Pranayama can calm your mind and provide you with a sense of balance.
It can also improve your memory and help you concentrate better.
3. Benefits for Skin
The benefits of Kapalbhati for skin include:
It can prevent and even cure acne if done correctly.
It can help in eliminating toxins from the body and slow ageing.
It can clear clogged skin pores, thus clarifying the skin and giving your face a luminous glow.
4. Benefits for Hair
The benefits of Kapalbhati breathing for healthy hair are:
It prevents hair loss by increasing the blood flow to the scalp and strengthening the hair roots.
Kapalbhati exercise also prevents premature greying of hair.
How to Do Kapalbhati Pranayama
Kapalbhati is really simple to learn and practice. Any certified yoga expert can teach you how to practice this breathing technique. The steps to do Kapalbhati pranayama are as follows:
1. Posture
Sit cross-legged on the floor. Place your hands on your knees with your palms facing upwards. Now fold your index fingers of both the hands such that their tips touch the tips of your thumbs.
2. Inhale
Inhale deeply and calmly with both nostrils the until your lungs are filled with air. Focus on your abdominal region while doing this.
3. Exhale
Pull in your stomach such that you bring your navel as close as possible to your spine. You can place your right hand on your abdomen to feel the muscles contracting. Now relax from this contraction and exhale rapidly and forcefully in a short burst and follow this up with an automatic, immediate inhalation. As you release your abdomen, you will be able to feel your lungs filling up with air.
4. Repeat and Meditate
Repeat this breathing exercise 20 times. Rest for a while after this in the same pose and meditate silently. You can do another round after resting for five to ten minutes.
Side Effects of Doing Kapalbhati
Although Kapalbhati has many benefits, it can have certain side effects too in some people, and therefore, you should consult a yoga expert and your doctor before performing Kapalbhati. Some of the side effects that may be caused by Kapalbhati are:
It can cause a hernia and high blood pressure.
It can make you nauseated.
You may have a headache after doing this Pranayama.
It may make your mouth to become dry.
It may cause increased salivation and sweating.
What Precautions Should Be Taken while Doing Kapalbhati Pranayama?
Kapalbhati pranayama rejuvenates and heals both the body and mind. This breathing exercise has the power to cure several ailments. However, this yoga technique should be practised with care, and there are several precautions that you must take while doing Kapalbhati:
If you are a beginner and are aged 40 or above, you must do one exhalation stroke per second when performing Kapalbhati pranayama. Younger people can do two exhalation strokes per second. If you have been doing Kapalbhati for at least a year, and are younger than 40, you can attempt more than two strokes per second.
It is ideal to practice Kapalbhati early in the morning on an empty stomach.
Do not attempt Kapalbhati without learning how it is done. First get a health check-up done to ensure that you are fit enough to practice Kapalbhati. After you get the go-ahead from your doctor, learn the technique from a certified yoga expert and practitioner.
Avoid doing Kapalbhati if you have your menstrual period. Pregnant women should also avoid doing Kapalbhati as forcefully contracting the abdominal muscles can harm the unborn baby.
If you suffer from heart diseases, exhale really slow.
People who have high blood pressure should not increase their rate of Kapalbhati. Stick with a lower rate, like one stroke per second.
Kapalbhati may aggravate ulcers. So if you have ulcers, be careful while practising the technique and check with your doctor as well as your yoga teacher whether it is safe for you.
If you have a slipped disc, you should not do Kapalbhati. People who have stents placed in their blood vessels should also avoid doing Kapalbhati pranayama.
People suffering from respiratory problems like asthma, wheezing or bronchitis should be careful while doing the breathing exercises.
Before practising Kapalbhati, you should learn basic pranayama techniques and become proficient in them. This is because Kapalbhati is an advanced pranayama technique and trying this without proper knowledge can do more harm than good.
FAQ's
Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about Kapalbhati Pranayam:
1. Can I Practice Kapalbhati Pranayama Before or After a Run?
Yes, Kapalbhati Pranayama can be practised both before and after a run. However, the best time to practice this yogic technique is on an empty stomach early in the morning.
2. Is it Okay to Eat Immediately After Doing Kapalbhati Pranayama?
You should wait for at least half an hour after a Kapalbhati Pranayama session before you eat food. Kapalbhati uses the breathing techniques to generate energy in your body, and eating immediately after this will cause that energy to get used up for digesting the food that you consumed.
Kapalbhati Pranayama is rapidly becoming well-known as the yoga technique to alleviate numerous ailments and bestow excellent physical and mental health. It is simple, easy to learn, and does not require too much time or any equipment to practice. So go ahead and try Kapalbhati Pranayama for your physical and mental well-being. Make sure you check with both your doctor and your yoga teacher before starting Kapalbhati if you have any health conditions.
Also Read: How to Improve Digestion Through Yoga Read more
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Top 10 Maths Apps for Kids
In today's times, various educational apps have become popular which foster fun-filled learning practices and experiences with numbers for kids. Parents can make their kid’s screen time count through these educational and interactive apps. They can stimulate their child’s curiosity to know and learn different maths skills. Moreover, these apps have dashboard features that let teachers and parents track the child’s progress over time.
Parents need to provide their kids with only age-appropriate apps with suitable content which correspond with the child’s mental and physical abilities to facilitate the best possible learning and education.
How Will Maths Apps Help Your Child?
Maths apps may help your child in the following ways:
Mathematics apps can be a great way to trigger a liking towards maths in your kid. The main objective of these maths apps is to make learning maths appealing and engaging for the young minds.
The fun apps may prove helpful in both reinforcing and practising the basic concepts of maths like addition, subtraction, division and multiplication and also testing a child’s accuracy and speed in them.
They suggest techniques which may assist children to understand the various concepts and skills of maths like counting, solving fractions easily and quickly.
They teach strategies which may not only build a kid’s number sense but also can help enhance his estimation and concentration skills which may enable him to crack maths problems faster.
Kids who are not fond of studying maths may mainly benefit from these apps as they may get to sharpen their arithmetic skills while playing maths games without even realising it.
Most of these learning apps are adaptive meaning they can adjust the difficulty levels according to the requirements and abilities of the individual.
Many educators may express their reservations regarding the use of these apps. But supporters usually highlight the expected benefits like increased confidence in kids to deal with difficult mathematical problems.
Best Mathematics Apps for Children
Some of the useful math learning apps for kids can be:
1. Monkey Preschool Lunch
This animated maths game may provide your kid with the right encouragement for productive learning.
Key Features
It has six interesting math games like matching, pattern recognition, counting, puzzles and even recognising shapes and colours.
It is a kid user-friendly app wherein kids can easily navigate their way through its different features.
The kids get cartoon stickers for all the correct answers which may keep them glued to the game.
Age Group: 2 to 5 years old
Ratings: 4.0
Platform: iPad, iPhone, Android
Price: About Rs 140
2. Hungry Caterpillar
This exciting counting app may strengthen the counting skills of your kid through a world full of nature and art.
Key Features
The app is colourful and enables kids to explore nature and learn positive things like watering the plants, taking care of animals.
It teaches basic counting by ones. It later advances to other concepts like skip counting by 2, 5 and 10.
Your kid may enjoy earning the right answers which help the caterpillar turn into an attractive butterfly in the end.
Age Group: 3 to 6 years old
Ratings: 4.2
Platform: Android
Price: About Rs 130
3. Maths Games - Maths Tricks
This fun app may give a chance to your kid to play and practise different math skills without getting bored.
Key Features
This app has different mathematical games for practising addition, subtraction, division and multiplication tables.
The app has different play modes which promote learning and playing through practice games and quiz.
Age Group: 9 to 12 years
Ratings: 4.3
Platform: Android
Price: About Rs 150
4. Splash Maths
This simple app may keep your kid gainfully occupied for hours.
Key Features
The app has different difficulty levels like one figure multiplication, one and two figure subtraction and addition, division which help kids train in mental maths.
Kids throw vegetables and fruits at a target board. Every right answer fetches them points which gets them nearer to the bull's eye.
For an extra challenge, the kid may encounter random difficulty at every throw.
The game has no ads and does not need special permissions when downloading on the phone or tablet.
Age Group: 5 to 12 years old
Ratings: 3.7
Platform: Android, iPhone
Price: Free
5. Prodigy Maths Game
This engaging app is kids math free app which may aid your child to master arithmetic concepts and skills at his own pace.
Key Features
This app has educational content in alignment with main curricula like Ontario, MAFS, TEKS, Common Core.
It provides an automatic assessment of kids with real-time reporting which may help in keeping a constant check on the student progress.
The app had inbuilt diagnostic, formative and summative assessments to identify the trouble spots of students and accordingly grade them.
Age Group: 6 to 12 years old
Ratings: 4.7
Platform: iPhone, Android
Price: Free
6. Reflex Math for Kids
This cool educational app can be best math apps for kids android as it may help develop arithmetic skills effortlessly through elementary maths drill.
Key Features
This app has a very adaptive environment which keeps adjusting to nurture optimum learning experience for students.
The app includes fun maths games and easy math drill practice which may promote a kid’s quick reflex training.
Age Group: 3 to 8 years old
Ratings: 3.8
Platform: Android
Price: Free
7. Sumdog
Kids may have a great time learning maths through the app’s new 3D games.
Key Features
Kids can enjoy many features like turning the background music on and off, Nanometer to find out the level they have reached.
The 3d games with amazing graphics may make for an extremely entertaining experience.
Age Group: 6 to 12 years of age
Ratings: 4.4
Platform: iPhone, Android
Price: About Rs 250
8. Doodlemaths
This amazing app may accelerate your kid’s learning of math concepts through personalised practice sessions.
Key Features
The app’s curriculum-aligned program can adjust to suit the needs of a student and cater to his strengths and weaknesses.
The app has an adaptive, intelligent algorithm which challenges kids through fun games and questions.
Age Group: 4 to 14 years old
Ratings: 4.2
Platform: Android, iPhone
Price: About Rs 160
9. Wee Kid Maths
Your kid may become fond of this app because of its entertainment value and attractive designs.
Key Features
This app contains interactive math games with wonderful sound effects.
It offers different levels of games to accommodate beginners as well as advanced games for division and algebra.
Age Group: 5 to 8 years old
Ratings: 4.1
Platform: iPhone, Android
Price: About Rs 130
10. Kids Academy: Talented & Gifted
This app may increase your kids’ confidence in maths through stimulating gameplay.
Key Features
This app offers a variety of topic-related videos, games, worksheets and a personalised learning plan to guide, track and report your child’s progress.
This app uses animated flashcards, puzzles, memory games to develop several maths skills.
Age Group: 3 to 5 years old
Ratings: 4.9
Platform: iPhone, Android
Price: About Rs 270
Disclaimer: All the apps are suggested on the bases of popularity, key features and ratings and have not been tested by the experts.
Educating through play way method may be the best approach parents can adopt to promote their child’s learning. Technology today like the iPad, Android tablets support numerous interactive apps which may boost simpler and better understanding and learning. The different apps focus on introducing children to new concepts as well as allowing them to practice, improve and advance.
With regular practice, your child’s reasoning and problem-solving skills will enhance. Your child may even develop a liking for this subject. And if he is already showing a liking, then he maybe a logic smart-oriented kid. To work on his other ‘smarts’, get him FirstCry Intellikit - active learning for little ones.
Also Read: Benefits of Abacus for Kids Read more
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9 Foods to Avoid If You Want Clear and Glowing Skin
Our skin is the reflection of our soul. When we are happy and healthy from within, our skin radiates that warmth. However, when we are feeling low and ill, our skin is among the first to be affected and show warning signs! Eating the right foods and staying away from harmful foods is one effective way to ensure your skin always looks clear and glowing.
There are some common foods many of us consume on a day-to-basis without understanding how harmful they can be. While their consequences may not be visible immediately, they do persistent and continuous damage in the long run.
What Not to Eat for Glowing Skin
Please avoid eating these skin-unfriendly foods, as far as possible, and incorporate the alternatives to keep your skin beautiful and youthful.
1. Juice
Not the first thing that strikes you when it comes to foods that are bad for the skin, right? Juice seems healthy and wholesome as a food. However, this is true only when you are consuming freshly made juice from whole fruits. Packaged juice can be infused with too much sugar and also lacks the natural fibres found in whole fruits. Consuming too much sugar directly increases your acne risk!
Drink this instead: Banana, Oatmeal & Flaxseed Smoothie
2. Cow’s Milk Cheese
Cheese adds its own unique, yummy flavour to regular foods, which is why many of us have a weakness for cheesy sandwiches and spreads. However, cheese made of cow’s milk can also be a trigger for skin problems such as acne! This is because cow’s milk cheese is naturally infused with hormones from lactating cows, which can lead to hormone-induced acne. This is particularly so if you already have acne-prone skin or a history of lactose allergy in the family.
Eat this instead: Cashew cheese – it has no lactose and hence no risk of triggering skin problems. Plus, it can be used exactly like your regular cheese.
3. Canned Soup
Packaged soup – in powdered form or in cans – has made things so much easier for busy moms. Just heat them up and you have a warm, calming meal at hand. However, please be warned: canned soup is full of sodium and bisphenol – things that make your skin retain water and look bloated and dry. Canned soup can also cause problems with hormones which is the top cause of skin-related issues.
4. Coffee
We know this is going to be difficult, but it might be best to limit coffee whenever possible. Caffeine is a diuretic and this causes your body to lose water. The final result is that your skin seems dehydrated. In the long run, and with increasing amount of consumption, the overall texture and health of your skin gets affected.
Drink this instead: Green Tea (or one of these other 5 types of tea)
5. High-Carbs Chips
This one is not really a surprise – that bag of carb-rich, greasy chips many of us love indulging in as a snack is not really healthy. But we don’t mean just physical health or cholesterol-related problems but also skin health. Chips made of processed carbohydrates turn to sugar in the body, and this causes a spike in your insulin levels. As per experts, more insulin means you have a greater acne risk!
Not just that, such chips are usually made with pro-inflammatory oils such as canola oil or vegetable oils. These oils have a direct relation to triggering acne.
Eat this instead: Baked Sweet Potato Fries
6. Grilled Meat
If you are a non-vegetarian, you probably love grilled meat. It tastes amazing and makes for a good change from regularly prepared meat in the kadhai or cooker. However, please keep this in mind: when meat is grilled for too long, it can creates AGE’s (Advanced Glycation End). These products can be harmful for the skin and make it appear older. You know a piece of meat could have AGE’s if it has a blackened finish.
Eat this instead: Italian Meat Balls
7. Cold Drinks / Soda
Come summer and our intake of refreshing soft drinks goes through the roof! But if you have noticed more skin problems lately, even though you are eating healthy, it could be these sodas and cold drinks that are the culprits. Soda is full of sugar and artificial chemicals – things that produce inflammation inside the body. Plus, it also interferes with the healthy bacteria found in your gut. In fact, experts say that if you are fighting with skin issues such like acne, it is a direct evidence of imbalance in your gut bacteria.
Eat this instead: Gut-friendly foods such as Saffron Yoghurt Fruit Trifle
8. Shellfish
While the Omega 3 present in most fish can do wonders for your skin, shellfish tend to have an opposite effect. Prawns, lobsters and crabs contain high levels of iodine which can lead to clogged pores causing acne.
Have this instead: Honey Mustard Sesame Sole Fish
9. Alcohol
Finally, if you enjoy having a hard drink from time to time, understand that alcohol is actually one of the worst foods for your skin. This is because alcohol dehydrates the body, eventually drying out your skin and making it look dull and worn out. While a glass of wine from time to time won’t have a severe negative consequence on the skin, drinking in excess will affect your skin quality.
Drink this instead: Mango and Passion Fruit Mocktail
Did You Know: These Foods are Considered ‘Healthy’ But are Secretly Damaging Your Skin
Everyone is in the race to hit the gym, eat diet food and get ‘healthy’. However, these foods that you think are super healthy for you, can actually be causing some underlying damage to your skin.
1. Low-Fat Foods
Not all fat is bad for you or your skin! When fat is removed from any food, manufacturers tend to add some ‘flavour’ to up the taste or the appeal of the product, and most times that involves sodium or sugar. In a nutshell, low-fat can potentially mean ‘high-sugar’! Sugar is known to negatively impact collagen fibres and leaves them incapable of repairing themselves. Always opt for good fat like avocados or nuts. They are tasty too!
2. Skim Milk
In a study conducted on over 70 thousand nurses in the USA, it was found that those women who drank skim milk as teenagers had higher rates of acne breakouts than those who didn’t. Effects of skim milk are no different. Not only does skim milk contain lactose, but also hormones and bioactive molecules that tend to adverse skin conditions. Switch skim milk with almond milk instead.
3. Healthy Breakfast Cereal
While whole grains are overall slightly lower on the glycemic index (a measure of how a food affects the overall blood sugar level), many breakfast cereals that claim to be healthy are highly refined and full of added sugar. This leads to wrinkle-inducing glucose spikes. Choose eggs or homemade oatmeal as they are relatively healthy.
Always remember what is healthy – and what is not – for your skin’s quality and we assure you will have glowing skin throughout your life! Read more
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My story about breastfeeding and the challenges faced by me
My story about breastfeeding and the challenges faced by me
I always feel excited when someone asks about my experience as a new mother and the beautiful journey of breastfeeding. I still remember the day my angel came in my arms and my gynaecologist advised to breastfeed him for the first time. With sceptical thoughts in my mind as I was surrounded by doctors who helped me deliver baby S were right next to me. Luckily baby S latched well and things seemed perfect except for the little discomfort that came along with this experience.
Initially all seemed perfect however after a few days the sore nipples, sleepless nights and harmonal imbalance took a toll on my health. Luckily my husband gained knowledge about this journey of a new mother and the challenges faced by me. He instantly suggested to express breastfeed so that he too can bottle feed our baby S when I take rest.
This is a phase when a new mother should never try to be perfect as you are still learning and help is always just a call away. Breastfeeding is a journey that can be made beautiful with support of family members and support of husband. It's not a role restricted to a mother however fathers too can be equally supportive.
Disclaimer: This is just a way to express my feelings and experiences. The thoughts may differ from an individual to individual which is perfectly normal. However the only intent of writing this blog was to make newp parents aware that now the myths of breastfeeding being called just a mother's job can be set aside and both parents can equally be a part of this journey. The benefits of breastfeeding are known by all however the challenges are often faced by the mothers alone. The bonding journey between a mother and a baby can often be stressful too and with proper support it makes it a memorable experience. Read more
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9 Ways to Raise a Kinder Child
“Kids will be kids” is something adults say when they see their children being irresponsible, mischievous, or sulking around for a toy. The truth, actually, is that kids will turn out to be exactly how we raise them! We often look out for our child’s happiness – her education, her health, her career. Most parents are so consumed by their child’s academic performance that they tend to overlook the emotional aspect of her development.
You might pat your child on the back when she gets a good grade. But what if she tells you that she shared her food with a friend? Or that she gave away her fancy stationery to someone who wanted to have it? Be honest when you imagine this; your first reaction is probably close to –“Why didn’t you eat it yourself, or do you know how much that fancy pencil costs?” That’s how it starts!
Most parents don’t portray the ‘quality of kindness’ in a positive way. They make it seem unnecessary, which ultimately makes the child feel that there’s no meaning to kindness beyond ‘sorry,’ ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ But you can change that starting today – not tomorrow, not after your baby’s too grown up to understand what it means. Now is the right time to cultivate this quality in your child, because what she’ll learn at a young age will stay with her forever.
9 Ways to Raise Kinder Children
You might think that kindness is not a rewarding quality, but we beg to differ. It is, in fact, the sure route to greater happiness. So if you’re looking for ways to raise a kinder child, here are a few tips:
1. Model Kindness.
You are your child’s first teacher! She is at an age where, by default, she mirrors your actions and behaviour. The things you say or do around her should reflect the values you want her to grow up with. If you wish to raise a kind child, you must bring it out in your words and actions. Whether you’re addressing your domestic help at home or a shopkeeper, be kind and courteous. The more she witnesses your kind behaviour, the more she’ll live up to those values. All you have to do is set an example for her. So choose your words wisely when you’re around your child. Remember this – she’s absorbing everything you say, word for word.
2. Focus on Owning up to Mistakes.
If you want your children to learn from you, then you’ll have to be fair even during hard times. Arguments are natural; they’re a part of a healthy household. But what matters here is how you make up after those silly fights. Your children learn a lot when they’re young, and if they see you owning up to your mistakes and making it up to your spouse, their system will adapt to taking the high road too! Also, you should encourage your child to own up to her mistake each time she makes one because eventually, it will help her stay humble.
3. Be Specific about Praise.
Try this – praise your child only when you’re genuinely impressed by something she did or said. We often appreciate our children to make them feel good, but in the process, we keep rubbing off its essence. Confused? Well, if you keep praising your child for every tiny achievement, then she might not think of it as a big deal. But if you genuinely appreciate her once a while, she will truly experience a sense of achievement. Make her feel like she earned it, and she will do more of it more often. But hey, know this – both overpraising and under praising have their consequences.
4. Talk about Empathy.
Sympathy comes easy; you need not ‘teach’ your child how to sympathise with someone. Empathy is what you must focus on. It’s the basic difference between pitying someone versus respecting someone’s current situation. Teach your child how to be empathetic. Ask questions that will help build your child’s empathy for those who are mistreated. Bring her very close to the reality of the world so that she understands what it is like. If she cribs about something and says something like ‘I can never have anything I want,’ use this reality to show her how lucky she is to have more than what most do!
5. Make Kindness Look Like the Quality of ‘Heroes.’
Every child has a hero - some fictional character that she looks up to. Well, tell her that she too can be one, without superpowers, without breathing fire or fighting bad guys. She can be a hero who is kind and compassionate. Make sure you give her enough examples of people who are kind and often help others. Encourage her to look up to such people and follow their footsteps. Encourage helping behaviour. Don’t stop her when she tells you about something kind that she did or is about to do.
6. Volunteer Together.
There are more than enough organisations that work towards helping the less fortunate. Make sure you volunteer and sign up with one such organisation. Whether it is serving food, working for the environment or cleaning the surroundings, make sure you get your child involved in performing at least one selfless deed. This will give her first-hand experience and also a sense of responsibility. Working with strangers for a common cause will help her witness the true spirit of positivity that comes with helping others.
7. Adopt a Pet.
A study shows that adopting a pet makes children kind and empathetic. Caring for a pet makes a child empathetic and gives her a sense of responsibility. She will take the ownership of looking after the animal, and this will, in turn, make her kind and compassionate. You could get your child anything from a puppy to a chick or even a hamster, as long as it makes her feel responsible. Children who grow up with pets turn out to be happier and more compassionate than those who don’t!
8. Embrace a Positive Attitude.
We’re so busy looking at the bigger picture that we don’t realise positivity, happiness & kindness are closely linked. If you want your child to be grateful, you will have to bring that out in your daily actions, and embracing positivity is just step one! Create a ‘glass-half-full’ atmosphere at home. Encourage your child to stop and look at the sky, appreciate the sound of birds chirping, smell the roses, walk bare-feet on grass, and what not. Through all of this, you can bring your child a step closer to nature, which will teach her how to be grateful for a lot of things in life.
9. Pray More Often.
Praying will make your child humble. She will realise that there are forces out there that are much greater than she can imagine. However, you should not force this on your child, and don’t let her follow it blindly. Guide her during the process. It’s linked to positivity. Praying will help her believe in happy endings. It will help her to be grateful and eventually, bring out the kindness in her heart.
“What this world needs is a new kind of army – the army of the kind.” – Cleveland Amory. When children step up to perform an act of kindness, you might not encourage them solely because people are no longer trustworthy. We fear that our children might get hurt (physically or emotionally), despite their best intentions. But it’s time to change that. Imagine the amount of happiness you experience when a stranger performs an act of kindness towards you. Well, that stranger could be your little girl; spreading joy everywhere she goes.
Also Read:
How to Raise a Happy Child
Surprising Secrets to Raise a Well Behaved Kid
Ways to Help Your Children Develop a Positive Attitude Towards Life Read more
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Nikitha has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
6 hours ago
Q. Mera 8 month start hu white distance hora mere ko
Nikitha
Mom of a 9 yr 5 m old boy
6 hours ago
A. hello since u are a expecting mom this would require a proper medical attention and it is better to check with your doctor and your doctor will be able to guide you better on examination of the same and advise you accordingly
Akifa Tahreem has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 7 months
6 hours ago
Q. hello doctor, I'm 3 weeks pregnant. can we sleep on our belly or which side We can sleep on during pregnancy...
Akifa Tahreem
Mom of a 7 m old boy
4 hours ago
A. no you can't sleep in your tummy
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
3 hours ago
Q. @ask_the_expert
#ask the expert
I am having pcod problem.
when should I check pregnancy test at home?
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
1 hour ago
A. If you have missed your periods you can wait for one week more and then do a urine pregnancy test to know about the pregnancy result and consult with your doctor according to the result for medication
Dr Priyanka Kalra has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
3 hours ago
Q. I am having pcod problem.
At which day should I take pregnancy test
Dr Priyanka Kalra
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
1 hour ago
A. after 2 weeks. do ultrasound n necessary tests after consulting a specialist. without proper check up we can't advise or help you.. Avoid shirt cuts when it comes to health if mother n baby. ok.
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
3 hours ago
Q. I am having pcod problem.
when should I take pregnancy test?
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
1 hour ago
A. after missed your periods you can wait for one week more ,then you can do a urine pregnancy test to know about the pregnancy result and consult with your doctor according to the result for medication
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
3 hours ago
Q. I am having pcod problem.
but having regular cycles below 35 days. some time it will extended upto 40 days.
so when should I take pregnancy test at home?
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
1 hour ago
A. If you have missed your periods you can wait for one week more or else you can do a urine pregnancy test to know about the pregnancy result and consult with your doctor according to the result for medication.
The best treatment to have Regular periods is by having a healthy lifestyle with regular daily walking or jogging along with mild exercise and meditation whenever possible. as medications will only act till you are taking them
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