There is no ‘I’ll start tomorrow!’ Do it today, right now! Live by an example to your child

Beena Thomas Pinto, Director- Bachpan preschools in BTM Layout and Bellandur, Bangalore.

With an interest in trekking, Painting, Sports, reading, Dance and cooking, I had the opportunity to explore different cultures and people by understanding the value of physical fitness and health. I am currently operating two play schools in Bangalore, which have opened up the doorway to go after my dreams of educating young minds and empowering women to be self-sufficient. We follow a curriculum that is a combination of Kindergarten, Montessori and play-way method. We have sports as an additional subject and most attractive part of learning.

Please tell us about some problems that you see in today’s parenting

Parenting is the biggest challenge for most of the working couple these days. The expectancy level from the society has added up with the peer pressure in an unnecessary competition towards a myth of “Perfect Parenting”.

Right from the birth of a child or even before the birth, the choice of hospital, the supplements a to-be mom is supposed to consume to make a baby healthy and smart- everything is commercialized. Parents need to go through series of psychological changes with added responsibility of monitoring child’s growth in terms of social and emotional development, nutrition, safety, health and hygiene. Choice of school and curriculum is aligned to the financial commitments and status quo rather than the necessity. 

With all of these, today’s parents put in extra efforts to meet family’s requirements which in turn is affecting their relationship with children – fast food or packed food is replacing healthy diet. Parents are not able to spend quality time after long working hours and children are brought up at day-care or with a Nanny. 

Nuclear family system is another factor that is affecting child’s social and emotional growth.

The guilt feeling of not spending time, builds up to the frustration and there is always a conflict on fulfilling child’s basic needs and seeking an alternative solution. Yelling at each other or by disrespecting, Parents are misleading children to either become quiet or introvert or turn them into more arrogant toddlers.

Distracting them with gadgets is the easiest way parents have found to fulfil their other commitments. 

How can they be more involved ?

We need to address these issues right away before it takes a toll on the young minds. Working couple need to share responsibilities in such a way that they make a family time mandatory in their daily routine. Living by example is the ultimate culture we need to inculcate with. There are so many distractions or hurdles to one’s life such as Social media, networking, weekend parties, travelling long distance for work, stress due to traffic, working from home 24/7 concept etc that have made parents focus more on themselves and less on the children. 

Best way is to involve kids in the early years- in most of the activities we do which helps them to imitate and learn such as Reading books, gardening, cooking and eating together as a family, discussing issues and sorting with logical reasoning, taking opinions and appreciating the efforts put in by each of the family member, following a routine fitness regime for physical fitness, using less of gadgets after office hours and most importantly showing interest in child’s creativity, school work, acknowledging and encouraging to participate in extra curriculum activities especially sports.

Do you think kids are having appropriate nutrition at home ?

Nutrition is something young parents are ignorant about. Canned food and ready-to-eat products have replaced traditional cooking that is asking us to provide supplements of iron, proteins, calcium and vitamins! While the sugar filled food and drinks have only been able to give them temporary energy and causing serious problems like early diabetes and obesity. This is also leading to iron deficiency which is a threat for child’s mental and physical growth. Fruits and vegetables have been replaced with candies and sauces.  Unless parents are awakened, kids will not be provided with adequate nourishment.

Something that the parents can do to keep the physical fitness of kids ?

Yes! A great deal of physical fitness is required for this generation kids. Parents are not allowing kids to play outside unlike before. Kids are confined to the house and spend most of the time in front of Television or other electronic gadgets. Most of the schools do not have space for sports activities while the crowded cities have left very little space that is safe for kid’s play. 

Considering these issues, I request parents to make physical fitness as important as the studies. Take kids along for the morning/ evening walk. If there are no play areas, take them to the nearest parks, cycling tracks or train them on any professional sport as a routine. Walking is the best exercise for any age group. Exercise regularly along with kids. Train them to do Yoga and warm up exercises within the vicinity of your home.

When the body is fit, we can achieve anything our mind desires and remember -Nothing in life is more important than our physical health!

Anything more that you would like to share:

I would congratulate Gaurav and Go Alpha team for being able to initiate such a wonderful program wherein the awareness of physical fitness has been sowed at the very early stages of a child. The young ones are trained under professional guidance within the available space in all preschools. Our children have been utilising this opportunity for the past 3 years and they are extremely satisfied, excited and inspire their parents to maintain fitness regime. 

Final Message to Parents: When it comes to eating right and exercising, there is no ‘I’ll start tomorrow!’ Do it today, right now! Live by an example to your child.

Thank You

– Beena Pinto, Director, Bachpan Preschool – BTM and Bellandur