Page 35 - Keralite Magazine _new 1 copy

KERALITE
2018

Parenting is hard, and raising children, a real
challenge. For an immigrant parent, these twin
challenges become even more daunting as their
children face an unenviable task of maintaining
their own cultural identity, while trying to
Child-Rearing – mainstream into the new society’s norms, morals,
and values. Irrespective of these challenges, truth is
Ages and Stages: that parenthood is a wonderful experience when
one uses the techniques of child-rearing as an art
and science to raise thoughtful, caring, loving, and
A Pediatrician’s Perspective responsible children.

Human life cycle involves several phases from birth
to death, and each phase needs to be cared-for and
nurtured appropriately to ensure succeeding
life-phases reap the benefits. In the Indian tradition,
these stages are referred to as kaumaram -
childhood, yauvanam - youth, and jara - old age. As
a pediatrician, my role is to ensure that a child’s
Geetha Nair, MD, FAAP
kaumaram and yauvanam are physically and
mentally sharp and fine-tuned, while a parent’s role
is to create a caring, loving, and nurturing home
“In the Indian tradition, environment. Together, the pediatrician and parents
can mold the child the right way so he/she can face
these stages referred to the challenges facing them.

as kaumaram - Parents are not simply responsible for the physical

childhood, yauvanam - well-being of their children, they must also pay

youth, and jara - old age. close attention to nurturing the child’s body and
mind. The African saying it takes a village to raise a
As a pediatrician, child comes to play here. This village comprises

my role is to ensure that the family, friends and the community at large.
Use them generously to increase your child’s
a child’s kaumaram and interactions. For immigrant families, it takes a lot of

yauvanam are physically e ort to integrate the above elements into their
lives as they try to assimilate the adopted country’s
and mentally sharp and culture and norms while desperately trying to hold

fine-tuned, while a on to their mother country’s values. While a di cult
preposition for adults, one can very well imagine
parent’s role is to create the di culties our children face in their attempts to

a caring, loving, and assimilate.

nurturing home It has been brilliantly said that “There are two ways
of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror
environment.” that reflects it.” Parents should strive to be like a

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