genderA Good Mother and a Sick Child I’ve already missed the deadline on this article, twice. I had to be coaxed into writing it, even though the idea was mine. My day job has suffered, too; suddenly my reputation for attention-to-detail, respect for deadlines and fast turnaround By Varna Sri Raman
mannersWhen Laughing Becomes Laughing At Peals of laughter from my son usually make me laugh, too. This is true for all mothers, I imagine. But last month, for the first time, I found myself frowning at my son’s laughter. I found him laughing at someone By Varna Sri Raman
babiesThe Power of the Scribble It was the last day of pre-school before the summer break. My son was smiling at the thought of whiling away time for two long months, and my joy matched his. Until a pile of stapled worksheets was placed in By Varna Sri Raman
parentingUsing The Potty Is A Matter of Time Using the potty is not a popular subject, certainly among adults; no one actually wants to hear about poop, and definitely not when it comes to your kids’ potty. In this kind of conversational isolation, potty training a toddler can be By Varna Sri Raman
parentingA Lesson In Materialism Our recent house-move disrupted many things, notably my toddler’s schooling and day-care facility. Like any pair of anxious parents today, my husband and I spent a considerable amount of time choosing a new one, looking up ratings and reviews of By Varna Sri Raman
dadsWhen the Fun Parent Steals the Show Of the myriad parenting styles, some couples agree on one; others go down such different paths that the other person makes you want to bat them over the head. My husband and I belong in the latter group. He is a toddler By Varna Sri Raman
communicationWhy I Let My Son Cry My son’s day is a rainbow of emotions I struggle to understand. He has the biggest smiles, the loudest peals of laughter; the sound of a bell can prompt hysterical giggles. I can’t even remember the last time I giggled By Varna Sri Raman
all agesGrowing A Little Tech Geek I live in a posh(ish) locality in Delhi, where the sidewalks are filled with fancy young mothers who are chatting away into their phones while a household helper pushes along the pram of a yelling toddler. Snatches of conversations go By Varna Sri Raman
communicationFight Lessons from My Son Reading about marital conflict is easy; judging and suggesting solutions, even easier – when it is happening to someone else. But this column is about me and my parenting journey – unkind words, arguments and all. And talking about conflict By Varna Sri Raman
developmentThe Cult Of Cartoons There comes a time when every parent relies on the television. TV can serve as a distraction from more adventurous pursuits and from the monumental boredom that occurs between gulps of spoon-fed food. Yet we’re as suspicious as we are By Varna Sri Raman
babiesHow I Embraced Disruptive Parenting Without Losing My Mind My household, like all households, is a bee-hive. Constantly buzzing with activity, a couple of pots are always boiling on the stove, and three people are in various corners speaking into their phones over the din of the television. And, By Varna Sri Raman