Growing up with my kid

It’s not only a kid who grows up, but a mother as well.

It’s not only a kid who grows up, but a mother as well. With everyday challenges of parenting teaching you one thing or the other about your kid, you become more matured day by day. 

My experience as a mom is of course different from yours, but there may be some things in common. By sharing couple of my learning, I hope that they help you grow as a mother.

Fun lies outdoors

All work and no play is definitely not the way to let your kid grow. It took me a while to realise that my son was spending more time staring at the TV/video game/mobile screen than looking out of the window. Blame it on my busy schedule as a working mother, he soon had to be taken to an eye doctor. The day he wore his spectacles, I cursed myself and promised that come what may, I’m going to facilitate his relationship with the outdoors. On a daily basis, I took him out for a game of cricket or just a walk. He made new friends and developed new ideas of spending time outdoors. And soon, the habit caught on. This has made him more alert, healthy and happy. And soon, I hope, he will get rid of his glasses too!

Select indoor games carefully

When we were growing up, the toy industry wasn’t that resourceful as it is today. Therefore, it sometimes becomes difficult to evaluate and choose the right toy for our kids. Isn’t it? But this is utterly important. Considering the time kids these days stay indoors, they cannot be denied their right to be surrounded by games and activities. But the choice shouldn’t stop at playstations. In fact, for my kid, I took time to research, explore and find out the best board games that help develop a kid’s brain. It wasn’t easy to make my son part with his video games. But I knew, I had to. So I started giving him company in those games. And soon, he picked up. I can’t claim the results right away. But I’m hopeful, the good effects will show one day.

Choose their occupation

When it comes to games and extracurricular activities, kids have their own preferences. As parents, we always harbour our personal ambitions. Like I thought, my kid should be good in cricket. Thankfully, I soon noticed he was more interested in painting and crafts than outdoor sports. I let him pick what he enjoyed. And he has not let me down. He has won more awards and acclaims in painting than I could’ve ever imagined. And more than that, he is happy. I shudder by the thought of what could’ve been had I forced him to cricket!

It’s alright to make some mistakes in the process. Especially, for first time moms. I had to learn through my mistakes. After all, it’s a learning process and there is no sure shot formula. Just be sure to take lessons from each step and make it count next time. All the best!

As told by:

Puja Pandey is a fashion designer, entrepreneur and mother of a 14 year old son. Parenting is the most exciting job of all for her.