Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
Moving to a new city with a kid who might find the move difficult or stressful? Here are 7 handy tips for you to mull over and act upon.
My husband and I had settled in Gurgaon after marriage, enjoying the comfortable lifestyle and fast paced life of the millennium city. But the only thing constant in this world is change. My husband’s work made us relocate to Chennai.
We settled fast into the new city. My son (3.5 years old at that time) had all through been excited about the move. He knew he was to move to a new house, new play school and make new friends. He was excited about being close to the beach (though I am not sure he understood what a beach was). Children’s innocence probably makes them appreciate the smaller things in life much more.
Our son is very adaptive and open to change. However, to make this transition a positive experience we kept in mind a few points. These may help any parent moving within the major cities in India (perhaps overseas as well) –
Explore and fix up a school before the move so that your child can start a routine soon after the relocation. Kids like to stay engaged especially at this age when they have abundant energy. While finalising a school ensure it has a mixed crowd. While you may be keen to provide your child with exposure to the local culture, please bear in mind that it should complement well with the atmosphere at home.
Discuss the move with your child and provide all relevant information and honest explanations. Don’t let your apprehension, if any, transfer to your child. Be positive about the change and reinforce the good aspects. Avoid introducing other big changes during the move like toilet training or making him sleep by himself.
Try and pick a neighbourhood where there are couples with kids so that your child gets company. While that may not be easy in every city, the other alternative is to take him out to various parks, play areas in malls or after school programs to be around kids his age.
This initiative has to be by you, to make friends with mommies of kids of similar age and arrange play dates. A good start is to connect with a few mothers from his new school and invite them home. Alternatively, you can take clues from your child on the new friends he has made and try to connect with their parents. Also, enrolling them in clubs, activities or hobby classes gives them something to look forward to.
Try and keep the home set-up similar after the move. For example, if your child had a room to himself, select a new house where you can provide the same. Also, if you have a house maid, request her to move with you. The familiarity in home environment will enable a smoother transition.
Connect with known family and friends in the new city. Your child will benefit greatly from interactions with extended groups and you will get your dose of adult conversations as well. Don’t worry about having lost touch, just pick up the phone and re-connect with your old friends and start from where you had left off.
Try to blend in by being a part of the festivals and culture in the new city. I know we do it often when we move abroad (FaceBook is flooded with my friends celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving and the likes). So, it should be that much easier to do it within our country.
We recently completed a year in Chennai and it has been a good journey. My son is going to a wonderful school and is fortunate to have teachers who have a passion for teaching. He has already picked up a few words of the local language, much faster than me. The exposure to a different social and cultural environment than North India promises to make this experience highly enriching for him.
Published here earlier.
Image source: pixabay
Prerna Wahi worked in the corporate world for 7 years. In the past few years, she has been a stay-at-home mom. She has been enjoying the new role ever since and likes to read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
Menopause is a reality in women's lives, so Indian workplaces need to gear up and address women's menopausal needs.
Picture this: A seasoned executive at the peak of her career suddenly grapples with hot flashes and sleep disturbances during important meetings. She also battles mood swings and cognitive changes, affecting her productivity and confidence. Eventually, she resigns from her job.
Fiction? Not really. The scenario above is a reality many women face as they navigate menopause while meeting their work responsibilities.
Menopause is the time when a woman stops menstruating. This natural condition marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. The transition brings unique physical, emotional, and psychological changes for women.
Dr Nalini Parthasarathi, 79, based in Puducherry has dedicated 30 years of her life caring for people suffering from hemophilia.
It is amazing when a person turns personal adversity into a calling, and extends empathy to make a significant impact in the lives of other people. This has been the life’s journey of Dr Nalini Parthasarathi.
April 17 is World Hemophilia Day. Dr Nalini Parthasarathi, 79, based in Puducherry has dedicated 30 years of her life caring for people suffering from hemophilia. She was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.
Hemophilia is a condition where one or more clotting factor is absent leading to bleeding. Severe cases can be life-threatening.
Please enter your email address