Can My Kids Play in the Dirt and Mud? An Overprotective Mom Asks

Ans: Watching your child grow, do mundane activities is seeing your heart walk around. Being concerned is fine, being overtly worried is not, here are a few suggestions:
1. In and out of control- your voice, behaviour and actions are in your control, but others actions are not in your control. Teaching your child safe and unsafe touch, to tell you before going anywhere should be taught by you, but giving a little freedom to your child helps him grow.
2. Mindfulness- doing slow breathing, with tip of tongue to your palette will help you calm down. Gardening, going for a walk, following a hobby will support further.
3. Exercise- regular and at least 45 minutes as a sport will build calming and feel good hormones.
Every parent wishes the best for their child. Being over protective will hurt your child more. It will not allow your child to take risks, make responsible decisions or even make friends. Support your child to grow.

Ans: I understand your concerns about your daughter's limited options for outdoor play and her increased screen time. It's important to find a balance between keeping her safe and allowing her to engage in physical activities and social interactions. Here are a few suggestions that may help:

Encourage supervised playdates: Try organizing playdates with her friend or other children in her age group, either at your home or in a safe environment. This will give her an opportunity to interact with peers and engage in outdoor activities.

Explore extracurricular activities: Apart from her current classes, consider enrolling her in other activities that align with her interests. This could include sports, art classes, or any other activities available in your area that would allow her to interact with children of her age.

Get involved in community events: Look for community events or programs that involve children, such as sports tournaments, cultural festivals, or workshops. These events often provide a safe environment for children to interact and engage in various activities.

Discuss her concerns and teach self-defense: Have an open conversation with your daughter about her discomfort in playing with older boys. Teach her about personal boundaries and self-defense techniques so that she feels more empowered and confident while playing outside.

Consider joining parent-child groups: Look for parent-child groups or organizations in your community where you can participate together. These groups often organize outdoor activities for children and provide an opportunity for parents to connect and plan playdates.

Monitor screen time and suggest alternatives: While it's understandable that she may enjoy using mobiles and laptops, it's important to limit her screen time. Set specific time limits for screen usage and encourage her to engage in alternative activities, such as reading books, solving puzzles, drawing, or playing board games.

Create a safe outdoor space: If possible, create a safe outdoor space within your compound where she can play under your supervision. You could set up a play area with age-appropriate equipment and encourage her to spend time there.

Remember, it's essential to strike a balance between safety and allowing your daughter to explore and engage in outdoor activities. By providing her with options, encouraging social interactions, and monitoring screen time, you can help her develop self-esteem and a healthy lifestyle.

Ans: Dear Anonymous,
Well, they are going to have adjustment issues for sure...
India is a place that can envelop people in warmth and yet throw challenges and when one is not raised here, it can get to the. To expect an environment here that they are used to, is not going to happen.
Considering their age, they might have challenges finding themselves within peer groups as well. Get them close to well-adjusted before you make that move...
- You can plan longer vacations in India and especially the place where you intend to settle, so that they get used to the weather, food, culture and people
- They can also during the vacation period, take part in volunteering which gives them a feel of life beyond them
- Plan a visit to the school you intend to send them to when the school is in session and request for a class attendance for a couple of days if that is possible. This will give them a clear feel of how school will be like

Ultimately, there's only so much that you can do...expect few challenges and go with that flow...it's not possible to preempt it all...but projecting a few things upfront as listed above may give them an idea and help the, with the relocation process.

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

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