Category: Uncategorized

The first year of your baby’s life goes by quickly. Okay, the sleepless nights seem never ending, but at the same time your baby is learning and growing at a rapid pace during those first 12 months. They seem to outgrow their clothes overnight (growth spurts are very real). One minute they are cooing at you, and the next they are rolling over. 

And rolling over is just the start! Soon they are rocking on to all fours, learning to sit, crawl, pull themselves up, and by the end of their first year and toward the beginning of their second year, your little one will be toddling around. This is one of the best parts of parenting, watching your baby discover their mobility as well as the world around them. 

This is also when baby-proofing your home becomes real and vital. You can’t expect a baby on the move to not press switches and not open drawers. They’re also going to pick up everything they find and shove it in their mouth. We’ve put together some tips for you to create a safe environment for your child where they can play, gain physical dexterity and explore.

• First off pick a space where you can keep an eye on your baby as they play even if you need to wander around completing chores. This could be right outside the kitchen or near your desk, whatever works for your routine and work.

• Close up all plug points in the vicinity, bundle up loose wires and cords and move away furniture that your child can pull. You can find tons of baby proofing products online such as foam padding to cover sharp corners of furniture, and safety locks to attach on to drawers and cupboards.

• Clear the space of small and breakable items, and set up gates to create an enclosed safe space for your baby, or put them in a playpen. This way you don’t have to worry about your little one getting hurt while exploring.

• Once you’ve created this safe space, put down a colourful play mat and baby toys like a mobile, chew toys and rattles, among others. Let your baby spend time trying to grab, roll over and reach for their toys. Remember to wash and disinfect the mat and toys from time to time.

• As your child starts sitting and crawling, there are bound to be some falls. You could use a thicker foam mat in the play area to keep them safe. When they start to pull up to stand make sure the furniture your baby is holding on to is sturdy and won’t topple over. 

• While your child is meeting these physical milestones, spend time watching them. Encourage and talk to your baby while they are trying to sit or stand.  And remember to praise and applaud them when they do it!

• Once your baby is starting to toddle, add some baby furniture to their play area. A little table and chair where they can sit and stack building blocks, or play with their toys. In this way, they will learn to use the furniture and feel that the space is their own.

You could keep your child safe by strapping them into a rocker or a baby swing, but this would restrict their movements, and some studies say that babywalkers can delay your baby’s physical development.

However, by creating a secure environment for your child to play in, you can rest easy that your baby is safe and that they have enough space to move around and explore.

Kids grow up fast! Barely have they discovered their feet and started walking, that they are clamoring after bicycles and scooters. Before you know it they are wakeboarding and rollerblading. But, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. At around 3-4 years old, your little one will start showing interest in using a bicycle or scooter, especially if they see other kids riding them. This is actually a good age to get them started since their balance, motor skills and hand-eye-coordination have developed sufficiently.

We’ve put together some points for you to keep in mind while you’re teaching your child how to use a bicycle or scooter.

Find the right size

Physical size isn’t an indicator of whether your child is ready to learn. They need to develop the motor skills and dexterity for it. Some kids might be ready at age 2, some only by age 5 – that’s okay! Whatever their age, when you are picking a scooter or bicycle make sure it’s the right size for them.

• When your child is seated on the bicycle their feet should be able to touch the ground without bending the knee.
• When it comes to a scooter keep in mind the weight limit of the model. Pick one that can safely support your child’s weight.
• Whether a scooter or a bike, your child should be able to grip the handlebar comfortably. 

Safety first

Make your child aware of the importance of safety while using a bicycle or scooter. A helmet is a must! So pick one that fits their head securely and can be strapped under their chin. When it comes to scooters, knee and elbow pads might be a good idea as well, to protect your child if they fall. Wearing properly fastened footwear is very important.

Initially, let your child learn to bike or scooter indoors or within the house compound. When they are surer of themselves and have had enough practice they will want to venture out. Let them know which parts of the neighbourhood they are allowed to ride in, and to always stay on the sides of the roads.

Keep things fun

While your child is learning to ride a scooter or bike try not to push them. Some kids learn in days, some in weeks! Let the process be fun and encouraging. If your child isn’t ready to take off the training wheels, don’t shame them into doing so. They will in their own time as they build confidence.

Remember, your child might have a fall or two during the learning process. Offer comfort and once they are okay, encourage them to get back on and try again.

If your little one is getting stressed and not finding the learning process enjoyable, take a break or have someone else teach them. Keep in mind that your child has to not only be physically ready but also emotionally ready to learn to ride a bike or scooter.

Maintenance and responsibility 

Like most vehicles, bikes and scooters have to be maintained as well. Teach your child to take responsibility for keeping their equipment clean and in good working condition.

Have them wipe down the bicycle or scooter with a damp cloth, give them a brush to clean the wheels. Show them how to use oil or lubricant to keep it running smoothly. Most importantly, brakes need to be checked from time-to-time. You can start teaching them these things from an early age so that they learn to take care of things that belong to them.

Children need to enjoy the outdoors and get plenty of physical exercise. Riding a bicycle or a scooter is a fun way to do both. This is also an activity that they can do with their friends and explore their surroundings in the process as well. So, help your little one enjoy using a bicycle or scooter and once they’ve got the hang of it, watch them go!

One of the amazing things about being a parent is watching your child develop their imagination and start to interact with the world around them. This starts in toddlerhood and is such a special time.

Your little one, who is just finding their feet, will pick up a building block, hold it to their ear and try to imitate you on the phone.  At around 2-years-old you might catch your child putting their doll to sleep, or feeding it from a bottle. And by age 3-4 years-old get ready for pretend tea parties, make-believe battles, role-playing scenarios with dolls and figurines. An imaginary friend might even make an appearance—this is all completely normal!

Pretend or imaginary play is a part of your child growing up. It’s vital for their development and they learn a lot of awesome things from imaginary play—language, problem solving, handling emotions and social situations.

 Here’s how!

• Watch your child having a pretend tea party, you might find them using new phrases and words you didn’t even know they knew. They are constantly listening to everything happening around them and using the words they pick up. There might even be a situation being played out that they came across in real life—this form of pretend play will help them deal with and work it out.

• Your child and their friends are dressed up and involved in imaginary play. Yes, they are having fun. Yes, they are playing. But your child is also learning to be in character, and knows that the world doesn’t revolve only around them. The kids while playing make-believe will learn to work together and take turns.

• When your child is busy, for example, turning an empty cardboard box into a rocket ship, they are developing their problem solving and decision-making skills. Yes, you read right!  They’ll be deciding on what colour to paint it, figuring out where to put what, redesigning the piece of cardboard till it meets their exact specifications of what the rocket ship should look like.

The Imaginary Friend

There might come a time in your young child’s life, mostly between the ages of 3 and 11 years, where they will have an imaginary friend. There isn’t any real science behind why this happens and not all kids develop one. But, if your child does have an imaginary friend, please know that there is nothing to worry about.

As a matter of fact, having an imaginary friend allows your child to develop their imagination and creativity. In your young one’s head this ‘friend’ is very real and they have proper interactions with them. An imaginary friend can even be a source of comfort to your child.  Allowing them to better cope during a difficult or fearful situation.

When to take action

For your child, their imaginary friend is someone they see and talk to. So they might expect you to do things for the friend as well, such as make room on the sofa, or make an extra snack. Play along when possible. Ask them questions about the friend.

But there will be times when your little one might blame their fictional friend for a mess they’ve made, or needing to consult said friend before doing something. In these moments be strict, tell them they have to clean up the mess, or decide for themselves what they want.

While it’s very, very rare, sometimes pretend play can get out of hand. There can be unkind behavior, or blaming imaginary friend for manipulative behavior. Intervene in a calm manner, and make sure that your child knows that that behavior isn’t on. Otherwise just let your child enjoy playing and growing.

Finally, there’s a therapeutic element involved when your child is pretend playing or interacting with a fictional friend. Allow them to indulge in it. Ask your child questions and learn more about their thoughts and what they are feeling. You could also use your child’s pretend play and imaginary friends to teach them life lessons and explain real life situations. While your child enjoys this phase, you should too.

Republic Day is coming up! We know it’s the day when our country’s constitution came into effect. But how do we teach our little ones the importance of this day? You might think your 4 –year-old is too young to understand big ideas and words like republic and constitution and patriotism. But, we’re here to tell you it’s never too early to start. Here are some fun activities to introduce Republic Day to your child so that, over time, they understand the significance of it all.

Watch the parade together

Idea number one is pretty obvious. Every year there’s the grand Republic Day parade held in Delhi. Dignitaries are in attendance, the army, navy and air force put on a grand display, states showcase floats representing their unique culture or contribution to the country. It doesn’t get better than this when it comes to introducing your child to the country they call home. So, on Republic Day, gather in front of the television with your family and watch the parade. Talk about it with your kid, answer any questions they might have and get the ball rolling.

Read the books!

Nowadays, children’s books cover every conceivable subject out there. In simple language and lovely stories all manner of complicated topics are conveyed in a way your child can understand.  In ‘We, the children of India,’ by Leila Seth and illustrated by Bindia Thapar, the former Chief Justice of India breaks down the preamble in easy terms. There are captivating illustrations and photographs to further draw the child in. You can find the book here. You also have children’s books on freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, the history of India, elections and democracy told in creative and interesting ways. So grab a few, read them with your child and help them understand their country better.

Make a Map

Take a sheet of chart paper and draw out a map of India. Mark out the states with your little one. Have your child stick pictures of historical landmarks in specific states, or you could even draw it out and have them colour it in. Which state grows the most rice paddy? West Bengal, as I just learned. So have your child stick grains of rice on the map where West Bengal is. What’s the state dance form of Manipur? Manipuri, that’s an easy one. Find a picture of a Manipuri dancer with your child and have them place it where the state is.  So on and so forth you can fill up the entire map. This is a great way to teach your child about their country and its diversity.

Attend a flag hoisting

Your neighborhood, apartment complex, or even the local community centre will have a flag hoisting ceremony come Republic Day. While it’s a great idea to take your child for it, before you go do a couple of activities so that they’ll get more out of the event. Make a flag with your child, teach them the words of the national anthem, show them pictures of the people who helped frame our constitution and built our country. This will make them more excited and interested and they are sure to have plenty of questions and observations.

We hope the above ideas help you introduce this red-letter day in our country’s history to your child. And may this just be the beginning in raising responsible, inclusive and woke citizens of tomorrow.  Happy Republic Day!

The past year has been a spectacular one for Amelio, and we hope it has been for you as well!

Everyday we strive to do better – for the parents who trust us with their little ones, for our corporate partners who place their trust in and associate with us, for our teachers and employees who believe in us and uphold our values, and most of all for our children who are at the heart of everything we stand for. As we begin the New Year, we’d like to reflect on our pursuits this past year, in our efforts to be there for more parents – across old networks and new, building a support system that works for everyone involved.

Early this year Amelio began operations at Zoho Corporation in Guduvancherry, shortly followed by a stand alone Infant Care facility in their main building. It has been a privilege to be there for the working parents at Zoho!

Amelio at Zoho Corporation

Zoho Infant Care Facility

Amelio at GAR Laxmi Infobahn

Amelio at Ascendas V-IT Park, HITEC City

Our Bangalore family has grown, with a new Amelio centre in Whitefield, at Brigade Metropolis. Amelio has collaborated with The Hive, and we have a new centre at their lovely co-working space on OMR in Chennai. And of course, we couldn’t forget our old centres! Three of our iconic centres at MEPZ, Siruseri and Mahindra World City in Chennai have been renovated, paving way for new and improved, bigger and brighter centres. This December, Amelio held its first Annual Conference on “Workplace Childcare to Build Diversity”, in partnership with the Consulate of France in Chennai & Pondicherry and the International Finance Corporation. Through this conference, Amelio brought together the best minds in business, the childcare industry, the government and influencing organizations to brainstorm and ideate on strategies to build a workplace that is relevant for the future, and to enable more employees to pursue guilt-free careers. Our commitment to enable working parents to “have it all” has inspired our growth this year, and Amelio’s expansion plans continue to materialize, with multiple new centres planned in the next year!

We would like to thank you all for the confidence and support, thereby enabling us to be there for more parents across new networks.

Happy New Year!

Team Amelio

Scenario 1:

You’re at the store doing the monthly grocery shopping with your 3-year-old child. He spots a shelf filled with chocolates and wants one. You refuse. He asks again, louder. You try to explain why he can’t have the chocolate. Before you know it your son is screaming and crying and refusing to budge.

Scenario 2:

Your nearly two-year-old is sitting at the table for breakfast and asks for a banana. You peel it and hand it to her. This results in a meltdown because she wanted to peel it herself. When you offer her another banana to peel, the crying becomes louder because she wants the first banana with the peel back on.

Parents, if you’ve dealt with the above, don’t worry! You’re not alone. Around 18 months to 2 years, your baby starts to develop socially and emotionally, and at the same time they are learning to communicate. This means they aren’t always able to express with words what they are feeling. Which leads to temper tantrums and meltdowns. 

These tantrums can seem to come out of nowhere and can take place even in the most public places, which can drive you nuts. But remember your child is learning to manage and express the big emotions they are feeling. The good news is temper tantrums taper off around age 3.5-4 years, as the child learns to communicate better.

While temper tantrums are part and parcel of your toddler developing and getting a handle on their emotions. There are certain ways in which you can deal with them as well as reduce their occurrence.

Handling a temper tantrum

Stay calm if your child is in the midst of a temper tantrum. I know that’s hard to do when your baby is in tears and howling. But if your child is not endangering himself or others, give him/her space to vent.

 ∙      Let your child ride out the tantrum, remember they are dealing with certain feelings that they need to process. If it involves shouting and crying, let them. Sit next to them, be there with them until they’ve calmed down and then you can talk about it.

 ∙      If your child is having a tantrum in a public space that can be uncomfortable, but shushing them or giving in to their demands won’t help. Instead, be gentle and calm and get them to the car or somewhere private where they can unleash.

 Avoiding a temper tantrum

Hungry, tired, not getting enough attention are some major reasons that lead to meltdowns.

∙      An overtired or hungry child is more likely to have a meltdown. So make sure your child sticks to their schedule (nap times, bedtime) as much as possible. If you’re going out with your child, make sure they are fed and carry snacks along. 

∙      Every child needs a quota of one-on-one time with their parents. Try to give them some undivided attention every day, where you play with them, read, do an activity together. Praise them for good behavior at this time and talk to them about how to handle their feelings.

Dealing with temper tantrums is frustrating, confusing and sometimes even embarrassing (when it’s in public). But it comes with your child growing up and learning to deal with feelings. So try to be present and allow them to express themselves. And remember this stage will pass.