Step By Step

Once upon a time, storytelling happened at bedtime, when parents tucked toddlers in bed and introduced them to Goldilocks and her three bears or Cinderella in her pumpkin carriage. But with the changing pace of life, this ritual has now undergone a slight change. The bedroom has been replaced by a more sophisticated classroom and the time, from night to early morning. If you don8217;t find enough time on hand to spend with your kids, schools are ready with some specially designed parent-infant bonding programmes meant to rid you of your guilt and help you understand your toddler better.

At the Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning at Saket, Seema Kumar, marketing manager, is busy finalising the details of the PlayNest programme, which will be introduced at the centre in December. Meant for children between six to 18 months and their parents, the twelve-week programme will be an addition to the current prospectus, which already includes a mother-toddler programme. 8220;The child gains from the feeling of security that comes with the presence of parents. We involve them in singing rhymes, putting away the toys appropriately, dramatic play and story time. The parent enjoy moments of watching their little ones grow, which they will miss when the child goes to the big school,8221; says Kumar.

Farah Khan, mother of 17-month-old Aarav, who attends a similar programme at Kangaroo Kids in Greater Kailash, agrees. nbsp;8220;There are things that one tends to ignore at home. For instance, he has already begun to recognise colours and we even share the same social circle,8221; laughs Khan. The programme, meant for 10 months to one-and-a-half-year olds, focuses on three core areas: motor skills, creative skills and language skills, through colouring, building blocks, puppet shows and storytelling sessions. 8220;The environment is not competitive and the child is merely exposed to different concepts,8221; notes Anu Malhotra, director, Kangaroo Kids. In Mumbai, a research and development team of her school is constantly working towards improving the curriculum. 8220;We seek feedback from parents and the team incorporates features that add value to the class,8221; adds Malholtra, pointing out to the 8216;magic box8217;, which is the latest prop in the class and introduces children to everyday utilities.

When Deepali Khilnani of Kkosh was designing the 8216;Mom n Me8217; programme, held at Little Footprints school, for 10 months to two-and-a-half-year olds, the research undertaken included sifting through books and running through similar programmesnbsp;held the world over. 8220;After every class, parents note down their experience in an observation book that enables them to look at the class in retrospective. It helps them learn from it,8221; she says Of course, such programmes also serve as a stepping stone for the big admission rush that follows. At Shemrock School, Pitampura, parents are informed about the admission procedures, apart from other aspects related to parenting. 8220;We guide them about the best schools, deadlines and the procedure,8221; says Minal Arora, director of education and research.

All these come at a hefty price though. While Little Footprints charges Rs 1,200 per month, at Kangaroo Kids the per month fee for tri-weekly classes is Rs 1,800. IntelliTots charges Rs 6,600 for a three-month term. Is the investment justifiable? A nod of approval comes from relationship councellor Dr Gitanjali Sharma. Says she, 8220;The classes could be useful in guiding parents on how to understand and handle the child better.8221;