September 2010
Hello mummies & daddies,
Here’s a warm welcome to the September issue of M&B! Since there are so many eager-for-information first-time
mums-to-be out there, we decided to do a special focus on those nine magical months in this month’s edition.

As a mum-to-be or a new mum, it’s important to have all the facts before you act. I’m sure you’ll agree that
information and knowledge are the most crucial tools for development and excellence in everything. Throughout
our lives, there are people who impart gyaan to us. And in almost every person’s life, the first such ‘teachers’ are the
parents. Thus, you too are a teacher to be venerated and celebrated along with other professional teachers on
September 5 (Teachers’ Day). Along with such power and respect, comes great responsibility. The fact that you’re reading up on parenting in M&B shows that you are amply aware that the shaping of your child’s future is in your very own hands and that you must prepare for it accordingly. As his first teacher, you know that you’re his primary and most reliable information source, one that he will turn to again and again even after he has school teachers, peers, books and the media to provide him with data. So, what you know must also be re-examined, brushed up, and
formulated into byte-size bits of world view for his little brain to digest. Just as you concentrate on feeding him the best quality food that will enhance his physical development, you need to provide him with the best quality brain fodder which will fuel his mental development. And just as you don’t rely on packaged and processed food for his nutrition
needs, I believe that some of the best information is home-grown and home-made. Tell him about the world around you, about his family and ancestors, about historical landmarks and places of interest on your regular routes of travel.
Introduce him to the songs and games of your youth. Interest him in various aspects of other communities and religions that make up India’s diversity. Show him how to plant a seed and watch it grow. Explain simple concepts that he encounters as he grows, be it what countries are, why the sky is blue, why people dress differently,
what rules mean, how trains work, just about anything that is food for thought...
Cheers!

Priya Pathiyan
Editor
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