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Usha Pokharel

Usha Pokharel is an educationist and author of several children’s books.
usha@pokharel.net

Stories matter for children's learning

Published On: April 10, 2021 07:06 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

Stories have a powerful influence on children’s understanding of cultural and gender roles. Parents need to understand that stories develop their children’s literacy. Stories convey values, beliefs, attitudes, and social norms that shape children's perceptions and reality.

Bringing up your children

Published On: March 27, 2021 07:00 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

In a society where all it takes is one wrong influence to set a child on the wrong path, most parents often ask themselves, “Am I raising my child right?”

How pandemic changed the idea of friendship

Published On: March 13, 2021 08:00 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

The way people relate to one another has changed. Now the emphasis is more on social distancing. We find ourselves more in parks and open spaces. Friendships have taken a toll.

Why fantasy is good for children

Published On: February 27, 2021 08:00 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

Fantasy provides children with an opportunity to explore the too big, too wide, and too dangerous world that is getting closer and more real every day.

Tinkering for learning

Published On: February 13, 2021 07:00 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

Tinkering is important to help children understand how things work and how they are made.

Separation anxiety in children

Published On: January 30, 2021 07:00 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

With understanding and some coping strategies, your children will overcome separation anxiety as they get older. There is nothing to panic about it.

How children become bullies

Published On: January 16, 2021 07:00 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

There is not a simple solution to bullying. Children do not bully because they are terrible children.

How to save your children from bullying

Published On: January 2, 2021 07:00 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

Look for physical marks such as unexplained bruises, scratches, broken bones, and healing wounds. Be alert when your child fears going to school or joining school events.

Let the children feel their emotions

Published On: December 19, 2020 07:40 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

As your children move from childhood to adolescence, they grow socially and emotionally in a natural way. If you notice anything that concerns you, address these issues right away.

Recollecting festival memories in the time of pandemic

Published On: November 7, 2020 09:31 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

Dashain is over, and Tihar is approaching. But the prospect of celebrating with friends and family has become a dream. It’s time to remember the good old days and feel good about it.

Helping children enjoy reading

Published On: October 10, 2020 01:44 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

Children dislike reading. Thus, as a starting point, you need to talk to them about reading. Tell them what you thought about reading as a child.

‘New normal’ after COVID-19

Published On: September 26, 2020 12:21 PM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

What do you consider a normal situation for our country? Were we ever normal as a country?

How to raise creative children

Published On: September 8, 2020 11:25 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

During these long hot summer days staying inside doing nothing is becoming a problem. You cannot go out because there is a curfew. So, to pass the time I started watching different kinds of competitive programs or sports shows on TV. During my watching, I noticed one word that the judges and commentators frequently used. Creativity. It is one of the difficult words to explain without going into detail. So, how do you explain it?

Do you remember it?

Published On: August 24, 2020 10:09 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

During Covid-19 induced curfew, shutdown and lockdown, people have the time to interact, reminiscence, and remember the past, talk about it, and improve family relations. Frequent communication with the family helps keep a person from becoming lonely. Often staying home for long period of time can harm a person. Negative thoughts might overwhelm a person and drive him/her towards depression. I think this impact, to some extent, is under your control, as to which direction you choose to follow. My choice today is to talk about something interesting related to memories and how they work. I am sure everyone has memories labeled, tucked away in some part of their brain, available when they want to access and talk about them. These memories could be anything from their marriage or even having their first house or their first-born child.

Driving away fear from children

Published On: August 8, 2020 12:30 PM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

In the eyes of a child, the world can be a scary place. Young children are afraid of many things, and parents have a difficult time identifying and addressing them. Reassuring children of their safety is often a challenge too. For that, parents need to understand their children better and also know the reason for their insecurities. Primary school-age children's common fears could be both real and imaginary. It is natural for them to be afraid of things they do not understand or cannot control. Often children are insecure because they are still learning to cope with their feelings, as early as two to three years of age. As children grow, factors that trigger their fear also change.

What makes you a lefty?

Published On: July 25, 2020 02:20 PM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

This lockdown period is an opportunity for me to spend quality time with my 94-year-old father. We watch old reruns of cricket matches every day. He loves watching cricket, and I am a diehard fan of cricket. One day I was surprised by his comment. He said, ‘there are quite of few lefthanded players these days.” I had not given it much thought. Yes, I knew it is an advantage to have left-handed batsmen and bowlers in a team. This makes the game more interesting. Around 19 percent of the international cricketers are left-handed batsmen, and 14.48-30.28 percent are left-handed bowlers. Some left-handed batsmen are right-handed bowlers, and some right-handed batsmen are left-handed bowlers.

How kids communicate

Published On: July 6, 2020 07:00 PM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

I consider this lockdown period as a productive time for me. During this time at home, I have plenty of time during the day to read variety of topics and relate them to my experiences. I spend my evenings talking to my granddaughters in the USA.

Anger management in children

Published On: June 21, 2020 10:41 AM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

Anger is usually a response to danger. It is also a form of self-expression, and sometimes, a way for children to show their independence. For little children, it is also a cry for help. During the lockdown, schools are closed and children are at home. They are not able to go out and play or interact with their friends. This causes frustration in children, resulting in aggressive behavior. There are plenty of other reasons for young children to be angry about it.

How to save kids from anxiety of pandemic

Published On: May 31, 2020 12:46 PM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

The world’s attention is currently focused on measures to mitigate the transmission and economic effect of COVID-19 pandemic, and Nepal is no exception. Though the government and health officials are constantly working towards taking the necessary steps to manage the pandemic, reduce transmission and treat those who need medical attention, this pandemic has surely affected our daily life: We are all stressed. We all have experienced that social media, television, and print media are all covered with news on the pandemic.

Managing sibling rivalry

Published On: May 3, 2020 02:00 PM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

I can imagine a household full of children, without the option of going out during this current state of lockdown. Schools, colleges, offices and everything else is closed, and everyone is home. I am sure the first few days were very chaotic, till the establishment of routines, and everyone found their corner to play, or to do their stuff. Still, the siblings had some level of rivalry and tensions among them. That’s what siblings are all about.