"I still remember that first time when my parents took me aside for what would turn out to be one of the most memorable conversations of my life. And so, I had only just finished my first gig as a drummer for a local band; although my parents weren't particularly keen on my choice of hobbies, they attended, cheered, and clapped. In my case, after the show, I was beaming with excitement, but my parents, without diminishing my enthusiasm, asked me what I had learned from the experience. That moment for me was a moment of crystallization, wherein I realized that my parents were not only supporting me but also helping me grow and introspect, eventually owning all the choices I made," narratives Raghav, now a sports psychologist in Bengaluru.

It has been very appealing in such a world with loads of parenting advice and parenting manuals to peruse often on what makes good parents perfect. It's about being perfect; it's not. It's about setting up a place where your child can flourish, where mistakes are an inherent part of the path you take, and love can be felt even through disagreements.

As we all explore our own experiences and those of others who had "good parents," there are some common threads that truly stand out — lessons that new parents can carry with them as they chart their own parenting journey.

Support Without Understanding

One important thing I learned from my parents is that you can never really understand the passion of your child in order to really support it. Not that my parents were not interested in skateboarding at all; however, they were willing enough to spend hours driving my brother to skateparks and continually buying new gear. They did not impose their dreams on us but allowed us to discover our own paths, even when that seemed out of step with theirs.

Similarly, though they did not reveal to me their love for drumming, they made quite an effort to enable me to pursue my dream. This freedom to explore taught me such an important life lesson : I am responsible for my own happiness. My parents were willing to support what they did not fully understand, giving me that courage to be passionate about things without fearing judgment.

New parents should remember that they don't have to micromanage everything their child might be interested in; it's all about giving them the space to find joy on their own terms and not to make them do something they are not deeply passionate about.

Power of Not Sheltering

The majority of parents have the instinct to protect their children from the pain or disappointment they will cause by being hurt or let down. My parents were entirely different. I was never sheltered nor protected from the harshest realities of life. My parents encouraged me to lose at sports, rejection, and to experience the diversity of society in all its implications-whether that was through having interactions with people from a different socioeconomic class or watching loved ones undergo difficult situations.

Instead of sheltering me from every knock and bump that came my way, they let me hit bottom and provided a pillow for me to fall on when the going got tough.

This should expose children to reality while at the same time providing support to help develop resilience. First-time parents will often find themselves wanting to protect their child from the upheavals of life, but, as it turns out, resilience is actually forged in the fire of trial. The children must be exposed to the capability to move through difficulties with support, not separation from the ease of life.

Leading by Example

My parents never asked me to do anything that they had not done themselves. If they taught us how to budget, then they themselves were under tight financial discipline. If they wanted us to treat people with kindness and respect, then they embodied those values in their dealings with others. They lived by the lessons that they would teach, so I found it easy to emulate them.

Indeed, one of the most powerful tools a parent has is leadership by example. Children are such observers, and they learn much more from what you do than from what you say. Want your children to live with integrity, discipline, and compassion? First, you must model those traits.

Breaking the Cycle of Trauma

The most important lesson I learned from my parents is breaking the cycle of trauma.

Both my parents are products of hard childhoods. While I was brought up by strangers much of his childhood, my father was abandoned. My mother suffered abuse from her own step-mother. They carried many scars, but they chose to give me and my siblings a life free from such pains.

Not perfect, to be sure-no parent ever is-but they made a conscious effort to build a loving, stable family environment. That this struggle means you are liberating yourself from your past and giving your children an opportunity for better life generally reminds us of something so important: no matter how one grows up, they can always choose to be different in parenting.

This is a good reminder for new parents- your past doesn't determine how you raise your children. You can create a nourishing home filled with love, even in the midst of serious struggles.

Respect and Fairness

One thing I was extremely thankful for while growing up was how my parents showed me and my siblings that they were fair. No one was a favorite, nor was anybody treated differently for some unknown agenda for others. Nothing was administered without some form of explanation, and decisions were always opened for discussion. It was never, "because I said so.".

This approach to parenting tended to build a relationship on mutual respect and trust. I never had the rebellion phase, not so much because I didn't want to be the rebel but I always felt heard. This is a very important lesson that new parents must know: respect breeds respect. By treating your child as a thinking human being who can engage in conversation, you help him grow into a responsible adult.

Parenting is a journey - well, my gosh; it's something that has been through loads of moments of doubt, learning, and growth. My parents aren't perfect, but they got a lot right: provided me with the space to focus on those things that interest me, allowed me to go through the ups and downs in life, modeled behavior for me to follow, and most importantly, they broke the cycle of trauma to give my siblings and me a better life.

So, you're not trying to be perfect; you're trying to love them, support them, and grow with them. Parenting is that process of providing a space where your children feel empowered to make their choices and supported in their pursuit, with values that you live each day. Parenting is not just protecting children from the world, but building resilience for life.

While you may be buying fast-fashion clothes that are easy on your pocket and also give your children trendy looks, a new study highlights the risk of being laced with a highly toxic ingredient: lead.

The preliminary research, based on lab tests of several shirts from different retailers in the US, found that all the samples exceeded the country’s federal regulatory lead limits.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission currently has a 100 parts per million (ppm) lead limit for children's products like toys and clothing.

"I started to see many articles about lead in clothing from fast fashion, and I realized not too many parents knew about the issue," said Kamila Deavers, principal investigator of the study, at Marian University in the US.

Deavers began the study after her young daughter’s lab reports showed elevated levels of lead in her blood from toy coatings.

How was study conducted?

The team tested 11 shirts that spanned the rainbow—red, pink, orange, yellow, gray, and blue. All brightly colored fabrics, particularly reds and yellows, showed higher levels of lead compared to more muted tones.

"We saw that the shirts we tested were all over the allowed limit for lead of 100 ppm," said Priscila Espinoza, from Marina.

The researchers explained that some manufacturers use lead (II) acetate as an inexpensive way to help dyes stick to the materials and produce bright, long-lasting color.

Children At Greater Risk

The researchers found the risk is particularly higher among younger kids as they tend to playfully suck or chew their clothes during play.

"Even briefly chewing these fabrics could expose children to dangerous lead levels,” they found in the study, to be presented at the forthcoming meeting of the American Chemical Society.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), lead exposure can lead to behavior problems, brain and central nervous system damage, as well as other negative health effects in children.

The agency considers children under six years old to be most at risk from exposure. Even low levels of lead in the blood of children can result in:

• Behavior and learning problems
• Lower IQ and Hyperactivity
• Slowed growth
• Hearing Problems
• Anemia

The researchers also pointed out safer alternatives to lead-based dyeing agents that already exist. These include natural and less harmful substances such as:

• Plant-based tannins (e.g., oak bark, pomegranate peel)
• Rosemary
• Alum.

A recent systematic review published in the European Medical Journal found that racial discrimination leads to postpartum depression and low birth weight (LBW). Pregnant women of color were 40 per cent more likely to experience postpartum depression and have 170 per cent higher risk of delivering a baby with LBW.

The findings allowed the researchers to report that racial discrimination is a modifiable determinant of maternal and nenonatal health. Researchers also note that they should be integrated into perinatal research and care to reduce inequalities.

Large Review Examines Decades of Research

A large review of international studies has found that racial discrimination experienced by pregnant women may be linked to a higher risk of postpartum depression and poor birth outcomes, including babies born with low birth weight.

Researchers analysed nearly three decades of research that examined self reported experiences of racial discrimination among pregnant women or those who had previously been pregnant. The analysis included more than 20,300 research records and covered close to 1.5 million participants.

The study explored whether exposure to racial discrimination was associated with a range of maternal and newborn health outcomes. These included hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, gestational diabetes, mode of delivery, postpartum depression, fetal growth, gestational outcomes, infant mortality, and admission of newborns to neonatal intensive care units.

Among all the outcomes studied, the strongest link was found with postpartum depression. Women who reported experiencing racial discrimination had a 37 percent higher risk of developing postpartum depression compared with those who did not report such experiences.

Higher Risk of Low Birth Weight Among Affected Mothers

The analysis also found significant associations between racial discrimination and low birth weight in babies.

Women who experienced racial discrimination were found to have a 121 percent higher risk of delivering babies with low birth weight. The risk was even greater for very low birth weight babies, with the likelihood increasing by 170 percent.

However, researchers did not find clear links between racial discrimination and certain pregnancy complications. No strong association was observed with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy or gestational diabetes.

Findings related to preterm birth were mixed. Cohort studies did not show a clear association, while cross sectional studies suggested a modest 19 percent increased risk of premature birth among women who reported discrimination.

For several other outcomes studied, the available evidence remained inconsistent.

Stress and biological changes may explain the link

Researchers suggested that everyday experiences of racial discrimination may affect maternal health through multiple pathways.

Repeated exposure to discrimination can create chronic stress, which may affect both mental and physical health during pregnancy. The stress can also lead to social isolation and strained personal relationships, which may increase the risk of postpartum depression.

Biological changes triggered by prolonged stress may also affect pregnancy outcomes. Researchers noted that stress linked to discrimination could influence placental function, metabolism, and inflammatory responses in the body. These changes may contribute to restricted fetal growth and increase the risk of babies being born underweight.

Experts call for stronger public health response

The authors emphasized that healthcare systems should recognize racial discrimination as an important social stressor that can influence maternal and newborn health.

They recommend that routine prenatal care include screening for social stressors along with mental health assessments during pregnancy and after childbirth.

Currently, many clinical guidelines do not explicitly recognise racial discrimination as a potential risk factor for maternal and neonatal health.

Researchers say the evidence highlights the need for broader policy efforts that address discrimination at a structural level. Treating discrimination as a public health issue rather than an individual experience may help reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes for mothers and babies.

An estimated 4.9 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday in 2024, including 2.3 million newborns, according to the latest United Nations report on global child mortality. The findings were released in the report Levels and Trends in Child Mortality, which examines the leading causes of deaths among children worldwide.

The report notes that many of these deaths could have been prevented through simple and affordable health measures. Access to quality healthcare, timely treatment, vaccination, and better nutrition remain key factors in reducing child deaths.

Over the past two decades, the world has made significant progress. Global under five deaths have dropped by more than half since 2000. However, the pace of improvement has slowed in recent years. Since 2015, the rate of decline in child mortality has fallen by more than 60 percent, raising concerns among health experts.

India Shows Steady Progress In Reducing Child Mortality

Despite global challenges, India has made notable progress in improving child survival rates through sustained public health efforts.

According to the United Nations Inter Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNIGME) Report 2025, India has steadily reduced deaths among newborns and young children over the past decades. The Union Health Ministry said the country has played an important role in lowering child mortality across South Asia.

India’s Neonatal Mortality Rate, which measures deaths within the first 28 days of life, has seen a major decline. In 1990, the rate stood at 57 deaths per 1,000 live births. By 2024, it had dropped to 17.

A similar trend was seen in the Under Five Mortality Rate. In 1990, India recorded 127 deaths per 1,000 live births among children under five. By 2024, that number had fallen sharply to 27.

Health officials attribute this progress to targeted public health programmes, improved hospital deliveries, and wider vaccination coverage.

Malnutrition And Infections Still Claim Many Young Lives

The report highlights that several preventable health conditions continue to drive child deaths across the world.

For the first time, the report estimated deaths directly caused by severe acute malnutrition. It found that more than 100,000 children aged between one month and five years died due to severe malnutrition in 2024.

Experts believe the real impact may be even higher because malnutrition often weakens the immune system. This makes children more vulnerable to common infections such as pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria, which can become life threatening.

Some countries reporting high numbers of malnutrition related deaths include Pakistan, Somalia, and Sudan.

Newborn Complications Remain A Major Concern

Nearly half of all deaths among children under five occur during the newborn stage. This reflects slower progress in preventing deaths around the time of birth.

The leading causes of newborn deaths include complications related to premature birth, which account for about 36 percent of cases. Problems during labor and delivery contribute to around 21 percent of deaths.

Other important causes include infections such as neonatal sepsis and certain birth defects.

After the first month of life, infectious diseases remain the main threats to children’s survival. Malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia are among the biggest causes of death.

Health Experts Stress Need For Continued Investment

The report also points out that global funding for maternal and child health programmes is facing increasing pressure. This could slow progress in reducing child deaths in the coming years.

Experts stress that investing in child health remains one of the most effective public health strategies. Basic interventions such as vaccination, treatment for severe malnutrition, and skilled care during childbirth can save millions of lives.

According to the report, such measures not only improve health outcomes but also strengthen economies by creating healthier and more productive populations.