Teacher 1

1.​ How do children approach and persist with simple problem solving tasks

such as puzzles or building blocks?

The approach is very simple. We are always hands-on. We tell the children that

they can do the activities they want to. Those are the magic words. And we assist them in

some activities. Such as in puzzle activities, we help by asking them whether a shape is

going to fit in the corner, or if it's a circular piece? Is this a triangle; where it would fit in,

such kind of help. So we are always hands on in helping the child. By asking him

questions etc., as he does fumble here and there. He will try to attempt to complete the

puzzle. But when he feels that it's not possible he will ask, “miss, can you please put the

puzzle for me together?” And then we put a couple of them and then they finish it off.

2.​ How well do children sustain attention during activities, especially when the

tasks are challenging versus enjoyable? When distracted by noise, fears or

interruption, how easily do they get distracted? And how do they return to

the task after being distracted usually?

Oh, we have a mixed batch of children, so to say. Some want a very playful

method and some want challenging methods of play. And ours is a very different

approach. We, being an extracurricular activity class, our approach is not as ‘disciplined’

so to say, unlike normal preschools. We have observed that the children who are very

playful can also want challenging tasks. When we are teaching a subject, there are many

times children who are at a different level, are somewhat lagging behind. But at the same

time, their ears are always listening to what conversation we are having with other

children. And they're very quick to grasp. And children vary according to how they were
raised and brought up. Some people take challenges very well. Some children who were

kind of in a cocoon, they need to be consoled and told it's okay, this happens, this is how

it is. And we have to use such words for them to understand that it's okay. It's okay to

learn. It's okay to adjust and move forward. Because many times they react very

differently. Some people like playful stuff. They want to be very physical and then they

want to do running sort of plays. And then we have certain games like word cards which

are held by a teacher. And then we say the word and the children run and stand near an

object related to that word. Our mentor has guided us that the child is the focus and you

have to adjust your teachings and imparting of knowledge according to his or her ability.

And that's what always it is for at least our school. You can say that the child is the center.

So we make adjustments. We can go back and forth so that the child is able to understand

what we are trying to impart.

They do get distracted easily. There is an internal talk which happens with every

child. Some children are pulling or pushing on things, someone is irritating or wanting to

share a secret with their besties. So they kind of get distracted. But how we tend to pull

them up is by giving certain questions or stories that are relative. We relate the child to

something like asking them, ‘When you're talking, that teacher will distract you’ and

‘what if others start speaking at the same time and your voice is lost’, so they get to

understand that over a period of time, because that's our way of handling these children

who come to us. Situations like, ‘it's your turn to speak up’, and then we start disturbing

him and he gets really perturbed and agitated. And then we say, ‘that's exactly what

happens’. So let's all sit down. And it's not a fish market. Everybody is going to get their

turn and they have their turn to speak up to.

 Also, there are times when the child is really hyperactive. So for that, one of the

teachers will take him outside and we will run along with him in our premises, so that his

physical energy is kind of channelized and he's enjoying that run at the same time. And at

the same time, we are having a conversation too. Or sometimes a child is crying, we take

them out and we show them the different trees we have. We speak about different things,

like the functions of the trees. We make the child touch it, see the bark, it's rough, etc. It's

a way of taking their energy away at the same time not punishing them but making them

get involved in something different.

3.​ How well do children remember story songs and routines and recent

events?Is there a change in their memory as they grow older

Oh, they remember very well. Stories, in fact, suppose we are reading a story and

the story time is over. We say, we are going to stop on this page. We show them the

picture of the page we stopped at. This has always been our practice. When we meet next

week, since it's always a one-day per week class, we tell them you have to tell us where

we stopped. Next week when we meet up we purposely choose a page which they've

already finished. They say, “oh miss you don't remember?” “you don't remember we've

already finished?” and we will say “no,we stopped here!” “Oh miss you don't recollect,

no it's not this page!” and they will take me to the page where I have stopped, so the

recollection happens since there is a lot of attention when they are being told the stories,

because we read the stories in a very different manner. There are a lot of highs and lows

in our voice modulations. There are a lot of gestures happening which captivates them.

They are just all glued to listening to the stories.

 We undermine their memory power. The way we see, they have an amazing

memory, but this happens also when you've made the child feel safe and inclusive. And

even if they give a wrong answer, we say it's okay. It's okay to make mistakes because we

are here to learn. We are here to gain knowledge and change that. So that is why they are

so open with us.

Yes, there is a change. Because every time the memory increases. More so

because we do a lot of creeping and crawling that happens in the class. This happens

during the beginning of the year. Then we get to the middle of the year. Then towards the

end, the creeping and the crawling part, is like the creeping of a soldier on a flat land and

crawling is like a baby. We tell them, the soles of your feet and your palms have got the

maximum amount of nerve endings, which creates synapses. That increases your memory

power. They do it diligently. They have an amazing, amazing memory power. In fact, I

had a field trip today with the children. The child who was with me last year, she is in a

new batch of older kids. And when I went out with them in the morning because we were

taking the children, she said, “teacher, do you remember my name?” I had forgotten her

name. But she told me, “teacher, I remember you taught me the five senses. And in the

sense of taste, you made me taste a bitter thing.” To teach them a sense of taste, we take

karelas, we blindfold the child and we make them taste bitter. Another child came up to

me and told me, “You closed my eyes and then you made me taste different things.” I

made them taste sweet, salty and all that. And then I gave them the nachos, because it's a

mix of all flavors. And I called it the umami flavor. The bitter and the umami she

remembered because sweet, salty and sour are very usual flavors. But these two flavors

she remembered so much.

 4.​ How do children use language to communicate ideas, needs and curiosity

during daily activities and play?

Yes, as they go from nursery to junior KG and then senior KG and then first

standard, the language develops slowly and gradually. We do a lot of story reading in the

class because different books have different vocabulary and with our voice modulation

and gestures, they understand the inner meaning of the word. So next time they are able

to say what they are feeling or what they want to say. So yes, they communicate in the

English language, in their mother tongue too. When they say something in their mother

tongue, it is very much welcome, and then we give the word in English for it, and over a

period of time, these children, they grasp it gradually, slowly, and their retaining power is

really good.

5.​ How do children interact with peers during playtime and group activities? In

a sense, do they prefer playing alone or with others or do they follow group

rules? Do they manage conflicts easily and form friendships easily?

Since we have a mixed batch of children, their environment is really different.

Yes, there are children who mix very easily, and then there are children who take a lot of

time to mix with others. What is seen is that children who are taking time to mix with

others, they are basically very obedient. They are very shy and introverted. So we try to

mix them with children who are very outgoing and extroverted. By putting them together

in a mixed batch, they will definitely help each other. You know, the other person will

understand to be caring and okay. We also see to it that every child gets a turn and no one
no one tries to overshadow the other, since it's a mix of introverted and extroverted kids.

We are very hands-on teachers so that the child is not suffering.

6.​ How does the child respond to unfamiliar caregivers or new environments

compared to familiar ones?

So when we start the new year, there are children who come crying since in my

batch, there are four and five years old. What we do during that time is one of the

teachers will take the crying child and we sit down with various types of books. We ask

the child which topic they like. Boys usually turn towards the vehicles. The girls turn

towards Peppa Pig or dolls. We have tons of books. We take out a few books, sit down

with the child alone in one corner, read to the child, ask questions about the book. Yes,

there are times they will start crying after that. We take them out around the premises,

show the different types of leaves. We try to engage them in a different activity. Also, in

the beginning, around probably two weeks, we allow the mother to sit near the gate

where the child can see their mother. So the mother is watching from there or someone is

sitting over there whom they are comfortable with. And gradually the need for that

person to be present is gone, you know. And the child kind of adjusts very well with the

class. And we teachers, we sit down with different puzzles to keep the child interactive.

The child usually has a fear of the unknown, so one of the teachers will always be with

that child. As the months go, since we are in an extracurricular activity class, our motto is

that, five children, one teacher. We give that child that comfort, that security. We always

say it's OK to cry. Yes, we miss people. But then we have to learn for ourselves. They

learn that their mother also has to go out to do certain work. We make them relate with

their parents; as in their job over here is to come to the school over here to learn
something new, and Dad's job or Mom's job is to go out and look after and get things for

the house. So that's how we kind of go around with the children.

7.​ How does the child express and regulate their emotions such as happiness,

anger, frustration or sadness?

We have many students who are very comfortable and secure with us. The

moment they enter, they will say, “you know, miss, this is what happened yesterday”.

They talk about how they fell down and hurt themselves. Whenever the child comes, we

have stories from their home which are brought to us. And that's their way of sharing and

bonding. That is the way we connect with the child. We kind of make it so easy that it is

relatable for the child to understand. It's okay to be happy. It's okay to cry when you fall

down. It's okay to get bruises and, we sometimes show our bruises, we tell them, this is

what happened when I was learning to cycle. Now this is a star for me. It's a medal.

Shows that I know how to cycle. So this is what we teach them, as teachers, as nurturers,

for him to understand and own that emotion. It's okay to be angry. It's okay to throw a

tantrum. And that tantrum is not understood, you know, because sometimes at home or at

school, people don't have that time to listen and understand what is lurking behind that

tantrum. Probably it is some attention seeking, some understanding needed because they

don't have words to express their emotions. They are not able to express that this is

jealousy or this is anger or this is frustration or this is because they don't have words so

this is the way they go about.

8.​ How does the child cope with challenges, transitions or supposed changes in

their routines? How do children respond to separation, failure, and losing?

 Like, how do they respond to such things? Do they attempt to try again, if

they get set back?

I think children nowadays are coping very well. Some may not. Some are still

struggling. In the beginning; I'm talking about the year. The world is such an open space

for them, at the same time, they're watching and listening to stories and they're watching

certain cartoon characters, you know, the screen time which is exposed to them. A lot of

learning is happening from there too. They sometimes say, “oh he's not my friend today,

we've cut off today”. And then we tell them that “you’ve got a chance to make new

friends today, probably sometime later he'll come back, he will understand, he'll want to

be your friend again.” And also watching the screen time, also listening to the stories we

read and probably the parents also are reading to them, and they are able to cope up to a

certain extent. But then sometimes there are children who are entitled. We feel saddened

because he doesn't know any other way. The child does not know any other way because

everything has been given to him on the platter, no matter what. But here with us, we do

our best to nurture and change his course of, to say, entitlement into being just one of

them. I was talking about this the other day, Rhydhm and you when we met up in the

class. Some of them don't know how to tie the shoelaces, they velcro. They also don't

know the left and the right part of their shoes because they have didi waiting on them

almost all the time. So it's a really sad scenario where this is concerned. I think the child

has to be taught to do his stuff on his own as and when he grows up. And obviously, we

are no monsters. We know what a child is able to do. And that is the exact part. This is

how you throw challenges. The child is going to survive. But if you throw entitlement,

he's just going to be bossy and obnoxious.

 Yes, because at least where we are, we encourage them to try it because it's a

failure, it is another step towards success. So we always say, when you're running, it's

not about running and reaching the end first or last. It's how we are doing it, how better

you're doing it. We tell the child to look at himself or herself, and how they are

performing, rather than looking at who's reached that point first. There are always some

exceptions, but the majority of them understand that it's okay to feel, it's okay to make

mistakes. But most important is to move forward and not make that mistake again and

improve on yourself.

We also tell the parents to look at their child without putting him or her down, or

talking about them in front of others, talking about his emotions or anything. No, don't do

that. You should compare him with just himself, not with others. Comparisons will hurt

your child. At least doing it in front of him.

9.​ Does the child show awareness of and empathy toward others’ emotions?

How well does the child respond when someone is hurt or upset, and do they

apologise or show understanding?

Empathy is lacking. Like I said, some children have been given things on a

platter. Entitlement is their armor, so to say. So, plus, I don't know. Yes, there are parents

who are able to work from home and as well as manage dropping the kids or looking

after the kids. But now, more and more nuclear families are there. Everybody wants to

make a name for themselves in the world. Usually the children are either one or two in

number, so I feel that sometimes the parents have a guilt that they're not giving enough to

the child, probably the quality time, but it's been compensated in a different manner. So
there's a lot of transition happening over the years. Because everybody is going out or

probably working from home. They have some other set of responsibilities. So sometimes

the child doesn't have their parents to share their feelings with. However it's quite mixed I

feel. There are parents who are still managing to be at home when the other is out. But

yes, sometimes children do have a lot of empathy. Some children are not even ready to

say sorry. In spite of them knowing what they have done or their actions; sorry doesn't

come easily to certain children. Over these years I've seen, it doesn't come easy. And of

course, we wouldn't know the background of such behaviour, but we try to understand the

child. Like I said, we really talk about a lot of relative stories. You know, if you're

harming someone or someone is unhappy, how would they go about it? But yes, we are

making our efforts in whatever way we can.

10.​How would you describe the child's motor skills during play and daily

activities?

Motor skills, especially fine motor skills have taken a backseat, simply because

things are done for the child, either by the parents or the help or anybody around them. I

feel the child should be left to explore more on his own, learn on his own, fail, fall, get up

and move forward. Fine motor skills are lacking and we can see it in the way they are

writing or holding a simple crayon, which is quite thick enough for their tiny fingers. But

many of them are able to do fantastically. Some of them are really struggling with that.

Since I handle the senior KG batch, I teach them cursive writing. Some children at the

same level, are not managing even to write a proper P or a Q or a Y. A lot of mirror

images happening of the letters also. I would definitely encourage more fine motor skill

activities. And that's what we do, like with the clay or the dough at home or segregating
the lentils and the pulses with their tiny fingers to improve the pincer grasp; the pincer

grasp is kind of lacking. So when you segregate or differentiate lentils, give them the

mixed particles, pulses and make them separate one moong dal from a one rajma bean,

that is going to help the child. Allowing them to wear their own clothes, they have to

maneuver their hands on the buttons etc. Also the child has become more aggressive

because certain screen time, if not under parental control, is going to harm them. And

obviously, there's a lot of exposure that is happening beyond the house also. So this is the

test of time. And I guess everybody has to make some effort to see that it's taken care of.

The fine motor skills have taken a backseat, but the bigger (gross) motor skills,

they are able to do fine. Because the parent from a very early age, encourages the child in

a lot of sports discipline, and that has gradually seeped into the child at a younger age,

which is helping them to have those gross motor skills much better, the bigger motor

skills; due to the habit of sports, gymnastics. All these things have really, really helped

the child in that way. But where writing is concerned, a major part of my work is about

writing skills. And I do teach till the fourth standard, fourth graders, till the fourth

graders, they come for creative writing. I find the handwriting is, I don't know what

words to say. Some have some beautiful handwriting, others, not so much. I know parents

can definitely play a role in the child having that entitlement factor. Fine motor skills are

taking a setback over there because work is done for them. The laces are tied for them.

The bag is packed for them. So this is my take. I may be wrong in some matters, but this

is my observation of the last 24 years. Yeah, it's very subjective. It's very relative to

families also and their upbringing and their surroundings. But majority, I would say this

would be a hindrance for the child's growth.

Extra insight while wrapping the interview up, unprompted: Another thing I have to

tell you for today's interview. I noticed when we were taking the children up to the bus, I

noticed that the parents, they tell us how their child can't do this. He can't do that. Will

you believe it? We are going on a field trip. They give a water bottle, which has got no

hanging strip. I mean, I am surprised. The child is being sent on a field trip without a

bottle which has a sling so that the child can hang it around and his hands free and he can

do whatever he wishes to. Since we had to keep their bottles aside, they're searching for

their bottles. I feel like the parents sometimes don't understand that development isn’t

entirely dependent on classroom teaching, but also the environment they are brought up

in. The environment matters; how peaceful or how frightful or how dangerous it is, it

definitely has a great impact on the child's psyche.

Teacher 2
 1.​ How does the child approach and persist with simple problem-solving tasks

such as puzzles or building blocks?

In my classroom, it really depends on the child. Some of the children immediately

jump into puzzles or block activities with a lot of enthusiasm. They’re hands-on learners

and love figuring things out. However, a few of them tend to rush. They're very energetic

and enthusiastic about what they're doing and will try to force pieces into place or quickly

stack blocks without thinking through what they’re building. When it doesn’t work, they

get frustrated and move on just as quickly. Then, I have some quieter children who

approach these tasks more slowly and carefully. They observe first, sometimes even

watch the other kids, what they're doing, and then start building or solving the puzzle in a

systematic manner. They are usually more patient. So when these different types of

students face difficulty, their responses vary. Some of the more energetic students get

visibly frustrated and end up abandoning the task, and I need to motivate and guide them

to try again. So I will sometimes tell them, “Let’s turn the piece around” or “What else

can be done?” A few end up immediately seeking help instead of trying by themselves

first. Over the years of my teaching, I’ve seen improvement in many of them. They’re

slowly learning to cope with small failures and experiment with different strategies

instead of giving up right away.

2.​ How well does the child sustain attention during activities, especially when

tasks are challenging versus enjoyable?

Attention spans at this age, I feel based on my experience teaching them, are

naturally short, so I know that there will always be some movement and distraction
among the kids. During activities like art, storytelling, or free play, most students remain

engaged for a good amount of time. The hyperactive ones still fidget or talk out of turn,

but they’re generally interested. When the activity is more structured or challenging, like

writing, learning words, or sorting tasks, attention drops for some students. The more

active children are easily distracted by small sounds, other kids moving, or even their

own thoughts. I often need to redirect them, using gentle guidance. The quieter students

are usually rule-abiding, typically stay seated and focused longer, but when the task feels

repetitive, they seem to zone out. Personally I feel like it's really mixed. Most children do

return to the task after redirection, but they need frequent reminders and motivation.

3.​ How well does the child remember stories, songs, routines, and recent events?

Children at this age can be surprised with how much they remember. Many can

recall specific parts of stories we’ve read earlier in the week. They love repeating lines

from familiar books. Songs are even easier, especially the rhymes like ‘Baa Baa Black

Sheep’, they quickly memorize lyrics and actions, especially if they’re fun and repetitive.

When it comes to routines, most of them remember the daily schedule well. They know

when it’s free play time, snack time, or learning time. If I accidentally skip something,

they’ll be the first to point it out. However, their recalling power for recent events are

sometimes a little inconsistent. Some children describe what they did yesterday in detail,

while some kids give very brief or unrelated responses. So I feel that it depends on the

child's disposition.

4.​ How does the child use language to communicate ideas, needs, and curiosity

during daily activities and play?

 Language development is very fast in these children. Most of the children are

really talkative. They will talk to their friends, they will talk during playing, while they're

learning…they love speaking a lot. I guess it helps them engage properly in a task. They

ask constant “why” and “how” questions, how does this happen, why does this happen,

why is this like that, and they love expressing their opinions too. They will tell us that

they want that book, or that puzzle for playing. They also narrate when they play, like

when they are playing with dolls, they will talk about what story they have planned in

their head for the dolls. They also initiate conversations with their classmates, and with us

teachers. They are very good at expressing their needs and opinions. Then there are

quieter students who speak less but still communicate effectively when needed. They do

not initiate conversations as often, but they respond well when spoken to. So what I’ve

noticed is that there is a great vocabulary growth over the school year. Even the quieter

children become more expressive and comfortable using new words they’ve learned in

class, and they use those words frequently while talking to each other.

5.​ How does the child interact with peers during play and group activities?

So some children are naturally social and jump into group play easily. They are

very enthusiastic about playing with their friends, and enjoy group [Link] enjoy

playing story lines, building together, or participating in group games. Then we have

some quiet children who prefer playing alongside the other kids rather than directly with

them. They’re comfortable but do not actively lead or initiate interaction. From what I've

noticed teaching children all these years. Some students clearly prefer group play, while

others are happy playing independently. Following group rules is easier for some than

others. The more energetic students sometimes struggle with waiting their turn or sharing,
but they’re learning. Especially when they get guidance from us teachers, they slowly

start to learn. What is okay, what is not okay. And I believe that children possess great

learning capabilities, they just need proper guidance.

6.​ How does the child respond to unfamiliar caregivers or new environments

compared to familiar ones?

So this again is a very mixed observation. There are some children who just

cannot get used to an environment, like some of them cry when they are dropped off at

school. They will look for their mother, their father, aunty whoever is coming with them,

and generally seek comfort from them. They will cling to them and not want to explore

the environment. But after some time they understand that they're actually in school,

which is something they are familiar with, so they calm down. Recently, we had taken the

kids for a trip to Kidzania, and some of them were very shaken and were crying when

getting on the bus, and were looking for their moms, and dads. And then there were some

kids who were very excited to visit. So I think it depends on the child's temperament.

Some kids need reassurance, motivation, guidance and in general, time to get adjusted to

a new environment, and then some are just okay. They're there, they enjoy exploring new

situations.

7.​ How does the child express and regulate emotions such as happiness, anger,

frustration, or sadness?

Emotions at this age are very intense and prominent. Children are very expressive

with what they're feeling. When they're angry, they cry and yell. When they're happy,

they will be very active and expressive about it. The quieter children however don't show
their emotions a lot. And I've noticed that they end up going silent when they feel that

they're sad.

8.​ How does the child cope with challenges, transitions, or changes in routine?

From my experience with 4-5 year olds, coping really depends on the child’s

temperament and their home environment. At the beginning of the year especially,

transitions can be tough. Some children adapt quickly because they’re curious, and they

observe, and within a few days they settle into the routine. Others struggle more. The

world feels big to them. New classmates, a new classroom, new expectations, all of these

can be very overwhelming to them. I've also noticed one thing about them when they're

faced with challenges. Some children have been given everything very easily at home.

When they enter a shared environment like school, where they must wait their turn or

follow rules, they struggle. So we try to gently shift that mindset. We give them small

responsibilities. We encourage independence. If a child doesn’t know how to wear their

shoes properly or identify left and right, we guide them, but we don’t immediately do it

for them as it can ruin their normal development of coping with routines and its changes.

When it comes to separation, failure, or losing, reactions vary. Some children cry briefly

at drop-off but recover within minutes once engaged. Others are comfortable from day

one. I've said this before too. Slowly, the children will develop.

9.​ Does the child show awareness of and empathy toward others’ emotions?

Empathy in this age group is very mixed. Some children are naturally very sensitive. If a

child is crying, they’ll immediately go and ask, “Are you okay?” or call a teacher. They

might offer a hug or share a toy. These children tend to be more observant of others’
feelings. At the same time, I have seen that empathy does not come easily to every child.

Some children struggle to say sorry, even when they clearly understand they’ve hurt

someone. It’s almost like the word gets stuck. I believe part of this comes from their

environment. Also, in some cases, children are used to getting what they want

immediately, so it becomes harder for them to recognize someone else’s discomfort. They

might not immediately register that their actions affected another child. I firmly believe

that empathy is something that can be nurtured. You can teach them, most children are

good learners and begin to show increasing emotional awareness over time.

10.​How would you describe the child’s motor skills during play and daily

activities?

Gross motor skills are generally good and developing normally in the batch I

teach. Most of my children enjoy running, jumping, climbing, and participating in

outdoor activities like ball, swings, frog jumps etc. The more hyper and enthusiastic

students love physical activity. Fine motor skills however are varying more. Some

children handle crayons, pencils, and small objects like beads with good control. Others

struggle slightly with grip strength or precision. Especially during writing tasks, when we

make them do worksheets, or give them sorting puzzles, they struggle to hold on to the

pencil, or the small balls properly. What I've noticed is that while most children enjoy

physical activity and have this confidence in their movement, fine motor skills are

developing in a different manner for them. It could be because in today’s time, much of

the kids’ work is done by parents or some form of help. They will complete the child's
homework, help the child build their toys. They don't let the kid explore and figure things

out by himself, or herself. Some students still need support with buttoning or precise

cutting. But yes, it is not like progress is not visible over the years. Their coordination

and control can be improved significantly with practice and structured activities, and we

try to achieve the same as teachers.

PARENT 1
 1.​ How does the child approach and persist with simple problem-solving tasks
such as puzzles or building blocks?

So…generally speaking, my child approaches puzzles and building blocks with a

lot of excitement. If it’s something colorful or hands-on, she does it very enthusiastically.
She enjoys figuring things out and can sit for a long time…like you can give her a puzzle
board, and she will sit with it for hours. She loves her puzzles and games. That said, she's
very energetic, so, so energetic. She is always running around, picking up this, that,
whatever she finds, and she wants to show it to us. When she finds something hard to do,
she doesn't just give up. She will sit there, working on it for hours. She sometimes does
get annoyed and frustrated that she's stuck at a puzzle, but usually she asks us for some
help, and we try to do it a few different ways before asking for help. Over time, I’ve
noticed improvement. She's able to work around puzzles much better now. She's really
more patient and willing to stick with things longer, especially if I encourage her. Overall,
I feel her persistence is appropriate for her age.

2.​ How well does the child sustain attention during activities, especially when
tasks are challenging versus enjoyable?

Yeah, so when the activity is something she genuinely enjoys and loves, like she
loves jigsaw puzzles, she loves to color, she likes listening to fairy tales etc. and she does
them with so much diligence, it surprises me too. Because I used to think, children were
always distracted. But when I see her now, I understand that it is so different. Our parents
used to tell us that we were such distracted children, but I know now that it depends on
the child and their interests. So I see sometimes when she does basic things like numbers
etc, I teach her about them, she goes away from the table and starts coloring with crayons
instead. So I think her attention really depends on things she likes.

Also the environment noise plays such a big role. There is so much construction
around us, it's very distracting especially for her. She usually ends up complaining that
“Oh, it's so noisy! I don't like it!” So I have to guide her through the tasks given by the
school, or I usually put some calm music on, and she's able to manage. I wouldn't say she
completely loses her line of vision as in the tasks, but since there are so many
distractions, like phones which I try to keep away from her, she gets momentarily pulled
away.

3.​ How well does the child remember stories, songs, routines, and recent events?

She has a really good memory. Really good. Especially for the fairy tales she
really loves, like panchtantra. I read her the panchtantra tales every night, and sometimes
I do one thousand and one Arabian nights, and she remembers them so well. She will tell
me the next day, “Mumma, can you read me that story again.” She remembers things very
well. Even when I'm helping her revise her school work, I test her sometimes, asking her
what she's been taught in class, and she remembers them nicely. She will even stop me if
I make a mistake and make me repeat that.

Regarding recent events, they can usually tell me what happened in school that
day, though sometimes the details come out randomly or in bits and pieces.

And she remembers much better than when she was around 2-3 years old. Since
she is learning more words, she's using them in her everyday vocabulary now. And really
it's so…like a parent, seeing my child grow up so fast, I don't know what to say.

4.​ How does the child use language to communicate ideas, needs, and curiosity
during daily activities and play?

She is really very expressive. When she needs something, she usually asks me
clearly. She used to point at things when she was younger, and she still does that, but now
she also uses words, like asking me for a bottle of water, or some juice that she wants.
She does not just babble words and points anymore. She uses a lot of words, she talks a
lot. She tells me the things that happen in school, in class, very enthusiastically. She loves
asking questions, and so many questions related to her curiosity with new things, like,
“Why is the dog barking? What is a rocket?”--when my nephew was talking about his
science project and this word ‘rocket’ came up. She talks a lot as well when she's doing
her jigsaw puzzles, and dolls and things. She describes her thoughts and explains what
she's making with the blocks, or creating extensive storylines with her barbie dolls as
she's playing. So her vocabulary has definitely increased. She also sometimes uses words
from TV shows that we watch together, or from the cartoons she's watching and things
like that.

5.​ How does the child interact with peers during play and group activities?

She's very enthusiastic and extroverted. She loves playing with her friends in our
society. They go around the playgrounds, and play on the swings, slides. Sometimes she
asks me to swing her, sometimes the children take turns pushing each other but they can't
really push that much. So that, and they play ball, catch etc. they run around the society
play area together. So she gets along with them very well I feel. Her teachers also tell me
that the case is similar in the school, during play time…she plays with her friends in
class. So she enjoys the company of her friends and they get along really well. But yes it's
not like she can't play alone, she plays alone at home too. I play with her sometimes but
mostly she plays by herself. Sometimes she does request to go out and play with her
friends at an earlier hour.

6.​ How does the child respond to unfamiliar caregivers or new environments
compared to familiar ones?
 She's very much okay with strangers. Not so much that she would follow them
around, but as in she doesn't really cry or such when she sees them. She didn't even cry
on her first day of preschool. She just hesitates a little and takes a little time to adjust to a
new situation, but once that is done, it doesn’t matter to her if you are not as close to her
as her best friend or grandparent, she will tell you everything that has happened with her
in her day. So, yeah, she does pretty well with new situations and new people.

7.​ How does the child express and regulate emotions such as happiness, anger,
frustration, or sadness?

I see that she shows her emotions very well. She's very expressive. She tells me
when she is happy, and when she's happy she's also smiling at me. And when she's not
happy at something, like saying she missed the timing of her cartoon episode, she gets
sad and angry. So she frowns and tells me that she is not happy and she wants to watch
her cartoon. Sometimes she cries when she doesn't get something she really wants, but I
believe being firm as a parent is our duty to make her understand that not everything is
something that can be given to her.

So usually her emotional responses are sometimes intense; like when she's crying,
it is really loud and huge, but it does not last a long time because she understands the
situation. Or if she was hurt because of some actions her friends did, she comes to me and
I give her reassurance that it's okay, people can get hurt and that your friend should
apologise, etc., so usually she calms down in a few minutes. Since she's still so young, I
know it'll take time for her emotions to be more regulated, but as far as I can see;
especially compared to other kids, she's doing great for her age.

8.​ How does the child cope with challenges, transitions, or changes in routine?

I think…I've told this before too. In new situations, with new people etc. she's
very calm. It does not bother her at all. So when something is changing in her routine, she
usually is okay with it. Recently we had to stay at a relative's place for a few days, since
our flat was getting renovated. So her entire time table had changed; no school for some
days, and the bed time, lunch time, TV time, play time everything had changed. She did
ask me why we are not playing now, or why she can't watch TV now, but I think she
adapted really smoothly. As long as she got to do things in her usual schedule even at a
later time, she was pretty okay with it. So I think she copes up with challenges and
changes in routines well enough.

9.​ Does the child show awareness of and empathy toward others’ emotions?

Yes, I have been teaching her about being grateful and sorry since an early age. So
now whenever she receives something like a gift from her relatives, or from friends, she
says thank you. And whenever she sees her friends cry, maybe due to something, she
hugs them. I saw her that day at the society play area; one of her friends had fallen on her
knees and hurt herself. She immediately helped her get up from the ground and was
telling her it's okay, it's okay, while she cried. She told me that I did that because you
always say it’s okay so I did the same, which made me very proud. But yeah, overall
she’s very empathetic, at least to a very basic level. Some situations she doesn’t
comprehend completely because she’s still little. But otherwise, on a daily basis, she
shows a lot of care and empathy to her close and loved ones specifically. My nephew had
gotten a scratch the other day so she took out the bandage and put on the wound and
reassured him, ‘it’s okay, it’s going to be fine’ while asking whether it hurt a lot and did it
stop hurting after applying the bandage. It was very sweet of her and everyone in the
house at that time; it was a family gathering, and praised her for the same.

10.​How would you describe the child’s motor skills during play and daily
activities?

So her gross motor skills? Like running, jumping, all of that is pretty well
developed I’d say. She loves running around, playing catch, going on swings and slides.
In her school, they do certain games like hop, jump, maze games etc. and she does well in
those. I think overall her gross motor skills are okay. Also her finer motor skills, she is
doing okay, but she needs some more help sometimes. She can hold a crayon fine, but
sometimes it slips from her hands. Maybe it's because of the size of the crayon. She can
write pretty well, and she can draw lines as well. I think her overall progress for the
motor skills as a 5 year old is going well enough.
PARENT 2
 1.​ How does the child approach and persist with simple problem-solving tasks
such as puzzles or building blocks?

My son usually approaches puzzles and building blocks in a calm and quiet way.
Usually he's not a huge fan of solving puzzles, he prefers building blocks. But when I
place them in front of him, he will give it some time to try out. He also likes to take his
time and go about it slowly, he doesn't get distracted easily that is why. And when he
finds something difficult, like that day he was doing this building block thing, making a
flower out of it, he just stared at it. And he usually does that, he doesn't try to figure out
different ways if it's not in the rule book. Sometimes he hands it over to me. To help him
solve things. He does not get frustrated per say, but he just loses interest in the thing
because it was too difficult.

2.​ How well does the child sustain attention during activities, especially when
tasks are challenging versus enjoyable? Does he get distracted easily from
noise and other sounds in the environment?

Usually when he's watching his favorite show, like Bluey, or Tom and Jerry, he's
very attentive. He could watch for hours, without getting distracted…even when I'm
reading him stories, he's very much attentive. He will listen and finish clumsily when I
trail off to see if he remembers the story or not. Whenever it's a calm, quiet activity or
like something that needs him to engage his mind and not body, he is very interested in
those activities, like coloring, reading etc. But whenever I see him at the playground, he
is usually playing by himself, making clay figurines rather than running or jumping. I
think he prefers the enjoyable tasks more than the challenging ones, because he just ends
up losing interest. He doesn't seem distracted. He just seems to sometimes just zone out
or slow down.

From what I've seen, he is not easily distracted by noise or peers in the traditional
sense. It’s more that he becomes mentally disengaged. When he gets interrupted, he
doesn’t always return to the task by himself. He needs someone to prompt him to refocus.
I’ve noticed that compared to when he was younger, his attention span has improved
slightly, but he still requires prompting to stay consistent with tasks that require effort.

3.​ How well does the child remember stories, songs, routines, and recent events?

He remembers them very well, but I often need to test it or ask to see if he
remembers. He remembers the usual routines that we do with him, like bedtime steps or
when it's school time he needs to do this, this, this. When it comes to stories, he can recall
main ideas but not the details. He remembers his school work okay but he needs a lot of
practice before he can actually remember everything properly.
 After he comes back from school, he tells me what happened during the day, but
his responses are usually short and he only replies something additional when I ask him. I
sometimes have to ask specific questions to get more detailed answers. Sometimes I feel
like he doesn't enjoy talking a lot.

4.​ How does the child use language to communicate ideas, needs, and curiosity
during daily activities and play?

He doesn't seem to like talking a lot or initiating long conversations. It's not like
he doesn't speak; he does, but it's very basic. He will tell me if he's hungry, that he is
hungry and wants food. Or he'll tell me that he wants his story book. Or he wants the TV
on. But apart from that he doesn't seem to enjoy talking a lot, like telling about how his
school went, or what games he played or what the teachers taught in class today. But if
asked, he will answer. And usually when something is piquing his interest, he will look at
it. He will quietly observe instead of asking about it. He does ask, but only when he's
probably not understanding what he's looking at. I feel that his vocabulary is definitely
growing, but he doesn't seem interested in using it a lot. I wouldn’t say there is a major
delay, or that it is a cause for concern for me. But I've definitely thought of getting him
checked out by the paediatrician once. He's not very verbally expressive or talkative
compared to most kids I see. I have, however, noticed gradual improvement, especially
when we actively engage him in conversations.

5.​ How does the child interact with peers during play and group activities?

He is generally comfortable around his friends, but he is reserved and introverted.

He doesn’t usually take the lead in group activities. Instead, he waits to be invited or
follows along with what others are doing. He mostly likes quieter, calmer forms of play
like playing by himself, or doing building blocks, clay, drawing etc. rather than very
active group games. He has a few friends in the society.

6.​ How does the child respond to unfamiliar caregivers or new environments
compared to familiar ones?

So for environments he is used to, like the school, or the house, or his aunt and
cousins, friends etc. he's very cautious with them. I’ve seen him be wary and not try out
new things and approach new individuals. But once he feels safe enough to go, he goes
up to them to say hello, play with them or talk a little. Usually when he sees strangers or
like such situations that he's not used to, he will look around for people he knows. If he
doesn't see them, he will start crying. So he needs that familiarity and sense of safety. We
are trying to get him used to unfamiliar things, and I hope we can progress soon.

7.​ How does the child express and regulate emotions such as happiness, anger,
frustration, or sadness?
 He expresses emotions in a very subtle way. When he’s happy, he smiles, but he’s
not overly expressive. When upset, he tends to withdraw and be by himself. He didn't like
anyone else's company at that time. He just sits quietly and avoids eye contact instead of
yelling and being angry. From what I've seen, his emotional reactions are usually not
loud. They are mild but sometimes last longer because he doesn’t always verbalize what
he’s feeling. Like that day, he was upset because his favorite color of clay was lost. So he
told me about it and then went to his room to sit alone and do something else. But he
looked really sad. So from what I see is that he doesn’t always seek reassurance and
comfort from me or someone else immediately; I have to approach him and ask what’s
wrong. I feel his regulation is developing, but he may need support in expressing
emotions more openly.

8.​ How does the child cope with challenges, transitions, or changes in routine?

He really prefers if things were in an order, without changes. Like, predictable

patterns. If there’s a sudden change in routine, he becomes…anxious? Like he doesn't
like it and he will tell me that he doesn't like it. It is not like he will throw a tantrum or
anything, he just becomes so withdrawn, and less responsive. He prefers routines over
changes, and like I said, he does not like challenging things too much. It needs to be
calm, quiet and not something that makes him engage with others. Usually he needs
prompting to work through challenges, like puzzles, homework that is difficult to do. So
when he receives help, he will work through the tasks and complete it.

9.​ Does the child show awareness of and empathy toward others’ emotions?

I think he does show empathy, but in a quiet way. If someone is hurt, he looks
concerned and looks at the person. He doesn’t always rush over immediately, but he does
notice.

I've seen that when he accidentally hurts someone, like during play, he usually
apologizes without being prompted. In such matters he is very aware. However I've also
seen that he doesn't always understand how to comfort a person if they're sad. Whether he
should hold their hand, hug them, or say something to them. He just simply stands there
in front of the person. So I think this aspect of his needs some work as well, and it's our
duty as parents to help him understand empathy.

10.​How would you describe the child’s motor skills during play and daily
activities?

His gross motor skills are okay, he can run, jump, walk, catch a ball and throw it,
but he's slightly less energetic compared to other boys his age. He doesn’t actively seek
very physical or rough play. He prefers calmer activities, like I told you. He enjoys some
level of physical activity sometimes but he also gets tired more quickly and chooses to sit
out after a while. He is capable of managing fine motor tasks like drawing, holding a
pencil, buttoning clothes, and using utensils; in this aspect I've not seen him fall behind as
compared to other children.
Theme table final
 Theme Sub-Theme Codes Quotations

Guided Peer, Teacher ●​ Hands-on ●​ “We are always

Learning and and Parental teaching hands-on... we assist

Scaffolding Guidance in ●​ Peer-support them in some

Practices Learning ed learning activities.”

●​ Guidance in ●​ “By putting them

Scaffolding via difficult (introverted children)

skilled member tasks together in a mixed

in the ●​ Acceptance batch, it will

environment of help and definitely help each

seeking it other.”

out as well ●​ “And I believe that

children possess great

learning capabilities,

they just need proper

guidance.”

●​ “Some of the more

energetic students get

visibly frustrated and

end up abandoning

the task, and I need to

 motivate and guide

them to try again.”

●​ “She sometimes does

get annoyed and

frustrated that she's

stuck at a puzzle, but

usually she asks us

for some help, and

we try to do it a few

different ways before

asking for help.”

●​ “And he usually does

that, he doesn't try to

figure out different

ways if it's not in the

rule book. Sometimes

he hands it over to

me. To help him

solve things.”

Attention Activity and ●​ Naturally ●​ “They do get

Regulation Environment short distracted easily.

Dependent attention There's an internal

Attention Span spans talk happening.”

●​ Distractions ●​ “...when I'm reading

Increased in the him stories, he's very

Distractors in environment much attentive.”

the ●​ Liked and ●​ “When the activity is

environment Cherished something she

activities genuinely enjoys and

leading to loves... she does them

longer with so much

attention diligence, it surprises

spans. me too.”

●​ Need for ●​ “Environmental noise

redirection plays such a big role.

There is so much

construction around

us, it's very

distracting for her...

Since there are so

many distractions

like phones which I

try to keep away

from her, she gets

momentarily pulled
 away.”

●​ “Attention spans at

this age, I feel, based

on my experience

teaching them, are

naturally short...

Most children return

to the task after

redirection, but they

need frequent

reminders and

motivation.”

●​ “...there is a lot of

attention when they

are being told,

because we read the

stories with… a lot of

highs and lows in our

voice modulations…

a lot of gestures

happening that

captivate them. They

are just all glued to

 listening to the

stories.”

Emotional Emotional ●​ Emotional ●​ “We kind of make it

Expression intensity and expression is so easy that it is

expression accepted relatable for the child

based on ●​ Normatively to understand. It's

temperament intensive okay to be happy. It's

emotions okay to cry when you

Acceptance ●​ Temperamen fall down. It's okay to

and t affects get bruises... It's okay

normalisation emotions to be angry, it's okay

of emotions ●​ Withdrawal to throw a tantrum.”

from from social ●​ “Emotions at this age

caregivers and setting when are very intense and

teachers feeling upset prominent.”

●​ “So usually her

emotional responses

are sometimes

intense; like when

she's crying, it is

really loud and huge,

but it does not last a

 long time because she

understands the

situation.”

●​ “The quieter children,

however, don't show

their emotions a lot.

And I've noticed that

they end up going

silent when they feel

that they're sad.”

●​ “...he doesn’t always

seek reassurance and

comfort from me or

someone else

immediately; I have

to approach him and

ask what’s wrong. I

feel his regulation is

developing, but he

may need support in

expressing emotions

more openly.”
Sociability and Sociability and ●​ Child's ●​ “There are children

Adaptability Adaptability temperament who mix very easily,

based on decides and then there are

situational and Adaptability children who take a

personality and lot of time to mix

factors sociability with others.”

●​ Hesitance ●​ “Some kids need

Creation of and wariness reassurance,

safety and are initially motivation, guidance

assurance for seen and in general, time

better regardless of to get adjusted to a

Adaptability temperament new environment,

●​ Reassurance and then some are

and guidance just okay. They're

helps in there, they enjoy

better exploring new

adjustment situations.”

●​ Sense of ●​ “We had to stay at a

familiarity relative's place for a

and safety is few days… her entire

essential time table had

changed… She did

ask me why we are

 not playing now, or

why she can't watch

TV now, but I think

she adapted really

smoothly.”

●​ “She just hesitates a

little and takes a little

time to adjust to a

new situation…”

●​ “He really prefers if

things were in an

order, without

changes. Like,

predictable patterns.

If there’s a sudden

change in routine, he

becomes…anxious?

Like he doesn't like it

and he will tell me

that he doesn't like

it.”

●​ “...he's very cautious

with them. I’ve seen

 him be wary and not

try out new things

and approach new

individuals. But once

he feels safe enough

to go, he goes up to

them to say hello,

play with them or

talk a little.”

●​ “We make them

relate with their

parents; as in their

job over here is to

come to the school

over here to learn

something new, and

Dad's job or Mom's

job is to go out and

look after and get

things for the house."

●​ “He waits to be

invited or follows

along with what

 others are doing... He

has few friends in the

society.”

●​ “She's very

enthusiastic and

extroverted. She

loves playing with

her friends in our

society.”

Physical Fair Gross Overall appropriate ●​ “Fine motor skills

Development motor gross motor have taken a backseat

and role of development development due to over there because

overdependenc practice from early work is done for

e Reduced fine age them. The lace is tied

motor skill Issues with fine for them. The bag is

development motor skills packed for them.”

stemming from ●​ “...the parent from a

Developmental overdependence on very early age

setbacks due to help encourages the child

less Struggle with in sport discipline...

independence writing tasks which is helping

and autonomy Need for parental them to have those

responsibility to gross motor skills

develop skills much better.”

●​ “Some children at the

same level are not

managing even to

write a proper P or a

Q or a Y. A lot of

mirror images

happening of the

letters also. I would

definitely encourage

more fine motor skill

activities.”

●​ “Most of my children

enjoy running,

jumping, climbing,

and participating in

outdoor activities like

ball, swings, frog

jumps... Fine motor

skills, however, are

more varying. Some

children handle
 crayons, pencils, and

small objects like

beads with good

control. Others

struggle slightly with

grip strength or

precision. Especially

during writing tasks,

when we make them

do worksheets, or

give them sorting

puzzles, they struggle

to hold on to the

pencil or the small

balls properly.”

●​ “They don’t know

how to tie their

shoelaces.”

●​ “Everything is

provided to them on a

platter.”

●​ “I feel like the

parents sometimes
don't understand that

development isn’t

entirely dependent on

classroom teaching,

but also the

environment they are

brought up in. The

environment matters;

how peaceful or how

frightful or how

dangerous it is, it

definitely has a great

impact on the child's

psyche.”