Arvind Menon
@arvind_menonJoined August 2026Verified parent
Paediatrician; parent of one. I answer generally, not as a substitute for your child's doctor.
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This helps. I am going to add this to the questions for our next visit/meeting. We picked the two boundaries that mattered most and relaxed about smaller differences. Your child's response may be different, but this was our experience.
0on School distance: would you choose a better school 45 minutes away?
For us commute became a bigger issue than expected. A school can be great, but an exhausted child spending 90 minutes a day in traffic is also a real cost. We changed our approach after about a month because the first plan was too hard to sustain. I wish we had asked this before paying the registration amount. I would still test it for a short period before making a long commitment.
2on Newborn feeding every 1.5–2 hours — is this how the first weeks usually feel?
If you can, line up practical help with food and laundry rather than only baby-holding help. That was much more useful in our first month. We changed our approach after about a month because the first plan was too hard to sustain.
5on Career counsellor in Class 10: useful or mostly generic reports?
The counsellor was useful only when the session connected interests to concrete courses and next steps. The aptitude report by itself added very little. The biggest surprise was that the practical routine mattered more than the option that looked best on paper.
For anything medical or if the baby seems unwell, I would check with your paediatrician rather than rely on forum experiences. But for logistics, parent tips are gold. We are in Bengaluru and this came up for us last year.
This helps. I am going to add this to the questions for our next visit/meeting. For us, the admission office answer and the parent answer were not always the same. We are in Bengaluru, so local logistics may be a little different.
9on Exam revision plan for a child who starts only at the last minute
We saw more improvement from regular reading and sleep than from adding extra worksheets every evening. We noticed this more clearly once we stopped comparing with classmates. I would still test it for a short period before making a long commitment.
0on How to compare two schools when both look good on paper — looking for recent parent experiences
Interesting — we had assumed the opposite. Helpful to hear a first-hand experience. We found this out only after doing a second school visit. Your child's response may be different, but this was our experience.
0on International school fees: which extras are genuinely optional?
Makes sense. We can try that for a couple of weeks. The commute piece changed our final shortlist more than expected. We are in Bengaluru, so local logistics may be a little different.
0on International school fees: which extras are genuinely optional?
We asked what happens when a child is struggling, not just what happens to top performers. The answer told us more about the school culture than the brochure did. My spouse had a different view initially, so we tried it for a few weeks before deciding. I wish we had asked this before paying the registration amount. We only reached that conclusion after trying the other approach first.
3on Daycare settling-in period for a 2-year-old: how many rough mornings did you have?
Our daycare teacher gave us a short update after drop-off for the first week. Knowing the crying stopped quickly made it much easier to stay calm at the gate. My spouse had a different view initially, so we tried it for a few weeks before deciding.
2on How do you handle sweets at grandparents' house without making food a battle?
Grandparents responded better when we agreed on a simple quantity instead of saying 'no sweets'. A clear limit felt less like criticism of how they show affection. Our child reacted better once we explained the change in advance instead of announcing it on the day.
1on Baby sleep in the same room: when did you stop reacting to every little noise?
The thing that helped us most was lowering expectations for everything except feeding, rest and basic hygiene. The house can run at 60% for a while. Our child reacted better once we explained the change in advance instead of announcing it on the day.
0on Weaning off the bottle at night without a week of chaos — looking for recent parent experiences
Our daycare teacher gave us a short update after drop-off for the first week. Knowing the crying stopped quickly made it much easier to stay calm at the gate. It took us a couple of weeks before the new routine felt normal. In our house, the practical routine mattered more than the ideal plan.
2on Family WhatsApp groups sharing children's photos: did you set any boundary?
With grandparents, specific rules worked better than a long parenting philosophy. We picked the two boundaries that mattered most and let smaller things go.
For outings, we started with short plans, known friends and a clear pickup time. Independence grew in small steps rather than one big yes/no decision. We are in Bengaluru and this came up for us last year.
Try to keep stream discussions about subjects and daily work, not prestige. 'Would you enjoy doing this kind of work every week?' was a better question for us. We are in Bengaluru and this came up for us last year.
1on Toddler will only sleep if one parent lies next to them
We had better luck changing one thing at a time instead of starting a full new routine overnight. Toddlers somehow notice every change at once. We changed our approach after about a month because the first plan was too hard to sustain.
1on How to compare two schools when both look good on paper?
Do a second visit on a normal working day if the school allows it. Open-house days can feel very different from the everyday atmosphere. We are in Bengaluru and this came up for us last year.
4on School tiffin ideas that still taste okay after three hours — looking for recent parent experiences
Our reliable tiffin rule is dry, familiar and easy to eat quickly. Anything that needs careful spooning usually comes back on busy school days. Our child reacted better once we explained the change in advance instead of announcing it on the day. The school lunch-time limit was part of the problem for us. We are in Bengaluru, so local logistics may be a little different.
2on Breakfast before an early school bus: what is fast but filling?
For early mornings, small portions worked better: half a dosa, banana with curd, mini idlis, or toast. A huge breakfast just created a fight.
0on Returning to work after maternity leave: what made the transition less chaotic?
For anything medical or if the baby seems unwell, I would check with your paediatrician rather than rely on forum experiences. But for logistics, parent tips are gold.
2on Art classes where kids actually create instead of copying a sample
I agree with this. Once we reduced the number of moving parts, everyone became calmer. We review the activity at the end of the term rather than after one bad class. We are in Bengaluru, so local logistics may be a little different.
2on Homework taking 2+ hours in Class 4: normal workload or time-management issue?
This helps. I am going to add this to the questions for our next visit/meeting. A short trial period helped us decide without committing for the whole year. We made the change gradually rather than all at once.
2on Inclusive sports or activity classes — how did you find patient coaches?
I agree with this. Once we reduced the number of moving parts, everyone became calmer. The child having some free time remained important for us too. In our house, the practical routine mattered more than the ideal plan.