ANSWER BACK

DOUBLE FUN

I found the article Being a Singleton about only children an extremely interesting read (Jun 28). I’m an only child and I always found the silly theories about only children being selfish and lonely quite puzzling because I wasn’t either. And growing up, I never felt the need for a sibling.

Last year, I gave birth to my second child. At five weeks, when my son smiled for the first time it wasn’t at me but at his doting big sister. That’s when my mom said, “Now you will know what you missed in life.” Sure enough, in the weeks that followed, I watched in amazement as my children giggled together, chased each other around the house and enjoyed each other’s company. One would spring to the defence of the other during a telling-off. My daughter wouldn’t eat until she’d made sure her brother had got a piece. When she came back from school, he would rush to the door to greet her.

I have now realised what I missed: it’s the feeling of camaraderie of having shared the same womb, the sense of mutual love developed at having spent every waking moment in each other’s hair. Of course there are tiffs, physical fights and moments of sheer jealousy but even that contributes to the deep bond that they share.

It’s not to say that more than one child is better — just that the friendship that siblings share doesn’t have a substitute.- Nasreen Abdulla

Congratulations, Nasreen Abdulla, on your winning entry! We will be in touch with you shortly.

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VEGGIE WONDERS

As a parent, I’m always compelled to turn to the pages that inspire me to be the best parent I can be to my kids. Go Green was a fun, educative and creativity-inspiring article (Jun 28). Having gone through a difficult period when my kids were younger and outright refused to even look at their veggies, here is a seasoned mother advocating time-tested tips to get your kids to happily eat healthy.

Nothing works better than involving children in growing, cooking or plating their own vegetable creations. Give them a personal backyard patch to grow their herbs, and spinach will soon be favoured over chocolate! Do not make veggies a threat — food to be forced on when they’ve been bad, as it will put them off the green wonders for life. Instead, become a child yourself, and together with your kids, make radish roses, broccoli floret shrubs and get your little Mowgli to dive into his asparagus ‘super power arrows’. Fry aubergines, tempura style, with breadcrumbs, and serve it with a yummy homemade dipping sauce. Spend a bonding session creating various veggie creatures, and watch with pride as they devour the greens with pleasure. - Oriana Lourenco, by email

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SHARING IS CARING

Being possessive about one’s partner comes very naturally (3’s a crowd, Jun 28). Hard to deny the fact, at a certain point of time, with a certain friend of an opposite sex, a person tends to feel jealous and insecure. A person in a relationship is like a child with a special toy that he refuses to share. Sharing is a trait that has to be taught to children. Similarly, sharing your partner with his/her friends is a learned act, a conscious decision that comes gradually when you start knowing the company of your spouse. It’s important to understand each other’s individual lives, accepting a person’s social needs, work commitments, and friends circle.

The ideal situation is having common friends, hanging around together, while being with your spouse at the same time. It’s important to be a part of your spouse’s friend circle, and make him/her a part of your social circle too. If things don’t seem to work out even then, think about your partner as a spoiled child, who wants all your attention, time, love and care! - Amna Naeem, Sharjah

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FIGHTING FIT

The article No 1, Come What May on surfing champ Sanda Pienaar provoked a well-known thought in my mind: “If there is a will, there is a way” (Jun 28).

Sandra refused to let her colon problems or her mother’s cancer come in between her and success. As a youngster, I do feel I cannot accomplish things I want in life due to shortcomings in me. But this article proves that however tough the predicament of a person maybe, fear can only be an obstruction and determination is the key to achieving those goals. This article is a true inspiration for anyone who believes their weaknesses overshadow their abilities. - Supriya Anand, Sharjah