Love is known to be a panacea for just about everything. And children, more than adults thrive under love and care. You will be surprised to know that a large number of children who have high IQs and are brainy come from loving stress-free homes. Educators find that secure and well-loved children perform better in school than children from broken homes or stress-filled homes.

So, get ready to give umpteen hugs and kisses. Run with your child, hold his hand without an excuse, play ball, get down on all fours and have a race with your toddler. Interact at all levels and times.

Give children time to stand and stare to watch the leaves rustle, to lie beneath a tree, romp the woods, or hum while sitting in a pond or stream. Kids need to savor life and not rush around with a full schedule like adults. Classrooms and special courses do not create geniuses. The freedom to innovate and pausing to think does. So be flexible, mix work with play and try not to force your ideas or choices on the child.

Laughter frees fetters and blows away cobwebs from the mind. Let the kids giggle their heart out even at simple things like split ketchup. Tickle the kids until they laugh themselves silly, surprise them by making faces at the greens on your plate, play make-believe farm and imitate the animals. Take the kids to the zoo to pet the animals. Introduce them to comics and comedy. Laughter, as you will notice, will wipe away disappointments and fears.

While discipline is essential it should not be military. Be flexible and remember to praise a child when he does something well or helps you do jobs around the house. Share work with the kids. Make cookies together, or wash and dry dishes, or walk around the house gathering the washthese simple tasks are when you can share thoughts and ideas. Encourage the child to speak to you and confide in you. Try not to say this is a stupid idea or you are silly. Listen to the child at its level.

Learning and other skills must match the abilities of the child. So, you must find a comfortable level for your child. Any developmental chart is prepared based on a random selection or study of a specific group of children. Remember there are kids who are hares and others who are tortoises ---but the latter do catch up as well.

So, quit fretting and set achievable goals and above all just accept your child for what he or she is. Some kids are creative, others are scientists and engineers, just as nature has variety so do humans. Nurture your child in the field of his choice and interest, because that is where he will flourish.

A child is like a clean slate and it is up to you, the parent and guru, what is etched on the slate. So, sing songs, read to the child, share your love and give the child tender loving care. Hold the child within the warmth of your love.

Ensure that the child eats well and exercises.