Our responsibility as parents does not only limit to providing our kids with nutritious foods, good education or a healthy environment. But, one of the most important things, though very tedious, is the procurement of all the paperwork for our kids. Yes, to have all the documents of your child complete at the right age and at the right time is indeed a matter of great victory for all the parents. Especially in our country, where files go from one desk to another, paperwork might seem too humungous a task, but once when accomplished, it all seems worth it.

The imperativeness of these documents stems from the fact that they provide your child with authentication, legitimisation, a prerequisite for identification in any country. You might temporarily delay the process now, but you can’t escape it. So, here is a list of five very important documents that you must have for your child to have a secure future for him or her.

Birth certificate: This will be the first document of your child. In a way, this should be considered as the foundation of all other documents to follow as it will be required every time a new certificate is to be made. It gives your child the identity of place, his or her birthdate, and names of the parents. The certificate application form is very much available in whichever hospital the delivery has taken place. Always remember to contact the hospital authorities in case you need further help with the procurement of the birth certificate. Application must be made in the prescribed format with the municipal corporation or panchayat of the place of birth. Birth records and certificate issued by hospital must be attached with fees.

Adhaar Card: A very important document, especially when the time of admission comes in schools. The procedure for procuring adhaar cards for children is usually a simple one. The child’s Adhaar card is linked to his or her parents’ Adhaar card. In order to get this certificate made, all one needs is the parents’ Adhaar cards and the birth certificate of their child. Aadhaar cards are issued by the UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India). You can locate the nearest card enrolment centre on the UIDAI website.

Passport: There is no other identity proof better than that of a passport. It serves as the most crucial document for the proof of citizenship, identity, date of birth and address. There are several passport agents who can help you in getting this document. One can also visit www.passportindia.gov.in. to file an online application. As passport is a very important document, the process might seem a bit tedious and lengthy. But, if you are planning for a vacation abroad, the application for the passport must not be delayed. Online appointments can be taken and documents prescribed on the website can be carried at the time of appointment. The most important documents that you will require for your child are proof of address, proof of date of birth, affidavit and declaration for minors.

Family Health Policy: It is always better to include your child in the family health policy. It gives a sense of security to the child and is surely a sense of relief, if at all it is needed. All you need is a copy of your child’s birth certificate, a prescribed form and extra premium that needs to be submitted to the insurance company.

Immunization Record: These days several schools have started asking for immunization record of children for admission. It is always recommended to ask your child’s paediatrician for an immunisation record. Technically, whenever you get your child vaccinated, the date and the name of the vaccine is duly noted by the paediatrician. Make sure that each vaccine is duly recorded for it serves as a very important document.

As parents, we are solely responsible for the wellbeing and a secure future for our children. Please make sure that your child has all these documents as they authenticate your child’s identity. Unless you have these documents, no school will admit your child nor will you be able to travel anywhere. As parents, we are already loaded with so much work that we tend to develop a laidback attitude when it comes to these crucial documents as the making process is a bit strenuous. However, in case, any of these documents of your child is missing, we’ll strongly recommend you to not waste any more time. Remember, we are living in the times of a pandemic, and one never knows, what we may need when. Please go ahead and serve your duty as a responsible parents.

All the best and happy parenting!