The Parenting Forum

Growing up with Motherhood

2012-03-08T09:32:00.001-08:00

If there is any experience that is 100% real, close to nature and that really made me grow up, is when I became a Mom! The reason for this particular moment to be eligible for this article is three fold:

Motherhood is a blessing that nature has gifted to a woman. She has the credit of being the creator of a new life.
Secondly the experience of delivering a baby is as good as being reborn. That moment of delivery is not only crucial for the mother but also is looked forward to by families on either side and involves the emotions and sentiments of the father and entire family as well. It is indeed 100% real!
Last but not the least, growing up is a relative term. You grow up biologically, emotionally and psychologically as well. The moment and further process of being a parent makes you more mature with every passing day and you really feel you are growing up in many ways!

My pregnancy news gave me butterflies in the stomach. I have been very outgoing, carefree, and a daredevil at times. But I was also always a Mom at heart and so was very much excited when we got the news. The feeling that a new life is getting created in your womb is amazing! I enjoyed every moment of it. As the intial moments passed on with morning sickness, I started reading more about prenatal care. I couldn't believe it, the impatient and careless individual in me was changing. I had become particular about my nutrition, my medical check-ups and the do's and don't s of pregnancy. Every time I was about to do something "hatke" I gave it a thought now. The last trimester made me more mature and I started dreaming about baby care. Grandmas at both the ends were not very confident of infant care. I discussed this with hubby and one fine day resigned from my job as a research assistant. I was aware that I was not only leaving my doctoral opportunity but also my dream career in Earth Sciences. But I knew that the little soul needed me the most. I also wanted to enjoy every moment of the baby's growing up.

Finally the D day arrived. The doctors tried their level best for the delivery to be normal, but finally they had to go for a C-section. I was calm and patient. On March 7, 2000, I delivered a cute healthy baby boy. The moment of being a Mom was beyond description and has etched a fond serene memory in my mind forever. That particular moment is linked with so many moments before and after that.

When I took my baby in my arms for the first time, it was a mixed feeling...a feeling of joy, pride, love, care and responsibility. I looked on at the little bundle of joy. As I took his tiny fingers in my hand, I realized that I will have to hold this hand till my baby is capable of confidently facing this world. I saw his cute little face and his eyes closed as he was dreaming away and I knew I had to be there for him round the clock keeping aside my priorities if necessary.

And then he suddenly smiled in his dreams. Me and hubby both looked at each other and made a promise to ourselves and to him - we would try our best to keep this smile always on! Now as we look back at this span of 12 years, we feel that we have been growing up with him since that moment. Every experience of parenting has been teaching us a great deal, as we try to be better parents and make our kid a good individual. Finally a day will come when his wings will strengthen up and he will fly off in search of his own world. All that will remain with us will be these moments that were 100% real and natural!

We have been raising our kiddo with all the love and care like all the parents do. But I still cherish that moment when God blessed me with a baby.

This post is a part of the Kissan 100% Real Blogger contest on Indiblogger.

Justin Bieber: Truly the Teen and Tween Sensation

2012-01-27T04:24:00.000-08:00

I had been acquainted with the personality called Justin Bieber through my niece who's a teenager and a great fan of him. So I knew him as a teenage sensation. But recently my I found my kid, who is 11 yrs old, chatting with friends and downloading Justin's songs. I was quite surprised.

Video source: www.youtube.com

And I decided to Google.I was amazed at the huge success that this young lad has achieved. Discovered by chance, yet pursued his career with efforts and dedication; handled his success with caution and kept up his passion for music. This is how I would describe Justin. I need not describe the endless recognitions and awards that this young man has got. So also, this post would not give me enough scope to write about the records that his songs and albums have created and broken as well. His website does it all. His fans website and the music website has it all.

This post aims to delve into the logic of Justin being not just a teen but also a tween sensation. It is true that the tween usually imitates the elders and seniors. So getting into the trend of fan following is possible. However, other than this, I feel that these youngsters can relate to his music and his young age as well. He is the teenage icon for them. In the early adolescence, when they learn to correlate to romantic songs, the soft and foot tapping tunes like Baby, Somebody to Love, Never say Never come easily to them.
Whatever it is, Justin has made his way to the hearts of these young people. So nowadays, Justin tunes rock in our house too!

The Shin-Chan Series: What Should Parents Learn from it?

2012-01-23T07:04:00.000-08:00

If you have a kid, you invariably are aware of the anime series Shin-Chan or Crayon Shin-Chan as it is more popularly known among kids. This anime series has highly impressed the kids all over the globe but has received mixed views and reviews from parents. Why are parents so much concerned about a popular cartoon series?

To introduce, Shin-Chan is the 5 year old kid of Misae or Mitsy Nohara and Harry Nohara. He has a little sister Himawari. The themes of all the episodes are woven around this family. A little brat that he is, Shin-Chan is extremely witty and mischievous. Mitsy is a homemaker while Harry is a stereotypical Japanese salaryman who works in the office time and returns home tired. Shiro, the pet dog of Nohara family is as good as a family member and a significant character.

Shin-Chan is up to mischief just like any other kid and also exhibits all the traits like children of his age do. Yet he stands apart due to the over smart answers that he gives his elders and also some of his weird habits. Commenting on ladies, creating a menace for his parents due to his strange behavior and actions and justifying those by his rude and outspoken dialogues are some of these. Mitsy is often portrayed as a lady who tries to be a sophisticate and ends up in a mess. At times she is shown to be the target of Shin-Chan's pranks. Both the parents when targeted by his pranks are often rewarded by his sarcasm. He does receive punishments but by then he's already delivered his share of thoughts.

If you watch Shin-Chan as an entertainment, it is funny. But I have observed in case of several kids around that regular watchers often start imbibing the values that they notice on screen. When this happens in case of Shin-Chan, you start getting all those weird comments. I have seen kids change their accent and body language to be like their idol! This then becomes a task for parents to get the kid to normal terms. So finally it becomes a lesson for the parents to draw the line for this entertainment when it starts filtering into the day to day life.

Kellogg's Muesli: A Product Review

2012-01-12T07:16:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: The review is based on my personal experience with the product. I have not been sponsored or gifted a sample product for the review.

As a Mom and as a homemaker, I have never encouraged packaged or canned foods. So when we got the pack of Kellogg's Muesli for the first time, I was a bit hesitant. However, to my surprise it turned out to be a delight for all of us. From my experience with this product, I can present the review as below:

Kellogg's Muesli is available in four different varieties:
Extra nut delight: It contains multigrains, raisins, dates, and almonds.
Extra fruit magic: It contains apples, mellow peaches, papaya and Californian raisins.
Extra muesli crunchy fruit and nut: This contains crunchy Californian almonds, Canadian dates, Californian raisins, apples, mellow peaches, and papaya.
Extra tropical bonanza: This contains mangoes and mellow peaches.

We have tried out Extra nut delight and Extra fruit magic flavors. This product has given me the satisfaction of providing a combination of taste and nutrition for my family as compared to the junk food items in the market. It is a delight for kids and I can garnish it with fruits and dry fruits of my choice. Due to the yummy taste, having milk is also welcome nowadays. As a working woman, it saves a lot of time in the busy morning hours too.

As with all other food items, repetition makes the taste monotonous. Hence, having some other alternatives for breakfast is a must.

A Travel Back in Time: Visit to City Palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan

2011-12-31T06:10:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was a memorable one for me and my kid . We visited the City Palace in Udaipur (Rajasthan, India). The beauty and grace of this magnificent historical monument cannot be described in words. The construction of this beauty was started by Maharana Udaisingh, but was gradually enhanced by his successors.

The Palace is located in the heart of the city, just a few meters away from the famous Jagdish temple. It is easily accessible by auto rickshaws. You need to purchase tickets at the entrance. Cameras are allowed, but with fees. You can also opt for a boat ride in Lake Pichola. As the palace is located on its banks, the boat ride gives you an exquisite view of the palace.

The palace has numerous domes, towers and totally comprises of 11 beautiful palaces, each exhibiting a different insight into architecture as shown by the person who built it. You can see amazing artwork created with the use of marble, glass, tiles and mirrors as well. The Sheesh Mahal and Mor Chok (peacock courtyard) shown in the images below are two of those.

As you ascend through the mysterious passages and stairs, the balconies on each floor give you a picturesque view of Lake Pichola on the banks of which the City Palace resides. There are numerous galleries exhibiting paintings, art and the memoirs of the various rulers. It takes you more than 2 hours for a walk through. You cannot help but admiring each and every aspect that you see.There are numerous Mahals, choks, balconies in the palace.

The beauty of the palace has been maintained and the rich heritage has been conserved by the management. The delicate artistic sections have been covered and protected by glass. The rich antiques are exhibited but amidst proper security.

The visit was a historical treat for all of us. My kid got a better feel of history through the visit than what he had been reading in the books.

Harry Potter: The Super Hero of my Little Hero

2011-12-17T00:10:00.000-08:00

My association with Harry Potter has a different story.
Like every other child, my kid too has his favorite series of super heroes. Ranging from the age old favorites like Phantom, Spiderman, and Superman, he has been coloring his imaginations with a lot of them. But since he's started understanding these fantasies and imaginations, one hero has remained constant throughout and that has been Harry Potter. This character has so much been into his and our lives, that finally I decided to write a post about this!

I do not need to introduce J K Rowling or Harry Potter. There is hardly anyone out there who is not aware of the mind boggling series of novels and the movies based on them. The Harry Potter series takes you away to the land of wizards, witches and magic. Its fascinating not only for the kids but for the elders as well.
As for us, we all are fans of this magical series. Though I have not read the books, I have watched every movie with equal excitement.The movies have done equal justice to the imaginative skills of the author. Hats off to the team who has worked on them.
But my kid? Well, he's probably the greatest fan of the author and the series. He had finished reading the complete series when he was 10 and has always loved to have discussions on it as well!

Being an avid reader, whenever he finds time, he gets hooked on to the books, needless to say, preferably the Harry Potter ones. As he became a die hard fan of this kid, his imaginative world spread around us too.

So now, Harry Potter, Ron, Hermione are our friends too. We give a patient listening to what Albus Dumbledore, Rubeus Hagrid and Minerva McGonagall do, we listen to how Voldemort has dark shades in his character. The constraint of space restricts me to discuss the other exciting characters, but they exist too.

Moreover, there are discussions and debates on why Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the best and how Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is exciting of all. There is an analysis of how he feels that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is more fascinating as a movie than as a novel. Same goes with the other novels as well.

Finally, the bottom line is that the character Harry Potter and the imaginative world is not mere a child's play. It has helped my kid evolve a lot. He's got the fascination for reading complete novels and understanding them at an early age. As the stories fix him on to his seat, he's developed the perseverance too. He has learned to think and analyze. He compares the two media and is eager to project their comparison.

Isn't this a lot more than what parents can expect from children's literature? Thanks to Rowling and to Harry too.

Raising Kids: Are we on the Right Track?

2011-12-10T20:11:00.000-08:00

I met my friend last week. Her son is 4 yr old and she is a career woman. Yes, I won't say working mom, I would put it as a career woman. She has kept her work life balance with the help of her parents and a lot of maids. The kid goes for 3 hours to the playschool and she meets him late evening, when she spends some so called "quality time" with him.
Like every mom, she feels she needs to give the very best to her kid and look into his all round development. These are the measures she adopted:
Being a single child, she wanted him to socialize, so she fixed up his 2 hours in a day care.
She wanted him to be a bit religious, so she fixed up his hour at a coaching that teaches the chants and prayers.
Like any other kid, he's not very keen in studying (which is actually not a big deal at playschool), but she is worried of his school grade and put him on to tutions for an hour.
All this didn't seem enough for the worried mom, so she engaged him on to extra curricular activities for 3 hours on Saturdays.
Well, I was shocked at all this. And, I was disgusted at the way she was justifying her decisions. I couldn't imagine a 4 year old running from one coaching to another training all the week round. Does the little soul even realize what he was into? Does he know the reason to do all this?
He's not the only one. My neighbor's seven year old is a Brown belt in Karate and performed her Arangetram in Bharatnatyam! So she is mastering classical dance and martial arts at the same time, along with a hectic school routine.
It is true that kids adapt to routine easily and are fast learners, but as parents, we should decide on how far to stretch their patience. They have to grow up and face a big competitive world ahead. That is the time they will need to be on their toes. For this they need a calm, peaceful childhood. If we engage them at this stage so fiercely, they will already be exhausted by the time they face the world. If we put ourselves in their shoes, how does it feel to run around at others whims? Should we not wait for them to grow a little and express what their interests are?
I sincerely think, it is time for parents to introspect today.

Review on 'Parvarish'- The new show on Sony Entertainment Television

2011-11-25T07:24:00.000-08:00

Disclosure: I am a viewer of this serial. These are my personal views regarding the serial and the review has not been sponsored.

Parvarish - Kuch Khatti, Kuch Meethi is the new show that has been launched on Sony Television this week. The concept or theme of the show is the comparison between two varied styles of parenting.

The story begins with the focus on families of two sisters. One of them is a disciplined, perfectionist Mom, while the other one is an understanding one. The episodes take you through various phases in the lives of kids of different ages. The little problems they face, their fears and joys of sharing things with parents and much more.

The serial is going on well with a good bearing from day one. However, some incidences appear to be a bit too melodramatic. Particularly, when the Mom who is so understanding starts behaving immaturely, it is something the audience cannot handle.

Kids in both the families represent different age groups, ranging from 5-10 years to teenage kids. Their life has been sketched very skillfully and so are their thoughts. Especially the problems of the teenagers have been handled humorously yet very sensitively.

I feel, parents can correlate with this serial very easily, since this is something we face on a day-to-day basis. If the serial keeps on the bearing and genuinely keeps tied up to parenting, it would be great. I sincerely hope, the script does not turn topsyturvey based on the TRPs every week!

Confessions of a Working Mom

2011-11-20T05:40:00.000-08:00

I recently came across an article on Working Moms on CNN Living. Long before I became a Mom, I had intended never to be a working one. But, destiny had something else for me on its plate. I took a break when I had a baby. Three years after Jatin was born, I had to take up a job for financial reasons. I kept convincing myself that there would be a day, when I would sit back at home and raise my kid. We decided to have a single kid so that we could provide him with the best of everything.

Years went by. We gained financial stability and moved on quite well. Our standard of living rose and so did our expectations from life. Since I was not a career oriented person, I gave up several opportunities but carried on with work. After all these years as I look around, life seems to have taken a very fast pace. Commodities that were luxuries have now become necessities. Costs of education, travel, pleasures are ever rising high. And I must admit that not just our kid, but even we have become used to this style of living.

So, I am in a dilemma time and again. I remember my resolution of taking a backseat. But the other resolution of giving my little angel the very best, forces me to carry on. Some day I hope my little one scales the heights and makes us proud.

I think the working Moms out there would definitely agree with this. What do you say?

Kudos to Varsha Gupta - The Winner of doodle for Google India on November 14, 2011

2011-11-14T03:30:00.000-08:00

The doodle of Google India was special for all the Indians today. Well, it was designed by a 7 year old tiny tot from India - Varsha Gupta. The doodle shows the classical instruments that represent Indian classical music and traditions. Google celebrates Children's Day India by displaying this doodle on the homepage.

Moreover, the drawing has emerged successfully from the scrutiny of eminent judges. It is indeed an honour to get one's art exhibited on the homepage of a search engine giant. We as Indians appreciate the efforts taken by Varsha and congratulate her parents too.

Please refer the news on Rediff for further details.

Happy Children's Day!

2011-11-14T03:16:00.000-08:00

Today its Children's Day in India. This day coincides with the birthday of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, memorizing his love, affection for children. It is also for the recognition of his efforts for the education and development of kids. There are numerous programmes organized in school, in cities and towns and by the media, to make this day a memorable one.

So, what have you planned today? For me, I first plan to wish my kid when we both get home from a hectic day. Then of course, prepare his favourite stuff for dinner and have fun as per his definitions.

Children do not really expect a lot from us, do they? Kids from different age groups have their own sweet definitions of enjoyment. So why not fill up those few hours with sheer happiness for them and make this a memorable Children's Day?

Kids' Clothing and its Maintenance

2011-11-12T03:36:00.000-08:00

Baby and kids' clothing and fashion wear have gone through an evolution in the last decade. Fashion designers have exhibited their talent not only in girls' wear but in boys' clothing too. When we shop for our kid, we make sure to get them the best, no matter what the prices say.
But there is one thing that I have experienced. We get lots of varieties for our boy and in a short span of time, he outgrows these clothes. Secondly, the wardrobe is stuffed with so many sets, that some of them hardly get a chance to get displayed. This has taught me few lessons to manage my kids' wardrobe:

I usually keep rearranging his clothes every week. This gives me a chance to get the unused ones in the front row and they are not left unobserved.
Initially when he was a baby and then a toddler, I had the habit of keeping the best ones for special occasions, just to find that the dress doesn't fit him anymore. I do not do this now. I make sure that the clothes get into use.
When I realize that any type of wear is going to get short for him, I sort it out. I donate these sets.
This way we make sure that our kiddo gets to use all the best stuff that we get for him and it also reaches the right place where it is used by someone else too!

Back After a Break!

2011-11-08T05:44:00.001-08:00

We are back after a break that occurred due to some reasons!

Select a Beautiful Card for the Baby Shower Party

2011-07-14T04:48:00.000-07:00

You are all excited about the baby shower party that you are planning for your sister or a friend and you are on with the preparations. The cake has been chosen, the menu, the decorations, everything is done and now the next thing on cards..yes-the invitations. You go to the market, gaze through the range of varieties and get even more confused. There are the traditional ones and those based on modern concepts and designed creatively. Selecting an appropriate invitation card is an interesting process. These are the ways you
can go about it:

Traditional Cards: You can follow the traditional method and pattern of invitation. There are traders or brands that design the conventional baby shower invitations. You can order handmade or printed cards depending on your choice.

Theme-based Cards: If there is a theme planned for the party, your card has to go with the theme. In that case, creativity can be applied to make it more innovative.

Customized email invitations: If the guests are based at distances, email could be the right way out. The mails could be designed efficiently based on templates that are available on websites. You can hire designers to design these invitations.

Simple and Elegant invitations: Other ways are selecting simple paper cards for invitations. The paper could be printed with designs of baby pictures, baby items, cartoons, or floral themes. It all depends on your creativity.

Personalized Cards: Some cards are personalized. They could be available with the name of the mom-to-be. You can go in for gender specific or theme specific cards as well.

How to Keep Your Baby's Skin Healthy and Glowing

2011-07-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

Nowadays, a fair and glowing and glowing complexion is not only the concern of women, but men as well. Guys and girls get conscious of their skin right from their preteens and then start experimenting with costly creams and face packs. However, the secret of a healthy skin is proper nutrition and timely sin care. You can contribute to your kids skin care right from the infant stage. Here are some important tips:

Be careful when selecting baby products. Do not experiment with too many variations. If possible, go in for natural or organic products but of a proper brand.
Baby skin is sensitive, so do not use harsh creams or oils on it.
The sensitivity of skin may be inherited, in this case you need to be extra careful. In such cases, certain brands of oils or creams do not suit the kid.
A balanced diet and lots of fluids are prerequisites for a healthy glowing skin.When you start with external feeds, you need to take care of the nutrition. Proper food habits are very important and often get carried over in the future as well.

Basic Care to Protect your Kid from Common Infections in the Monsoons

2011-06-23T07:55:00.000-07:00

The rains get the possibility of several types of bacterial, viral, and other infections with them. The most susceptible class to these infections are the kids. Since their immunity is still in the developing stage and also as they are least bothered about rules and regulations, they are vulnerable to various infections. To add to this, schools, day care centers, play areas are the places where they come into contact with other kids who may be carrying these infections. There are certain basic things to remember to avoid getting these infections:

Unhealthy, uncovered, and unhygienic food should be a big NO in these days.
When the children return home, no matter from where, make them take a shower or at least clean up with a sanitizer or disinfectant.
Eye infections are common in these days, so make sure to take proper care of the eyes and to keep away from friends who have these infections.
Contagious diseases like viral fever, malaria, jaundice are also likely to spread. If your kid has any of these, strictly avoid sending him or her to school and day care. Please do not spread the disease!
Teach them to keep all their belongings and their room clean and dry- over the year and especially these four months.

How to Get your Introvert Kid to Mix with People

2011-06-09T04:39:00.000-07:00

This is the question that bothers the Mom of every introvert child, just as it did me. Being introvert is a part of one's nature. Kids either have it in them as an individual or they have taken it from the genes. My kid is just like his dad. He takes a lot of time to open up, hardly talks with strangers and is selective about friends.
Though you cannot change this aspect completely, you can help your child to be a normal individual and not the one who locks up oneself completely from the world outside. Also, this change takes up time and a lot of your patience.
You can give this a try:

When the kid starts going to school, things are better. In that case, make it a habit to discuss the events of the day over dinner. Make this appear very casual and invite his participation too. When kids observe that Mom and Dad are enjoying discussing about their day, they give their inputs too. In this way they make sure that they have something to discuss with you. This really works!

It is always preferable that your child has close pals. It could be a sibling or in case of a single child it could be cousins living close by or friends. We had neither of these options. So we opted to send him to a Day care.

My boy doesn't really opt to go out and play, he's comfortable at home. But we have often encouraged him to do so and now he's started enjoying that.

Introvert kids have their spells of solitude. Do not force them to be out during those times. When my kid insists that he wants to be alone, we allow him to do so. After a while he's back, cheerful and ready to mingle.

If you are not the social type, you need to develop those skills for this chap. This way the child will get a chance to interact with family friends and relatives. Though he or she may not mix with elders, but they will be used to having people around.

Make your Child an Avid Reader

2011-06-08T04:04:00.000-07:00

We are the lucky parents of a 12 year old who loves to read. When I meet the parents of other kids and hear them complain that children are addicted to the television, computer and mobile screens, I feel proud of my little one. He does love outdoor sports and these screens, but reading remains his passion. His reading hobby can be traced long back, to his preschool years. Here are few tips I want to share with the parents out there:

The love for books can be induced easily at a tender age. Once the kid grows up, there is nothing much that you can do about this. You can keep on encouraging but you have to leave it on the child and time. So begin early!
Early does not mean infant reading! Early means when the child understands what books and pages are, when the kid can differentiate at least between a picture and a text!
If your kids' school has a good library, you are lucky. However, this does not mean that will make him/her a reader, but yes, they will be exposed to reading and books.
Read with him. Children follow our example. We often have a scenario where all three of us are sitting with books and the room appears to be a reading room.
If your toddler shows interest in pictures or stories, do not hesitate to buy books. It is the most important investment you are making. Go in for small but significant books so that you can get your kid some variety. Don't buy a huge collection and then expect the little soul to sit and digest it.
Teach your kid to respect books. Love and respect go hand in hand. Eventually the child will learn to care for the books and you won't need to worry about issues like tearing pages and scribbling.
Crossword is the word! Take him to bookshops like Crossword (Make sure your kid is not the one to mess up with books). This is the place where you can freely scan through the books of your choice. This is real quality time!

Real Beauty- Explore it within yourself!

2011-06-06T04:57:00.000-07:00

I would like to introduce my definition of 'Real Beauty' with this beautiful sanskrit subhashitam:

Kim api asti swabhavena sundara va api asundaram

Yada ayva rochate yasme bhavet tat' tasya sunadaram!

(Meaning: Whatever exists in the world, is it beautiful or ugly by its own nature? Of course not! It is beautiful because someone fancies it to be beautiful!)

My thought process regarding 'real beauty' reminds me of two things:

The movie "Thodasa Rumani Ho Jaaye", where the protagonist Barishkar (the Rainmaker) leads the girl Binni and her family to believe in themselves and their dreams. He teaches them to be optimistic. Binni is an elderly lady, a spinster who has a very low self-esteem. She's not beautiful or feminine in the worldly sense. This guy brings about a drastic change in her where she starts believing in herself..in her inner real beauty! "Main Sundar Hoon" is what he teaches her and this belief changes her life. She learns to smile, to laugh, to admire the beauty in herself and in her life. The rain that he claims to get in the small dry town is symbolic to the hopes and aspirations that he gifts the people with.

Another incident that led me to think about 'real beauty' was something that I observed in my college days. We had a ladies' room in our college. There were two mirrors in the room. Girls used to visit the room intermittently for freshening up or sometimes just to have a chat amongst themselves. Whenever we used to sit there, I observed one thing. Almost every girl visiting that room would make it a point to have a look at herself in the mirror.

I found this very amusing initially. But then I started observing this fact closely. As the world defines... some girls were pretty, some were really beautiful and fair, and some of them had average looks while there were some who were dark, short or even ugly as the world may classify them. Yet, every girl looked at herself in the mirror with the same admiration. What was it that every individual was observing? Complexion, features, make-up? In some cases yes...but not in all.

It was more of an admiration for one's own self, one's identity that was far more precious and relevant than the outer looks. It was this self-esteem that brought a smile on the faces of even those so called "average" looks when they peeped into the mirror. This incident taught me that every individual is beautiful from within. No matter what our height, complexion and features say, we believe in ourselves from the bottom of our heart. This makes us stand apart from several other faces in the crowd.

Yes, its true that life is beautiful, so is nature. The sunrise, the moon and stars, the mountains and the sea, the flowers and the dew..everything is beautiful. But all this seems beautiful when we have the vision or perception for this beauty. And this is possible only when we realize our own real and inner beauty. A person who is depressed will never even bother to take a look around, let alone appreciating these things.

The insight into this beauty leads us to realize our virtues and nurture them. It teaches us to introspect and also work on our vices. Last but not the least, there is a fine line between self-esteem and pride that decides what real beauty is. One who is beautiful from within is confident but never proud, and one who is proud can never be beautiful no matter what the features say!

I would close the article by some more pearls of wisdom from Sanskrit that truly reveal what real beauty is all about:

Narasya abharanam rupam, rupasya abharanam gunaha

Gunnahas abharanam dnyanam, dnyanasya abharanam kshama!

(Meaning: Beauty is like an ornament of a human being. Virtue is an ornament of beauty. Knowledge is an ornament of virtue and forgiveness is an ornament of knowledge.)

Here comes the Monsoon!

2011-06-03T04:08:00.000-07:00

The cloudy sky, drizzling showers and roaring thunders are back again. Everyone seems to take a review of the closet to take out the rain suits and the umbrellas. At the same time, it is the school shopping that goes on with equal vigour!

The task for Moms is to let the kids enjoy the rains and at the same time keep them away from infections and diseases that come in with the season. Special care comes in for those kids who are allergic or prone to infections of various types.

Antiseptices and antiallergic cleaners, cleansers and sanitizers prominently make their way into our homes. Especially kids need to be instructed to keep themselves dry and clean.

Outside food, beverages and water are something we need to avoid for the next four months. Switch on to mineral water or preferably carry a water bottle if you are out. Avoiding uncovered, unhygenic foods is something we have learnt from the school days and so have our kids.

Keep a check on the diet health and hygiene and welcome the monsoon!

Essential Qualities for a Day Care Centre

2011-06-03T02:58:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a day care centre where you can enroll your child, here is what you need to ensure:

The day care provider should be not only be professional but caring and loving too. It means that when there is an emergency of any kind, the provider should go beyond the call of duty and be there for your kid. This makes the kid more comfortable with the caretaker.
The centre may provide food and snacks or may ask you to do so. In both the cases, the child should be fed well and on time. Nutrition is something they also need to look into as much as you do. Along with it also come cleanliness and hygiene.
The day care centre should have a thorough know how of baby and child care. A tie-up or contact of your paediatrist, the list and knowledge of administering first aid or medicines to the baby when required are some of the very essential things.You cannot sit biting your nails in the office wondering if your kid has been given the afternoon dose of medicines.
The day care centre should be clean and hygienic. This applies to the place, toys, bedding and kitchen. So also the way the baby is taken care of, the nappies changed and disposed, wipes and bibs used properly. For older kids, the hygiene manners should be inculcated properly.

Introducing Healthy Food Habits in Your Toddler

2011-06-01T04:30:00.000-07:00

As your baby grows up with the recognition of tastes, you have a tough time feeding certain dishes that are not welcome. As a toddler, the problems get worse as the kid gets adamant about eating. Junk food items, fast foods are an added attraction to this. You wonder how to cope up with this and also worry how to supply proper nutrition that your little one needs.
Remember a few basic rules:

There are several recipes that are yummy and nutritious too, but this cannot be an everyday game. Your child needs to get accustomed to eating the staple and complete diet.

Draw the line for your kid regarding meals and breakfasts. Do it tactfully but make sure the kid knows who is the boss. At the same time do not completely eliminate junk foods, they are fine once intermittently.

Strictly adhere to two things during meals- Sitting in one place and NO TELEVISION! Once you get this done, half the problems are resolved.

If you have not introduced your kid to all the important tastes earlier, its not too late. Start with different veg soups and add various flavours to it. The toddler will learn to develop the taste buds.

Make eating time interesting by all of you joining together and chatting over.

Food can be fun with attractive serving and feeding items. Use special kids' bowls, dishes and spoons that are attractive and colourful. Your young one will love that.

The Do's and Don'ts of Internet Access for your Preteens

2011-05-31T04:43:00.000-07:00

Preteen kids adore accessing the Internet time and again. The net provides loads of information and is instrumental in developing knowledge. It is tempting to be a part of the social networking sites where they can hang on with friends, to download the top 20s on music charts and the latest games. They can brag among their friends about the updates they receive.Though it is essential for your young one to be in touch with the technology, it is your duty to recognize the pitfalls and make sure to be present as the guide. Some of the risks and the ways to manage them are:

Risks

Preteens is the age span that loves adventure and risks. The kids can land up getting in touch with strangers and thus may become a victim of sexual abuse or cyber crime.
This age has a curiosity about sex related topics. This may result in the access of adult sites or spam mails depicting adult content.
Internet surfing can become an addiction and thus result in introvert personalities and disinterest in studies and extracurricular activities.
Preteens is a comparatively immature age. Kids can reveal their personal information or information related to finances or family to strangers without realizing the gravity of the situations.

Solutions

Just like television, restrict the time for Internet surfing. Maybe 1-2 hours everyday.
You cannot sit with the kids all the while they access the net; moreover they resent this intrusion into their privacy. But it is important that you periodically monitor the surfing. The best way out is to make friends with your young one.
Talk to them about the possible risks of chatting or mailing unknown people and set the rule for the same.
Encourage them to surf good sites that really enhance their general knowledge.
Do not commit the mistake of putting a ban on the net. That may make them a rebel and they might turn to external resources which is a greater risk.

Choice of a Career after the XII Examination

2011-05-30T03:56:00.000-07:00

Well, this article is meant for the parents as much as for the teenagers who are just out with flying colours from the HSC board exam. This is a period of lot of anxiety and dilemma. The possibility of not getting admission for medical or engineering, or the confusion of opting for traditional sciences or applied courses. The future MBA craze and the urge to do something offbeat!

The next two months are very crucial in your life. Parents in some cases are stable and wise to guide the confused kid through this phase, while in some cases they seem to be much more anxious than the kids. Some parents are keen on getting their dreams realized by hook or by crook, while some feel that low percentage means a lost battle..."ab kuch nahi ho sakta!"

As admissions speed up in the next quarter, these are the few days when you guys need to study yourself and the market as well. List out your options and prioritize them. Your options should include careers that are close to your heart and in the field that you will love to work in for a lifetime. In your first three options weigh the possibilities of admissions on the basis of the University/Institute, merit and the fees that your parents can afford. Else move on to the next.

BUT APPLY EVERYWHERE! Just because you think its out of reach, doesn't mean you won't get it! So keep trying. But don't get disheartened if you don't get through. There is always a still better option waiting for you round the next corner!

Kids and Vacations

2011-05-24T04:17:00.000-07:00

Kids' vacations get along several things with them. Travel plans, movies, games are on for the youngsters. For moms it is the change in schedule, shuffling household tasks, extra cooking and shopping and moreover, keeping the little devils engaged. Things are more trivial for working moms. Keeping in pace with the day care and the kid is very difficult.
Nowadays there has been a trend of engaging the kids in summer camps and other allied activities. Some parents prefer to enroll them for short courses. However, when doing this, we tend to forget our own childhood and the yearning for vacation so as to live life as we want to. We conveniently decide what is best for our kids and go ahead with the plans.
Learning something new is not wrong, but the way it is implied is wrong. Before you decide to dump your little one somewhere, give a thought regarding the age, liking, skills, duration, distance and the timing. Your little boy may just want to lazy out or go over to his cousin, your young girl may not be willing to rise early for some sport of your choice. Perhaps they deserve a break of a month or two after a hectic round-the-clock routine of a year. Then why are we keen on creating sports and rock stars?
Isn't it time we discussed with the kids what they actually want to learn and how do they really want to spend their vacation? Let them grow up and realize what their interests are. You are always by their side, aren't you? So relax and enjoy the vacation with your little one.