Get Your Child Reading Early! As Early As Your Womb!

Children become readers on the laps on their parents. But did you know, they start from the womb? 

I truly believe they do! And if its in the genes, how can you stop them! Have you heard elders say that the baby 

kicks you when it likes the food or hears your voice? Well, if they have taste choices, shouldn't they have literary 

choices as well? 

When I meet parents at school and other parents my son's age, they keep asking me for suggestions of books they

 can introduce to their little ones. Most parents want to know how to start off books for their babies. Here are a few

 tips that have worked for me and a few others. It may be helpful, it may be a trick, it may just work out - parenting

 is always instinctive, so go by how our child reacts to the activity.

Ages 0-1

Enthusiastic new mothers always come up to me asking if they can read to their new born - OF COURSE! 

Why not? We wore those bangles during our pregnancy so our babies could hear them clinking in the womb -

 of course they can hear you read when they are out in the world! But what kind of books to read to a baby

 that young? Well, a baby who can make eye contact and respond to your voice is a baby who is ready to

 interact with you and steal your heart. It doesn't necessarily have to be a book you read to them,

 you can always just keep talking to them and holds their hands and make hand motions together.

Babies love noises! 'Daddy was driving the car and *zooooooom* we went past the big read *bussss*!

 Emphasizing on words can trigger their curiosity and make them want to listen to you more. Its lovely

 to see their eyes go where you guide their hands. Holding their legs and hands while telling them allows the 

bodily warmth of hearing the parent's voice and enjoying their touch. At home, we would put my son on the 

bed and do this while I massaged him before bath. I'm a very loud person but when I was speaking to my son, 

I would be so loud and the entire house could hear him gurgling with laughter while we were at it. 

Then I noticed a pattern - My family was doing the same. My parents, my husband, my brother would 

do the same thing while baby sitting him. It made such a load of difference because as a baby, he kept

 listening to all their voices. My niece who was around 2 that time would also try and mime us as she played

 with him. 

Lap time - Once babies can hold their heads straight and can balance on your laps is when books really do 

the trick. The thick picture books are a blessing for this time! Holding the book while your baby is on your

 lap is going to help both you and your baby see the book. Picking something like a picture book of farm

 animals is such an easy choice parents have made along the years - Why? - Because we get to make the

 animal noises~!! Which baby doesn't react to the *mmmaaaaaaa* of the cow or the *meeehhh* of the goat?! 

Showing the babies the actual animal later on excites them so much!! 

Age 1-2

This is such a beautifully curious age. They have just started teething, talking and gurgling their words.

 This is when you get them to repeat after you. I have the fondest of memories of my son saying 'Stawberry' 

without the 'r' sound. It was so cute, it stuck with us and we sometimes still say 'stawberry'. The same happens

with 'Oplane' and 'ikeem' (aeroplane and ice cream). 

Small books with fewer pages that have a continuity helps kids this age focus on whats happening in the book. 

They have just identified the object in play and they love the continuity of what happened next. By the end of age 1,

 they understand that the object's story continues and they hold their curiosity till the end.  They like to see how

 the cat jumped and tried so much to drink the milk. And when the cat does drink the milk - the end makes them

 so happy. 

Age 2-4

At this stage, they know their vegetables, fruits, gadgets, vehicles and so much more! Its easy to get bored with

 picture books at this stage - they need the motivation of listening to new things now! Stories stick with them 

at this age and they begin to relate the outside world and indoor objects to the story. Involving everything

 around them as they listen to the story helps them connect to the actions from the story itself. 

The joy of watching the little caterpillar eat so much and then magically become a butterfly is absolute bliss 

for this age! Stories help them connect to the world in a way nothing else can. A fantasy story helps the child

 imagine about the presence of a world like that entirely on its own. 

The age of 3 is when they do go to nursery and when they wean from parent's watchful hold. Its a new world

 altogether and it can be can be a scary time for a few. Stories are an easy way to getting them to bond with their

 teacher. As a part time teacher myself, some children would enjoy the new place and want to explore it 

on their own. Some would want the older person's comfort and stick to me. But one thing that had helped 

bridge the gap and get them all to become one and listen is stories! 

Its magical and its necessary. Reading is the escape that no one else can give except oneself. Its an amazing

 hobby we can instill in them at a very young age. Get your little ones reading! 

Homemade Nutella

Of all mommies, we all know that those junk feeding mommies are the ones judged the most! Im going to make a confession - I'm a junk feeding mommy. I find bread with a spread is sometimes the easiest snack. I do allow biscuits and cookies more than once in a while. Nutella and Skippy peanut butter find a place in my shopping list and cupboard always. 

My entire family loves Nutella - well, who doesn't? But as my son grew, I realised that Nutella was becoming a part of our everyday routine. 

I recently did take a reroute towards more nourished eating and found Nutella 's nutrition was mostly fats. I wanted to find an alternative to this and found the Pick Up Limes Website. Pick Up Limes was a timely find for renewing my vows with nutritious eating. I began doing the job of reading labels before buying packaged food. Then slowly, I learned to go back to my old ways of not buying anything that came in a packet.

I wanted to learn to make a cheaper and more healthy version of a homemade Nutella. One of my visions in 2019 was to learn to make homemade sauces and condiments. Making Nutella or something similar to that was on my list. I researched a lot online to find doable recipes of nutritious everyday things that we can substitute instead of store bought items. 

I did the necessary shopping for Homemade Nutella - well, here goes the list of ingredients

Hazelnuts - 2 cups

Melted dark chocolate - 2 cups

Melted coconut oil - 3 tbsps

Dry Roast hazelnuts in a pan and add then to your processor. Start your processor on pulse mode first and then slowly increase the speed. As they grind, they let out their oils and get into a close to spreadable consistency. Add the melted chocolate and oil inside and blitz again. Once it becomes non granular and spreadable - shift to an air tight jar and refrigerate. Use on anything you like to accompany Nutella for!  It's healthier and tasty as well! 

Only Naughty Kids Go To Boarding Schools - FALSE. Breaking myths!

Being a boarding school child myself, I've always encountered this question when I say I'm a boarding school child - They ask, 'were you naughty as a kid?' Well, it's a common misconception that being sent to boarding school is because the child is naughty at home. False. Let's break it down and try again. 

Who started this?

Boarding school is what we call it now - but eons ago, princes and princesses were sent to gurukulams to live with their gurus and come home when they were ready to rule their kingdoms. Its called boarding school or hostel now but its something that has always existed. 

Why boarding school?

Boarding school helps children become self-sufficient. It teaches children the way of minimal living and time management. There is a routine that is followed everyday and it helps discipline the child's everyday attitude towards time. Parents keep a routine too and help discipline the child - yes, they can. 

Growing up with friends

Boarding schools are the only place that can give children the feeling of growing up with their peers. It gives each child their life in their hands. They design it the way they want, they find their own interests and learn from each other. Its a wonderful way of meeting children from other communities and parts of the world. It helps each child to respect one another and accept each other for who they are.

Boarding school children are not connected to their parents - NO. haha. NOT AT ALL.

Have you heard of distance makes the heart grow fonder? - Well, it does. There aren't enough words to put how happy that hug is when parents come to visit at school. It's just the best feeling. Corresponding over a letter and phone calls once a week gives children more focused parent time. Parents are not taken for granted. Their role is so important in keeping the sanity of the children in school safe. After school life, children have a certain dedication in spending time with their parents and are genuinely interested to do it.  

Boarding school children are all introverts - What, NO!

I have a huge bunch of friends who are all boisterous and very friendly! We all make friends easily and enjoy spending time with people - we've all grown up like that, so its easier for us to talk to someone new! The unsaid rule of boarding school is inclusion. Inclusion - making everyone feel loved. When there is a new student in school, its an unsaid rule that everyone around makes the newbie feel loved and help get them acquainted into the system of the school. I remember my first few days - I had a new friend with me all the time. They made sure I was familiar with everything and made me feel like I was wanted. I'm still friends with her and she will always be the one who made me feel included when I felt lost.

Although, why many people may say boarding school babies are introverts is - since they are brought up with a routine in place and a time a place for everything, they usually give their all to one thing at a time. They can multitask, of course. But their space is their space and it cannot be invaded for anything else. That makes them more concentrated on their work, not introverts. 

Boarding school children don't see what life at home is like.

True. That's a choice parents make for them. It's in the parent's hand to make the most of the child's presence at home during holidays to give them the feeling of home and to inculcate family values in them. 

What I see as advantages in Boarding School

The lack of technology - children get to watch tv once a week and get to use their time doing other activities that don't involve a screen. The raw truth of learning from the time you have away from a screen gives you options to explore. Living with your choices - every child makes their own mistakes, their choices and learns from them. Life's lessons are best when learned from experience! Organisation - children learn to organize themselves. Having friends and teachers close to you is a blessing! 

As a boarding school baby myself, I've always wanted to bust this misconception of boarding school parent's choices - Its a choice made for the childlike every other parent does. It has its pros and cons! Don't be judgemental when you meet a boarding school child - who you are meeting is a self-sufficient child who has grown making their own choices!

My son's first curse word.

My son's first curse word. Sh*t. Well, if it was just that, I really would have let it be but my 6 year old used the F word yesterday and I stamped the brakes on the car to check him again. When I asked him to repeat what he said, he casually said it again and smiled.

Keeping to the tone of the situation there, I casually asked, 'What does that mean G?' He said, 'I don't really know. I heard it somewhere.'
I swallowed the very big lump that was stuck in my throat and told him, 'It's not a very pleasant word. It hurts people. Could we use 'What on Earth!' instead?' He nodded and said, 'Like how we say chubby and not fat?' I said, 'Yeah, exactly like that. Except lets not use that word at all, shall we?' He replies, 'Yeah, ok.'

A part of me wanted to do the emotional drama of 'Who taught you this word? Who is using these words around you? Who taught you to react like that?' But here it is - Mommy woe.
We all go through these moments where we may want to react differently but instead we just let the wave thrash on us and soak in all its casual coolness and deal with it.

Revisiting Tuesdays With Morrie

An old man, a young man and life's greatest lesson

Every book I read gives me a sense of perspective depending on when I read it. I underline what I like and when I read the book later or lend it to someone, I like how it comes back with new sentences underlined and a fresh perspective. Around 15 years ago, my dear friend Aarti and I fell in love with the book and ever since, we've shared this love for the author across continents.

Now, I'm reading the author's The Next Person You Meet In Heaven and I cannot start without reading Tuesdays With Morrie again. The book is a beautiful eulogy to a mentor. I re read the book recently and had a new perspective. There is a line from the book that says "The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. We're teaching the wrong things. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn't work, don't buy it. Create your own. Most people can't do it." This line has given me a fresh take on life and given me a whole new inspired perspective on parenting.

#tuesdayswithmorrie

Power of Vision - how 2018 was and how i hope 2019 could be

At the end of 2017, I was inspired to create a vision board for myself. I sought out inspiration and it was so close to home in Durgesh Nandini. I created my vision board and at the end of 2018 I saw my vision board and understood how much a clear vision for something helps allow you to focus towards it better.

There were many things that fell into place with a little more focus and patience. Some things didn't go close to getting done or even planning - for over five years I've wanted to see The Taj Mahal and I havent. I had it on my vision board for 2018 and it didn't happen, I will be putting it on my 2019 board as well. Most of the visions I had for 2018 have now become a part of life. Mentally, it has changed my thought process so much - or may be I'm just getting old.

While I envisioned my 2019 - I knew I wanted to change my food habits and include a lot of fruits. I wanted a menu set in place and a meal plan that made sure the three of us ate healthy and tasty. I started off early last year on prepping meals for the week. Although I couldn't stick to a menu on a weekly basis, I did cook all three meals till Swiggy made it's way into my life. Our relationship with Swiggy is super strict and she knows it - once a week only if we haven't eaten non veg anywhere outside the whole week. Swiggy understands.

Food prep is a fun thing I've been doing. Grocery would be bought - veggies washed and cut and put into boxes for salads or poriyal. Fruits washed and cut and put into ziplock bags for smoothies. Handbag salads would be emptied on days of work. It was such a fun routine to start with and now has become a habit. This year I plan on learning to make sauces and condiments at home - like peanut butter and Nutella. Healthier I'm guessing!

I did the occasional workout sessions but couldn't keep up with their time table because of lack of time. Netflix and Prime had me hooked. I know, but also, I did read a lot in 2018 so I'm kinda say we can catch up with workout refreshers in 2019. So, that's one that still needs work on - and stays on my board.

This year, I've decided to finally dust off the DSLR and shake up the hidden photographer in me and try taking more pictures again. I still do on my phone - but no Pixel can give that awesome look of holding a dslr and squinting for a lovely picture.

G man and I have decided to document all the books we read. Pictures, review and since my son can now write and give his opinion - he's going to review his books on paper while I review every book I read on my blog. Hoping to keep this alive forever!

Looking forward to keep 2019 a healthy and inspired year and hoping to make these little changes a part of life!

Lean on

I was watching my friend patiently answering her younger son. At the end of every answer he would say - why?

Amma, why didn't we come for class so many days?
Because we had winter holidays.
Why?
Because it was Christmas time.
Why?
Christmas time is when school gives us holidays to be with family.
Why?
Don't you want to be with family?
Why?

And after waiting for his response he knew his prank was understood and he smiled at us all and left the place. What a cutie. Why? Adorable little fellow. Why?

These boys all had Hot Wheels that they carried so they could play with them in the sand pit in the corner. To them the half hour before class was the time they could officially take out the Hot Wheels from their bags and act all cool about it cause it wasn't school and it was still the same bunch of friends.

After three years of this class, we we're closing in to the end of the coursenot- a small batch of mothers who had been there for each other through their kids birthday parties and picked up each other's kids from school when once couldn't make it. We had become close enough to be invited for family weddings and closer enough to rush to homes of one of us who had lost a family member.

Somewhere during the course of these three years, we had created a community of mothers who could laugh together and listen together. At the end of the day, it's your girls who get you - and when your girls have children the same age - Hallelujah!

Today was such a day where we had discussed our holidays and plans for the kids once this course was over. Some were taking kids swimming, some drawing, some skating and some straight home. We had seen each other's kids grow, shared paediatrician numbers, exchanged views on  everything under the sun and  pretty much heard each other out.

Support systems and morale blankets are those that we choose. Every mommy deserves a support system apart from family - to grow with.