Thursday 30 April 2015

Toddler vacation time- Enjoy and spread love


           Toddler Vacation Time- Time to rejoice and love

           Hi friends! Whats up guys? Summer vacation time is on. Its the best time to chill out with your family and friends. Help your child to socialise, make new friends and learn new things...

Here are few tips that can help you and your child have the best time together.


  • Vacation means refreshing time. Ideally spend quality time with your children, either by going for a lovely picnic, long holiday or exploring new holiday destinations. Children love to explore new places.
  • If you cant take out time away from work, then dont feel dejected. You can still try to be creative and make your toddlers happy.
  • Take out some quality time from your busy schedule to enjoy baking, cooking or even washing with your children. Kids love to do grown up stuff. So why not turn your child into assistant chef, or take his/her help to do your daily chores.
  • You can even send your child to interesting hobby classes or summer camps that will help him to engage himself in new arty stuff and make new friends.
  • Allow your child to have a night stay at his friend's house and suprise him.
  • Dont try to burden your children with studies. After working hard for an entire year, its time for him to relax and enjoy.
  • Yes, but you can still teach him new things and make him learn in an interesting manner. I normally get new story books or educative games for my daughter for her to learn and innovate.
  • Go green with your child. Children love nature, so you can enjoy gardening along with them.
  • Take time out and go off for a long drive or simply explore the nearest beach. You can ask your child to build his own fortress or sand castles and enjoy. Once in a while, try to loosen up and let him ggo dirty and enjoy the mother nature...
  • Interestingly you can set up get togethers with extended family members or friends and enjoy a lovely barbequee and exotic food as well.

Enjoy parenting and have a great time!!!!
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Wednesday 29 April 2015

New video- Lets match numbers animals and homes

HI ALL!!!

PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR NEW VIDEO FOR TODDLERS. A GREAT ACTIVITY WHERE WE TEACH HOW TO MATCH NUMBERS, AND ANIMALS WITH THEIR HOMES.


HOPE U LIKE IT. ANY FEEDBACK IS MOST WELCOME!!!


ENJOY PARENTING AND HAVE A GREAT TIME!!!!



Saturday 25 April 2015

Teach Phonics at Home to your toddlers


Hi friends! Off late I have been rather busy in making my 3.5 year old daughter adjust into her new big school. Sorry for the delay in writing a new post. Today, let’s talk of an interesting topic on how we can teach phonics at home. Always you might find, teachers emphasizing on undertstanding phonics correctly. Lets see how we as parents can help our angels and jamesbond get a hang of phonics.
·        Start early. Get your child into the habit of reading. Read out stories, newspapers and books to your kid everyday. Language slowly starts to get into their body system unconsciously.
·        Introduce sound of letters one at a time.  The 44 sounds are usually taught in this order:
·        s a t p i n
·        m d g o c k/ck
·        e u r h b f
·        l j v w x y
·        z qu ch sh th ng
·        ai ee igh/ie oa oo (short) oo (long)
·        ar or ur/er ow/ou oi
·        air ear ure
·        Once your child has understood the difference of each letter sound, encourage him to blend the sounds of letters together to say words.
·        You can even teach oral segmentation, that’s breaking the word into letters and teaching the sound of each letter separately.
·        As we all know practice makes a man perfect. Remember you as a parent is an important stepping stone in making kids learn the language better.

·        Online lot of books are available on phonics at amazon.in, flipkart.com.

Tuesday 21 April 2015

Custard Halwa- Recipe


            Hi friends! Are you tired of cooking the same things over and over again. Lets try to be different and cool. Kids love custard, so why not create something thats delicious as well as different at the same time.

Make Custard Halwa 

Ingredients
1/2 cup custard powder vanilla flavour
1 and 1/2 cup sugar
2 and 1/2 cup water
4 Elaichi crushed
Yellow colour or kesar
Dry fruits

Method
In a pan roast almonds, cashewnuts and keep it ready. In a bowl mix custard powder, sugar, water together. See to it there are no lumps formed in them. Pour this mixture in a non stick pan on high flame till it forms a jelly. Then lower the gas and allow it to become thick. Add dry fruits and 1 tsp ghee. Within five minutes it will leave the pan. Shift this mixture in a greased plate and allow it to cool. Refrigerate and allow to set it for an hour in fridge. Cut into square pieces and serve.


Sunday 19 April 2015

How to Keep Kids Hydrated in Summers


Hi friends!!! Hope all is going great guns for you all. Lets today discuss an essential topic of how to keep our children stay hydrated in the torrid summer season. Children are more often prone to dehydration as opposed to adults.


·        Make your kids drink water at regular intervals.

·        Keep offering plenty of liquids, at every meal and during snacks.

·   It’s always better to avoid processed juices, and offer home-made juices, milkshakes and beverages to kids. Avoid giving aerated drinks to children or too much sugary juices.

·       Don't wait until your child is thirsty to offer refreshment; by that time he is already dehydrated.

·       Sports drinks might be your best bet for getting adequate amounts of liquids into your child during activities.

·        When choosing drinks for kids, avoid those that have caffeine, such as iced tea or many sodas.

·     Popsicles are frozen treats that are tasty, colorful and high in water content. You can offer popsicles to your kids to beat the heat.

·     Many fruits are excellent sources of water as well as being a nutritious snack. Offer fruits often during playtime and throw them in the cooler for after-game snacks.

·        Green vegetables, clear soups, offer an ideal way to get liquid into the diet along with good nutrition.

Enjoy parenting and have a great time!!!!



Thursday 16 April 2015

Dining Food dramas of Toddlers

Hello friends! How are you all. Today we are talking about Dining food dramas. We as parents, often face mood swings and eating dramas during meal times.

As a parent of 3 year old daughter, let me tell you it isnt easy to feed your child.

Here are some of the common mistakes that we do often.

  • Holding deserts, cakes or chocolates as hostage- Normally, we try to bribe our kids with sweets and deserts. We tell them to finish their meals and get cake or chocolate as reward, instilling the feeling that cake is better than meal.

  • Not to include children in conversation- We often committ mistake by not including our toddlers in conversations. Try to make them a part of your dicussions, thereby improving their social skills and table manners. 

  • Give chance to your child to participate in food menus at home. Try making nutritious wholesome meals for the family always. If you are eating a maggi or a burger, you cant expect your kid to have flatbread or puffed rice.

  • Generally at toddler age, they tend to get mood swings or specific preferences of food. Try to slowly change their habits in due course of time, don’t rush into anything.

  • Give always a food for thought in creating food. Its not always necessary to  give typical same pattern food all the time. Experiment with  flavors, colors and give pleasant surprise.

Enjoy parenting and have a great time!!!!



Monday 13 April 2015

10 Best Foods to Beat the summer heat

         Hi friends, with scorching heat and mercury levels rising, lets today talk of 10 top foods that can help us beat the summer heat thats good for you as well as your children.


  • Curd/Yogurt-Curd is irresistabe for both parents as well as children. Add fruits in curd and make a lovely desert, or make raita or salads with cucumbers, tomatos and onions. Healthiest drinks like buttermilk, lassi are really too good to beat the heat.
  • Coconut water- A lovely drink thats too nutritious and healthy filled with cooling properties.
  • Watermelons- Watermelons is juicy, delicious and filled with antioxidants. Cut them into different shapes and enjoy it the way you want.
  • Cucumber- Its cheap, and best salad to have during summers. It also helps to keep constipation at bay.
  • Mint- Mint is healthy and of great use. You can dry mint leaves and use it in curd as raita or make chutneys and add extra flavour to your food.
  • Green vegetables- Always encourage eating green veggies at home. They have a great super power effect on our bodies. 
  • Lemons- Wipe out sweat the healthy way! Lemon juice is refreshing and with not much calories.
  • Blueberries- These are super fruits that are filled with antioxidants that can combat inflammation.
  • Tomatoes- Lycopene is highest in red tomatoes. They help in protecting skin from sun burn, fight heart disease and stroke as well. Create tomato jam, or include tomatoes in salad or make home made ketchup.
  • Beetroot- Colorful and extremely great to include them in summers.

Saturday 11 April 2015

Back to School…. Get set and Go…

Hi friends! How are you? I am in a roller coaster ride. My daughter is heading to the big school from tomorrow. So have hundred things in my mind, a bit anxious and nervous. 

Today let’s talk of how to create interesting lunch boxes.
My daughter is a slow-eater, and fussy with what she eats. So how do I make it interesting? Few tips


·        Try to create colors in their tiffin box. Great mismatch use of veggies and fruits can be of great help.
·        Don’t pack stuff that turns soggy or too dry.
·        Keep food simple and ready to eat.
·        Remember, younger toddlers are not well equipped to eat on their own, so try cutting flat bread or bread pieces into small pieces. You can even use cookie cutters or various moulds to make them attractive and tempting.
·        Always remember to include your child in choosing the menu for her Tiffin box. She is the one who is going to have the food, so why not make her the cool chef supervisor.
·        Try to showcase different Tiffin boxes and let your child choose the final lunch box for herself.
·        Favorite cartoon character lunchbox would be really appealing
·        Let your child choose her water bottle.
·        Including your child in the selection process, will work for both of you

Guys, wish me and my daughter good luck. Need your love and support. Till then yes, ofcourse, enjoy parenting and have a hearty time!!!!


Thursday 9 April 2015

Recipe- Beetroot Carrot Paratha

Hi friends!!! Lets today create colourful parathas for our kids. Healthy and tasty at the same time. An innovative to eat iron rich beetroot and carrot at the same time.

Ingredients

Beetroot-1/2
Carrot- 1/2
Wheat Flour
Dhaniya powder
Chilli powder
Salt to taste


Method
Grate beetroot and carrot and keep it aside. Take a kadai, put a little oil. Add the grated beetroot and carrot, dhaniya powder, turmeric powder, little chilli powder and salt and cook well. Allow it to cool.

Now, its time to knead the dough. Take wheat flour, then add a bit salt. Then now put the cooked grated beet carrot combination and make the soft dough.


Make the flat bread (roti) and cook it with oil. You can also use ghee. Crispy yummy parathas are ready to eat!!!!









Recipe- Toast Sandwich for Kids, Toddlers

Hi friends!!!! Today lets talk about a healthy, yummy non spicy toast sandwich for toddlers.

Ingredients
Boiled potatoes- 4
Tomato- 1/2
Hing
Jeera
Chaat Masala
Dhaniya powder
Chilli powder

Method
First boil potatoes and keep it ready. Take a kadai, add a teaspoon of oil, hing, jeera and then saute tomatoes and once its cooked, add mashed potatoes mixed with all masalas and allow it cook well with the tomato.

Now take 2 slices of bread, apply butter and a bit of tomato ketchup and then add the potato masala and then toast it well.

Garnish it will grated cheese.


Enjoy parenting and have a great time!!!!

Wednesday 8 April 2015

Potty trained YES or NO


Hi friends ! Today we will talk of an important topic on potty training of toddlers. We as parents might have taught our young ones to use the toilet, but still there are times when the kiddos regress and avoid using the loo.

Lets discuss  the steps that can be taken to help our child use  the potty seat.

·        Toddlers are very moody and there are times when they want to leave their play area to use the toilet. There are other times when you are either travelling or have visited a new place, so the young one looks least interested to explore and do potty. The next backward step that the toddler feels safe and happy is the DIAPERS.

·        Now, you as a mother feels guilty, and sad about the entire reverse process. Remember mothers are always meant to be on toes. First think whether your child was actually potty trained or not?

·        Why is your little one avoiding the loo? Is it due to hard stools, or constipation or some other fear? Find out, talk to your child.

·        You have to make efforts to restart the entire process. But remember, your child will throw tantrums and might act stubborn.

·        You can try using different colourful potty seats or can use different game method or rewards to get your child back to the loo.

·        Visit a health expert or pediatrician and discuss about your child’s issues.

·        Don’t worry too much. Things will become better in coming days. Your child will not use diapers forever.


Best wishes and enjoy parenting as always!!!!

Healthy breakfast- Oats Idli recipe



          Hi friends! Today I will reveal healthy breakfast recipe of Oats Rava Idli..

          Ingredients

          1 cup- Roasted Rava/sooji
          1/4 cup- oats
          1 carrot
           Handfull of green peas
           Green chillies
           Curd


           Method.

  •  Roast oats in kadai and then allow it to cool. Grind it into a fine powder.
  •  Then if you dont have roasted rava, you need to dry roast them. Else you can directly use roasted        rava
  • Take kadai, put oil. Then put hing, add jeera, rai, green chillies and kadipatta. Then allow them to splutter. Then add blanched peas, and grated carrot. Allow it to mix well. Add turmeric powder, dhaniya powder and then put rava. Mix them well. Allow it to cool and then add oats powder and salt according to taste.
  • Now mix 1 tablespoon of curd and some water into the rava. Dont put too much water. The water consistency should be like an idli batter.
  • Now them grease the idli plates and steam the idlis.
  • Your healthy oats idli is ready to be served. 
  • You can serve the idlis with chutney, sambhar or even tomato ketchup.
  • If you want to make them for your tots, avoid using green chillies. Still they will taste awesome:-)





       

Enjoy parenting and have a great time!!!!

Recipe- Leftover Rotis

                              Recipe- Leftover Rotis


                             Hi friends! Don't know what to do with leftover rotis? Here is the answer. Simply make smaller pieces of rotis by hand. Mix turmeric powder, dhaniya powder, chilli powder and salt accordin to taste. Take kadai. Put oil, hing and jeera and then put the masala rotis and mix them well. Sprinkle little bit of water and let the rotis roast well with coate spices. Then garnish with coriander leaves.



Tuesday 7 April 2015

Fussy Eating Toddlers


Hi friends! It’s been a long time since I spoke to you. Hope you are all doing well. Today we will talk of an important topic on Fussy eating toddlers.

Parents generally get upset if their children refuse to eat or do dramas during meal time. Remember your kids are smart enough to not starve themselves at least. It’s difficult to maintain your cool but remember the more calm ad patient you will be, the better it will be for you and your kid.

Let’s jot down few important strategies that can help you deal with fussy eaters.


·        First try to understand why your child is refusing food is. Is he ill or upset over something?? Talking and communicating with him will relax him and he might reveal the problem.
·        Being a fussy eater is quite normal. But as a parent you should keep giving small meals at regular intervals. Try making food colorful and delightful.
·        Don’t delay introducing coarse lumpy foods. Your child will refuse to eat solids and it will take a lot of efforts to put him back on track.
·        Don’t bribe your child with chocolates, sweets. It will create a wrong impression.
·        Always let your child have meal along with entire family. Seeing elders and parents eat will give enough encouragement to have his meal.
·        Always promote healthy food. You can ask your child’s friends to come over for a meal. A nice lovely surprise. May be along with friends, your kid will try to eat some morsel or the other.
·        Encourage self feeding.
·        Keep a watch on how much food your child is eating. If you are concerned, visit a pediatrician and talk to him.
·        Try to use cookie cutters of various shapes to make food interesting and lovely.

Enjoy parenting and have a great time!!!!

Friday 3 April 2015

Stay Fit, Stay Healthy


Hello to one and all!!! Today we will talk on an important and most essential slogan of all our lives “ Stay Fit, Stay Healthy”.  Yes, we parents are becoming more and more conscious of fitness but what about our children? According to reports, up to one out of every five children in the U. S. is overweight or obese, and this number is continuing to rise.

·        Remember, staying fit should be a routine running in the entire family.
·        Babies, toddlers and kids all need to stay healthy. It’s our responsibility as parents to keep their weight on check.
·        Unhealthy food habits, tendency to eat processed foods, junk foods have started to rise in toddlers across countries.
·        If you have an overweight child at your home, try to be very supportive. Lead yourself by example. Stop indoor games and try spending quality time with your kid outdoors.
·        Feed smaller portions of meals to your child.
·        Speak to your child’s pediatrician and get the dos and the don’ts food list.
·        Encourage physical exercising and activities like swimming, badminton and cycling.
·        Don’t let your children turn coach potatoes. They are too young to be carrying such bulky weights around them. More the weight more will be their lethargy and laziness. Along with overweight health problems, child tends to get inferiority complex and stress.
·        Seeds of fitness and education will bear great fruits of health and happiness.


Enjoy parenting and have a great time!!!!

Wednesday 1 April 2015

Toddlers Likes and Dislikes


Hi friends! It’s certainly a fun time talking and spending time with your children. Today, we will discuss on an interesting topic on Toddlers Likes and Dislikes. Toddlers are at an age group where they are discovering their world around them in a more concrete way. Slowly they start form strong preferences and start throwing their opinion as and whenever they can.

·        Remember as parents, you have to stay calm and patient with your toddlers’ behavior.

·        Toddlers generally show strong likes and dislikes especially with clothing and food. Try to be positive towards your child. Even if your tot is throwing a tantrum, try to rephrase the situation in a positive manner and explain the after effects. Eg. If your child is insisting to wear party dress at home, say that the dress is extremely pretty and lovely, but if you wear at home it may not look the same as it should. Don’t directly say that you are not supposed to wear party dresses at home. Try to reason out, your tots will understand better, or build a story around her favourite cartoon character to explain.

·        There are times when children throw out a statement like “I hate you”. They are expressing a strong dislike. Children perceive that you have power to change the situation or environment and direct their frustration at you. Hate is an extreme form of dislike. Always step back and try to understand the hidden meaning behind the statement. Defuse negativity by rephrasing the sentence. I know you’re upset, but I love you. I know you are angry with me. Can you tell me what you want?”


·        Parents are role models and perfect guides of their children. Try to acknowledge your child’s preferences and make them always feel loved. Most of the times, its either due to negligence or fear, kids start throwing tantrums. Try to be a twilight and a guiding star in your children’s life. I know it isn’t easy to be calm and cool all the time. So, disperse when you are running high on emotions and stay alone. Talk to your child only when you are in control of yourself.


Enjoy parenting and have a gala time with your children!!!