Super Woman- Super Myth!!

Why is Superman a fictional character and Superwoman an urban reality? 

Why do women have to keep all of it together “Manage home, Manage office, Manage kids, Manage husband and Manage relatives and still have a life??? 

If you miss even one from the above list you are not successful and god forbid if u move down the ladder, from doing everything, to doing just a few things. You don’t exist. 

Yes it is right that men don’t have to chose, that men have it all...why?? Because they are married to super woman! 

Well superwoman doesn’t exist..its a myth. Apologies for breaking the bubble but its true. Women who are labelled as superwoman is a breed of overly burdened, overly tired dead women walking around...shouldering all responsibilities. 

No human being can multitask so much and still have a life, ask any “super woman” you know. 

Super woman is a phenomenon created by men. It is a myth that gives all the power to men and all the responsibilities to women. 

Behind every super woman is a lot of heart breaks, marathons, missed birthday partys, missed deadlines, sulky kids and bulky husbands!! 

For some being a superwoman is bestowed upon like a medal because all women they know do it, some do it for the passion of a lot of things, some do it to impress others, some just for the sake of it but I would request all super women to pleaseeee stop, take a break, take a breath, slow down.... 

Sit, have a sip of coffee, have a glass of red...and think of what really is important to you. 

Men are not answerable to anyone for having it all or not having anything, they are not apologetic, and neither should you be. Get out of the guilt trip, drop some items from the superwoman list. 

There is no need to have it all, you can let go. No one is judging you, yes no one is...because anyone who taunts you for leaving career for kids, leaving kids at daycare for office etc etc, is a no one, or should be a no one. 

You have every right to be a normal happy person. You have the right to just sit and not do it all or not do most of it. 

You have the right to be just a normal person!!

Fun and learn (some quick and easy learning game/ideas for kids)

Some more fun games for comprehensive language learning. (Those who are new please read FUN AND LEARN) These games are mostly focused on improving the vocabulary.

Age 4 years and above

Shopping list: We make a family shopping list for our monthly shopping and as a tradition each member writes on the list what he/she wants. My son is allowed 4 items. He writes these on the list on his own.

Menu card: We maintain a menu for each day (Whiteboard hanged in the kitchen). This is maintained by  No.1 our Mom’s cafe manager. He is in-charge of entering the date and specific menu for the day after consultation with the chef. In addition to the meals, any extra chit pits like cheese, biscuits, jelly is available only after writing on the extra cards

What you need: Any note book/Whiteboard/Blackboard and a lot of strength to encourage your child to maintain it on a daily basis.

Keep some small extra cards for the chit pits.

Shopping trip: We highlight one area of a room as a department store, where I keep lots of cards with different items on them (not written, drawn or pictures on one side). After this I handover a shopping list to my kid and a trolley (No.2’s pram) and ask him to read the item, search for it, pick it, put it and pay for it.

Please start with very simple items on the list. Use the words that he already knows and is comfortable with.

After the shopping, encourage him to write the name of the item on the back of the picture card.

I keep laminating all the cards that we make during the games. These can be used again and again for reference and I will keep them for no.2 

Summer Tips for kids!!!

Its summer time ...its vacation time, masti time and its time for sick kids and worried moms. Hence its time to take extra care!!!!!

Here is a list of my 7 summer tips for all worried moms:

1) It’s important for the kids to remain hydrated but its not that simple with kids right? It is correct to assume that kids will not willingly drink as much water as required by the body specially during summers. Some ways to enhance water/liquid consumption are:

a.Summer fruits. .Replace one of the snack break with high water content fruits like Water melom, muskmelon, grapes etc. High in water and kids favourite. Other High water content food includes cucumber, tomato, carrots, beet etc.

b. Cold soups (A lot of easy recipes available with my dear friend google)

c. Frequent water breaks during playtime: Yes moms it is an absolute must. All play times must be interrupted after every 30 min for a water break. ....It can be just a sip of water forced down his throat....and one of the breaks can be a Mama’s special cooling squash.

d.   Icecreams, popsicles, kulfis...yess these help but make sure to NOT serve them directly from the fridge. Some the tricks that I do with Ice-cream  are:

• Let it wait out a few minutes after taking out from the freezer and mix room temperature yoghurt with it, it improves the texture and makes it more creamy
• You can also add cut fruits and fresh cream and whip it a little 
• Make Popsicle from fruit juices (Favorite is Watermelon....I add different colored jellys to it)
• Quick kulfi: Mix milk with any jam, jelly, fresh fruit pulp. Add a little roohafza and freeze it in moulds.

       2) Meals: Normal meals for Indian kids are high in fat and calorie content which is more difficult to digest during summers. Make sure to include easy to digest and light meals like khichdi, curd rice etc specially during lunch . Ghee can be reduced or if possible replaced with light cooking oil. Avoid spices.  Morning milk can be replaced with slightly diluted milkshakes (Preferably without cream).

3) Avoid outdoor plays during afternoons. Afternoon siesta can be followed by some fun and learn activities @ home (Best step out only before 10 am or post 5 pm)

4) Invest in good Sunscreen for kids: Its expensive but important....yes invest in a high SPF content sunscreen for kids. Chose from the options available in market which are designed especially for kids. I highly recommend ChiccoSun spray“. (I bought from firstcry.com)

"A normal special day"

"A special photograph of a normal day"

It is special because it exudes normalcy. A rare moment which will never come back, a moment which will remain etched in my memory forever.

It is one of the last photographs of me and my first born alone (Yess look closely i am there in the background). 

It was from the last few days when we were just us. A normal mother and son “Duo””(This photograph was taken just before we conceived our second baby)

It was a day of his demands, his babyness, his running around the house creating ruckus, a day of non sensical chatter.

The toy that he is holding... reminds me of our endless hours of innocent plays (we kicked it, rode it and yes ultimately killed it).

His bike reminds me how he refused to learn to ride it and it remained his push toy forever.

The T Shirt he is wearing reminds me how easily I could put him in pink then.

His hairstyle reminds me how for hours i would painstakingly turn him into a girl.

His smile reminds me of the innocence and all the naughtiness that was about to come.

Our Duo has now given way to the “Trio”

His demands and tantrums of being the only child have given way to subtlety and understanding of a big brother.

I knew with the third member it will change and may be become more special. But I can’t help but miss our regular duo days.

If I knew the naughty demanding child will so easily slip into a grown up big bro I would have held on to the time more strongly.

I am not complaining but sometimes rather every time I look at this snap it reminds me of the time when it was just him and me.

"I miss that normal special alone day with him" 


PS: BlogwatiG, to answer the question "Why would he'd be a perfect royal baby?"

Well because he is a royalty's son!! Duh!!!

This post is shared with Indblogeshwari’s “That Tuesday thingy Fourth”

Also this post is my entry for the 'One Picture From My Photo Album' contest conducted by My Yatra Diary and CupoNation. 

Forget me but remember me

When you grow up, forget me but remember me

Forget what I packed in ur tiffin but remember the taste of my food

Forget what toys I bought for u but remember how we played for hours

Forget my yells, screams and shouts but remember how I cried when u cried 

Forget my hugs and kisses but remember my touch

Forget how I looked but remember my fingers through your hair

Forget how I said I love u but remember my love for u

Forget our secret little handshake but remember how strongly I held ur hands when u were scared crossing the road

Forget how I waited for the school bus to drop u but remember I am still waiting for u

Forget ur daily life with me but remember how I lived my life through you

Forget how I taught u to use the phone but remember I am still just a phone call away!!!!!!!