Online Shopping For Baby Essentials: Discounts And More on FirstCry.com

Mommies, if you've got a little one at home, these offers are surely for you. Whether you're looking for diapers for your little one, for baby care products, for back-to-school stationery (considering schools are just opening or about to re-open), clothes, footwear or toys, there are some great discounts going on on everything! So without wasting more time scouting around stores and trying to get the best of bargains, here are a few deals you just can't miss out on! Enjoy ladies...and dads too :-)

Lines On Being A Mommy From The Book 'Daniel Isn't Talking' by Marti Leimbach

Am currently reading this touching book called 'Daniel Isn't Talking' by Marti Leimbach. As the name may be suggestive to many, the book is about a little boy who is autistic and how his mother, even while she doesn't really want to say it loud to herself in the beginning for fear of making it real, does begin reading the signs. 

I'm not going to make this a book review, for that, you can head over to my book blog The Book Worm and keep an eye for the review of this one.

As I was reading, I came across a few lines that I felt many mothers will familiarise with. I personally have a sleeping disorder, I can't sleep even though I have tried every single thing and remedy that's out there. But yes, one thing that's been a constant ever since I had my daughter is that I need to have her by my side - only then can I sleep comfortably for the bits and pieces that I sleep.

So yes, here are a few lines that I really thought touched a chord.

Daddies - Quietly In The Background, But A Baby's Hero, Always!

Fun Parenting Quotes

Am GUILTY ;-)

- Debolina Raja Gupta

**********************************************
And like I always believe in and say:

'Heal the world we live in
Save it for our children' - MJ
Happy Parenting!!!!

Be good to your little one, and to the millions of little ones out there who truly need every bit of love and compassion they can get.....Be a grown up...save the little ones.... Debolina Raja Gupta

WWW.BARBIE.COM My Absolute Summer Vacation Saver!

I'm no perfect mom, and I have no shame in admitting that!

Well, if you thought I would be sitting with my little one through the 40 days of summer vacation and make her study and read all day, think again! All this studying and all is already happening on school days, right? So what's the point of having a vacation, a break?

Nah - I haven't burdened her with too much studies these past 20 days, and nor am I going to.

Simple Summer Indoor Activities For Your Little One

Oh it's the summer holidays and trust me, I've already gone bonkers - handling my daughter at home the WHOLE day and managing office work and other assignments too - Uff!!!!

Though I enjoy having her around more and it's a lot of fun, there are times when I know she gets bored bored bored! She does go to an activity center in the day for a couple of hours, but that's not enough to keep a 05-year-old interested, right? So was going through other ideas to let her have fun indoors (can't go out its simply tooooo sunny and crazy hot!) and thought it would be a good idea to share some ideas here with you all.....

Good Touch Bad Touch: Explaining The Rules To My 05-Year Old

With the growing amounts of incidents being reported in the media today about child victimisation and the many monstrous horrors that are babies are being inflicted to, it's crazy how our little ones are growing up amongst a jungle of monsters!

While the entire blogging community of parents is up in arms about this crazy mental sickness that's out there to devour our kids (and even while I write this, the papers today reported how a 13-year-old was abducted by his own cousin and killed, in an attempt to get ransom for a debt the kidnapper incurred due to cricket betting!) it's difficult to understand exactly what we're supposed to be doing as parents.

Fun Mother Daughter Things To Do This Mother’s Day

Its almost here…MOTHER’S DAY!!!!!

While I personally believe that each day is Mother’s Day and each day is special, there’s nothing like having some extra attention and pampering on D-Day, right? Especially if that attention and pampering is directed at me ;-)

My daughter is all of 5 now and yes, she too is aware that Mother's Day is somewhere near!!! Yippeeee!!! Thanks to all ads and commercials popping up here and there, she knows the special days of the year.

I'm planning to do some really fun stuff with her this Mother’s Day, in fact, I'm gonna do it the entire week as it will be a great treat to spend the vacations and to do some more fun mother-daughter bonding…

So I'm definitely gonna indulge, enjoy and feel special, that too with my daughter with me, the one who’s rightfully given me the privilege of enjoying this day as a mommy!

Life And Death?

 Even as I write this post, there is a big question in my mind that's nagging me crazy....will I be able to quench her fears and clear out her doubts?

The ones that are raging in her little mind and taking away her peace?

The ones that are worrying her so much that she's spending every before-going-to-bed ritual time crying and hugging me and begging for answers?

My little girl of 5 is experiencing the

“Learning To Love My Body After Baby”: Real Life Motherhood Stories

*Pic shown here is for representational purpose only…

 

Mum Carly found it difficult hitting the trendy beaches of Sydney just four weeks after giving birth. But with a change in attitude she has learnt to embrace her new mum body.

Women in general seem to me to be dissatisfied with their bodies. Common complaints include thighs too big, cellulite, breasts too small, and bellies not flat enough. Women seem to never be happy with their bodies and after childbirth women seem to be even more dissatisfied with the state of their womanly form.

It can be heartbreaking to look at a new, post-pregnancy form in the mirror, especially if you’re going to trendy Sydney beaches in the summer, just four weeks after giving birth, being surrounded by almost-perfect, young, bikini bodies.

You may not be totally happy with your body, but it’s important to be realistic and not too hard on yourself. When you look at your caesarean scar or permanently changed breasts, instead of seeing a body shape that’s not perfect, try and feel empowered by what your body has created.

Your scar exists because it is where your angel came from and your breasts have changed because you fed and nourished your little baby. That’s pretty amazing when you think about it!

Your body does change after having children, but it has changed due to a massive accomplishment. Love thy body, including all the bumps and imperfections. You’re that special person – a mommy – so feel proud about yourself and show the world the real you!

*inputs from mothernbabyuk

 - Debolina Raja Gupta

**********************************************
And like I always believe in and say:
'Heal the world we live in
Save it for our children' - MJ
Happy Parenting!!!!

Be good to your little one, and to the millions of little ones out there who truly need every bit of love and compassion they can get.....Be a grown up...save the little ones.... Debolina Raja Gupta

Have You Hugged Your Child Today?

Have you hugged your little one today? I have.......Reason? Nothing....

Or maybe because she chose me and came to my life and I'm just so happy to have her with me, and can't help but try and hold on to these lovely moments and days when she is still only just mine! :-)

So how many times did I hug her today?

1. A few times when she woke up 
2. Right after she woke up
3. When I took her towards the washroom
4. While we were getting ready to brush
5. When she finished brushing
6. On the bed again
7. Just some more
8. And some more just like that......

She's got an off today, so she's at home and it's time for lots and lots of hugs.

This also means she's not very happy that mamma is busy with work. And of course each time I start getting angry, I try and convert it to hug time to spare my anger and to talk rationally and make her understand better, rather than get angry......

- Debolina Raja Gupta

**********************************************
And like I always believe in and say:
'Heal the world we live in
Save it for our children' - MJ

Happy Parenting!!!! Be good to your little one, and to the millions of little ones out there who truly need every bit of love and compassion they can get.....Be a grown up...save the little ones.... Debolina Raja Gupta

Belated Holi And Lots of Colourful Days To Come Ahead

This year me and daughter had a different and relatively quiet Holi. While the festival of colours is something I really love, it's not something that my daughter looks forward to much, but as each year she gets to celebrate it with her gang, she ends up playing way more than she had planned.

DIY Kiddie Room Makeover: At INR 0 !!!

So recently I shared in another post how our shifting to the new home was affecting my little girl (we shifted to this new home a month back.) There were lots of reasons she missed her old place, one of them being the pretty strawberry pink room we had got painted for her, with pink n red walls. She absolutely loved it and so did all her friends.

But alas, once you decide to buy your own place in Mumbai, that too in a high-rise, there's not much stuff you're left with in your pocket, your wallet, or in any of your bank accounts. This of course is difficult to explain to a 05-year-old, who, each time I tell her that we don't have enough money right now to get the whole home painted, tells me I can walk down to the ATM and there's lots of money there for you mamma!!!!! Hmmm...I wish :-)

So it was that I decided to take matters in my hand and give her what she was pining for -  a room that looked more like a kiddie room, instead of the boring white walls it had. And what more fun than involve her in a mommy-daughter team thing and create something fun, colourful and lovely for her room! So here's what we did....

this is how the room was when we bought it a month back...bare walls with no colour

From Mommy To Daughter, The Legacy Continues: Happy International Women's Day

Before I begin, let me wish all you lovely ladies out there a very happy, special and empowering Women's Day! Of course we can't really be respecting and appreciating our women only one day a year, but it's not everyday that you specifically take out time to wish each other and tell them that yes, they are truly special and deserve all the attention! So yes, once again, a very happy, special and empowering women's day!!!

So who do I dedicate this special day to? Of course, the 2 most special women in my life - my ma and my daughter. When I was a little girl myself, and through my growing up years, I was the perfect example of what a rebel daughter is like and what I definitely wouldn't want mine to become!!! (oh I can't imagine myself going through all that my poor ma did!!) but I'm sure that's exactly what she will go through too, it's a natural phase after all. Anyways, the point is, that I was totally this crazy, nerdy, rebellious, aggressive, stubborn young girl, doing things my way, believing that I had a special halo around my head that allowed me to break all the rules and create my own, and some of the craziest fights I had during my growing-up years were with ma! But then again, I was always super-loving, super-protective and super-possessive about her, and still am!

School Diaries...Everyday

You probably already know that I am a huge chatterbox, that I can go on non-stop. My ma has always told me how I loved to talk to her about everything under the sun and moon, and now, the fun carries on as my little one jumps into my arms each day and tells me absolutely every single thing that made news for her!

As I send her off to school each morning, I tell her to have fun, to have a great day, to listen to her teachers and also to make sure that she does some masti ;-) School is also about fun, right? And as I wave her off in the morning, we make funny faces and blow kisses to each other, one from the bus stand and the other from the other side of the bus window....

Day Of Love....Valentine's The Baby Way

 Image courtesy s5.favim.com

While working on something today, I came across this beautiful picture.....a sepia tinted picture of a mother holding her new born in her arms. As the baby sleeps in utter peacefulness in the one place that is the most safe for a baby in the world - its mother's arms, the look on the mother's face, her smile, says it all.....

It's a smile that is full of contentment, completeness, a smile of pure joy and satisfaction, a smile that says yes, this is what I have been waiting for, and finally, I've found all my love and dreams in this little bundle, this little heart of mine that now shall forever remain in my arms, close to my heart....Don't we all, as mothers, feel the same way too?

I do.......

- Debolina Raja Gupta


**********************************************
And like I always believe in and say:
'Heal the world we live in
Save it for our children' - MJ
Happy Parenting!!!!

Be good to your little one, and to the millions of little ones out there who truly need every bit of love and compassion they can get.....Be a grown up...save the little ones.... Debolina Raja Gupta

Presenting The Liebster Blog Award.....

 

February is the month of love, and though I am lucky enough to spend most of days being in love with my daughter (save for the days when office and a 05-year-old and freelance work makes me go all bonks!!), I had decided to make sure that February, especially, in my home, gets spent as the month of love....more time, dedication and attention to my daughter (poor hubby always burns green with envy)....

So when I received a mail on the 01st of Feb 2013 about a comment on my parenting blog and checked it out, I was surprised, overjoyed and really really smiley! :-) I did receive some earlier from blogging sites and the like, but I've never got another award from a fellow blogger, and there's something about getting a positive comment, getting love and appreciation from fellow bloggers and an AWARD! from a fellow blogger is a big big thing for me....So what did I get?

I got the Liebster Award from Falak of Being Zoes Mum. 

I was super excited, super surprised and super happy! Yay yay yay! :-) A big big thanks and a big big hug to sweet Falak for thinking of me, and for liking my parenting blog enough to award me the Liebster Award. Thank you Falak! You can read her Awarding post here

So what's the Liebster Award?

The Birth of A Reader

Hey world!!!! That time has come for me as a mother when I can proudly announce from the status-tops of all social networking sites that yes.....as much as I've been a book worm till date, my little 5-year-old princess has taken over the legacy and decided to carry it forward with much love, attention and care.
(image for representation purpose)

I can proudly say that I'm one of the proudest and happiest mums today! Oh yes....what started as a fun way of spending time with my little one and introducing her to the world of books has today taken on quite a proportion - what with both of us trying to figure out how we can make more space to fit in new bookshelves and how we can fit in all our books in those! Huh...tough task I tell you...

It's right when they, and me too, say that there is no age too early for books. I first introduced my daughter to books when she was about 4-5 months old, and she took to it with a lot of enthusiasm and interest. By the time her first birthday came she already had a collection of her own books. And when she passed a few months after her first cake was cut, she could identify all the 26 letters of the English alphabet.

Decorating The Baby Nursery

One of the most fun and interesting part of becoming a parent is getting the nursery ready! Even before my little princess came to me, I knew I wanted a baby girl, so that I could dress her up in frills and laces and all things pink and pretty, and give her a room filled with soft cuddly toys, dolls and all the mini cutie things that I so loved staring at at the toys section in the stores.

Of course the nursery was made and of course my little baby didn't sleep in it :-) LOL! But in India, that's one thing that's really common in most homes. Babies always co-sleep with parents, and whatever research might say, Im a firm believer that a baby will always sleep best nestled close to its mother's heart, lying safely wrapped in mamma's arms. Of course SIDS is a reality we all need to be careful and alert about, but all said and done, I want my baby next to me when I am sleeping, and its vice versa. And let me confess something.....she is all of 5 now, and still sleeps with me :-) The nursery is more of her play room! I don't mind that at all.

I really cherish this frame. This is a fun thing me and my daughter were doing when she was about 3...and she was adamant that mamma's hands also have to be in this :-) 

Is My Little One Eating Enough?

For the first few years of her life, till about the time till she was 3nhalf, my daughter was a round, chubby, teddy bear! She was all that a baby should be - roly poly, rounded, chubby cheeks, pudgy arms and legs...ohhh how I miss that! And then, she turned 4! And began losing all the baby fat, and yes, to my, as well as to the compliments she gets from many, she is now growing taller with each passing day, in fact, she is quite tall for her age, which is 5, and people regularly tell me that! I love hearing that too.

But if you ask me, I would have still loved to have her a bit more chubby for a bit more time. And this is exactly what her doctor scolded me recently for. Our friends and relatives complain each time they see my daughter that she is thin. I prefer to call her tall and lean. Her weight is perfect for a baby her age (I still call her baby, and I guess will always will!), even though it may seem by looking at her that she is lesser on the weighing scale than she should be.

There have been many times that I have asked myself if my daughter is eating enough. Most of us mums are plagued with this question, isn't it? And as if our anxiety wasn’t enough, the constant questioning of family members and friends, and the usual questions of ‘oh look at her, she’s grown so thin!’ or comparisons like ‘my son was quite chubby at this age, how come your daughter is so thin? Did you check with the doctor?’ are sure to make you go running to your baby’s doctor, or to sit browsing through the many books and websites to try and find out answers as to why your baby isn’t growing chubby and fat, while other babies are!

It's only now that I've begun to learn to relax as a mother, that I've understood the logic of it. See, you may be a perfectly fine and healthy adult, but aren’t you secretly always trying to reduce a little extra weight, or trying to slim down a little bit more and get back to how you were during college days? The point is that when, after growing up, we constantly want to try and reduce our weight, why do we want our children to unnecessarily pile on weight and look chubby just because it looks cute, or just because others say so?

Managing Baby And Home The Super Mum Way

You're a super-mum! I'm a super-mum. In fact, all us mommies are super-mommies, each day of our lives, whether we realise it or not.

A working mum, a stay-at-home full-time mum, a mum who takes care of her official duties from home, a woman who knows what she wants and a lady who is best friend to her little one....Yes, all us mums are that and much much more! As we get busy with the daily routine of baby, home, school, office, kitchen, husband, and, if sometimes we can manage to squeeze it in, then some time for ourselves too....the level of multi-tasking that mommies do on a regular basis is simply outstanding!

Getting back to work after having a baby is always a complex experience, one that involves (or may involve) a lot of planning, patience, checking, anxiety, confidence and tears (and not always baby's!).

With a process so critical as this, there are a few extra helps that a super-mum can go to when it comes to getting back to work routine after getting your little one in the family.

Fun Fact About Vegetables

Was doing a research for an article and came across some really fun facts about vegetables! I shared those with hubby and he really had quite a few 'Oh really?!' moments, just as I had reading them.

Read on and share it with your little one too. I never knew there were so many stories happening right in my fridge!

Potatoes were first seen in Europe in 1586, and came to North America in 1719.

The tomato was originally a fruit. It was declared a vegetable by the US Supreme Court in 1893.

Cabbages are one of the oldest known vegetables to man.

Benefits Of Holding Your Baby Close To You

One of the first most precious memory I have of me and my daughter is when I held her in my arms for the first time. Of course, as a mum, all moments of my little darling's life are etched in my memory as a movie-reel; I don't even need to close my eyes to see these moments in flashback. I remember it all, just as most mothers do.

Bonding With Your Little One

Mums, its a beautiful feeling when you hold your little one in your arms, isn’t it? The world becomes a beautiful place, the smile on your face extends the whole day long, and there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that you would want to get in the way of you and baby, as you look at your little angel in your arms. Wow! That’s some feeling!

What researchers have said time and again, you already know as a parent – that there’s no better feeling than you and baby than having your little one right next to your heart! As an expectant mother, you’ve cherished baby’s first heartbeat at your regular check-up, and while you were simply blown away, it’s a known fact that for your baby who was still being cherished inside the womb, your heartbeat was the most comforting and familiar sound!

One of the best ways for mother and baby to bond is bare, skin-to-skin contact. Another most popular way for babies to feel their mother’s heartbeat is when you hold your little one near you, whether while feeding, while putting to sleep, or during any other activity.

Here are a few times in the day when you can be sure of holding your baby close to you, and of course, if you have the time, you can extend these moments and give baby that much more comfort and warmth:

Telling Your Little One About Special-Needs Children

Recently I went to watch Barfi with my little one - she is now a big lady of 5, as she likes to call herself confidently!!!

If you've already seen the movie, or if you've read about it or have seen any trailers, you probably already know that the main actors are a little special, with special needs and a very special and beautiful life....What I definitely loved about the movie is that though the characters are deaf-dumb and autistic, none of it is used to generate pity, instead, we are shown what a beautiful and 'special' life they have, blessed to be able to enjoy life at its fullest.

20 Things Mums Wished Dads Could Do

As a mum, there have been many occasions when we wished daddies would know what we were going through, and maybe be able to do what we had to do. Come on, you’ve even told your partner many times ‘if only you could do this….’ haven’t you?

We chatted up with a few mums, and here’s what came as the top 20 things mums wished dads could do. Read up and tell us what you wish your hubby could do instead. And daddies, hear up!

1.     Our No. 1 spot goes to the most heard comment – “I wish he could take care of the baby while I get some ‘me’ time.” With mums having to do so much at the same time, there’s hardly any time left that you can devote solely to yourself. So yes, it would be great if dads could take up some of the time with babies, and let mum relax.

1.     Getting pregnant – Of course, why not? No, don’t get us wrong. It’s just that becoming pregnant and experiencing your little one growing inside you is such a wonderful feeling, you do wish that as a father, your hubby would get to experience the same too.

Proud To Be A MUM

Yes....for all us MUMS out there...we are the best at what we do, so let's be proud of who we are, and for a change, let's give us a pat on the back....and to our darling little ones, thanks for being around, we wouldn't have been the best mums without you!!!

**********************************************
And like I always believe in and say:
'Heal the world we live in
Save it for our children' - MJ
Happy Parenting!!!!
Be good to your little one, and to the millions of little ones out there who truly need every bit of love and compassion they can get.....Be a grown up...save the little ones....

Debolina Raja Gupta

Types Of BreastFeeding Positions

Mums, here are a few positions that will help you comfortably hold baby while breastfeeding. Select the one that's most suitable for your baby and you:

CRADLE HOLD POSITION

World BreastFeeding Week (1st-7thAug): A Few Breastfeeding Myths All Mums Should Know

Mums, I'm not a medical expert, but I did do a little research - both online and offline - and talked to a few people, and here is a list of the common myths surrounding breastfeeding that we compiled. Of course, every mum is special and different, so do consult your doctor on the same and in case of any discomfort, get immediate medical assistance. Have a read:

Myth 1: Frequent nursing leads to poor milk production: Fact: Milk supply is at its best when healthy babies are allowed to nurse as often as they require.

Myth 2: Spicy food can affect the taste of milk and upset baby’s tummy: Fact: It’s true that too much spicy or oily food can lead to acidity, and this is certainly not advisable for anyone. But having spicy food does not lead to baby not liking the taste of the milk. In fact, having a little spicy food and food with different tastes will only introduce baby to a variety of flavours and make it easier for them to experiment with food as they grow up.

Happy Birthday to Papa from Little One

 

Happy Birthday and A Card...

So its my lil one's birthday in about a week's time. And guess what? She is so excited about it but at the same time angry, why? Coz papa's birthday happens to be 8 days before baby's!!!

Oh unfair world.....

So what does little one do?

We visit the card store to get a surprise birthday card for papa, and even before we've got to his section, little one is already in the kids' card section, checking and opening ALL the pink ones, the princess ones, the cartoon ones...and opening and re-opening the sound-cards!

'Mamam, I bought a card for myself...'

Peace for now ;-)

**********************************************
And like I always believe in and say:
'Heal the world we live in
Save it for our children' - MJ

Happy Parenting!!!!

Be good to your little one, and to the millions of little ones out there who truly need every bit of love and compassion they can get.....Be a grown up...save the little ones....

Debolina Raja Gupta

The Changing Trend of Young Mums: From Mummy To Yummy Mummy

Yesterday I happened to have some free time on my hands, in the middle of a school-week, and me and daughter decided to head to the mall for some fun time together - some window-shopping, some playing, some books browsing.

After the initial walking around looking at the displays, she wanted to go to the play-area. As hubby joined us at the mall, we dropped her at the play-area and sat down to enjoy a cup of coffee. While we were chatting, I looked around us at the many kids and mums, young mums most of them, having a nice time with their little ones.

Enjoying motherhood has been our prerogative. Even though we may feel stressed out and burned out at times, we, the mothers, have begun taking this experience to a completely different level altogether. And it is now, in this generation of mothers, that this change is really visible. It's true that earlier too, mothers have been caring and attentive, they have spent a lot of time with their children, managing home and kids and school perfectly. Our mothers have truly devoted all their time on us, making us what we are today. But for this generation of mums, the change seems to be a lot different.

Becoming a mother in these times is actually a lot of fun. Knowing that there's a little one inside you does not deter the young mum-to-be from being stylish and 'happening'. She goes out with as much enthusiasm and is as style-conscious as she was before the stork visited. Whether its shopping for the kitchen or buying those fashionable clothes and makeup, she likes to do it all.

Blog Hop With Blogaholic Social Network

Here's the April Blog Hop from Blogaholic Social Network. On from the 24th of April till the 01st of May 2012, this fun Blog Hop at BSN is a wonderful way to meet new and interesting bloggers and make more friends on the way.

If you want to participate in the same, here's what you need to do:

1. Follow my blog (by joining the member list on the side panel)

2. Leave a comment in the post here. Please mention your website link so that I can visit and follow you back.

3. Check out the BSN April Shower Blog Hop page by clicking here

4. Grab the BSN Blog Hop code and paste it on your post in your blog to let others know that you're participating.

This month link up to any post!

Once you add your blog, stop by a few other blogs on the list to follow and leave a comment, let them know you are stopping by from BSN so they know you are a new friend and can connect with you on the community as well!

Feel free to:

• Share this blog hop on Twitter

• Post about this blog hop on Facebook

• Place the link up on your own blog! Just grab the code for your blog (the code is located below the linky list) a great way to fill up a post for a day! If you add it to your blog please copy the full post so others know the rules.

**********************************************
And like I always believe in and say:
'Heal the world we live in Save it for our children' - MJ
Happy Parenting!!!!

Be good to your little one, and to the millions of little ones out there who truly need every bit of love and compassion they can get.....Be a grown up...save the little ones....

Debolina Raja Gupta

Questions And More Questions: Learning To Look At Things From A Child's Perspective

Having a little one in the house is like forever being in an environment of learning and growth. As adults, we tend to take so many things for granted, its not even funny when you actually sit down and think about it.

My little one and I are a team, we talk and chat a lot, we explore things, and this bonding and constant discussion about things around her is not only restricted to me. As parents, both me and my husband have made it a conscious effort to spend as much time as possible with her, and to let her develop a sense of curiosity and questioning.

So it's not surprising for us when she speaks in perfect grammatical formations, or when she uses really big words for her four years of age. But sometimes, it does get quite tough to answer her questions, the millions that keep circling in her tiny head.

I have decided to make a list of all these questions.

Telling Your Little One About How Mamma Papa 'Got' Her

My little one is a lady of four now. And its been quite some time when she started asking about 'how' mamma papa got her. Of course this had to happen. Some kids ask about it later, some ask earlier. My baby started asking me about the same when she was about three-n-half.

Earlier, Indian parents were more secretive about most topics that skirted around issues of a physical and sexual nature. Such talks were almost a taboo, not almost, I think I can say to a certain extent, they WERE taboo. In fact, most Indian households still are not comfortable talking to their children about issues that involve anything to do with sex or the human body.

"Mamma Im 4 Years Old, Now I Will Do All Your Work"

About a week ago it was my daughter's birthday and she turned a happy 04 years. Of course I cannot still believe she is all of 04...seems like we just brought her home a few days ago from the hospital. But I'm sure all us parents feel the same.

This time we asked her if she would want to celebrate her birthday with the kids at the nearby orphanage. Now that my little one has started understanding the concept of sharing, and regularly giving food and clothes and toys to street kids and slum children, she readily agreed, even asking us to take milk and other things. We went together to buy return gifts too.

My little one was already aware of the date of her birthday. She would wake up each morning and ask me if it was the 09th of August already....each day I smiled and kissed her and told her she had still a few more days to grow big.

Finally the day came and as I confirmed it was the 09th, she was ecstatic. She jumped off from the bed and signaled me to stop. "Mamma, I am a grown-up now, so I will do all the work, you rest." She went to the kitchen and got me a bottle of water. She helped me with washing the clothes. She helped me keep my plates back in the sink. She helped me with everything. The whole day was spent like this, before she went to school and after she came back. Finally, after a fun birthday party with her friends, she slept a tired and exhausted sleep.

Next day my daughter was back to being my little one again, needing mamma for ALL her things and work :) Was I the happy one !!!!!


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And like I always believe in and say:
'Heal the world we live in
Save it for our children' - MJ

Happy Parenting!!!!

Be good to your little one, and to the millions of little ones out there who truly need every bit of love and compassion they can get.....Be a grown up...save the little ones.... Debolina Raja Gupta

Discipling Baby Discipling You

Was sitting with someone today and as is prone when any two parents sit together, the discussion veered towards young kids. The person I was sitting with happened to have a young child at home, a child of about 06, and it seemed to be a big reason of concern to this man who was the grandfather – of seeing an unruly child at home and not being able to do anything to discipline the child. There was a lot of reason for concern – for one, the child was already at an age when most basic discipline issues are already part of a routine, when the child is alreay aware of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ behaviour, of basic etiquettes, of how to behave in front of ‘outsiders’, and in general, how to be a well-mannered child.

Having an indisciplined child can be a real problem, one that poses the threat of embarassment for you, while making your child the subject of ridicule and potential rejection by other kids and parents. There may be instances where your child may be conveniently left out of play dates and birthdays, when you see a decrease in the number of friends coming home to play with your child, while instances of your baby being invited to friends’ house goes down visibly. You may wring your hands in despair, talking stern to your child, and sometimes even resorting to means of punishment and hitting. But once you sit down and actually think about it – who is to blame for this situation? Is it really your child, or is it you, the parent, who failed to inculcate the basics of discipline and manners in the little one?

Supermom's Recipe Book - A Must Have For All Moms

Sonali Shivlani, the Supermom, has recently come out with her book Supermoms’ Recipes. The book, whose tagline is ‘Of The Moms! For The Moms! By The Moms!’ has been compiled with healthy and delicious recipes from the kitchens of real moms, the main scoring point being that each recipe has been tasted by the child, approved on taste factor, and also been approved for its nutrition content by Paediatric Nutrition Counselor Sonali Shivlani.

In cases where Sonali felt the nutrition factor had to be worked upon, the recipe was changed a bit with the consent of the mum, and the child was asked to taste it, and only once the taste factor was approved again was the recipe published.

Each recipe takes up a page and features the mother and child who have shared the recipe. The fun part being that the recipe is named after the child.

Sonali Shivlani's Supermom's Recipe Book

I first met Executive Director CAPPA India and Paediatric Nutrition Counsellor Sonali Shivlani at her office while she was still working on a very interesting and unique concept – a recipe book by the moms and for the moms. We were talking of work, and when Sonali mentioned the book to me, I was immediately interested to know more. Being mum to a young daughter myself, I know very well the kind of preparation and thought that goes into the meal of a toddler or a growing child. Many recipes need to be modified and tried and tested before a child will willingly want to eat something healthy and filling. So I was really curious to know why Sonali wanted to venture into such a difficult and challenging territory, and how was it that this book was taking shape. The book is called Supermoms Recipe Book and is available now in all leading bookstores.

For those of you who do not know Sonali, she is a mom to two lovely children – a 10-year-old boy Nirvaan and a 08-year-old girl Moksha. Sonali has been a hands-on mum throughout her parenthood, but at the same time has been extremely career oriented. She pursued her certification as a childbirth and lactation educator and later a pediatric nutrition counselor. She has worked with more than 7000 couples through her prenatal programs across the country. She also heads CAPPA India which is affiliated to one of the largest Birth Professionals Training Organisation in the world.

Here’s a little bit from our chat:

About Sonali Shivlani

Sonali Shivlani is an Internationally Certified Child-Birth and Lactation Educator, also certified from CAPPA U.S.A.
She is currently the Executive Director CAPPA (India) and brings the International CAPPA Birth Professional courses to the Indian sub-continent. She is an accredited La Leche League Leader, and is on the panel of Indiwo, a TV18 venture.
Her Pregnancy Program has been part of the services at CLAY Wellness for 5 years now. More than 2000 expectant couples have undergone this unique program which focuses on customized personal support for each couple, preparing them for pregnancy, birth and also the months thereafter.
To get in touch with Sonali, you may call her at 9821290090 / 022-65812444 / 022-65812555
or Email: sshivlani@gmail.com

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And like I always believe in and say:
'Heal the world we live in
Save it for our children' - MJ

Happy Parenting!!!!

Be good to your little one, and to the millions of little ones out there who truly need every bit of love and compassion they can get.....Be a grown up...save the little ones....

Debolina Raja Gupta