(Part of the Food allergies awareness month)
Disclaimer: I have no experience of allergies and no medical background. So if you do spot any information that isnt accurate here, please feel free to point it out to me and I will put up the correct version.
This started a while ago when Tharini of WinkiesWays sent out an email asking if some of we mommy bloggers would be interested in writing about childhood food allergies. Frankly I had had no experience of the same, though I could write a thesis on problem children and how to manage monsters under three feet in mall and restaurant situations. With much agony and heart felt emotion at that.My first instinct was to cry off. After all, it was Ganapati time, I was already stressed out. But Tharini was gently persuasive. And it struck me that if one parent and one child could be helped by what I wrote about allergies on the blog, it would be worth it. After all, it was just a matter of an hour's dedicated put my butt to the seat kind of work which would be good for me to do, rather than the regular five minute and done kind of post I tend to do.I chose to write on symptoms of allergies and how to recognise them. Plus treatment. Broad outlines of course. Why? Primarily because I had no firsthand experience of dealing with allergies. I have, touchwood, not faced this thus far with the brat. And I would like to be informed in case I ever had to come across such a situation, so I would be able to recognise the symptoms for what they were and deal with them in the best way I could. Yes, selfish interest at the heart of everything.It is scary with children. They are so very vulnerable. You never know what could set off an allergy attack. And while some allergies are mere minor annoyances, some can be lifethreatening. Which is why, I think it is essential for anyone to be able to recognise the symptoms of an allergy attack immediately.What is an allergy? It is basically the body's reaction or defence to something it considers hostile. These hostile things, called allergens, are more often than not, something that most people can live with very comfortably. Food allergies in young children are more common than in adults, but most children outgrow them by the time they get into school. But, it is also possible to develop a food allergy as an adult, even if you never had any when you were a child.Allergies are a miscommunication between the body's auto immune system which generally works fantastically to protect us from the irritants, toxins and potentially infectious agents with it misreading the threat levels from a certain anything one is exposed to. This creates an inflammatory response within the body. The bone marrow releases eosinophilis and other cell types from the immune system get on overdrive creating an inflammatory response overload to fight with these perceived hostile allergens.In a person with allergies, the immune response is oversensitive. When it recognizes an allergen, it releases chemicals, such as histamines. This causes itching, swelling, mucus production, muscle spasms, hives, rashes, and other symptoms, which vary from person to person.The specific symptoms of the allergy is what can help pinpoint the allergen that causes it. Allergens that are breathed in often cause a stuffy nose, itchy nose and throat, mucus production, cough, or wheezing. A food allergen can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, or a severe, life-threatening reaction. Allergies to plants or any thing that touches the skin surface like a chemical or a metal often cause a skin rash. Drug allergies usually involve the whole body and can lead to a variety of symptoms. Some medical conditions, such as eczema and asthma, are linked to allergies.If the body develops a sensitivity to an allergen once, you are likely to develop the response everytime you get exposed to it.Allergens comprise air borne allergens like pollen, mould, dust and pet dander which could trigger asthma attacks. Poison ivy or certain chemicals in detergents, or creams, soaps, etc can result in skin allergies, and the scariest of all, especially for kids, food allergies which can create such a dangerous reaction - anaphylactic shock - a true medical emergency. Insect stings are another potentially life threatening allergy.According to research, breast-feeding children for at least 4 months or more may help prevent atopic dermatitis cow milk allergy, and wheezing in early childhood. If there is a family history of eczema and allergies in a parent, brother, or sister, you need to discuss this with the child's pediatrician. The timing of introduction of solid foods and the use of several specific foods, can help prevent some allergies.There is also evidence that infants exposed to certain airborne allergens (such as dust mites and cat dander) may be less likely to develop related allergies. This is called the "hygiene hypothesis" and sprang from observations that infants on farms tend to have fewer allergies than those who grow up in environments that are more sterile.
As far as food allergies are concerned, problem foods include peanuts, tree nuts (including macadamia and Brazil nuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts), fish and shellfish, cows' milk, eggs, soya and wheat. Interestingly, a child having one food allergy may also react to other foods (cross-reactivity). For instance, a child allergic to prawns may also react to other shellfish. People with hay fever or an allergy to latex may also have a cross-reaction to certain foods.
If you have a food allergy, your body mistakes certain foods as harmful, and produces antibodies. This is known as sensitisation and may not cause symptoms. However, the next time you eat the food, the antibodies are ready to react with it. This causes the body to release chemicals, which lead to a range of physical symptoms known as an allergic reaction.
Some food allergies result in immediate, severe and even life-threatening symptoms, such as severe peanut allergy
Allergy SymptomsAllergy symptoms can be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe.Mild Allergic ReactionsMild allergic reactions can include:RashItchy, watery eyesCongestionMild reactions do not spread to other parts of the body.Moderate Allergic ReactionsModerate reactions can include symptoms that spread to other parts of the body, including:ItchinessDifficulty breathing
Food and the immune system
Anaphylactic shock is caused by certain insect venoms; drugs such as penicillin; and foods like fish, peanuts, nuts, eggs and seeds.WARNING: If a person is experiencing more severe symptoms than what is listed above, they may be in anaphylactic shock.Anaphylactic shock is a medical emergency which is an acute systemic (affecting the whole body) allergic reaction. It occurs after exposure to an antigen (allergen) to which a person was previously sensitized. It can progress in minutes to serious levels.Symptoms usually appear rapidly - within seconds or minutes - after exposure to an allergen, but in some rare cases, reactions have been delayed by as much as 12 hours.In anaphylaxis, cells in the immune system release large amounts of chemicals - including histamine. As a result, blood vessels open up and begin to leak fluid into surrounding tissues, producing swelling.The signs and symptoms of anaphylactic shock include the general symptoms of a common allergic reaction, PLUS:Rapidly worsening symptoms (or previously severe reactions to this allergen)Swelling of tissues such as lips or jointsWheezing, noisy breathing or shortness of breathRash or redness of the skinLoss of consciousnessAnxietyItching of the skinHeadacheNausea and vomitingAbdominal crampsDiarrheaLow blood pressureConvulsionsItching of the mouth and throatHoarseness, change of voiceChest pain and tightnessA feeling of warmth and flushingThe feeling of having to urinateSweatingConfusionCall emergency ambulances or 911 if any of these symptoms occur with an allergic reaction. Anaphylaxis can result in death if not treated in time.Doctors will treat anaphylactic shock by injecting adrenaline (epinephrine) to constrict the small blood vessels, raise the blood pressure and dilate the airway. This may be followed by injection of antihistamines and/or steroids, plus the use of life-support systems.Do noteEating contaminated food can cause a reaction similar to that caused by a food allergy. Some medicines can also trigger allergic reactions like skin rashes.Diagnosing an allergyBefore an allergy is diagnosed, you need to go through a battery of tests and a detailed history to correlate symptoms and history.Allergen testing will reveal the specific allergens you are reacting to, the most common is skin testing, including scratch and path testing depending on the doctor's recommendation for individual cases.Some sensitive individuals will go through RAST testing. This is a blood test (RAST : radioallergosorbent) which measures the levels of specific allergy-related substances.Other blood tests that may help reveal allergies include:Antibody/immunoglobulin (particularly IgE) levelsCBCComplement levelsA simple method employed by some doctors is to avoid certain items, or use the suspected allergens in a controlled setting to monitor the reaction.While the ideal treatment would be to avoid all the factors that are known to bring on an allergic response, this is not always practically possible. The most appropriate medication depends on the type and severity of symptoms.Allergy shots (immunotherapy) are occasionally recommended if the allergen cannot be avoided and if symptoms are hard to control. This includes regular injections of the allergen, given in increasing doses (each dose is slightly larger than the previous dose) that may help the body adjust to the antigen.Some children generally outgrow an allergy as the system becomes less sensitive to the allergen, but normally once a substance is proved as provoking an allergy attack, it will continue to do so lifelong.Finally, as research has proved there might be some credence in the old wives tale that children who play in the mud grow up strong. The lack of exposure to allergens and the extremely sanitised environment we are bringing our kids up in could be one of the reasons for the increasingly levels of allergic diagnosis amongst our children.Nonetheless, do not take allergies lightly. Be aware of the symptoms, and know your line of treatment if you have a child suffering from any. Forewarned is forearmed.
Finally, here are what some more moms from the blogosphere have to write about childhood food allergies.
Tharini
Sujatha at Blogpourri
Indianmommies
Dotmom
Everyday Life
Cross posted at www.karmickids.blogspot.com.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Pat a cake, pat a cake
Pat a cake, Pat a cakeBakers man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Pat it and Prick it and mark it with a T
Then put it in the oven for Teddy and ...
“Chip!” Chip completes the rhyme excitedly. And then asks, “Does that cake have egg in it?” “No sweetie.”, I reply. “That’s a special cake. No eggs.”
Chip is allergic to egg. Both yolks and whites. It means that his body does not recognize the egg protein as a harmless food. It attacks the egg protein by releasing immunoglobulinE that cause certain histamines to be released in his blood, causing a severe reaction. He gets hives, his face and ears inflame, he itches, gets unbelievable stomach cramps and finally his body tries to get rid of the offensive substance by making him violently sick. When Chip was younger, he would also wheeze – his airways would get inflamed as well. Fortunately egg allergies rarely result in an anaphylactic shock – something that nut allergies can snowball into.
For Chip, the tiniest amount of egg causes a severe reaction. (For differences between intolerance and allergy refer to Tara and PG’s posts). Pastas made on equipment shared with products that have egg in them. A bite of a bread brushed with egg whites. A tiny dot of ice-cream containing egg yolks. When he was younger, even touching egg products would bring on a dermatological reaction – the site of contact would get itchy and he would develop rash or hives. As he has grown older, the response has toned down in its ferocity. Instead of suffering for a few hours, he suffers for one. His pediatrician thinks he might outgrow the allergy by the time he is 5 or 6, and even if he doesn’t, it would downgrade to an intolerance level- he should be able to enjoy a small slice of cake or half a muffin by the time he reaches adulthood. He might not be able to eat a plate of eggs all his life.
Chip was diagnosed with egg allergy when he was 10mo old. The allergy had manifested itself once before, when I gave him a dot of peach ice-cream, he grew red instantly and howled and vomited multiple times. But he suffered from colitis as a baby and we attributed it to that fact. When he started flailing his hands and turning red and having severe bouts of vomiting, twice, when I fed him french toast, I suspected an allergy and the doctor confirmed it. Chip also has eczema and asthma, which put him in the high-risk group for food allergies as is.
Having an egg allergy is difficult. A lot of foods have egg or egg derivatives in them. Baked goods, salad dressings, battered foods, ice-creams, chocolates, potato chips, corn chips can have egg in them. So do influenza vaccines (which Chip does not get). The first few months after the diagnosis were hard. Two years ago, many foods did not list egg as an allergen 9many still don't), so before buying every processed product I had to learn to read labels. Before buying every ice-cream at the concession stand I would have to ask to see the list of ingredients. Before buying every pizza, I would ask the restaurant to provide me with a list of ingredients. Often we would turn back with Chip not getting the ice-cream, pizza or chicken nuggets. Baked goodies were avoided like the plague. The nanny was taught to spot an allergic reaction and dispense Benadryl. Then the same process repeated when he started daycare.
The first thing we realized in dealing with Chip’s allergy was that we had to make him aware and educate him. By the time he was two, we taught him to ask “Does this have egg?” when offered a new food. And to decline if it did. He did admirably, most of the times, but sometimes it was hard for him, especially when a plate of birthday cake with colorful icing was offered to him, and on many occasions he ended up having a meltdown and refused to accept substitutes. But he learnt. We reminded him of what an allergic reaction would do to him. It was not the world’s most pleasant experiences. He also learnt to identify when he was having an allergic reaction and alert a grown up.
He did me proud a few weeks ago. We had carried chocolates for our family when we visited India. Twix and mars bars and three musketeers, that sort of thing. Someone offered Chip a chocolate and he ate it –nobody thought chocolates had egg in them. A few seconds later, Chip ran into the kitchen proclaiming he was having an allergic reaction. “To what?” I asked. He said he had eating a piece of candy and it had egg in it. The signs were all there. He was itching, his face had inflamed. I gave him ½ tsp of Benadryl, but it was too late. His stomach started to growl and he started to howl in pain as cramps twisted inside his little tummy and a minute later, he violently threw up. This was not the first time Chip had eaten candy. He ate lollipops and gold coins all the time – it was just luck that he had never consumed candy with egg in it – I really had no idea candy would have egg.
It’s hard for Chip at birthday parties. And other social occasions. And it’s hard for us. I wish people were a little more sensitive to his allergies. Especially in the desi circles. I remember an incident a few weeks ago in India. We were visiting some family and they had bread (the paav, not the sliced bread) for dinner. It came from a small bakery, with no nutritional information anywhere. A similar paav had caused an allergic reaction in Chip once and I was cautious. I asked Chip’s aunt if there were any rotis for Chip or rice. The paav might have an egg glaze. She said she could make rotis, no problem, but could he not “try” the bread and see if it had egg in it? I did not know whether to laugh or beat my head against the wall.
Parents whose kids have allergies are most understanding. I have two such friends (one of them is gnd) who will always have a ready substitute on hand for Chip. And for that I am grateful to them. Another friend is also very understanding. Her child has no food allergies, but knowing how hard it would be on Chip, she asked me before her daughter’s 1st birthday party if it was OK for them to cut cake in front of Chip. I thanked her for her consideration and quietly took Chip away to the garden while cake was served. Most people don’t realize what it is to have a food allergy, in a social sense, for a young child. To be “different” like this. It’s not easy for a child. So, I have taken the liberty of compiling a list of dos and don’ts for all of you out there that are fortunate to not suffer food allergies.
Don’t feed my child without asking me first.
Although Chip will ask if a food has egg in it, he is only three and very often he will forget. Check with me or his father before you feed him anything. For parents of young children who are allergic, there is a good selection of tees and onesies at cafrepress.com. Just search for 'allergy' and you will get results for tees with things like “Don’t feed me, I am allergic to XYZ.” It’s great if you are attending large parties or if your child is starting a new daycare.
Do inform the parents which foods with common allergens will be served at a party
While your menu should be allergen-free when a child with severe allergies (like nuts) is invited, for most other non-anaphalytic shock causing allergies (like egg), a warning will be appreciated. The parents can then decide how best to handle the situation.
Do serve alternate foods
Don’t make it a party where the child can only eat potato chips and nothing else. Children are very sensitive. Do offer some, other non-allergic foods.
Don’t pity my child
Not to his face, at least. Admire his courage instead, when he declines a piece of most yummy looking cake. I have had friends exclaim loudly to me at parties “This is such a pity. So sad he can’t eat the cake.” To Chip’s face. Don’t rub it in.
Don’t thrust a cake in my face when I am shaking my head to a “no”
This does not mean I am disrespecting your party/guest of honor. It only means I am going to give my son some company while he sits by himself, unable to enjoy the goodies. And yes, please refrain from asking things like “Even if Chip can’t eat, you can eat, na?” in Chip’s presence. Especially when he is whining for that item. The child is old enough to understand. And if you do ask, don’t be offended by what I answer.
Do educate your own child about food allergies even if your child doesn’t have them
No parent wants their child to be weird of different. In the US at least, there is a growing allergy awareness and kids are understanding. In India, even adults think allergies is a firang disorder and will tell you so. No idea what their kids will do.
This post is a part of an allergy awareness month started by Tara. Please share your stories and comments and help spread the word around.
Cross posted on : http://thekarmacallingblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/pat-cake-pat-cake.html
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
To Homeschool or not to homeschool?
I have had issues with the education system in this country and the sheer pace at which it forces children through a fixed curriculum. You put in your child into playschool in this country when he or she is still in diapers, still unable to speak, still to develop their gross motor skills to perfection, forget the fine motor skills. And then, the syllabus. And the speed at which it is rushed through before the child is even able to grasp or comprehend what is being taught to him or her.
But yes, the children cope. Or rather, we force them to cope. My son, as you might know from my blog, is struggling. He has issues with attention, with hyperactivity, and I am fully aware of his issues and working with him.
The entire rush at which we start morphing our children into pressurised little studious robots has always had me wondering if there was an option. If there was a method by which I could take his unique interests and integrate them into his studies, considering he was lagging behind awfully in class, despite the fact that he does, blasphemy, go for tuitions after school, and I sit with him and do his school and tuition homework with him every single day.
My search for options lead me to google baba and to Homeschooling. The premise is interesting. I could draw up age appropriate syllabus according to the class my son is in and work on it with him at home. And I discovered on Wikipedia that it is legal in India.
But do I have the courage to withdraw him from organised school and go through the homeschooling experiment, especially in this competitive world where a piece of paper from an educational institution can make all the difference between a career and stagnation? I dont. Honestly, I dont. So I will opt for the happy compromise of having him go to regular school. And working with him at home with a syllabus more suited to his level of comprehension and understanding and willingness to grasp. Without pressurising him as much as I can manage it.
Research conducted by Raymond S Moore in the 1970s revealed that putting children into the education system too early was detrimental to their self esteem. The resultant book, Better Late than Early has a self explanatory title.
What are the advantages of homeschooling? The child gets one on one attention from the parent or the primary care give who is involved as much emotionally as is mentally in the process of educating the child. The syllabus can be tailored to the individual interest of the child and the parent will move up the syllabus is consonance with the speed with which the child assimilates what is being taught.
A group of parents can get together to form a core homeschooling team with each parent taking on a single subject and preparing lessons accordingly, if parents are able to find likeminded parents who share the desire to homeschool their children.
As to the syllabus, it can be developed through interenet downloaded resources, through books and educational DVDs, and text books meant for the level of class the child would be in should the child be in regular school. The flexibility of homeschooling is that, you can take lessons at your convenience. You can speed up or slow down according to the child's mastery of the subject, and you can devote one on one attention to the child.
There are plenty of parents out here who are homeschooling their children as an option to the standardised Brick in the Wall education system we follow. Their children are as intelligent, informed and capable or even better than those who go to regular school.
But homeschooling is not the rosy picture it seems. For one, the parent must have the ability to teach. And that is a natural ability that makes imparting knowledge interesting and fun for the child. The Good Lord knows I have to work really hard on that part. For another, the parent has to be disciplined enough to ensure that they have their study sessions every day regardless of distractions. For another, there is always the fear that the child is not upto snuff when compared with other children their age. The assumption is that school learning is the norm and is therefore better for the child.
The debate includes whether the child will be deprived of peer socialisation, and fail to develop adequate social skills in such a homeschooling setting. And also, when is the child ready and able to join institutionalised education and will the child then feel a misfit. All these questions still are under debate. But the bottom line is that homeschooling is an idea whose time has come, especially with all the parents out here, dismayed with the sheer insensitivity and overload the education system is putting on our precious little children.
I am going to try it out, in my own form, while staying put in the school. Any resources that would help, would be welcome. And any opinions too!
Would you homeschool your child, if you could?
Notable homeschooled individuals?
Numerous historical and current public figures were home-educated[2][56][57]. Some examples include:
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) the 16th President of the United States, received very little schooling, but was an avid reader and taught himself how to read, write, and do arithmetic.[56][58]
Andrew Wyeth (1917), an American realist painter, was taken out of school at young age because of illness, he then received education on art and other subjects from his parents.[59][56]
Bode Miller (1977), an American alpine skier, was homeschooled by his parents until he was ten. [60]
Che Guevara (1928), left-wing guerrilla leader in Cuba, Africa, and Bolivia, and prison commandant and national bank president in Cuba, born in Argentina, was educated at home, mainly by his mother, until the age of 13.[61]
Ernst Mach, Austria, Physicist. Homeschooled until highschool by his parents.[62]
Erwin Schrödinger, Austria, Nobel Prize-winning physicist. Homeschooled until age 10[63]
Elizabeth II (1926), the queen of the United Kingdom, received early education at home, later she attended lessons in constitutional history at Eton College.[64]
George Washington, United States, First United States President[56]
Rosa Parks, United States, civil rights activist, homeschooled until age 11[65]
Sho Yano, United States, child prodigy
Susan La Flesche Picotte, United States, first American Indian woman physician
Thomas Edison (1847-1931) an American inventor and businessman, was taught reading, writing and arithmetic by his mother. Before that he left school after only three months, as he had trouble following the lessons. Most of his other education he received from reading books on his own.[66]
Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) the 28th President of the United States, was home educated by his father because of the Civil War. When he was nineteen he entered the Princeton University.[56]
Resources: http://www.alternativeeducationindia.net/
But yes, the children cope. Or rather, we force them to cope. My son, as you might know from my blog, is struggling. He has issues with attention, with hyperactivity, and I am fully aware of his issues and working with him.
The entire rush at which we start morphing our children into pressurised little studious robots has always had me wondering if there was an option. If there was a method by which I could take his unique interests and integrate them into his studies, considering he was lagging behind awfully in class, despite the fact that he does, blasphemy, go for tuitions after school, and I sit with him and do his school and tuition homework with him every single day.
My search for options lead me to google baba and to Homeschooling. The premise is interesting. I could draw up age appropriate syllabus according to the class my son is in and work on it with him at home. And I discovered on Wikipedia that it is legal in India.
But do I have the courage to withdraw him from organised school and go through the homeschooling experiment, especially in this competitive world where a piece of paper from an educational institution can make all the difference between a career and stagnation? I dont. Honestly, I dont. So I will opt for the happy compromise of having him go to regular school. And working with him at home with a syllabus more suited to his level of comprehension and understanding and willingness to grasp. Without pressurising him as much as I can manage it.
Research conducted by Raymond S Moore in the 1970s revealed that putting children into the education system too early was detrimental to their self esteem. The resultant book, Better Late than Early has a self explanatory title.
What are the advantages of homeschooling? The child gets one on one attention from the parent or the primary care give who is involved as much emotionally as is mentally in the process of educating the child. The syllabus can be tailored to the individual interest of the child and the parent will move up the syllabus is consonance with the speed with which the child assimilates what is being taught.
A group of parents can get together to form a core homeschooling team with each parent taking on a single subject and preparing lessons accordingly, if parents are able to find likeminded parents who share the desire to homeschool their children.
As to the syllabus, it can be developed through interenet downloaded resources, through books and educational DVDs, and text books meant for the level of class the child would be in should the child be in regular school. The flexibility of homeschooling is that, you can take lessons at your convenience. You can speed up or slow down according to the child's mastery of the subject, and you can devote one on one attention to the child.
There are plenty of parents out here who are homeschooling their children as an option to the standardised Brick in the Wall education system we follow. Their children are as intelligent, informed and capable or even better than those who go to regular school.
But homeschooling is not the rosy picture it seems. For one, the parent must have the ability to teach. And that is a natural ability that makes imparting knowledge interesting and fun for the child. The Good Lord knows I have to work really hard on that part. For another, the parent has to be disciplined enough to ensure that they have their study sessions every day regardless of distractions. For another, there is always the fear that the child is not upto snuff when compared with other children their age. The assumption is that school learning is the norm and is therefore better for the child.
The debate includes whether the child will be deprived of peer socialisation, and fail to develop adequate social skills in such a homeschooling setting. And also, when is the child ready and able to join institutionalised education and will the child then feel a misfit. All these questions still are under debate. But the bottom line is that homeschooling is an idea whose time has come, especially with all the parents out here, dismayed with the sheer insensitivity and overload the education system is putting on our precious little children.
I am going to try it out, in my own form, while staying put in the school. Any resources that would help, would be welcome. And any opinions too!
Would you homeschool your child, if you could?
Notable homeschooled individuals?
Numerous historical and current public figures were home-educated[2][56][57]. Some examples include:
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) the 16th President of the United States, received very little schooling, but was an avid reader and taught himself how to read, write, and do arithmetic.[56][58]
Andrew Wyeth (1917), an American realist painter, was taken out of school at young age because of illness, he then received education on art and other subjects from his parents.[59][56]
Bode Miller (1977), an American alpine skier, was homeschooled by his parents until he was ten. [60]
Che Guevara (1928), left-wing guerrilla leader in Cuba, Africa, and Bolivia, and prison commandant and national bank president in Cuba, born in Argentina, was educated at home, mainly by his mother, until the age of 13.[61]
Ernst Mach, Austria, Physicist. Homeschooled until highschool by his parents.[62]
Erwin Schrödinger, Austria, Nobel Prize-winning physicist. Homeschooled until age 10[63]
Elizabeth II (1926), the queen of the United Kingdom, received early education at home, later she attended lessons in constitutional history at Eton College.[64]
George Washington, United States, First United States President[56]
Rosa Parks, United States, civil rights activist, homeschooled until age 11[65]
Sho Yano, United States, child prodigy
Susan La Flesche Picotte, United States, first American Indian woman physician
Thomas Edison (1847-1931) an American inventor and businessman, was taught reading, writing and arithmetic by his mother. Before that he left school after only three months, as he had trouble following the lessons. Most of his other education he received from reading books on his own.[66]
Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) the 28th President of the United States, was home educated by his father because of the Civil War. When he was nineteen he entered the Princeton University.[56]
Resources: http://www.alternativeeducationindia.net/
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Our Journey of the Lost Pound
Inspired by Kay, my friend and myself have started a similar blog.
We have been struggling for quite sometime to lose the weight piled up during pregnancy. We have had enough of wearing of shapeless, over sized clothes. So we have decided to 'Work It Out, Live It Up'.
This blog is our attempt to keep track of our efforts in burning up calories. We will also be sharing health food recipes, health tips, etc that will help lose extra pound.
If anyone is interested in joining us, you are most welcome. Drop in a line on the 'About Us' page and we will get in touch with you.
Cheers
Batul (http://scribblermom.wordpress.com)
We have been struggling for quite sometime to lose the weight piled up during pregnancy. We have had enough of wearing of shapeless, over sized clothes. So we have decided to 'Work It Out, Live It Up'.
This blog is our attempt to keep track of our efforts in burning up calories. We will also be sharing health food recipes, health tips, etc that will help lose extra pound.
If anyone is interested in joining us, you are most welcome. Drop in a line on the 'About Us' page and we will get in touch with you.
Cheers
Batul (http://scribblermom.wordpress.com)
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Bullying the bully
Its the start of school season and going back to school is probably peppered with a little trepidation for some of our little ones. Trepidation at the impending prospect of dealing with the officially designated bully in school. I know. My son has had a bitter experience with a friend turned bully last week, which has terrorised him so intensely that he is now refusing to go to school. (Details on my blog) Its been over a week now and thankfully, the rains have been bad enough to keep him at home. But it is scaring me. How do I bolster my child's selfconfidence enough to enable him to deal with bullying and teasing on his own, without me being around to defend him or give him security? I am sure many of us parents grapple with these questions everyday.
According to recent studies,about 50 percent of children and adolescents are the victims of some form of bullying during some point in their educational life. According to statistic, one of five children is being bullied regularly by either a single other child or a group of other children who gang up on the victim. Bullying takes various forms from the mild form of teasing, jibes, derogatory comments, threats, to physical aggresion and intimidation. And research does show that contrary to our expectations, bullying does exist in preschool and day care facilities, populated primarily by children under the age of five.
What are the signs by which you know your child is being a victim of bullying in school? A child who earlier loved to go to school but now refuses to go to school is one clear indication that something is drastically wrong at school. A child who clams up when you ask him what happened at school is another indication. A child who pulls out all stops at pretending to be ill with a tummy ache or another excuse to continuously avoid going to school is another. My son has all these. I am terrified because more than the physical scars of bullying, I hate seeing my happy go lucky cheerful son being morose and terrified of going into school. What sort of emotional scars has he received already before I have even become aware of it?
For my son, the bullying has progressed from verbal teasing and physical intimidation to actual pushing and shoving. Pushing down a flight of stairs is terrifying for anyone, adult or child. Not to mention the grave physical danger it presents to the child. It scares me as a mother. No, it terrifies me. Not only is this physically dangerous to my child. It is also affecting him emotionally and psychologically. And short of keeping him at home, there seems to be at the outset, little I can do to protect him.
Over the past week I have been thinking a lot about how I can help my child deal with bullying appropriately, without it progressing to physical harassment and pushing, shoving and such violent behavior. Can I try to keep my child safe from a distance? Short of actually morphing into a fly on the wall ready to grow a sting and bite the child harassing my child? I can only try from the outside to make a difference and this is what I have been doing:
Encourage my child to talk about the bullying experience with me. And getting him to understand why it is happening, and that it is not his fault. In my son's case, it is because he is tinier and quite clueless about what is going on in class thanks to his hyperactivity and attention issues that makes him a soft target for some other children to pick on.
Insist that my son immediately bring instances of bullying to the notice of the classteacher who will deal with it appropriately.
Remove himself from the situation immediately if the bully gets aggressive or call for help loudly.
On no account is he to hit back, or get aggressive with the aggressor.That would be just the trigger needed to put the aggressor on overdrive.
He is to stay out of the path of the bully, and as far as possible remain within sight of an authority figure in class.
He is not to go to the toilet alone. He is to ask to be accompanied by an ayah or an assistant teacher.
Develop a friendship and bonding with other children in the class to enable him to have a support group should he be picked on. This I will encourage and nurture by organising playdates with some other children in the class with whom he gets along well.
Another important thing I have started with him is practicing possible situations with the bully and getting him trained in possible responses. While he is not to fight back or be his "mard ka bachcha' self, he is to make sure the bully knows that the behaviour will be reported to the authorities (aka the classteacher and me) and that the bully can get duly punished for the same. I am trying to build up his self confidence so he can intimidate the bully without getting into the vicious cycle of rewarding aggression with aggression.
If the bully's parents are reasonable people, you could meet up with them to explain your concerns and ask them to speak to their child to desist from such behaviour. In my case, the mother is in complete denial that her son could cause another child any harm deliberately, and so I have not pursued the matter further.
Talk to the classteacher as well as the school coordinator about the issue and your fears. Sometimes, since bullying happens away from the gaze of the teacher, the teacher might not even be aware that this is happening.
Dont make your complaints personal against another child. When you speak, put your concern for the physical and emotional wellbeing of your child over everything.
And finally, I have told my child that he is to come to me with everything that happens in school. I am not judging him. I am not going to ask him what he could have done to provoke the situation. I want him to know that his parents are rocks of support who will do all they can to smooth out the wrinkles in his school life.
What are your suggestions? Have you ever faced such a situation with your child? How did you deal with it? How did your child deal with it? I would love to hear them and try and implement them. Right now, my son needs all the help he can get.
According to recent studies,about 50 percent of children and adolescents are the victims of some form of bullying during some point in their educational life. According to statistic, one of five children is being bullied regularly by either a single other child or a group of other children who gang up on the victim. Bullying takes various forms from the mild form of teasing, jibes, derogatory comments, threats, to physical aggresion and intimidation. And research does show that contrary to our expectations, bullying does exist in preschool and day care facilities, populated primarily by children under the age of five.
What are the signs by which you know your child is being a victim of bullying in school? A child who earlier loved to go to school but now refuses to go to school is one clear indication that something is drastically wrong at school. A child who clams up when you ask him what happened at school is another indication. A child who pulls out all stops at pretending to be ill with a tummy ache or another excuse to continuously avoid going to school is another. My son has all these. I am terrified because more than the physical scars of bullying, I hate seeing my happy go lucky cheerful son being morose and terrified of going into school. What sort of emotional scars has he received already before I have even become aware of it?
For my son, the bullying has progressed from verbal teasing and physical intimidation to actual pushing and shoving. Pushing down a flight of stairs is terrifying for anyone, adult or child. Not to mention the grave physical danger it presents to the child. It scares me as a mother. No, it terrifies me. Not only is this physically dangerous to my child. It is also affecting him emotionally and psychologically. And short of keeping him at home, there seems to be at the outset, little I can do to protect him.
Over the past week I have been thinking a lot about how I can help my child deal with bullying appropriately, without it progressing to physical harassment and pushing, shoving and such violent behavior. Can I try to keep my child safe from a distance? Short of actually morphing into a fly on the wall ready to grow a sting and bite the child harassing my child? I can only try from the outside to make a difference and this is what I have been doing:
Encourage my child to talk about the bullying experience with me. And getting him to understand why it is happening, and that it is not his fault. In my son's case, it is because he is tinier and quite clueless about what is going on in class thanks to his hyperactivity and attention issues that makes him a soft target for some other children to pick on.
Insist that my son immediately bring instances of bullying to the notice of the classteacher who will deal with it appropriately.
Remove himself from the situation immediately if the bully gets aggressive or call for help loudly.
On no account is he to hit back, or get aggressive with the aggressor.That would be just the trigger needed to put the aggressor on overdrive.
He is to stay out of the path of the bully, and as far as possible remain within sight of an authority figure in class.
He is not to go to the toilet alone. He is to ask to be accompanied by an ayah or an assistant teacher.
Develop a friendship and bonding with other children in the class to enable him to have a support group should he be picked on. This I will encourage and nurture by organising playdates with some other children in the class with whom he gets along well.
Another important thing I have started with him is practicing possible situations with the bully and getting him trained in possible responses. While he is not to fight back or be his "mard ka bachcha' self, he is to make sure the bully knows that the behaviour will be reported to the authorities (aka the classteacher and me) and that the bully can get duly punished for the same. I am trying to build up his self confidence so he can intimidate the bully without getting into the vicious cycle of rewarding aggression with aggression.
If the bully's parents are reasonable people, you could meet up with them to explain your concerns and ask them to speak to their child to desist from such behaviour. In my case, the mother is in complete denial that her son could cause another child any harm deliberately, and so I have not pursued the matter further.
Talk to the classteacher as well as the school coordinator about the issue and your fears. Sometimes, since bullying happens away from the gaze of the teacher, the teacher might not even be aware that this is happening.
Dont make your complaints personal against another child. When you speak, put your concern for the physical and emotional wellbeing of your child over everything.
And finally, I have told my child that he is to come to me with everything that happens in school. I am not judging him. I am not going to ask him what he could have done to provoke the situation. I want him to know that his parents are rocks of support who will do all they can to smooth out the wrinkles in his school life.
What are your suggestions? Have you ever faced such a situation with your child? How did you deal with it? How did your child deal with it? I would love to hear them and try and implement them. Right now, my son needs all the help he can get.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Journey for some weight loss and getting fit - want to join in?
[Posted by Kay of http://towardsabettertomorrow.blogspot.com/]
I realized it's high time that I got rid of those extra pounds in my hips and elsewhere and have started working out. I am not dieting - just eating healthy and working out and avoiding junk food.
I have started recording what I eat and workout in an online journal (aka blog!).
http://liveloveworkout.blogspot.com/
A friend of mine in Toronto is my partner. she has her own blog too.
If anybody is interested in joining us, you are most welcome. Let's cheer and motivate each other.
[P.s: Sandeepa, I hope it's okay to post this here. If not, let me know. I'll delete the post.]
I realized it's high time that I got rid of those extra pounds in my hips and elsewhere and have started working out. I am not dieting - just eating healthy and working out and avoiding junk food.
I have started recording what I eat and workout in an online journal (aka blog!).
http://liveloveworkout.blogspot.com/
A friend of mine in Toronto is my partner. she has her own blog too.
If anybody is interested in joining us, you are most welcome. Let's cheer and motivate each other.
[P.s: Sandeepa, I hope it's okay to post this here. If not, let me know. I'll delete the post.]
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Raising Chip
A while ago, I had written a post about the spirited child Chip is. I refuse to call him difficult and while it is vexing to get my point across to him at times, I admire his resolve and determination. He also tends to get frustrated easily and can fly into what I call nuclear tantrums. Change is hard on him. He is a slow adapter. Traditional child rearing advice is lost on him. Never works. He is only three and as he grows up, his temperament may change little or not at all, but I sure hope to teach him how to change the way he expresses his thoughts and emotions. A few weeks ago I bought a book- Raising your Spirited Child by Mary Kurcinka. While I have yet to read it, I thought it might be a good idea to put into writing my own strategies and later compare them to those in the book.
Be very specific
While this is true of most toddlers, for spirited children, this is a life saving technique. “Don’t touch that”, “Sit here” doesn’t quite cut it. Even if you tell Chip the dire consequences of his actions, his impulse doesn’t go away. For e.g. if I tell Chip to put the fork down when he is running around the kitchen with it, he won’t listen. He wants to do “something” with the fork, and running around with it is the only thing that comes to his mind. Instead I tell him to put it in the sink or put it back in the flatware drawer. That satisfies his urge, I get a chore done and he is out of trouble.
A few months ago Chip and I visited a friend and her new baby. Chip was very excited and in his excitement pulled the little baby’s hand. Instead of telling him to not touch the baby or play with other things which would have resulted in a tantrum, I channeled his urge. He wanted to connect to the baby. So I allowed him a gentle pat on the blanket by the foot and told him to sing songs and recite the alphabet. He does that to all babies he sees now. The parents are amused and the babies gurgle and laugh which delights him.
Let them know what to expect
Even if it is trip to the tot lot or a dinner with friends or a doctor’s visit, I always tell him what to expect of the place and event and of him. I tell him names of all the friends we are visiting and what we plan to do. I also tell him what I expect of him – he has to share, no whining, no fuss when its time to go home. Or if we are going to the doctor, what will happen (stethoscope, look in your ear etc). This way he is prepared and does not get caught with surprises. For the past few days, he has gotten into the habit of asking a grown up what their name is. I personally feel this is rude, so I have told him he has to ask me softly (or I have to tell him the name of the person we are meeting before hand). I have also told him I will remember to introduce him to people. He is a young boy now. Stop the whine with shock and awe Chip whines. And he is persistent. I need to stop the whine before it turns into a tantrum. And like most kids, Chip’s whine does not go away when you ignore it. It gets worse. So instead of telling him again that he cannot have jelly beans today, I sit down with him and tell him jelly beans have artificial colors and preservatives and that will make holes in his brain.
Shock and awe.
Since he has learnt something new here, his attention gets diverted to the artificial colors and preservatives instead of the jelly beans. Give them something to do I give mine chores. He sets the table every night. He helps himself to cereal and snacks from the pantry. He helps me unload the dishwasher. He puts his diaper in the bin every morning and his clothes in the hamper. It gives him a sense of importance and a comforting routine and giving him safe activities puts him out of trouble for at least 10-15 minutes a day.
Teach them to identify their emotions and triggers
This is very useful. Chip has a temper that can quickly get out of hand. A few months ago, I tried this trick. Every time he would get angry and thre a tantrum, I would tell him to tell me when he realized he was getting angry and that I would help him. It took a few months and he needs a reminder every now and then, but he does come and tell me to help him because he is angry or feels like a tantrum. We sit down and we “search and pluck” all the tantrums from his head. There are usually ten – so he has learnt to count till 10 when he gets angry. He also identifies when he is sad and tells me and we deal with it. Or when he is scared or happy. Down time and quiet time They need this more than the other kids, I suspect. I know kids who would cry way after midnight at their own 1st birthday parties. Chip cried in the first five minutes because he wanted everyone to go home and leave him alone.
Even know, he needs some quiet and one-on-one time every day with me in the evening. Undivided attention. He is much better behaved that way. Many times, when we have company over, he tells me he wants to go to bed way before his expected bedtime. I take the cue. He is overwhelmed and 20 minutes by ourselves upstairs usually recharges him and he much better behaved when we come back down. On busy days when he tends to be a bit tantrummy, we have a quiet time. Where he can do what he wants without walking/running/climbing/not leaving the room. He can lie down, draw, read books.
Sugar and physical activity
Limiting sugar does help. He is less tantrummy, more even tempered. Juice is no more than 6oz a day or not at all. No sugar in milk. Sweet cereals in limited quantities. No sugary stuff when he is tired. Or sugar combined with protein only (like peanuts and jaggery). Increasing protein intake helps him manage his temper. He also needs a lot of physical activity. He walked a mile and half yesterday and played in the water for 30 mins. in the evening and only then was he tired. I’ll post a review of the book as soon as I am done reading it. Until then, do share your tactics too if you have a spirited child.
*Cross posted on my blog here.
Be very specific
While this is true of most toddlers, for spirited children, this is a life saving technique. “Don’t touch that”, “Sit here” doesn’t quite cut it. Even if you tell Chip the dire consequences of his actions, his impulse doesn’t go away. For e.g. if I tell Chip to put the fork down when he is running around the kitchen with it, he won’t listen. He wants to do “something” with the fork, and running around with it is the only thing that comes to his mind. Instead I tell him to put it in the sink or put it back in the flatware drawer. That satisfies his urge, I get a chore done and he is out of trouble.
A few months ago Chip and I visited a friend and her new baby. Chip was very excited and in his excitement pulled the little baby’s hand. Instead of telling him to not touch the baby or play with other things which would have resulted in a tantrum, I channeled his urge. He wanted to connect to the baby. So I allowed him a gentle pat on the blanket by the foot and told him to sing songs and recite the alphabet. He does that to all babies he sees now. The parents are amused and the babies gurgle and laugh which delights him.
Let them know what to expect
Even if it is trip to the tot lot or a dinner with friends or a doctor’s visit, I always tell him what to expect of the place and event and of him. I tell him names of all the friends we are visiting and what we plan to do. I also tell him what I expect of him – he has to share, no whining, no fuss when its time to go home. Or if we are going to the doctor, what will happen (stethoscope, look in your ear etc). This way he is prepared and does not get caught with surprises. For the past few days, he has gotten into the habit of asking a grown up what their name is. I personally feel this is rude, so I have told him he has to ask me softly (or I have to tell him the name of the person we are meeting before hand). I have also told him I will remember to introduce him to people. He is a young boy now. Stop the whine with shock and awe Chip whines. And he is persistent. I need to stop the whine before it turns into a tantrum. And like most kids, Chip’s whine does not go away when you ignore it. It gets worse. So instead of telling him again that he cannot have jelly beans today, I sit down with him and tell him jelly beans have artificial colors and preservatives and that will make holes in his brain.
Shock and awe.
Since he has learnt something new here, his attention gets diverted to the artificial colors and preservatives instead of the jelly beans. Give them something to do I give mine chores. He sets the table every night. He helps himself to cereal and snacks from the pantry. He helps me unload the dishwasher. He puts his diaper in the bin every morning and his clothes in the hamper. It gives him a sense of importance and a comforting routine and giving him safe activities puts him out of trouble for at least 10-15 minutes a day.
Teach them to identify their emotions and triggers
This is very useful. Chip has a temper that can quickly get out of hand. A few months ago, I tried this trick. Every time he would get angry and thre a tantrum, I would tell him to tell me when he realized he was getting angry and that I would help him. It took a few months and he needs a reminder every now and then, but he does come and tell me to help him because he is angry or feels like a tantrum. We sit down and we “search and pluck” all the tantrums from his head. There are usually ten – so he has learnt to count till 10 when he gets angry. He also identifies when he is sad and tells me and we deal with it. Or when he is scared or happy. Down time and quiet time They need this more than the other kids, I suspect. I know kids who would cry way after midnight at their own 1st birthday parties. Chip cried in the first five minutes because he wanted everyone to go home and leave him alone.
Even know, he needs some quiet and one-on-one time every day with me in the evening. Undivided attention. He is much better behaved that way. Many times, when we have company over, he tells me he wants to go to bed way before his expected bedtime. I take the cue. He is overwhelmed and 20 minutes by ourselves upstairs usually recharges him and he much better behaved when we come back down. On busy days when he tends to be a bit tantrummy, we have a quiet time. Where he can do what he wants without walking/running/climbing/not leaving the room. He can lie down, draw, read books.
Sugar and physical activity
Limiting sugar does help. He is less tantrummy, more even tempered. Juice is no more than 6oz a day or not at all. No sugar in milk. Sweet cereals in limited quantities. No sugary stuff when he is tired. Or sugar combined with protein only (like peanuts and jaggery). Increasing protein intake helps him manage his temper. He also needs a lot of physical activity. He walked a mile and half yesterday and played in the water for 30 mins. in the evening and only then was he tired. I’ll post a review of the book as soon as I am done reading it. Until then, do share your tactics too if you have a spirited child.
*Cross posted on my blog here.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Hola de Buenos Aires moderno (Hello, from trendy Buenos Aires!)
Just wanted to post a quick note from BA (where we are having a crazy winter in the summer - given it is in the southern hemisphere), since I sa a blog about keeping kids safe online and thought you folks may find it useful. Though written for a BA audience (I gather), it is pretty global in it's messages.
http://www.beesafe.blogspot.com/
http://www.beesafe.blogspot.com/
Friday, June 20, 2008
My little summer adventure:Pea Soup Swim
[This post appeared first on my blog: http://rooparecipes.blogspot.com/]
I swam in the Hudson River this Sunday afternoon, and actually enjoyed it. And yes, I jumped - wasn't pushed! It started as a bit of a lark, something I thought I would back out of once I had achieved my exercise goals. The quest to qualify was initially my goal (88 lengths in our pool!) ...and then I qualified. Once that was done, I couldn't let myself down. I had to do it!Anyway, the first indication that something may be amiss was when I received an email and then a call from the organizers of the Park to Park swim that said that they'd changed the course of the race. No longer was it going to be with the direction of the current (from 144 to 166 street), but out from 166 to the center of the river, then downtown against the current and back to the starting point.
Talking about summer activities....
I swam in the Hudson River this Sunday afternoon, and actually enjoyed it. And yes, I jumped - wasn't pushed! It started as a bit of a lark, something I thought I would back out of once I had achieved my exercise goals. The quest to qualify was initially my goal (88 lengths in our pool!) ...and then I qualified. Once that was done, I couldn't let myself down. I had to do it!Anyway, the first indication that something may be amiss was when I received an email and then a call from the organizers of the Park to Park swim that said that they'd changed the course of the race. No longer was it going to be with the direction of the current (from 144 to 166 street), but out from 166 to the center of the river, then downtown against the current and back to the starting point. Not one of the 227 swimmers who gather that Sunday morning seems fazed by this change - some were clearly biatheletes, people who had done these swims many times before and there to win, and others were like me, just in it for fun. For me, the question was, would I actually dive in. 
I did (see youtube video of the start)! Not just that, I survived and valiantly battled the currents for 25 minutes, at which point I flipped on my back and tried the back stroke (from pure exhaustion) and was shocked when an NYPD motor boat passed by and one of the guys said - "you're going backwards...you all are!" I grabbed a nearby Kayak and looked around - and saw swimmers being ferried back to shore. I had put off giving up, since I didn't want to be the first one giving up, or have my kids see my give up. Now that I knew that completing the swim was a futile exercise, I was ok with being rescued! The cheery kayak'er (who struggled mightily with the currents himself) and the lovely NYPD blokes got me and a bunch of others back to the rocks and we clambered back.Apart from my family posse (dad, mom, hubby and kids), some of our friends came to cheer me on. I'm not sure what they thought - that I was demented, possibly, but maybe also kinda brave...? Either way, they proved their mettle by actually hugging and kissing me, Hudson water and all. The parents deserve special mention,
since they had trekked out to umpteen rifle shooting competitions before in my avatar as rifle champ, but this was the first time they saw me in a new, and dangerous, element. Mamma slept a couple of hours that evening, as she worked out her stress and the exhaustion of the long walk through Washinton Sqare park! And of course, a special thanks (and many Hudson-smelling hugs) to the extremely supportive guy by my side!!
I did (see youtube video of the start)! Not just that, I survived and valiantly battled the currents for 25 minutes, at which point I flipped on my back and tried the back stroke (from pure exhaustion) and was shocked when an NYPD motor boat passed by and one of the guys said - "you're going backwards...you all are!" I grabbed a nearby Kayak and looked around - and saw swimmers being ferried back to shore. I had put off giving up, since I didn't want to be the first one giving up, or have my kids see my give up. Now that I knew that completing the swim was a futile exercise, I was ok with being rescued! The cheery kayak'er (who struggled mightily with the currents himself) and the lovely NYPD blokes got me and a bunch of others back to the rocks and we clambered back.Apart from my family posse (dad, mom, hubby and kids), some of our friends came to cheer me on. I'm not sure what they thought - that I was demented, possibly, but maybe also kinda brave...? Either way, they proved their mettle by actually hugging and kissing me, Hudson water and all. The parents deserve special mention,
since they had trekked out to umpteen rifle shooting competitions before in my avatar as rifle champ, but this was the first time they saw me in a new, and dangerous, element. Mamma slept a couple of hours that evening, as she worked out her stress and the exhaustion of the long walk through Washinton Sqare park! And of course, a special thanks (and many Hudson-smelling hugs) to the extremely supportive guy by my side!!So, you ask, what's with the title of this post? Just 'cause I remember thinking as I dived into the river that it looked and felt a little like Pea Soup! The resemblance ends there - I drank a couple of quarts of the stuff as I swam across the current and kept getting hit in the face by the swells as I came up for air. Boy, was I happy I got all those shots (Hep A, Typhoid and Tetanus, in case you're wondering.) Still, I'm sharing a Pea Soup recipe that I've played with in the past, since a recipe or food reference is the price of entry on my recipes blog (where I first posted this!!)
Pea Soup a la Hudson!
One and a half cups of green peas (split peas soak and hence cook faster)
Four cups chicken (or veggie) broth
Half a small onion, diced
One medium carrot, diced
Quarter teaspoon lime juice
One garlic cloveHalf a stalk of celery
Salt and pepper to taste
- A pinch of turmeric and garam masala for the extra punch
- Soak the peas in the broth overnight (in the fridge, or the broth will turn)
- Cook the peas and broth till the peas start to show they are cooking, which should take around 20 minutes
- Toss in the diced garlic, onion, carrot and celery and cook with the turmeric and garam masala
- Pick out some of the vegetable pieces when they get tender, to add some character to the soup at the end
- Puree the cooked peas and vegetables to a smooth consistency (you may need to add some broth, in case it gets too thick)
- Mix in the reserved vegetables and serve, and mix in the lime juice at this stage
- Optional: Dribble some cream to decorate the soup as you serve in bowls. You can also add in cubed ham with the vegetables, which is quite conventional. You might also garnish with a sprig of mint, if you want to mix it up a bit!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Chilling out during Summer holidays
This year we are feeling blessed. For two reasons, one simply because Delhi summer was too shortlived and we believe that monsoon has arrived this early (a first time in 108 years) Second reason is even more important one, my sonny R does not have to do any summer homework this year.
Summer holiday homework, is all but a child's job. As kids in grade 4 or 5, you are expected to do a 'reading' of one of the Charlie series books of Roald Dahl, or may be Ruskin Bond and then do a book review, along with summarising the key characters. Then the same has to be put together in a project format with drawings, pictures etc etc.
Ha ha .... this was just the English. For Hindi you could be expected to write a short story, a funny 10 line poem, some ' chutkulen', etc, do some drawings to give every thing a book look with one's individuality.
Maths, Science, Social Studies and French to follow....
Summer months are always high load months for me in office. Over and above we load our weekends with zillion of mundane chores. With a topping of holiday homework, the usual holiday sundae taste yummy.
This year it has been a complete bliss from that end.But ambitious mom like me thought this is the time for forward moving.... I sound so much like a proffesional investor... forward trading, hedging, ....
My boy somehow has managed to survive my occasional attacks by doing things in spurts. He is learning fast to handle a Mom caught between, a 20 hr (8hrs in office+ 3-4 hrs of spillover during the other timebands trying to cope with my colleagues in UK, on one hand to Singapore on other.
Never the less we make a great team together, waiting for some day, where all the pain we take turns into a miracle called success.
When my boy was as young as 3 or 4 yrs of age, he used to find it very difficult to accept Dad being away on projects and therefore back home only once for a week of flyback after every 4 weeks.
I used to tell him a story which continues even today. It was about a bird family. Where the Mama and Papa bird are equally strong, intelligent and hard working. So they fly far from their parents home to a huge tall tree and make a nest. One day a small wonder of a little birdie is born to them. They are very happy with the little one.But they know now they need a bigger nest, more food for 3 of them...and Mama bird has to take care of the little birdie so she can not fly far nor stay away from nest for long. Therefore Papa bird has to fly to a far away country and come back occasionally with lot more food and straws to make a larger nest some day.
Now the birdie is strong enough, and knows how to fly, but is not adult yet. The bird family needs even more food and straws for a bigger nest. Papa bird works hard and travels from one country to another. Mama bird works hard, but does not travel to another country. Little birdie comes back from school and stays with other little ones in day care so that Mama feels safe and can concentrate on work. They all are happy working hard, so that twice a year all three can fly to a far away land and have a great holiday.
Little Birdies these days are smart and intelligent. They are focused and they know for every comfort there is a price,... and no alternative for hard work.
Summer holiday homework, is all but a child's job. As kids in grade 4 or 5, you are expected to do a 'reading' of one of the Charlie series books of Roald Dahl, or may be Ruskin Bond and then do a book review, along with summarising the key characters. Then the same has to be put together in a project format with drawings, pictures etc etc.
Ha ha .... this was just the English. For Hindi you could be expected to write a short story, a funny 10 line poem, some ' chutkulen', etc, do some drawings to give every thing a book look with one's individuality.
Maths, Science, Social Studies and French to follow....
Summer months are always high load months for me in office. Over and above we load our weekends with zillion of mundane chores. With a topping of holiday homework, the usual holiday sundae taste yummy.
This year it has been a complete bliss from that end.But ambitious mom like me thought this is the time for forward moving.... I sound so much like a proffesional investor... forward trading, hedging, ....
My boy somehow has managed to survive my occasional attacks by doing things in spurts. He is learning fast to handle a Mom caught between, a 20 hr (8hrs in office+ 3-4 hrs of spillover during the other timebands trying to cope with my colleagues in UK, on one hand to Singapore on other.
Never the less we make a great team together, waiting for some day, where all the pain we take turns into a miracle called success.
When my boy was as young as 3 or 4 yrs of age, he used to find it very difficult to accept Dad being away on projects and therefore back home only once for a week of flyback after every 4 weeks.
I used to tell him a story which continues even today. It was about a bird family. Where the Mama and Papa bird are equally strong, intelligent and hard working. So they fly far from their parents home to a huge tall tree and make a nest. One day a small wonder of a little birdie is born to them. They are very happy with the little one.But they know now they need a bigger nest, more food for 3 of them...and Mama bird has to take care of the little birdie so she can not fly far nor stay away from nest for long. Therefore Papa bird has to fly to a far away country and come back occasionally with lot more food and straws to make a larger nest some day.
Now the birdie is strong enough, and knows how to fly, but is not adult yet. The bird family needs even more food and straws for a bigger nest. Papa bird works hard and travels from one country to another. Mama bird works hard, but does not travel to another country. Little birdie comes back from school and stays with other little ones in day care so that Mama feels safe and can concentrate on work. They all are happy working hard, so that twice a year all three can fly to a far away land and have a great holiday.
Little Birdies these days are smart and intelligent. They are focused and they know for every comfort there is a price,... and no alternative for hard work.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Summer Plans?
If you live in any of india's big cities, you will find yourself inundated with ads and newspaper inserts advertising summer camps and activity centers for kids. And you will find many of them full to the brim of kids, all learning to do colouring or to sing songs or whatever. Whatever happened to the carefree schedule-free days of summer?
I don't know whether it's purely a function of working moms, because several of my son's classmates who have stay-at-home moms are also enrolled in these classes. Last year, after we got back from a 2 week vacation, we enrolled Chubbocks into a thrice-a-week three hours summer camp, because my mom was away in the US and I didn't want him drifting around with nothing to do. Yet I'm a bit upset that I did it because I think it's so important for kids to learn the art of simply being as well as amusing themselves.
As a mom, while I don't believe in 'quality time', I do believe in benign neglect. I think it does kids a world of good to just hang out in the same space as their parents, not necessarily being read to/ taught/ 'spoken to'/ made to do anything in particular which is meant to mark the time the parent spent with the kid as something special. When I look back at my own childhood, what I see is a string of days or a blurred period of time where we all hung out, chatted, fought, played, cried and laughed together. The undue emphasis on quality time just leads kids to think the world revolves around them and they never learn to just coexist in the same space as other people, without the warm shininess of a spotlight.
This summer, though I knew I wouldn't have too much time off, I didn't want to enrol Chubbocks into any classes, especially those that taught him anything. I think school is good enough for most things he wants or needs to learn. So we just put him into a dance class that's an hour twice a week, as some of his friends from school were joining up as well and that was that.
Of course, it has led to him moping around the house, as I feared. It's bizarre but he doesn't have any company around, despite the fact that the colony we live in is full of kids his age. That's because these days, parents just don't send their kids out to play because 'it's too hot'. I remember during my summer vacations, we were forever outside, jumping, running, shouting and playing, oblivious to the weather. We only came home for lunch and the afternoon nap and the evening too would pass in merry mayhem. The high point of a day would be a trip with parents to the India Gate lawns where we would chill on the cool grass near a fountain so some of the spray would fall on us, and have an ice cream or so ( me only the cone because I had bronchitis). There was nothing organised about our entertainment, and yet we managed very well, be it playing Blindman's Bluff or catch-catch, organising Telematch tournaments or playing hide and seek in the dim gardens that ran behind our homes. The local library was raided week after week, while old books were lent and borrowed. I made an entire set of posters of all my favourite comic book heroes - from Phantom to Mandrake to Richie Rich - to decorate my playroom, one summer.
I wonder if we as parents are becoming over-protective of our kids, in the process robbing them of the ability to think freely and learn to get along with the elements. Of course, no one wants kids to fall ill with heat stroke, but a bottle of water/ nimbu paani and a summer hat should be fine protection except during the dog-hours of noon, no? Even at birthday parties, the amusement is organised and orchestrated so that our poor kids lose the ability to come up with games for themselves. Can you imagine the well-groomed kids you see at a typical birthday party coming up with anything as subversive and creative as Calvin-Ball?
I hate the words, "I'm bored", and have banned them from our house. I can't remember being bored once, though we used to have few books or games at home and of course television didn't come into our home until we were much older. This generation of kids, with so many toys and books and games, still manages to find the time to get bored. How?
Chubbocks has managed his vacation time okay so far, between hanging out with his grandparents and writing out little notes on his doodlepad. Now we have my cousin visiting, with her kids, so that's a new source of enjoyment for Chubbocks. next year i'm planning to definitely take 3 weeks off during summer so that even if we don't go anywhere, I'm there for my kids to hang out with. And yet I'm clear that I don't want to be organising anything - camp or playdate. I want them to find their own playtimes and games, with each other or by themselves, though I'm never averse to jumping into a puddle of water.
"What is this life if full of care
We have no time to stand and stare
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows...?
Cross-posted at http://rain-bowdays.blogspot.com
I don't know whether it's purely a function of working moms, because several of my son's classmates who have stay-at-home moms are also enrolled in these classes. Last year, after we got back from a 2 week vacation, we enrolled Chubbocks into a thrice-a-week three hours summer camp, because my mom was away in the US and I didn't want him drifting around with nothing to do. Yet I'm a bit upset that I did it because I think it's so important for kids to learn the art of simply being as well as amusing themselves.
As a mom, while I don't believe in 'quality time', I do believe in benign neglect. I think it does kids a world of good to just hang out in the same space as their parents, not necessarily being read to/ taught/ 'spoken to'/ made to do anything in particular which is meant to mark the time the parent spent with the kid as something special. When I look back at my own childhood, what I see is a string of days or a blurred period of time where we all hung out, chatted, fought, played, cried and laughed together. The undue emphasis on quality time just leads kids to think the world revolves around them and they never learn to just coexist in the same space as other people, without the warm shininess of a spotlight.
This summer, though I knew I wouldn't have too much time off, I didn't want to enrol Chubbocks into any classes, especially those that taught him anything. I think school is good enough for most things he wants or needs to learn. So we just put him into a dance class that's an hour twice a week, as some of his friends from school were joining up as well and that was that.
Of course, it has led to him moping around the house, as I feared. It's bizarre but he doesn't have any company around, despite the fact that the colony we live in is full of kids his age. That's because these days, parents just don't send their kids out to play because 'it's too hot'. I remember during my summer vacations, we were forever outside, jumping, running, shouting and playing, oblivious to the weather. We only came home for lunch and the afternoon nap and the evening too would pass in merry mayhem. The high point of a day would be a trip with parents to the India Gate lawns where we would chill on the cool grass near a fountain so some of the spray would fall on us, and have an ice cream or so ( me only the cone because I had bronchitis). There was nothing organised about our entertainment, and yet we managed very well, be it playing Blindman's Bluff or catch-catch, organising Telematch tournaments or playing hide and seek in the dim gardens that ran behind our homes. The local library was raided week after week, while old books were lent and borrowed. I made an entire set of posters of all my favourite comic book heroes - from Phantom to Mandrake to Richie Rich - to decorate my playroom, one summer.
I wonder if we as parents are becoming over-protective of our kids, in the process robbing them of the ability to think freely and learn to get along with the elements. Of course, no one wants kids to fall ill with heat stroke, but a bottle of water/ nimbu paani and a summer hat should be fine protection except during the dog-hours of noon, no? Even at birthday parties, the amusement is organised and orchestrated so that our poor kids lose the ability to come up with games for themselves. Can you imagine the well-groomed kids you see at a typical birthday party coming up with anything as subversive and creative as Calvin-Ball?
I hate the words, "I'm bored", and have banned them from our house. I can't remember being bored once, though we used to have few books or games at home and of course television didn't come into our home until we were much older. This generation of kids, with so many toys and books and games, still manages to find the time to get bored. How?
Chubbocks has managed his vacation time okay so far, between hanging out with his grandparents and writing out little notes on his doodlepad. Now we have my cousin visiting, with her kids, so that's a new source of enjoyment for Chubbocks. next year i'm planning to definitely take 3 weeks off during summer so that even if we don't go anywhere, I'm there for my kids to hang out with. And yet I'm clear that I don't want to be organising anything - camp or playdate. I want them to find their own playtimes and games, with each other or by themselves, though I'm never averse to jumping into a puddle of water.
"What is this life if full of care
We have no time to stand and stare
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows...?
Cross-posted at http://rain-bowdays.blogspot.com
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Nothing
By Shruthi.
When we were kids, our music teacher asked us after a two-week long break, "What did you do in the break?"
"We played", we said, "We read books, we painted, we climbed trees, we went to summer camps..."
"Oh, I was hoping at least one of you would tell me that you did nothing", she said.
We stared at her open-mouthed.
"Nothing", she repeated, "As in, lying on the floor staring at the fan? Standing outside and observing the clouds? Lolling on the bed and looking at the patterns on the drapes? Or just staring at the ceiling all day? Did you do that?"
"Umm... err..." Was this a trick question? We did not know what to say.
"All that you did is important. But doing 'nothing' is also as important." She smiled. "You are too young to understand, but I'll just tell you that doing 'nothing' breeds creativity. Next time you are bored, try and do 'nothing'. And see how interesting it is."
I thought she was joking, but now I think she has a point.
Kids of today have their days full. So full that they don't have time to watch the clouds or look at the ladybird make its way across the lawn. And what is life without these little pleasures? What is learning and fun without admiring the world around you? Where is the time to let a child's little brain think and imagine and create by itself?
Perhaps we should encourage our kids to do 'nothing' this summer?!
When we were kids, our music teacher asked us after a two-week long break, "What did you do in the break?"
"We played", we said, "We read books, we painted, we climbed trees, we went to summer camps..."
"Oh, I was hoping at least one of you would tell me that you did nothing", she said.
We stared at her open-mouthed.
"Nothing", she repeated, "As in, lying on the floor staring at the fan? Standing outside and observing the clouds? Lolling on the bed and looking at the patterns on the drapes? Or just staring at the ceiling all day? Did you do that?"
"Umm... err..." Was this a trick question? We did not know what to say.
"All that you did is important. But doing 'nothing' is also as important." She smiled. "You are too young to understand, but I'll just tell you that doing 'nothing' breeds creativity. Next time you are bored, try and do 'nothing'. And see how interesting it is."
I thought she was joking, but now I think she has a point.
Kids of today have their days full. So full that they don't have time to watch the clouds or look at the ladybird make its way across the lawn. And what is life without these little pleasures? What is learning and fun without admiring the world around you? Where is the time to let a child's little brain think and imagine and create by itself?
Perhaps we should encourage our kids to do 'nothing' this summer?!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Theme for June: Great Summer Experiences for the family
June is always a strange month -- the heat slows you down, but your social life tends to get rather crowded (picnics, trips out of town, camp plans for kids...) and it's sometimes easy to miss out on the pleasure of just vegging out in the summer. Tell us how you plan for summer - what do you do over the warm months (except for those in the antipodes!) to make sure you and the kids have a fun but inspiring time out of school. Do you opt for summer camps, in which case at what age do you start, and for how long do you go? If it's travel, what are the most child-friendly places you've been? etc.
In our case, we've been suffering a very hot turn of events in NYC - the kids were exhausted with the 96° F temperatures. We spent time in the park with friends, and the sprinklers and bubbles proved popular, but we're definitely planning on more days indoors!! July brings a couple of weeks in South America. I'll keep you posted on how that goes. I personally took a trip down memory lane with a visit to Oxford, and I think taking a couple of days to be with yourself in a fun, soothing environment did wonders for my spirit. The five days by myself at the reunion (where I spoke, we all hung out and chatted about life, etc.) really recharged my batteries. Try it some time -- I was lucky to have my parents visiting, so that I didn't worry about the kids at all (and hubby is great with them anyway!) I'm able to plan their summer better thanks to the breathing room I gave myself!
Share your best and worst summer experiences, lessons learned, and advice!
Roopa
http://rooparecipes.blogspot.com/
In our case, we've been suffering a very hot turn of events in NYC - the kids were exhausted with the 96° F temperatures. We spent time in the park with friends, and the sprinklers and bubbles proved popular, but we're definitely planning on more days indoors!! July brings a couple of weeks in South America. I'll keep you posted on how that goes. I personally took a trip down memory lane with a visit to Oxford, and I think taking a couple of days to be with yourself in a fun, soothing environment did wonders for my spirit. The five days by myself at the reunion (where I spoke, we all hung out and chatted about life, etc.) really recharged my batteries. Try it some time -- I was lucky to have my parents visiting, so that I didn't worry about the kids at all (and hubby is great with them anyway!) I'm able to plan their summer better thanks to the breathing room I gave myself!
Share your best and worst summer experiences, lessons learned, and advice!
Roopa
http://rooparecipes.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 9, 2008
Bag to School
School reopens this week for most children in India. And along with the flurry of excitement that comes with entering a new class, comes the thrill of getting to school in their new finery—new uniforms, new shoes, new raincoats and umbrellas, as this is monsoon season. And of course new bags. Yes, this is going to be my topic for this column. The school bag. Whether the fancy ones with Disney and other cartoon characters embellishing their surface, or the plain canvas ones, long forgotten by the urban children but still in use in rural areas. Both with a single fact in common. Packed to capacity with books that often make the bag unbearably heavy to carry. Some children carry close to their own weight in books to school and back everyday. The average weight of a school bag in Mumbai is 9 kilos. And this is without factoring in sports kits and the like.
According to reports that come out in the newspaper, where intrepid reporters accost unsuspecting school children on their way to school, and weigh their bags, some bags weigh as much as 12 kgs. I kid you not. Have these schools not sensitised themselves to the sad fact that they are physically and psychologically making the children beasts of burden, weighed down under studies?
It is a common sight to see parents escorting their children and carrying their bags for them. And almost leaning over diagonally like human towers of Pisa with the weight. How would the child ever be able to carry the bag, one wonders? When the brat was in playschool, he was all of 20 months and he had a timetable, and books to be carried in his bag as per the timetable. Yes, it was a really horrible playschool, but nonetheless. Needless to say, the brat being the brat, half the books were tattered beyond comprehension and the remainder were a mish mash of edibles spilled and crayon work gone haywire, but the fact is that my heart broke everytime I saw him teeter across the building compound his school bag on his little back, almost as big as he was at the time.
Thankfully, his current school only has us send in a spare change of clothes, a tiffin box, and a water bottle, apart from his almanac. Making his load relatively lighter, of course.
But such schools are few and far between. Some schools have tried to alleviate the load of the child by having worksheets instead of rough books. Two sets of text books to be kept in class and at home (But that is an indulgence that the rich can afford). Sharing of textbooks by benchpartners, to reduce the load to be carried into class every single day.
But the fact remains that most children are tottering around like beasts of burden which school bags which could give a good trekking bag a run for its money, and god help you if you get side swipped by one of these. It could knock you out flat to a count of ten.
But jokes apart, what are the obvious problems heavy bags could cause? Back problems for one. Chronic back pain for another. If your child is constantly stating that he or she has a backache, pay attention. And take a good hard look at the school bag. It could be the culprit. I personally know of a case, a 13 year old girl sharing the room with the brat when he was once admitted into a pediatric ward for his febrile convulsions, a child in Standard IX who had developed nerve compression in her spine as a result of carrying a too heavy bag too long and too far, as she lived a long bus ride away from her school. Not pretty. In fact, it was very very scary.
Spine misalignment, wear and tear of ligaments, joint problems, stunted growth and much more are being cited by orthopedics as possible outcomes of consistently carrying around overtly heavy bags. Surely, our children deserve better.
Pediatricians recommend that the weight of the school bag should be no more than 10 percent of the child’s body weight. The bag should be carried on the back with two padded straps resting firmly on either shoulder to balance out the weight. And the school not make it mandatory for the child to stand with the bag during assembly.
For the parent, do check out the weight of the bag you are buying for the child when it is empty. If it is already heavy to start with, dump it, however attractive it may be. Do realize that lunch boxes, water bottles, etc are added weight for the child to carry, in addition to raincoats and umbrellas during the monsoon. Do look for lightweight options to everything. Buy 100 page notebooks for rough work rather than the heavier hardback 500 page versions. Ask if your child can get worksheets rather than books for rough work. Check if sport equipment can be kept in lockers at school.
Do weigh your child’s bag on a regular basis and check in with the school if you feel it is consistently too heavy, and if there are some items which can be reduced.
And last but not the least, do know that the government has stipulated that there is a fixed maximum weight to a school bag, which should not exceed ten percent of the child’s body weight.
The Indian Parliament introduced The Children school Bags (Limitation On weight) Bill, 2006.
The important points of this bill were that the weight of the school bag should not exceed ten percent of the child’s body weight.
Nursery and kindergarten students should carry no school bags.
Schools should provide appropriate lockers in schools for the children to use.
The schools should issue guidelines on school bags.
To quote from the bill:
It shall be the duty of the appropriate Government to ensure that the weight of
the school bag to be carried by a child of particular class shall not be more than ten per cent
of the weight of the child:
Also, as part of the bill come the following stipulations:
(a) the students should use appropriate school bag with several compartments
to balance the weight and broad padded straps for symmetrical distribution of weight
on their spine;
(b) the students should always use both straps for carrying school bags and no
student is slinging his bag over one shoulder;
(c) the students should always keep the bag down while waiting for the school
conveyance or in the school assembly;
(d) the students should bend at knees with back straight while lifting the school
bag.
(e) the students should be told how to pack their school bags so that heavy
items should be close to the body and not carry unwanted items to school.
Schools which are found to be violating this rule, and which have not provided lockers for the children to keep their belongings, will be fined and if recognized, will be derecognized on repeat offence.
The bill has explained in detail the rationale behind its being passed as pasted under:
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
Small children often have been seen tottering to school with heavy backpacks. The
results of this excessive weight is more serious than ever expected. Some children may
develop a permanent stoop due to the heavy pressure on their spinal cord, which would lead
to permanent damage to their physical structure and back muscles.
It is a medically proven fact that lifting heavy burdens for a long time or distance is not
good for anyone, especially children. In the tender age, bones are delicate and excessive
weight can misalign the spine leading to offensive skeletal and muscle maturity. Carrying a
heavy bag on the back often results in aches in the back and shoulders. Forward bending at
the back makes the work of breathing harder. Children carrying bags weighing more than
10 per cent of their body weight have been found to have poorer lung function.
Yet, life goes on as before for most families even after they hear their children
complaining about pain in back and neck. Growing weight of school bag and its effect on
health of the children has became a matter of grave concern for every parent School authorities
have also been expressing their concern over the issue but nothing is being done to lessen
the burden of school bags.
Along with books, children have to carry their sports and other equipment with them.
If lockers are provided to children in school, it will allow them to leave sports equipment, and
certain books and notebooks in school. Further, the school should issue common instructions
to students in advance which books will be needed and which can be left at home and
teaching the child to put down the bag when waiting at the bus stop, in the assembly, and to
use both straps of the bag, etc. Some schools have adopted a way for reducing the weight of
school bags. They don't send all the books back home. Only those books are kept in the bags
which the students are required to study at home. This has been working very well for junior
classes. Therefore, there is an urgent need to enact legislation for the whole of the country
to save the children from carrying heavy loads on their back.
Hence this Bill.
VIJAY J. DARDA
Additional links
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/443633.cms
Children being children, will be tempted to carry along their entire quota of books every day to ensure that they do not leave behind a single book by mistake. Do keep your eyes peeled to check whether they're overloading their bags more than is essential.
You owe it to their growing backs.
According to reports that come out in the newspaper, where intrepid reporters accost unsuspecting school children on their way to school, and weigh their bags, some bags weigh as much as 12 kgs. I kid you not. Have these schools not sensitised themselves to the sad fact that they are physically and psychologically making the children beasts of burden, weighed down under studies?
It is a common sight to see parents escorting their children and carrying their bags for them. And almost leaning over diagonally like human towers of Pisa with the weight. How would the child ever be able to carry the bag, one wonders? When the brat was in playschool, he was all of 20 months and he had a timetable, and books to be carried in his bag as per the timetable. Yes, it was a really horrible playschool, but nonetheless. Needless to say, the brat being the brat, half the books were tattered beyond comprehension and the remainder were a mish mash of edibles spilled and crayon work gone haywire, but the fact is that my heart broke everytime I saw him teeter across the building compound his school bag on his little back, almost as big as he was at the time.
Thankfully, his current school only has us send in a spare change of clothes, a tiffin box, and a water bottle, apart from his almanac. Making his load relatively lighter, of course.
But such schools are few and far between. Some schools have tried to alleviate the load of the child by having worksheets instead of rough books. Two sets of text books to be kept in class and at home (But that is an indulgence that the rich can afford). Sharing of textbooks by benchpartners, to reduce the load to be carried into class every single day.
But the fact remains that most children are tottering around like beasts of burden which school bags which could give a good trekking bag a run for its money, and god help you if you get side swipped by one of these. It could knock you out flat to a count of ten.
But jokes apart, what are the obvious problems heavy bags could cause? Back problems for one. Chronic back pain for another. If your child is constantly stating that he or she has a backache, pay attention. And take a good hard look at the school bag. It could be the culprit. I personally know of a case, a 13 year old girl sharing the room with the brat when he was once admitted into a pediatric ward for his febrile convulsions, a child in Standard IX who had developed nerve compression in her spine as a result of carrying a too heavy bag too long and too far, as she lived a long bus ride away from her school. Not pretty. In fact, it was very very scary.
Spine misalignment, wear and tear of ligaments, joint problems, stunted growth and much more are being cited by orthopedics as possible outcomes of consistently carrying around overtly heavy bags. Surely, our children deserve better.
Pediatricians recommend that the weight of the school bag should be no more than 10 percent of the child’s body weight. The bag should be carried on the back with two padded straps resting firmly on either shoulder to balance out the weight. And the school not make it mandatory for the child to stand with the bag during assembly.
For the parent, do check out the weight of the bag you are buying for the child when it is empty. If it is already heavy to start with, dump it, however attractive it may be. Do realize that lunch boxes, water bottles, etc are added weight for the child to carry, in addition to raincoats and umbrellas during the monsoon. Do look for lightweight options to everything. Buy 100 page notebooks for rough work rather than the heavier hardback 500 page versions. Ask if your child can get worksheets rather than books for rough work. Check if sport equipment can be kept in lockers at school.
Do weigh your child’s bag on a regular basis and check in with the school if you feel it is consistently too heavy, and if there are some items which can be reduced.
And last but not the least, do know that the government has stipulated that there is a fixed maximum weight to a school bag, which should not exceed ten percent of the child’s body weight.
The Indian Parliament introduced The Children school Bags (Limitation On weight) Bill, 2006.
The important points of this bill were that the weight of the school bag should not exceed ten percent of the child’s body weight.
Nursery and kindergarten students should carry no school bags.
Schools should provide appropriate lockers in schools for the children to use.
The schools should issue guidelines on school bags.
To quote from the bill:
It shall be the duty of the appropriate Government to ensure that the weight of
the school bag to be carried by a child of particular class shall not be more than ten per cent
of the weight of the child:
Also, as part of the bill come the following stipulations:
(a) the students should use appropriate school bag with several compartments
to balance the weight and broad padded straps for symmetrical distribution of weight
on their spine;
(b) the students should always use both straps for carrying school bags and no
student is slinging his bag over one shoulder;
(c) the students should always keep the bag down while waiting for the school
conveyance or in the school assembly;
(d) the students should bend at knees with back straight while lifting the school
bag.
(e) the students should be told how to pack their school bags so that heavy
items should be close to the body and not carry unwanted items to school.
Schools which are found to be violating this rule, and which have not provided lockers for the children to keep their belongings, will be fined and if recognized, will be derecognized on repeat offence.
The bill has explained in detail the rationale behind its being passed as pasted under:
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
Small children often have been seen tottering to school with heavy backpacks. The
results of this excessive weight is more serious than ever expected. Some children may
develop a permanent stoop due to the heavy pressure on their spinal cord, which would lead
to permanent damage to their physical structure and back muscles.
It is a medically proven fact that lifting heavy burdens for a long time or distance is not
good for anyone, especially children. In the tender age, bones are delicate and excessive
weight can misalign the spine leading to offensive skeletal and muscle maturity. Carrying a
heavy bag on the back often results in aches in the back and shoulders. Forward bending at
the back makes the work of breathing harder. Children carrying bags weighing more than
10 per cent of their body weight have been found to have poorer lung function.
Yet, life goes on as before for most families even after they hear their children
complaining about pain in back and neck. Growing weight of school bag and its effect on
health of the children has became a matter of grave concern for every parent School authorities
have also been expressing their concern over the issue but nothing is being done to lessen
the burden of school bags.
Along with books, children have to carry their sports and other equipment with them.
If lockers are provided to children in school, it will allow them to leave sports equipment, and
certain books and notebooks in school. Further, the school should issue common instructions
to students in advance which books will be needed and which can be left at home and
teaching the child to put down the bag when waiting at the bus stop, in the assembly, and to
use both straps of the bag, etc. Some schools have adopted a way for reducing the weight of
school bags. They don't send all the books back home. Only those books are kept in the bags
which the students are required to study at home. This has been working very well for junior
classes. Therefore, there is an urgent need to enact legislation for the whole of the country
to save the children from carrying heavy loads on their back.
Hence this Bill.
VIJAY J. DARDA
Additional links
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/443633.cms
Children being children, will be tempted to carry along their entire quota of books every day to ensure that they do not leave behind a single book by mistake. Do keep your eyes peeled to check whether they're overloading their bags more than is essential.
You owe it to their growing backs.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Padma Venkatraman's Book Tour at DMC
Padma Venkatraman's writing is as multifaceted as her life: an eventful life that included wonderful experiences such as diving in the Indian Ocean, backpacking across Europe, directing a school in England, and leading research cruises on the Baltic Sea. She has written novels, biographies, picture books, poetry, scientific journal articles, and over a hundred popular science articles for children and adults. Padma Venkatraman was born in India but is now a United States citizen.
It is an honor to have her with us at DMC for her Book Tour Stop for her new novel CLIMBING THE STAIRS. You must have already read the review of this book by our dear member Praba, today she shares her experience of juggling writing and being a Mom with all of us at DMC.
Over to Padma...
Sandeepa, it’s great to be your guest blogger today! Thanks for hosting me on my 4th stop on my very first blog book tour!
And hello, desi moms! If there are any non-desi moms out there who are wondering who a desi mom is, desi is…well…anyone of Indian heritage…that’s pretty accurate, I think…and a mom is…well…what a mum is on the American side of the Atlantic.
A desi mom is one who most likely doesn’t need to have the words “Jai Hind” translated, and one who, when she reads The Protest March chapter of CLIMBING THE STAIRS, can hear the crowd singing Vande Mataram and Sare Jahan Se Acha.The first thing I want to say is Namaskaram, Namaste, and hats off to all of you parents – it takes a parent to really respect what a huge responsibility parenthood is and how much time it takes.
For a few years now, I’ve been juggling science and writing…but now, it’s science, writing and baby…and that really is a new skill. How does one write when a baby yells? Here are 3 tips for those of you with writing aspirations that interfere with yelling kids. Or it the other way around?
1. Write everyday, even if you don’t write everyday.Keep in touch with subject matter mentally on days when you aren’t able to write. Think about it – think actively and constructively about your manuscript – sometime every day – maybe not when you are driving to work, but perhaps at least when you brush your teeth at night. Why? It keeps the subject alive in you and makes it much easier when you finally do get time to sit and type at the computer. (Having lived in America for so many years, I feel almost compelled now, to add, WARNING – This tip is not to be practiced behind the wheel; dreaming about your book while driving can cause accident, serious injury or worse).
2. Don’t start at the very beginning. That’s a very bad place to start.Yes, despite that song about starting at the very beginning (is that from the Sound of Music, which even made its way into Arundathi Roy’s wonderful novel? I think so. If you are a desi mom, you probably know this non-desi movie and this desi book). Novels aren’t necessarily written in order. Some novelists do it, I’m sure, so if it works for you, then go ahead. However, especially after becoming a mom, I tend to just write whatever chapter I feel like when I finally get a moment. Whatever I can see most clearly that day. Then, I fill in the gaps. Does that work? I don’t know. I hope so. It has to work for me now, so I think it will. In 2010, when Island’s End is published, you can read it and compare it with CLIMBING THE STAIRS, and then you can tell me. Or maybe my editor (who says he is going to be reading these blog posts) will tell me long before that…
3. Don’t waste time worrying about rejection. You will get rejected. That’s part of being a writer. I mean, even after you are a published author, there will be rejections of different types. So, who cares? I try not to. Time is precious, especially when there’s a little baby around. And wasting it on the negatives isn’t a good idea. My editor thinks I’m a bit crazy, but after we got the first two reviews for CLIMBING THE STAIRS, both of which were starred, I told him I wasn’t going to read them. Well, recently, his assistant attended one of my readings and forced me to read another review which was also of the highest quality rating, in an important review journal. So I said okay, okay, and I finally read them. But I try hard not to let them get me too excited. Because in the end, if you are a writer, you need to derive your energy from the process of writing and the good that your books generate, not let yourself get too high or too low because of someone else’s critique.
My friend, writer Vijaya Bodach, who is also a writing desi mom had these words of wisdom: “Enjoy the kids. They grow up much too fast. Learn to write in-between the cracks. I started writing at the kitchen counter just 10-20 minutes a day, while my toddlers played on the floor and supper simmered on the stove. Although I started The Great American Novel, I put it away for smaller pursuits – magazine writing and short stories. I learned to write small things well and it has served me well for my bigger projects. One thing that helped me write *with* my kids was to include them in the writing. We’d all sit at the kitchen table for a few minutes writing stories quietly. Sometimes, I’d write a story and have them draw the pictures for it. Oh, take naps with the kids. It’s wonderful to drift off to sleep during the daytime, with ideas bubbling just under the surface. Then stay up late to write. Five years ago, this is how I carved out two hours of night-time writing. It sure beats writing in 15-min. chunks. Of course, all this changes once the children start school. Then you will have time during the day to write, when you’re actually awake and alert. So fret not when the children are little. Your time will come. After all, you can’t stop the children from growing up.”
She’s right. Holding a baby is even better than holding the very first copy of your debut novel in your hands. That’s saying a lot! Thanks for reading!
For those who want to look at the previous stops on this tour or the ones to come, the information is pasted below. And before I forget, if you want to look at reviews of CLIMBING THE STAIRS, here are some links:
http://www.padmasbooks.com/
http://padmasbooks.blogspot.com/http
http://www.projo.com/books/content/BOOK-CLIMBING-STAIRS_05-18-08_6HA2FQC_v7.b6a7bc.html
http://www.uri.edu/news/releases/index.php?id=4393
It is an honor to have her with us at DMC for her Book Tour Stop for her new novel CLIMBING THE STAIRS. You must have already read the review of this book by our dear member Praba, today she shares her experience of juggling writing and being a Mom with all of us at DMC.
Over to Padma...
Finding time to write when you are a (sleepwalking) parent
Sandeepa, it’s great to be your guest blogger today! Thanks for hosting me on my 4th stop on my very first blog book tour!
And hello, desi moms! If there are any non-desi moms out there who are wondering who a desi mom is, desi is…well…anyone of Indian heritage…that’s pretty accurate, I think…and a mom is…well…what a mum is on the American side of the Atlantic.
A desi mom is one who most likely doesn’t need to have the words “Jai Hind” translated, and one who, when she reads The Protest March chapter of CLIMBING THE STAIRS, can hear the crowd singing Vande Mataram and Sare Jahan Se Acha.The first thing I want to say is Namaskaram, Namaste, and hats off to all of you parents – it takes a parent to really respect what a huge responsibility parenthood is and how much time it takes.
For a few years now, I’ve been juggling science and writing…but now, it’s science, writing and baby…and that really is a new skill. How does one write when a baby yells? Here are 3 tips for those of you with writing aspirations that interfere with yelling kids. Or it the other way around?
1. Write everyday, even if you don’t write everyday.Keep in touch with subject matter mentally on days when you aren’t able to write. Think about it – think actively and constructively about your manuscript – sometime every day – maybe not when you are driving to work, but perhaps at least when you brush your teeth at night. Why? It keeps the subject alive in you and makes it much easier when you finally do get time to sit and type at the computer. (Having lived in America for so many years, I feel almost compelled now, to add, WARNING – This tip is not to be practiced behind the wheel; dreaming about your book while driving can cause accident, serious injury or worse).
2. Don’t start at the very beginning. That’s a very bad place to start.Yes, despite that song about starting at the very beginning (is that from the Sound of Music, which even made its way into Arundathi Roy’s wonderful novel? I think so. If you are a desi mom, you probably know this non-desi movie and this desi book). Novels aren’t necessarily written in order. Some novelists do it, I’m sure, so if it works for you, then go ahead. However, especially after becoming a mom, I tend to just write whatever chapter I feel like when I finally get a moment. Whatever I can see most clearly that day. Then, I fill in the gaps. Does that work? I don’t know. I hope so. It has to work for me now, so I think it will. In 2010, when Island’s End is published, you can read it and compare it with CLIMBING THE STAIRS, and then you can tell me. Or maybe my editor (who says he is going to be reading these blog posts) will tell me long before that…
3. Don’t waste time worrying about rejection. You will get rejected. That’s part of being a writer. I mean, even after you are a published author, there will be rejections of different types. So, who cares? I try not to. Time is precious, especially when there’s a little baby around. And wasting it on the negatives isn’t a good idea. My editor thinks I’m a bit crazy, but after we got the first two reviews for CLIMBING THE STAIRS, both of which were starred, I told him I wasn’t going to read them. Well, recently, his assistant attended one of my readings and forced me to read another review which was also of the highest quality rating, in an important review journal. So I said okay, okay, and I finally read them. But I try hard not to let them get me too excited. Because in the end, if you are a writer, you need to derive your energy from the process of writing and the good that your books generate, not let yourself get too high or too low because of someone else’s critique.
My friend, writer Vijaya Bodach, who is also a writing desi mom had these words of wisdom: “Enjoy the kids. They grow up much too fast. Learn to write in-between the cracks. I started writing at the kitchen counter just 10-20 minutes a day, while my toddlers played on the floor and supper simmered on the stove. Although I started The Great American Novel, I put it away for smaller pursuits – magazine writing and short stories. I learned to write small things well and it has served me well for my bigger projects. One thing that helped me write *with* my kids was to include them in the writing. We’d all sit at the kitchen table for a few minutes writing stories quietly. Sometimes, I’d write a story and have them draw the pictures for it. Oh, take naps with the kids. It’s wonderful to drift off to sleep during the daytime, with ideas bubbling just under the surface. Then stay up late to write. Five years ago, this is how I carved out two hours of night-time writing. It sure beats writing in 15-min. chunks. Of course, all this changes once the children start school. Then you will have time during the day to write, when you’re actually awake and alert. So fret not when the children are little. Your time will come. After all, you can’t stop the children from growing up.”
She’s right. Holding a baby is even better than holding the very first copy of your debut novel in your hands. That’s saying a lot! Thanks for reading!
For those who want to look at the previous stops on this tour or the ones to come, the information is pasted below. And before I forget, if you want to look at reviews of CLIMBING THE STAIRS, here are some links:
http://www.padmasbooks.com/
http://padmasbooks.blogspot.com/http
http://www.projo.com/books/content/BOOK-CLIMBING-STAIRS_05-18-08_6HA2FQC_v7.b6a7bc.html
http://www.uri.edu/news/releases/index.php?id=4393
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Coming soon...Padma Venkatraman's Book Blog tour on DMC - May 25th!
Hello Desimomz
Want to share with you a little bit about Padma Venkatraman's ( the author of Climbing the Stairs) book blog tour that is starting today. Proud to mention that Saffron Tree gets the honor of being the first to host Padma.
Padma, despite her busy schedule around book signing events, has done an interview with questions and answers for Saffron Tree about her book, and her writing career in general.
Padma will be available to take questions from readers throughout today on Saffrontree. If you happen to stop by, please don't forget to leave a comment.
I want to mention that our very own Sandeepa is hosting Padma at DMC on Sunday, May 25th. Padma is doing a guest post on parenthood and finding time to write. How wonderful and relevant a topic for all of us moms who are serious about our own writing/blogging! Really look forward to that...:-)
Here's list of all of Padma's blogtour stops. As you can see, her stops include Desimomzclub and Blogpourri this week. What I find as a fascinating aspect of her tour is that on each stop she is going to be discussing a plethora of topics centering around both personal topics such as parenting, travel, her writing, research career, and general issues relevant to India and the world - gender inequality, Indian marriages, the role of colonies during World War II. Her tour sounds as multi-faceted as her writing and the novel! Dont want you to miss the discussions in the book/author blogosphere, and our own mommy blogs!
1. Friday, May 23rd. Exploring issues of faith, culture and colonization in CLIMBING THE STAIRS; Gandhi and Martin Luther King at Olugbemisola Perkovich’s blog http://olugbemisola.livejournal.com/ (author of Eight Grade Superzero, coming in 2009).
2. Saturday, May 24th. Travel, living in different Indian cities and different countries, how this has influenced my writing at http://blogpourri.blogspot.com/
3. Sunday, May 25th. Being a writing mom, finding time to write, parenthood and writing at http://desimomzclub.blogspot.com/
4. Monday, May 26th. Where were the British colonies during WWII? A few funky facts I unearthed while doing background research for CLIMBING THE STAIRS at author Laura Purdie Salas’s blog. http://laurasalas.livejournal.com/
5. Tuesday, May 27th. CLIMBING THE STAIRS. The process of writing the novel, weaving together the different threads. http://the5randoms.wordpress.com/
6. Wednesday, May 28th. Oceanography, research and CLIMBING THE STAIRS. Making my schizophrenia work to my advantage. My (at least two) personalities. What it’s like to spend your 21st birthday on a research vessel at author Greg Fishbone’s blog. http://tem2.livejournal.com/
7. Thursday, May 29th. What exactly is that dot on the forehead all about? Arranged marriages, Women in India in the 1940’s, Indian marriages today, gender equality issues in CLIMBING THE STAIRS, anything else you ever wanted to know about India at author Carrie Jones’s blog. http://carriejones.livejournal.com/ Friday, May 30th.
8. The grand finale. Moving to America, Becoming an American, Multicultural writing at author Mitali Perkins’s blog. http://www.mitaliblog.com/
Thank you all for reading!
Praba
www.saffrontree.org
Want to share with you a little bit about Padma Venkatraman's ( the author of Climbing the Stairs) book blog tour that is starting today. Proud to mention that Saffron Tree gets the honor of being the first to host Padma.
Padma, despite her busy schedule around book signing events, has done an interview with questions and answers for Saffron Tree about her book, and her writing career in general.
Padma will be available to take questions from readers throughout today on Saffrontree. If you happen to stop by, please don't forget to leave a comment.
I want to mention that our very own Sandeepa is hosting Padma at DMC on Sunday, May 25th. Padma is doing a guest post on parenthood and finding time to write. How wonderful and relevant a topic for all of us moms who are serious about our own writing/blogging! Really look forward to that...:-)
Here's list of all of Padma's blogtour stops. As you can see, her stops include Desimomzclub and Blogpourri this week. What I find as a fascinating aspect of her tour is that on each stop she is going to be discussing a plethora of topics centering around both personal topics such as parenting, travel, her writing, research career, and general issues relevant to India and the world - gender inequality, Indian marriages, the role of colonies during World War II. Her tour sounds as multi-faceted as her writing and the novel! Dont want you to miss the discussions in the book/author blogosphere, and our own mommy blogs!
1. Friday, May 23rd. Exploring issues of faith, culture and colonization in CLIMBING THE STAIRS; Gandhi and Martin Luther King at Olugbemisola Perkovich’s blog http://olugbemisola.livejournal.com/ (author of Eight Grade Superzero, coming in 2009).
2. Saturday, May 24th. Travel, living in different Indian cities and different countries, how this has influenced my writing at http://blogpourri.blogspot.com/
3. Sunday, May 25th. Being a writing mom, finding time to write, parenthood and writing at http://desimomzclub.blogspot.com/
4. Monday, May 26th. Where were the British colonies during WWII? A few funky facts I unearthed while doing background research for CLIMBING THE STAIRS at author Laura Purdie Salas’s blog. http://laurasalas.livejournal.com/
5. Tuesday, May 27th. CLIMBING THE STAIRS. The process of writing the novel, weaving together the different threads. http://the5randoms.wordpress.com/
6. Wednesday, May 28th. Oceanography, research and CLIMBING THE STAIRS. Making my schizophrenia work to my advantage. My (at least two) personalities. What it’s like to spend your 21st birthday on a research vessel at author Greg Fishbone’s blog. http://tem2.livejournal.com/
7. Thursday, May 29th. What exactly is that dot on the forehead all about? Arranged marriages, Women in India in the 1940’s, Indian marriages today, gender equality issues in CLIMBING THE STAIRS, anything else you ever wanted to know about India at author Carrie Jones’s blog. http://carriejones.livejournal.com/ Friday, May 30th.
8. The grand finale. Moving to America, Becoming an American, Multicultural writing at author Mitali Perkins’s blog. http://www.mitaliblog.com/
Thank you all for reading!
Praba
www.saffrontree.org
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Climbing the Stairs
Author: Padma Venkatraman
Age group: Young Adult(teenage)/Adult novel
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (May 1, 2008)
Not often do you get to read a novel set in historical, pre-independence India with a story so wonderful and riveting. Padma Venkatraman undoubtedly brings a wonderful and fresh voice to the world of young adult and adult English literature with her debut novel, Climbing The Stairs.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and found the story very touching. The book appeals to both young adults and adults alike. For both the groups, the story's backdrop can offer interesting insights into India's political and social fabric during World War II and the independence struggle.
Please allow me to offer a little glimpse of the story's plot and the characters Hopefully, I am not giving away too much so you can go and find out for yourself how wonderful the book is.
Vidya and Kitta cruise their young adult/teenage years with their everyday lives filled with typical family and school related happenings when all of a sudden a bad event in the family forces them out of their homes into their uncle's home. In their new home, the two deal with clashes in values and judgements with members of the extended family. Kitta makes some important decisions for himself in line with his own ideals. And when it's Vidya's turn, the story's key focal point touches upon her personal struggles, and family and social pressures. Eventually, it boils down to how she makes some very important decisions for herself filled with determination, courage and hope.
A fascinating plot, and such interesting characterizations and text that kept me glued to the book cover to cover. With Padma's writing so lucid and well-structured, the book is a real treat and offers a multi-faceted experience. And for the teenage group, there are definitely lots of inspirations to draw from based on an interesting plot, and fascinating characters.
I should also mention that it was truly a pleasure to read the characterizations of both Kitta and Vidya. I would be missing the point if I didn't recoginize the fact they were both equally strong-willed and important characters.
Final Word: There are so many untold stories during World War II - societies and people in India already dealing with their own national political and social struggles. Thanks to Padma we got to hear one such story of young Vidya and Kitta whose personal challenges, and dreams many will find close to their hearts – a historical story so wonderfully told that it in fact is truly timeless in its appeal. Once again, many thanks to Padma Venkatraman for her fabulous new book, Climbing The Stairs.
Lastly, I think the book will be a neat pick for teenage book clubs, or for any bookclub reading for that matter. And if you are like me that enjoys reading juvenile/young adult fiction in order to compensate for those wasted teenage/high school years of limited non-academic reading... reading that came to a screeching halt (after Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys) during middle school, and later nothing-but-flirty-romance novels during college, I have to confess after a decade of being out of teenage, Ok...I will give it away - after 14 years of post-teen life, I am shamelessly going for young adult fiction with a vengeance...
I am not done yet - here's a little piece of advice for moms with pre-teens and teens - if you really want your children to read eclectically, and if you are involved in picking what they read, books such as these should be on top of your list! Books are indeed a great way to connect with our children and the world around us, isnt it?
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Not doing it all
I was on a rant in my blog about how packaged masalas (not the primary ones like chilli powder, but the "biriyani mix", "idli mix", etc.) never work for me. The post elicited some comments, including the following:
"Hi Roopa, How do you manage to do everything so well -a great job/two kids/a blog/work out etc.etc..just curious. Can you please write a post about that to help some folks like me an idea about your routine.Take care!!!"
I'm flattered, but I'm not sure I'd say that I do do everything. There have been choices along the way. Things I chose NOT to do, things I choose to focus on right now, things I've decided can wait a couple of years.
6:30 am: Wake up and stare into the fridge. Whip up a dish or two for the kids (this activity is put on hold every time a grandma is in town!)
7:00 am: In the summer, there is time for a vigorous swim before work (usually two or three times a week)
8:00 am: Off to work
6:30 pm: Try to get back from work, and hang out with the kids. Ideally eat dinner with them once or twice during the work week
8:00 pm: Start reading to the kids
8:30 pm: Three days a week or more, hubby will hang out with the kids as they fall asleep and I go down to the gym for 45 mins on the ellipse, or a crazy training session with Tracy!!
9:30 pm: Log back on and get an hour or two of work done
11:00 pm: Do a bit of blogging to keep my writing muscles alive
At least once a week, make sure to have a grown-up dinner and walk home with hubby.
Seems like a bit of a slacker life, if you ask me. Out there are are 17-year-olds writing novels, 30-year-olds millionaires , and single moms who struggle to make ends meet, give their children guidance and necessities .... I'm just a working mom, trying to make sure to be good to her family and herself; lucky in having a caring husband, fantastically supportive friends, family and colleagues, and the ability to access great schools and institutions in this metro. It's about priorities, circumstances and ambitions....
Tell me what you think about the following Boston Globe article. Initially, I felt the central assertion was questionable: that women are choosing not to pursue certain careers from aptitude, not just giving up given glass ceiling dynamics or personal circumstances. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to reflect a lot of my own choices. I did feel that the dynamics in India or China are quite different...
The freedom to say 'no': Why aren't there more women in science and engineering? Controversial new research suggests: They just aren't interested.
http://rooparecipes.blogspot.com/
"Hi Roopa, How do you manage to do everything so well -a great job/two kids/a blog/work out etc.etc..just curious. Can you please write a post about that to help some folks like me an idea about your routine.Take care!!!"
I'm flattered, but I'm not sure I'd say that I do do everything. There have been choices along the way. Things I chose NOT to do, things I choose to focus on right now, things I've decided can wait a couple of years.
- Rifle shooting -- now that was something I was pretty great at. But it took three to five hours of training four to five times a week. Not the kind of training that a mother of twins, with an NYC mortgage to contribute to can keep at, I decided. Funnily, I don't miss it...especially given I'd done it for about sixteen years with a real passion.
- Poetry -- I had dreamed at one time of truly taking time to read the greats, work with other poets, understand what it took to be good and evocative. Sports became the focus, coping with a new country and cadence became another, living life became a key distraction. It is not a passion anymore.
- Consulting -- engaging around an issue, solving it and working through an issue with absolute focus. I had felt like a fish that had found its preferred body of water, but travel and the hours can conflict with the deep urge to sit down and spend a couple of hours coloring rainbows. Choosing a sane work-life balance was a real priority, and my current role has allowed for that.
6:30 am: Wake up and stare into the fridge. Whip up a dish or two for the kids (this activity is put on hold every time a grandma is in town!)
7:00 am: In the summer, there is time for a vigorous swim before work (usually two or three times a week)
8:00 am: Off to work
6:30 pm: Try to get back from work, and hang out with the kids. Ideally eat dinner with them once or twice during the work week
8:00 pm: Start reading to the kids
8:30 pm: Three days a week or more, hubby will hang out with the kids as they fall asleep and I go down to the gym for 45 mins on the ellipse, or a crazy training session with Tracy!!
9:30 pm: Log back on and get an hour or two of work done
11:00 pm: Do a bit of blogging to keep my writing muscles alive
At least once a week, make sure to have a grown-up dinner and walk home with hubby.
Seems like a bit of a slacker life, if you ask me. Out there are are 17-year-olds writing novels, 30-year-olds millionaires , and single moms who struggle to make ends meet, give their children guidance and necessities .... I'm just a working mom, trying to make sure to be good to her family and herself; lucky in having a caring husband, fantastically supportive friends, family and colleagues, and the ability to access great schools and institutions in this metro. It's about priorities, circumstances and ambitions....
Tell me what you think about the following Boston Globe article. Initially, I felt the central assertion was questionable: that women are choosing not to pursue certain careers from aptitude, not just giving up given glass ceiling dynamics or personal circumstances. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to reflect a lot of my own choices. I did feel that the dynamics in India or China are quite different...
The freedom to say 'no': Why aren't there more women in science and engineering? Controversial new research suggests: They just aren't interested.
http://rooparecipes.blogspot.com/
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Happy Mothers Day
with Maggi Noodles and a small picnic.
Friday was Mother’s Day Tea at S’s pre-school. It was a rainy and dull morning but that one hour in her school pepped me up. It has been a year since S has been going to this pre-school and she is comfortable there now, I too know most of her class mates and some Moms unlike last year. So it was a happy one hour accompanied with iced tea and munchkins, it was another thing that S devoured 2 of mine. They then gave us the surprises they had made for us.
I knew about the art, but the cute photo frame made of popsicle sticks and stick-ons with a picture of S in the playground was a real surprise.
A day before S had told me, she has a surprise for me at school and she was not supposed to tell me what it is. In the next 5 minutes she had whispered in my ears, that when her teacher asked, “Why she loves her Mommy”
she had said “’Coz Mommy makes good food for me” :-)
She had drawn me and herself going to the restaurant and eating noodles that apparently I had cooked. Huh ? This girl doesn't want to miss out on the restaurant inspite of Mom's cooking, maybe she likes to have a backup plan.
Today Little S wanted to go to the park and I didn’t want to go to a crowded restaurant either so we decided on an impromptu picnic. Since there was hardly any time in hand, I made Maggi Noodles with eggs and some veggies, a favorite in our home and D made some sandwiches with fish sticks, cucumber and mustard and off we went to the nearest state park where the day turned out to be apparently cold and chilly.
S had fun and I always like a green view better than anything, so it was not all that bad and a nice way to spend a lazy Sunday
Maggi Noodles is an easy and quick lunch for my daughter too and she likes it even when I pack it for school. Of course she need huge amount of ketchup with it.
Easy Maggi Noodles
Boil the Noodles according to the package direction. Do not add the spices/seasoning in the packet. Drain the noodles and wash off the starch in cold water and toss with a little olive Oil
In a pan, heat Olive oil, add sliced onions and fry till pink. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté till soft. Add an egg and stir to scramble it. Add veggies (carrots, peas, beans or whatever you have, which have been steamed) to this.Add chopped green chillies if your kid is ok with it.
Sauté for a couple of minutes and add half of the Masala/seasoning that comes in the packet. Add salt and the Maggi Noodles.
Mix well and serve with Ketchup.
This serves as a good lunch to be packed for kids too
Hope all you Mommies had a fun Mothers Day.
(This post shared with Bong Mom's Cookbook my other blog)
Friday was Mother’s Day Tea at S’s pre-school. It was a rainy and dull morning but that one hour in her school pepped me up. It has been a year since S has been going to this pre-school and she is comfortable there now, I too know most of her class mates and some Moms unlike last year. So it was a happy one hour accompanied with iced tea and munchkins, it was another thing that S devoured 2 of mine. They then gave us the surprises they had made for us.
I knew about the art, but the cute photo frame made of popsicle sticks and stick-ons with a picture of S in the playground was a real surprise.
A day before S had told me, she has a surprise for me at school and she was not supposed to tell me what it is. In the next 5 minutes she had whispered in my ears, that when her teacher asked, “Why she loves her Mommy”
she had said “’Coz Mommy makes good food for me” :-)
She had drawn me and herself going to the restaurant and eating noodles that apparently I had cooked. Huh ? This girl doesn't want to miss out on the restaurant inspite of Mom's cooking, maybe she likes to have a backup plan.
Today Little S wanted to go to the park and I didn’t want to go to a crowded restaurant either so we decided on an impromptu picnic. Since there was hardly any time in hand, I made Maggi Noodles with eggs and some veggies, a favorite in our home and D made some sandwiches with fish sticks, cucumber and mustard and off we went to the nearest state park where the day turned out to be apparently cold and chilly.
S had fun and I always like a green view better than anything, so it was not all that bad and a nice way to spend a lazy Sunday
Maggi Noodles is an easy and quick lunch for my daughter too and she likes it even when I pack it for school. Of course she need huge amount of ketchup with it.
Easy Maggi Noodles
Boil the Noodles according to the package direction. Do not add the spices/seasoning in the packet. Drain the noodles and wash off the starch in cold water and toss with a little olive Oil
In a pan, heat Olive oil, add sliced onions and fry till pink. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté till soft. Add an egg and stir to scramble it. Add veggies (carrots, peas, beans or whatever you have, which have been steamed) to this.Add chopped green chillies if your kid is ok with it.
Sauté for a couple of minutes and add half of the Masala/seasoning that comes in the packet. Add salt and the Maggi Noodles.
Mix well and serve with Ketchup.
This serves as a good lunch to be packed for kids too
Hope all you Mommies had a fun Mothers Day.
(This post shared with Bong Mom's Cookbook my other blog)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
