The Mom from Little Guru Skool

About 3 months back a Mom sent me a mail. She said "I have created this collection of bilingual Books and DVDs because I wanted to introduce my son to Indian culture at an early age. I feel that this is an issue that might be interesting to your readers. " and then she gave me her website address and some media articles about her and her company.

I was thoroughly impressed, a Mom, a MBA and an entrepreneur with such a creative idea. I was so smitten that I asked her for an interview by e-mail. She readily obliged. I was still more impressed, she had done a lot of the artwork and content for the line of books and DVD and those books looked write on target to get a kid growing up in a foreign country acquainted with India and its culture and also the language

My Mothers Day post which is way late is dedicated to Pooja Pittie Goel the founder of Little Guru Skool. Kudos to her for pursuing her dream

Below is the interview she did for Desi Momz Club

1. What prompted you to start Liitle GuruSkool ?

I was inspired to create Little GuruSkool because I wanted to introduce my son to Indian culture at an early age. I could not find any books or DVDs in the market (either in the US or in India) that were appropriate for pre-schoolers - educational and entertaining at the same time. I wanted to expose my son to Indian languages, music, art and nature in a fun and interactive way. When I talked to other parents, I discovered that I was not the only one facing this problem. So I decided to create the products myself!

2. Were you inspired by Baby Einstein series ?

I think we have many products in the US for preschool children that are interactive & fun while being educational. I admire Disney's Baby Einstein range of products - they are brilliant! Since similar products don't really exist for this age group in India, I drew inspiration from my childhood memories in India while developing Little GuruSkool. Everyday objects, colors, music and nature that represent India to me - things that I want my son to be aware of and relate to - they are my inspiration.

I like to think that Little GuruSkool books and DVDs provide a good balance of Indian and American culture. The material isn't too "ethnic" - the color sensibility & illustration is quite modern.

3.Which age range do you target ?

The current products are targeted towards the preschool age group - 1 to 5 years. However, I have had parents use them for older children too - it depends on how much exposure the child has had to Indian languages and Indian culture. My son turned 6 last October but enjoys reading the books (now he reads them himself!) and looking at the illustrations and listening to the music.

4. Who writes and illustrates for the board books as well as the DVDs ?

I have created the storyboards and illustrations for the books myself. I am an amateur painter so this is a great creative outlet for me! I have also produced the DVDs myself - I worked with a film production studio in India. I traveled there often and spent weeks at a stretch - I was involved in every aspect of production from script writing to graphic design to filming & editing.

5. I see the books are bilingual. What about the DVD ?

The books feature words in English, Hindi (in Devnagri script) and transliteration in English. The DVDs are bilingual too - one can choose either an English or Hindi soundtrack from the main menu.

6. How old is your son ? Does he enjoy this line of product ?

My son turned 6 in October 2008 - I have used all the books and DVDs with him and he enjoyed them a lot! Even now, he enjoys reading the books himself, looking at the colorful Indian illustrations and learns new Hindi words each time he watches the DVDs.

7. Tell us a little about yourself and how you ventured into this business. It might inspire many more Moms you know

My academic background is in Accounting and Finance (I'm a Chartered Accountant from India and a CPA). I got my MBA from the University of Chicago GSB in 2005 and worked in Brand Finance at Unilever's Dove hair for 1.5 years thereafter. In March 2007, I left Unilever to pursue Little GuruSkool full-time.

I have no prior media experience but as an Indian mom living abroad, I have a clear idea of what I want my son to learn about India. This vision is what guides me as I build and grow Little GuruSkool!

The response to the products has been thrilling - it is very satisfying to answer my son's questions about Indian culture as he reads a Little GuruSkool book and I hope that parents around the world can enjoy exploring this exciting culture together!

Do check out her web site nad products and send comments, ideas and suggestions at pooja.goel@littleguruskool.com

It washes, It rinses, It even dries the clothes.....

Remember that jingle from yesteryear?

It washes, it rinses,
It even dries the clothes....
In just a few minutes....
Videocon washing machiiiiiiiiine!

It tells how one machine does everything.... I know a mom who does that.

She willingly gave up her career since her husband has a very busy job and stayed home to raise kids. She was/is there every time they need her. She cooks the most delicious things from India and all over the world, making it seem like a breeze to make. She imparts family values and gives the kids a great grand chance to know the Indian culture but also let them enjoy the culture of the country she calls home, now. She manages the family finances; She plans vacations; She disciplines gently; She also enjoys her hobbies of reading and gardening... and shows her kids how to take time out for themselves and to take vacations to unwind. She lets the kids be themselves and to find their own identity. She gives them the wings to follow their dreams. And she's very organized with her time. She also blogs all her culinary adventures for her kids might need all her recipes some day, and graciously shares it with everybody. And to top it off, she has love plenty enough to share with everybody who leaves comments on her blog.

Dear Asha, someday soon..... I hope to be a mom like you.

Mothers Day Event @ DMC

Its that time of the year again. Though I agree Mothers Day is a Hallmark event and I am not too much into it, I secretly like it.

At DMC though I wanted Mothers Day to be a bit different. This Mothers Day lets raise a taste to "Another MOM", lets appreciate, admire and write about a Mom outside our own closed sphere.

So, a member writes about not herself or her own Mom but a Mother she knows and admires. This could be your fellow Blogger Mom or a Mom you know in real life. Gives us a chance to appreciate Moms outside our own sphere.

Please do participate with your entries in the month of May only. When posting choose Label "Mothers Day 09". If you are not a member but want to participate, mail your entries to desimomz.blog@gmail.com before May 31st.

And guess what one lucky winner gets a $10 Amazon Gift card as a Mother Day Gift from DMC. The lucky winner will be randomly picked from all contributors.

Happy Mothers Day !!!

Two ordinary moms...

Two ladies come to mind from my childhood when I think about enterprising and hard-working single moms who just kept at it and made their lives better, especially for their children.

I was about six or seven years old when my mom, a superb cook and multi-tasker, told us that Saraswathi maami* would come in every evening, make chapathis and dal and such for us, and watch me for a bit till my mom can come home. Now, I did not like this arrangement much. I was not happy about somebody else in my mom's kitchen. However, with gentle demeanor and lots of Rosemilk, Saraswathi maami patiently won my trust so much so that I would long for her relaxing ritual of oiling my long hair and braiding it every evening while she told me stories from mythology. I would venture by her side and watch closely as she puffed up the chapathis over kerosine stove flame. I would get cross with her when she admonished me for not behaving ladylike at times. I didn't know much about her, except that she was widowed, with a few kids of various school-going ages. Not old enough to fathom her tragedy or her struggle, I went about my young life, slightly mad at my mother. Little did I know that she welcomed the income from making us chapathis to help raise her family. One fine day she stopped making chapathis for us, we moved, and that was that.

During my high school years, my mom introduced Jayanthi* into our kitchen and lives. Jayanthi had a tiny toddler and her husband was diagnosed with a rare heart condition that left him almost bed-ridden at that time. She had joined as a new lab assistant in the school that my mom was teaching at that time. She didn't get a chance to finish college but was quite good with assembling chemicals and preparing the lab for the children's guided experiments. To be honest, Jayanthi was an awful cook. But, she was very sincere about her tasks. Over time, I began to respect her simplicity and guilelessness. She kept at it, quietly working away at school, and our house on and off. Meanwhile, I went away to pursue my own stuff and years rolled by with my mom filling me in about the little toddler getting to be in middle school and finally in high school. And, the last time I visited India, this very same shy young lad was eager to befriend little baby Ana. He is now in college, with help from a lot of people who probably never met him on a daily basis but took that extra effort to find Jayanthi odd-jobs to do so she can raise her child with dignity and strength.

This Mother's Day, I wanted to dedicate a post to these two ordinary moms, who have shown extraordinary strength and courage to get out of the little holes that Life dumped them in and managed to keep their chin up and their spirits high while giving their children all they can, no fuss, no muss. I am glad to have known them.

*Names have been modified, respecting their privacy.

Nancy Elliot Edison, you are my inspiration

When Sandeepa of Desi Momz Club came up with an idea of a Mother’s Day Special on DMC, with the caveat being that one didn’t have to write about oneself or one’s own mother, I was immediately intrigued. I don’t fall to praise easily, and to find another mother worthy of my admiration apart from my own was a tall order.

Luckily for me, I didn’t have to think too hard, there was one mother I’ve never known, who has lived centuries before me, and who I admire and who, unknown to her, has given me hope and courage. The mother of Thomas Alva Edison. Everyone knows the man, he has given us some of the most useful inventions, with his life the stuff genius is made of. But did you know that when he was seven, a schoolmaster called him slow and his brains, ‘addled’. His furious mother removed him from school and began homeschooling him herself. She was a teacher. And her faith in him and his abilities were what made him what he eventually went on to become.

Here’s the little I have researched on her:

http://books.google.co.in/books?id=fsMhuXeEtH4C&pg=PA44&dq=Thomas+Alva+Edison,+mother,+influence

Thomas Edison's forebears lived in New Jersey until their loyalty to the British crown during the American Revolution drove them to Nova Scotia, Canada. From there, later generations relocated to Ontario and fought the Americans in the War of 1812. Edison's mother, Nancy Elliott, was originally from New York until her family moved to Vienna, Canada, where she met Sam Edison, Jr., whom she later married. When Sam became involved in an unsuccessful insurrection in Ontario in the 1830s, he was forced to flee to the United States and in 1839 they made their home in Milan, Ohio.
Birth of Thomas Alva Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was born to Sam and Nancy on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio. Known as "Al" in his youth, Edison was the youngest of seven children, four of whom survived to adulthood. Edison tended to be in poor health when young.
To seek a better fortune, Sam Edison moved the family to Port Huron, Michigan, in 1854, where he worked in the lumber business.
Addled Brain?
Edison was a poor student. When a schoolmaster called Edison "addled," or slow. his furious mother took him out of the school and proceeded to teach him at home. Edison said many years later, "My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me, and I felt I had some one to live for, some one I must not disappoint."

What can I say? Everytime I struggled with my child and his seeming slowness and reluctance to fit into the mould of learners, everytime I shed bitter tears after PTA meetings when I was told he was far far behind the class and when it was hinted that I should perhaps take him out of school and put him in a special school, I would think of this mom and her determination to refuse to accept a schoolmaster’s definition of her son’s limitations, and her ferocity in educating him herself, giving us some of the most important inventions we have in the modern day world.

I think of her and feel ashamed of myself, for feeling cowed down and hopeless and hovering on the edge of despair. And I pick myself and push my son to prove to his class teachers that he can cope. And he is not slow. He is brilliant. I know it. And I hope one day he proves it to the world. And remembers how his mother fought for him and believed in him too!

Happy Mothers Day to you too!

(posted by karmickids)