Make summers fun with drinks for kids to beat the heat and the sweltering, mercury-busting temperatures with home-made healthy drinks.

Sharing with you all my top 5 favorites, easy to make, loved by kids “drinks”:

**These drinks are recommended for toddlers and kids. Some fruits are a strict no=no for children under one. SO be sure to check with your pediatrician before trying.

1. Lemonade – Nothing beats the good old lemonade. It is called the official drink for summers for a reason. Not just refreshing but also nutritious. You can add a twist to it by adding different ingredients to it like:
   • Mint
   • Edible lavender
   • Orange
   • Ginger
2. Smoothies – Be it breakfast, snack or dessert, smoothies not only keep you hydrated but is also filling.
   • Banana Smoothie – Easiest and toddler approved. Add diced banana and milk (you can use soy milk too) to a blender. Blend until the ingredients are combined and smooth. And tada..! Its ready to be served. Depending on your child’s taste buds, you can add your choice of sprinkles. To make variations of this smoothie, simply replace the fruit with another.
   • Mango smoothie
   • Strawberry + raspberry Smoothie
   • Mixed Fruit Smoothie
3. Aam Panna – Kids love mango and what better way to enjoy summers than home made aam panna. This recipe requires raw mangoes, which need to be pressure cooked. Once done, let them cool, peel them well and remove the pulp. Mix pulp with a little sugar and salt. Ass a dash of little cumin seed powder and blend the mixture in a blender. Kids will love its tangy, sweet-salty taste. You can substitute honey instead of regular sugar to make it extra healthy.
4. Juices – I am not in favour of packaged drinks, no matter what the brands claim. And I do not trust the local vendors to use hygienic ways of serving the drink. I prefer extracting the juice at home with a manual juicer or a food processor. Our favourites are:
   • Watermelon juice – Best thirst quencher
   • Pomegranate juice – loaded with anti-oxidants
   • Orange juice – daily dose of Vitamin C!
5. Lassi – Rey is a curd lover! So i had been looking for a recipe that I could prepare for him. I came across this simple yet awesome recipe. https://gkfooddiary.com/plain-lassi-for-babies/All it takes is 5 minutes and best served fresh!
6. Coconut water / Nariyal Paani – Yes, I know I said 5, but I just couldn’t leave this one out! Nariyal paani or coconut water is low in calories, delicious to boot and perhaps the healthiest natural drink you can indulge in on a hot, scorching summer day. It is our go-to-drink when we are traveling within the city. Even better than bottled water. To read of the many benefits of this refreshing natural drink, click here 

Do you have any toddler-approved, favourite summer drinks?

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I remember writing this letter to myself sometime last year. Motherhood is a 24/7, exhilarating yet exhausting job. Bottle and Breastfeedings, diaper change, laundry, cooking, organizing activities for the child, home schooling and later school homework. Sometime during this time, life passes you by. Mommyhood is a never-ending responsibility. One that consumes all your time and energy. While initially, the child is totally dependent on the mother and his only solace in this big bright world, being completely immersed in the role is inevitable.

When the celebration of the arrival of the new baby fades away, when the excitement of the latest addition becomes old news, when the responsibilities of motherhood take over, is when the tug of war starts. The war between a woman and a mother.

We look in the mirror yet we cant find ourselves.

WHY?

Often mothers lose themselves in the world of motherhood. Our priorities move from ourselves to the baby long after the baby turns into a toddler and then a young child. We immerse ourselves so deep into looking after and caring for the baby that we end up neglecting ourselves. We are often so busy taking care of everyone else that we neglect to take care of ourselves. And if we fail to take care of ourselves, how can we take care of our children?

Many mothers find themselves at this crossroad where they are torn between taking out time for self vs spending time with the baby. And if somehow they do manage to grab some time out for themselves, they are ridden by the guilt of having prioritized themselves over their children. They demonstrate to the kids that they are low on their own list of priorities.

Mommies! STOP! BREATHE! RELAX! It doesn’t have to be a tug of war! Small things make a huge difference.

• Hand over the baby for a few hours. Your baby is loved just the same by your husband and family as you.
• When they offer help, grab it!
• Stop multi-tasking as if your life depends on it.
• Learn to say no
• Do not judge yourself
• Go for a walk
• Exercise
• Meditate
• Go to a coffee shop – even if you are not a coffee drinker
• Go on a date night with hubby
• Meet friends
• Listen to music
• Go for a movie
• Read a book
• Sleep
• Take out time for that hobby you loved
• Go for a spa
• Oil your hair
• Remember who YOU are.

Remember you cannot pour from an empty vessel. Take care of yourself. Start giving yourself time. Spend time rediscovering the most important person in your life – YOU.

The post Why YOU Matters appeared first on Raising Rehaan.

Not really. Babywearing has been prevalent for centuries. Work of famous artists from as far back as 18^th century depict women carrying their children on them. In fact as history states, Rani Lakshmi Bai – Queen of Jhansi, wore her son when she went to war against the British.

Present day too, if we cast a glimpse at our villages, women carrying their offsprings in their traditional jhola (carrier) is a common sight. If we happen to cross a construction site or maintenance site even in the city, we often see hard-working women carrying their little ones on their back and labouring away. Women and even men around the world are seen wearing their babies with pride and ease.

We started baby wearing pretty late, something I regret now. We had bought our first carrier when my baby was around 4 months and sold it by the time he was six months. Why? Because it was the wrong choice of carrier and my baby was not comfortable in it and neither were we as parents wearing it. I am glad we resumed when we did. Better late than never.

There are numerous advantages of babywearing. Happy to be sharing the top 5 basis my experience.

1. Babywearing makes traveling easier. For people who know us as, know we are travelers. We love exploring new places, new cultures, interacting with locals, etc. After we had our son, we wanted to continue our passion for traveling the world. Babywearing made that possible.

• Babywearing keeps my baby close to be hence no fear of crowded places.
• Can easliy manage my luggage and baby at public places like airports, train stations, bus deopts, etc
• Do not have to carry a stroller. A carrier anytime takes less space and is lighter. I’d happily save my baggage space for some shopping while traveling.
• No place is off limits due to the terrain – we even went trekking with our baby to a peak in Dalhousie.
• Don’t have to keep looking for an elevator to maneuver as is the case with a stroller.
• When visiting the hills – like we love doing – it keeps my baby snug and warm
• You can be out exploring for long and your baby will not tire of walking as babywearing gives both baby and parents a break.

2. Babywearing promotes bonding. It allows you to keep your baby close, hence they feel safer. They can feel you next to them, hear your voice, and feel the warmth of your body. Studies reveal that babies who are carried or worn, tend to heal faster. Babywearing means you automatically have more physical contact with your little one ultimately strengthening the attachment between the parent and the child.

• I have sometimes worn my son even inside the house, especially during the days he was sick and we were with no help. He was a lot calmer and relaxed when worn.

3. Hands-free! Which basically means freedom and independence. Yes, since you’re not using your arms to carry the baby, your hands are free to tackle the endless household chores or finish your work and meet that dealing looming around the corner.

• I have carried my son and gone shopping, stepped out for walks, written blogs, done multi-tasking all the while keeping y baby close.

4. Exercise – Carrying your baby is nothing less than a workout. Wearing makes it a lot easier however, has a similar impact.

• My only workout on days was wearing my baby and going for walks. I love walking, so mommy and baby both happy!

5. Keeps Toddler tantrums at bay – I’ve often noticed how my son throws a lot less tantrums when being carried as opposed to being on his own. I have total control over his movements so can easily manage him – and prevent him from making a scene – in the middle of a mall – flat on the ground. You get the picture!

Though babywearing is a personal choice and the discussion around it is endless. While some people claim that wearing your baby may end up making him clingy and spoil him. I beg to differ. On the contrary, Babywearing gives your child a sense of security and comfort.  It has been a boon for us and our baby. My son is now 28 months and weighs 12 kgs (all the more reason for to ensure we pack our carrier when we head out) and babywearing has come to our rescue many-a-times.

The post Wearing your baby – Spoiling or Strengthening the Bond? appeared first on Raising Rehaan.

Once you graduate, the constant pressure to get married (especially for women) starts piling up. When you get married, the next barrage of well-meaning advice is to have a baby – complete your family – they say. Oh well, alright. And along comes a baby.

The baby hasn’t even started walking confidently yet and look, there’s the bombardment again – yes. You guessed it right. The baby needs company. Complete your family. You don’t want him to be alone after you’re gone. Blah blah.

Even before I got married, when my husband I were dating, we were clear on how we wanted our family to grow. That’s where communication plays a major role. Talk. Discuss. Agree (or agree to disagree). There were two things we both agreed to:

1. We will not rush into starting a family
2. We will have only one child

I am glad that we were able to stick to our commitments.

1. No matter how long you’ve known your partner and how deep your love is, the real compatibility test starts when you start living together. There are behaviours you discover, quirks you try to accept, and a family you get to know. There are agreements and arguments, celebrations and compromise, love and lash-outs. The child changes the equation between a husband and wife. From “two is company” you jump to “three is a party”, leaving you with no time for yourselves for a while. It is a journey that challenges you and tests you at your most vulnerable point. And until the man and woman cruise on smooth waters, getting a child into this world is a risky matter (purely our opinion).

We had been married three and a half years before we embarked on the parenthood journey with all our valour. And even then, there are days when we find ourselves not on the same side of the court. But we’ve learned and we’re still sailing.

2. Only one child (whether by choice or through necessity). Phew! Now this one is a little difficult to explain especially to those who think one is not enough. If you and your partner have decided to have one child, you will find a lot of people offering you unsolicited advice. After all is said and done, how many children you wish to have is solely your decision as parents. Given the times we are living in, and how unpredictable this world is becoming, this decision took a lot of thought.

• We, as parents, are happy to have one child. And as parents, it’s our decision to decide how many children we want to get into this world
• With the way the world is progressing (read a study that by 2050, all aquatic life will disappear), pollution, global warming, natural calamities on the rise, forest fires etc, why would I want to bring more lives on this planet that is already struggling to live.
• Any newspaper you pick up is full of violence, of shootouts, of abductions and rapes and murders. Living in the times of fear. Is this the society I want to raise my children in? Nope.

Yes, we were aware that no matter what decision we make, there will always be another to counter. Sharing with you a few points we as parents often ponder upon before making that humungous decision. A few benefits as well as challenges of having an only child.

Plus / Pros / Benefits –

• More time to devote to your child so the child gets undivided love and attention. Quality time with the child helping him focus more intimately on these relationships.
• Better quality of life. Let’s face it – if only incomes would increase in direct proportion to the family size! The inflow of funds is unaffected by the family size, however, the outflow and expenditure totally depend on the number of people dependent on that income. So one child = more financial stability, hence better life quality for all. An only child gets the best of everything – material things and otherwise.
• More energy – this one is a no-brainer!
• More independent child – without an elder sibling to support every step, the child will find his own footing, make friends outside of his first circle, become more social
• No sibling rivalry
• No comparisons 

Challenges:

• Growing up alone – it depends on what kind of environment do the parents foster at home. Are they around to fill the gap?
• Companionship – We all crave company our age, so do children.
• Sharing – Living with someone means sharing their space and stuff. Siblings learn that lesson pretty quickly.

Just like there are two sides to a coin, there are two perspectives towards everything. You just got to decide which one will make you happier. In the end, how a child turns out to be is totally dependent on how the child is brought up.

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A week back, we were breathing in fresh air, basking in the sun and exploring the hills. This was Rey’s fifth vacation and the second one to the hills.

13-20 Nov, 2017 Manali

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So a few of you asked me how we managed to explore and walk so much with a toddler. The answer is in the photos. We wore Rey whenever we went for long walks and excursions. It not only kept him warm, but also safe and secure and did not slow us down allowing us to walk as much as 10kms a day. Yes. We like walking!

 
A few also asked how baby-wearing was compared to a pram as an option for a toddler.

Well here are a few things to consider before deciding:

⚬ Where are you going. Hot and humid vs cold and windy. Weather plays an important role in determining how comfortable your baby will be in either.
⚬ Is it pram friendly – smooth ramps, easy access etc. It can be cumbersome carrying a pram or a stroller if you have to constantly pick it to shift gears or lanes.
⚬ Crowded or wide open places.
⚬ Will you be shuttling in and out of buildings – taking stairs/escalators or elevators
⚬ For how long will you be out and about.
⚬ Baby’s comfort – is the baby used to being worn or prefers the stroller
⚬ Baby’s schedule and nap time
⚬ Traveling light or with luggage

Its not a comprehensive list, but just a few points I quickly jotted down. Would love to hear from parents the points they ponder and consider that helps make the decision.

Seen wearing here Meh Dai from Soul Slings.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulslings/

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With a wedding in the family and hardly any time to step out of the house to explore, I decided to take things into my own hands. Literally.

Hence started a DIY project.

Resources used:

1. A discarded cardboard carton
2. An old sheet
3. Take away boxes
4. Formula Cans
5. Diwali Hamper tray

Process:

1. Stuff the carton with old sheets or newspapers. You can even use it as a storage box for things you know you wouldn’t be needing for a few months. The box will not give way under the weight of the toys or collapse even if your over-excited toddler tries to climb on it.
2. Wrap a sheet around the box and securely pin it in place from all sides. – tada!! The base is ready.
3. Paint the formula can with baby-safe paints and decorate it to your liking. Be sure to line the inner rim with a paper masking tape. You can put stuff like straws, chalk, pipe cleaners, small toys and any other items you feel need a safe place.  I have used these cans as planters, pen holders, remote holders, storage cans, to store my hair clips and so on.
4. Take away boxes – Once again you can use these to organize assorted toys, puzzle pieces, chalks, crayons, magnetic alphabets, etc.
5. Diwali Tray – The diwali season just got over and left us with a heap of trays and baskets. don’t throw them just yet. I used a wooden tray to store his books, blocks and more toys
6. I utilized the space by the window – the sill, to stack the books he most often picks up.

As a rule, I do not keep all his out on display, some I store away out of sight. I keep rotating so as to keep his interest alive.

This make-shift arrangement is working well for us. And I have reasons to feel pleased too.

• I don’t have to feel bad about disposing it after just a few months.
• I can change the look of the station by changing the cover sheet.
• Early lessons on simple living and recycling, leading by example.
• The height and reach are perfect for my little one.
• And simply put – BEST OUT OF WASTE.

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I clearly remember my school days. 7.30 AM – Maths. 8 AM – English. 8.30 AM – Science. 9 AM – Arts. The topics and books as easily forgotten as the ring of the gong that announced the end of that subject, only to be remembered again the next day when the teacher walked in. As I grew up, I often wondered if and how will this help me live and thrive in the real world. There was just no connection.

Thanks to the research in the field of education, we are now better equipped to utilize these crucial years into developing the child.

WHAT IS STEM?

STEM – One of the most talked about topics in education. It stands for four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It is a unique approach to teaching and learning, that focuses on a child’s individual style of learning. It not only keeps the young mind interested and engrossed but also helps develop creativity and problem-solving skills in real-world scenarios.

The STEM methodology integrates concepts that are usually taught in silos, as separate subjects or as individual lessons. STEM puts more emphasis on the connection amongst these four disciplines in a way that they would relate to each other. It is an educational framework that brings reality into the learning experiences.

STEM is not just about Maths learning or technology learning, but it is a combination of any of these 4 areas that combined produces more logical thinkers and creates adults who can in their life ahead be employed in jobs that are related to science and technology. In other words also creating innovators and doers.

STEM learning starts at the age of 7. However, the foundation for the formal learning is laid down much before then.

Early START to STEM

• The important thing to remember is that children are natural learners. The key to starting early is by tapping into their curiosity by allowing them to explore and investigate the real world, to instill a lifelong interest in these fields.  It does not have to be a subject. It can be an activity or a game or a toy.
• Immerse them in everyday activities and explain how they work. Then explain the concept behind it.  Make it interesting, let them have a hands-on experience where ever possible.
• Plan DIY’s and get your child to assist you. Reward them with knowledge and appreciation. Focus more on the process and less on the outcome.
• Play activities that stimulate creativity and reasoning. Begin with learning about how things work by letting them test, explore and investigate with their tiny fingers, watching them change, listening to sounds, and feeling textures.
• Get them toys which promote STEM learning.

Being a mother to an inquisitive toddler, I am always on the hunt for ways to keep his sharp mind engaged. Outdoor play isn’t a year-round option for us owing to the extreme weather experienced by the city we live in. Hence more often than not, I rely on indoor activities, games, and toys.

And when it comes to selecting activity toys, I prefer to pick toys that not only keep my son engrossed but also add value and prepare him for what lies ahead. For example, the popular toy brand Skola create toys that encourage STEM learning. Skola’s ultimate purpose is to improve fine motor skills which certainly helps engineering, but more importantly using fingers helps children think clearly and enhances concentration and cognitive ability which is directly a STEM requirement.

For example –

Cascade cars help a child to understand cause and effect. This is where a child is exposed to science. It helps a child to register, process and comprehend.

Colour wheels encourage children to use fingers to rotate wheels and then find the matching colours which involves examination, observation analysis, and discovery.

This process is true for all Skola Toys and hence creates thinkers.

Learning is a never-ending process. It’s never too soon or too late to begin. But it’s always better to start early to build a strong foundation. Give your children the right resources and tools to get them started.

What do you think about early learning and building a solid foundation?

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It’s the festive season with Diwali (one of India’s biggest and most celebrated festivals) just around the corner. Diwali or Deepavali – meaning a row of lamps, known as the Festival of Lights is celebrated with great aplomb and fanfare in India.

• Promote development of fine motor skills making them more independent and confident
• Explore alphabet and words in a fun manner setting a solid foundation to read, write and communicate during their formal education
• Create an understanding and recognition of shapes, sizes, colors etc through sensory experience
• Introduce the concept of Numbers and counting and arithmetic calculations with the aid of tangible objects
• Help in building focus, analyzing situations, solve problems putting their own little minds to work.

• Perfectly safe for the little ones. Let’s face it, babies put anything and everything they can grab in their mouth. With toys made from unreliable plastic, that’s a big health hazard.
• Wood is a far robust material than plastic, hence lasts longer. So no matter how many times it’s thrown or smashed, it will survive the blow and tantrums. It can be passed on to newer members of the family.
• Wooden toys like puzzles, building blocks and games encourage imaginative play and help children with developing their fine-motor skills.
• Wood can be recycled, so in a way, you are securing your child’s future by not contributing to the growing piles of non-biodegradable plastic on our planet.

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A toddler’s haircut! Its 15 agonizing minutes of the child screaming bloody murder!

Rehaan was born with a full head and at 20 months has already had 5 haircuts.

It wasn’t all smiles till a while back. Each passing visit meant more tears and tantrums, it kept getting more and more daunting.

After asking around and a bit of research, I came across Barber Black Sheep in Gurgaon. A kids salon, BBS is a place that creates a comfortable, stress-free space for parents to bring their kids.

Rehaan thoroughly enjoys his visits, spends all his time in the ball pit, pointing to the colorful toys around. Papa experiments with haircuts and the “Barber” obliges. Have to honestly say, I haven’t seen a better haircut on him. Though he cries, the staff never, even for a micro-second, frowns at him. I think I can safely say I’ve found our baby his go-to salon!

Their USP’s:
.
High standard of quality and hygiene – well maintained, the pace is clean and well kept.

A well-trained staff equipped to care for children – they know what they’re doing. Because they have only kids clientele, they don’t fizzle under pressure.

Vibrant and colorful interiors – The place is paradise for children. From ball pits to cars and scooters to doll houses with toys of all shapes and sizes.

Extensive variety of activities and games to keep kids occupied

Pedicure/manicure and hair grooming services available for parents

Venue for birthday parties, mundans and such events (prebooking required)

Babysitting services (standalone as well)

A small cafeteria

About Barber Black Sheep

Barber Black Sheep is a whimsical idea turned into reality. The brainchild of a mother, an aunt and a grandmother, BBS tries to be a first in its space by combining three superb elements in a child’s life!

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― Augustine of Hippo

..And that is what we truly believe in. Rey has been on a few holidays in his 20 months, but mainly to the beaches and to the cities. Never to the hills.

What is life if not unpredictable? Sometimes, there are happy surprises too! This impromptu trip happened with arrangements made within less than 48 hours.

It was Papa who penned down our memoirs for us this time.. and beautifully so!

..In hindsight, it felt you were looking forward to it. From the moment we disturbed your deep slumber at the break of dawn to the metro ride to the railway station, lugging you around – uncomfortably, I must confess – in a mad frenzy lasting 10 minutes as we barely made the cut, you were a bundle of joy, happiness, and curiosity.

Your first train journey was no less memorable. Once perched on our seats, the sheer size of the coach dawned upon you. The first few seconds witnessed you bobbing your head sideways, clockwise and anticlockwise as you attempted sizing up the coach. The sheer curiosity made you walk the length of coach many times – sometimes with dad, other times with mom. You being you, slept on my shoulder as the train picked up the speed.

  

Your happiness knew no bounds at reaching our destination. It felt that your deep relation with the mountains goes beyond your tender age. You were like a bird whose wings were unclipped after years of captivity. Your insistence to be your own man while you attempted running downhill, much to the exasperation of your parents, your instinctive reaction of making a ‘boo’ sound at spotting monkeys, cows, and of course dogs, alike. And not to forget your love affair with ‘fan’ continued. A small market with a handful of shops was completely dissected by us, thanks to you wanting to point us to the ceiling fans in the shops. Much to our surprise you took fancy to the cobbled road as you greeted every step with an ear to ear grin.

Given your tender age, it should not surprise anyone to find you are uncomfortable in the presence of strangers. Here too, you defied the norm. You were your charming best, mesmerizing tourist and the locals with new antics that you either learned or discovered. One such antic was the eyebrow dance on an expressionless face.

Talking about you also helped us break the ice with the strangers. The relatively hassle free holiday in the mountains has given a much needed shot in the arm to us. While planning future holidays, we can either look down at the beaches or up at the mountains. Thanks Rey and cheers to many more holidays together.

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