#Selfhelphacks #lifeslessons #wordstoliveby #myrealinfluencers #thingsmyfathertaughtme #thingsiwantmychildrentoknow #practicewhatyoupreach #intheory #easiersaid #sadguru #dalailama #timesofindia #mumbaimirror #thesunseteffect #speakingtree #paolocoelho #rumi #kabirkedohe #gulzar
Category: Views & Opinions
Karma
#Selfhelphacks #lifeslessons #wordstoliveby #myrealinfluencers #thingsmyfathertaughtme #thingsiwantmychildrentoknow #practicewhatyoupreach #intheory #easiersaid #sadguru #dalailama #timesofindia #mumbaimirror #thesunseteffect #speakingtree #paolocoelho #rumi #kabirkedohe #gulzar
What’s for dinner? The vital superfoods that no one is telling us about!
'All living things need food, water and air to survive.' This is one of the first lessons that we were given in life. 'Your diet should include three balanced meals a day, in order for you to grow, fight diseases and stay alive.’ These are undisputed scientific facts, vital for our ‘survival.’ But...we need a… Continue reading What’s for dinner? The vital superfoods that no one is telling us about!
Cutting off negativity
Misfit
Do you ever feel like a misfit, made of invisible glass? Struggling to be seen where you don't belong? Like people just don't 'get you', until you dwarf your conversations and thoughts... (the ones you would much rather have), following their lead, instead, so they may relate, and 'let you in' until you're one of… Continue reading Misfit
Post covid world and my book deal!
I'm so thrilled to have been a part of this inspiring series of posts initiated by Canready Consultants Inc. on what tomorrow could and more importantly should look like. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/canready-consultants_post-covid-world-activity-6676901361378050048-eb0q
Re-examining Exams… should they go the dinasour way?!
2020... True to its name, this year has shown us, with crystal clarity, many aspects of our lives and lifestyle through a fresh, new and improved lens! And with regards to the education system, worldwide, this is what we learnt: 1) At a time of global crisis, the education process was temporarily halted as it… Continue reading Re-examining Exams… should they go the dinasour way?!
The burden of borrowed grief…India’s ‘privileged’ class and the ‘migrant’ crisis.
Over the past month we have repeatedly witnessed the terror of our migrant workers. And I use the term migrant loosely because I do not comprehend how our brothers and sisters from the same country can be classified as such? Agreed, the place they think of as home is in a different state and their… Continue reading The burden of borrowed grief…India’s ‘privileged’ class and the ‘migrant’ crisis.
The Wave
Coping in bizarre times It's a wave…that rises high and crashes lowDay after day…every single dayThe high of gratitude, becauseEveryone I love is healthy,For the roof over my head,For the food that's on my table.But day after day, everyday, comes the inevitable lowWhat are we doing here?What are we hiding from?Statistics?!Our bodies, minds and soul… Continue reading The Wave
Making
Coping in bizarre times From making the wheel to making babies, the human mind has clearly been designed to create. We feel most productive when we ideate and invent. People work in order to conceptualise...to manufacture...and to generate an income. However, at an unprecedented and difficult time like this, when the life as we knew… Continue reading Making
Scent
#life #lifeslessons #grief #copingwithgrief #mourning #grieving #dad #father #nostalgia #memories #love #loss #copingwithlove
When mum and dad lie
Warning: not recommended reading for conservative adults who cringe and embarrass easy Dear Kids who are lied to, We are very aware that some of the responses we parents give to your many questions, are confusing and disappointing to say the least. ‘You’re still too small, you won’t understand’ ‘I’ll tell you when you grow… Continue reading When mum and dad lie
Mind your manners, parents!
Scene 1: Unfolds in a pediatrician’s clinic that was exceptionally crowded. The receptionist explained that there had been an emergency delivery that required the doctor’s presence at the hospital and therefore he was running terribly behind schedule. Children of all ages, most with runny noses that were buried in gadgets, displayed more patience than their… Continue reading Mind your manners, parents!
I have a son and a daughter and this is why I don’t treat them equally
“You must never ever hurt a girl”, I dutifully explained to my 8year old son as part of my ongoing effort as a self-proclaimed feminist to raise my son to be the perfect gentlemen. I also, as all mums should, show him the public service messages that the ad world routinely creates such as the… Continue reading I have a son and a daughter and this is why I don’t treat them equally
Shortcuts to a positive me
Of all my favourite features on the iPhone, one of my favourites is called ‘shortcut’. Where I can programme in short cuts to things I usually have to type quite often but find too tedious and cumbersome to do every time, such as my address. So whenever I type the word ‘address’, on any app… Continue reading Shortcuts to a positive me
A Mother’s Job Profile
Note to self: Daily reminder My job profile: My children are NOT my report card of an imaginary parenting exam! Their achievements are NOT a certificate of my ‘wonderful’ skills as a mother. Their success is purely their own...a product of their dedication, hard work, luck, and destiny. I am here to unconditionally love, assist… Continue reading A Mother’s Job Profile
Things I want my children to know -6: Dealing with anxiety and worry
To, My babies, When you were younger, it was my job to predict any danger that you could possibly find yourself in...the edge of the table...a step too high...an oncoming cold...and then take the necessary steps to prevent it and keep you safe. As you grew older, your responsibilities increased, and I could no longer… Continue reading Things I want my children to know -6: Dealing with anxiety and worry
Compari-Sin. Things I want my children to know -5:
Compari-SIN Comparison is the thief of joy! -Theodore Roosevelt Mother’s orders : repeat this to yourself everyday...several times a day...for as long as you live! Prognosis: will cure envy, insecurity, lack of confidence, complexes Side effects: sheer joy, undiluted happiness, lifelong contentment If you think about it...out of all the experiences that we ever have,… Continue reading Compari-Sin. Things I want my children to know -5:
Things I want my children to know – 4: Parental Interrogation decoded
When I was young and would return home after a night out with my friends, my father would always ask me questions based on the logistics and statistics of my night... How many people were there? Was the place full? What did everyone eat? What did everyone drink? How did you split the bill? ...the… Continue reading Things I want my children to know – 4: Parental Interrogation decoded
Cuddles & Snuggles!!
About Failure. Things I want my children to know – 3
About failure: Failure is such a cold, empty, heartless word that brings with it a feeling of disheartening gloom and indicates there was absolutely no progress. But how can that be true? How can you really have completely ‘failed’ at something if you were just a few steps away? It implies that all your work,… Continue reading About Failure. Things I want my children to know – 3
Who Educ(H)ates Our Children?
To The Head of Department Ministry of Education, Worldwide Sub: What is the matter?...with you?? Respected Sir/Madam, I trust this letter finds you in the best of health. In my subject line I asked you a simple question. ‘What is the matter?...with you?’ And it has a very simple answer, one which any student can… Continue reading Who Educ(H)ates Our Children?
Mourning
When things go wrong: There is a period of mourning for everything that goes wrong in your life, whether they’re big or small, life altering or simply mildly disappointing. And you are entitled to experience a gamut of emotions from anger to self-pity and everything in between. You have every right to question life and… Continue reading Mourning
Sugar and spice and all things nice…that’s what the world should be made of
Imagine a world where CCTV cameras were used for capturing random acts of kindness instead of crime. Where satellites sent us images of people being good to one another. Helping an older neighbour by offering to carry her heavy bags to her car, a motorist slowing down to allow a pedestrian to cross the street.… Continue reading Sugar and spice and all things nice…that’s what the world should be made of
Warning: Danger Ahead
Wouldn't it be wonderful for us parents, if life would come with warning signs like this?Against every peodophile, terrorrist, drug dealer and kidnapper that we imagine lurking in the shadows, each time we send our children out into the big bad world. 6.45am….Those glowing numbers in green were the first thing my eyes would see… Continue reading Warning: Danger Ahead
To The Village That’s Raising My Child
It takes a village to raise a child! Clichè but true as all mum's have realised. Even though, as any mother will tell you, I too have given the job of bringing up my children, my all. But it is only when you have little children do you realise that along with theirs, your own… Continue reading To The Village That’s Raising My Child
R.I.P Humanity
Dearly beloved, We are gathered here today to mourn the sad demise of humanity. It lived long and served us well, until it met its untimely end. Its death has come as a rude shock to all of us who loved it, for it's truly hard to imagine our lives without it in our midst. … Continue reading R.I.P Humanity
Hope And The Hashtag
This is the story of the innocuous Hashtag. Though it was a part of the prestigious ‘Punctuation Family’ who were recognized and used worldwide, the poor Hashtag was the black sheep. His siblings Comma and Full Stop possessed the power to make the greatest men pause; Question Mark contributed to great innovations and discoveries; Exclamation… Continue reading Hope And The Hashtag
Parenting 2.0: Updating ‘Unconventional.parent’
Someday history will reveal that the world's greatest invasion was that of technology over human beings.It came...it saw...it conquered and our lives were never the same again! Which would be fine if it were a one time win. Unfortunately, technology is constantly reinventing itself. And the human brain is struggling to keep up. Our smartphones… Continue reading Parenting 2.0: Updating ‘Unconventional.parent’
Ambitions of a Type B Mother
Note to self: I am a 'Type B' parent and I just have to accept it! I'm the mum in the park swinging her child for "only five minutes more" since forty-five minutes. The one who occasionally allows a chocolate before breakfast. The one who is extremely flexible about bedtime on weekends. The one who… Continue reading Ambitions of a Type B Mother
The Monster Under My Bed
I once read a story about a boy who had a recurring nightmare. In his dream he was always being chased by a scary monster while he tried to run away as fast as his little legs could carry him. The monster was big, bloodthirsty and terrifying and if he wanted to save his life,… Continue reading The Monster Under My Bed
#Remember The Time You Did Not Rape Me
If I were ever asked to give an acceptance speech, for the award that is my life, I imagine it would go something like this… ‘To the most important men in my life, I would like to say Thank You. Thank you to my father, for bringing me up just right. For teaching me to… Continue reading #Remember The Time You Did Not Rape Me
Parenting And The Unwanted Promotion
Call it social conditioning or nature’s plan for survival, a woman feeling her biological clock ticking is a very real phenomenon. Whatever maybe our life's goal, being a mother, for most of us, is high on the list of priorities. Once we feel the tick tock, the sight of gurgling babies in prams, mothers watching… Continue reading Parenting And The Unwanted Promotion
We Need To Talk!!
I recently saw ‘Hindi Medium’ and was pleasantly surprised that it was such a refreshing, light hearted movie essaying the plight and frustrations of young parents. And the unimaginable lengths that we are willing to go to, to ensure the best for our child. Exaggerated...a tad. But a lot of it was sadly true in… Continue reading We Need To Talk!!
From India with Love
Dear First Time Traveller, Allow me to introduce myself. I am India, the land of snake charmers, colourful festivals, song and dance. Regretfully, I am also the land where poverty, illiteracy, hunger and corruption are rampant and unconcealed. And yet I can be described as the land of opportunities, extravagant nightclubs, luxury hotels and expensive… Continue reading From India with Love
#IWillMarch for Equality Among Women
For thousands of years, women have been labeled as the weaker sex. The gender that has given birth to generations of men, has been oppressed, suppressed and often depressed, first under the farce of protection and then just because! Because the very men who protected them realised that it's a heady rush to be in… Continue reading #IWillMarch for Equality Among Women
Mother is a Feeling
A mother is a feeling!! She's an emotion that you feel, like a warm safe cocoon enveloping you, Like sunlight on a cold day, Or a cool kiss on your warm forehead. She's the relief that you feel when you hear footsteps approaching your bed in the dark night.....only to discover it's her making sure… Continue reading Mother is a Feeling
Dear White Nations…..Yours Sincerely, The Browns
‘Brown’! When I first heard the term in reference to me and my people, I was amused, to say the least. It's not that we citizens of third world countries are living in denial. And in the undercurrents of tension between the ‘Blacks’ and the ‘Whites’ (your terms not mine), we ‘Browns’ had so far… Continue reading Dear White Nations…..Yours Sincerely, The Browns
When Life’s a Trek
Last December, my husband, children (aged 6 and 9), and I, visited Bhutan. Being avid travelers, it was on our bucket list and from the minute we landed we knew it was going to be an extraordinary vacation. The country itself, enveloped by mountains, is as close to heaven as one could get, and the… Continue reading When Life’s a Trek
Wired To The Wireless: Confessions Of A Distracted Mother
My daughter was a year and a half, when she would summon me to accompany her to the restroom, whenever she needed to go. It was also around the same time when the all new chat groups on Blackberry messenger or BBM were consuming my attention. Communicating with multiple people all at once sure trumped… Continue reading Wired To The Wireless: Confessions Of A Distracted Mother
Dance like the Bougainvileas
"Mama, what's your favourite flower?” asked my daughter who seems to have a newly acquired green thumb. “Bougainvilleas! They are undoubtedly my favorite flowers.” “Bougainvilleas?? Really?! Why? There are so many prettier flowers than that” she reasoned. “Well,” I mulled over this. “I know they are not the world’s most beautiful flowers by any stretch… Continue reading Dance like the Bougainvileas
Compared to you, I’m good
One evening, soon after his transition from primary school to the 5th standard, my son came home quite excited. His school was basically having them take baby steps towards the grown-up world. This was the year they progressed to writing with pens instead of pencils. The year, when the attendant on the school bus no… Continue reading Compared to you, I’m good
Should I….Shouldn’t I??
Since the birth of my first child, or rather since the beginning of my pregnancy itself, I have faced several dilemmas over various parenting decisions I've had to make, but the question always remains the same. Should I?....or shouldn’t I?? Should I take the epidural? Should I co-sleep with my baby? Should I feed the… Continue reading Should I….Shouldn’t I??
Confessions of an Amateur Meditator
As a child I remember peeking into my grandmother's room on countless occasions, only to see her seated in bed with her eyes closed, lost in prayer for what seemed like hours. As I grew, meditation became widely renowned as being the answer to all of the world's worldly worries. “Just a few minutes a… Continue reading Confessions of an Amateur Meditator
Sibling Revelry
From the moment the auditory faculties start functioning, a baby can listen to sounds in the womb and she comes to recognise not only her mother's voice and heartbeat but studies have shown can recognise other familiar sounds as well, such as the father's voice, familiar music, etc. Which is why dads are encouraged to… Continue reading Sibling Revelry
Ins(MOM)nia
Dear God of Slumber, Please help me God, why do you hate me so?I'm a good person, I do deserve more.All I want is one night's sleep;No getting up to feed her nor to make him pee.I don't want to wake up with a pain in my head;Seven times each night, I don't want to… Continue reading Ins(MOM)nia
Social Etiquette – The Problem Beyond The Maths Problem
Child in Grade 1: “Teacher, my partner is eating snacks from my boxTeacher to partner : “Don't do that” Child in Grade 4: “Miss, she's calling me names” Teacher : Don't complain to me. Go back to your place.” Child in Grade 7: “Ma'am, they make fun of me behind my back” Teacher : “solve… Continue reading Social Etiquette – The Problem Beyond The Maths Problem
Like Child, Like Mother
If I were asked to close my eyes and think of my childhood, it would be a time travel into a state of happy memories. My sister and I pretending to be princesses, dressing up as our mum in heels, giving our Barbie dolls haircuts, because mom told us hair grows back faster after a… Continue reading Like Child, Like Mother
Quiz: What Kind Of A Mum Are You?
Ever wonder what your parenting personality is? How other mums perceive and judge you? What is the parenting style that you are categorised under?….Helicopter? Tiger? Shampoo? Conditioner? Take this quiz to find out…. What kind of a mother are you? 1)Your son comes home complaining that he is being bullied in school and no longer… Continue reading Quiz: What Kind Of A Mum Are You?
Sunset Effect - Nitya Satyani 