For International Women’s Day 2020, we brought to you 6 powerful women, who shared how their world perspective got created. For us to raise girls who are empowered, we need to get the conversations to the grass roots and TALK about what is most important to them to be MINDFUL about! You are going to want to listen to these amazing women and what they have to say about growing up to be a WORLD CHANGER …
Don’t forget to like and comment to give them your support.
Lesson Plan and Printables for this book available here.
One afternoon, my son came home and told me, ” My friends and I put our hands together and they said I was different. ” The conversation we had after is what this book is about. I told this incident to many of my mom friends and ALL of them surprisingly had heard their children and their friends doing the same. How Our Skin Sparkles, the first of it’s kind children’s book helps parents empower their children by answering this question.
Around the world, we have adults who hold within them many insecurities. These get embedded into them at a very young age, though small or big acts by those around around them. We often neglect or brush under the carpet, these simple questions because we fail to see the far reaching consequences of their impact.
It is more importance now than ever that we talk to our children early about body positivity, confidence in self and inclusion.
Now, my children are on the fairer side of the Indian color spectrum. Yet, my son was quite curious to learn about what makes his skin tone different from his own sister. Which is why I felt this book is an important introduction to the world where many feel all Indians are of a similar skin tone. In fact, this applies to BIASES everywhere, when people assume a certain section of people have to be of a certain skin color. Whereas skin color is an amalgamation of many aspects of science, culture and heritage.
It is not just where we come from that defines us but also our own make up. And there is not set formula for how someone is going to be or is. And that certainly has NO affect on the KIND of person they are, good or bad.
That is what this book aims to reiterate. That people are made up of their actions, their choices, their feelings and likes. Not by the color of their skin.
What make this book specially UNIQUE is the combination of faith, science AND concept to teach children about acceptance, of self and others. We need more books that help balance science and our culture, so children get closer to their heritage while moving forward in our evolving world.
I’m so happy to say, the book How Our Skin Sparkles release has met with such positive and glowing response. Already a bestseller in a number of categories on Amazon
#1 in Children’s Books Against Racism and Prejudice
#1 in Children’s Books about Immigration
#1 in Books about Siblings
#1 in Books in Hindu Fiction
#1 in Children’s Books in Science
and many many more …
It has already gotten the Readers Favorite seal of approval.
How Our Skin Sparkles: A Growth Mindset Children’s Book for Global Citizens About Self Acceptance And Diversity by Aditi Wardhan Singh is a great story that teaches children about diversity. A young boy wonders why he looks different from so many of his classmates, and his mother turns his question into a valuable learning opportunity. She teaches him about the science behind different skin colors. His mother then goes even further to teach him how wonderful it is to be different, and how what’s on the inside truly matters.
I read How Our Skin Sparkles to my two young boys and thought I would share their opinions as well as my own. My six-year-old enjoyed the message and said it reminded him of something he’d done in school. He lined up with his classmates, and they each held their arms out and observed how different and beautiful everyone’s skin color was.
I liked that this story reiterated what I work so hard to teach my children about being kind and accepting of all types of people. My son also enjoyed the description at the end of the book of the snack that the mother made for her children. He enjoys trying new foods from all over the world. My children liked the colorful illustrations, too. I loved the dedication at the beginning of the book, and I felt it summarized the central theme. “The moment you accept yourself and others, as they are, you grow exponentially.” I believe this is a message that the whole world needs to hear right now.
Aditi Wardhan Singh has tackled this question in a very sensitive manner. She explains the science of melanin and how some people have more and some have less of it, which results in different shades of color. She talks about every person’s individuality. She stresses the importance of how our skin color informs people of our background and culture. She even mentions the story of little Krishna and how his mother tackled his innocent questions. But, what I liked the most about the story is that it places the most emphasis on the acts of kindness that helps human beings function sensitively.
The illustrations were another attractive feature about the book. The pictures show people and little children of all different colors.
Your can find other books about growth mindset here. Also, our book Strong Roots Have No Fear is an award winning, best selling parenting book for parents. Make sure to check it out.
“Among the top five in the class, once again!” versus “Teachers, coaches and everybody, we did it again together! All efforts paved way for the great scores!!”
Which one sounds better?
I am sure we would all vote for the latter. Indeed, at times we cannot resist being a tad narcissistic about our child’s achievements but please don’t overdo it.
This ostentatious behavior is not solely the creation of millennial parenting. It’s been a way of life of sorts, back in our childhood too. In a room full of known and unknown faces, either a parent or a relative would unabashedly brag and say, “so recite the poem you just won the prize for” and the child would have to reluctantly give in to the eagerly waiting audience. How common was this a few years back, right?
This whole ‘showing off how great my child is’ thing has not bitten the dust yet, the stage has just shifted to the social media. While it’s human and quite real to get excited about our kids’ little achievements, the next time before you do, stop and think if you being boastful about your child? Because your child is not your trophy!
It’s understandable and natural for us as parents to be elated and full of pride about our children.
My chest balloons up when I see my 4-year-old ‘arabesquing’ at her ballet class but when I go on and on about it or Instagram it as #mylittleballerina, is when I cross my line from pride over to boastful and I just showed off my ‘trophy.’
It’s a constant struggle, I agree to stop yourself from being boastful. I am guilty as charged for this but promise to try and refrain the next time. My approach here should have been, “you’re doing a great job, but there’s so much more to learn. Keep it up!” All of my tribe would agree, right?
The problem with showing off is that every child looks up to us (parents, grandparents or anybody else that they care about) for validation of their actions. It is important for them and they judge their behavior vis-a-vis our reactions.
So imagine the complacency that would creep into a child, when we as parents constantly engage in boastful conversations about what they did at school or soccer. Rather than offering self-validation in the form of “you did a top-class job” how about saying “it’s because you worked so hard.”
Though both mean almost the same thing, the latter phrase makes the whole ‘hard-work’ sound more enticing. Similar would be the scenario when our little guy/girl gets awesome grades.
Get a grip of yourself and say ‘hard work made it possible’ rather than ‘awesome job girl.’ This takes out the possible chances of self-absorption and places all emphasis on the vitality of hard work for achieving what they have achieved. Makes sense, right!
When you see your child is not even taking baby steps towards her project due early next week, your natural reaction…swooping and lifting your child out of her stupor. Again, leave her right there!
Yes, you heard me right! Allow her to get a slouchy grade. Would your pride in her go down? I’m sure not but she would surely learn to plan way ahead from next time.
Let us not try to bask in the glory of an assignment turned in on-time (with our generous help, of course). Instead, let her learn to tie in the pieces together herself and on time. This would also be the right time to reiterate, that generations before us have always harped on the importance of learning from our utter failures.
Again, our child is not our trophy to be boastful about. Instead, we would want them to be self-sufficient and have the sense of self-efficacy around them.
Diverging from the issue at hand here, a different perspective of encouraging our children is gaining popularity these days. Recently, the whole idea of giving children a few dollars for getting good grades is doing the rounds. Though, I as a parent would try and avoid money as a motivating factor for my child to do something good, but a Harvard study proclaims that this works. And when Harvard says it works, it must be substantial. It’s just that I have not been so familiar with the idea of getting money for doing household chores or for getting good grades. If the study convinces you, might as well give this a shot.
I am writing this because the battle against ‘trophyfying’ our child touches many of us and it’s an uphill task of dodging it every day. The last thing I would want to do is be a narcissist and raise a narcissistic child.
Children learn every day, from every little detail around them, they would pick up from our reaction in a flash. We would want these ‘sponges’ to soak in the importance of hard work and learn to be grateful. How would that happen? From our actions and reactions, of course. Remember we are all in it together, trying to raise humble, generous, kind and accomplished children.
So, how did you dodge ‘trophyfying’ your child today? I took a baby step, I masked my excitement when my child could do a decent ‘dime plié’ posture and told her that’s it because she has been working so hard for this, and that she did it today and needs to keep up the momentum. But, I’ll not lie, I was immensely proud of her inside, which is fair!
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Ananya graduated from the University of Iowa with a Master’s in Strategic Communication in 2018 and took to freelancing with blogs, articles, web copies for clients’ websites. When she is not fretting over a delivery deadline or running errands, she is trying to keep up with her hyper-active 4-year-old girl or indulging in a bit of self-love on the elliptical at Planet Fitness! She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a MBA in Marketing, from India.
We are proud to bring to the you curator & creator of the amazing resource for parents How to Raise Confident, Multicultural Children and author of the amazing book Where Am I From? With stunning, one of a kind graffiti art, this labor of love that took two years to bring to life will help your child build their identity from the ground up. Elisavet Arkolaki has done a beautiful job connecting worlds by getting to the roots of the identity of every child.
Please meet our friend and super author Elisavet Arkolenki.
I am passionate about books, travel and inspired by global learning. I raise my own children in between countries, cultures, and languages, and I write to build cultural understanding and sensitivity in young children while they are still eager to learn.
I am originally from Greece, my husband from Norway, our first kid was born in Malta and our second in Norway. Fun fact when it comes to appearances is that we all look similar so you wouldn’t have guessed our cultural and linguistic melange (all four of us have red hair!) but we couldn’t be more different.
I speak Greek with my kids, my husband Norwegian, and as a common family language, we speak English. I come from a southern European culture where people tend to be loud and very expressive of their emotions, and my husband comes from Northern Europe where people tend to be more quiet and reserved. My schooling was in Greek, I studied in French for my Bachelor and I completed my Masters in English. I love languages and I am currently learning Norwegian.
Greece has been the place where my very essence of being was formed. In France, I discovered a very different kind of freedom; the freedom of existing outside the norms and peer pressure of one’s home culture. I was there that I was given for the first time the opportunity to find out who I truly was, once I had laid off all the cultural layers.
Then we have Malta, a place which I also consider as my home country. I lived there for about a decade, and this is where I met the love of my life. In Malta I met some of the most inspiring individuals, made close friends from around the world, I advanced at a personal and professional level, I got married, our first kid was born. It comes as no surprise that my blog is www.maltamum.com.
Spain was a break in between two moves to Malta, and where my partner and I experienced the freedom of working home-based for the first time back at the end of 2008. Since our boy was born (2013), we’ve been living in Thailand during the European winters. Norway is my husband’s country of origin, our second kid was born here, and we have family living nearby. We plan to live in Norway for the foreseeable future.
I feel that the reality of being multilingual and multicultural in societies where this is not considered as the ‘norm’, it may be interpreted in a less favorable way by our children, and they need our guidance to build a strong sense of self. Identity is very closely knitted with culture and when the cultures are so blended and the background so fluid, our children need our help to invent a positive identity of their own; an identity that is not defined by one sole culture.
Children don’t really start to ponder over identity issues until later in life but the roots of many of these are to be found in early childhood. I believe that my books help to create a foundation of normalcy and acceptance for our multicultural children during their early years.
Moreover, if we are to guide our children properly in this journey, we also need guidance ourselves. There is so much misinformation out there so I felt the need to do proper research, bring on the spotlight experts in related fields who really know what they’re talking about, and share it with our global community.
I am worried about the divisional climate that is on the rise, the tendency of separating people in between ‘them’ and ‘us’. Unfortunately this seems to be the trend in many countries around the world and this is why I felt compelled to write the chapter ‘The debate over multiculturalism and what we can learn from the Canadian model’ which you can read in the guide.
Tamara Yousry noted in her own chapter titled ‘Crossing the Deep Cultural Divide’ that “monocultural groups and teams are becoming a thing of the past. n today’s contemporary, globalized world, multicultural groups are the norm.”
People will keep on crossing borders, falling in love, having children, and we need to learn how to coexist with each other in a respectful and caring manner. Instead of looking at countries where integration is failing us and where the blame for that is put on multiculturalism, we can look up to others who are succeeding and learn from them.
In 2007 I lost someone very dear to me. At about the same time I lost my voice and had various diagnoses and symptoms in that body area but no doctor could find the source of it all. This lasted for about a year, that is till one doctor saw me more holistically, and talked about psychological trauma.
I discovered that the source of my symptoms was grief, and my incapability at the time to process negative emotions. After this experience, I learned that allowing myself to be in touch with emotions that can cause me pain and discomfort, acknowledging them, expressing them, and working through them, is not weakness but strength, and it’s a fundamental health care process.
Together with my husband, we instilled an interest in books, words and storytelling to our children from very early on. When the kids were too young or simply uninterested to follow a whole book story, we would just point at the images and talk about them.
All that mattered at the time was simply to open that book and create an enjoyable experience, even if that lasted just 1′. Our son started primary school this year, eager to learn how to read and write (they start at 6 in Norway), cause he now had the opportunity to decode by himself the system that makes up all these great stories he had been listening to. When we support literacy even before our child starts to read, the foundation is set for later.
I’ll be traveling to Malta for a book tour at the end of February, and I have one more children’s book coming out this year by the same publisher (Faraxa Publishing).
Never give up when you’re really passionate about something, and do give up when you realize that something you thought you loved does no longer fulfill you.
I would like to find more time for reading and writing and to be more involved with activities that promote literacy and multilingualism in our local community.
It’s hard to pin point 3 books. Books and words, in general, shaped my life. As a kid, I loved everything by Roald Dahl (The Witches, Matilda and The GFG in particular), Hans Hans Christian Andersen, and I absolutely adored the Pollyanna series by Eleanor H. Porter. Recently, I got to read an exceptional book that touched me deeply; ‘Homegoing’ by Yaa Gyasi.
Yes, you can download the guide ‘How to Raise Confident Multicultural Children’ by subscribing to my newsletter http://eepurl.com/dvnij9.
Elisavet Arkolaki is an amazing person and I hope you get to meet more world changers from around the world, here !
Spring break 2020 will soon be here, which means you’re running out of time to choose your vacation destination. Fortunately, you can take a quiz to find your ideal vacation spot, or consider these five spots make for great family vacations.
San Diego, California
You won’t find many spring break destination lists that miss San Diego, and for good reason! There are beaches and boardwalks, the zoo that sprawls over 100 acres, Seaworld, Legoland, and a safari park to keep family members of all ages entertained. Head just outside the city to hike if you need a break from the tourist spots. When you’re ready for a break, you can enjoy a meal at one of the city’s many restaurants.
Columbia, South Carolina
There’s no shortage of things to do in Columbia, South Carolina. Whether you want to enjoy the pairing of modern buildings with storied architecture or go kayaking on one of the surrounding rivers, you’re sure to be delighted. The city truly defines southern hospitality, which helps it stand apart from other spring break destinations. Everyone will enjoy everything the South Carolina State Museum has to offer with its exhibit and planetarium.
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
It may still be chilly in Wisconsin over spring break, but don’t let that stop you! Head indoors to the Kalahari Resort and Waterpark, an indoor oasis in Wisconsin Dells, the watermark capital of the world. The park includes rides, roller coasters, and go-karts. Park entry is included with resort tickets, or you can stay offsite at one of the many cabins and hotels in the city.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Try this destination if you prefer someplace a bit more exotic and warm for your spring break. Puerto Vallarta is located on Mexico’s western coast between Mazatlan and Acapulco. The old town is paved with cobblestone, and you can enjoy Mariachi music in the shaded plazas. If you enjoy architecture, there’s always the Baroque-style Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Also, the whole family can enjoy sports such as snorkeling, parasailing, and kayaking on the water.
Ogden, Utah
Most people want to head where it’s warmer for spring break, but if you’re not like most people, you might want to head to the mountains with the family and enjoy some skiing. The views in Ogden, not far from Salt Lake City, are gorgeous. Choose from Snowbasin Resort or Powder Mountain to ski before enjoying your evening meal on the charming main street.
Of course, any destination can make for a good spring break when you’re with your family.
During times like these, when the world is being hit by natural disasters and weather conditions continue to escalate to the extremes all across continents, the conversation on preserving our environment and making it sustainable becomes more pressing. It is important imbibe these tips for sustainable living environment.
As the climate changes and global warming continues unabated, we need to change our ways in order to conserve our resources. Our planet is depressed, and the sad truth is that we are part of the problem.
Sustainability is the key and it has become the motivating factor of many countries with regard to changing their lifestyle.
Sustainability should be practiced everyday and can be made into a lifestyle. Below are 8 ways to do so to preserve our planet:
This remains to be the most common method of promoting sustainability. Manage your waste properly. Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Segregate what has to be disposed off. This helps in minimizing the waste that gets dumped on landfills which saves valuable space.
Part of having a sustainable living involves cutting down on the cost of your needs. To minimize your food expenses, you can grow your own garden. Not only will it help with your budget but it will also provide you healthier options. It will help reduce your carbon footprint and you can also enjoy some time outdoors.
Speaking of outdoors, another factor that will never be left out of any conversation involving sustainable living is about Nature. One of the basics of protecting our environment and going green is planting more trees.
Many businesses around the country are also promoting this cause. Real estate properties like the Part of Hamilo Coast’s sustainable efforts was mangrove reforestation. They continue to preserve more than 10,000 mangrove trees, which cover approximately 10 hectares of the estate, making it the largest mangrove area in Nasugbu, Batangas.
Another good way of preserving our environment is by saving energy. Start at home and at your workplace. Unplug appliances and gadgets that are not in use or are fully charged, use refillable containers for drinking water, or shorten your shower time.
Walk, ride a bike, use public transportation, or carpool to work or school. Cleaner air means healthier surroundings. There is also the option of alternative fuel sources should you choose to avail of them.
Be informed, especially with what you purchase. Read the labels to know if you are buying something that will contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle. Switch to energy-saving appliances and eco-friendly products.
Paper makes up for most of the waste we dispose off everyday. But now that nearly every transaction can be done online, the use of paper has decreased. Do everything online, and download software instead of opting to have packages delivered.
Minimize waste and expenses by doing it yourself. For example, you can make a homemade natural cleaner by using ingredients available at home.
To conclude, we only have ONE planet and WE are responsible to make the world a better place to live in. With small changes in our daily lifestyle, we can make a huge difference that surely impacts our mission. Simple tips for sustainable living are wonderful for a green planet for a better tomorrow.
Angelo Castelda works as a contributor for a news magazine in Asia. He loves to learn and understand diverse cultures and aims to share through his writing his experiences around the world.
When you go through a divorce, it’s easy to get caught up in your own feelings of hurt and devastation. But if you have kids, you’re not the only one who’s suffering. As trying as this time can be for you and your ex as adults, it’s often completely overwhelming for your children when you are deciding custody.
They may feel a complicated mix of emotions that range from grief to anger to relief, depending on the circumstances.
It’s you and your ex’s job as the parents to look beyond how the divorce is affecting you, and instead look out for your children’s best interests. How the two of you handle custody issues is one of the keys to making the divorce as easy as possible on your children.
Here are some rules the two of you should agree upon that will make the custody decisions go as smoothly as possible when deciding custody.
Before the divorce, your kids may have built some special memories with each parent that center around the holidays. Rather than use the holiday times as a custody battleground, it is best in most situations if you and your spouse reach a compromise that allows the kids to continue celebrating them with both parents.
You can agree to switch off from year to year who will get to have the children with them on the actual date of the holiday. If it’s not your year to get the kids for a certain holiday, choose to celebrate it whenever you get to see them that’s near that date. The less of a fuss both you and your ex make about holiday visitation, the more relaxed and happy your children can be when it comes to adjusting to their new normal. The same goes for other special occasions and the regular custody routine as well.
Some ex-husbands or ex-wives who feel anger toward their ex-spouse make up horrible falsehoods about them in an attempt to “punish them.” They may try to use those falsehoods to try and tarnish the ex-spouse’s reputation with family and especially with the children. However, many people go even further and try to also give their ex a bad name with the court system.
In fact, many vindictive exes try to get back at former partners by seeking to have the courts declare them to be unfit parents so they won’t get the amount of child custody that they deserve. This type of cruel behavior doesn’t just embitter the ex-spouse, it also hurts the children terribly. Rather than risk causing extreme psychological damage to your kids, agree with your ex that both of you will be honest and above board when it comes to establishing a custody plan.
Sometimes, sadly, an ex-spouse does pose a legitimate threat to the safety of the children. If this is the case, deal with these issues in a legal manner. Report any suspected case of abuse or neglect to your state’s appropriate authorities. You may also want to hire a forensic psychiatrist from a group such as fpamed that adheres to psychiatric ethical standards set forth by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
A professional who works in the field of psychiatry and family law can conduct a psychiatric evaluation that will help to determine if your child’s safety is at risk. These types of evaluations are considered strong evidence in family courts.
Though it’s very hard sometimes to hold in your frustrations at your ex around your children, it’s usually for the best. Agree in advance that no matter how the custody issues are decided in the courts, you won’t bad-mouth your ex to the kids. Of course, if there are safety concerns, you need to communicate them carefully to your children.
Try to avoid projecting negative emotions about your ex-spouse to your kids because they may internalize those emotions. They may also have a difficult time maintaining a healthy relationship with both parents if the parents vent their anger at their ex around the children.
Divorce is extremely challenging for everyone involved. As hard as it is, you and your ex must remember to act like mature grown-ups in this difficult situation. The two of you can greatly lessen the pain for your kids and yourselves if you agree to follow this list of rules before the custody process begins.
As a parent, you want to do everything you can to help your child succeed, both now and in the future. Though you can’t ace their first job interview for them when that day comes, you can build skills now that will benefit them in their future career. Skills that promote future career growth are simple yet powerful.
Adding to the usefulness of this process is that skills that are useful in the job world are skills that help your children succeed today, no matter what age they are. Here are a few skills that you can focus on to help your child be their very best.
No matter what type of company your child works for, they are going to have to interact with at least a handful of people. When they do so, some degree of patience will likely be required. Patience is something that can’t be switched on overnight. Instead, it must be taught over many years to give time and space to practice and fail at being patient. A byproduct of teaching the importance of patience is teaching the importance of delayed gratification, another crucial business skill.
Even if your child is advanced for their age, when they begin a career, they will not know everything there is to know about that job. They will likely run across many situations they’ve never encountered before, requiring problem-solving skills to ensure their success. Problem-solving can be taught in a variety of ways, such as through online chess lessons, building with construction blocks, doing crossword puzzles, and a variety of other simple, fun tasks that teach children how to figure things out for themselves.
Hopefully, when your child begins a career, they won’t be content to settle for the position they start in. One way to encourage this ambitious behavior is to develop goal-setting skills in your child when they are young. For example, you can have your child set a goal to save a certain amount of money to buy a toy or set a goal of improving their grade in a class they don’t enjoy. This process of working toward something long-term will help them to have determination and staying power as they work to move up in their career field.
With so many distractions facing your child, one of the best gifts you can give them is the skill of promptness. If your child works to complete tasks in a timely manner and keeps track of when they should show up to various events, it will instill in them the importance of promptness and help protect against procrastination. In the business world, promptness is crucial to keeping a job, and a lack of procrastination will help them stand out from a world of constantly distracted co-workers.
Though it can be tempting to try and steer your child toward a specific career that you know is lucrative, your most important job as a parent is simply to teach them the skills they need to be successful in any career. Don’t unnecessarily narrow the focus of your child, which could prevent them from discovering their true passion where they will truly blossom. Any career can be lucrative if your child puts into practice the skills you have taught them.
The dinner table is a fun and chaotic place where the family gathers to eat and share their day. When you have younger children, it can often be a place of enormous mess and strain. Have you wondered how to provide value around dinner the dinner table?
Primarily, mothers have been the ones to tend to the children and the cleanup of the messes in days gone by. However, the modern dad pitches in and helps to ease the burden on mom. Here are some ways that dads can help take care of their kids around the dinner table.
How many times does mom barely get enough time to eat because she is getting the plates ready for the rest of the family? Dad can help to serve the children. If they need help with cutting steak or pork chops, then he can also assist with this seemingly time-consuming chore. When everybody is eating and their bellies are filling, there will be less chaos in the serving process.
If you were to poll children around America, they would all say that they would prefer to eat in front of the TV or while playing a video game. It’s just as much dad’s responsibility as it is mom’s to make the table a warm and inviting place to congregate. Teaching these principals starts at a young age.
If you’ve spent good money on fancy dining tables from reclaimed wood in Boston, MA, you want to make sure the family gets use from it. Who says the dinner table is only about food? You should teach kids to play games, sit and chat, and learn that this is a spot that is at the center of the heart of the home.
Any mother will tell you that cleanup is the hardest part of any meal. Children love to throw food to the dog down below or at their sibling. The floor can often look like someone emptied a trash can when the meal is done. Dad can make sure that peace and order are followed during the dinner process. By keeping up with wiping hands and any spills as they occur, the cleanup won’t be nearly as intense.
Not every family has the luxury of having dinner together. Work schedules often inhibit eating as a family. However, when dad and mom are both home, an effort should be made to have dinner as a family. There’s something remarkable about setting aside time for each other.
Life is crazy, and people want to eat on the go. However, there is something sacred about having a meal as a family. Even if dinner time gets a bit chaotic, dad can help to ease the burden on mom during this time. With any luck, your children will grow to appreciate and teach their kids the importance of gathering around the table.
Yes, you read it right. I am the mom of an average child. By average, I simply mean my child is the average learner, average in scoring marks, average in sports and in extra curricular activities. What’s special about him then? NOTHING as per society and school norms.
I often get asked, oh! You are an Indian.. Your son must be good in math and studies in general… I simply say no, he is not. He is average. Am I ashamed to say this? No.. Should I be lying that he is the best in something which he is not, in front of others? Definitely no.
My son is that average child who people fail to notice either for not being at the top or being at the bottom. People fail to notice his sweet smile ,funny talks, tight hugs, friendly personality, kind behaviour, mild manners, helpful nature because he is JUST an average child.
The school, society celebrates children who are top scorers or good in sports and extracurricular,which rightfully they should. Amidst all this, my average child who is a spectator and cheers his friends with full heart goes unnoticed.
His love for sports,( even when he knows he is not going to be selected for school team), his love for music(even though he knows he is not going to be selected for school choir) never diminishes. He does all this to enjoy it rather to compete.
Am I a mom who is not strict with him for not scoring at the top? Yes, I am strict to an extent and lost my cool many times in the past.
His words pierced through me when my 7 year old asked, “mummy do you not respect me”? How many of us thought we should respect children? We adults demand our respect each and every moment of our life. Why not a child?
Among children preparing for IIT, MBBS even at a tender age of 10 years. My average child is talking about traveling the world ,meeting new people and eating different cuisines.
My average child might or might not become a doctor, astronaut ,scientist. But, he is sure to grow up to be a good person, who will spread cheer.
Last but not least:
Notice the average child. All that child wants is a smile or a kind word from us adults for just being himself to give him assurance to trust the world.
Moving can be stressful even if you’re just relocating down the street; but for children who are moving long-distance, leaving their home, neighborhood, and school can be an especially difficult challenge.
Parents shouldn’t avoid talking about the move and its stressors; it’s hard for anyone to leave a home that they love. To help make the conversation and transition easier, take a look at these tips.
Rather than simply moving your kids to a new house they don’t know anything about, allow them to be involved in the entire process. Look at single family home listings together, and compile a list of features the family would love in their next house. Looking at houses together and discussing options will give kids a sense of control over a situation that could otherwise leave them feeling lost.
Before you move, show you children photos of the new house, and plan a shopping trip to pick out new decorations. From a new bedspread to a comfy chair, allow children to help prepare for their new space and get excited about making the new house feel like home.
You can also talk about different design ideas they may like to try, such as painting the walls a fun color together.
Check out the new neighborhood together by entering the address on Google Maps and taking a virtual tour. You can also plug in the address of their future school, which can help the transition feel slightly less scary. Check out the surrounding neighborhood, and point out different places you recognize from the website when you arrive.
Have one last family party in your house before the move; it doesn’t have to be super elaborate; giving the kids new pajamas and a stuffed animal to take with them while you eat some pizza and watch movies can be a great way to make their send-off less sad.
If your children are younger, consider attaching a notecard to their new stuffed animal that tells them how excited they are to move into the new house together!
A big move might be your children’s first encounters with loss and grief. Be sure to have a sit-down talk if needed and ask them how they feel. Assure them that it’s okay to be upset they’re moving, but shift the conversation in a positive direction by reminding them of the memories you’ll always get to keep no matter where you live.
Raising a child who is on the autistic spectrum frequently involves a wide range of challenges that parents may not have expecting. Private schools, tutors and homeschooling groups can often provide parents with options, resources and accommodations that may simply not be available through a conventional public school. Finding ways to minimize and better manage your child’s outbursts, tantrums or combative episodes can often make a world of difference.
Large classroom size can be a real issue, even for non-autistic children and those without special needs. Getting lost in the crowd means that sensory issues or other situations which may trigger an outburst are less likely to be noticed and addressed in time. Homeschooling groups can provide the more focused attention needed to ensure that such issues are less likely to cause problems throughout the school day.
The ability to better control and manage your child’s surroundings and environment can also be a major asset. Homeschooling groups can arrange for private bus rental, adjust light and sound levels within the classroom and ensure that environmental stimuli can be kept at a more manageable level. Attending a conventional school could make something as simple as arranging for your child to wear noise-cancelling headphones a more difficult undertaking.
While every student is different, teaching and working with children on the spectrum often involves a great deal of trial-and-error in order to find the right approach. Homeschooling opportunities make it much easier to create lesson plans or even a curriculum that has been tailored to your child’s specific needs. Taking a more personalized approach to teaching and instruction can be essential when dealing with any student who may be having difficulty with a conventional classroom environment.
Finding emotional acceptance is another concern that should not be overlooked. Autistic children often have trouble fitting in within a public or even private school environment. Homeschooling groups are often an ideal alternative, one that can provide a more nurturing emotional environment.
School can be especially challenging for both autistic children as well as their parents. Finding the right options, resources or the alternatives that may be more accommodating can often be an issue of great importance. From managing the daily commute with greater ease to finding greater social acceptance or mastering a lesson plan, homeschooling groups and options may have far more to offer than you might imagine.
Being an expectant mother, there is a lot of planning to get done before your little one arrives, including his baptism. Baptisms are a ceremony that serves as a submission to Christ. When you decide to have one for your son, there are many elements that need to be planned ahead to make sure the baptism is successful.
Once you commit to the idea of having a baptism, there are a number of ways to prepare before your son arrives. Making a checklist of items helps keep you organized throughout the process. Some planning items to include the following points.
Godparents are significant because they serve as partakers in the moral development of your baby. They also assume legal guardianship in cases of emergency. Pregnancy is a great time to begin considering who you would like to take on this responsibility.
Once you’ve decided to have a baptism, naming your baby after a saint is tradition. Even if you decide on a non-traditional first name, dedicating the middle name is recommended. Information on the name’s corresponding patron saint is also beneficial during your baptism planning journey.
When planning a baptism, there may be required classes or necessary timelines you have to meet. These can be done with the parish of your church. It is best to call ahead and find out what you need.
The church you regularly attend and contribute to should be the location for your son’s baptism. You will receive paperwork to prove you are a Catholic and a parish member. Once completed, your church will approve your ceremony.
After being approved, it is time to pick a date and time. Baptisms are typically the first introduction of your son to the outside world, but parishes suggest completing it within the first month of life.
Once the date is secured, creating a guest list is the next priority. Whether you decide to include friends and family or plan an intimate event is your choice.
It’s tradition for your son to wear white for the ceremony. If you don’t have an heirloom, you can always find boys baptism outfits online.
Remember, while this is a milestone in your son’s life, an extravagant event isn’t necessary. Simply planning to have an intimate ceremony to commemorate your baby’s submission to Christ works perfectly fine.
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