Featured Guest, Author at Raising World Children

Being Creative in Teaching Kids About Indian Culture

At Raising World Children, we are on the constant look out for world changers. People who are trying in small or big ways to make the world a better place. Today, we meet Ajanta Chakraborty, a fascinating woman of wonder : choreographer, author, you tube content creator, teacher, mom and much much more !

1. What exactly do you do?

I am the co-founder of Culture Groove and Bollywood Groove

Culture Groove publishes bestselling children’s books and has an educational kids YouTube channel.
Bollywood Groove teaches 30+ dance & fitness classes in Chicago to kids and adults.

2. How did you come about this passion/profession?

A techie by profession, I worked in Silicon Valley for 7 years before realizing that my true passion was to spread the joy of Indian culture! In 2011, I quit my job to pursue Bollywood Groove first and then Culture Groove and have never looked back.

3. Tell us about your family.

My husband, who is also the co-author of our Maya/Neel book series, and I live in Chicago with our 4-year-old son. Other than the usual trucks and light sabers, my son has developed a strong interest in our work. He is officially a YouTuber helping his mom teach about India! The funniest experience is watching him trying to sell our books at various events 😊

4. How many places have you lived? How has that affected your world view?

I was born and raised in the small city of Bhopal in India. Since then, I have lived in Vancouver, Canada for education, California for work and now in Chicago.

Living in multiple cities has given me the unique immigrant lens of learning, comparing and picking the best of two worlds. It also opened my mind to not only embrace diversity but also strive to make it a norm.

5. What do you think are three biggest struggles most parents go through teaching kids about Indian culture?

The lack of quality and fun content. A lot of the content is either superficial – they provide very little actual knowledge or they are too boring for kids to engage in.
The lack of non-religious content. Believe it or not, there are lot of families like ours. They want their kids to learn about the cultural aspects without religion.
We have to accept that kids of Indian origin around the world are growing up in a different environment than someone in India. No matter what we are trying to teach them about our culture, it has to be done in a relatable manner. The 100% immersion is not the right approach for every kid and it’s hard to find resources that adhere to that mindset.

6. How do you suggest parents encourage kids to follow their passions?

Don’t impose your dreams on them. Let them navigate the world at their own pace and in their own way. We are supposed to give them wings and watch them fly. Teach them the importance of finding joy in their everyday life. My parents did precisely that I am incredibly grateful for that.

6. Please tell us about your vision to teaching kids about the world.

We have a 3-fold mission with our work:

Help raise multicultural kids irrespective of their ethnicity and background. This extends to adults as well!
Help kids connect to their roots.
Help kids of color to see themselves in literature and media.

This is exactly what has driven us to teach a unique combination of dance and culture classes to 200 kids every year; to write children’s books exploring festivals, places and cultural concepts of India; and finally to create a free learning resource via our YouTube channel.

8. What are your three top advice to parents?

Read, read, read to your kids! It is such a wonderful way to open up their minds.
Teach your kids that there are many ways to live in this world – try new foods, explore a different festival, do something that helps them experience the diversity in this world.
Constantly reinforce the message of standing up to discrimination, intolerance and bias because of who they are. Proactively help them gain pride of their origin, their orientation, and anything else that the society boxes them in.

9. How does one raise multicultural kids today in an ever evolving world?

I believe it is actually getting easier. With technology bringing the world closer together, we now have more opportunities to learn about each other. Even in places where there is an environment of intolerance, I see parents and educators working ever harder to ensure that the kids grow up with an outlook of acceptance.

10. Do you have anything exciting for our readers?

We produced 8 books in 2 years so there is always something exciting 😊 Our latest book is about Delhi and Taj Mahal and it recently hit the Amazon bookshelves. But we are equally excited about our videos. We add one new video a week and there is so much more coming in the way of learning about Indian languages, festivals, food, clothes etc. We request parents and educators to help us spread the word about this free resource and to join us in our mission: CultureGroove.com/YouTube.

Let’s Raise Multicultural Kids!

Click here to join parents raising multicultural children on Facebook !

Click here to buy Ajanta’s Latest BestSelling Diwali Book right NOW! Makes a great Diwali gift.

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Celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival with Kids

How Did the Dragon Boat Festival Originate?

The Tale of Qu Yuan

There are slight variations for the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival, but all tell more or less the same tale of Qu Yuan, one of China’s earliest poets.

Most legends agree that Qu Yuan (pronounced Chew Yewen) was a minister in one of China’s ancient kingdoms. Qu Yuan was lauded as a very intelligent and fair man, but his fellow ministers disapproved of his policies. They convinced the king to banish Qu Yuan from the kingdom. In exile for many decades, Qu Yuan wrote numerous poems about his love for his country (Stepanchuk and Wong; Simonds, Swartz, and the Children’s Museum, Boston).

One day, Qu Yuan heard that his beloved kingdom’s capital city had been destroyed in war (another version says that he one day realized that both escaping and returning to his kingdom were impossible while looking at his home from a dragon boat). Greatly saddened, Qu Yuan composed a famous poem called the Lament on Encountering sorrow while walking along a river, and disappeared (some accounts list Qu Yuan as choosing to end his life by drowning) (Stepanchuk and Wong; Simonds, Swartz, and the Children’s Museum, Boston).

This is where the narrative diverges more significantly. One legend says that villagers where Qu Yuan was banished got into boats and looked for Qu Yuan in the river, with no success. They then threw rice into the river so that fish would eat the rice and leave Qu Yuan in peace.

Another account says that the villagers threw rice into the river for Qu Yuan’s soul to enjoy.

Yet another account says that one day, there was a fisherman who threw rice into the river to catch some fish (or for River God, depending on who is telling the story). The fisherman didn’t catch any fish but did hear someone call out that it was hungry. The same thing happened for two days again. On the third day, the spirit of Qu Yuan appeared to the fisherman, telling him that the dragon who dwelt in the river was eating all of the rice. Qu Yuan asked that the fisherman send him rice wrapped in bamboo leaves and wrapped in black, green, red, yellow, and white strings (in order to scare away the dragon). After obeying Qu Yuan’s orders, the fisherman always caught nets and nets of fish (Simonds, Swartz, and the Children’s Museum, Boston; Stepanchuk).

Make Zongzi

Arguably the most iconic aspect of the Dragon Boat Festival (after the dragon boats, of course) is zongzi, a type of snack involving rice, bamboo leaves, and various fillings. The specific shape and filling for zongzi vary from region to region, but you’re most likely to see zongzi that are shaped like pyramids.

Zongzi can be filled with sweet bean paste, peanuts, meats, shrimp, mushrooms or any other number of delectable fillings. This center is enclosed by a healthy portion of glutinous rice, which is in turn wrapped in bamboo leaves and tied with twine (some people recommend colored twine, but I’ve seen many people use white butcher twine).

There are practically as many styles of zongzi as there are villages in China, so I would recommend checking out a few different zongzi recipes online to see which one sounds the most appetizing for you! As for my personal favorite, I’m rather partial to zongzi stuffed with red bean paste and sprinkled with sugar – so delicious!

Balance Eggs

According to folklore, those who can balance an egg at noon on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival will have good luck for the rest of the year.

It is believed that since this is the summer solstice (according to the Chinese lunar calendar), the egg may be able to stand upright due to special solar power. As a fun cultural and scientific activity, why not trying balancing an egg to see who will have good luck this year.

You can celebrate Dragon Boat Festival by doing these activities.

Dragon Boat Races

There are several possible origins for the dragon boat races.

It believed that dragon boat races were held to commemorate the search for Qu Yuan, who drowned in the river. They may also have been held to honor the Dragon God, who was in charge of rivers and rainfall, so as to ensure a bountiful harvest of rice.

Yet another possible origin is that the ceremony was used to mimic answers visiting and helping the rice harvest.

Boat rowers and dragon boat were believed to represent deceased ancestors and the mighty water dragon, respectively. The rowers would row in the direction of the rice fields where the rice had recently been transplanted. These transplanted rice seedlings were placed in flooded fields, with the “drowned” rice seen as being in a similar state to those who had died by drowning, so its spirit would be summoned by the symbolic ancestors (the rowers). The dragon boat racing also represented one group trying to make sure that the ancestors of another group didn’t negatively impact the rice harvest.

Ancestors would then take away misfortune to the land of the dead, and people would offer food for their journey home.

While most of us don’t have the training or physique to participate in full scale races, you may want to see if you areas is having races or try making your own dragon boats using any number of the templates online.

Celebrating Dragon Boat Festival With Kids

Some common traditions which would make great education crafts include:

Making a Five Colored Bracelet or Ribbon

It was once common practice for families to gift ribbons or bracelets made of five colored- thread or silk . But they weren’t any five colors; the colors were representative of the Five Elements, which represented the cycle of creation and were thought to keep bad spirits and luck at bay. The colors were black for water, blue for wood, red for fire, yellow for earth, white for metal. Not only were zonzgi originally tied with threads of these colors, but also hair ribbons. For extra helping avoiding bad luck, why not wear clothing using these colors only?

Create a Bag of Fragrant Herbs For Good Luck

It was common tradition for people to wear small pockets of herbs and spices to keep away misfortune. It is believe that these sachets could also ward of sickness and keep ying and yang in balance. Some people would also hang herbs from their houses. Common herbs include garlic, mugwort, and sweet flag, with sweet flag and mugwort being popular because they look like swords and tigers, respectively

Decorate Your House with Protective Animals

The common name for these five animals is a bit of a misnomer. The “Five Poisons” include snakes, centipedes, scorpions, lizards, and toads and sometimes the spider. They were decorated on almost any surface imaginable, from clothing to desserts and more. It was believed that by decorating items (or oneself) with these animals, one could avoid bites from these dangerous animals or even use their combined power to combat other poisons that one may encounter.

Make Clackers

Clackers (similar to castanets) were used to add emphasis when singing songs or telling stories, make a simple pair of castanets (Simonds, Swartz, and the Children’s Museum, Boston).

How will you and your little ones celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival?

Works Cited

Swartz, Leslie, and The Children’s Museum, Boston. “The Dragon Boat Festival: The Fifth Day of the Fifth Moon.” Moonbeams, Dumplings, & Dragon Boats. By Nina Simonds. N.p.: Gulliver, 2002. 46-57. Print.

Stephanchuk, Carol. “Dragon Boat Festival.” Red Eggs & Dragon Boat: Celebrating Chinese Festivals. N.p.: Pacific View, 1994. 34-40. Print.

Wong, Charles. “The Dragon Boat Festival (5th Day, 5th Moon) Duanwu Jie.” Mooncakes and Hungry Ghosts. By Carol Stepanchuk. N.p.: China & Periodicals, 1992. 40-50. Print.

Taylor Barbieri is the founder of Little Linguini, a website that offers private one-on-one language coaching in Chinese to children ages 5 to 17 and their families. After discovering her love for languages in high school (and studying more languages than she can remember!) Taylor made it her mission to share this passion with others. In late 2017, Little Linguini will begin debuting courses about China’s culture and history as well.

5 Reasons Why Your Child Should Begin Gardening Now

Gardening is a habit that is typically associated with the elderly. We all know a grandmother or a grandfather who spends their time digging up weeds in their plot of land in the backyard, and making it bloom with wonderful colors.

We know that it is relaxing for them, and we know that it makes them happy. But did you know that gardening can also be practiced by children? In fact, it is recommended that you let your kids learn how to garden. Why? Here is how gardening benefits kids, and here are five reasons why your child should garden.

Appreciation for Greens and Vegetables

It is no secret that children will prefer never to eat fruits and vegetables if they can help it, and this is a pressing problem for many households all over the world.

While changing this tendency may not happen overnight, it can happen when you allow your children to learn about what it takes to plant and grow their own greens. Many parents of children who garden have found that kids will eat more fruits and vegetables when they have personally grown it themselves.

Adoption of a Lasting Life Skill

Gardening is not just about putting something in soil and waiting for it to bloom. It is a veritable lesson in hard work, patience, and caring – and these are things that any child should learn, at an early age.

Kids who garden can grow up to be mature, level-headed adults who understand the value of hard work, and who will always make sure that they do what they can to make good things happen. When you teach your child to garden, you set him or her up for a life of beautiful things.

Better Appreciation of Food and Less Wastefulness

Many children are wasteful, when it comes to food. They think of nothing about not finishing their meals and throwing away the scraps. If your child has this habit, you can help weed it out of him or her by letting him or learn explore how the food that they eat grows.

Parents of children who garden have noticed that when their child learned to garden, they were less likely to waste food, and they grew to appreciate it better, even those that they did not plant and grow.

A Life Free From the Influence of Gadgets

It is normal for children in this day and age to want to spend a portion of their day in front of a television, mobile, or computer screen, but it becomes a problem when children spend too much time in front of the screen. Gardening helps remind your child that there is a whole other world beyond the contents of their television sets and computers, and this is a lesson that you will want them to know, from the get-go.

This can help prevent future problems and even make sure that your child learns to navigate the world around him or her better than most of his or her peers would.

Bonding Time with the Family

Finally, letting your children learn to garden can be the new family bonding that you need. There is something very special about the collective work that you do, and you can learn to appreciate each other better through this shared pastime. Your children will also look forward to staying at home when they know that they can take part in an activity that they will enjoy, with the people that they love.

Getting Started with Gardening for Children

If you’re ready to take your kids out to see the joys of gardening, there are a couple of things to remember. Here are some of the most important of them.

Provide proper guidance and support. If you yourself garden, you can personally give hands-on training to your kids so that they learn about gardening, straight from you. If you don’t, you can opt to hire somebody to teach them, or you can make use of many resources so that you can guide them through the first few days.

However you choose to do it, just make sure that you are there to offer support. Be mindful of their questions and concerns, and get them the guidance that they need. Pretty soon, they will be able to stand on their own, and then you will have planted something that will grow into something magnificent in the future.

Provide proper incentives. It is also recommended that you make gardening as appealing as possible to your children. For instance, you can promise to prepare a delicious snack after their time in the garden. Similarly, you can build them a veritable paradise that is dedicated to fairy gardening in Australia or in other areas or in other areas, through decorative gardening accessories.

Encourage the habit. Finally, let your children know that they can turn to you for help and support, when and if they need it. Grow with them as they grow, enjoy with them as they enjoy, and be there to applaud every milestone that they achieve.

Shawn T. Thompson is a well-known blogger who has a wide variety of interests and specializes in doing in-depth research of garden. He is a Writer, Editor & Blogger. Love to gardening. He is currently a blogger for Earth Fairy in a genuine effort to provide the best quality content to her readers.

How to Choose The Right Public School for Your Child

When choosing the right public school, parents need to make sure that the public school they are selecting for their kid should not be just bound to academics only. The school should lay importance towards extra-curricular activities as well. Becoming a parent is the happiest feeling you can have while choosing the right school for your kids is no less than the Herculean task.

Deciding the right public school for your kids is the most important decision parents needs to take. Choosing a school means you are putting your kid on a lifelong path of learning thus the selected path should be chosen wisely. These days, as students are running after marks, it has become really very important to give equal attention to other creative activities as that of academics. These days, students are running in the rat race to get the highest marks lacking in creativity and social skills.

Here is a list of things which you need to look while choosing the right public school for your children.

Faculty matters

The relationship between teachers and students is more important than that of any curriculum. Usually, parents trust blindly over the school as they think that their children will get continued attention and constant guidance from their teachers. Unfortunately, this is not the case in each and every school. In many schools, the hired faculty is not even educated enough to guide lessons to your kid as well as some of the teachers does not even bother whether the kids are gaining knowledge from a particular subject or not? Thus considering this scenario, you should always choose a public school where there is a good relationship between students and teachers, where the teachers are highly educated and excel in their own subject.

Healthy environment

Various studies had proved that a stressful environment can lead to a decline in learning and understanding capabilities of the kids. Now, it is the responsibility of parents to choose a school with the healthy environment. If a school stuck at a noisy and overcrowded location then you should ignore such kind of school and institution.

You need to look at both the internal and external environment of a school. You can go with private or public school review for a particular name. The disciplined and the sincere students in a school will make your kid follow the same pattern. However also make share to know about the techniques they use to discipline kids. As a parent it’s your responsibility to see that whether the school is providing education and other skills in a healthy and stress-free manner or not. Students spend major amount of their time in a day at school, hence the place should be efficient, stress free and productive. Now you can see, you need to look for a school with a good environment internally as well as externally.

Visit before choosing

When you find a school which fits your child’s needs than before finalizing it, you should visit at least once. Visiting before choosing allows you to get to know about the things which you will not find on the internet, by references or at anywhere else. Visit classrooms, meet faculty, staff, check the classrooms, playgrounds, etc.

Observe the relationship between students and teachers, observe the behavior of teachers with students, observe discipline and sincerity of students, observe the overall learning environment and talk to teachers and faculty members. After observing all the things, make a decision whether the school is worth selecting or not. In current scenario getting a good education for the kid is not only important but also necessary.

Modern tools and techniques

The days had gone when parents need to visit the school to get to know about your child’s status of learning and the academic detail of your child. In the modern era of technology, parents can get to know all about their kid while just sitting at home. Technology has grown by ten folds since the older time.

Look whether the school is trying to match up the pace of the modern technology or not. You should choose a school which has interactive websites and applications thus there will be better communication between teachers, students, and parents. There should be digital material uploaded on school websites and application thus students can access this study material when they want. Choose a school which encourages modernity and which gives access to modern tools and technologies.

Extra-curricular activities

This is one of the most crucial things which you have to look while deciding a right school for your children. As you know that various researchers have shown the contribution of the extracurricular activities in developing the overall creative and social skills into a kid. Extracurricular activities add an extra edge in your child’s capability of learning and in intellectual skills. It grooms their personality in physical as well as mental level.

You should understand the fact that extra-curricular activities have emerged as more productive field for your kids thus you should choose a school with not only good academic records but as well as which offers extra-curricular activities in their curriculum. Students are important so as the overall development of the child. Hence choose the school which offers both.

Trust your Gut/ Instinct feeling:

At last, if your instinct says that there is something wrong with the school then follow your gut feeling. Choosing a school will affect your kid’s life and career thus you should be 100 percent sure before taking a decision of the school. Instinct/ Gut Feeling/ Sixth Sense is something which comes because of observation skills. Hence it is more reliable.

In another case, you might get a good feeling from a school, teachers, and faculty, if your instinct says that it is the right school public school for your kid which makes a difference in your kid’s learning capabilities then you can take the decision of choosing the same school. Your instinct will never lie you, follow your gut feeling, you will get the best public school for your kid.

When it comes to taking the major decision of choosing the right career path for your child always refer to credible sources that give the most genuine and unbiased information on various educational institutions. You can refer to some online sources in a search of the best career path of your child but make sure they carry a good reputation. Look for public and private school review that are easily available and make the decision accordingly.

Why I Turned To Home Remedies for My Newborn

Deciding To Not Listen To The Village

It takes a village to raise a child. It is a belief still followed a little too strongly in India. Even before the little one is born, a mother’s mother, mother-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, aunts will have numerous suggestions about various home remedies to take care the baby.

My situation was no different, from the moment we shared the happy news with the family, I was instructed on what to eat, what to avoid, how to sit, how to sleep etc. Overwhelmed,I firmly decided that when my baby comes, the only person I am going to listen to is the pediatricians. After all, things have changed since my “mothers” had their children and I don’t want to follow any DIY remedies!

So there I was all set to welcome my little bundle of joy, armed with knowledge I gathered from the internet. I was all geared up and thought I could handle anything. The D-day finally arrived and soon I was holding my little angel.

There were a few hiccups in the beginning w.r.t. feeding and I realized that I had to supplement with infant formula from the start. I was a little disappointed but tried not to dwell on that.

My Pride Takes a Fall into Home Remedies

I am sure all moms here know that baby’s poop and gastric troubles one of our strange obsessions. My daughter faced multiple issues on that front. She would get terrible gas, so much so that she would huddle up and claw at her face in pain.

It hurt my heart to see her that way and I felt helpless. My Mother in law told me to give her a tea brewed with Dill seeds, Fennel seeds & Jaggery (for taste). I scoffed at the idea stating that the doctor has strictly told me not to give the baby anything apart from milk till she is at least 4 months old. She kept on insisting and I kept on ignoring her.

Then, at one of the visits to our doctor, we were given colic aid drops. I was happy to have some “official medication” to aid us. When I read the ingredients of the medication, lo and behold! What was it composed of?

Fennel seed oil and Dill seed oil!

So I decided to swallow my pride and make the tea. If we are giving the same stuff might as well go all natural right? Because of the Jaggery, my daughter lapped it up in no time and it worked like a charm! I could see a visible difference in my daughter in 2 days. I didn’t have to hold her up for too long to get her to burp and she no longer used her face as a scratching post.

[bctt tweet=”I realized home remedies have their own place #parenting #india” username=”contactrwc”]

The Second Lesson

My second challenge came with her bowel movement. Since she was on formula since day 1, it took her body some time to get used to the heavy food. This resulted in constipation. She would go for days without passing stools and when she would, it was a chore for her.

And what do you know, my grandmother had a remedy ready for this too !

She told me about an Ayurvedic wonder called “Bal Ghutti”. Ghutti is a paste made by rubbing some herbs such as Dry Dates, Almonds, Liqourice, Dry Ginger, Winter Cherry etc. on a stone slab. This paste can be made with either water or milk and is given to the baby to swallow. The quantity is very small to start with and is increased every month.

This wondrous thing can be given to babies for various basic ailments like constipation, indigestion, cough, fever, allergies. The ingredients differ for each problem of course. My grandmother brought a packet of all these herbs for me, along with handbook to understand how to administer the Ghutti for each issue. And of course as you can guess, my baby has had a very happy stomach since then knock on wood.

Raising World Children Home Remedies — My Support System, My Village

Lesson Learnt

The incidences above not only humbled me, they also taught me the value of experience. Yes, it’s been a long time since my “mothers” have looked after kids, but they have grown up in joint families and have had a huge repertoire of wisdom passed onto them from their own elders. Besides their own experiences. They may not always know the logic or the science behind how something works, but they do know what is to be done!

That being said, it doesn’t mean that I will stop following the modern medicine, but now I don’t dismiss DIY suggestions either. Yes, they are going to overwhelm me with suggestions which still gets annoying. But I am also aware that they have nothing but love and concern for my baby in their hearts.

So yes, I will still ask my Doc’s opinion. I will still scour the Internet. But I will also ensure that when it comes to making a decision, the voice of my village is also heard! What are some home remedies that worked for you?

Shuchita Kumar is a new mom. She is trying to learn the ropes of motherhood with the help of knowledge passed on by the elders combined with modern thinking. Currently, residing in Bangalore, India. She spent her early childhood years in the heart of India that is Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. She then lived in Goa (heaven!) and Pune. A software engineer by profession, she loves dancing, bird watching and just spending time with her husband visiting various jungles. She also enjoys pampering her friends and families with delicious food and pastries!

One Plate at a Time – Incorporating Multicultural Food

My Heritage

Throughout all cultures, love of good food is one of those threads that ties us all together. I grew up in the South, surrounded by amazing Southern cooks. Sunday dinners at my grandparents’ house were a ritual, filled with family and laughter and no shortage of biscuits, fried chicken and fresh veggies from the garden. We lived for those dinners! It was a way to fill our stomachs and our souls.

In addition to being a Southern girl, I also have a strong Mexican heritage. My biological grandfather was from Mexico, and although he died when my mother was very young, we remained in close contact with our other relatives.

When my Tia Lupita and Tio Julio would come visit, they would bring an entire suitcase full of food they made for the family. Tamales, salsa, churros- all delicious and comforting and soulful. My husband was an Army brat and his family moved all over the place when he was a child.

His favorite childhood memories are from the years they lived in Germany. The pretzels, the bratwurst, the chocolates…he speaks of them with a dreamy look in his eyes. Since his parents traveled so much, they cooked food from all around the world. Everything from Thai food to Southwestern American cuisines were staples for the family.

[bctt tweet=”Everything from Thai food to Southwestern American cuisines were staples for the family. Multicultural Food is amazing.” username=”contactrwc”]

Incorporating My Heritage into Kids’ Meals

Since we both love to cook at home and dine out in equal measure, our children have been exposed to varied cuisines since birth. They have been helping us make homemade pizza, baking lemon ricotta cookies and rolling out pretzel dough since they were able to stand on a stool in the kitchen.

We have also taken them out to good restaurants since they were infants with the idea of teaching them not only how to behave in those restaurants, but how to each different types of food.

We love to explore Richmond’s food scene and our children stopped ordering from the kid’s menu long ago. My 9 year old daughter is the most adventurous of the two. Among her favorites are sushi and steamed mussels. She has eaten and loved sardines, kalamata olives, escargot and fried rockfish collar. She loves to try new foods and has taken a couple of International Cooking classes to learn about dishes from around the world.

My son is the more cautious of the two. While he doesn’t like stereotypical kid food like mac & cheese, french fries or peanut butter, he is very selective with trying new foods. He has a great pallet and loves things like calamari, salami and manchego cheese- but it would be nice if he would branch out a little bit more in the veggie department.

Regardless, we keep taking them to new restaurants and exposing them to new foods. He has recently added fried oysters as well as cheesecake to his approved food items, so the exposure must be working. While we have hit many stumbling blocks along the way, and sometimes our children just refuse to try something that seems weird to them, overall our hopes of expanding their food horizons has been successful.

We are about to travel to Spain with them for the first time and they are both excited to experience a new culture and new food on this journey. I know my son will be in heaven with all of the amazing meats and cheeses and my daughter will love all of the fresh seafood.

We all want to eat what the locals eat and learn what they have to teach us. Our family knows that food tells a story: where it is from, who grew it, what it means to a culture. I can’t imagine a better way to learn.

Chastity Hise is the mother of two, happily married to the man of her dreams. She is one of the owners of Smoke and Mirrors Salon and has been a stylist for 11 years. She has her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Clinical Psychology and was a psychologist for two years. Along the way she also became a certified Birth Doula and is passionate about birth issues. Her hobbies include cooking, baking, reading and running. She is a new contributor to the Richmond Mom’s Blog and will have her first writing piece published in an anthology called Life in 10 Minutes this Spring. Chastity loves traveling and new shades of nail polish and lipstick. You can follow her blog Domestic as Hell on Blogspot, her foodie Instagram @donttalkwithyourmouthfull and her hairstyling work @chashisehair and @smokeandmirrorsrva

Unstructured Play : Let Kids Unwind Organically

School until 3:00pm. Soccer at 3:30 pm. Dance at 6:30 pm. Quick dinner and homework until 9:30 pm. Bedtime. Repeat. Over and over again. Check with almost any parent today, and they can recite a litany of their child’s structured activities, all designed to enrich the childhood experience. And it does. But there’s something else to consider. Time to play. Not just any play.

Unstructured-use-your-imagination-play.

Being a kid is now hard work, with long hours put in everyday.

Come with me for a moment, and take a look at something I don’t see as much as I once did. Kids playing outside. Not in the community soccer club. Not at a t-ball game. Not at a swim meet. Just playing outside, on the sidewalk, with other neighborhood children.

Small communities where everyone knows everyone have an advantage here. It’s highly likely if your child is doing something amazing, one of the neighborhood parents will be there to cheer her on. It’s also likely if your child is about to try something dangerous, that same parent is probably there to add a word of caution.

Unstructured play has a name now, but it used to be an everyday occurrence.

[bctt tweet=”Being a kid is now hard work, with long hours put in everyday. Allow them to unwind organically.” username=”contactrwc”]

Letting Go is Hard But Important

Raise your hand if you remember your mom telling you to “just go out and play.” It wasn’t something anyone planned, or managed. It just was. And it still can be.

As parents, our job is to provide a safe, welcoming space.

The hard part is stepping back and allowing the kids to entertain themselves, to be bored sometimes, to use their imaginations to create something we never would consider.

Although my son had plenty of traditional toys when he was younger, his toy of choice was an old boat rope. Long enough to throw up over a tree branch, he could hold both ends and swing over imaginary dangers. Arranged on the driveway, he could create a course for his bike. With two friends, they could limbo underneath it. They could tie it to a bucket and pull snacks up to the tree house.

The possibilities were endless.

The local town park is a happening place. At first glance, there appear to be two brightly colored plastic and metal swinging, climbing, hiding structures. Not so, if you’re of a certain age. One is a castle, defending against a pirate ship. All hands are on deck. A princess calls from the castle ramparts, requesting help to save her home.

Perspective is an essential part of unstructured play.

Buckets of sidewalk chalk sit by many of the front doors in a small town. At one house, the neighbors have used chalk to craft a “welcome home” mural. There’s a hopscotch board drawn in the street. All the basketball hoops face out, next to driveways, inviting any and all to play.

Ears perk up when someone yells, “Car!” Everyone scatters to the curb and waves the car through, greeting the driver and smiling before the play resumes.

Unstructured play, by its definition, doesn’t have a to-do list. It’s a time to unplug, allow the mind to wander and think, “what if…” and then try it. If you can provide an environment and stop yourself from providing suggestions, you’ll be on the right track. If you can make it through the sighs and grumblings of “there’s nothing to do,” you’re golden.

And then, the magic begins. Go out and see for yourself. Send your kids out to play.

Deborah Fingerlow is a writer, traveler and explorer seeking adventures both large and small. Parent to one daughter in college and one teenage son in cyber-school. Food allergies play a significant role in day to day life decisions, as does the support network of a small town in south central Pennsylvania. Neighbors are known by their first names and a walking district encourages community engagement. Business to business communications and the development of authentic connections are Deborah Fingerlow’s superpowers. You can find her at the local farmer’s market, therapy dogs in tow, camera in hand. You can find her on twitter @debfingerlow and on facebook @connect.converse.write

A Glimpse of Reykjavik, Iceland

Back in February 2016 I followed my heart and relocated to Reykjavik to join my Viking. A new city, a new adventure, so I decided to keep a video diary, recording and uploading a new vlog to my Youtube channel each week. In the last year I have made Reykjavik my home and consider myself very lucky to be surrounded by such dramatic and picturesque landscapes. So today I share a little of this city with you in my highlights and recommendations.

Walking Tour

There are a few free walking tours in Reykjavik you can do, or you can just go off and do your own. Start at The Sun Voyager and walk along the coast to Harpa, then head towards the Parliament and its public square. If you’re hungry, why not try the local hot dog stand, Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur for a yummy hot dog, maybe a bowl of lobster soup at Sægreifinn or one of the trendy spots such as The Laundromat Cafe. Continue walking towards the pond lined with cute Icelandic houses, the very Scandinavian church Fríkirkjan í Reykjavík and the modern City Hall.

From here, cross Fríkirkjuvegur and walk up the side street (taking in the street art) until you arrive at the magnificent Hallgrímskirkja church, inspired by flowing lava. You can buy a ticket to gain access to the top of the spire for a view across the city or drive up to the city’s water towers at Perlan for a free view. Walking around, you might spot some small statues and toy soldiers on top of street signs, so keep an eye out for them. Finally walk down the main street of Skólavörðustígur which joins the main shopping street of Laugavegur before you get back to Harpa.

Botanical Gardens

The botanical gardens are a wonderful space near where we live. If the weather allows, you can spend a morning wandering the paths and heading towards the allotment where you’ll find a fantastic cafe where you can sip a coffee and nibble on a homemade treat in the beautiful greenhouse. You can also head to the nearby swimming pool at Laugardalslaug and experience the different hot pools here, including a salt water pool which has heated sea water.

Grótta lighthouse and hot pool

Ever fancied a stroll along a black sand beach? Ice cream in hand and feet in a natural hot tub – or all bundled up with the reward of a hot chocolate after?! Head to Grótta, an easy 10 minute drive along the coast from Reykjaviks Harbour and take in the view across to Esjan. If it’s sunny, why not grab an ice cream from Valdis in Grandi on your way there.

Viðey Island

A short ferry ride from Reykjavik harbour is the island of Viðey (summer ferries leave daily from Skarfabakki, Harpa, and Aegisgardur pier and in winter ferry from Skarfabakki weekends only). The island was where the ‘father of Reykjavík’ Skuli Magnusson constructed his home and a church in the 12th Century and has archaeological remains from the early 10th Century. On this island is the ‘Imagine Peace’ tower, a beam of light which shines high into the nights sky from a wishing well bearing the words “imagine peace” in 24 languages. Designed by Yoko Ono, widow of John Lennon, it is lit annually between his birthday and his death: 9th Oct – 8th Dec.

Iceland has a little piece of my heart and in return she has given me dark, magical and snowy winters filled with breathtaking Northern Lights, and long, light summers with plenty of hours to explore. And we can’t forget about my Viking and our own Saga as we prepare to marry this summer.

Sonia Nicolson is a British chartered Architect and Senior Academic who runs the website layoutlines.com supporting, educating and inspiring students, young designs and creative entrepreneurs. Relocating to Reykjavik in Iceland last February, Sonia joined her Icelandic fiancé and shares weekly ‘Living in Iceland’ vlogs on her YouTube channel. You can follow her on Twitter @layoutlines

Haley’s Friendship Challenge: Interview with Author Louie Lawent

Topaz Publishing has just released a new children’s book. “Haley’s Friendship Challenge” is a beautifully illustrated story about a girl who moves to a new town. Unfortunately, she isn’t fitting in and she misses her old friends. For her birthday, Haley receives a much-coveted surprise that she shares with no one. However, her feelings change when she feels empathy for a neighborhood dog that has also lost her pals. After weeks of loneliness, Haley realizes that things are not getting better for either of them; it’s time to make new friends.

Interestingly, a few weeks ago before I found out about this book, I had contacted Dr. Marcie to ask her questions about how to help me six-year-old boy make friends. You can find that interview here

Coming back to the book, I had the opportunity to interview the author of this book, Louie Lawent which I wanted to share with you below.

Tell us more about why you picked this subject? Was it a real-life influence?

Ideas frequently pop into my head as I take long walks. I talk to myself when walking because the walk would be too boring if I didn’t. I get ideas from songs, films, observations and talking to myself because thoughts lead to other thoughts. When I was in elementary school I made friends easily. One night my parents had a party. One of my classmate’s mom thanked me in a private conversation for inviting her son to my birthday party. He was very shy and I don’t think he had many friends so this showed me the importance of inclusion. How a simple thing like being invited to a party can mean so much.

What was the hardest part about writing this book?

I say this in a dark humor way, but getting it published was the hardest. Now, that’s not answering the question but writing the story was a smooth flow.

What kind of research did you do while writing this book?

The challenge of the new kid in town making new friends is easily understood by just being a person who observes so I didn’t need to do research for this particular book. I used my imagination by injecting a neighborhood dog into the story so the girl in the story who has been reluctant to make friends can see how a dog she adores reacts when the dog also has lost friends. Will the dog and Haley make new friends? That’s what the reader will find out.

What influenced you to become a children’s book author?

I wanted to write children’s stories ever since a friend and I wrote funny stories in 3rd grade. In 4th grade I created a story about “Gerty the Pig” which years later became an illustrated children’s book which is in schools across the U.S. in the National Accelerated Readers Program. I would like it to become a series. I’ve written 5 more Gerty stories. They’re hilarious. I need a publisher for those.

What is most rewarding about for being an author?

The most rewarding moments are when children tell me how much they like it.

What are your top 3 favorite books of all times? What are your top 3 favorite children’s books of all times?

My favorites are 1. Case Closed by Gerald Posner

2. How To Read The Bible by James Kugel. 3. Abuse of Power: The New Nixon Tapes by Stanley Kutler

When I was in elementary school I enjoyed reading books about Ben Franklin and Martin Luther King Jr. I also enjoyed the Nancy Drew Mysteries. I liked “Benny’s Flag” by Phyllis Krasilovsky so much that I printed out the whole book in long hand. A more recent favorite is “Henry The Blowfish” bu Howard Morlan.

Do you have any words of wisdom for young parents of the children of the world?

Let your children follow their passions. A person will never be fulfilled if they settle.

Please tell us more about some of your upcoming projects.

I am also a lyricist so I’ll keep writing and be collaborating with composers. But right now my prime objective is trying to make “Haley’s Friendship Challenge” a success. Hopefully, your readers will order a copy, enjoy it with the young people in their lives and let others know so they will want it to be in their homes too!

About the Author of Haley’s Friendship Challenge

Louie Lawent is the author of the children’s picture book “Gerty the Pig” which is in school systems across the U.S. The book is in the National Accelerated Readers program. His co-written song “Strangely Beautiful” was featured in the TV show “Famous In Love” and my co-write “Angels Of The New Millennium” was licensed to the TV show “Full Circle.” Ten of his co-writers were on Steve Goodie’s kid’s album “Refrigerator Art” CD. His co-write “One More Father’s Son” which is about a homeless veteran is on Grammy winner DL Byron’s “Satori” CD. “Slippery Forces” is on Boz Boorer’s CD “Some Of The Parts.” There’s a really cool video of “Slippery Forces” on youtube. He has numerous other song co-writes. He is an excellent ping-pong player and love to play beach volleyball. He is also a big time fan of the Green Bay Packers.

Sneha J is a mom of two boys and a true multi-passionate at heart. She is a Certified Neuro-Transformational Results Coach, a Master Reiki Practitioner, Tarot Enthusiast and a Mom Blogger. She has a Masters Degree in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from North Carolina State University. She is also a Mindfulness Enthusiast. Being brought up in an Indian culture, spirituality and meditations were part of growing up. After working in a very masculine manufacturing environment for 10+ years, she decided to change paths and explore her true passion. She is deeply inspired to use public platforms to spread the message of conscious connections and less stress in the world. To learn more about her visit stresslesswithsnehaj.com

This post contains affiliate links. The views and opinions are of the author of the piece.

The Day My Son Realized We Are an Interracial Family

I am American and about as pale white at they come. My husband is from the Caribbean and also lived in South America and has the perfect year around tan. When my son was born, he came out a perfect mix of the two of us but with my skin color. Given that we are an interracial couple, I assumed my son would easily accept other people and cultures. I found out a few months ago that I was wrong to assume that. I honestly never thought that I would have to explain why daddy was different.

Strange Behavior

A few months ago, my son, Logan, started acting very strangely towards Shadrach (his daddy). Logan wanted nothing to do with Daddy. He would push him away, run away from him, or did not want to play with him. The strange behavior started all of the sudden.

One night as I was putting Logan to bed, I asked him why he did not want to be around daddy and was treating him so badly. He told me that he did not like the color of daddy’s skin because it was different from his and mine. His answer floored me and caught me completely off guard.

Immediately my heart hurt for Shadrach. I was not expecting an answer like this. I never stopped and thought about the fact that I needed to teach my child about the differences in people and how that makes them each unique, especially when it came to his family. I just assumed that because this was his daddy and it was all he had ever known, that he would just love and accept him.

How We Taught the Differences Between People

I finished putting Logan to bed that night, after his confession about not liking his daddy’s skin color. My heart was heavy and I just kind of sat there and wondered what to do next.

The first thing I did, the very next day, was to start talking to Logan about what was different and what was the same between people. For example, I would ask him what was different about me. I would point out that I am a girl and he is a boy. That makes us different. Then, I would point out that he and daddy are both boys, which gives them something in common.

This little game continued when we were out in public. Quietly I would ask Logan what was different about people and then ask him to tell me if he could find something in common with them. Quickly Logan caught on and started pointing out people that looked like Shadrach and would exclaim, a little too loudly, “That man has the same color skin as my daddy!”

I was so glad to realize that he understood each person is made different and unique. The thing I wanted him to understand was just because someone looks or acts differently; it does not mean that is a bad thing. Also, my goal is to help him understand that we can always find something in common with another person.

This whole situation with Logan has taught me that as parents we do need to take the time to sit down and teach our children that people are made in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and that is a good thing! Everyone has a unique feature about them that sets them apart, and that is something to be celebrated.

[bctt tweet=”Everyone has a unique feature about them that sets them apart, and that is something to be celebrated.” username=”contactrwc”]

Each person reacts differently when they realize people are not quite like them. Logan acted scared and mad about it because it was something he did not understand. Some children are just curious and stare. Others may ask many questions about it. There is no wrong way, but as parents, we can pick up on these cues and start teaching them that those things that stand out are what makes those people unique.

Imagine how different our world could be if we all took the time to teach our children about different nationalities and cultures. The fear of someone different would go away because that fear comes from the lack of knowledge. While I am not done teaching Logan about all of this, I know that he is starting to understand and I see him learning to love people just as they are.

Can I challenge you as parents? Let children ask questions about people but make sure to explain things. Use it as an opportunity to teach about other cultures. If you do not know about certain cultures, be honest when your child asks. Then take the time to sit down and learn about it together.

Raising “world children” does not mean you have to travel around the world.

To me it means you sit down as a family and learn about different cultures, right in your home. Thanks to the internet, Pinterest, libraries, and television, there are plenty of opportunities to learn and teach your children about all the different cultures that make up our world.

I am thankful that we are such a diverse little family and it has opened up the doors to talk about different cultures and teach how to love each and every person, no matter who they are or where they are from.

Laura Ramnath is the voice behind her Family and Lifestyle blog The Rambling Ramnaths. She has held positions in banking and worked for a children’s clothing designer, but currently, enjoys the crazy role of being wife to Shadrach and stay-at-home mom to their 4-year-old son Logan. He keeps life interesting as there is never a dull moment with him! Laura has a passion for life and enjoys family travels and adventures, hiking, going to the beach and binge watching Netflix. She is also a strong believer in CoffeeFirst!

Changing The Misnomer of Indian Feminism

A few years ago I was returning home with a friend from a party at 9:30 pm. I was wearing a simple black dress which went till my knees, high heels and carrying a blingy purse. My friend was getting late so she dropped me at an intersection about a km away from my place.

The distance was not much really, but things had started closing down for the night. I must have reached a few meters ahead when 3 men on a bike started following me. I panicked and crossed the road thinking that they will continue on their way. But they turned around and came the other way.

I frantically called my fiancé to come and pick me up. He asked me to go inside a supermarket which was thankfully open. I thank my lucky stars everyday that nothing untoward happened to me. Needless to say, I got a huge dressing down from my fiancé for being so irresponsible! In retrospect, I was wearing something that was completely out of place in an area which was surrounded by slums, which is certainly not a good idea.

Conservative Thinking

In India, conservative thinkers have many “rules” which define the behavior of a “good woman”. The most frustrating among them is blaming the girl for being eve teased or even raped because she’s wearing inappropriate clothes or standing the wrong way or luring men etc.

On top of this there are some fanatics who makes statements to the media like “It was bound to happen, women wear nudity fashion. They were wearing short dresses.” or “They tried to copy the Westerners, not only in their mindset but even in their dressing. So there was some disturbance, some girls are harassed, these kinds of things do happen.” Like it’s no big deal but needless, it is our fault! What they do not understand is that eve teasing happens no matter what we wear, salwar suits, sarees or western clothes.

This has led to a huge hue and cry about women protesting that they have a right to wear what they want in public and should not be shamed because of it. Young girls, the “feminist advocates”, in turn at times protest this thinking by wearing clothes inappropriate for the time and place, just to prove a point.

A Real Look at the Misnomer of Feminism

While I am a feminist myself, there is a very fine line here which is often missed by many. Yes, one should have the right to dress the way they want. Wearing western clothes doesn’t mean that you are a woman with loose morals trying to get a man’s attention. You are certainly not giving anyone the green signal to your body.

But there is also something called as appropriate dressing which is defined by the environment you are going to be in.

When I was in the night club I would have been considered conservatively yet elegantly dressed but on the lonely streets at 9.30 pm in the night I probably looked like an escort to those men on the bike in that location. Maybe, if i was even wearing a sweater or shawl I might have been overlooked, but on that night I was probably sticking out like a red beacon.

When the time comes for me to educate my daughter about these situations I will tell her is that you are allowed to wear whatever you want. I don’t care about the “aunties” who sit and judge the length of your dress but to always always be aware of the surroundings you are going to be in before deciding on your outfit.

Feminism has become the most fashionable word in the country today. Every time any issue pops up, out comes the “F” word. I believe that women are grossly misusing this word to get things they at times don’t deserve or something that is impractical. This is because most of these women don’t really understand what it means or stands for. [bctt tweet=”“Misguided feminism” is the root cause of confusion within women on how to respond to issues.” username=”contactrwc”]

Further Misconstrued in the Household

Another misconstruction of feminist ideals made is when it comes to doing the household chores. Women, like men have demanding careers these days and hence expect that the men of the house also contribute in the daily tasks at home.

This is quite reasonable. But in most Indian households, the mothers-in-law will judge their daughters-in-law for making their “Shona Beta” (Darling Son) do housework. The feeling is that their sons are being treated like a servant.

They do not understand that the poor girl deserves some time off too. This rigid thought process in turn causes the women to rebel. They take it to the other extreme by demanding that it is the men who should do everything around the house. They lounge around thereby throwing the concept of “equality” down the drain.

I want to teach my baby that equality comes when both the man and the woman change their perspective. They need to understand and respect the fact that they are both equally busy in their respective jobs. With mutual understanding they can share the house work respectfully. There should be no rigidity that a particular task belongs to a single person only.

So, What is Feminism ?

Fighting for equality when it comes to respect, voicing your opinion, demanding equal pay, is what feminism is about.

It is about making your own choices.
It is about understanding your inner strength.
It is about grace.
It is about acceptance that women are as capable as men are with actions.
It is also understanding that men and women cannot be equals in many ways.

Men and women and each individual has their own purpose and strength. If that is how God wanted everyone to be equal, he/she would have created a world full of only men or only women or vice versa. This is the lesson would like to teach my daughter and every young woman out there.

Do not be afraid of the misogynists that surround you. They are but a handful. The world is changing, and our country is changing too. There are male members of the society who proudly call themselves feminists (your father included).

Be a feminist, do not settle for anything less than what you deserve. Do not abuse this privilege and everything that comes with it. Being a woman is not a curse as many believe it to be, it is a blessing. Be proud of who you are and believe that you can achieve whatever you want to.

Shuchita Kumar is a new mom. She is trying to learn the ropes of motherhood with the help of knowledge passed on by the elders combined with modern thinking. Currently, residing in Bangalore, India. She spent her early childhood years in the heart of India that is Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. She then lived in Goa (heaven!) and Pune. A software engineer by profession, she loves dancing, bird watching and just spending time with her husband visiting various jungles. She also enjoys pampering her friends and families with delicious food and pastries

Transgenders in India – Deserve Respect So Long Denied

Transgenders! Around the world, the word itself still raises eyebrows. Various derogatory remarks even get passed about them. In recent times in India, at least, the acceptance towards them is slow but not enough.

For the past three decades, that I had witnessed, their inbuilt complex had stopped them from moving ahead in any direction. In India, their presence at the red light areas for begging or their dance during any family function (which is considered auspicious), just for the sake of money, is a common scenario. The fact that they traditionally have often harassed people to give them money has not lent to their credibility. One should wonder though why begging for money is their main resort to earn.

Only a few among them are seen at schools or any other institute of “repute” for getting education or any relevant information.

Sometimes, even their basic needs-using the loo or getting adequate education or even love, are not met. Many have faced violence and rejection from their families and religious communities. The litigation and people’s indifferent attitude has also lead to major social adjustment problems for them.

Why can’t we (the so called educated people) educate the transgenders along with other children, instead of making faces? Let them use the washrooms freely, instead of considering them with suspicion ?

It is ironical that their blessings / curse are considered superstitiously of great power but we dread to give them a standing in society.

We can certainly change that by passing on the lineage of respecting them to our children? We can provide job opportunities without any bias to the deserving candidate, instead of fearing about our reputation?

Yes, everything can be done. But when this ‘can’ will change into ‘should’, only time will tell.

The live example of the success of their community is Laxmi, a transgender who when provided with few opportunities and when she had overcome her own complex, had made heads turned wherever she entered.

She is a transgender rights activist, Hindi film actress, and a trained Bharatnatyam dancer in Mumbai, India. She is also the first transgender to represent Asia Pacific in UN in 2008.

[bctt tweet=”More transgenders need to take a stand like Laxmi and feel free to stand for their rights.” username=”contactrwc”]

A great example of – Where there is a will there is a way!

But for the other members of this community, this will needs to be generated and encouraged. It will definitely give a boost not only to their morale but also to the working potential of any country leading to more success and more respect. What do you think we could do to integrate transgenders into our society ?

Ruchika Rastogi, an Indian who was born and brought up in Delhi. She loves to explore the unexplored. A mother of two lovely kids, she works as a teacher and her passion for writing has helped her survive during her hard times. Her first non fiction book got published last year with the name-A Mystical Majesty-the woman. As a contributing author, her anthology with the title–Wait Till I Tell You got launched recently. With dreams in her eyes, she believes in living life optimistically.

The Story Behind Every Song – Cultural Influences to Music

Beethoven, my favorite composer went deaf before he composed some of his most famous piano and orchestral musical works. He was very poor, living in Vienna, but didn’t let his financial hardships or disability deter him from playing and composing music.

In my opinion, he was one of the first true composers to really understand the piano. Other composers before him helped bring the piano to the forefront as a true and important instrument, but the harpsichord was very famous still too. I believe that the culture he lived in was a major influence on his music.

Music Around the World

[bctt tweet=”Every composer creates music based on their experiences and culture” username=”contactrwc”]

Every composer creates music based on their experiences and culture. While playing piano for vocalists, they would sing in different languages. Depending on what language they were singing in would determine how I would interpret and play the piano accompaniment part.

When you hear music from around the world, it will all sound different. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why? People from other cultures are also unique individuals.

Even though I am from America, I could compose a song and my neighbor down the street could compose another song, but they would still end up sounding completely different.

Because we’re both from America, we may use a lot of the same sounds, rhythms, and instruments, but our own personal style will go into our music. Most of the time when you are from a different country, you can tell if music is from Jamaica, Africa, Mexico, India, or Italy just by hearing it. Your experiences and knowledge bring you to this understanding.

So many different cultures have shaped me as a music teacher.

My Musical Journey & Influences

My journey began in my first grade classroom one December day. Our class was called to the carpet to sit around the piano. It is not very often that a classroom teacher has an instrument in their classroom, so I thought this was pretty cool that our teacher played for us daily.

On this particular occasion, she played the song “Jolly Old St. Nicholas.” I ran home from school that day and couldn’t wait to sit at the old piano my dad had just gotten from our church. After picking at the notes for a little while, I finally figured out how to play the melody of that song we had just learned, all by myself. It felt fabulous!

I went on to take piano lessons and learned how many famous composers played piano and composed such amazing music and the rest as they say is destiny.

I enjoy teaching the African, American, and Spanish cultures the most. I love to teach and play the African drumshey are a great way to teach rhythm and steady beat. Student’s love learning how to play the different types of African drums (djembe, talking drum, and African drum) and the dances to go along with the drumming as a group.

When teaching a song from the Spanish culture, we learn the Spanish language first, then the dances that go along with the song like flamenco, and sometimes even add maracas.

When learning American music, my favorite type to teach is folk music. Students love learning how these songs have been passed down from generation to generation and are songs even their grandparents used to sing. There are so many folk dances where kids have a partner and can dance down the middle or in a circle while singing the song.

Teaching Music

When I taught piano and music in the classroom, teaching music from other cultures was so important to me. Not only would my student’s learn the music, but they would learn about what the people of that culture or country liked to eat, how they liked to celebrate, what their families were like, clothes they enjoyed wearing, and so much more.

We would immerse ourselves in the culture we were studying and when it came time to learn a story or song, the students were so into it. One of my favorite memories of teaching about music from other cultures was when I introduced my students to Native American music. They got to see and hear me play the Indian flute I had made in my music in diversity class in college.

The students understanding before that day, was that a flute was just a flute you would see in a modern day orchestra. They had no idea that a flute can look different in so many different cultures but still go by the same name.

I love to hear stories from my friends or other musician’s about their favorite music to study or listen to. There is so much amazing music out there and I love to continue learning more and more about what’s out there. There are chants, raps, gospel, country, pop, rock, jazz, blues, Classical, reggae, and so much more.

Every single style of music originates from somewhere and there is a story behind every single song written. Do you create music? What has country influences your music the most ?

Jessica Peresta is a mom to 3 little boys. Music has always been a passion loves teaching kids of all ages, inspiring them towards music. She has taught elementary music for 7 years as well as private piano lessons. Seeing many who did not have access to quality music education, she started The Domestic Musician site. Her goal is to teach music to as many children as possible, no matter where they live, what their demographic is, what culture they come from, or what disability they may be facing. Every child can and should learn music. You can follow her on Facebook @thedomesticmusican or Twitter @thedommusician

4 Major Influences of My Jamican Heritage

Growing up, I always called myself a Jamerican.

I was born in the states, but raised by Jamaican parents. All of my extended family is Jamaican as well. As an Air Force “brat,” I was surrounded by several other kids whose parents original origin of birth wasn’t the U.S. I grew up with a Jamerican experience while being raised in the south.

As an adult no longer surrounded by other military families, I have settled with my family south Georgia. Many people I encounter live close to family, and have for generations. This highlights the stark differences between my Jamerican upbringing and theirs. I notice it even more as I compare my parenting with other southern moms.

[bctt tweet=”I call myself Jamerican : the amalgamation of American and Jamaican culture infused within me. ” username=”contactrwc”]

Here are a few things I have noticed about my Jamaican parenting:

I Love Jamaican Food

There are no international markets near me, so when I want to eat Jamaican food or season my food with Jamaican spices, I have to ask my mother to purchase for me, get it from Atlanta, or my grandmother mails it to me from up north. Sometimes I just have a craving for authentic Jamaican food!

Once when my uncle came to visit from New Jersey, I cried because he ate the last bit of ackee and saltfish (national dish). I didn’t know when we would have a chance to eat it again, and I thought it was unfair because he ate it all the time in New Jersey.

I Am Resilient

There’s a joke that you are a lazy Jamaican if you only have 1 job. There have been many times in my life that I’ve worked 2 or 3 jobs at a time. I’ve learned how to work hard and persevere through tough times. Both of my parents grew up poor, but worked hard through those tough times. They have instilled that in me-the ability to be resilient and not give up when times get tough. Every generation has a hope of making things easier for the next, but I hope that my children will still learn the value of hard work and resilience.

Love of Music

Jamaicans love to sing…all..the..time!

My mother sent me to Jamaica a few times as a toddler, but the first time I remember was in July 2010. All the resort staff was singing, as well as people in the community. I felt such a connection to my roots! Now it made sense to me why I have always done that. My husband used to make fun of me, but now he has embraced that part of my culture-and our kids do too!

Desire To Keep Culture of Jamaica Alive

Growing up, I always remembered my parents being friends with other Jamaicans, or people from other islands. Eating Jamaican food & listening to reggae makes me feel at home wherever I am. I want to make sure that my girls take pride in our Jamaican family.

When my husband & I married, it was important to me that he had a love of my culture. I remember him playing Bob Marley on the way to a date & thinking, “This relationship is off to a good start!”

Acceptance of Diversity

Jamaica’s motto is Out of many one people. No matter the skin color, if you were born in Jamaica, you are a Jamaican. I have met many Jamaicans of different ethnicity, but the culture, the food and the music tie them all together. This is a bit tougher in the south because people are hyper focused on race. I hope that my children will be able to see past race and relate to people on other levels.

Diedre Anthony is a full time school counselor, mother and wife. In her blog Are Those Your Kids? , she focuses on her experiences of raising her biracial girls in an interracial marriage. Her posts are filled with helpful tips about raising children, diversity, curly hair as well as entertaining stories, and anecdotes. Several of her posts have been published by the Huffington Post. You can find her on twitter @rthoseyourkids and facebook @are those your kids.

6 Unexpectedly Positive Effects of Living with Food Allergies

Climbing up a hill behind a century old pueblo in New Mexico under an inky dark sky, I settled in a chair between my two children. We are silent, gazing at a darkness we’d never seen, punctuated by blazing points of light. I never dreamt a diagnosis of life-threatening food allergies for my son 12 years ago in Pennsylvania would have brought us here today.

Sometimes circumstance chooses you.

In the midst of closing on a new-old house in 2002, we were painting, racing back and forth between the two homes. With my husband at the new house, I went back to give my 10-month-old something to eat. I had grabbed a few jars of baby food at the market, thinking he might like the oatmeal & apple cereal as a treat. Strapped in his high chair, smiling and babbling away, he obediently opened his mouth when I made like an airplane and zoomed the cereal to his mouth.

After a few bites, he stopped his normal movements. His color turned gray. I lived half a mile from the hospital, so I grabbed him and the jar and raced into the emergency room. The nurse took one look and rushed him inside. After doses of adrenaline and a battery of tests and several hours, they handed my son back to me with epinephrine and directed me to see an allergist. I went home in a daze. My son had a life-threatening food allergy to egg. Further testing revealed allergies to wheat, peanuts, tree nuts and barley. He had the same reaction to all of them. He stopped breathing.

What do I do now?

There were no allergies in my family. There also weren’t the products you see lining the market shelves today. Even now, it’s rare to find something he can have. There aren’t many products that encompass all his food allergies. I didn’t know what to do.

His first birthday cake was a two-pound block of cheddar cheese with a single candle in it. Three months after the diagnosis and I was still floundering. My son’s allergist is one of my favorite people. He galvanized me into action with one simple sentence.

Choosing to do nothing is a choice as well.

We decided that while his life would not be the same as others, it would still be extraordinary. I learned everything I could about food allergies, cross-contamination, and to cook differently. And I decided to home educate my son.

Some folks turn to home education because their school system is inadequate. Some choose because their religious beliefs dictate another path. And some choose because it’s the best way to keep their children safe. We fell into the latter category.

After numerous close calls with cross contamination that wasn’t visible to the eye, we chose to embark on a journey I never envisioned. [bctt tweet=”Food allergies became the silver lining for my family, I had never expected.” username=”contactrwc”]

School is so much better the second time around.

Much to my surprise, I found that I loved home education. I loved sharing the discovery with my son. I loved being the one that sparked the “aha” moment. In the beginning we covered all the standards covered in traditional schools: he learned his numbers, the alphabet, how to read, how to add and subtract, how to spell.

We fell in love with books together.

Reading room was our favorite activity. I’d spend at least two hours a day reading aloud, small boy seated by my side. “One more chapter,” he’d plead. “We’re just getting to the good part.” Weekly trips to the library fed our voracious appetites. His comprehension and vocabulary soared. It was magical.

We loved the stories we read, but it wasn’t quite so interesting covering every other subject. It wasn’t tactile enough. We needed to get up close and personal.

School Became Discovering Cultures

We took our classroom on the road. After reading about Vikings and the settlement of North America, we headed north to Canada and Nova Scotia. We hiked Cape Breton Island, learned about Alexander Graham Bell at his museum in Baddeck, Nova Scotia. We visited The Gaelic College in Englishtown and learned about Gaelic culture. We stayed in a small cottage on the sea, owned by a man who had left his homeland in Holland to pursue life in a quiet Canadian province.

In Florida, we kayaked with manatees under the watchful eye of a conservationist who taught us the best way to see is to be quiet. We were rewarded with glimpses of docile, lovely sea cows in their natural habitat.

We hiked through wetlands, careful to avoid sleeping alligators sunning themselves on the banks in the tall grasses. Together we learned to be more observant of the world around us.

In New Mexico, we marveled at the idea of a “wild cow.” Though I laughed at my son’s suggestion when we encountered a lone bovine in the mountains of the Gila National Forest, a shaman (medicine man) soon set me to rights as he pointed out what we could touch and what we should avoid walking in the wild.

California introduced us to sweeping extremes. Desert in the south, full of rippled dunes that encroached on the roadway. Sunny groves of citrus and almonds and avocados. We saw firsthand what living in drought conditions meant for families that farmed dry acres. We drove up through clouds to wrap our arms around the famous California redwoods trees, and we were cautioned to watch out for the grizzly bears.

We drove through miles and miles of our nation’s farmland, lulled into a quiet rhythm by seemingly endless acres of corn. The very next day, the sense of calm was shattered as we raced toward Kentucky, ahead of a series of tornados. The skies were black and calm and too quiet. The lines for fuel were long. Every day brought a new aspect of the adventure.

Conversations and Music

Each day on the road, we’d pull out a map and get a general idea of where we were headed. Nothing was set in stone to allow for detours as needed. One of our favorites started with a barbecue billboard and ended eating sandwiches along the river in Ozark, Arkansas on my birthday. The late afternoon sun was warm and we were the only ones in this little town at the river that day. Magical.

The connections and adventures are equally strong in your own town, or the next one over. The idea is to talk more, learn firsthand and spend time together. Creating memories leads to conversation, sometimes even lively discourse. My son and I hold diverse political views. But at the end of the day, we are better for the interaction and the time spent.

And Every day ends the same …

And I’m grateful for that. As the day draws to a close, my son gives me a hug, and an “I love you, Mom.”

I love you too, Buddy.