I am Sanjith Vijay, I am 5 years old. I love to play with cars. I have a collection of cars of all models.Doing something for our loved ones is one of life’s little pleasures. And it is so important that kids learn early this joy of giving, that multiplies when received. Imagine the joy of Sanjith’s father when he found this beautiful card made by this 5 year old for his birthday.
We would like to take a moment to wish his father many such wonderful fatherly moments all year round.
Aneesh is a brilliant boy who surprised his mom with this poster. They were looking to buy some posters to put on his room he said “Please don’t waste money to buy those stuff. I will do my Favorite thing so that you can put on wall in my room!”
Needless to say, Aneesh’s parents are super proud of their son, his creativity and thoughtfulness.
We thought its nice idea!!!
My name is Adidev Sreehari. I am 6 years old. I like to draw and read about dinosaurs, whales, and planets. I like to make stuff with play-doh. This is a short story I wrote about Snowman.
It was a cold snowy day. I woke up to see white everywhere. I shouted snow. I ran outside and made a huge snowman. I named him Leo. Suddenly Leo opened its eyes and started talking to me. I was surprised. ‘Hello,’ he said. I want to go to the Arctic. Are you coming? I said no. Leo said goodbye to me and started walking all the way to the Arctic to see sea creatures.
Leo got excited and jumped into the water. He saw seals, penguins, sea lions and killer whales. Suddenly he saw a leopard seal coming towards him. Leo escaped to a hiding place. To his surprise, he found another snowman also hiding there. They both together managed to get out to the surface of the water. And they became friends and lived happily ever after in the Arctic.
Ramadan – the holiest month for Muslims around the world; the month when almost two billion Muslims around the world abstain from food, and water from dawn to dusk. The days when they dedicate their time to piety and prayer. Muslims believe that it was during this month that the Holy Qur’an was first revealed to Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him).
It is the month of peace and forgiveness. While abstaining from food and drink is possibly the most visible aspect, that isn’t all there is to it. Muslims believe that the rewards reaped for acts of worship, and other good deeds, during this holy month, are multiplied. A large number of Muslims also participate in the special ‘Taraweeh’ prayers in the evening.
It is believed that one of the last ten nights of Ramadan is Lailatul Qadr or the Night of the Decree. During this night, the first few verses of the Holy Qur’an were revealed to Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). This night is considered to be a night of blessings, and forgiveness.
That is just an introduction to what the Holy month means to Muslims from a religious standpoint. What I would like to talk about is the cultural significance of what Ramadan means to me?
As a young Indian Muslim growing up in the Middle East (Bahrain, to be precise), Ramadan was a time of joy! Of caring and sharing. It was a time for families and community gatherings. It was a time for worship, and learning. It was exhausting – oh, yes! Absolutely! But also immensely rewarding.
Almost a month before the Holy month began, we would start cleaning the house. It was pretty much our annual spring cleaning. As the days got nearer, we would start making and freezing dishes which can be prepped easily. My mom would start chanting religious prayers and songs – songs which I can recall easily to this day – many years after I have left home.
The best part about being in a Muslim country is that it is around you all the time.
The malls and streets are decorated and lit up with crescent moons, lamps and stars. Ramadan Kareem billboards are everywhere. The Azan (the call to prayer) is heard loud and clear five times during the day. People don’t eat or drink in public, and almost all restaurants are closed till the fast opens each day – in respect for those are fasting and well, because it is the law.
[bctt tweet=”The best part about being in a Muslim country during Ramadan is the convenience. It is around you all the time. ” username=”contactrwc”]
I remember days when we had to climb up our three flights of steps after school, at around 2pm, lugging our incredibly heavy school bags. After a long day at school, we would be famished! But we still had a few hours to go. Watching some television, doing homework, or playing were the activities while we were really young. As we became teenagers, and then adults, the role – in the hours that led to Iftar – was about helping mom in the kitchen, and setting up the table.
At the dusk prayer, we would all sit together, and break our fast as a family. Starting with dates – as Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) has been recorded as suggesting – and water, we then jump into a feast.
As adults, we obviously know that Ramadan is about anything but food – but as kids, food was one of the things we looked forward to the most during the days of fasting.
The common dishes on any Malayali Muslim’s table would be – the semolina kanji or the lentil kanji, Tang – usually the orange flavor, some fruits and a variety of typical snacks. The snacks ranged from the sweet – pazham pori (Plantain banana fritters), unnakkai (plantain banana missiles stuffed with sweetened coconut filling), Sweet Ada to the savory – samosa, cutlets, fish ada, prawns ada, erachipathiri and so on! Ah! My mouth is already watering.
There were also a number of Iftar gatherings across the country. Not just family gatherings, but also organized by various associations and clubs like the Indian Club, and the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam (and others – but these two I am extremely familiar with).
Many of these saw the participation of a large number of non-Muslims. I have listened to the sermon of a Christian priest, and the teachings from a Hindu pandit, as well as Muslim imam at the same gathering. I was and am always amazed at how people come together for a celebration – while fully respecting the religious values and ethos of those who are fasting. Such gatherings are extremely important – and as children, it helped us learn values of diversity, of respect, and of humanity.
[bctt tweet=”Garangao is an arab version of Trick or Treating during Ramadan where kids where traditional clothes and go home to home.” username=”contactrwc”]
Another very interesting celebration during Ramadan – usually the fourteenth day is known as Gergaoon or Garangao. Children dress up in traditional outfits, sing traditional songs, and go from house to house collecting nuts or candies. An Arab version of trick or treating, one can say.
I have had the pleasure of participating in a few of those celebrations in Qatar (as an adult though), and I just cannot wait for my son to grow up. Big halls are set up with multiple booths for children’s activities, reading, coloring, traditional games, photobooths, it really is an experience in itself.
Even as child, and now as an adult, there is one thing every one always looks forward to – the end of Ramadan – not because it brings the end of fasting but because it brings Eid! The Eid at the end of Ramadan is known as Eid Al Fitr.
Of course the days leading up to is busy – the prayers being the most important element. And shopping for new clothes, putting henna on our hands, and one more round of house cleaning.
Once the moon has been spotted, and Eid has been declared, my mom would start reciting the Takbeer (a prayer chant) loudly at the house, and we would join in too. All this with uncontainable excitement about the next day.
On Eid Day, we would wake up nice and early for the special morning prayers which happened around 6am. Across Bahrain, there would be Eid gaahs (special grounds set up for community Eid prayers), or we would just go to the grand mosque.
Eis was really about family and community. And as kids (and even now for me 😛 ), there is an added bonus of (hopefully) getting Eidi. A token sum of money that children used to get from elders! We then go out and visit relatives, and of course there is some biriyani involved! And get Eidi from them as well.
Now in Qatar, we make it a point to go for the fireworks show that is organized every Eid. In India, it is a very common practice to have fireworks at home. I used to love celebrating Eid in India because of that!
But Eid is the Middle East is extra special – like Christmas probably is in the West.
Schools are closed for three days. There are decorations and festive bill boards everywhere. The entire country celebrates it – doesn’t matter if you are Muslim or not, expat or local, child or adult! Eid is a celebration for every member of the community! There is definitely celebration in the air.
With Eid coming up soon, I wish you a blessed Ramadan Kareem and an exciting enjoyable Eid Mubarak! Do share your experience of the Holy month of Ramadan.
Summer is a fun time filled with activities for kids but still, we are bound to hear ” I’m Bored” from kids time to time. Especially when its raining or need to stay in the home, you absolutely need some activities to keep the kids busy. But, don’t worry we got you. What can be the best way to entertain kids than indulging them in some puzzling activity? Craft Stick Puzzle is a simple yet creative DIY project. With a little help, these can be completely made by your kids. Not only the making process is fun but also arranging and playing with it makes it extra fun. These are also a great way to teach colors and shapes for preschoolers and toddlers. Let’s get started.
I hope you liked this project. Please share the puzzle sticks you have created. Also, if you have any other fun summer crafts that you have made with your kids share with us in the below comment section.
We would love to hear from you. Make this and show it off! Email it to us at contact@localhost or upload it on social media and tag us. @passionatemoms,@raisingworldchildren. We would feature the best ones on OUR platform for the world to see!
Did you hear the recent sound clip “Yanny vs Laurel” that divided the online world? If not, check it out here. Or maybe, you remember checking the Instagram pic of a gold and white (or black and blue dress) that broke the internet in 2015. If not, check it out here.
We all had so much fun laughing and just randomly arguing about how what we saw or heard was correct and how others were wrong. We ganged up on the one person who heard Yanny. We wanted to “unfriend” everyone who heard Laurel. We thought people who say the black and blue dress were outright delusional.
And yes, we all are right in our own way. There are scientific explanations of why our opinions differ and why we hear these words differently or see colors different.
The debates of “Laurel vs Yanny” and “The Blue and Black” dress bring to light that every opinion that we have as humans differs from person to person. We all experience things differently. Our experiences may differ because of our upbringing, our natural likes and dislikes, our surroundings, our race, our religion, our city, our conditioning, our belief systems, our very different growing up experiences and not to mention our internal chemistry and our very unique DNA.
All these matter every single time we experience something and give an opinion.
Have you heard people argue about abortion? Have you heard people argue about the existence of GOD? Have you heard people argue about feminism? Have you heard people argue about LGBT rights?
The list goes on…
But today in the light of these debates, I have realized that there is beauty in seeing the world through other people’s experiences. Learning a different point of view, relating to a story, understanding science, history or some other side of an argument can help us bring more compassion in this world.
That does not mean that we have to agree with everyone else and their opinions. What it means is that we do not have to be mean and call names. It means that we do not really have to unfriend people because they have a different opinion.
It means that we do not have to judge them for them being comfortable with the current President. It means that we do not have to be afraid of people of different color and or religion.
It means that we have to breathe and give other person space to have their own experience. It means we have to show more love and respect for people to have their opinion instead of calling them stupid, arrogant or “bitch”.
So today in light of my lens and my point of view, I call upon all of you reading this message to show compassion to at least one person who has a different opinion than yours. You do not have to suddenly become best friends with them.
But if you are arguing, be open to listening to their story and their point of view. Be willing to listen where their opinion is coming from. Be willing to let them have their experience. Be willing to share your experience with your opinion. Be open to sharing your own story. Be willing to co-exist and be different. Because different doesn’t always mean wrong, weird or unacceptable.
Different many times means just that…DIFFERENT!
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
February 2017 came as shock to many youth in india when a young man from kerela was forced to commit suicide after days of harassment followed by his Valentine’s Day meeting with his girlfriend at Kollam beach.
The meeting that was meant to celebrate their love came to a sad ending when the unfortunate couple ran into a group of drunk moral police who allegedly taped the entire incident and posted it online. In spite of the police complaints when no action was taken the young man was pressurized to end his life. Stating this incident most of us would tend to think moral policing is wrong but how do you define wrong here.
Moral police is a blanket term used for vigilante groups in India which act to enforce a code of morality. But as we understand from the incident above it is highly misused and mostly politically driven.
After speaking to lot of people from various age groups I could understand the difference in psychology around moral policing. The younger crowd or teenagers to be specific think any kind of moral policing is not only wrong but offensive. They themselves and no one else should decide what is right or wrong for them. They must be allowed to self police and no one else should have the right to poke them or stop them.
We understand from this that the youth today not only welcomes new traditions but also wants to enjoy the freedom Indian constitution has bestowed upon every individual of India.
The second group was the middle aged group which surprisingly gave me a far more diversified view towards moral policing. Most of them believed it’s wrong and specially how the extremist groups tend to act under the mask of moral police but some believed that obscenity in public is not okay and would definitely correct a couple if according to their opinion an act is compromising the environment or being obscene. Which brings another question over the surface how do we define obscenity specially in a culturally inclined Indian society.
The same age group had some more interesting ways to look at moral policing some strongly contempt moral policing and believe everyone has the right to live the way they want to and some believed that moral policing should rather be done on corruption and other evils of the society, if the society can close its eyes over these far more important issues than it can easily close its eyes on what couples do on Valentine’s Day or any other day for that matter.
What I could understand from this group’s point of view was that moral policing is wrong but the couples should also think before becoming too intimate in a public forum.
Third group included the older age group people with more life experience and stronger influence of Indian culture. They strongly opposed goons in the mask of policing but supported moral policing as a whole. They do not support couples meeting in public and specially expressing love and affection in public. Their psychology comes from the traditions that have been set by ancestors and a strong bonding to the traditional Indian values that has never been open to romantic relationships.
I being middle aged myself tend to be inclined towards the opinion of the middle age group and elaborating on the same I believe that moral policing is not right, specially the group of goons who are not only are politically driven but consider themselves as protectors of society and commit heinous crimes in the wake of it.
I also believe couples should be more careful how they act while being in public which again was the point made by the younger generation. I truly believe in today’s time ‘self policing’ rather than ‘moral policing’ is required to respect both our Indian cultural values and for accepting newer traditions.
And most definitely moral policing if exists should be driven towards correcting far more important issues like Eve teasing, rapes and endless number of crimes that are committed everyday towards the weaker section of the society.
Vinni Mishra is a corporate professional presently residing in Glen Allen, Virginia. She originally belongs to Jaipur, Rajasthan (India). She completed her masters degree in geography from Rajasthan University. She started her career as a corporate professional pretty early around the age of 18 with GE Capital and was until very recently working with Suntrust Mortgage in Glen Allen. She is an expectant mother and is enjoying her time off from work awaiting the new member to her family. She has a passion for writing and her writing is influenced by the rich culture of Rajasthan which is famous for its traditions and heritage that have been passed along generations.
People talk about Self-Love as if you “should” just understand what it means. When self-love eludes you, it occurs to you that while you understand the concept as it applies to others, you have not taken the time to consider how it applies to you.
Intellectually you have an understanding of what it means. In fact, you could probably teach it to others. Yet, you realize you have forgotten what it means to love yourself. Perhaps, you’ve never known the feeling of self-love inside your own body.
How does this happen?
Many people live in cultures or families that teach us to love others before ourselves. While that’s a beautiful thought, in theory, eventually we find ourselves in situations where we have no choice but to learn how to love ourselves.
As we become adults, we take on roles and identities that often move us away from self. We become someone’s parent, someone’s spouse, someone’s employee, but where did YOU go?
If we have survived traumatic or abusive backgrounds, we may have learned that everyone else was more important than us. We see ourselves as not enough, not valuable or unworthy of love.
Now that you are aware, begin to make small conscious choices to be gentle with yourself. Gentle in how you speak, act and give to yourself. Practice the art of receiving from others. Mindfully give to yourself the love that you so freely give to others.
Tammy Coin is a Mind-Body Wellness Practitioner, Transformational Life & Spiritual Coach, Author, Teacher and Speaker. She holds sacred space & helps you locate the unhealed emotions leftover from Childhood Abuse & Trauma that block the door to your authentic self. She then partners with you, using the pieces of her own life, to empower, motivate and inspire you to fully uncover and step into your Soul Purpose. You can find Tammy Coin and The Doors of Wellness at http://www.thedoorsofwellness.com on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/thedoorsofwellness
It’s almost summer and its a perfect time for DIY projects, especially that the kids are going to be always home. So let’s dive deep with this cute Paper Octopus Craft that’s absolutely fun to make.
This is a simple craft activity that you can do with your kids at home or make this with your class at school or kindergarten. The cheerios that we glue on to the octopus tentacles make the octopus more real and cute. Let’s get started.
DETAILED VIDEO TUTORIAL AVAILABLE
Supplies Needed:
That’s it! A cute adorable Paper Cheerios Octopus is ready to have fun with. Isn’t it a great paper craft idea? Let me know what how much do you like it. If you have created a different version of this, feel free to share with me.
We would love to hear from you. Make this and show it off! Email it to us at contact@localhost or upload it on social media and tag us. @passionatemoms,@raisingworldchildren. We would feature the best ones on OUR platform for the world to see!
A lot of us get ‘HANGRY’ when we are hungry, more so when fasting!
Did you know it is possible to fast and yet not be furious at the same time? Blame it on some wrong eating habits or wrong timing. But if we chose to eat right, fasting in the month of Ramadan can be done in a healthier manner.
A few healthy lifestyle changes and you are ready for the Hunger Games to begin!
In this age of many lavish choices, observing Ramadan has an additional ‘e’ attached and fasting leads to feasting. In the Arab World and Indian Subcontinent, an Iftar (breaking of the fast) is usually very grand and comprises of varieties of foods and desserts. It is like a ‘mini food-festival’ that takes place every day!
Fasting in the month of Ramadan is obligatory and is one of the five pillars of Islam. The other four being, believing in one God, praying 5 times a day, giving charity and going to Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).
Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year to Muslims around the world because it is in this blessed month that the Holy Quran was revealed.
It is believed that when one fasts, it brings forth gratitude. This makes them realize the value and importance of food and water in their lives. Ideally the fasting person realizes how fortunate they are to be blessed with the basic necessities of life. In addition to this, fasting teaches self-control and strengthens the belief in God.
A few years ago, an Iftar meal at our home would include traditional Ramadan dishes like Fruit Salad (loaded with 6-8 tbsp of sugar), Chickpeas/Chana Chaat, mini pizzas, loads of fried fritters like onion bhajiyas, potato and jalapeño pakodas, and yummy Bohri keema and cheese samosas. 
In addition to this, there would be a few beverages like Vimto and Rose milk (all loaded with sugar) to replenish what we lost during the day. Sigh!! We enjoyed each and everything without any feeling of guilt.
I would always wonder, why was I feeling so lethargic and stuffed after the meal. Even praying after breaking the fast would feel like a task!
With time I realized small changes needed to be made towards a healthy and happy Ramadan.
Today, our Iftar is simpler. The fruit salad is made without any added sugar. Fruits have a lot of natural sugars and fibre to keep us going for the day. Fried foods like samosas or fritters are consumed once a week. We enjoy hearty soups and fresh sandwiches on most days. After breaking our fast, we feel so energetic and cheerful (v/s lethargic and moody like before.)
[bctt tweet=”A few changes can make Ramadan or any fasting days lighter and vigorous.” username=”contactrwc”]
When breaking the fast (Iftar/Futoor), avoid fried, spicy and gassy foods. Having these on an empty stomach will mess with your digestive system and result in acid reflux and gas. Rather, opt for soups, stews, sandwiches, baked and steamed foods.
Keep yourself hydrated with water/infused water, buttermilk/laban/lassi, milkshakes and fruit smoothies after breaking your fast. Avoid drinks with a high sugar content like rose syrup, Roohafza, Vimto, flavored drinks and sodas. It messes with your blood sugar levels and makes you uncomfortable.
Think dates, fresh fruits, fruit salad, veggie salad, smoothies. Fruits/Veggies rich in water content (watermelon, cucumbers) are excellent to keep your system cool and hydrated in the summer heat.
As per family tradition, if you have to serve samosas, spring rolls, cutlets, kebabs, and other heavy foods, try grilling them OR try air frying (an air fryer is a great investment for healthy eating). It is so much better than deep frying!
And if you really need to have some fried foods, then try to fry them in olive oil. It is much lighter on your gut. Plus, your guilt will be a little less too. It is absolutely OK to indulge sometimes NOT everyday. It’s okay to have your favorite fried foods or pizzas when you break your fast but once in a while. Even I do!
Along with proteins (meat, poultry, fish, lentils, etc.) don’t forget to include carbs (rice, brown bread, roti/flatbread) in your food. Your carbs is where you’ll get your fuel (read: energy) for the day.
Try not to stuff your tummy before the night prayer. It will make you feel thirsty, heavy and nauseous during the prayers.
For the meal before dawn-break (Sehri/Suhoor), avoid fried foods and junk food because they will only make you feel thirstier the next day. Fruits, eggs, oats, porridge, yogurt are perfect to keep you fueled and full. Dried fruits and nuts will give you energy for the next day too.
Remember, don’t go overboard while eating at Iftar gatherings. Your tummy doesn’t know that you have been invited to eat. All it knows is that it needs some food and water upon breaking the fast. So why not give it something healthy!
Be the change! If your family has been following the tradition of eating heavy, fried, unhealthy foods when breaking the fast, try to introduce or suggest healthier food/cooking options. A healthy lifestyle will begin with YOU!
Remember a healthy household is a happier household!! Have a blessed Ramadan you all. Share your healthy Ramadan ideas in comments below.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” – Mark Twain
This is the thought provoking quote on the first page of the amazing book by artists Melanie Morse & Thomas McDade, who have written is series about a boy and his alien friend traveling the world to help kids.
And since we cannot travel the world ourselves, we are lucky that these amazing authors have chosen this new take on adventure books to share their perspectives of their travels though these fun stories. The stories were read by my 7 year old son and he thoroughly loved them.
The books bring a unique perspective on each country that the duo, this smart, kind, boy Seymour and his alien friend Hau (who has magic pouch that comes very handy) visit. This beautifully illustrated book is great for kids aged 6 – 10 yrs. The book’s unique quality is that it teaches kids a little about the country first and then the story begins showing you a lot about the culture and the story takes you on an adventurous, fun journey giving you a look into a new city.
And that is all what Raising World Children stands for …
Teaching kids about the world, empowering them to be more than they can be while teaching them that diversity is important for fighting all that’s wrong with the world today.
With a germ of an idea for bringing parents enlightening new perspectives from around the world, the RWC family has together through video, art, stories and guides have for a year striven to break barriers.
Every parent today struggles to find the balance in today’s trending cultures with their own heritage in a world that is multicultural. Everything on RWC is so that parents can read and share with their kids a little about a world they may know nothing about or help them in empowering their kids to be global thought leaders. From our launch to reaching 1000 – 2000 people daily, being featured on NBC12 news, we have today reached a total of 200,000+ people till today. That’s astounding for a publication that only runs on the time that people are willing to put into into it, sharing their very real stories.
This journey has been most meaningful when people reach out to our writers appreciating them or asking them for more advice. Or our writers get recognized around the world for their write ups. Or when we have parents join our Facebook group to stay better connected to us. Or when a mom says, how much she loves our work and is telling all her friends about it. Or when parents send in their’s children’s art/writing to be published.
Today we share with your a round up of our BEST posts all year long. While EVERY story has found resonance with people, the below are the ones that people keep coming back to.
4 Major Influences of my Jamaican Heritage
5 Interesting Attributes to Mangalorean Christians
Tracking Indian Culture From Indian Heritage to High Fashion
The Day We Realized we Were an Interracial Family
7 Story Telling Hacks for Cultural Stories
Ramadan – a Time for Reflection and Community
Ear Piercing Ceremony – a Mother’s Dilemma
Don’t Marry a Foreigner Till You Know This
Life Lessons We Learn from Mahatma Gandhi
Better Healing Ingredients from Your Kitchen
7 Empowering Ways to Protect Your Kids From Tragedy
7 Life Lessons Martin Luther King Jr’s Acts of Service Inspire
Why it Matters if Your Child is Twice Exceptional
How to Get Your Kids Curious About Science
With giveaways happening every month in partner ship with books that stand for diversity, we continue to celebrate this momentous occasion with the amazing books of Seymour and Hau, with their new book about Italy coming out soon, these are books you just have to check out.
The two autographed books being given away are trips to Ireland and Morocco that you can take from the comfort of your home. Truly amazing adventures to go on this summer.
Signing up for the giveaway gives you the chance to celebrate with us, in addition to getting to be the first informed on new things happening at RWC, be a part of world conversation and learn about the next giveaways coming up.
Join the Raising World Children Family by writing with us, sending us your kids art or just sharing our content with your friends and family.
And if you are already a part of the RWC Family, thank you, thank you so much for being a part of our journey from inception to here. Whether you have written with us, shared our content or even read JUST one story, THANK YOU.
Thank you for welcoming diversity in your thinking and allowing your children to grow empowered in this constantly changing world. You are the reason, we exist!
Aditi Wardhan Singh, founder and chief editor of Raising World Children online magazine is a mom of two adorable kids, living it up in Richmond Virginia in USA. Raised in Kuwait, being Indian by birth she has often felt out of place which led her to specialize in writing about cultural sensitivity when parenting. She writes for a number of large publications, including Huffington Post, Thrive Global, Richmond Moms Blog, Richmond Family Magazine, Desh Videsh. She has also been featured as a parenting expert on NBC. A computer engineer by profession, she turned entrepreneur by founding Raising World Children online magazine. At RWC, she is bringing voices from around the world together to talk about the synergy of today’s cultures with world heritage. Impromptu dance parties with her little one are her ultimate picker upper. . She has also contributed to the best selling anthology “When You Are Done Expecting” and is coming out with her new book “Strong Roots Have No Fear. ”Share the giveaway with your friends and family, by pinning this or sharing on Facebook. Thanks.
Have you ever considered encouraging your kids’ creativity for the good of others?
Mayur Art Studio owner Neelima Ganta did just that with the kids in her classes. She got together all the kids work and helped raise funds for the ASK Childhood Cancer Fund.
Every week in Central Virginia, 1-2 kids are diagnosed with cancer. Kids like Caleb. ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation’s mission is to make their lives better by providing Assistance, Support and Kindness when kids and their families needs it most. From the moment of diagnosis, through treatment and beyond. You can help too. Click here to find out how.
Neelima Ganta created an art show at the Tuckahoe public library. At the event, her many students and she herself proudly displayed their works of art for the benefit of the ASK Cancer Fund. You can find out more about Neelima, her art and the classes she provides here.
Neelima Ganta is an Indian born and raised artist, currently residing in Richmond, Virginia USA, is a certified Art instructor.Her artistic progress began as a child as she grew up in a family of Artists. She began picking up in various kinds of arts and crafts since she was 6yrs. Though she did masters in fine arts she preferred to say she was self- thought. Her art is characterized by vibrant colors and bold composition. Most of her works are with acrylics and oil paintings but will enjoy working with other mediums like Oil pastels and pencil and Charcoal also.
Viola! you have an adorable keepsake fingerprint painting to treasure forever. I am sure this works as a great gift for your loved one’s birthday, mothers day, fathers day and valentines day too. Do you have any other idea for a keepsake craft? Share with me in the below comment section.
We would love to hear from you. Make this and show it off! Email it to us at contact@localhost or upload it on social media and tag us. @passionatemoms,@raisingworldchildren. We would feature the best ones on OUR platform for the world to see!
India has often been recognized as a country of unique and distinct culture. India has many languages, religions, music, dance, foods, architecture, etc. which differs from its state to state. The Indian culture is an amalgamation of several cultures and has been influenced by the Indian history.
The diversity of Indian culture can be seen under the following heads.
The Indian culture can be best observed during the festivals. India, being a multicultural and multireligious country, it has several festivals to celebrate. The popular Hindu-religion festivals like Navratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Dussehra, etc are celebrated with full zeal and excitement. However, the way of celebration changes from state to state. Navratri is being celebrated in the western part of India by playing Garba-Raas and Dandiya, while the same is celebrated in the form of Durga Puja in Bengal which is an Eastern part of India. In North India, Navratri is being celebrated by worshipping and keeping fasts for the Goddess Durga throughout the nine days.
Apart from the Hindu festivals, India also celebrates Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha (Bakri Eid), Baisakhi, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Christmas and Easter with the same spirit in its several cities. Festivals make India united with different cultures.
Indian culture is very famous for its greeting manner. ‘Namaste’ is the term which is used to greet people when they meet. This term is derived from Sanskrit which means ‘I bow to the divine in you’. However, this term gets changed a bit while moving from state to state. This includes Namaste/Namaskar (Hindi, Odia, Marathi), Namaskara(Kannada), Namaskaram (Telugu, Malayalam), Vanakkam (Tamil), Nomoshkaar (Bengali), Nomoskar (Assamese), Aadab (Urdu), and Sat Shri Akal (Punjabi).
These greetings or the salutations are used at the time of depart as well. This shows the respect.
Clothing pattern of India varies from state to state but usually preferred and prominent style includes sarees for women and dhoti kurta or dhoti pyjama for men. Here Indian culture seems to be different in a way of draping saree. However, there are many states in India where regional preferences of clothing are observed. These preferences are observed due to the climatic conditions and the physical activities of a woman.
Apart from the clothing style, Indian culture also differentiated based on the make-up of Indian women, like bindi, bangles, sindoor(vermillion). Sindoor is a red or orange colour powder which is applied by a married woman after parting her hair. The application of sindoor is a traditional Indian culture.
India is rich in its spices and so in its cuisine. From Kashmiri mouthwatering Rogan Josh to Tamil Nadu’s Dosa and Uttapam, from Gujarati Dhokla to Kolkata’s Maachh-Bhaat (Fish curry and Rice) all are worth to taste. Indian food has a vast variety and variations. The taste and ingredients change its preparation style also while moving from one state to another. Indian cuisine is the best cuisine around the world as it has a blend of flavours and a feel of food.
Parenting is also an important part of our Indian culture. The raising up of a child also varies from region to region. Despite having variations, the Indian culture always teaches Life values, Discipline and the importance of family support while raising the kids.
If we talk about the variations in parenting styles in India, we will observe that the parents from East India (Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, and many others) are bit introvert and over-protective in nature. However, they provide better food and manners to their child. On the other hand, parents from western states of India (Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, etc.) are quite extrovert and modern in their thoughts. The living standards are generally high which affects the parenting style too. The parents from the southern part of India strives majorly on education and cleanliness, while the parents from northern parts of the country give more focus to health and diet.
The diversity of Indian culture has inspired many people. Although the concept of Indian Culture’ is complex and complicated, still India has unity on its diversity.
Have you been to India? What struck you most about Indian culture?
Lives with a notion “SIMPLE LIVING, HIGH THINKING” and have an optimistic approach towards life. Always eager to learn new things. She is founder of a Parenting website called “Budding Star“.
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