Lets have a Playful Parenting Year !!

whats the best thing my children like in me..teacher in me..mom in me or guide, friend in me...i guess its the child in me...yes !! they love the child in me as its easy to connect and learn from being involved .now all of us put in great efforts to "teach " our children and want them to know the best of our efforts to put things right.its a new year ahead lets get our kids connected to the child in us...i mean its not about getting a toy or playing Shuttle counting points but its get connected to the child in you...they will like to see you thrilled at caterpillers turning butterflies..,ur kids will love to see you enjoy make bubbles , paint, be in a playtent in forest game or be a cowboy along with them, go with cars vroom vroommmm...jump and sing...crawl, ..its not me setting a game for them and teaching them how to play a game that makes them learn or enjoy but my participation like a child ..inspires them do more....am sure we all love to relive childhood bringing back these little moments ..have a great year ahead...Happy Playful Parenting!!!! sounds funny ...giggle...laugh...its ok to do it....hv fun.

a cool conversation....

we were driving to a movie ...like all kids my sons are found of cars ...so my younger one guides his father to take left , right and overtake....

younger one(Akash): dad go fast...take left ...ha ha we crossed the truck..yeah...!oh wow lok at that awesome car...what a lights...its going speed...lets buy it...ha ha ...anna will buy farari..i will buy a bike....ha ha

edlder one (Ashwin): mom look at akash .he is so small and wants to race..dad its not safe to give a vechile until Akash gets married..!

Mom : why after marriage?

Ashwin: coz he will then have some "brains" !!!

mom: ha ha ha

Dad : ha..u mean until marriage will hv no brains..?

Ashwin: i mean to say until he is grown up old enough to know to drive safe...i guess its better he learns much before else he would take his wife left .. right....poor lady will have no option...ha ha

meanwhile some bike riders go vroom.....
ashwin : oh no ! ma, look at them how they are flying..they will know only when they bang their head to the floosr...one has to follow the traffic signs after all they are made for safety.

mom: well i hope you will not give a chance to anyone to comment on you when u drive just like you are doing it now..!

Ashwin : no mom i will not..noway...actually even i was like akash but now when i ride bicycle i feel i should go safe rather then fast...i saw a man with a awesome bike which easily would hv overtaken all cars but inspite of having that space he was riding it slow n safe and i really liked to watch it...

mom: thats nice.

they enjoy popcorns more then the movie.........

Learn to Parent yourself..!

Children have lots of similarities given genetically by parents. what is unseen is their innerself which is nurtured right from the womb..anxiety and stress or lonliness that gets over to the child.your baby will feel what you feel so learning to be at joy before and after birth of child makes it easy to handle especially if its first child which is being a dramatic change in once life.you don't know how or what it means to be responsible for a child 24/7.if you don't learn to take responsibility to your feelings , anxieties then its going to hard.so learn to parent yourself so you can parent the child... take loving care of yourself... apart from good diet, exercise and sleep.take responsibility for your feelings which change during and after baby .be emotionally strong..instead of having your eyes on your partner, turn your eyes inward and begin to compassionately notice your own feelings. Start to treat your own feelings in the same way you are planning on treating your future child’s feelings – with caring and understanding.Practice taking loving care of your own feelings instead of making your partner responsible for how you feel.take time for self. Begin to notice what you think and do that may be causing you stress. Changing thoughts and behavior that cause your stress . practice opening to a higher source of guidance, wisdom, strength and love . This can be your own highest, wisest self within you, or a Higher Power outside of you.it will go a long way in helping you stay loving and stress-free with yourself, your partner, and your baby. In addition, this will help you know what to do in different challenging situations with your baby.

Parenting starts much before Pregnency..its a Tapas..!

i was just wondering at my journey of being a parent..how i got so calm and patient answering thousands of questions my kids ask.,how everything turns into a joy with their innocent smile..I read every book I could on parenting ....I loved being pregnant. I loved feeling the baby moving within me, awed by the very fact of creating new life. I loved feeling an elbow or a knee slide across my stomach. I loved that my body could be a receptacle for bringing through this soul, this angel from heaven. I could not think of anything more profound, more worth doing..most of the important is how we as parents bond..its a great insight.!

Parenthood is something which just brings a great change in every way..changes your lifestlye from a stressful work patterns , poor diet and conciousness to yoga and meditation.their are many pre n post natal classes which give list of do's and dont's like no smoking , no alcohol , health care provider for a check-up, immunizations, take folic acid,good diet, excercise , meditate etc..i have seen people shifting to organic foods so that their body is chemical free before conception...everything falls in place the very moment you want to be a parent. the whoe idea brings back a descipline in life. yes ! i realise its a Tapas..a great Tapas! whatelse can bring you back to your self...? prepare you to create a new life in you..?

Each pregnancy is a unique experience.its a known fact that Preparing yourself and your body for pregnancy is essential because the physical and mental Health of yours before pregnancy influences the health of your future baby.

Pregnancy seems to be a time of heightened spiritual awareness for many women. It's not at all unusual for pregnant women to experience prophetic dreams about their pregnancies or babies, to notice signs which serve to guide them in their decisions or prepare them for what is to come, or even to sense things within themselves as a powerful inner knowingness -- a knowingness sometimes so strong, it leaves no room for doubts.Parenting starts much before Pregnency.

Respect the child means.........

this is regarding "Respect the child...!..Respect here means considering children below 8yrs like for example when some guests are home we for get about the little ones rather introduce him/her, at restaurent they serve adults ignoring child..and children do ask why only 3 glasses forks and plates where is mine...? so when we consider such small things it just means to them we hear and understand their needs and consult is for above the age who are matured enough to be part of the decisions made by family.thanks for quoting it.i request articles can be an inspiration but can be applied "considering" the age of your children.thanku.kp sharing.
srujana.

Respect the child...!

Discipline must be respectful and model the restraint, gentleness, and fairness we expect of our children. As children get older, we need to ask for and consider their opinions when setting rules and consequences.Treating kids with respect means treating them like persons.
One of the surest ways to help our children turn their moral reasoning into positive moral behavior is to teach by example. Teaching kids respect by respecting them is certainly one way to teach by example. But teaching by example goes beyond how we treat our children. It has to do with how we treat others as adults, how we treat and talk about others outside the family. It has to do with how we lead our lives. Think back to how your own parents influenced your moral development by the examples they set. We teach respect for all persons by the examples we set. Nothing else is more indelibly etched in our childrens' minds....!

the more you talk the more they repeat..!

You should be wondering Talk about what..? how many times did you say the child to keep his shoes in place..,or do not scribble on walls...or no shouting in library,,n how many times you discussed it with many of your freinds to destress yourself or get a solution or get a chance to compare ur children with them right infront of the child....not realising your drilling your anxieties to him unknowngly and they carry it as their identity...the more you talk the more they repeat...! you can do the above but not in the presence of child..i have seen many parents they complain about child .., enact and make fun off..children are like raw clay..it takes the shape you give so why not be gentle and soft by expressing what we see in them and how it can be better..just remind them their potential...their loving nature..never ever discuss the childs mistakes whether its about not sharing a choclate,, a crayon or bicycle...never pointout that he doesn't share..or doesn't obey parents etc....even when some one points at my child ..i just take the hold of the position and remind the child he is so wonderful and that how he shared his toys and snacks with his freinds the other day....sometimes it works and sometimes it takes time but its ok to own somethings ...dont you ...? so let the child learn to let go...!

Our Krish...!!!

Yashika from New Jersey shares her son Krish reading video..she is a wonderful mom and very inspiring ...long before Krish was awarded best child in Oprah show.!!!
Thanks for sharing it yashika and Dr.seuss books are one of books my children enjoy reading..nice collection...love you krish...here he goes...check it out....


Very true Srujana I agree with every word u wrote... Krish now loves books ...
Here is Krish video reading book.. One his fav. by Dr. Seuss :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibqk1ECI9W0

thanku....

its been so nice to have all the support and love from you all ...its truely inspiring ..it gets be easy to put my words and learn better..! thanks to all my friends and family for being their...thanku.

Good Touch Bad Touch...!

Right from early age children have the curiousity to know so many things including the body parts .,how does a baby be born ,etc...we need to be very simple in our answers considering their age but do answer them.i spoke to both my children and they seem to be well informed.i asked them if they know all their body parts...they listed including lungs and pancreas ...! then i reminded them some private parts which you do not show or talk about in public nor allow anyone to touch..its only mother father , grandparents and doctor for any treatement if required can be allowed and spoken too.educate them on good touch and bad touch...its very important for children to know,identify and express.it is simply coz to avoid child abusement and embarresment and get the hold of any sitution.when they grow up i want my children to have bueatiful memories so why not educate them and keep away such aweful experiences which we often hear happening with many children.they really understand when you make it simple.children trust us so much lets keep it up...!

Happy Reading...!

You want your child to read but constantly fail to get him into the habbit of Reading....i would like to share the best thing that inspires a child to explore the world of books.... if most of the time you find your self convincing the child the importance of reading ,comparing him etc....but in vain now how to get it right..the secret is when children see you enjoying read books or value them ..it inspires them....Read for yourself and your child.,Act out stories, use different voices, and most importantly use enthusiasm.the early the better..right from infant stage its very important you read books for them..they just love it as it gets them to know and use new words.Make books available and accessible. take them to library and spend good reading time.allow them to choose their books to read to begin with , slowly you can guide them to explore every corner of the book shelf..i express my joy to children and say i want share something i read...nextime they want to read and share it...Reading is one thing they just love it..something new is always a boost for them...Happy Reading ..!

You got it Right if you both are Laughing Alot...!!!

Amazed to see your child recite fairy tales straight away from his creative world, their juggling skills, their paintings...? they do need that space to build their own thoughts , free thinking is very essential...its not necessary that every activity to be goal oriented ..u can not set timimgs for art ...it just flows ..poetry, music , clay play..just happens...all that we need to do is set the right atmosphere for them to explore their ideas.a more restful brain develops the best .allow the child to day dream...play bubbles in bath tub...look around the greenery, its never a waste of time infact it gets their mind to rest and think better.ideas lead to ideas so do not judge or let them down even at their smallest effort.right atmosphere includes little things like...

1.Child room ; make sure when he peeps out of his window their is bit greenery to look out which would tickle her brain and inspire her thought process.have them decorated the room with their paintings ,favourite toys , books, their cartoon or bubbly bedspreads and curtains, white and blackboard to right accross so they dont scribble on walls rather have the place for free hand painting writings...give them the freedom to create their space.

2. Living rooms or hotels or car , make sure your child has his seating to keep his individuality and develop his personality.

3.Colours ..have some light colours to calm an aggresive child and dark bright colours for their confidence.

4. Along with right setting to inspire the child get the creative learinin happening evening for no visible result...i mean playing in sun ..running around butterflies ..wndering where do stars come from...just play with the child , jump , dance , be sspontaneous ..you got it right if you both are laughing ! just be the coolest mom..!

Parenting has given a great insight in to our being...i can not draw the graph but yes it did make a great difference in understanding self which extended to the joy of parenting.! i dint get it all at once , I rubbed out my face over the years washing away the ifs and buts , the same way carvings on stone are worn down by water and their comes a fresh you...!! curiosity is one thing which is still alive and i enjoy it....
yesterday night when my 4yr old Akash was exploring glue stick in his hand and observing it..sticking it in between fingers...i dint scream at him but was eagerly waiting what he would come up with, he came up to me and said he has whales teeth in his fingers..hmm..? white glue sticking btwn his fingers when streched looks like criss cross teeth...his imagination which i could never think off...when we go for a walk we are aware of their curiousity to explore everything around and we just follow them..every tantrum they through brings them more close to us..when my elder son saw a girl on the street picking up books from garbage and trying to read them, he shared it to his friend who annoys reading that how lucky we are to have such nice environment to learn ...i see them very sensible towards every issue in the surroundings..their creative minds reach out of world ..art for my children has always been a media to relate to everythinng around...on thr walk when they see a beautiful bunch of flowers or caterpillers or hills...they just put on paper....being in satsangs and celebrating festivals and visiting ashrams kept them rooted to culture.we are enjoying our childhood once again ...and we hope Our vision would nurture these young hearts and Our young leaders will master the art and science of living , who will spread the wisdom in their own unique way in all fields of life...

A stich in time saves nine feedbacks....

Very beautiful way of expression.
It really helps parents who are distressed and desperate. Very cool presentation.
Love you for your ease and thrust you put in your thoughts and ideas.

Regards,
Raviji

parents and well wishers share .....

Yashika from New jersey mails her experience with her kids .....

Oh Srujana... You are just great... I read your mail and think that I was in same situations so many times...
This is really great mail...I should take print out and keep it..:)...
I was just thinking of mailing you and mailed.. I am fine here in New Jersey. We were blessed with baby girl in
June 2010. We named her Arushi. She and Krish both are doing great. I have taken break from work and njoying full time
mommy role a lot. And I know Krish is also relishing my full attention..even though now there is a sister to share me..:).

You know yesterday Krish teacher called and said " Krish is an asset to class and I feel fortunate to have him in my class "...
She said this because of his reading abilities and his skills in other areas too... He is reading so well... he loves books..... He almost reads books on his own and tries to decipher some big unkown words too on his own... Oh I felt so happy.....
And then I wanted to mail you ... saying thanks for everything...good that we attended ISP....
I will soon post Krish video reading book and send you the link....

Take care...

smiles,
Yashika

A stich in time saves nine !

Parenting sometime is at the edge when nothing works ...take the seat back...relax ....If you’re at your wits end, feeling depleted, exhausted and drained of your energy because of the constant tests you’ve been getting from your child or children, I hear you! And I want you to know that your're not alone.many parents all around the world are facing similar challenges.may be more extreme,then what you are facing...

You love your child. You want them to be as great as you know they can be. You want them to grow up healthy and with their head on straight. But, somewhere along the line they got "derailed" and started on a path that has led to tremendous stress and anxiety for everyone. Pick your poison. Is your child:

•Angry?
•Defiant?
•Disrespectful?
And the harder you try to control the situation, the more out of control things get. Maybe they get better for a very brief time (and you hope it will stay this way), but it never lasts and the next big blow up is always just around the corner.

defuse your child’s unproductive and negative behavior by just fixing it up in right time....
now the first most thing is put yourself at ease...do all that which brings back u to urself...! meditate.., go for a walk, chat with ur pals.., unwind all your thought process to get started ...angry mind can not think better so is it with your children.
Assuming you are more relaxed now, the next thing is work on the issues you need to sought out with children now.

for example if you are fixing child behaviour like child screams at and talks back to parents all the time.constant siblings fights and fights at school, puts you at embarassement in public by talking anything and making face at you or any, ur afraid to take them out to avoid such situations...,their are many ways to get things on track considering the age of the child.you can attempt this too....

first thing you put a stop to back talk, interrupting, face making and other negative body language.

You say to your son or daughter: "Do not speak to me that way." Or “Do not interrupt me.” Or “Do not make that face.”
you have to keep saying it until s/he stops and you must remain calm and not give up until s/he stops the behavior...they will be a bit shocked as you dont sound angry but firm and you are commanding respect.yes u read it right Command respect! atimes it works well to bring children to be cautious about what they say,how they express.
after constent reminders at their such behaviours ..u will find they started getting it right and when they do the first time at a super market or at home....remember to appreciate their effort they put to lower their temper and talk.once they have done it speak to them about the consequences of the unacceptable behaviours.whether he loses his temper or holds it, most important thing is you focus on the positive aspect. my child even though he is not at extremes but just for mild things when i say " i understand you have put your best to the task and am sure you will catchup the nextime well in hand " he would just go for it n is more at ease...coz of my trust in him.
connect to the child:read books for them..i share my childhood stories of climbing trees , catching fish, my holidaying, our mischief and the lessons learnt etc..children really love to know and they understand childhood is a phase we all go through and have our elders to nurture and guide .sometimes when i say my son..swthrt make new mistakes dont repeat the same its boring for me to remind the same again...he laughs and says ur the mom on earth i saw who is asking her son to make new mistakes....! ha ha... thats for the day...will be in touch...

cutie pie from LA !!!!

Archana says "Di, this one will be ur fav - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgiySUMnerE

yes Archans this is my favourite of all the videos u have sent...its nice to see abhi so curious ...have a great time dr...! wacht out the Abhi the cutie pie on youtube....

longtime............

its longtime i shared on my blog....having greatime with great things happening around...ystrday my son says ..in his school bus some children tried to get him angry and disturb him but then he says.." i suddenly felt am calm and i can handle anything with ease...am happy..am caring..am wonderful...and i just smiled...my freinds were surprised and asked me the secret...i guess its sleep talk my mom gives me...which instinctly comes to me when required so ask ur moms to give it you in the first 15mins after you sleep...for futher u can callup my mom .."!!! i was surprised as he is in grade 5 now and the best part is he would identify his need and ask me to do sleep talk to strengthen it...genuienely...he kept on asking mom u did sleep talk na..yes yes yes !!!!