Manu's Medley

It's summer break and like many parents, I find myself navigating the ups and downs of having my child at home - full time. Recently, one morning stood out in particular - a moment that turned into an unexpected adventure. My son woke up feeling sad. When asked him he said he is unhappy as his friends don't call him a certain way. That feeling carried so much weight in his little heart and it was tough seeing him like that. I reminded him that we cannot control how others treat us or what they say about us. Instead we can focus on what brings us joy like "May be take a walk in the nature, or read a book, or ride your bike" I offered. To my surprise he immediately responded "Let's go for a walk in the nature" and so we did. We stepped out just with a bottle of water and my mobile phone. Initially I thought we would get some fresh air for few minutes to lighten his mood and head back home. But what we started on as an impromptu walk ended up with a wonderf...

I usually don't choose the books I read - more often it feels like they choose me. Though it sounds philosophical, its no exaggeration when it comes to the two books that I am about to share in this article. Both found their way into my hands at just the right moment, offering reflections on motherhood that were as timely as they were touching. The School For Good Mothers and Sandwich are both poignant narratives told through the voice of mothers; sharing deeply their personal journey through motherhood interwoven with love, guilt, resilience and strength to hold it together. The School For Good Mothers I often jokingly say that "How lovely it would be if motherhood comes with a guide book!" - better if there is a school that teaches us how to be good mothers! By looks of the title "The School For Good Mothers" seems to align with my thoughts, but it isn't really. Though this is a fictional story authored by Jessamine Chan, every mother could relate, especia...

It's the holiday season and what better way than to spend reading those magical Christmas stories to your kids. Whether you have a cozy story time by snuggling under the blanket or read the book sipping hot chocolate by the side of the fireplace or just before tucking your little ones to bed, these wonderful books are sure to bring joy and lots of Christmas cheer to your little one(s) and your family.  I also have some exciting ideas for you to make the most of this holiday season, along with creative tips to keep your kids happily engaged during the winter break. Do check out the below articles. I am sure you will find them useful. Things to do during Christmas Activities to engage kids during winter break Winter worksheets for kids Now, let's dive into the books that are going to win those tiny hearts and spark their imagination this holiday.  1. How Many Sleeps Till Christmas: This heartwarming kid's book is written Mark Sperring and Sebastien Braun. It is the story of...

The day you first held your little one, the first time he smiled at you, those first steps, first tears, first words, first bike ride... You would have experienced countless firsts with your child so far. Before you knew it, your kid is just few days away from a very important milestone - his first day of school.  If your kid is starting kindergarten this academic year, I totally feel you. I was in the same state of mind, exactly an year ago. After tending to my son for more than 3 years, that too as a stay at home mom, he is very attached to me. I was with him literally 24 x 7, except for those very few minutes I sneak into the washroom. The thought of how he would survive those 7 hours of school without me, haunted me for days. Next his preparedness to face the whole new world (without us) was dreadful. I had infinite questions/ doubts in my head. It is quite natural if you have an endless loop going on in your head. In this post, I sum up my experience of preparing my child and ...

Today, 7 out of 10 videos on social media are related to food, out of which half a bunch are on lunchbox recipes. Every thing that gets packed into the lunch bag, isn't prepared straight-forward. If you accidentally click some random video mesmerized by the aesthetics, your social media accounts will be flooded with tons of such videos/ reels. I recently came across someone preparing peppa pig idlis, flower dosas, all nuts (cashew, almond, walnut etc.) chutney (instead of the regular idli, dosa and chutney). Someone packed colourful pooris (as part of their holi-lunch series). Another person made variety rice, dal, roti, egg curry and amrakand - all from scratch for the lunch box. And there are millions of similar videos on internet from all over the world.  After watching few of my food videos, even my friends ask how I make those varieties daily. I politely respond and move on. I post videos (under the name Manu's Menu, on my youtube channel) only whenever I think it might he...

It's almost Christmas. While the festive spirit is surely magically and makes all of us look forward to it, I certainly feel the despair of parents especially those of school going children. I am listing out few ideas that could help engage your kids during Christmas holidays. Set up a Christmas tree Talking about Christmas, the first thing that comes to my mind is Christmas tree. Try setting up a tree along with your kids. It's not only fun, but also kindles the creativity in your kids. You can also try making your own Christmas ornaments using minimal craft items. If you live in apartments or don't have much space in your home, you may alternatively try setting up a wall Christmas tree. Check out the video below on making Christmas ornaments and how to set up a wall Christmas tree. Those festive lights inside your home will certainly warm up the place and your kids will cherish those lovely moments.  Bake Christmas treats Baking doesn't need any occasion. Does it? The...

I have specially designed the below worksheets for toddlers, focusing on educating and entertaining them at home. These worksheets are free. So you can download, print or use it online. These worksheets are designed in such a way it covers English, Maths, critical thinking, colouring and fun holiday activities. All pictures in these worksheets are designed in black and white, so that your kid can enjoy colouring them in addition to the activity it is meant for.  To top it all, these worksheets are free. So you can download, print or use it online. Hope you and your kid like these worksheets. If you do, please share this webpage with others who might like them too!! It is winter and the holiday season is around the corner. Nothing beats enjoying the coziness of the home while enjoying the festive spirit and welcoming the grand new year. So here is my first set of worksheets for this WINTER, for your kids to have fun while learning, during their holiday break. Many worksheets are yet...

Babies aren't all smiles, giggles and hugs. Roll up your sleeves and be prepared to get your hands dirty and train yourself to be smell resistant. Yes, we are talking about diapering your child!! Initial few months after birth, babies "drink milk, pee and poop and sleep" and this cycle goes on for n-number of times in a day. That means you end up having 7-10 diaper changing sessions on an average in a day, until your child turns 1. And good part is the frequency of pee and poop gradually reduces as the little one grows and is fully potty trained.  Potty training is not only a big milestone for the child but for the parents too. But this doesn't happen overnight. Some may be full trained before completing 2 years and some might not be ready until 3 or even 4 years. Again there is no set guidelines to train them. Each child is different. We need to figure out what suits him/ her the best. And it needs constant effort and lots of patience.  Who doesn't like to travel...

Still not able to believe that your baby is officially a toddler now? I totally get it. The last one year would have been exhilarating and equally tiring for you as a new parent, getting to learn, process, understand and handle your special person in life. Amidst all that was happening within you and around, your baby has grown up and transformed into a toddler.  The little one would have learnt and experienced a lot over the last year and is all set to explore the world more on his/ her own. He is ready to take up new challenges and be more independent. If his focus keeps shifting from one thing to the other quite often, understand it is completely normal. Your kid is at a stage where he wants to try his hands at everything, but only for a short while.   The below detailed activities are suitable for kids in the range of 1 - 2 years. If your kid isn't ready for any of these, take a pause and try them after few weeks. This is not just any list from the internet, but the o...

No one is born fully equipped with all the necessary skills to handle motherhood and the surprises it brings along with it. A mother is born when a child is born. With every passing day, we learn and evolve as mothers. Every mother's journey is unique and mine is no less. In this post, I would like to share the 3 mistakes I made as a new mom, their consequences and how I addressed those. 1. Loosing sleep over milk supply We all know how nutritious and healthy mother's breast milk is. It is the purest form of food for  newborns. Though I intended to breast feed my child, there was a delay in the milk production due to c-section delivery. Adding to the bodily complications after the delivery (stitches, abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding), frequent nursing, stress of not able to generate sufficient milk for my child didn't allow me to sleep in peace.  Due to the stress, milk production got delayed further and had an adverse impact on my sugar levels and recovery. My (gestational...

Your super hero is gearing up to celebrate his 1st birthday? By now, he would be able to stand and take baby steps with support. Starting from this age, babies are always on the move and busy doing something or the other. So parents, brace up yourself for the fun time ahead!!  I have listed down few activities to give you an idea as how to engage your kids as he steps into the last quarter of his 1st year. If you want to know how to engage your 6months old, do check out the post here . These activities may trigger new ideas in you to help your child develop physical, motor and communicative skills. Also remember, each child is different and so is their growth. Do not compare your child's development with other kid's milestones and loose peace over it. In case of any doubts/ concerns about your kids growth, consult your pediatrician. What to expect from a 10-12 months old? Sits without support Pulls up and stands with support Walk with support Have better hand-eye coordination C...

Has your baby crossed the 6 months milestone already? Days fly by too soon. Isn't it? Your little one is all set to learn something new every day and explore the world. I have heard most moms saying this is the best time for them too, as the baby can start on solids, gradually relieving them from breast feeding, and also they were in a better position physically and a better hang of the baby routine.  On the other hand, the baby is also developing at a great pace working on his physical, emotional, social, gross and fine motor skills. At this age, his sleep time considerably goes down, he is curious to observe the surroundings and learn more. What to expect from a 7-9 months old? Ready to eat pureed/ mashed food Rolls over in both directions Tries to sit up, unassisted Rocks back and forth, attempting to crawl Makes simple sounds Differentiate between familiar and strange faces Tries to respond and imitate others Tries to stand up and walk with assistance Here are few activities (p...

Though we were excited about travelling to India (from Canada), deep down both me and my husband were dead scared as how to handle our son during the journey. It was his first flight travel and that too a day long one (close to 30hrs from Canada to India, inclusive of the travel time to-from airport, air travel and layover). Even minutes before starting from home, we double checked if we are ready for the expedition, as travel with a kid calls for unexpected surprises.  In this post, I shall be sharing how we prepped for the travel (along with few personal tips) and how it turned out in reality. 1. Don't miss on taking enough rest day(s) before travel: First and foremost, we as parents should have proper sleep and pumped up energy to handle the tantrums of our little one. But with all the last minute shopping and late night packing (for obvious reason to avoid any distractions by the kid), sleep was the last thing I could accommodate. But luckily, my son slept during the first leg ...