MONSOON TIPS FOR A FAMILY

I love monsoon, especially roaming with an umbrella, those muddy puddles, and wearing raincoat and muddy toes. Ahhh...!

When this happened (in my working Era)I used to get irritated. But now as a stay-at-home mom, I am craving this. 😬

TRUE!

All stay-at-home mommies, can this be relatable?

Last Sunday we went to Reliance for a monthly grocery visit in the rain. There were muddy puddles, and my little one always asked me to take her in the rain. I took her; she enjoyed it a lot, got wet, and jumped in muddy puddles, and I too enjoyed this phase. Without worrying and irritating her, I let her enjoy the way she wants.

That is my achievement. 🤩 Calming, Mom!

Anyways, this will not happen every day. ☹️ Sharing here some tips that I have followed for the last 8 years, especially for monsoon, to keep my family healthy.

MONSOON TIPS FOR A FAMILY : 

1. DECLUTTER YOUR BALCONIES

We tend to put unused things on the balcony, like a toy cycle stool. The list will never end. Make sure before the monsoon to declutter your balconies. Keep it empty and clean so that even if water comes inside you, you can quickly wipe it, and there is less chance of insects and mosquitoes.

2. MOSQUITO NETTING ON WINDOWS 

In summer we used to keep open windows, but in monsoon don't forget to put up netted windows. This will help in preventing bugs, houseflies, and mosquitoes in your house.

3. WATER PURIFIER 

Most of the diseases are waterborne. To take extra care of your family, use a purifier. Take a new water purifier if you don't have one or do maintenance before the monsoon starts. So that you can have clean water. Carry home water in bottles wherever you go.

4. HOT /LUKEWARM WATER

If any of your family members feel cold, don't forget to have a hot water intake. Try to have it on rainy days so that it will keep your kids and other family members warm. Generally I used to give them lukewarm water to drink every day in the monsoon.

5. PRECAUTIONS WHILE BUYING VEGETABLE: 

Avoid leafy vegetables and root vegetables. I still took carrot and ginger, as these are staples because chai to adrak b ke bina nahi banati. Avoid buying cauliflower, and cabbage.

6. Soups SOUPS MANDATORY IN DIET

Homemade veggie-loaded soups are a must in kids diets. Though in market there are readymade soups available. Ditch that packaged food and try to make at home. Fresh and hygiene soups should be there in your meals. I tried to make it at least twice in a week. Check out the easy recipe of corn soup 

7. GUMBOOT, UMBRELLA  and RAINCOAT

These are mandatory. Check it out once it is available in the house to see whether it is in good condition. Buy new only if needed. But each member should have an umbrella or raincoat. Monsoon sandals are also mandatory. Moms, don't forget to buy a new pair for you even if you are staying at home.

8. HYGIENE :

Keeping your kids safe during monsoon is a very tough job. Make a habit of washing hands with soap and water before eating anything. Also wash your kids hands, legs, and toes properly with mild soap after playing.

9. TRAVEL KIT IN MONSOON : 

Rainy season and travel are the most important parts of life. Don't forget to go out in lovely weather with your babies and kids. However, you need to take extra care while travelling with babies or small kids.

Carry the following things while travelling in monsoon:

- Sturdy bags to accommodate enough things.

- Carry bags to put wet clothes or garbage.

- Wet wipes to wipe out dirt.

- Raincoat and rainy season shoes

- Clean water bottles

- Diapers and sanitizer

- Extra pair of clothes, hand towels, and handkerchief

- homemade dry snacks like chakali, chikki, laddu, etc.

- Mosquito repellent spray.

10. DRESS ACCORDINGLY MONSOON :

Although if it is not raining and kids want to play outside, put on a full-sleeved t-shirt and full pants to cover their whole body. And once they returned home, they took out those clothes and put them in the washer. Have clothes which can dry easily in monsoon season. Avoid heavy fabric clothes. 

CONCLUSION:

Monsoon season is one of the most beautiful seasons of the year. It is a natural cleanser of the earth. Don't keep your kids inside the house only. Let them get wet, let them play, and let them enjoy the rain. With the above tips, you can take precautions to protect your kids and families. Don't forget to enjoy yourself too.

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Question of the day

What kind of precautions do you take in monsoon? 

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ADOLESCENCE

Everyone is talking about this short series on Netflix. I can't resist myself and after watching it - it hits hard as a parent. The younger generation are facing so much social pressure which is beyond our understanding. 

PS : Google 

ABOUT THE SERIES: 

It is a series where 13 year old Jammi Miller gets arrested early in the morning from his home. And his act  turns his parents life upside down and is giving us a panic attack as a parent. 

This 4 episode series revolves around the crime investigation of the 13 years old boy. The boy belongs to the middle class family. Jammie Millers stabs her classmate Katie. And the crime investigation started. The police, the lawyer and the psychologist - everyone efforts to find out what was the motive behind the murder? 

REVIEW :

He doesn't have any past or have any worst friend circle. Even his parents raise him with good standards. They are loving parents and do not have any fights inside the house. 

In short where everything around Jimmi was favourable no one can digest that he can do a murder. 

The last episode makes you cry, devastated and introspect. Parents try to give him everything whatever they can. They try to teach him sports, arts and music but he doesn't have any interest because he has been into Social media. And when they said he was always inside his bedroom he was safe. But what he was doing inside the bedroom upto midnight? No one care. 

ADOLESCENCE CAST 

Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller

Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller, Jamie’s father

Ashley Walters as Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe

Erin Doherty as Briony Ariston, the clinical psychologist assigned to Jamie’s case

Faye Marsay

Christine Tremarco

Mark Stanley

Jo Hartley

Amlie Pease

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Available on NETFLIX 

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After watching this series, I think we parents should ask a few questions to ourselves.

Are we really busy ?

Do we have any connection with our children?

Do We need to give everything to them ? 

Is it necessary to have a mobile phone at the age of 10 ? 

Are we able to put our butt in their life? 

Can we read our children's minds?

I know we can't pay attention to everything. But I think there should be limits on demands, social media usage. 

Important lessons I learnt from this series are : 

• They want respect.
• They want to listen without judgement.

We often think a girl child is not safe but I was wrong. Even a boy child is also not safe. Our children are not safe outside as well as inside the house too. 

• Only if we know what they are doing? 
• What is going on in their mind? 
• Are they getting bullied in school or even on the playground?
• Are we able to talk with them?

CONCLUSION: 

Adolescence is the stage where they are no more kids and not adults yet. Their major part of the brain is developing. The more chances they will get in the wrong way. It is really necessary to have connections with them. We should talk daily and give them love and respect. Parents should maintain a friendly atmosphere at home where children can share every tiny thing. 

Facing this Adolescence age is very difficult for the parents. But with the right approach we can sail the boat. 

Yes it is possible? What do you think? 

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GHIBLI AI

 I guess एक हफ्ता होऊन गेला असेल GHIBLI AI जे बऱ्यापैकी ट्रेडिंग होते. Almost सगळ्याच लोकांनी आपले फोटो Gibhil AI create केलं होते. खूपच छान वाटत होते. नाही का? आणि त्यानंतर तर GHIBHLI gets wrong हा सुद्धा ट्रेंड आला or सध्या चालू आहे. कॉमेडी pictures चा. तोही लोकांनी बऱ्याच प्रमाणात डोक्यावर घेतला. 

तुम्ही सुद्धा केलेच असतील ना असे pictures? Off course सगळ्यांच्या what's App DP वर आणि इन्स्टाग्रामवर सुद्धा आहेत. 

पण खरच हे सुरक्षित आहे का? तुम्ही याची खात्री करुन घेतली का?

तर आता तुम्ही बोलल सगळेच तर करत आहेत. काय प्रोब्लेम आहे? तुम्ही AI ला सरळ सरळ पर्सनल pictures चा access देत आहात. 

AI किती डेंजर आहे हे स्वतः Elon ne inform केले आहे. कोणताही अँप इंस्टॉल करताना त्याच्या टर्म्स आणि condition read करणे ही आपली जबाबदारी असते आणि लोक ट्रेंडच्या नादात हे विसरून जातात. तुमचे pic's, तुमच्या family members चे pics, sensitive pics या सगळ्यांच AI कसा वापर करू शकतो याची कल्पना तरी केली आहे का? 

हो, मी नाही ट्रेंडच्या मागे धावत. Specially जिथे असे access मागितले जातात तिथे तर अजिबातच नाही. तसेही काहीही सुरक्षित नाही पण तरीही आपणहून चिखलात का पडायचे? नाही का?

मी GHIBHLI art original creator चा video पाहिला. आणि ही was शॉक. त्याचे creation Ya AI ne काही सेकंदात re-create केले ज्या साठी त्याने खूप मेहनत घेतली होती. बट खरोखर अशा creators चा जॉब गेलाच की नाही? 

सिक्युरिटी लॉज आहेत बट त्यांची अंमलबजावणी होईपर्यंत किती वेळ जाईल याची कोणालाच कल्पना नाही. 

असो.

माझे बोलणे एवढेच आहे की ट्रेंडच्या मागे लागून आपल्या पर्सनल इन्फॉर्मेशन ची access अशी सहजासहजी देऊ नका. 

Be Safe and Secure.

FRIDAY FAVOURITE 005

Hello and welcome to my blog, especially this Friday Favorite series. This one could be the gratitude series. I am trying to figure out some positive outlooks from every week. I have tried daily gratitude journaling, but somehow I am unable to match up with that due to my busy schedule. So I wanted to get back to this series where I used to put my gratitude on a monthly basis. 

This year I wanted to try it on a weekly basis. As a mom, I often get burned out, and I found that gratitude helps me in finding out the balance. Each time I am able to seek out how much I am grateful for whatever I have, I will not run in the rat race.

I am sharing my five favorite things of this week, which I love. 

Ready-to-eat food is often loaded with chemicals, and so I am against it. But now there are mini summer vacations going on, and lots of screaming and constant food demand make me more irritated. And at the same time, I am telling myself to take a deep breath and not lash out with anger. Yayy, mumma… I am trying to be calm 😐 because I don't want to transfer my anger to my kids. 

Frankly speaking, I am tired of cooking the same food that they always eat. I blinkit ready-to-eat kebab and roti.

I like it because, as per the ingredient list, there are no harmful ingredients, and it is tastier. You just have to shallow fry on medium flame. It took almost 10 minutes to cook perfectly.

Roti : I thought this was like Malabar Parotta. because the package was was looking like that only. When I opened the packet, it was ready-to-eat roti. Means you have to cook it on tawa. This packet contains 10 roti. Honestly, this one was not on my list, but I ran out of aata, and so I ordered it. It becomes hard after some time. So you have to eat it quickly.

The third one is a book on my list. You guys know I have a toddler, and ordering books for them is my favorite thing. Just because I don't find a kids book library in my area and I am spending a huge amount of money on this book. Shh...! You know I have these books only in Rs.80 to 90. 

Currently these are our favorite books. It is all about professions. I ordered only these two books. One is a doctor, and the other one is a police officer. I love how the book is designed in pictures so that tiny little ones can relate to it. It is an interesting book, and we love it.

Fourth, my favorite is food reels. One of my favorite recipes is beetroot koshambir. Here is the link for the detailed video. Summer has already started, and so we are more into eating lots of koshambir. Beetroot is one of the things that is not liked by everyone. But trust me, I made this, and it is finished within minutes. It is so tasty. 

All you have to do is boil beetroot and grate it. Mix the grated beetroot in curd. Add salt, a little bit of sugar, and mix it very well. The next part is tadka. Heat up the oil in the tadka pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chilies, and pour this tadka on the curd mixture; your delicious beetachi koshimbir is ready. 

The last but not the least is a movie on Panni: this movie is one of the best movies because it is a realistic movie.

The real story of the man who fought for water with the nature - (Drought) and his postive thinking compels every one to work hard to get water. How he overcome with difficulties, his marriage and many more obstacles but still he achieve his goal. It is one of the inspiring movie that everyone should watch to know the value of water. Available on OTT platform. 

Question of the day 

Which one is your favorite thing of this week? Comment below. 

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HOLI 2025

Holi 2025 is a special Holi just because my twins actually understand what the festival is. 

This time we also witnessed the MOON.

Holi is a spring festival filled with lots of colors and joy. Where everyone burnt all negativity in Holika Dahan and played with joy, laughter, and love. There is immense positive energy flow on the day of DHULWAD.

WHAT IS DHULWAD?

Dhulwad is a Marathi word—actual Holi people played with color. On this day, actual people used to color the Dhul (mitti) of Holika Dahan.

I got this information from my father. He told me how madly people enjoy it, and we have to enjoy it too. Because we stay in India, we have to celebrate each festival with joy. 

Water, color balloons, pichakari, and permanent black and silver colors are all my favorite things. Introducing everything, my kiddo is my favorite activity. 

This is my second time where I again became small and played color with them. For the last two years my Holi was confined inside the home, but this year I am grateful to the universe that I actually go out and enjoy. (A little bit, but that matters to me most.) 😊

Taking pics is mandatory nowadays to flaunt on social media. But frankly speaking, this time we both intentionally did not take a mobile with us. We mindfully enjoy the festival with friends and all the little kiddos. And so there are no photos, and I did not have any regrets. Rather, I clicked a few pics when we were at home after playing Holi. 

Question of the day 

How do you play Holi? For social media pics, did you really enjoy them?

 

SPINACH EGG FRIED RICE - TODDLERS RECIPE

Hello, Happy Thursday!

Today I am sharing simple and easy recipes of spinach Egg fried rice. This is specially for toddlers and small kids but we adults also can eat with additional sauces and masalas. Spinach is one of the vegetables that my kids don't like and so I have to feed them in various forms. Spinach Egg fried rice is one such recipe.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF SPINACH : 

• Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin AC and K.
• It contain irons, magnesium and calcium.
• Spinach is rich in antioxidants.
• Spinach contain nitrate which helps in lower blood pressure.
• Iron in spinach help in preventing of Anemia.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF EGGS : 

• Eggs are the excellent source of protein.
• They contain vitamin A, B and D.
• Vitamins D is important for bone health.
• The protein in eggs helps in muscle growth and repair.
• Egg is also beneficial for eye and heart health.
• Egg also support in weight management.

Related Blog Post : 

Easy Way To Have Eggs In Your Breakfast.

Kids/Baby Approved Weekly Healthy Breakfast Idea #2

Feeding eggs on regular basis to kids is really challenging. They easily get bored and so I am trying to feed in new way.  In this recipe I have used leftover spinach but you can increase or decrease the quantity as per your requirement.

Check other spinach recipes for toddlers and babies here 

RECIPE: SPINACH EGG FRIED RICE TODDLERS RECIPE 

Total Time : 10 minutes 

Cuisine: Indian 

Author: Neeta Kadam 

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INGREDIENTS 

Egg : 1

Spinach : chopped 1 cup 

Onion : 1

Red Chilli powder: 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/8 tsp

Salt : as per your taste

Cooked Rice : 1 cup

Oil : 1 tbsp.

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DIRECTION: 

1) Wash spinach under cold water and chop it.

2) Heat oil and add sliced onion. Fry it till golden colour.

3) Then add chopped spinach and fry for a minutes.

4) Next add all powder masalas and fry for two minutes.

5) Beat one egg and scramble it and mixed in that mixture very well till egg cook. 

6) Now add cooked rice along with salt as per taste. Fry and fry till it mix very well on high heart .

Your delicious spinach Egg fried rice is ready to eat.

TIPS :

For adults version you can add soya sauce, chilli sauce and Schezwan sauce. You can increase the spicy quantity as per your taste.

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Please check out the video here.

Reference : https://www.webmd.com

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Question of the day

Do you mix egg and spinach? Which kind of fried rice you often make at home?

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This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.

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BOOK REVIEW: AMONGST THE BELIEVERS

Title: AMONGST THE BELIEVERS

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Thriller

Page Count: 290

Author: Kochery C. Shibu

Publisher: Mishan Design Point Pvt Ltd

Publication Date: 2024

BOOK BLURB (as on book) :

Amongst the Believers, another masterpiece from the best-selling and award-winning author of “Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar” and “Faith and the Beloved.” The novel is a saga of love, set against the backdrop of war-torn Afghanistan and Ukraine.

Nanda is an accused in a murder case, and the lives of his dear ones are in danger. He is given an option to join RAW on a mysterious mission and penetrate the elite society of Pakistan. A choice that forces him to create a family only to destroy it.

Khusru is a terrorist who has fallen out with his handlers, the ISI, and is on the run. Caught in the vicious gang wars of Karachi, he is to escort the warlord’s daughter Miriam to Bosnia. A journey that takes him to Iran, Armenia, and the prisons of Russia.

Rekha has choreographed her life in the captivity of a terrorist as a dance drama. Even after marriage and two children, her obsession with Khusru knows no bounds. She is kidnapped and ends up as a sex slave to the teenage terrorists in war-torn Afghanistan.

A ruse that led America to invade Iraq and a mysterious video of an Army officer directing the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that could change the course of history are being chased by the ISI, Mossad, CIA, Russians, and the RAW. The lives of Nanda, Khusru, and Rekha are entangled in this international web of espionage.

A journey through the unknown, a saga of love, espionage, and suspense that will keep you riveted.

MY REVIEW:

I received the copy from the Author to review the book. I choose this kind of GENRE because it is a political action thriller.

The story involves the lives of three different people from different backgrounds with their own missions and the way they intertwined in an untangled web of politics and intelligence.

It is a gripping story that you keep turning the page until you get to know what happened next. Is Khusru successful in escorting the warlord's daughter? Does Rekha succeed in finding Khusru? How did she turn in sex slaves? Nanda, a murderer, is able to solve the case? Save the life of his family?

The characters are complex and multifaceted. The narration shows how this character deals with their fear and desire and struggles with moral dilemmas.

I like each character. Especially Khusru. I wonder how this normal teen becomes a terrorist. What kind of life they choose and how it ended. I want to say this terrorist also has a good heart, and I feel he is the HERO in this novel.

Rekha being a doctor, married with two kids, and her obsession with Khusru is weird and heart aching. But love is blind and have no end.

The minute details of the geopolitical scenario give a realistic touch to the story. The author's writing reflects his technical knowledge and army background as well as human emotions with complex backdrops.

I like the way each chapter ends with the beautiful quotes that resemble the whole saga.

Some of my favorite quotes are:

When you leave me in the grave, don't say goodbye; remember the grave is the only curtain for the paradise behind.

You've come to know the fortunate and the in auspicious stars, but you don't know whether you yourself are fortunate or lucky.

And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hours of separation.

At the end of my life, with just one breath left, if you come, I'll sit up and sing.

Believe in love's infinite journey, for it is your own, for you are love. Love is life.

DRAWBACKS :

The story is fast-paced. Some chapters are going at a speed that I find difficult to match with pace.

And some chapters are explained in such way that you can witnessed the exact scenario.

Where as in some places tiny description of each plot, excessive cultural description, unnecessary geographical details and frequent shifts of location make a loss of interest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kochery C. Shibu, the bestselling and award-winning author of ‘Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar’ and ‘Faith and the Beloved,’

He is a graduate of the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. He has served in the Indian Navy and commanded two warships.

Amongst the Believers’ , suspense thriller, is his third book. A passionate and committed writer, Shibu creates a magical world of fiction built around a well-researched background.

MY RATING

For Book Cover: 3/5

Rating: 4/5

Buy Books: here

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Amongst the Believers is a well-written, action-packed thriller novel with rich character development and an intriguing plot that captivates readers. Author Shibu's writing is proactive. Though the story is complex, like RAW, terrorism, and survival of each character, he made the story flow easily by using simple language. The book takes you into the dark world of intelligence. Dive in to this action packed thriller.

Related Reading: The book review of Silk Route Spy 

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This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.

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Question of the day 

Do you like to read action packed thriller?Have you read the book Amongst The Believer? 

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