Rashmi's Space

This is a sponsored post for Quaker Oats and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com Ah, breakfast – a meal that we enjoyed as children, tried to skip as adolescents, have practically no time for as adults; and yet, swear by, as parents! Growing up we have all heard our parents insist that we have breakfast first thing in the morning if we have to be healthy; but it is only when we become parents ourselves that we actually understand the importance of it. It is only as a parent that we even begin to appreciate the benefits of not skipping breakfast in the morning! But of course, by then, our children have grown up and decided they aren’t interested in breakfast anymore. The truth is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and has long term health benefits that are second to none. And among the many benefits of breakfast, the most important ones are – Breakfast gives our brain and body, the fuel it needs to face the day. Breakfast provides the es...

This is a sponsored post for Eureka Forbes AeroGuard and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com  There was a wedding in the family last week; and while I had to give it a miss because of my little one’s exams, my parents and extended family attended and enjoyed it! What’s more, the wedding was at my native place, a little village in northern Karnataka, where agriculture is the main source of livelihood. So after the wedding, my brother and cousins spent a day picnicking in our sugarcane fields; breathing in the fresh, dry air that my native is famous for; and sent me such amazing pictures that had me longing for my ancestral village and that picnic! Really, I so wanted my little one to be able to enjoy that clean, crisp air from our fields too! But alas, I am the city mouse and my little one unfortunately breathes air that is polluted way too much. With an apartment close to a busy road and now because of the advent of winters, there is constant smoke and pa...

I am on vacation this week. Okay, strictly speaking, my little one has school holidays and I am at Mum's; having a wonderful time despite working from home! Travelling over the weekend, I was totally stressed about the work week and how I was going to manage work and meet my deadlines. The only blessing was that I knew I wouldn't have to worry about my little one during this time. But I also knew I would be working through the week, much to my parents' dismay. But then again, what choice do we worker bees have! And so it was that the Monday morning dawned after Christmas. After my brother left for his work, me and my little one had breakfast with Mum and Dad; and then, even as they were still chatting, updating me on the status of my various cousins and aunts and uncles, trading latest wedding gossip and generally bringing me up-to-date on the family trivia, my little one got busy sketching and I fired up my laptop. I could see the sadness on Mum's fa...

Okay, first off, you are really lucky if you have a little budding reader at home! Take a bow; you are one of those rare parents who have succeeded in inculcating a love for reading in your little one; giving him a gift for life! You are also one of those exceptional parents, who not only appreciate the beauty and the significance of words, but are benevolent enough to let your little ones appreciate the magnificence of the world of words too! And this benevolence on your part entitles you to the front row seat to some of the rarest (and sometimes the quirkiest) child behaviour! Yes, as a parent intent on raising a reader, you belong to that special group extraordinary parents who get to witness the some really peculiar behaviour in your little ones! Wondering what I am talking about? Well, see for yourself – Yours is probably the only child on the block who asks for lemonade, marshmallows and midnight snacks! If you happen to meet my mom (try not to, for your own sake,...

Click…attach…send…there, the pic was gone! Swati had just sent her husband a picture on whatsapp. It was a beautiful landscape sketched by their seven-year old. It was a masterpiece, if she said so herself. The boy surely had talent! Swati smiled as she saw the two blue ticks appear in the corner of the sent pic, indicating that Tarun had seen it. “My goodness, this is amazing!” came back the instant reply. “Yep!” she replied with a smiley; and then, “but he has a class test tomorrow, he has not studied for that! :(“ she sent the next message feeling guilty for not making Adi spend more time on studies. But Tarun promptly replied, “Oh, Swats, please don’t worry about the test, he will have that under control, I know; but seriously, I am just happy you see to it that you expose Adi to so many different things and help him discover his talents and interests….”  That evening, Adi was waiting for Dad to come see his beautiful picture! And as the bell rang, he rushed with...

Remember when we were in school? I am talking about the time over a decade earlier – when we went to a school that was the closest to home and was known to have a good reputation (or sometimes, just didn’t charge too much in fees, as no parents had much money to spare for the same). We would mostly walk to school, right? School buses were for the big, fancy schools that we couldn’t afford. So there we were, walking to school, in our nicely pressed uniform (the only other uniform set drying on the clothesline); and carrying our books and tiffin boxes with us in those old fashioned school bags. PE period was for exercise once a week and for play the other two days. And recess was for us to have our snacks! There were no restrictions on junk food then as junk food wasn’t as big a part of our diet anyway, and most of us would go straight from the PE period to the snack break at least three days a week. Of course, we would be told to wash our hands before food; but who had the tim...

This is a sponsored post for Pampers' #ItTakes2 Campaign and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com  On a crisp Thursday morning in Bangalore, on November 17, 2016; I was invited to attend a Bloggers Meet jointly organised by MyCity4Kids and P&G’s bestselling brand Pampers! The occasion was the launch of Pampers’ new campaign #ItTakes2, highlighting the importance of inclusive parenting and the role it plays in a baby’s holistic development. With the thought at the heart of the campaign being - when it takes two to make a baby; it should take, at the very least, two to raise one! This was smething I could happily relate to; and something I firmly believe in. In fact, I have already written about how  today’s ‘dads’  are very different from the dads of even a generation earlier; how they are happy to be, rather prefer to be “hands-on dads” and buddies to children, rather than a distant presence in their lives. And that is why, I was extremely happy t...

This is a sponsored post for Eureka Forbes AeroGuard and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com It was just a few days back that our social media feed was full of articles about severe air pollution in our capital city. We were all shocked when the Government declared the 'Delhi air pollution' as an emergency and schools were shut and construction work halted as harmful pollutants reached levels that were more than 16 times the safe limit! Hospitals in the city reported increasing number of patients suffering from respiratory diseases (of which India already has the highest rate in the world – with 159 deaths per 100,000 people even as early as in 2012 according to the World Health Organisation). My little one came home from school one day that week saying they were told the news in their assembly that schools in Delhi would be shut for a week and demanding to know why. I told him it was because of the air pollution the city was facing and the smog that refused to...

This is a sponsored post for Quaker and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com  If you have grown up anywhere near Mumbai, then as a child, you are sure to have visited the hill-stations of Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani! During the summers when Mumbai would be blazing in the relentless Sun, most people would escape to the closest, hill station of Mahabaleshar which would not only provide us the much needed respite from the heat, but also give us one of nature’s favourite berries – the strawberry! Mahabaleshwar in April-May is brimming with strawberries, mulberries, raspberries; and no matter where you go, you are served with fresh milkshakes, ice-creams, jams, jellies, fruit-salads and what not with fresh strawberries and cream toppings! As children, this, and of course, the horse rides on the Table Land, were the highlights of the vacations spent in these rolling hills! The deep pink berry with pits on the outside was a rarity for the middle-class working background childh...

Its Diwali time! And am sure preparations are on in every household. Sweets, snacks, lights, kandeel, diyas , crackers, gifts, shopping and what not!  We are all preparing for the baap of all festivals – the biggest and the best and the most fun! Children and adults alike, are super excited to celebrate this lovely festival of lights and love! From receiving a thorough cleaning, to being adorned with beautiful fairy lights and diyas ; as our homes get decked up for this enchanting festival, our hearts too are looking forward to meeting our near and dear ones!  And for those of our loved ones who are far; we have ensured that they know no matter how far they are; we are thinking of them in this time of celebration by sending them our love in the form of our messages and gifts! (This has become all the more easy and even fun; what with online shopping becoming the way of life in our country!) But in this entire hullabaloo, are we forgetting something? Are we bein...

This is a sponsored post for Kellogg's Chocos #Khuljaye Bachpan Campaign and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com Remember that scene from the movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge where Simran tells Raj about her family? Am not all that sure but I think it goes something like this – “Ghar mein bas hum char hain. Chutki apni umar se kuch jyada hi badi hai ….. Aur maa, friend jyada maa kam!”  (It’s just the four of us at home– Chutki (my sister) is way older than her age…and mom… she’s more a friend than a mother…) Well, growing up, this was very similar to how things were with me and my Mum. She was my trusted friend and confidant. Always the first to know of my new friends, my first crush, my first heartbreak; my favourite actors, movies, books – just about everything!  She was and continues to be the keeper of my secrets and knows of all that really matters to me. Our relationship has been such that I have never felt the need to keep anything ...

This is a sponsored post for Quaker and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com  Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day. A meal to be had within an hour of waking, breakfast offers many benefits to the body and the brain. So obviously, this is the best time to consume some of the  healthiest things  so as to enhance the benefits of breakfast. Of course, snacks too are important for growing children at regular intervals to keep their energy levels up. And one of the healthiest inclusions in all your meals can be none other than, Oats! However, we Indians love our paranthas, pooris, and our idlis so much, that a steaming bowl of porridge first thing in the morning is out of the question for us; no matter how healthy or how filling it may be. And that is exactly the problem I have been trying to tackle ever since I got to know the  long term health benefits of Oats . You see, oats being a whole grain, rich in fiber and generally great fo...

This is a sponsored post for KrackerjackKarnival and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com  This is the last weekend of the Dassera vacations here in Bengaluru. Our schools have been shut this past week and we have enjoyed the festival, the sweets, family and friends, loads of TV and iPad time! What’s more, it is going to be Saraswati Puja time before we know it, and children are going to keep their books for the Puja; with strict instructions  not to take the books out till they are told . Not that the kids will want to take them out anyway; but still, now that’s one more thing less for mothers to suggest they do when children come whining “I am bored mumma, what do I do?” Well, worry not, here’s something that will be fun and super entertaining for children as well as us parents alike! This weekend, India’s biggest kids and family event, The Krackerjack Karnival is right here in Bengaluru! The festival promises amazing games, workshops and fabulous food; an...