Rashmi's Space

This is a sponsored post for Eureka Forbes AeroGuard and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com When we think of air pollution, our first instinct is to look outwards – exhaust, combustion, burning fuels, vehicles on the road; the works. But we rarely think of pollution in terms of indoor pollution – inside our homes, inside our offices, inside our schools – and maybe that’s why, we pay comparatively less attention to it. But this weekend, returning from a week away from home, we were greeted with a sight that made me look at indoor air pollution from a whole new perspective! You see, our apartment is close to a main road where hundreds of cars move about all day, every day; and a lot of dust enters our home. We keep getting it regularly cleaned and dusted so as to ensure that there are no dusty surfaces. But this weekend, as we got back after a week out of town, we discovered that the house was dusty despite all our windows being shut tight. Not only that, there was also...

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...

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...

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...

This is a sponsored post for KrackerjackKarnival and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com  Running free in the outdoors and playing all day is what every child wants! Now during school time it may be difficult, but during the vacations, we can surely indulge our young ones. Of course, spending family time together is also important and when you can let the children enjoy their time and also enjoy together with them as a family; well that is when things do really work out! Navratri is here and the holiday season is upon us in good old Bengaluru. With almost two weeks of vacation, children are home with us, waiting for us parents to fill their days with holiday fun. Of course, many parents have already taken to the roads with their kiddos and others are lounging in resorts by the beaches out of town. But there are some like yours truly, who are unable to travel and are spending the vacation in our favourite city. That is fun too, don’t get me wrong; I mean it is durin...

This is a sponsored post for Quaker Oats and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com  A few days back, I wrote about how a  letter from the Principal of our school  got me searching for a filling alternative to a mere glass of milk my little one would have before school; leading me to discovering the miracle grain – Oats – that would keep my little one full and energetic until it was time for his snack break. Since then, oats have been a regular in our home and I have also made it a point to include oats in the different snacks and smoothies that I usually make for him. Now mostly, he is unaware of what goes into his snacks – so long as it tastes delicious, he is happy and all is well with the world! But then there are times, when he keeps me company in the kitchen and while he keeps chirping in the background about his day, I go about making his after-school snacks. One such time though, when I was making his favourite  Akki Roti  last week, he sto...

This is a sponsored post for Quaker Oats and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com  "Think global, eat local"  is the modern-day mantra of healthy eating. It not only helps boost the economy of the place you live in; but also ensures the assimilation of nutrients in your body that are essential as per the weather of the place you live in. Needless to say, this mantra rocks for a foodie like me! All the while I lived in Mumbai, I would happily munch on the staple  Vada Pav ,  Dabeli ,  Misal Pav  and  Pav Bhaji  – and when I moved to Bangalore, I fell in love with the local delicacies such as the  Neer Dosa , the  Ragi Roti  and the  Akki Rott i. These are delicious breakfast items found across the eateries and homes of Karnataka, that also serve perfectly as ‘anytime’ nutritious and filling snacks. They are made from natural, locally available ingredients, they are healthy and yet, they are yummy too! However, ...

This is a sponsored post for Colgate's #MagicalStories and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com  Watch Video Here What is the one thing most children are experts at? Telling tales! No, make it telling tall tales! Ask any child who was the best child in class today, and pat comes the reply I was! No matter what the situation, children love to tell tales. And whats more, in most of their stories, they are the heroes! These stories may not always be true, but with their stories, children will have you believe, that they are the next Iron Man! So how does one go about achieving this super active imagination in children? By introducing them to the world of stories in the first place! And like most good habits, you need to start as early as possible. In my case, I started when my little one was a mere three months old; who would enthusiastically coo to urge me on whenever I sat to read out a story for him! This practice also led to his getting addicted to the bedtim...

This is a sponsored post for The Atelier and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com  As parents, we all want only the best for our children – be it food, or toys, or books or their school! We even look for the perfect playschool for our little ones; the one that will prepare them to spend some time away from home and also help them learn the basic skills required for them to have an easy ride when they start school. So we begin with well-known names or ask around friends and family as to what playschools they would recommend; and secure an admission for our children. We check that the playschool offers convenient hours and hope that they will take good care of our children. We don’t necessarily see what the environment of the place is like – not the standard books, swings, trampoline, blocks etc., but the real environment where our child will spend time – like say, are there trees for our children to run around, is there a pond or a fountain for our children to en...