Special Thanks To

Sayani Ghosh, Gitanjali Nayak and Neha Mittal for sharing their recipes with us and making our post more interesting. A special shout-out to Sayani Ghosh for being our regular supporter and contributor

All-time favourite Pancakes/Uttapam/Hybrid of Uttapam and Gola Ruti, etc.

You must have read about the Pancake recipe shared in our last post. Most of you must be making your own versions. We thought of sharing one more version, just adding to the family of our Bengali Pancakes or Golaruti – a cross/hybrid between the Tamil Rava Uttapam and Bengali vegetarian Gola Ruti.

Ingredients

We would just need one cup of Rava or Fine Suji, ½ cup of curd/yoghurt, salt to taste, sliced onions, tomatoes, Curry Leaves and 4 tsp of maida (all-purpose flour). You can also add your choice of finely chopped vegetables if you want.

Preparation

Mix the Suji with the curd and keep it aside for 20 minutes while you chop the vegetables. Add all the ingredients and prepare a batter. Add the maida and check for consistency. Finally, add some water to reduce the thickness if you need it.

Heat the pan well and grease it. Start putting a ladle full of the batter and spread it with the back of the ladle. Cover the pan with a lid. Let the pancake cook in simmer. Keep checking if the lower side has started browning. Flip it to let the other side cook. When both sides are done, pack it inside the tiffin box.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes to ferment and 5 minutes to prepare the pancakes.

Egg Fried Rice

If you have a bowl of left-over rice, you can use it to make egg-fried rice for tiffin the next day.

Ingredients

You will need an egg or two for a medium bowl of cooked rice, chopped onions, beans, capsicums, carrots, tomato ketchup, soya sauce, salt and a pinch of black pepper if needed.

Preparation

Heat 3 tbsp refined oil, add in the chopped onions and let it fry till it’s transparent. Add in the other chopped vegetables. Add salt to taste. Fry till the veggies become tender. Now break in the eggs in the pan. Fry till done. If you want more giant clumps of fried eggs, just don’t keep stirring. Add in a tbsp of tomato ketchup and a teaspoon of soya sauce. Mix well. Add in the rice. Stir in gently to mix up the rice with the veggies and eggs. Tada!

If veggies are unavailable, onions, eggs, soya sauce, and tomato sauce can do the trick equally well. So, no worries!

Preparation Time: 8-10 minutes

Scrambled Egg/Egg Salad with Toasts

Ingredients

One Egg, one medium-sized potato, onion, salt and pepper.

Preparation

Boil Egg and potato. Cut them into small pieces. In a wok, heat ghee or white oil and add onions. Fry them till brown. Now add the chopped potato and Egg. Add salt and pepper. Mix everything properly and let it fry for a few minutes on medium heat. Serve it with crispy toast.

If you want to make it into a more instant tiffin box recipe – simply make a scrambled egg and add slices of boiled potato, salt and pepper as a variation.

Preparation time: 8-10 minute

Homemade Plum Cakes – All-time Instant Tiffin box recipes

We have shared a simple plum cake recipe in our homemade Christmas cake article – get it here. No, it’s not an instant tiffin box recipe. But cakes have a week’s shelf life if you store them in a cool place. So, prepare it over the weekend and add it to your kid’s tiffin box in the mid-week, when you’re nearly drained out of ideas.

Preparation time: If you cook it over the weekend, then it only requires slicing and packing time – no preparation time!

Cheese Sandwich

Another finger-licking yet instant tiffin box recipe that kids love primarily, thanks to the cheese!

Ingredients

All you need is brown bread, cheese, Parsley seasoning & Barbeque seasoning and butter for grilling.

Preparation

Cut off the sides of the bread, and grate a generous amount of cheese on one of the slices. If you are preparing two sandwiches, use a whole cube. Sprinkle some Barbeque seasoning & Parsley seasoning on it. Put the other bread on top. Grease the griller with butter and put the sandwiches in it—grill as per your kid’s taste.

Preparation time: You can prepare this tasty dish in 10 mins.

Makhana Chaat

The calcium content in makhana strengthens the bones and teeth of kids and growing babies. And with a few tricks, you can make it tasty too.

Ingredients

Half bowl makhana.

Capsicum, mushroom, boiled

Corn (2 tablespoons each)

Onion (Optional – 2 tablespoons)

Tomato & mayonnaise (1 tablespoon each)

Salt, pepper & oregano as per taste

Preparation

Roast the makhanas in a pan for about 5 minutes on low to medium flame and keep it aside. In another pan, or on

Once the makhana is done, toss the veggies in butter for about 40sec.

Put the veggies and the makhana in a bowl. Then, add the taste enhancers (salt, pepper, oregano) and the mayonnaise. Mix them well.

Pack your kid’s tiffin box with the wholesome meal.

Preparation time: 10- 15 minutes. And lesser, if you prepare the veggies the previous night and store them in an air-tight container.

Buy Makhana online

Conclusion

Cooking is an art, and when it comes to preparing school tiffin, this art is put to a real test. We are sure you have some ideas, which all our readers will love to try. And we, the KolkataFusion team, are all ears!

The post 6 More Instant Tiffin Box Recipes appeared first on KolkataFusion.

Special Thanks To

Paramita Mukherjee, Sayani Sarkar & Tannistha Mukherjee for their contributions. This post could not have been possible without the recipes they have shared.        

Healthy, quick tiffin box recipes

Flattened rice (Poha) Tikki

Packed with iron, fibre, carbohydrates, antioxidants and vitamins, Poha (chire) provides a wholesome meal. And it’s also gluten-free.

A quick look at the ingredients to prepare poha Tikki for tiffin

Poha – a handful for two medium size tikkis, a small potato, seasonal vegetables (most preferably carrot, beans and capsicum), 2-3 tablespoons refined oil, ½ cube cheese or one teaspoon butter, half onion, pepper & salt according to taste

The ratio of poha to potato should be 1:1/2

Poha Tikki recipe

Wash the poha to soften it but ensure it does not become soggy. Mash the hardboiled (not very tender, yet mashable) potato in a bowl and add finely chopped onion, grated vegetables and cheese or butter. Mix well. Add the softened poha. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper. Mix well with your hand. Take small portions from the mixture. Give the portions flat shapes like Tikki or patty. Keep aside. Heat the oil and shallow fry the Tikki or patties till golden.

Preparation time: 10 to 15 mins. You can prepare the veggies the previous night and refrigerate them in a bowl of water or in an air-tight pouch.

Pick it and place it in your child’s tiffin box. As a dip, you can give tomato sauce or mayonnaise. (Try out Hellmann’s Eggless Mayonnaise.)

Pancake/Gola Ruti

This is one of those quick tiffin box recipes which has the widest variance. Different moms make this all-time favourite tiffin food in different ways. The process is the same, it’s only one of the ingredients that differ from mom to mom. 

Ingredients which has a wide options to choose from

An egg, all-purpose flour/semolina/Rava/wheat flour, chopped onion, grated veggies (if available), turmeric (optional), salt, pepper/chillies, oil for greasing the pan so that the batter doesn’t get stuck, a pinch of julienned ginger (optional). You can also add a bit of milk to the batter. It helps to maintain the consistency of the mixture and is healthy but adding is not a must.

Preparation

Preparation time: 10 to 15 mins. You can prepare the veggies the previous night and refrigerate them in a bowl of water or in an air-tight pouch.

Whisk the egg and mix in every ingredient to make a batter. The batter should be neither thick nor watery.

Grease the pan and start putting a ladle full of batter for browning. When one side browns, flip it and let the other side cook in the same way.

If in a dire hurry, you can also make this preparation without veggies and onion. In that case, add half a teaspoon of honey.

You can also add mayonnaise to it. But, in that case, whisk the mayo and then add the egg.

Quick fix Rava/semolina upma

Along with various other benefits, upma helps in digestion and boosts energy (something that all our kids need).

Ingredients

• Half cup Rava/fine blended suji (Semolina)
• Mustard seeds and curry leaves for tempering
• 1/4^th potato
• 1/4^th onion
• A small portion of carrot
• A handful of groundnuts
• 2-3 tablespoons oil or ghee
• Salt according to taste
• A teaspoon of coriander for garnishing (optional)

Preparation

• Finely chop all the vegetables
• Add oil/ghee to a deep-bottomed pan
• Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and curry leaves to splutter. Then, add the veggies to it.
• Stir fir them until mildly cooked.
• Add the Rava and keep frying. Sprinkle some water on and off.
• Add the salt.
• Once the rava turns golden brown, take it off the pan, and garnish it with coriander.

Preparation time: 10 mins. You can prepare the veggies the previous night and refrigerate them in a bowl of water or in an air-tight pouch.

Lemon Rice

Like pancakes, lemon rice is also a prevalent tiffin food which our friends from Southern India swear by. Lemon rice is straightforward to make and lengthens the shelf life of rice. During humid days, when our kids cannot digest fried food easily, you can prepare lemon rice to cool the gut.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of pre-cooked rice (tastes better with short-grained gobindobhog atop chaal/rice)
• A handful of groundnuts
• A sprig of curry leaves
• A pinch of mustard seeds, chana daal (Bengal gram), urad daal for tempering
• ½ tsp of turmeric powder
• Salt and Sugar according to taste
• ½ slice of lemon
• 2 tbsp refined oil

Preparation:

• Heat the oil in the pan
• Fry the groundnuts and keep them aside.
• Now, put the mustard seeds, urad and chana dal in the same oil.
• As they start spluttering, add the curry leaves and immediately add the pre-cooked rice
• Stir in. Add the fried groundnuts, turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Mix well.
• Meanwhile, take the juice from the lemon slice and mix it with 1 ½ tbsp of water.
• Turn off the flame after mixing the rice well with the other ingredients.
• Add the lemon juice and water mix. Mix well. Once you see the colour of the mixed rice changing to faded yellow, you know it’s done.
• Preparation time: If you use a cooker, the rice hardly takes 15mins to cook. And once that’s ready, the rest is a matter of just 10 mins more. To quicken the process, you can use last night’s pre-cooked rice.
• Serve in the tiffin box after a standing time of 5 minutes.

Kabuli Chana Chaat (Chick Pea Salad)

The Chick Pea or Kabuli Chana has high protein content, which is required for nourishment in children.

Preparation that’ll make your Mondays happier

1. Boil overnight soaked Kabuli chana (Chick Pea), or use pre-boiled chana. The quantity depends on the kid’s appetite.

2. Mix chopped onion, cucumber, tomato, chilli and Kabuli chana in a bowl. Add a dash of lemon juice and black salt before packing the tiffin.

Preparation time: This is one of the best quick tiffin box recipes. It hardly takes 8 mins to prepare this delicious recipe. And can be used as a great evening snack too.

So, here are a few handpicked quick tiffin recipes, and we have a storehouse full of more tiffin ideas. So, please write to us in the comment section if you want more quick tiffin ideas from us. And if you have some other ideas, which will make the tiffing times more joyful for the kids without burning us, the moms, please share with us.

Related Articles: Hugely Popular Bengali Breakfast Dishes

The post Quick Tiffin Box Recipes appeared first on KolkataFusion.

The digital world and progressions in technology have altered the way of life. Undoubtedly, it has made students’ life more competitive and full of anxiety and restlessness. To calm the mind, children’s imagination needs to be aroused. It should be channelised towards more comforting and simple things like the chatter of a stream, chirping of birds, various scents coming out of house kitchens and bazaars. Children need to know how to respect nature as well as relationships with fellow humans. Lockdown due to the pandemic has enhanced the stress of school children who are going through a virtual school life, where they keep on studying without physically meeting their friends during recess and after school. That warmth is undoubtedly missing in the current scenario. On the other hand, this is the right time to get back to reading and re-living that warmth that is genuinely missing in today’s world. 

Reading is a habit – how to encourage your child to read?

Eight Ruskin Bond Books for children

One author who is widely read and widely loved all across the nation is Ruskin Bond. So, here are eight books by India’s favourite oldest child Ruskin Bond, that can help school children to tranquilise their mind for a while and befriend some crazy, roguish and imaginative children.

Getting Granny’s Glasses

There are some feel-good stuff, places and moments in everyone’s life. This book lets you live this feeling. The children can experience different colours of nature and learn to observe simple things around them that usually go unnoticed. Aren’t kids and old-aged persons alike? The joy of savouring the magnificence of nature has been best portrayed by Mr. Bond through Granny’s eyes. The book offers visual descriptions of life in hills and shows the simplicity and caring nature of humble hill folks amidst the harsh conditions in the hills.

The Eyes of the Eagle

How responsible and strong hill people are! They have to adapt themselves according to harsh climatic and high-altitude conditions. Their never-give-up attitude is the backdrop of this story. This book is set in the Tung valley, where Shiva resides in his highest abode, Tunganath temple.  It narrates the story of a boy Jai, his dog Motu, a few of his people, and their intrepid endeavors to save their herd of sheep from the evil claws of a golden eagle and its mate.

Angry River  

In this story, there’s one river, an island, a girl, her grandparents, a boy and a tree. That’s all. Fighting for the necessities and against all the odds of nature is the essence of this book. So, the thing that keeps the readers hooked to the book is the aloofness of the setting, away from the crowd, noise and modernisation. The story reveals how impertinent nature can be. But what may come, the spirit of these people never let them give up.

Though the story is about the flooding of the island and its nearby villages, it profoundly tells the struggle of people residing in these kinds of areas where bare necessities of life are hard to earn and present challenges in keeping life on a move. The book is about the courage that these people exhibit in hard times and always start afresh after any kind of natural distress.

The Road to the Bazaar 

This book is packed with lively scenes of a small hill town in Northern India. It lets the children experience the simple but exuberant life of a hill town. Some joyous children indulge in such mischievous and inventive activities that make life pleasant. You’re going to experience an unusual zoo made in the backyard of a house; watch the race of some atypical animals (ahem! insects); some gossip full of laughter; music of the flute; a day spent on an old tree; and many more.

This book is everything that a child can imagine. So, are you, fed up with the humdrum of city life? Have no time to perceive the primitiveness of life? Go grab this book.

The Blue Umbrella  

It is a delightful and fascinating story that teaches the virtues of benevolence, sacrifice, and letting go. It is tough to let go of what you love with passion, but keeping human relations above material fancies is what matters most. This is what Binya, the pretty and brave girl discovers at the end of the story. Her life was full of adventures after she gets her most dear possession, the blue umbrella. The way the beauty of the blue umbrella and everyone’s longing for it is described shows the exceptional art of storytelling of Mr. Bond.

A Long Walk for Bina

Through the story, Ruskin Bond has introduced the children to the flora and fauna of Garhwal hills and the changing landscape through human intervention. The controversial issue of the Tehri Dam is dealt with thoughtfully. So, children will be compelled to think about the effects of such kinds of interventions in the natural landscape.

Is development more important or the conservation of nature in its original form? This book highlights the effects of such kinds of invasions on not only wild animals but also on the residents of that particular area. This story with beautiful visual vocabulary is certain to make you happy and considerate of your surroundings.

Friends in Wild Places 

The book celebrates Mr. Bond’s unusual friendships. Befriending everyone he meets is an exceptional quality of Ruskin Bond. But the unusual point is that he befriends not only human beings but also plants, animals, birds and insects. This is the reason that his stories always have something related to wildlife.

This book commemorates Mr. Bond’s unique friendships and encounters with some unusual wild creatures. This book is the best way to let children know about wildlife through some captivating stories.

When I Was A Boy

Living in the magic of the world, conceived by Ruskin Bond, while reading the timeless tales penned down by him, sometimes there’s an urge to know about the life incidents that turned him into a marvelous storyteller. Here is the book with a comprehensive account of his childhood days and a concise description of his living in a room on the roof before moving to England. This astonishing book is attractively embellished.

You get to see the chubby little Ruskin tucking in cookies in his mouth. The little boy Ruskin looking through the windows of many colours while strolling through the ruins of a Jamnagar palace. And a growing young Ruskin doing his first dance at a ball in Dehra.

To Conclude

I can write so much more about the beauty of the literature under the name of Mr. Bond, but I think these books are good enough to start with. These books will give comfort, warmth, and pleasure to our young readers. It will help them to nurture that imagination which is very important in every stage of life. So, pick up any of the above books, go to a comfortable place, and dive into the world of Mr. Ruskin Bond.

About Ekta Kubba

Ekta is a Science teacher in a Punjab-based government school, but her heart ponders for literature. She is an avid reader and an ardent fan of Ruskin Bond, she is administering a fan group on Facebook, entitled ‘Ruskin, the Radiant Bond’. Staying at home during the 2020 lockdown enabled her to realize her long-cherished dream to pen down her thoughts. Her writings can be read on her Facebook page ‘The Writing Nerd’.

The group, Ruskin, the Radiant Bond can be reached here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/925991211175469/

Her page, The Writing Nerd, can be reached here: https://www.facebook.com/The-Writing-Nerd-111755207220177/

Disclaimer:
*The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of www.kolkatafusion.com. Any omissions or errors are the author’s and KolkataFusion does not assume any liability or responsibility for them.
** We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a small commission if you purchase products via our website. Your purchases support us in bringing you informative and fun-filled articles.

The post Ruskin Bond Books for School Going Children appeared first on KolkataFusion.

We always want to give the best to our children, but being a parent is not an easy job. Amidst this Covid-19 pandemic, we have noticed that our kids are becoming stubborn and rigid, losing temper at short intervals, and behaving in a very noncooperating manner. We are eagerly waiting for the time when their golden and most cherished school days will be back, which they are missing profoundly. We guess the scenario is almost the same for most of the children in each and every household.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

School is the first place where a child socializes himself or herself. Here, they interact with teachers and same-aged children and develop habits, which are treasured throughout their lives. The influence of school is much more symbolic than that of a family because school accompanies an individual from childhood to adult age. Through games and functions, the school imparts positive relationships like friendship, cooperation.

BROADENING  PROSPECTS

In school,  children become friends with each other, irrespective of any caste, creed, religion and economic differences which widen their horizons and way of thinking.

Current Scenraio: Schools Reopening in West Bengal POst COVID

PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

Personality development and academic achievement go hand in hand within school premises. It’s not only a place to acquire knowledge on various educational fields like geography, history, mathematics, politics and other subjects. But is also responsible for inculcating the values like love, care, sharing, respect, sincerity and kindness towards others.

Read: What Happens When The Child Goes Missing?

LEARNING UNIQUE STUFFS

Children are very creative and they love to learn new things and activities from their friends, classmates and teachers. A school provides the ideal environment for developing these types of unique and positive skills. In school, learning is an unending process.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Schools give children the scope to participate in various sports and extra-curricular activities, which help them channelize their energy & efficiency.

HOW TO SAFEGUARD THE GOOD SCHOOL MANNERS  AT HOME

Parents also play a vital role by nurturing and maintaining the good school manners that a child develops. Raising a happy and healthy child is one of the tough challenges that parents are facing in recent times. As parents, we understand that balancing everything is not just easy but impossible at times. But, for the long-term benefit of our kids, we’ll have to put ourselves in a school’s shoes.

• During school days, children usually follow a proper daily routine. But at present scenario, all their day to day routines are hampered. As parents, we should try not to break the chain and maintain their healthy eating habits and  proper time to go to sleep. As children are now very much addicted to junk foods, we should avoid keeping such foods at home. They also should not remain awake very late at night which might have an adverse affect on their fitness.
• Try inculcating a routine for their study & physical activities, something similar to their previous routine. Thus, they won’t be out of their regular habits.
• Try to encourage them in reading story books and doing some constructive works which will keep them engage. And also reduce their boredom.    
• Talk to your children about their daily activities like what is taught in the online classes or their assignments. This will encourage them in doing their daily lessons.
• We should monitor screen time. With no schools, TV & mobile has become readily accesable to them. And most parents complain about their kids getting addicted to TV & mobile games. Just think – are they solely responisble for it?
• We can assign small household tasks to our kids like cleaning or cooking in order to make them responsible.

When I was down with covid during this pandemic, my young girl used to prepare breakfast for me. As a result, I have noticed that she has developed a sense of responsibility and engages herself in many household works.

HOW TO KEEP THE CHILD MOTIVATED DURING COVID – 19 PANDEMIC

The children are having a tough time due to the outbreak of Covid 19.  The schools being closed for the last one and a half year, children are becoming very lonely and depressed because they are missing their friends, the classroom and  their teachers who are very affectionate towards them. Education has changed dramatically from copies and blackboards to e-learning primarily based on laptops and mobiles.

• As most of the parents are working from home, it has become a hectic job for them to attend their youngsters all the time . But inspite of one’s busy schedule , parents have to give a quality time to their child. If the child is not in the mood of doing studies , you can do your own office work sitting next to them so as to encourage them.
• Try to boost your child mentally and engage them in doing different creative and craft activities or by playing indoor games.

None of us can be an alternate to a school. But as long as this pandemic continues, we have to keep our hopes high and boost our children by assuring them that the schools will open soon and they will again meet their friends, classmates and loving teachers with everybody gathering together at the school assembly hall for another morning school prayer.  

The post SIGNIFICANCE OF GOOD SCHOOL MANNERS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CHILD appeared first on KolkataFusion.

By introducing your kids to the hobby of reading, you will be opening a new vista about the world around them. The habit of reading can nurture them into better persons. They may not be world leaders, but they’ll undoubtedly bring positive changes in the lives of the people they’ll meet in their lifetimes.

Our friends and family members keep asking us about which books to buy for their children, which books to read aloud, or how to introduce books to them. So, in this article, we will be recommending a few books with which your kids can start their reading journeys. Some of them had been our favourites, too, when we were children!

Recommended English Story Books

Age Group 3 to 6 years

Bedtime Stories by Little Pearl Books

Each book has a short story written in bold alphabets and expressive illustrations, making it easier for early readers. Stories like The Hare and The Tortoise, The Horse and The Lion, The hen that laid the golden eggs have been read by us when we were kids and they still grab the interests of the little one.

Buy the books

Read it yourself with Ladybird

The Read It Yourself books are divided into different levels. You can pick the level depending on your child’s ability to read. The series includes traditional tales like The Goldilocks and the Three Bears, popular characters like Peppa Pig, modern stories like Jon’s Football Team, and non-fiction stories like Astronauts. The beautifully illustrated books and written by language learning experts, keeping in mind the structured language progression to help children develop their cognitive skills.

Buy Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3 books.

Pepper Series Set 1 (Set of 6 Books)

Written in simple language with boldfaced letters and expressive illustrations, these books are good to introduce your child to some good manners. Like Pepper, the chubby bubbly puppy solves his daily challenges, your child also sees the world around him/her in these books.

But the book online.

Board Books by Paragon Books

With these books, you can open a new world of imagination to your new readers and develop their reading interest. The sturdy pages of the story for kids in English make it a perfect introductory segment for your little ones who can handle them as they want. And their expressive illustrations can grab their attention from the moment they set their eyes on the books. 

See their collection and pick the books of your choice.

The Giant of Jum by Elli Woollard

The Giant Jum by Elli Woollard and award-winning illustrator Benji Davies is an incredibly rhymed text with a clever twist. His images add loads of fun and children enjoy hunting for the not-so-hidden animals in them. The book with the kids as the multiracial crew also comes with a strong message.

Buy the book.

A Treasury to Read with Mummy

With this book in your hand, neither you nor your kid will ever run short of stories. This explicitly illustrated treasure of 80 stories is perfect for reading together. It contains stories that have been passed through generations and still have the power to seize the kids’ attention.

Buy A Treasury to Read with Mummy or A Treasury to Read with Grandma and fill your little one’s childhood with beautiful stories.

Wondering how to develop the habit of reading in your child, read Let’s encourage our kids to read

Age Group 6 to 10 years

Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales

Fairy Tales take us to the world of fantasy and what would be better if the same fairy tales talk about humanity and harmony? Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales talk about the common human beings with their virtues and vices. The stories are so beautifully written that they would go a long way in inculcating good values in your children.

Buy the book.

Suggested read: The book about the world of wild animals.

Matilda by Roald Dahl

In his unique storytelling style, Roald Dahl conveys to the elder kids the possibility this world holds for them – they just need to try. It’s a delightful story about a little girl, Matilda, who learns to read, all by herself and by the time she’s in school, she finishes off all the kids’ books. But, alas! None recognises her talent until she meets her class teacher. Kids above six years old start developing their opinions and they can perfectly relate to this school-going child.

Buy the book online.

The Magic Drum and other favourite stories by Sudha Murthy

Sudha Murthy is one of the best Indian writer who writes simple story for kids in English. The sparkling collection of stories by her breathes lives into the characters. And even a seven-year-old can sense the humour in them. With a subtle, hidden message and easy-to-understand language, this book can conveniently fit into your child’s library.

Buy the book.

Great Stories For Children by Ruskin Bond

Iconic children’s author and classic novelist Ruskin Bond write about the petite beauties of life. His stories instill faith in humanity and are very soothing in the fast-paced world. Introduce your kids to his stories from childhood and encourage them to find joy in things they see around them. His intricate writing will transcend you to the mountains and build your kids’ initial connection with nature.

Buy the book online.

The Puffin Keeper by Michael Morpurgo

An ideal book to introduce to the school-goers to introduce them to the power of friendship. Through Benji’s top-notch illustrations and Michael Morpurgo’s words’ kids will learn life-long lessons and understand the meaning of consequences. It’s a book that’ll enchant readers of all ages.

Buy the book. 

As we have already mentioned, the world of books is vast and it opens a new horizon for the kids, we hope you and your child enjoy reading the above-mentioned books.

We have stated some of the best stories for kids in English and in our next article, we’ll share the story for kids in Bengali.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a small commission if you purchase products via our website. Your purchases support us in bringing you informative and fun-filled articles.

The post Recommended storybooks for kids in English (3- 10 years) appeared first on KolkataFusion.

We have shared a few tips that will help you to have a relaxing vacation even while traveling with a baby.

We, too, had personally followed these tips when we had traveled with our babies – Parna’s first trip to Tajpur (adjacent to Mandarmani Beach), was when her daughter was four months old. And Neha’s first trip was when her child was six months and nothing but 2020’s March to September could stop her travelling spree. We have followed these tips, and we still follow a few of them.

You may Enjoy: Destination Purulia_ Trip To Baranti

However, if you’re planning to travel with a baby during COVID-19, make sure to check out the traveling norms, which have been recently updated by many states.

Tips for Travelling with a baby

Carry an Electric Kettle

You never know when you would need to make the feed for your baby on the go, be it formula milk or cerelac and you cannot always expect the hotel restaurant for this need as there can be hygiene issues. What is hygienic for us may not be so for our babies. So, it is always better to carry an electric kettle along with you so that you can boil water for preparing the feeds and a thermos flask to store the hot, boiled water. Also, an electric kettle can help you to sterilize the feeding bottles, bowls and spoons of your babies. You can boil water there and wash your babies’ utensils using that hot, boiled water religiously after each feed for sterilizing purposes.

Click here to buy an electric kettle.

Do Not Nag Your Baby For Feeding Or Sleeping While Travelling

As you know, 80% of a child’s brain develops under the age of 8. This brain development starts right after birth and continues each day gradually. When you are out on a trip, your baby tends to observe more and soak in information as he or she perceives them in their tiny brains. While this soaking goes on, a baby might not be interested in feeding or sleeping. On the contrary, some babies might like to feed or sleep more while traveling. So, it will be logical to go by his or her cues. Your baby will express his or her need and you need to act accordingly. I can share my experience in this regard, my daughter fed less and slept more than usual during the trip, I simply followed her cues and my life became more simple on the trip.

Involve Baby In Any Activity You Choose To Do While Traveling

There’s no denying the fact that since you are a new parent and traveling with your baby, your trips and experiences will not be the same as before becoming a parent. Will it not be wise to involve your dear baby when you go for short walks around the place you are visiting or dipping his or her little feet in the seawater while you are bathing? You can take turns with your partner or fellow new parents in babysitting while enjoying your traveling activities at the same time.

Carry At Least Two Servings Of Feed And A Flask Of Hot Water With You When You Are Out For Sightseeing

You never know when your baby might feel hungry, so, be prepared. If your baby is formula fed, carry at least two feeds in a milk dispenser, along with two separate feeding bottles as you might not be able to sterilize them after feeding then and there. If your baby is on solids as well, carry at least a serving of cerelac as it is easier to prepare cerelac on the go than rice and daal, a feeding bowl and spoon.

Breastfeeding Moms Can Carry A Nursing Gown

It is not always easy and comfortable to breastfeed a baby on the go. Please use nursing gowns/covers that cover your upper half as you feed. Nursing gowns/covers take care of the need of a breastfeeding mom while traveling. Also, feel free to request your co-travelers to respect your privacy while feeding. It also helps the baby to fill up her stomach without any external distractions.

To buy a nursing gown, click here.

Choose Holidaying Destinations Which Are Not Far From A Locality. 

Remote locations are always the best when you are traveling for relaxation. Natural beauty is more apparent there and also there is less crowd to bother you. But, when you are traveling with your infants, it would be best if your destination is not very far away from a locality. Who knows when you might need a doctor or a medicine shop and a reliable phone tower?

Carry Or Source Trusted Brands Of Packaged Water

When it comes to preparing feeds for your baby, please make sure to carry containers of packaged water of trusted brands. Though you are going to boil the water before preparing feeds, hygienically packaged water can reduce the chances of your baby’s stomach-related illnesses.

Travelling with Infants is Better When there are More Babies

If you can travel in a group that has at least two more babies of the same age group as your baby, travelling with infants will be fun for all. Kids of the same age have more or less the same feeding time, bathing time and sleep times. So, you will have no problem in syncing with each other’s schedule and you all will be able to emphasize with each other. And these otherwise mundane activities will have some fun added to it for the baby, too.

If you cannot travel in a group, avoid travelling with people who don’t have experience with kids. The difference in schedule and expectations, may tend to break the harmony and any sort of stress when travelling with your baby isn’t desirable.

Carry The Other Necessities

Always carry at least two Diapers, two changes of dresses, a pack of wet wipes, a hand towel in your diaper bag. All these things are pretty essential while you pack your baby bag. And they come in handy in any emergency situation when travelling with infants.

To buy the necessities online, click on the links:

1. Diapers
2. Dresses
3. Wet wipes
4. Hand Towel
5. Diaper Bag

When Travelling with Infants, Keep it Light

You need to calculate while packing for a trip with your baby. It is easier to carry more, but it is smarter to carry just what you need. While packing diapers, calculate 3-4 diapers per day of your stay and multiply that by the number of days you are staying. While packing baby’s dresses, do not carry more than three changes of dresses per day. When you travel light, you can take turns with your partner while carrying the baby along. None is going to carry a heavy load and suffer in silence.

Carry All Your Baby’s Prescribed Medicines

You never know when your baby might catch a cold, have an ear or stomach ache, or get a fever. So, please carry all of his or her medicines. That might take a little more space in your bag, but it is always better to be safe than sorry, isn’t it?

Consult Your Baby’s paediatrician Before Travelling With Infants

Please don’t forget to discuss with the your child’s paediatrician before going out. He or She might help you by consulting emergency medicines, quick dos and don’ts as the paediatric knows your baby’s health better than you.

Planning is the key

So, now that you have read all the simple tips, you must have realized the crux of travelling with infants lies in planning. Calm down, prepare a checklist – we have already mentioned them above. Order the items you do not have, pack you bag, and get set go. Also please do not forget to carry a bottle of surface disinfectant and hand sanitizer. If you don’t have them yet, buy online by clicking on the given links:

1. Hand sanitizer
2. Surface Disinfectant

P.S: Usually, babies keep well when they are travelling. There are very rare occasions when the baby falls ill. The idea is to not panic at all, because, panic attacks can make things more difficult and your experience of travelling with infants.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a small commission if you purchase products via our website. Your purchases support us in bringing you informative and fun-filled articles.

For Weekend Ideas in Kolkata, Click Here.

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In the pre-COVID era, the work-from-home moms had the option of sending their kids to the daycare. But, now things have changed and in the new normal life, even daycare activities are virtually done, which also requires parental guidance. So, the net result – zero! And we have to manage everything from within the four walls of our houses (thankfully we are blessed with helping husbands.)

A Day In The Pre-COVID Era

It was already 3 pm, and I was just trying hard to concentrate on my assignment post an elaborate lunch episode. My mind was often trailing off to the thought of how I could spend an hour for lunch breaks in office, without a pinch of guilt and how I was cursing myself today for an elaborate luncheon at home and planning to get rid of it from next day onward. Just as I was about to start reading, the doorbell rang. My first obvious instinct was to ignore, “What if I were in office now?”, but it rang again, having no other choice, I had to answer the door. My son’s friends, two little munchkins peeped in with curious eyes, “Where is he?”

“Oh! He is at his usual place, his day care.” Up came a prompt response , “Why can’t you take care of him at home?” the elder one asked.

I was spellbound, and not knowing what to say, I simply bade them goodbye and waited for the sad faces to leave.

The Common Problem Of Working From Home…

Yes! When there is a mom at home, why does the kid need to go to daycare? What great job is she doing and that too from home? She isn’t a working woman, is she? And so on and so forth… the list of questions is endless. But, if staying at home and working suits your work-life balance the best, then let not any rolling eyes impact your decision.

Two years into freelancing and we are still surviving, so the tips work –

Here goes the Work From Home Tips and Tricks

Adhere to a schedule

After 9 years of office life, working remotely feels delightfully flexible: Imagine getting to your desk at your own time in your comfortable shorts! See the baby eating while you take some important calls! But, but, but! Don’t you think lack of discipline and professionalism has the potential to erode your motivation and productivity? Straight out of bed into the laptop with half of your focus on your baby and the other half on how foul your breath smells, what are you planning to accomplish?

Use your flexibility smartly but adhere to a routine. Ensure to start your day at a fixed time and dress in comfortable professional attire (so what if you are at home, you are still working, right?). It can be anything, starting from a dress to tracks and tees– but, don’t jump into your workspace in your nightwear!

At the same time, just because you are working from home, it doesn’t mean you will be working as long as you are awake. It is imperative to know when to stop. Let your employer or clients know what your working hours are and stick to it. Communicate with them only during those hours and that eventually, that will help them too to respect your dedication and schedule. Have fixed breaks and know when to shut down your work system.

Have a designated workspace

To maintain your focus, it is required that you stay away from household distractions.

Do not turn your house into an office because instead of enhancing your work-life balance it will kill it absolutely. You might be feeling tempted to work from the kitchen or your kid’s playroom but refrain from it.

Instead, have a designated place which you can call your office space and when you are there, let not anyone just barge in with every small household concern. If required lock the door when you are on important calls or running to meet a strict deadline.

If you haven’t bought your work-from-home necessities yet, do it now.

Don’t try to be THE “Durga” of our time.

Accept the fact that you do not have 10 hands and obviously not more than one head. Don’t try to work with your baby on your knees. Appoint a nanny or better still send the kid to a good crèche for a few hours, so that you can dedicate the time solely for your work. Under the current scenario, when moving out isn’t safe, split work with your spouse.

Trying to do everything at the same time will reduce your productivity and concentration. Imagine you trying to write code and your little sweetheart is trying to chew the crayon…. who will be benefited in the end? So, use the one head and two hands that you have most efficiently by focusing on one thing at a time.

Keep the child engaged

If you have to work or take a call with the kid around, think of ways to keep him/her engaged. There are many productive games for kids of different age groups which can keep them engaged and entertained.

Another trick is to give an hour of undivided attention to your child and see how he/she allows you with two hours of undisturbed work time. For obvious reasons, when the kid sees you, he/she will want you to be engaged with him/her only and not do anything else. So, be smart and think of ways which can benefit both of you.

Speak to your child

Your kid might be small but he will understand you if you speak to him/her. Let him/her know what you are up to.

“Mumma works from home so that she can support the family financially and spend more time with you.” Or, “Mumma works hard because it makes her happy and she wants to be more productive.” Or, “Let us do our homework together!”

It can be any reason which has encouraged you to take this decision but be true to the kid. By doing so, you will communicate the values of hard work, discipline, and responsibility along with love and dedication towards the family.

Set your priorities

Once you have read through all the tips, it’s time for you to decide which one works the best for you. For that, you first need to know why you want to work from home. It can be anything:

• Spend more quality time with your kids
• Save on crèche expenses
• Get rid of an unpleasant office environment
• Follow your passion which you couldn’t do in the 9-5 job
• Eradicate the hassles of commuting to your workplace
• Reduce stress
• Enhance work-life balance
• Be your own boss

Once you know the reason behind your decision, you will be able to do more justice to yourself and you will know which tip suits you the best.

Smile… and give no excuse to anyone.

It’s your life, your family, your kid, and while you are not here to change the world, you are not supposed to answer every question. So, the next time some conservative, old school, elderly person asks you questions that you don’t like, reply with a sweet smile, “This suits me and my family the best, Aunty!” As, it is YOU and your family is going through a lot trying to make the best out of everything, let not anyone question your hard work.

Takeaway

Even after the school starts and life slowly fits into our usual routine, the societal pressure will be there on WFH parents. Be kind to yourself and don’t surrender. Even the organizations are slowly respecting WFH and if your persistent, your kids too will respect you.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a small commission if you purchase products via our website. Your purchases support us in bringing you informative and fun-filled articles.

The post Tips For Work From Home (The New Edge) Moms appeared first on KolkataFusion.

When COVID-19 stuck, along with the multiple uncertainties, another concern that cropped up in front of us was keeping kids busy at home. Regardless of their age, being locked up indoors for days wasn’t an easy task for them – seeing them in such a situation wasn’t easy for parents either!

That is when we started discussing and searching for an indoor activity for kids, but most websites suggested games. With mounting work-pressure, no househelps and the constant stress caused by the spread of the novel virus, none of us could manage sufficient time and energy for games. As days turned into months, our kids’ demands kept increasing, and even the small activities for kids like reading books, colouring, making craft items started burning up our energies. That is when we decided to include them in household activities. Initially, we thought we would be jailed for child labour and people will mock our parenting skills. But, nearly a year now, and we can vouch for the small household activities that our kids know have helped them in multiple ways.

We don’t know when schools will re-open and letting kids go out to play with friends isn’t still safe, particularly for the younger ones, who see the criticality of COVID-19 but aren’t matured enough to take the desired precautions by themselves.

Let’s start…. with Household Activities for Kids and how they benefit your child

Peeling peas

A simple yet safe activity for kids stuck at home is peeling peas. During those hectic office hours, make your kids sit near you and give them a small bowl of peas. You can also add some fun elements to it by keeping small rewards.

And, if you have some free time, play peas peeling competition – you will kill two birds with one stone.

Viraaj’s an ADHD kid with a mild Autism spectrum, and this activity is something he enjoys and does patiently.

Read Our Lovely Story By Diptanu, another child with autism and extreme creativity – a sweet guest blogger of KolkataFusion.

How it helps?

Kids have many distractions, primarily caused by the screen – the mobiles that we constantly fidget with or the laptop that has become our necessity. So, encouraging your child to peel peas can be a perfect concentration building and cognitive development activity. The hand and eye coordination that they develop may seem petty, but eventually, it helps them a lot.

Grocery Shopping

The next time you plan to do grocery shopping from your local stores, or from Amazon Fresh or Big Basket, take your child’s help. Ask the kid to choose what groceries ze wants to have and let zir browse through the range of fruits and vegetables. While you make a grocery list for buying, you can also ask your preschooler to help while you write it down.  

How it helps?

During this process, you can introduce new vegetables, fruits and pulses to your child. Simultaneously you can explain to them the difference between healthy food and snacks.

Sorting the vegetables and fruits before they go inside the refrigerator

After you buy and bring home your weekly fill of fruits and vegetables, you can take your kids’ help to wash and sort them. They will enjoy playing around with the water and might wash one fruit at a time so that they can play more.

How it helps?

The kids will develop cognitive skills like comparing and sorting. Moreover, it will boost up their confidence and their familiarity with different types of fruits and veggies.

Cooking Activity for Kids

Pre-schoolers can help you with simple cooking activities, such as preparing cake batter, putting butter on bread toast, beating eggs for an omelette, etc.

Neha’s son enjoys doing is, watching recipes and then guiding her wherever she forgets. He conveniently forgets ingredients like baking powder and replaces them with his terms, such as “magic powder.” Still, he’s a constant companion and Neha doesn’t have to bother wondering what nuisance he’s into while she’s in the kitchen!

RELATED: Petuk Puri – Kolkata Restaurant Reviews & Recipes

How it helps?

It generates confidence in the children and makes them feel happy knowing that their parents are taking their help. Furthermore, these are the life skills bound to help the little one as ze grows up and moves out into the big world.

Arrange the play area

This is something that children should learn even when regular schedule like schools and day cares are open and your nanny is visiting without any scare of contracting Covid-19. Please help them to organize their toys and keep their play area clean. It might be a herculean task initially, but once the child is in the groove, this activity will keep your little one busy for quite some time – after all, the first thing kids do in the morning is pulling out all their toys on the floor!

 How it helps?

“Cleanliness is next to godliness.”

Before you teach your kid larger aspects like “do not throw trash on the roads,” “reduce wastage,” etc., let them start with their room. 

Dusting Activity For Kids

Parents, don’t take us wrong – We aren’t asking you to make the kid run around the house dusting all the pieces of furniture. It’s just that the days you plan to do some dusting, take the kid’s assistance. Hand over a neat cloth to the child and assign one table or some toys or some specific corner in the house. Trust us! You will be awed with the tot’s enthusiasm.

As a fun element, sing songs and rhymes while doing this tedious job.

How it helps?

It keeps your child busy while helping to build self-confidence and trust in you.

Tending plants

As kids, we got a lot of scope to play in the mud, dig soil and make ourselves murky. Unfortunately, many of our kids do not have that scope. So, the bare minimum activity that we can encourage them to do is watering and tending plants.

How it helps?

It gets them closer to nature, and they also start understanding the law of nature – plants’ life cycle, different types of plants, etc. The process of seeing plants grow and flowers bloom makes kids happy. You can also take this opportunity to introduce kids to the basic science of plants.

The post Household Activities for Kids to Keep them Engaged appeared first on KolkataFusion.

I am sure most of us would want to choose Option B – the dream-like situation!

However, it’s ok if your child turns the botty towards you the moment you take out a book or starts fidgeting with the surroundings whenever you start reading. Encouraging kids to read has been a challenge and a necessity ever since the concept of books came in.

Reading not just helps the child in getting grades, but it is an ever-flowing source of knowledge. Regular reading boosts a child’s imagination and gives freedom of mind. Books (beyond the ones in the syllabus) also help develop a child’s cognitive behaviour and communication skills. We are well aware of the innumerable benefits of reading, so instead of elaborating the same, let’s see how we can encourage our little ones to read.

First, try to figure out why your child doesn’t read. 

Before finding a solution, we need to figure out the root cause of the problem.

Does your child enjoy listening to stories, but avoids reading?

If so, it might be because the kid is struggling with the vocabs and finds reading books to be difficult. Thus, avoidance!

Does your baby prefer other activities more than TV?

The first cartoon that got introduced to my child was Chhota Bheem, and he was obsessed with it – I took it as an opportunity and got a series of Chhota Bheem books. And it did help to the extent, where he prefers reading the books than watching the cartoon.

Find out what your child loves to do, who’s hir favourite character, hir favourite sports, and get books on them.

Tips to encourage our kids to read

Reading should be fun

Once the child starts perceiving reading books as a compelling task, you are done for.

And it’s not their fault – from the moment we send our kids to playschool, they are burdened with classwork and homework. The structured education system introduces them to spellings and reading from the age of 3 or lesser than that. So, even when we take out a storybook, the child starts wondering if it’s something related to their syllabus, which they are expected to learn.

It generates fear in your children.

To break the taboo, use props while reading, enact and encourage the child to do a role-play. Let hir dwell over the pictures and ask your little munchkin to build stories when you both come across an illustration.

Increase the options

Build a good collection of books. I remember my aunt saying – there’s nothing called a bad book. After Class 10 exams, when I started reading Sarat Chandra Chatterjee’s novel, my uncle asked her to select the books for me. But, she gave me the freedom to pick the novel of my choice. What I want to say is: Since reading broadens your horizon, let the children read whatever they can manage to. Never resort to force. That’s one golden rule to introduce reading as a hobby.

When the children get to pick a material to read, they feel they have control over their decision. And they feel more excited to go through something from their own selection.

Include reading in your schedule

Kids love schedule as it brings consistency in their day and when they can predict a day, they are less stressed out. Even we elders dread uncertainty, don’t we? 

Fix a time in a day when you will snug in beside your baby, and you both will not only read the book but also discuss it. Speak to the child about what’s happening in the book and let hir share hir thoughts – how does the story make the kid feel? Is it giving hir joy? Has their been any new learning? Let hir express hir feelings.

Set an example

I firmly believe that kids learn from what they see and not what we say! So, if you want your child to be an avid reader, try to inculcate the habit of reading in yourself.

Once in a while, take out some time for reading together. While you read your book or magazine, give the child another book to read, or something with loads of illustrations, to keep hir engaged. Be prepared to be disturbed! Name this one hour as “we-read-time” or “family-reading-hour.”

Praise the child

Who doesn’t enjoy positive reinforcement?

Show interest in their reading and let them read any word that they come across – it might be a manual, or a recipe, or the labels on the cookie jars. When they learn a new word for the first time, they are super-excited and parents’ genuine praises motivate them further. Let them know how happy you are because they could read a word all by themselves. 

Break their fear by introducing them to small sentences and encourage them to read “bit-by-bit.”

Get the right books

We must provide our kids with the right books. Don’t opt for a book because your friend’s daughter read that book at age of 5, so your 6-year old should also be able to read it. Understand where your child stands and buy a book according to hir ability.

Read aloud

Reading aloud should start from the age of six months (or earlier than that). Psychology Today says, no one is ever too young for books. By introducing kids to books in early life and reading regularly, you can encourage your child to develop an interest in reading.

As the child grows up, let hir participate in the reading. You both can take turn to read aloud, or select characters to provide voice over.

To Conclude

Most of us are stuck at home, with schools and offices being conducted online. Due to the global scenario caused by COVID-19, work pressure has multiplied and so has stress. Finding out time to read books, that too after completing all chores, might be difficult. If you are struggling to adjust to the new normal life, don’t be shy about using technology. Let your child listen to audiobooks. Though these aren’t as effective as reading it yourself, they are better than no reading.

Recommended read: Travelling with a toddler

The post Let’s encourage our kids to read appeared first on KolkataFusion.

Another study published in 2010 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, claims 10% of men around globally experience paternal postpartum depression (PPPD). The study, a meta-analysis (a statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific studies), included over 28,000 participants in 43 studies conducted between 1980 and 2009. It also reported that the incidence “was relatively higher in the 3-to 6-months postpartum.”

While the symptoms may be the same in both cases, the reasons vary to a great extent. In women, it’s the hormone that plays the primary role; in men, it’s the sudden lifestyle change that puts them in a fix! The added responsibilities, suddenly losing the focus of the wife (who gets busy with the newborn) and not knowing how to handle the baby, are some factors that affect fathers to a great extent. We also cannot completely deny that paternal postpartum depression (PPPD) may also be due to some extent of hormonal mayhem, particularly testosterone.

Men do not experience any changes in their bodies, but when some of them find their partners being dragged into depression, they cannot stay away from it long. And the chances of PPPD doubles when their wives develop postpartum.

Though researches and numbers certify that postpartum exists in men, not many men know about it or accept it!

Some of the symptoms of PPPD (paternal postpartum depression) are:

• Increased agitation and anger
• Increased consumption of alcohol
• Irritation
• Noticeable weight gain or loss
• Isolation from family and friends
• Loss of interest in sex, work, or hobbies
• Feeling of depression
• Thoughts of suicide
• Difficulty in concentration

With the presence of the new member in the family, the woman has a lot to take care of. And not wanting to increase their burden, men mostly tend to hide these emotions within them – which is incorrect.

As we always say and as first-hand parents, we firmly believe the father and mother should confide in each other. And no matter what, they must spend occasional quality “we” time like they did before kids. Until a couple is happy, they will never be able to pass on positive vibes to their kids – which is much required! Always remember that any parent may feel dejected during the new phase of life and while starting a family. It doesn’t mean you are a bad or “not together” father or mother.  In fact, you are just sad and it’s a phase – getting treatment and support helps you care for your baby and your partner. Do not suffer in silence, speak to a consultant, some trusted friend, or your child’s doctor – help is there for everyone – call for it.

The post Sad Dad Syndrome – Postpartum Depression In the fathers appeared first on KolkataFusion.