Category Archives: Motherhood

Raising Confident and Assertive Kids: Tips for Helping Gentle Children Stand Up for Themselves

Posted in Motherhood, Uncategorized by

As parents, we want our children to be happy, confident, and successful in life. Unfortunately, bullying is a reality for many kids, and it can be difficult for gentle and timid children to stand up for themselves. Recently my son faced an incident in school where he came back home with a bruise on his leg after being kicked by a classmate and tripped by another.

To be candid, the possibility of my son being harmed or bullied by a friend or classmate was a concern that weighed heavily on my mind. Unfortunately, it came to pass sooner than I anticipated, and while we took it as an opportunity to work with the school and teachers to address these issues, we also came to the realization that we need to take proactive steps as a family to empower and protect him

I recently shared my experience on my Instagram stories and received an outpouring of support from mothers who opened up to me about their own struggles with similar matters. Many expressed their fears of their children facing similar situations and were grateful for the opportunity to share tips and advice on raising confident and resilient kids.

In this blog post today, I will be sharing some of the strategies we have implemented at home to help our child cope with these challenges. Additionally, I will also be sharing valuable insights and recommendations from other mothers who have gone through similar experiences and have raised or raisng successfully confident and gentle kids.

Here are some of the things that parents can do to help their kids develop the skills and confidence they need to deal with bullies and other challenging situations. These are based of my understanding and experience and I am not an expert in child psycology. However these are some of key tips I like to include that have been helping my 6 year old.

  1. Encourage self-expression. Children who are comfortable expressing themselves are less likely to be bullied. Encourage your child to speak up and express their thoughts and feelings, and listen carefully when they do. If they are shy, try to create a supportive and non-judgmental environment where they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions. (After our son was hurt by his friends, he did complain to his teacher and also asked for an apology from them in front of the entire class. Personally I was very proud of him for standing up for himself and using his voice.)
  2. Teach assertiveness skills. Assertiveness is the ability to stand up for oneself and communicate one’s needs and opinions in an appropriate and confident manner. Teach your child how to be assertive by modeling assertiveness yourself and providing opportunities for them to practice. For example, you could role-play situations where they need to stand up for themselves or assert their rights.
  3. Build self-esteem. Children who feel good about themselves are less likely to be bullied and more likely to stand up for themselves. Help your child build their self-esteem by praising their strengths and accomplishments, and encouraging them to try new things and take risks.(The Self-Esteem Workbook for Kids: Activities to Help Children Build Confidence and Achieve Success” by Lisa M. Schab and Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell are some great books to check our for teens and elementarty kids.)
  4. Teach conflict resolution skills. Conflict is a natural part of life, and children need to learn how to handle it in a healthy and productive way. Teach your child how to resolve conflicts by compromising, listening to others, and finding mutually acceptable solutions. We often role play at home and ask our son how he would act in a particular situations and help see his POV too.Talk about bullying: Open up a dialogue with your child about bullying and what they can do to protect themselves. Discuss different scenarios and role play to help them develop their own responses.
  5. Be a good role model. Children learn by example, so be a good role model by demonstrating assertiveness, self-confidence, and respect for others. Show your child how to handle difficult situations with grace and poise, and help them understand that it’s okay to walk away from a situation if it becomes too uncomfortable.
  6. Support and empower your child. Let your child know that they can always come to you for support and guidance, and that you believe in them. Empower your child by encouraging them to make their own decisions and stand up for themselves. One of the most important quality I stress on as a mom.
  7. Practice self-defense techniques: Consider enrolling your child in a self-defense class or teaching them some basic techniques for protecting themselves in emergency situations. We are enrolling our son to a martial arts camp for spring.
  8. Foster independence: Encourage your child to be self-reliant and to solve problems on their own. This will build their confidence and help them to become more resilient.
  9. Promote positive body image: Help your child to develop a positive self-image and to be proud of who they are. This will help them to feel good about themselves and to resist negative influences. One of the biggest conversations in the homes of people of color. Whether it is skin color, hair or the way they look we have to foster positive mindset daily and practce what we preach in front of our kids.
  10. Encourage positive relationships: Teach your child how to build and maintain healthy relationships with others. Encourage them to surround themselves with friends who are positive and supportive. This is something we need to continue working on as our children grow and their friend circle changes and matures over time.
  11. Seek outside support: If your child is being bullied, consider seeking outside support from teachers, counselors, or a child psychologist. They can provide additional strategies and resources to help your child feel safe and supported.

In conclusion, as a parent, it is important to help your child build their self-esteem and confidence so that they can stand up for themselves and handle difficult situations with ease. I hope by implementing the tips and resources shared in this blog post, we can provide a strong foundation for our children to thrive and succeed in life.

Remember that every child is unique, so be patient and supportive as they grow and develop their own sense of self-worth. And above all, let them know that they are loved, valued, and capable of overcoming any challenges that come their way.

Love

Arushi

PS: My DMs are open to discuss more. Feel free to connect with me on my Instagram.

Tips For Traveling Safely With Your Kids During COVID.

Posted in KIDS, Motherhood, Travel by
Pit Stop at Raton, New Mexico

Traveling looks much different right now than it looked last summer. My husband and I talked for a week before we decided about the trip and it was not an easy decision to make. We decided to go with the idea that we’d be diligent, overly cautious, and not take any unnecessary risks.

My family just finished a 2300 miles road trip from Houston, Texas to Breckenridge, Colorado. One-way drive from Houston to Breckenridge was 18 hours and 1150 miles. This was the first time ever we decided to go on a long road trip with our son and dog. The longest road trip ( 7 hours) with our son was to New Orleans in December 2019.

Honestly there was a guilt of traveling in pandemic, the time away from our house was much needed for our mental health. We’d all been cooped up together for 5 months, and it’s been a real challenge working from home and keeping Vir active and engaged for so many months. The summer in Houston is always hot and humid with temperatures touching 102 degrees on some days.

This act of taking this road trip was a luxury for us even though it wasn’t a luxurious one. I realize we are extremely fortunate to both have jobs at a time when so many Americans are looking for work. And we are so grateful of the ability to take time off from work and stay out of our home for 10 days.

Please note – any decisions to travel are highly personal and I encourage you to take note of the risks. Please do your research, take your doctor’s advice, assess the health of your family and make an informed choice. The information I am sharing here cannot guarantee anyone’s health or safety and is not meant to be divisive or comprehensive. Please do not travel through Indigenous communities currently.

On my Instagram page I shared with you all details on my road trip and was flooded with questions on several topics. I will be sharing my tips and experiences on this post and will be happy to answer any questions either here on the post in my comments section or you can DM me on my IG page. Note- I approached our road trip planning with an overabundance of caution.

Covid Related Road Safety Precaution.

Tip- Plan you breaks ahead of time. Find the biggest rest stops that wouldn’t have a dingy bathroom.

Gas station

While stopping for gas, we took extra precautions. We wore hand gloves and a mask while pumping gas. I wiped the card down after inserting it into the card reader everytime. Also trashed the gloves immediately before entering the car.

Restroom

Our one-way trip was 18 hours so we broke up our trip in to 2 stops. 1 in Amarillo and 1 in New Mexico for the first phase of the drive.

However while returning from Colorado we drove 9 hours to Amarillo . (Pit stop at Sand Dune National Park) and straight to Houston next day.

On our entire road trip we ended up having total 3 restroom breaks. Stopping at hotels helped minimize public restrooms usage too.

Post using the restroom we used hand sanitizers immediately. We didn’t use any rest room that someone did before. I also carried sanitizing wipes and used on doorknobs and toilet seat before using. We wore masks all the time! Vir wasn’t allowed to touch anything.

Tip – With younger kids I recommend bringing a small, portable toilet to use. And be open to roadside bathroom break depending where it is allowed. Carry all toilet essentials.

On Road meals

I packed lot of snacks for the entire trip and a cooked meals that could easily stay fresh for few hours . We carried lots of water, juices to avoid any stops in an ice box. However we did stop at Starbucks and Mc donalds only to grab coffee, snacks and food. We wore masks all the time while getting our food from drive through.

Note none of these restaurants has restrooms open for public.

Staying in Hotels

We dint want to make this our first camping and RVing experience and so we decided the best option for us will be hotels. So far the hotels we stayed in took fantastic precautions. Everyone was wearing masks and it was enforced for all guests even kids. There were face shields between customers and front desk. The check in was smooth. The breakfast places were closed and food was only to go. Some places pools were closed too, while at our Colorado hotel, the pool had to be booked in advance . And only 2 families were allowed for an hour. We stayed in a condo in Colorado at Marriot Inn Breckenridge. Since we had our dog we had only pet friendly hotel options.

Tip – Take the first-floor hotel room next to the exit door to avoid getting in elevators and corridors with others. Call in before booking to check for covid measures taken at the property and booking room on 1st floor.

I carried a bag of cleaning supplies like lysol spray, paper towels , sanitizers and cleaned all the surfaces that would be touched before Vir entered the room.

We found that staying in a hotel and getting food to go felt perfectly safe with the excessive protective measures in place. Yet we booked a condo in Colorado with a kitchen and cooked some meals there too. I carried some ready to eat food like (pasta, pasta sauce, frozen paranthas( stuffed tortillas) noodles etc.

There was no room service until we stayed. For change of linen and towels we called the reception and left the stuff out of the room. Same with trash. It was replaced by the staff in few minutes.

Great Sand Dunes National Park

National Park Visits on the way

Note: Some National parks are requiring reservations via advance ticket purchases.

We stopped on our way to Colorado at Paulo Duro Canyon in Amarilo. We checked ahead of time if the parks were open and what were the Covid restrictions. The tickets needed to be purchased in advance. We drove around the canyon and didn’t get out as it was 100 degrees that day.

On our way back from Colorado we stopped at Great Sand Dunes National park. Here the tickets were not needed in advance and was first come first serve basis. We wore masks throughout our trail and social distancing was relatively easy as it wasn’t crowded people were respectful of space.

Road trip Entertainment.

Spotify was the only source of entertainment for us. Apart from listening to my playlist we were hooked on to True Crime Podcast.

You can follow my playlists and podcast I like here

Kids Entertainment.

For Vir we had downloaded his favorite cartoons from Netflix and Amazon prime on his iPad.

Also he played his favorite online games and did reading eggs.

Additionally, Vir enjoyed listening to his favorite songs and stories podcast from Kids Spotify.

You can follow our Prek / Kindergarten playlist here

Things I carried for road trip for  Vir

  1. We also carried a car fold-able table that I highly recommend.
  2. Toys -He played with his toys, legos, monster trucks and also did puzzles and coloring on his favorite kid’s magazine Highlights for Children.
  3. Snacks – Juicy Juice boxes, fruits, chips and nuts, cheese and yogurt pouch and granola bars.
  4. Travel Neck pillow for sleeping. Highly recommend this.
  5. Blanket
  6. Bike and helmet for the trip
  7. Cap, sunglasses, sunscreen, change of clothes and shoes.  
  8. Kids mask and hand sanitizer

Other Essentials for the road

1)Big Bottle of hand sanitizer and several small for pocket use, Clorox wipes, latex gloves, lysol spray and paper towels

2)Lots of disposable masks and cloth masks, garbage bags

3) Back up phone charger Fast charge power bank from Otter box

4) Lots of water, snacks and fruits.

5) Supergoop sunscreen glow stick , sunscreen spray and Babyganics sunscreen for kids

6) Other essentials like – Mints, gum, chap-stick, pain killers, eye mask, flip flops to get in and out of car comfortably., scarf, glasses, caps, hairbrush, ties.

7) UV window shades

8) Cooler bag to keep food, water cold. Thermos. Tupperware

9) Swiss army knife, emergency window hammer and flashlight

10) Small reusable tote bag/ backapack with essentials for getting out of car and on trails or restroom.

On our way back to Houston from Paulo Duro Canyon

Have a safe road trip friends!

Mother’s Day: Best Gift for Moms

Posted in Motherhood by

her (1)

I am sharing some of my favorite products and brands here that I have been using and looking to buy. Since everyone is social distancing in May 2020, I have prepared a list that can be useful in current times. There is something for everyone here!

What I love about this list is that it can be referred anytime and for any occasion like birthdays, Christmas gifts, baby showers, weddings, graduation and more. I hope you like these gifting ideas whether you are gifting your mom, your wife, your friend or family member or even yourself.

  1. The perfect gift for the minimalist – Mark & Graham Monogrammed Card Case on Sale
  2. AM /PM Hydration Motivation – Water Bottle with Time Marker Reminder, BPA Free Frosted Tritan Plastic, Leakproof and Drop Resistant, 1 Liter 32 Oz
  3. Update Home & Garden space with HOMENOTE White Ceramic Flower Pot Garden Planters 6/4.8 inch Pack 2 Indoor, Plant Containers with Marble Texture and Gold Detailing
  4. Family Portrait Illustration (Can be customized) I bought it for my  art wall and love it  – By Catepaper co Etsy store
  5. Homebody Must Have, stay cozy at home in this nigh/ lounge wear by  –H&M Pajama Camisole and Culottes
  6. Gift this limited Mother’s Day Gift set by Dyson to yourself or mom for the best hair days
  7. Give the gift of peace of mind. Tile helps find the things that matter most. Lost keys, remote, phone and even cats. I am planning to buy this for myself.  Special Tile Mom Edition .
  8. This Mother’s Day, whether near or far, treat her to an exclusive Venus ET Fleur® arrangement designed with the most beautiful high-quality Eternity® Roses. They last more than a year. I love mine!
  9. A hydrating, plumping treatment for when you or your loved one’s skin is extra thirsty. 12+Applications Versed Face Mask
  10. From the world’s #1 Facial hair remover, Finishing Touch Lumina Lumina flawless, comes flawless contour, a vibrating facial roller and massager in rose quartz
  11. Lightweight lenses with anti-reflective coating to reduce glare. Tijin Eyewear
  12. Mason Jar Garden, Grow Your Own Herbs Gift Set, Contains Rosemary, Basil and Sage Seeds with 6 Soil Pods by Thoughtfully Gifts.
  13. I love my  sterling silver Changeable Heart Charm Bracelet by James Avery . It  is crafted with alternating links of circles and elongated loops, and a twisted wire heart changeable charm holder in the middle. Press gently on the hinge in the heart to add or remove charms. One of the cutest bracelets I own,
  14. One of my favorite & most convenient rain wear piece the Golightly packaway jacket by Joule USA. the PU coating and taped seams make it 100% waterproof so you or your mom can take it anywhere.
  15. This Bamboo Bathtub Tray Caddy is expandable with Wine Glass Holder and Book Stand. Luxury Bubble Bath Accessories & Spa Decor.
  16. Premium Pink Floral Silky Kimono Robe On White With Pockets and can be customized too by The Knot Shop
  17. The Fawn Design Original is the perfect diaper bag, combining style, comfort, and ease and made with vegan leather.
  18. Simple & Modern 4 layer design Jewelry box available in 3 colors available on Amazon

I will love to know which is your favorite!

Happy Mother’s Day !!

Arushi (2)

Social Distancing and Working From Home With Kids.

Posted in Motherhood, Uncategorized by

img_5917_facetune_19-03-2020-17-42-20I recently shared the below tips with my entire office on working from home.  At my current role with my full time job in Account Management, I have had the opportunity to work remotely for last few years. It has been one of the greatest things to happen not just for my family life but also has brought immense productivity and efficiencies in my target driven sales profile.

I usually prefer to work from my shared office space or cafes , but with the given COVID-19 outbreak and keeping the social distancing rules in mind, I am now fully working from home and staying indoors. My son has been in daycare since he was 1 year old. Now having him home all the time and working is a new challenge.  Before making a colorful home school schedule for him I worked on a productivity driven schedule for myself.

Here are my Top 10 Tips I have been successfully implementing:

1.Maintain the routine

Every morning keep the same routine as before. Dress up in whatever you would but leave out those PJs. This will help you stay in work mode.

2.Have a dedicated work space?

A separate work space doesn’t have to be a dedicated office with a door that closes (which is often not an option in smaller living spaces). It should be an area that mentally prepares you for work mode, whether it’s a separate room, a small desk set up in a corner of the living room, or a laptop at the end of the kitchen table. It may take a bit of trial and error to figure out what area of your home is most conducive to getting work done.

3.Structure your day

When working from home, you’re your own personal manager. To stay on schedule, segment what you’ll do and when over the course of the day. If you have an online calendar, create personal events and reminders that tell you when to shift gears and start on new tasks. Google, MS office calendar are a must. Using a journal makes it easy to list out tasks you want to accomplish each day. Check them off and keep making notes.

4.Continue to Interact with colleagues on apps and video meetings

Working remotely can feel isolating at times, so as part of your routine, try to interact with your co-workers regularly. Holding meetings over Zoom or another video app are two quick and easy ways to stay in the loop. However, you connect, don’t let email be the only way you interact with colleagues. Work What’s App groups should only focus on immediate information exchange and less memes and jokes for productivity.

5.Walk it out : Do this only if absolutely necessary. Always maintain 6 feet from people

Make time to get up and walk away from your desk at regular intervals to stretch your legs. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes look away from your screen and focus your eyes on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. I personally walk on all my office calls in the house. You can also keep a step goal for the day. On some good days I end up moving around the house and clocking in 6000 steps between 9-5. Standing for few minutes every hour is also a good practice.

6.Schedule 30 minutes in the morning to prep some snacks

I’d recommend cooking enough dinner to have leftovers at least a couple times a week. Maybe you’re more creative than I am, but homemade sandwiches for lunch get boring fast. Smoothies, fruits, eggs, avocado smash toast, salad, pasta, poha, dosa , besan chilas, rice and dal or frozen parathas or meals are some meal ideas that I incorporate.

7.Use Siri/ Google/ Alexa as your personal assistants

 I use Alexa every day to help me remind for some immediate calls that I must make. The most relevant Alexa feature for the office is maintaining your calendar. Whether it’s a big deadline or a meeting you must attend, add it to your calendar using Alexa.

Listening to ambient noise or focus music helps create some background noise.

One of the best ways to stay on task, especially if you often lose focus easily, is by using a Pomodoro timer — or a periodic timer that reminds you to take a break every so often. You can set a timer to work for an hour and break for 10 minutes or any combination of intense work with periodic breaks.

8.Do Your Most Focused Work When the Kids Sleep

 With kids being out of school now and home bound, making sure working before they get up in the morning, working during naptime, and working after they go to bed at night. Yes, it’s disruptive, but yes, it helps you pack in needed work hours while spending less time distracted in the presence of your children. Schedule important calls and meetings online during their nap times or during screen time.

9.Communicate with your partner and switch out times for taking turns in the day.

If your spouse or partner is also at home caring for the kids, it’s essential that you communicate what your day is like so you’re both on the same page with your expectations and needs.

10.Stress less about extra screen time while on video calls.

Instead being concerned about how much our kids are exposed to screens , let’s focus on how they are engaging with it. I use educational apps like Reading Eggs and interactive games  to keep my son busy.

Also setting up virtual baby sitters like grandparents, classmates, friends and family has been extremely successful for us.

 

img_6538_facetune_26-03-2020-19-54-27

 

I hope you find you working from home rhythm soon. Take care and be safe my friends

XOXO

Arushi (2)

How Busy Moms Can Train For Their First Half Marathon. A Beginner’s Guide.

Posted in Motherhood, Uncategorized by

Wow! A half marathon in the books at the beginning of the year is just the moral boost I needed to start my year strong. I never imagined I would ever run a long-distance race. It was NEVER one of my bucket list items. Yet on Aug 2019 training for my FIRST HALF MARATHON happened to land on my To-Do-List. I remember I was feeling extremely low around that time and needed a distraction.

I had been suffering from sciatica pain for almost 6 months since the start of 2019. (This pain had been bothering me for time to time since pregnancy.) I wasn’t active for all those months and gained 8-10 pounds! This period was by far my lowest state in terms of physical well being. However, that rest was important as I wanted to make sure the sciatica pain didn’t come back.

Once I felt better and could get back to a healthier and active lifestyle,  I made sure I wanted to work towards a fitness GOAL. The Chevron Houston Marathon & Aramco Half Marathon registrations ad popped up on my FB feed and my gut told me to sign up and just go for it!

The last time I ran a long race was a 10k, almost 3 years back right after my pregnancy. My goal then was to shed all that baby weight. But this time it was different. I didn’t run to lose weight, I ran for my mental and physical well being. I ran for a stronger me. I ran to challenge myself. I ran because I believed I could do a half marathon if I set my mind to it.

If you follow my Instagram, you must have seen me training on my stories. It is saved under my highlights section. I started preparing for the race around September 2019. This training also helped me get ready for a 2-hour trek on an active volcano- Mt. Batur in Bali, Indonesia. This training was turning out to be my therapy and a getaway from the daily mundane. I really made sure that I don’t over think or stress about the race. So, I made a plan and I tried to stick to it.

In this post I am sharing all my tips and tricks on how I prepared to run my FIRST Aramco Houston Half Marathon on January 19th, 2020 in Houston, Texas at age 34. 

Finding a Race and Signing Up

The act of committing to a race and plunking down the registration fee can help to motivate you. Plus, you need to know exactly when the race is so that you can map out your training runs over the next few months. Click HERE to find a race in your state.

My Training Plan

Note that I was always able to run a minimum of 3 miles. So, I followed the program below, 4 months prior to the race. However, if you are just starting off, I recommend training at least 6 months prior to race and get yourself to commit to this plan.

I followed the Novice 1 Half Marathon Training Program by Hal Higdon. This is a great running plan if you can stick to it. Note- I was also flexible with my run schedules. Every week wasn’t the same. Some days I was running 3 days a week and sometimes 5 days a week. What I focused was on avg miles weekly and most importantly, a long run on the weekend. I never missed that.

race plan

Credit :  Hal Higdon (https://www.halhigdon.com/)

Time Management for Moms

Most important question I have been asked by my followers. How can you do it all? Be a mom, work full time and manage your home? Let me tell you there is no magic formula. It’s team work, better planning and commitment that helped me finish the half marathon.

Communicate with your partner/ nanny/ family members before you plan to race. Me and my husband worked as a team. I couldn’t have really done this without his support. We discussed the days he will be doing school picks ups and drop offs, so I could use those days for my short runs. This meant I got to wake up early and go for runs at the gym before work or finish work 30 minutes earlier once a week and head to the trail in the evening. We also planned 1 day in a week where my husband would come back early from work, so I could start training for my longer runs in the evening (6miles +). Evenings worked best for me as Houston weather is brutal and honestly, I am not a morning person. Weekends were the easiest to coordinate and I kept aside 2 hours for my training every weekend.

Running Gear

Shoes- I had two fresh pairs of shoes on hand when I started my training. It helps extend the life of each pair by giving them ample recovery time between workouts. I ran the race in Reebok shoes and trained with Hoka one. I highly recommend both brands.

Active wear– I ran in leggings and tank tops. Most important part gear for me after my shoes was having a good sports bra. I love the Reebok Pure Move bra, it is made with motion sense technology that reacts to your movement. Also, I highly recommend wearing active wear with in built belts or zipped pockets to store phone and keys. I love my Flip belt leggings.

Before race day I treated myself to a new running T shirt and running sleeves from the Chevron Marathon Expo when I went for my bib pick up. Highly recommend buying gear form the race expo. It will forever be special.

first half marathon

Fuel for workouts

Pre work snack- I always had limited time to plan my snack, so I would just eat a banana or a peanut butter sandwich and head out for short runs. On days I did my long runs I would make a smoothie, I usually added banana to every smoothie with some spinach, chia seeds, hemp seeds, berries and oat/ almond milk.

Post workout– I would have a protein drink, some Greek yogurt with berries and granola etc. I often had my premier protein shake or some slices of apples with almond butter or I would just have dinner as almost 80% of my runs were in evening.

Note- I was eating almost everything and didn’t diet or control my calories for weight loss. If your aim is too loose weight while training, I recommend planning your meals and doing calorie counting to get the best results.

Race day nutrition– Carb load a day or two in advance before the half marathon. I ate good carbohydrates like whole grain pasta, quinoa, brown rice or sweet potatoes. These foods can help your body store extra glycogen which one can draw on for quick fuel during the run. On race day I carried my Cliff  bar to snack after 10 miles, although I didn’t eat it at the race as I got bananas at every 5 miles and preferred eating that instead.

Hydration- While training I only hydrated myself with water and since I ran on trails, there was a water fountain every few miles, so I didn’t carry any water with me while training.  I didn’t use any gels, but I have heard great things about it and will be using them in the coming months. Read more HERE

Note on race day there is water + Gatorade so it is suggested you pick one and only hydrate with that to avoid mixing it up. I stuck with water.

Apps and Tech, I used for training

Recovery Days are Important

 The day after a tough workout, the most I wanted to do is jog lightly or do some form of cross-training, like cycling. You need a recovery day after a hard day. No exceptions. I usually took Epsom salt hot water baths after long runs and it helped my aching muscles a lot.

Injuries are common.

Getting injured while running is very common. Read about it here .The more miles I ran, the more stressful it was on my joints, muscles, and cartilage. And even though I felt so good pounding the pavement with the wind in my hair, the reality is that our body is made of tissue. I suffered with Achilles Tendonitis just 4 weeks before my race. I rested my leg for a week and later started to use ice packs for at least 20 minutes after each run. Anti-inflammatory painkillers helped too, but what helped me the most was the ankle compression sleeves I bought 2 weeks prior to my race.  I wore it and ran the race. I was comfortable running in to up to 11 miles. Post that I was in pain but was able to finish my race.

Tapering ( cutting back on running a week before the race) is crucial

It allows the body to recover from the training that you’ve put in, which sets you up for peak energy on race day. It helped me a lot especially after my injury. I did short runs of 3-5 miles in my tapering weeks. And did lot of stretching exercises and yoga.

 

Take the pressure off and say goodbye to any negative thoughts.

Before race day I was wondering what if I was not able to complete my race. What if my ankle pain gets worse. I would let myself down. But then I reminded myself – Hey I will still be me, and my family and friends will love me no matter whether I finish first, last, or even if I don’t finish. I can cover this topic in an entire post itself. I kept saying to myself that I am strong, I am brave and I have to do me! And above all, I wanted to  set an example for my son.

Honestly at the end of the day, racing does hurt. It is going to test your mental strength, and no amount of tips or tricks will make it hurt any less. However, that pain is what leads us to the moments of pride; because we know the struggle we have been through to get to that moment.

I would like to finish this post by quoting the legendary Kobe Bryant, who the world lost  tragically on 26th Jan  in a tragic accident .

“Pain doesn’t tell you when you ought to stop. Pain is the little voice in your head that tries to hold you back because it knows if you continue you will change.” – Kobe Bryant. 

Good Luck on your training! You can do it.

XOXO

Arushi (2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Daily Bedtime Routine That Works for Us & Our Child

Posted in KIDS, Motherhood by

Tips for Travelling and Working Moms. Handling the emotional logistics while on a business trip (4)

This post was sponsored by JOHNSON’S, as always opinions are my own

Like many parents, I too strive for the perfect bedtime routine for my son. After all, we all want calm evenings and some time for ourselves and with our partners. And over the last 2 years I have realized having a consistent bedtime routine for my toddler has now become a cornerstone of our family routine.

I started to establish a sleep routine very early on with my son when he was as young as 3 months old. Earlier it involved crib training and getting him used to sleeping in his nursery. And now it is about maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, a relaxing bedtime routine and a soothing sleep environment to help my son achieve healthy sleep. He sleeps for an average of 12 hours every night and wakes up at 8am on weekdays and around 9am on weekends. Yes! We get up late on weekends.

We follow a routine that has been put together by a predictable sequence of events that we consistently follow in the same order every night. It has evolved as our son is growing but the basics remain the same.

Bath Time has been central to our bed time routine for the last 2 years. My son loves his bath time as it is calming, soothing and helps him relax. We love JOHNSON’S bath products and have been using them for the past 2 years. They are an integral part of our daily routine as well. Their products have been free from parabens and phthalates since 2015 and now all their washes, shampoos, lotion and creams are even gentler without sulfates and dyes!

Processed with VSCO with a5 preset

I love using the Head-To-Toe baby wash and shampoo. It is pediatrician-tested and pH-balanced to baby skin. Also, it is ultra-mild and gentler on my son’s sensitive skin and eyes and lathers well.  Containing over 90 percent ingredients of natural origin*, this sulfate-free and dye-free baby wash & shampoo is gentle enough to cleanse my toddler’s sensitive skin. The Johnson’s No More Tears formula makes it tear-free and as gentle to your baby’s eyes as pure water. In my previous blog post, I shared how you can make the bath time a fun and safe experience for toddlers.

After bath we move towards the wash basin to brush my son’s teeth and get him to try to pee one last time before he puts on his diapers and PJs. Somehow my son doesn’t enjoy getting his teeth brushed and it’s a struggle every day to get him to open his mouth and use the brush. I am hoping this chore will also become as easy bath time soon!

Vir is not yet potty-trained but he has started to use the potty seat sometimes. This is another experience I will hopefully share a post on soon with all my readers.

Once the bathroom chores are completed I massage Vir with JOHNSON’S baby lotion made with coconut oil. I love how it absorbs quickly and has a calming scent. I love to use it on my skin too. That fragrance makes me nostalgic.

At this age, our bedtime routine also involves the process of putting on PJs and Vir likes to select which color he wants to wear. We also love to read a good-night story and these days we are using the Moonlite story projector to make it more engaging. We make it a 20 to 30 minute special and exclusive time with my son for reading, snuggling, and being together. He loves to sleep with his stuffed toys Pooh and Pluto that provide him comfort in his crib and have been with him since he was a baby.  And when it’s time to sleep, I kiss and cuddle him once more before turning off the lights. We use a nightlight too so that his room is not completely dark.

Bedtime routines work best if you reserve the hour before bedtime for quiet play. This will lower your child’s activity level and prepare his nervous system for relaxation. Running, playing, tickling games, and even watching action-packed TV shows or videos make peaceful transition to sleep especially difficult.

Aside from relaunching their washes, lotions and haircare product, did you know JOHNSON’S recently launched a new collection, CottonTouch™? The lotion is made with real cotton and is lightweight in texture and absorbs quickly. The wash has a velvety lather that is easy to rinse and leaves no unwanted residue and cleans the skin without leaving the skin dry. I highly recommend getting these products from a store near you and experience it for yourself.

Processed with VSCO with a5 presetFor 125 years JOHNSON’S mission has been to create the gentlest baby products in the world. And recently I had an opportunity to go to New York and experience these products and the story behind them from the company’s baby care experts and scientists!  It was such an insightful experience to learn more about the company’s mission and their CHOOSE GENTLE campaign. No doubt JOHNSON’S has truly perfected products so gentle that they can be used for every age and stage of a baby’s life! I love their range and recommend all my readers to go and try the new redesigned washes, lotions and hair care products. To learn more visit www.Johnsonsbaby.com or head over to Target to shop JOHNSON’S latest products.

*Since there is no regulatory definition of “natural,” they follow the only independent international standard for naturals in cosmetics—the International Organization for Standardization. According to this standard, “natural origin” refers to ingredients that are more than 50% from natural sources, such as plants or minerals.

XOXO

Arushi (2)

 

Twinning: Mommy and Son Style

Posted in Kids Fashion, Motherhood by

twinning post

Who says only girl moms can do matching outfits with their kids?  This boy mom is proving otherwise today!

Let’s face it: We only get a few years with our kids before they decide that dressing like their mom might be the world’s biggest fashion faux pas. So I am making most of these years with these absolutely adorable ways to dress up together. Being a boy mom I hardly find outfits that we can really twin in, similar to the vast variety available for  girl moms. So I started to color coordinate and find clothing pieces with similar style, patterns, designs and colors to play “Matchy Matchy” with my toddler .

Here are some of my favorite looks I created in the last 2 years from our basic wardrobe essentials without splurging too much. I am also adding some links to shops I got our outfits from and some styling tips. You will find these memories on my Instagram Feed. Hoping to send all boy moms some inspiration .

Jumpsuit Love

One of my favorite looks! I love Mien Studios Its my to go store for shopping soft, comfortable organic clothing.

Simple T shirt and Jeans Twinning with white shoes 

This was one of our first looks, it was a coincidence until I realized we were matching. You can take it a level further by matching the T shirts and wearing similar sneakers like the famous Adidas Superstar shoes or the Converse Chucks for baby and mama.

Matching Mommy & Me T shirts with some added humor. 

One of my recent looks from my IG Feed. T shirts from BonOrganik the store has some fun family matching outfits. I added a twist to it with a short  denim skirt. You can pair it with similar color bottoms.

Color Coordination with a maxi dress and child vest or blazer

I created this looks for my son’s 2nd Birthday celebration. Looked great for photo ops. You can find our outfits at Masala Baby

When in doubt wear Denim

The most essential item in our closet. This is my go to look for boy moms. You can never go wrong with it. A denim dress is perfect way to twin with your mini me.

Twinning is Winning when in Pajamas

I love the variety available online and instore for family pajama sets. Be it for the holiday season or your daily precious moments. This is definitely one of my favorite ways to twin. Our pajama sets are from Target.

Ethnic style color coordination- 

It was my son’s 2nd Diwali and I wanted a color scheme for our house party. So we stuck to white and gold and bought these kurta sets for the entire family from Fab India.

 

 

Family Vacation Color Coordination

I wanted to wear my new dress I bought for vacation and definitely wanted some pretty pictures of our family trip. So I choose Dark blue and white color scheme to go with a beach background. It was easy to put together for me and my husband as he wore white shorts and a blue T while my son wore all white with some blue print. You can create similar look in different colors from your and your little one’s closet without additional shopping. Use colors that complement each other.

 

 

Fall is around the corner and I can’t wait to share more looks that I create in our winter wear. Keep Twinning!

Love

Arushi (2)

 

The Gift of Gentleness. How I am working towards raising a gentle and compassionate child.

Posted in Motherhood, Uncategorized by

 

J&J Post

This post was sponsored by JOHNSON’S ®, as always opinions are my own

 

“You cannot give your children what you do not have.”

– Brene Brown

 

This is one of my favorite parenting quotes and a good reminder for us to teach and character-build our children. This also include confidence, resilience, perseverance, kindness and self-esteem. But to teach this, we must first exhibit these characteristics ourselves.

When I was pregnant, I couldn’t stop myself from finding out the gender of my child. One of the biggest reasons was choosing the name early on. It was important to me to bond and connect with the life growing inside me. The feeling of having a child, a baby boy, became more real to us at that moment.

This also helped me prepare for a boy. I’d spent time thinking about how I’d raise a baby boy to be strong and gentle and to not feel forced into the super hero, big muscles and bravery stereotypes. For every car or truck toy I have given to my little boy, I gave him a color book or musical instrument.

While growing up my mom empowered me by laying emphasis on dreaming big and not be confined to society’s boxes. Similarly, I knew I didn’t want to raise my boy with society’s idea of a real man. I want to raise a little man who knows that it’s ok to cry; who knows what it means to respect others, including animals; that showing compassion and empathy is a good thing; and that if he’d rather play with a soft toy than an action figure, that it is just fine with me. Also, I remind myself every day that I too need to be gentle with his dreams and ambitions.

I can’t believe our baby is already a feisty two-year-old, and is growing, learning and exploring the world daily. We are ensuring he learns to be kind with actions and soon with his thoughts. Now that Vir is in full toddler mode, he has become incredibly enthusiastic about both exploring things and asserting his will. Kids at this age don’t understand that pushing and pulling can hurt someone and so we are teaching him how to be gentle to his friends at daycare and to his furry brother at home. By patting or caressing his hand, we tell him, “This is Gentle.” One of the best ways to explain to him this concept has been to practice it with his favorite stuff toy.

When a company too thinks like a parent, you know that they are doing something right. Like how I want to be gentle with my child’s dream and ambitions, and want my child to be kind and caring to the world, JOHNSON’S mission for last 125 years has been to create the gentlest baby products in the world. When I think of JOHNSON’S I think of pure. And for that reason, I grew up using JOHNSON’S products and today, my son is also growing up with the same. The brand recently redesigned all their washes, lotions, and haircare products and reduced the number of ingredients by more than 50%, including removing sulfates and dyes!

What caught my attention is that 96% of the ingredients in their products are naturally derived.

I wanted to share with you why JOHNSON’S new standard of gentle guided by the below five promises to parents struck a chord with me. Here are the 5 promises made by the company:

  1. Use Purposeful ingredients
  2. Never stop raising the bar
  3. Be open and honest
  4. Think like a parent first
  5. Help make the world a gentle place.

I want to use a brand in my daily routine that wants to make the world a better place. In our home we try to practice this in our daily life by choosing goods and services that give back to the community or care for our environment or even source raw materials that are fairly traded. This is the simplest ways to make sure a portion of every dollar or cent we spend goes to a better cause as well.

When I dug deeper to see how JOHNSON’S contributes to the community, I was glad to find that they partner with Save The Children on international efforts to provide healthcare, aid and education to families in communities affected by crisis or poverty. This promise resonated with me at many levels. One of the life lessons taught by my dad was to give back to the poor and needy. And every year on Diwali, we would visit an orphanage in Bombay and celebrate the spirit of Diwali with the kids by playing board games, sharing sweets and gifts and dancing to some Bollywood music. That life lesson did change the world for me and my brother when I was 11 and my brother was 9 years old. We have continued this tradition and have promised to give back to the community what we can, when we can. I want to continue this tradition with my son too and teach him the importance of being kind, generous, loving and help make the world a gentler place.

Here are few things we are working on at our home to make sure we teach our son the characteristics that we as parents can model first.

  • Think before reacting. This is something I am working on myself daily. As moms our patience get tested every minute however, I am trying to take the time to think about how my reactions and responses affect others, especially my kid.
  • React in a calm manner. Screaming only escalates the situation with my toddler, so I have realized approaching a situation more calmly is the best way to react. I sit down at his eye level and look right into eyes to let him know what he did was wrong or he needs to stop it. This is a work in progress lesson. It’s all about the tone in our voice, and so speaking softly is one of them.
  • Teach our kids to empathize with others. As I mentioned above, the best way to tell our kids to not end up hurting anyone is by being gentle. I often tell my son that please don’t give anyone “Ouchie” as it hurts, Mama doesn’t like Ouchies. He has started to understand and relate the concept and we are trying to ensure that there are no signs of hitting, biting or pulling expressed by our child.

  • Always Respond with kindness. Teaching our child ways to treat things with care helps him develop the understanding that actions have consequences. We are ensuring our son understand that he needs to share his toys with kids in the park. Also, I have started to say sorry to my son if I have been short tempered with him. All parents make mistakes. It’s how you address them afterwards that makes the difference. He’ll learn that everyone, even Mom, admits it when she’s wrong.

We have influence in fostering our child’s ability to empathize, with so much hatred and turmoil in the world today, it seems more important than ever to raise kids who can understand and be kind to other people.

Love

arushi

Tips for Travelling and Working Moms. Handling the emotional logistics while on a business trip.

Posted in Motherhood, Travel by

Tips for Travelling and Working Moms. Handling the emotional logistics while on a business trip

Let’s face it, being a working mom can be extremely challenging. It takes a lot of planning and support to manage a household. Add business trips and travel into the equation and things get exponentially more difficult.

I always get emails and messages from my Instagram followers on how fun and glamorous my work travels are. And yes honestly, being able to visit new places and try new things is fun, but every month being on the road, another hotel, another restaurant eating alone, the glamour fades, especially when you miss your child a day or two into a five-day trip.

I have come to think of it as a necessary sacrifice that I am making to ensure I continue to build my career and not give up on my aspirations, while also providing for my family. I love my job and everything I do, but I won’t sit here and say I love it every single day. Days get long, sometimes I don’t get to FaceTime with my son before bedtime, I miss my own bed, and I feel guilty for being away and probably miss on some new words too that my son started to speak.

In the last year, I’ve realized that even though it is necessary, there is a way to handle it in a way that I don’t feel horrible for the decision I made and to not get frustrated or burnt out from my work travels. You may wonder – How can we be a good mother while also traveling for extended periods of time? Contrary to what society may tell you, there are plenty of ways to make the situation work for you and your family. Here are few tips I recommend for travel savvy moms-

  • Take it as a Break – Being a parent to a toddler can be Pickups, drop offs, swim days, play dates, other activities and your day to day chores at home while working full time can be tiring and monotonous. And so, I’ve started to look at my trips as a “break” from the job of parent at home. It’s a little break from the busy lifestyle of having to work full-time and then be on again at home as a mom
  • Make a calendar and set reminders – I usually have a calendar in front of me of my upcoming travels and start to work on putting up a plan for the family on what to do while I am away. List out all activities at daycare that needs special attention like soccer practice timings, splash day packing, events or special celebrations that week etc. Also, it lets me also confirm with my caregiver on her availability.
  • Maintain your child’s routine. While it’s important to have something fun planned for while you’re gone, don’t abandon routines. Bedtime, naptime, meals, school and playtime should remain the same. Kids rely on their schedules and if they are interrupted, it can be confusing and upsetting.
  • Leave a Meal Plan– To ensure my home is running smoothly in my absence I make a meal plan for my family and mail it to my husband and my caregiver, while also placing a print out on our refrigerator. You can also freeze meals or use local services of cooked meals that deliver at home for the days you are away. Also, I make sure to do groceries before I leave so that we are not short of the important items like Bananas, Milk, Eggs, Bread and snacks that are needed on a daily basis.
  • Don’t hesitate to ask for support when and where you need it- Without my family and my in laws here in the US to check in or help out when I am gone, I rely on the support of my close friends, neighbors and my son’s teachers. I ask them for extra help when needed. Lately I have been looking to share a nanny with a close friend on the days when my husband gets late at work. It is very important to have several backups and foresee few situations that you might need help with, when you are away.
  • Create Fun Rituals – Baking cupcakes or banana bread or pudding for days when I am gone is a sweet way literally to treat my son. He is very young to understand the association, but I am sure it makes him happy especially if he is moody or cranky. Also, I try to leave a new book to read every night in my absence and come back with a small gift from my travels for my son to open. He is 2 and he thoroughly enjoys it.
  • Ditch the guilt.I know it’s tough, but you should not feel guilty about this choice. I never let others negative opinion affect how I think about myself. It may not be an ideal situation in your mind, but if you love what you do, never feel guilty about that and the fact you are providing for your family. Remind yourself that you aren’t a bad mom for traveling and don’t compare yourself to other moms on the block. If you communicate with your child before, during and after travel, they’ll be prepared for your departure and be fine while you’re gone.
  • Let your significant other rest and have a day/night to themselves.
    Even though I come back tired from traveling, I always make sure to give my partner a break, it could be some time away at the weekend with friends or a short getaway. It is very important to tell your partner you appreciate them and that it’s okay to go out and take a break and let me take on everything you’ve been doing the past few days.

In the end I will like to say that to have a family’s ability to function well with a travelling mother is also linked to the attitudes of its members. We need to make sure our partner is happy to contribute and is appreciated, and that the kids adapt well to the changes in routine, so that all goes smoothly. In our house we have learnt to treat Travel as just another facet of life that needs to be managed. I always say it’s all about Teamwork! And so, me and my husband try our best to treat travel with resourcefulness and optimism. It is hard to leave on a monthly basis, but I look forward to coming home to see my son’s face and get a hug and kiss from him (as there will come an age when he won’t  want them from mommy). His smiles make it all worth it.

Please do share your opinions and thoughts on how you are trying to balance travel and home duties.

If you are a breast feeding mom and travel for work, check my previous post –How I Prepared to Leave My Breastfed Baby for a Work Trip

Love

Arushi (2)

 

 

Moms Give Yourself The Gift Of a Solo Getaway – Sharing My Experience From My Hiking Trip to Machu Picchu

Posted in Motherhood, Travel by

gptempdownload

In my recent post My Inca Trail Hike to Machu Picchu & Solo Trip to Cusco, Peru: An Adventure of a Lifetime I shared with you all my three minute movie , lots of pictures and so many other details of my amazing SOLO trip. (Check it out if you haven’t) This post focuses on what this journey meant and how it has affected me personally . Also I am sharing a list of benefits of jet setting alone and going on a getaway by yourself.

Travelling Solo was one of my top goals for the year and I knew that this year for my birthday I wished to do something different, something special, something truly just for myself. I wanted to rediscover the girl I was, before spouse, before a kid, before all the parenting responsibilities. So, a few months before my 33rd birthday I decided to challenge myself, both physically and mentally with a Solo Trip to Cusco, Peru.

I have had several opportunities to travel around the world with and without my family and friends. Travelling alone for work to a new country or state has been a part of my lifestyle and something I am familiar with since I was sixteen years old.

However, planning a getaway on my own to a country where I have never been before, hiking for two days with a group of complete strangers or for that matter living in a hostel and meeting people of all age groups from different parts of the world…… truly made this trip an Experience of a Lifetime! This journey has given me one of the most valuable collection of moments and experiences that has added depth and value to my life and who I am.

“Traveling Alone is Radical Form of Self Care”

img_3860

On this solo trip not only did I get to discover the stunning landscapes of Machu Pichhu on my hike and enjoy the breathtaking architecture, lively artisan markets and the delicious local cuisine of the vibrant city of Cusco, I also got to spend time by myself — walking alone, eating alone, writing alone and sitting alone. And honestly, this was far from lonely. It was in fact restorative!

I can’t think of the last time I had been alone long enough to revel in my own thoughts without being interrupted by my child or the nagging to-do list that lives in the back of my mind. I could have conversations with people that didn’t revolve around my child or me being a mom. It was kind of strange and exhilarating. Radical Self-care is the assertion that you have the responsibility to take care of yourself first before attempting to take care of others.

There is endless list of benefits to jet setting alone and by sharing my experiences I hope to inspire others to try out a solo adventure too.

Makes you Independent and Empowered: One comes back with a new perspective. Solo travel represents independence, wanderlust and of course freedom. One gets to create their own When and How to do it list!

Self-Discovery: Through solo travel you get a chance to listen to your gut and control the direction you want to go to. You get to know you, be you and reflect upon yourself.

Self Confidence: Yes, solo travel is a brave endeavor. There is a lot of planning and preparations that one needs to go through, especially us moms. And as women we need to research more into topics like safety, cultural norms etc. By stepping out of your comfort zone and travelling anywhere new and unknown we learn to face various types of scenarios and gain much confidence.

Making new Friends and lifetime connections: One can always choose to be alone, but on a solo trip you get an opportunity to connect and make new friendships on your journey that could last a lifetime. Travel leads to exciting adventures and meaningful connections, it provides you an opportunity to meet like minded people in a new cultural setting devoid of digital distractions.

Your well-being gets healthier: Each one of us know spending time alone makes us release a lot of stressful toxins and travelling makes us happy. Research shows that travelling alone is such a healthy option as it makes you a happier person and cuts out your depression and stressful phases.

img_3414_facetune_08.04.2018-15:38:16

Being a Mom is hard work! By taking time to focus on myself, recharge and relax a little, I have returned home more mindful. I can’t think of travelling alone as “Selfish” now, as this trip has nurtured my body and nourished my mind while giving me chance to follow my dreams and do what I love – Explore! Also, I want my son to see me as a person with interests, rather than the person who does everything

Have you taken a solo trip? What was your experience? 

Love

Arushi (2)

 

Tricks to Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables

Posted in food, KIDS, Motherhood, Uncategorized by

fruits that you need to try

As a parent, sometimes getting your toddler to eat anything, let alone eat healthy can be very stressful! There are sick days, moody days, fussy days, some really happy and hungry days and this list could go on and on.

For me it is all about teaching my kid to love healthy foods especially fruits and vegetables, and some days we all need to have a backup plan. On my Instagram stories you will see regular updates of my morning latte cups and some days meals, recipes and food pictures of what I am offering my son.

I have been getting several questions from moms on my email and DMs on what I am cooking for Vir requesting for recipes of my favorite spinach and veggie loaded toddler meals. So in this post I am listing out few of my recipes that have worked for us and some great ideas for back up plans on feeding your picky eater.

Also you can check out my previous post that has a list of food items I offered my child as he started solids and a Free Printable with all nutrient information for different food types with nutrients information. Click Here 

My son is 18 months old, and is still figuring out his taste buds, so I try to provide a balanced meal while including veggies in his favorite Pancakes, Pasta, Muffin , Stuffed tortilla and Soup. My tip if your toddler refuses to eat any veggies – SNEAK THEM IN !!! Some might think it’s sending a wrong message, but for us it’s a work in progress. There is ample time to develop my kid’s understanding of his food and I will like take as it goes. However, I am doing this to make sure he has a balance diet.

To sneak in veggies especially on those fussy days :  Boil– Spinach, carrot, some kale and blend it. (You can add veggies of your choice depending on how you plan to use them.) Replace water with this mix in all the dishes like Pancakes, Pasta, Muffin , Stuffed tortilla and Soup

Toddler Approved Recipes!

Spinach And Banana Pancakes– Add boiled and blended spinach and carrot mix with Banana, oat flour and 1 egg to make healthy Spinach breakfast.

Veggies loaded Mac and Cheese/ Pasta– Sauté diced pieces of carrot, peas with onion and spinach in butter or olive oil. Add boiled pasta with desired pasta sauce. I add cheese slices in the pasta too, it never hurts to add more. Offering really small pieces of veggies is a good start and later moving to bigger pieces.

Veggie mix Roti/Tortilla-  My son is not a big fan of stuffed breads , so I have started mixing the boiled veggies directly to the flour or you can use the blended mix as an alternative to water while making the dough. I recommend including beets and sweet potatoes too as they look colorful and are nutrient dense.

Veggie and Fruit Muffins- Fruit and veggie muffins have all of the elements to basically be a complete meal!  I recently came across this great recipe on Pinterest and it has been a great success. It is loaded with lots of vitamins and minerals and fiber . Click here for Power Packed Fruit Muffin Recipe from Super Healthy Kids.com

Make a Dip Bar

veggie dip tray

In Dr Sears’ book, The Portable Pediatrician, he suggests serving all types of chopped vegetables and foods in an ice tray, with some yummy dipping sauces on the ends. Making it fun, colorful and full of variety can encourage little ones to eat more vegetables. Marinara sauce, ranch, Parmesan cheese, Coriander chutney are great to start with. I am currently offering steamed carrots , broccoli with Marinara sauce to Vir

 

Cook Veggies in different ways

Raw, Roasted, or Steamed has been a hit in our house.  We all vote for baked and boiled as my son loves grabbing small pieces of sweet potatoes, carrots and peas. Seasoning the veggies is a winner in my friend’s house and I will be starting that soon too. Let me know what seasoning you use.

Beat the Veggies (Smoothies for the WIN )

smoothieSmoothies are a great (and easy) way to get nutrient dense fruits and vegetables into your kids without them really knowing it! Spinach, Kale, Beets and Fruit of course! The best part is that toddlers and kids think that smoothies are the equivalent of having a milkshake.We love the Banana+ Peanut butter+ Spinach+ Kale+ Milk smoothie. Tip : Start adding veggies slowly in the smoothie and get to the right amount of sweetness and taste. I started with small quantities of spinach and kale at first and once my son got used to the taste we added more.Check out this Toddler Approved Smoothie from one of my favorite blogger mom Ashley. I love the Jamba juice cup idea.

Butter them up

Young tongues are particularly sensitive to bitterness, and kids may instinctively repel from bitter foods. Masking the bitterness with butter especially for broccoli is working for us so far . “Everything tastes better with butter, especially vegetables. Try adding 1 tablespoon of butter per half cup of mashed sweet potatoes, green beans, broccoli, and cooked spinach to temper the bitterness.

 

Hope this post helps you get some veggies in your fussy toddler’s meal !! Please do share your tips and tricks and any great recipe .

Now, go get some broccoli and LOVE it

Arushi (2)

Get Your KIDSto LOVE Veggies (1)

 

How I Prepared For My Boy’s Cake Smash Photo Shoot

Posted in KIDS, Motherhood by

 

 

oatmeal cookies (2)I can’t believe my son is already a year old ! How did this happen? Where did all the time go ? It was only yesterday when we brought our tiny guy home and now all of a sudden he is a toddler. Time flew by so fast and I guess it was also because the first year is full of trails and treasures.

If I could just freeze time, I would continue to gaze in his eyes , nibble his toes, kiss his chubby cheeks and just keep listening him giggle. My heart melts thinking how fast time will slip and my child will outgrow my arms and lap in the coming years.

First birthday is a momentous occasion in any child and parent’s life. This is such a huge milestone for our family too and it warranted for a special photo shoot, so that we can savor it now and reminisce about later (like during the tumultuous teenage years)

DSC_8948

One my favorite captures by Brianne Hardcastle Photography 

Nothing quite says beautiful mess like first birthday cake smash photography. But when you decide to go the DIY route, the results tend to be less beautiful and more mess. I am sharing on the blog few tips on how I prepared for my son’s outdoor cake smash photo shoot. I am not sure who was more excited for the cake smash session me or my son. That excitement make its pretty easy to go overboard with props, but i wanted to keep it simple.

Photography: Hiring a good photographer ensures great results.It may not always be the most ideal option to spend money on a professional, but really and truly, paying for a service makes SUCH a huge difference. I am so glad our pictures from the cake smash session have come out so beautiful. Thanks to the talented Brianne Hardcastle who was committed to capture the best moments. Check out her FB Page for more details.

Location: We wanted to shoot outdoors as it was in tune with our theme and also excellent for good lighting and for that we choose the Bayou Bend Park in Houston.

Keeping Props Simple: An outdoor shoot saved us from all the expensive background decorations and detailing. I used item that were available at my home.

  • The Teepee was the main prop that was central to the entire theme. My son’s lovely Teepee is from – Tnees Teepees. They have a wonderful collection of modern and stylish teepees for boys and girls that look great in any room. I also used a white rug and a cushion under it .
  • Cake: Of Course a cake is the highlight of the cake smash photo shoot, you can use different colors according to your theme. I didn’t want to spend too much on it either, so I went for a simple white butter cream chocolate cake.
  • DIY Cake Topper: Since the cake was very plain and simple , I added some fun to it by making a cake topper with paper straws. I used a craft thread and cut paper triangles and wrote ONE with a sharpie on it and glued them. You can also buy some really nice cake toppers online.
  • DIY Chalkboard first birthday sign– The details of your child’s first year can be forgotten over time, but with a stunning Chalkboard First Birthday sign, you can cherish them forever! I made this chalkboard with some inspiration from Pinterest. Took me an hour to work on it. You can also get one professionally down from etsy and print it .
  • A huge Balloon can cover a lot of space for pictures and also add a pop of color. I used a white one as it went with our theme. This is a 36 inch balloon.
  • Fabric banner: The only main decorative piece I really splurged on was the fabric banner that I got from Etsy (displayed on the teepee). It can also be used as a garland or even a high chair decorative piece. I also used it for decorating Vir’s high chair at his birthday party at our home.
  • Outfit: My sister got Vir his cake smash outfit , she bought it from amazon . There are some great shops on etsy to you can buy cute cake smash outfits . Note its really hard to get something unique for boys.

Color coordinate:  I stuck to a low a key background with white , black and natural green for keeping the pictures neat and bright. Start with one item that you would like to coordinate in the session then, add in colours that coordinate or complement that item.

 

DSC_9019

 

All these beautiful moments are captured by Houston Based Photographer Brianne Hardcastle. Click here more info

Timings for the cake session is very essential : You want it to be stress and fuss free. I planned the session in the evening after my son’s nap time. The weather was great too. (And yes, it’s perfectly fine if the cake smash photos aren’t done on their actual birthday.)

Get the baby to dig in: Our son was shy to dig in the cake after he touched the frosting. He was weirded out by the sticky texture. I got our dog to join the party and also put my finger in the cake to excite him about the process.

DSC_9101

I had to frame this !! He won’t stay so little anymore

Post session Clean up : This is one thing I completely forgot about, while rushing for the shoot from our home. You need to have paper towels handy, plastic/paper bags to throw away the mess. And a spare change of clothes for the kid after the session is over.

The first birthday cake of our child was a huge milestone for us. And so for that reason I took a break from taking a few cell phone photos and completely avoided the plastic highchair cake smash experience. This was truly a momentous celebration and I hope these tips can help you prepare for your big occasion.

You can see his birthday party video at our home on my Instagram page

#letthembelittle

Love

arushi