Introduce your Preschooler to Pepper

Zoe is now growing and has better understanding of stories. She also faces various little issues which are a big deal for her... starting school, sharing toys, going on a play-date etc. I was on a lookout for small stories which help her understand these situations in a simple yet effective manner. I found the Pepper series just perfect for the same.

Soups for Weaning

Recipe Credit: Nimisha Sharma
Age: 5 Months+

Beetroot carrot and potato soup
Ingredients:

• ¼ cup beetroot, peeled and chopped
• ¼ cup potatoes, peeled and chopped
• ½ cup carrot, peeled and chopped 

Procedure:

• Combine the beetroot & carrot in a pressure cooker with 1 cup of water and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
• Cool and puree into a smooth soup.
• Strain the soup and reheat to lukewarm before serving. 

Apple and Carrot soup with potatoes

Ingredients: 

• ¼ cup apple, peeled and chopped
• ¼ cup potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon onion chopped
• ¼ cup carrot, peeled and chopped
• ½ teaspoon oil 

Procedure:

• Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and sauté the onion for 2 mins.
• Add the apple, carrot & potato & sauté for 2-3 mins.
• Add 1 cup of water and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.
• Cool and puree in a liquidizer.
• Strain and reheat to lukewarm before serving.

Dal & Mixed Vegetable soup

Ingredients:

• 1- tablespoon yellow moong dal
• 1 tbsp barley
• ¼ cup Potato, mashed
• 1 tbsp cup cabbage, chopped

Procedure:

• Wash the dal and combine all ingredients in a pressure cooker with 1 cup of water.
• Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles
• When cool, blend in a liquidizer. Serve lukewarm.
  

Keeping children safe around medicine

I had a pretty eventful childhood, and most of the time the reason behind it was me swallowing anything I had access to. One when I was around 3, I drank an entire small bottle of Vitamin C drops which mum used to give us. Thankfully nothing happened to me, but medicines can be really dangerous for kids. Now Zoe is at an age that she loves exploring things and has a habit of keeping things in her mouth. So we as parents have to be extra cautious.

Get through The Bump-y Ride Part - II

In the previous part of this post, we discussed several problems a woman faces during pregnancy. This post talks about other such problems and how they can be avoided.

Get through The Bump-y Ride Part - I

I had so many problems while I was pregnant, on the other hand when Falak was pregnant she had a very smooth pregnancy. Falak enjoyed her pregnancy so much, she often says it was one of the best days of her life. Unfortunately it isn't always so... A woman’s body goes through a lot during pregnancy-hormonal changes send the body into a kind of tizzy. Sometime the changes create uneasiness thus making the pregnancy difficult to handle.

Some issues strike hard during the first trimester & more or less loosen strength by the second trimester but some stay all through the pregnancy & some appear by the onset of the third trimester. These hurdles are part & parcel of being pregnant but sometimes a few need urgent attention & need to be discussed with your gynecologist.

Oh Help... Oh No... It's The Gruffalo Theme Party (Top Picks)

He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws. He’s the Gruffalo! Gruffalo! Gruffalo! He has knobbly knees and turned-out toes, and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose.He’s the Gruffalo! Gruffalo! Gruffalo! His eyes are orange, his tongue is black, He has purple prickles all over his back. He’s the Gruffalo! Gruffalo! Gruffalo! He’s the GRRRRRRRRR………Gruffalo! 

Finally Finally Finally… the birthday party theme of the month is based on my (and everyone who reads it) favourite character if you haven’t guessed it still … He’s the Gruffalo! It sure is not an easy theme to come up with... but if you're creative, it is sure to be fun. It is a perfect theme for your little on between the ages of 2 - 8 years. 

Momster's 25 Picks to Decorate your Child's Room

Designing Zoe’s perfect room has been in my top to-do-list for a long. Now that I’m on mission “Zoe’s room” I keep doing a lot of research about designing the perfect room for my little munchkin. That’s when I decided to share Momsters Top 25 products to Design your baby’s nursery.

5 Fitness Blog Moms I follow for INSPIRATION

Reaching your pre-baby weight is not really easy, but it is definitely attainable. You need to have a strong will; determination and you need to take out time regularly to work-out. I learned the hard way and thanks to Postpartum depression, it became all the more hard. Now when I meet a new mom, I tell them they should start working out. We need to start easy, and take a go ahead from your gynecologist before starting a schedule.

Summer Care for your Child

The harsh Indian summer is here & most part of the country gets engulfed in terrible heat. Along with many other concerns, parents of little ones are also worried about how to take care of their child… how to keep them cool as well as safe from the scorching sun.

Indoor Summer Fun - Top Picks

Summer Vacations have started in many parts of the country, and in the other parts it’s just less than a month away. We as parents try to keep summer holidays fun and action packed, we dread our kids uttering those words “Mommy, I’m bored”. Trips, summer camps and activities unfortunately do not last for 2 long months. Stepping out of the comforts of your house is not always possible, playing in the park or garden is restricted to early morning or couple of hours in the evening. Obviously you don’t want the kid sitting in front of the idiot box or the laptop, day in and day out. Zoe hasn’t started school yet (she starts in June 2013) but I have already started my research on what kind of indoor activities I can involve Zoe in when she has her holidays.

Choosing The Right Paediatrician

Like new mommies or mommies-to-be didn’t have enough on their minds, that the exercise of finding the right paediatrician for their precious little ones comes daunting in their faces. 

Looking for a doctor for your baby can be an anxiety inducing job. Momsters understands how difficult it is & therefore we have put together a few pointers that will make your HUNT a little easy. These tips come from our own personal experiences, tips from old-timers & some research. Here goes:

Help your Beginning Reader Read Better

At one magical instant in your early childhood, the page of a book – that string of confused, alien ciphers – shivered into meaning. Words spoke to you, gave up their secrets; at that moment, whole universes opened. You became, irrevocably, a reader. - Alberto Manguel

One of the proudest moments of a parent’s life got to be seeing their little one read independently. I can’t imagine how happy I will be when I see my little girl read. It will sure be a proud moment, but for kids this milestone is not very easy to achieve. Many kids get irritated when they don’t get things right. Though it is not advisable to force your child to read, they might get all the more irritated. There are a few things that parents can do. Before getting into a to-do list for parents, let me tell you what a beginning reader exactly is. Beginning readers are those who “rely on print more than illustrations to create meaning. They read a range of early-reader series, and recognize all alphabets and sounds. Your child still needs pictures on every page to help him/her read. Reads aloud without expressions and stops at difficult world.”

How to Zap ‘The Mom Guilt’

We are all different kind of mommies; working moms, stay at home mothers, work from home moms-- all kind of arrangements. With all the uniqueness and differences, I'd to say that one thing binds us all. We all suffer from something called THE MOM GUILT (TMG). TMG is like PMS — we all get it from time to time. As per Babycenter.com, a whopping 94% of moms confessed they feel ashamed over issues ranging from working outside the home for a long time or at times are not working outside the home and contributing to the household income. Some moms feel guilty for not keeping the house in a good condition or not being there when their children want them; some mommies even stress over their choice of diapers... the list goes on. 

Picking Kid's Health Drink

Picky Eaters… it is not just a phrase, it gives parents nightmares. I have heard so many parents out there say “My kid doesn’t eat ANYTHING”. I know how it is; Zoe has been on a no-food diet forever. We all keep on worrying about the right diet, nutrition, et al. And when we see so many advertisements on Television, boosting “Just 2 glasses are enough for your child’s daily nutrition…" You have no option but believe what they claim. You start feeling happy that you are raising stronger, healthier, sharper, brighter kids. 

Health drinks are not at all necessary, if your child is an extremely fussy eater, then you might want to opt for one of the health drinks available. Dr. Rachna Sethi, a nutritionist says, “These health drinks like Horlicks, Complan, Bournvita, more than anything else have malt in it which gives taste and flavor to milk. Other than that, these drinks are fortified with minerals like iron and vitamin C which milk lacks hence these drinks do add to the nutrition.” Another renowned nutritionist Dr. Shweta Iyengar believes “Nutritional drinks are not indispensible; these are required today because kids have become fussy about what they eat and drink. If you think your child is not getting the required nutrition for his age, these options are necessary.”

Little Women Completes a year... time for Celebrations

Those who have been following Momsters for some time now must be aware that we have some favorites as moms; Little Women sure tops the list. Little Women is the brainchild of three siblings and it takes you to a world of handmade goodness, which include toddler dresses, artful home & nursery accessories which are handmade in the Little Women workshop with a lot of love. Zoe loves wearing Little Women clothes and I love dressing her up in them. They are comfortable; designs are made for children and these thankfully clothes are not a replica of what their mums wear.