Panchatantra Stories Are Assets to Teach Moral Values to Kids

My kids always wait for the end of the day when they can crawl to their beds and listen to the stories that I read from books till they fall asleep. This is the time that we all share together and this is how I have introduced daily reading in my children’s life.  Nowadays, we all have hectic schedules and bedtime stories are diminishing ad so are their benefits that kids receive from them. Research has stated that nearly a third of parents never read a story to their kids at night and about 4% young kids do not have a single book with them.

Bedtime stories not only offer educational benefits, but the stories are perfectly crafted with emotional life lessons that can be subconsciously instilled into them. Panchatantra stories for kids are a great compilation of interwoven tales in prose or poetry and most of them are animal fables. Compiled in Sanskrit and Pali, it is attributed to Pandit Vishnu Sharma, who was considered a famous scholar around 3^rd BCE. But these stories have been adapted and translated by various regions and languages later on. Most of the stories represent an ancient lifestyle that illustrates the basic Hindu principles of Niti- the wise conduct of life.

Panchatantra story for kids are divided into 5 different parts and each of them revolve around a fame story that contains embedded stories, sometimes three or four levels deep. These stories are famous all over the world because of the witty moral values and elegant representation that it shares. It is a unique representation of Ancient India to the entire world that was equally cherished by the young and the old, rich and poor, high and low. The collection of fables revealed the basic knowledge of wisdom that helped to teach little kids the ways to make one’s life happier, fuller and richer.

All the stories of Panchatantra share a moral value that is presented in a simple manner and one popular moral is how to treat people correctly. The stories are excellent means to bring a specific situation of life before the child and create a great chance to ask whether what someone is doing is correct or not, thereby building up their understanding of appropriate moral judgement.

Bedtime stories are great means to expand the vocabulary of the child’s growing mind and help to communicate. Panchatantra stories for kids are also great ways to see their understanding of moral values. Stories like the Brahmin and the Crooks, the Monkey and the Wedges, the Cobra and the Crows etc. all are wonderful stories of moral lessons.

 

Pushp Ki Abhilasha Poem: A Good Way of Developing National Feelings

We often talk a lot about the importance of reading time with our little kids and how stories and often poems can be a great means to start their habit of love for reading and of course literature. Reading has many benefits, which includes building imagination, critical thinking and increasing vocabulary skills. But what about Hindi poems? Whenever we think of poetry we remember nursery rhymes of our childhood and the happy memories. Poems play a great role in helping children understand various things of life and to enhance the vocabulary by developing a fondness for it.

Poems are written in different language and there are famous poets who have contributed to this literary form of art. Reading classic Hindi poems allow kids to put the specific language to use, understand the grammar and even find voice to represent their own feelings. It allows the kids to paint their own lives by using imagery and symbolic language to describe the various experiences that they are not always willing to share. When Hindi poems for kids are read aloud, its rhythm and sounds activate the heart and soul and also trap the mind. The easy language used allows little kids to understand the meaning easily and often help them to bridge their worlds.

Today, we have great poets like Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Suryakant Tripathi, Makhanklal Chaturvedi and they have written beautiful Hindi poems that help to inspire and encourage little kids in their life. Pushp Ki Abhilasha poem is a beautiful poem that describes the desire of a flower and how it wants to be offered to those who have served their motherland. It is no doubt one of the best piece from the poet that accurately represents the passion and pride for the nation. The lines are simple and very close to heart and reflect the dedication and patriotism towards our country. The poem spreads a message that everyone should show the true spirit of the flower towards their country.

Poems like Pushp Ki Abhilasha help children to understand the true meaning of patriotism and love for the country.  The precise vocabulary and the rhythmic sounds encourage them to read and understand the true meaning of love for one’s country. Reading the poem helps them to see the different patterns in speech and literature and analyze the meaning of words through context. They are able to better visualize concepts and have a clear understanding of the message expressed through the poems. Such patriotic Hindi poems when read out loud in the class engage young generations in group activities and stimulate imagination.

Namkeen Dalia: Savory Vegetable Porridge That Is Easy To Cook

Broken wheat or Dalia is something that is used to prepare a number of recipes in India and it is also very popular for its nutritious value. Dalia is made by using a special type of wheat that has high nutritional values and is made by milling the whole wheat grain coarsely. This specific type of wheat is at first cleaned and husked and then broken according to the desired size. This cracked wheat is used to make different recipes like grain pulaos, pancakes, multi grain breads, sweet dishes, kheer and many other festive delicacies. It can be prepared by roasting it and then cooking it till it turns soft. It has a warm and hearty aroma and is slightly chewy and nutty.

Dalia or broken wheat is available in different sizes. Large sized has a firm texture and can be used as a cereal or used in stuffing or salads. The medium sized dalia is usually used to prepare namkeen dalia recipes or preparations like upma. The finer ones have a firm and fine texture and is used to prepare wheat kheer or lapsi with milk. Preparing a healthy and nutritious breakfast may at times become a difficult task as kids always look for a tasty dish. Namkeen dalia recipe is easy to prepare and offers a wonderful taste to the dish. So, if you are interested to know how to prepare namkeen dalia, then continue reading.

Namkeen dalia is a great recipe that can be prepared in the breakfast with some vegetables and seasoning.  This fiber rich food, is very simple to prepare and can be served hot as a breakfast menu.

• Take a pan and dry roast a cup of dalia for about 3 to 4 minutes. A nice aroma will be released and the grains will also turn light brown in color. Keep it aside.
• Now peel and chop onions, green capsicum, carrot and tomatoes and keep them aside. Take a cooker and heat 2 tablespoon of oil and when it is hot add half teaspoon of mustard seeds to it. When the seeds start to splutter, add onions and fry for a minute till they become transparent.
• Now add carrot, tomatoes, green capsicum and peas and saute for 2 minutes till they become tender.
• Now add haldi powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt and stir properly. Fry for a few seconds and add the dalia and mix properly with the vegetables and spices.
• Now add two and half cups of water. Remember that the quantity of water should just be enough to cover the dalia.
• To check this, you can dip your clean finger in the water and the level should be up to your first finger line.
• Cook the namkeen dalia for 3 to 4 whistles or until it becomes soft. Allow the pressure cooker to cool down completely and the dalia should be dry and look like a perfect cake.
• Take out some mixture using a spoon to check if the grain is soft. Serve it hot and garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.

How to Deal With Baby Tantrums: Some Important Suggestions

My three year old’s tantrums are simply intolerable at times and he cries hysterically and becomes out of our control. I guess this is not only my experience, but many moms out there would agree that they too have faced similar situations when their kids have terrible meltdowns. Kids mostly between the ages of 1 to 4 throw baby tantrums in response to frustration. They understand a lot more, but have very limited ability to produce language and express them. I have gone through such situations many times and have handled some of the cases tactfully by following certain tips that I would love to share with your today.

How to deal with baby tantrums:

Identify the root cause: It is very important to identify the triggers. Your little child may be tired, hungry or frustrated. Try to stay alert and intervene before situations become worse. Certain situations like shopping, mealtimes frequently involve tantrums, so think of ways to deal with baby tantrums to make these events easier for your child.

Stay calm and strong: Don’t forget that you are an adult and you need to behave in a matured way. If you lose patience then things will simply go out of your control. Stay calm and count to ten so that you can maintain your patience and react calmly. Always remember that tantrums are normal at this age and don’t worry about what others have to think about you.

Use time outs:  If you are at home, then the best way of dealing with baby tantrums is a time out and this can help the child especially when it is intense and other techniques have failed. Place your child in a quiet and boring spot for a short period of time, according to his age and explain him why you have done this. If in case he refuses to stay in time out, then place him back and don’t interact during that time.

Praise and reward him: Once your baby is calm and has overcome the situation, talk to him about his tantrum and hug him and tell that your love him a lot. This reward for good behavior will help your child to settle down and even discuss the matter with you.

Try to divert the child:  Most toddlers are usually interested in grown up accessories like key chains, mobile phones and the like. Give him your unused phone and try to divert his attention. Once he gets a chance to play, he will surely set down easily.

The above tips are tested means that can help you to handle baby tantrums easily and also prevent one from starting.

 

 

Methods of Child Discipline That Really Work

You must have noticed the behavior of your child at school and at home. He behaves in a different manner at school, but is often very naughty at home and doesn’t listen to anyone. Don’t worry about this as even my children also behave in the same manner. This is also a common question from parents about how to make their child disciplined. The word discipline comes from the Latin word discipline, which means learning or teaching. This is the key to correct the behavior of kids and make them learn the right choice next time. Since no one likes to be ordered or punished, it is important to start training little ones with positive methods of child discipline. Here, I will share with you some important tips that will help them to learn better behavior.

Find the cause of the behavior:  The most important thing that parents should realize is that whatever a child does, there is a reason behind it. Understanding the root of the behavior can easily remove the cause of the emotion and the child will not behave in a similar manner in the future. A lot of things that we expect from children may also be unreasonable, so it is important for us to correct those initially.

Be clear about rules:  As a parent, make it very clear about what is expected of your child and what isn’t. Kids usually follow them when they have a proper structure and know their limitations. Don’t go for hundreds of rules; instead focus on what’s most important for the family. When someone breaks the rules, make sure that they understand the consequences ahead and that the desired child discipline is related to the ill manner.

Provide guidance and explain: While guiding your kids always be direct and give clear reasons and explanations of the rules. Make sure that the directions and requests state what they should do. Help the child to understand what is right and what is wrong and help him to practice the behavior.

Set time out: This is another positive child discipline method that is very effective. If your child has behaved give him one warning. If it happens again then send him to the time out spot right away and tell him what he did wrong in just a few words. If in case he does not go to the spot on his own, pick him and carry him there and hold him firmly. Give him the reason for holding and do not respond to any requests or outbursts. A couple of time outs will help him learn discipline.

The above child discipline methods will surely help him learn the right choice without spanking. So, be firm and devote attention and let him know the rules clearly.

Malpua Recipe: A Dessert That Is Simply Irresistible

Sweets form a major part of Indian cuisine and particularly the eastern part of our country is renowned for its wide variety of sweet dishes that ranges from Nolen Gur Sandesh to creamy rice pudding and many more. The rich, mouth-watering desserts are very tempting and of course a sumptuous meal is incomplete without them. So, whether it is summer time or chilly winters, Indian desserts are too difficult to resist. If you are not too calorie conscious, and want to prepare a sweet dish for your guests at home, then I can help you with the recipe of malpua.

Malpua is a traditional sweet dish from Bengal and it is prepared during the festival of Poush Sankranti. It is also a recipe that is served to Lord Jagannath in Orissa and during Krishna Janmashtami. I often make this dish at home as my kids simply love to eat them. But I prepare the rich variation with a topping of creamy rabri, which makes it simply impossible to stop eating. So, continue reading to know how to make malpua with rabri.

Take 4 cups of milk and boil it in a broad vessel. Add sugar and reduce the flame to medium or low and keep boiling till the milk becomes dense. Scrap the sides and the layer that forms on the top every 5 minutes. Repeat the process till the milk reduces and thickens. Now add chopped pistachios in it and let it cool.

Take a bowl and add ½ cup all-purpose flour, sugar, cardamom powder, saffron and khoya with milk to form a thick batter. There should be no lumps in the batter and it should be of thick consistency. Heat ghee in a pan and add a big spoon full of batter in hot oil and cook the malpuas over medium flame. Pour some hot oil over the malpuas as it gets fried. Flip gently and fry till golden brown. Fry more malpuas in batches and once they are ready, dip them in sugar syrup. Now take them out and layer them on a plate and spoon some rabri on top and garnish it with chopped almonds and pistachios.

Since Holi celebration is round the corner, you can try making this at home and serve it to the guests visiting your family. I am sure they will love to eat them and look for some more in the kitchen.

 

Babysitting Tips That Sitters Should Know Before Handling Kids

As a parent of two little kids, I am very much involved with the word Babysitting and have enjoyed it a lot. But I often find my friend complaining about how to hang out with kids for a long period of time? I always loved to listen and play with them and now that I have planned to get back to work once again, I am very choosy about who can take appropriate care of my kids and especially when I have to pay a hefty price for the service.

Watching children is of course a huge responsibility and it should be done with great care. From food to activities to security, everything matters a lot and must be followed to ensure a good environment to the kids. So today, I will share some important babysitting tips that babysitters should follow dedicatedly while taking up the job.

Remain focused:  Taking care of little kids is a job that involves lots of responsibilities and it should not be taken as something lightly. When you are with the kids, the only thing in your mind should always be to remain focused and consider the well being of the child. I remember once my sister complained of her babysitter whom she hired to watch her daughter. She would spend most of the time on her phone neglecting the child. So if you are in this job, whether it’s for 2 hours or 8 hours, you have to remain devoted to the child.

Understand and follow the house rules: The first thing that parents should do after hiring a babysitter is to detail her about the house rules so that when they are away, the babysitter is confident and has all the information that is needed. Following these babysitting tips will be of great help if there arises any emergency situation or maybe the kids are hungry or they want to play something that demands thorough information about it. You should always have the phone numbers handy and have ideas about where the first aid box is and other essential information about the child.

Have fun but remain clean: Getting involved in fun activities will surely keep the child well entertained and it is also a great means to make him or her sit for some time. Though parents don’t expect the babysitter to be a house keeper, but it is your duty to keep the rooms clean as it was when you entered. So clean up any mess that the child has made while playing or eating and welcome the parents to a clean and tidy house.

The above babysitting tips are mostly common sense, but you would really be amazed to see how these small tidbits of information are usually overlooked. Following them will help you to manage your work easily.

Aaram Karo Hindi Poem: A Humorous Poetry on the Virtues of Resting

Poetry holds a special place in our life and throughout history it is seen that great poets have used language to express their feelings, thoughts, perspectives and ideas. They have helped little children, students and adults to understand various aspects of life as well as nature and even complex social issues. Hindi poems too have a great contribution in helping us gain immense knowledge.

Today, as I flipped through a Hindi poem book, I suddenly found a poem written by Gopal Prasad Vyas. He was an Indian poet popular for his humorous poems that have been compiled into several books like Ras Rasamrit, Baat Baat Mein Baat and etc. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for his immense contribution to the field of literature. One of his Hindi poems Aaram karo is a funny write up that extols the virtues of resting.  His profound insight has helped us to see and understand things and situations in a particular way.

The Hindi poem Aaram karo expresses his feelings for resting and he has presented it in such a way that is of great delight to the readers. His imagination and humorous nature have helped to present words in such a manner that helps us to understand the reality of life. Hindi poems written by famous poets are great means to present universal facts and they represent things and arouse our admiration to enjoy this literary form of art.

Hindi poems have always helped young kids and middle high school students to increase literacy and linguistic awareness and expand their oral and written vocabularies. Since such poems use a variety of techniques, they help students to develop their critical and analytic skills. Aaram Karo Hindi poem has layers of meaning and the readers must thoroughly analyze it for clear understanding.

Hindi poems are also great sources of enthusiasm and creativity. When the poems are read in the classroom, it helps to connect their own lives together and this encourages the students to express themselves creatively. Though many students may not be motivated to write poetry themselves, but such literary pieces definitely help to play freely with rhythms, ideas and words. Students are able to understand the language and encourage them to think about the various meanings that the poem interprets.

So, if you are interested to read some good poems of popular writers, browse the websites and find sites that share such literary pieces to enhance your knowledge on various aspects of life.

 

Chunnu Munnu The Do Bhai Poem: Teach Your Child the Value of Sharing

Even before a young child begins to talk, parents start to introduce simple poems to them so that they get familiar with sounds by themselves and as precursors to later enjoyment of the poems. Most Hindi rhymes have the built in drive that allows little kids to imitate the sound and pick the language fast specially through the rhythms. They learn various new words effortlessly while playing and it is also an easy task for the adults to introduce the language to the kids.

Short Hindi poems help children to find out how a language works and the relationship between the letters and formation of words. But there are poems that depend less on the liveliness of the language and focus more on the meaning that evokes imagination, feelings and discovery of new ideas that are beyond the child’s own environment. Such poems are natural progressions from rhymes and are great toys or equipment to teach young children values in life.

One such poem is chunnu munnu the do bhai, a popular poem for young kids that teaches them the value of sharing. Since little children find it very difficult to communicate, such Hindi poems written in simple language and easy to understand words help them to understand various aspects of life through playful language. The poem also describes a common environment as it states the quarrel between two brothers over a rasgulla, which is then divided by the mother equally who also teaches them the basic principles of sharing. Chunnu munnu the do bhai help the children to think, make decisions and form judgements and values.

Hindi poems that teach the concept of sharing are great means to introduce valuable lessons and they can also capture a feeling and present a situation that children are already aware of. Such poetry helps to introduce the qualities that a child strives for – honesty, integrity, patience, sharing, courage and etc. So, if you want to help your child share, then make sharing fun by introducing poems like chunnu munnu the do bhai and help them feel good to give and understand that it is fun to share with friends and siblings.

You can easily find such Hindi poems for your kids on the net. All you have to do is to search some websites that share them and read it aloud to your kids and explain the meaning. You will also find videos of the poetry that your child can view and enjoy.