I was sitting peacefully waiting for the kids to arrive from school. They come in like a force of energy. Limbs flying everywhere, hugging Coco who jumps up and down, with huge smiles on their faces. Before they start keeping their things, they begin chatting nine to a dozen. I smile and try to keep Read More →

In my previous article on body image and weight obsession for women, lots of women shared why they will always be very jumpy around weight. It all started in the childhood when they heard barbs related to weight, even their family members added to them. You are too thin or you are too fat defined Read More →

help child exam stress

Exams are here again, and so is the slog for the kids. Last year, my elder son had his 10th Board Exams. If you live in India, you would understand the hype around Board exams which are essentially exams held at an all-India level and corrected by Central Board authority and not their school teachers. Read More →

raising good kids hard

As a parent, I am often overtly moralistic. Pravachan (Lecture) commonly come out of my mouth at the drop of a hat. With a teen and an almost teen, can you really blame me? When I am not playing a referee without a whistle, I am trying to instill some good old fashioned sanskaar (culture) Read More →

boy who was bullied

This overweight boy sits in one corner of his class. From time to time he looks up but turns away his eye as soon as makes eye contact. He sits alone. He does not mind it too much. It is better than sitting with someone who does not like him. But, it is lunch time or projects Read More →

conversations with kids

Do you remember the time when you and I were growing up? Not only was the innocence charming, our parents were extremely trusting as well. Those were the days when it was natural to strike conversations with strange kids, pull their cheeks and offer them chocolates. When a neighbourhood ‘uncle’ was the benign fun guy Read More →

As we are aware, RTE or Right to Education has been implemented in our schools. What it essentially means is that children from socially backward backgrounds get to study in private schools to get better quality education which their government schools cannot provide. Now, getting them into a private school is just the first step. Read More →

respect earned

Indian culture has always placed a lot of emphasis on respect, especially for elders and teachers. We don’t address our teachers by their first names and may share a friendly relationship with them within a respectful dimension. And elders, we address our parents’ friends as uncle or auntie. We touch the feet of our elders Read More →

This year my elder son turned 15 and I completed 15 years of motherhood. Yes, motherhood which is often put on a high pedestal, not without reason though. Trust me, I am not one who likes to be treated as a deity or worshipped. I am as human as another woman and terribly flawed too. Read More →