Interesting YouTube Links For Toddlers

I dont really support kids watching TV or a lot of stuff on the net when they should be out playing but there are times when we need them to gulp down something down the throat on absolute no-energy, hyper-fussy, bad-weather in and out days where we need to just give in.. and come to say that anything in moderation does no harm to anyone right!!!

Thanks Archana for the wonderful link-.

Super Simple Songs Channel.

KidsTV123.

Gigglebellies - Wheels on the Bus

Gummybaer

Pingu Penguin

Pre-Baby Ideas For Shopping

I am really amazed at how the would-be moms prepare for the arrival of new babies.. Swapna Rams shared her wonderful ideas which I paste about here which might help others..

yeah diapers padakapovadam anedi common...okko kid ki pampers kooda padadu so okesari anni teesukokandi....

NB size oka pack lo 84 vuntai kada avi oka 20days vastai hospital lo oka 2 days vuntaru kada malli vachhepudu konni vuntai mana daggara so total ga oka 25 days cool ga vundochhu aa time lo meeku telustundi pampers set aindo ledo..initial ga pampers swadlers vi indicator vuntundi adi teesukondi easy avutundi diaper epudu change cheyali ani telusutundi...

pee chesinapudalla diaper change cheyalsina avasaram ledu....

inka wipes maatram techhi pettukondi but max use cheyakandi initial one month , viva paper towels use cheyandi....

or cotton balls use cheyandi...

clean chesaka total ga dry ayyela choodandi aa tarvate inko diaper change cheyandi...

inka aveeno and burts bee works well with babies ani chepparu but small qty vi techhukondi.. annintiki receipts dachi pettukondi...return cheyochhu incase use cheyakapote...


initial ga new born size andariki set avutundi tarvata baby weight ni patti next size decide chesukovochhu...

inka powder asalu use cheyoddu...

shampoo okkati konandi chaalu...

baby ki oil msg chestaru kada snanam ayyaka kooda baby skin dry avvakunda vunchutundi

almond oil, oilive oil techhukunna nenu aite...

initial ga umbelical cord voodipoyedaka sponge bath or wash cloth to wipe cheyadame tarvate snanam cheyinchandi

inka alcohol vi istaru hopsital lo like wipes avi ekkuvaga techhukondi baby u cord meeda danito addite tondaraga ante oka 5 to 6 days lo voodipotundanta...

destin diaper rash cream techhukondi


Swapna Rams


Baby Product Review By a Mom


bath products ---- ma papa ki Aveeno (soothing creamy baby wash) padaledu...so edaina first trial size konu...if it suits peddadi konachu...i used j&J naturals ( green bottle 98% natural ani untundi) till last month..ippudu i am using burt's bees...check consumer reviews thread for my post on this

diapers--- I used (still using) pampers swaddlers sensitive....hospital lo edi vadithe ade konatam better...swaddlers lo indicator untundi adi initial ga help avutundi. huggies ayithe suggested size kanna okati peddadi kavali...ante if they say 8-14 lbs size 1 then you have to buy size 2...check if you can get samples from their site..cord oodevaraku NB size better..it has a small cut out at the cord area

moisturizer --- nakaithe must anipinchindi...avasaranni batti teesuko...i used cetaphil in the beginning (a month or so) later switched to aquaphor (vaseline like gel...babies ki separate ga emi undadu) winter to twice a day vadanu...summer lo once a day vadanu...now i bought burt's bees calming lotion inka try cheyaledu...chesaka chepthanu

Baby Utility Product Reviews By Moms - Useful for US based Moms

-->Baby Carriers edi baaguntundi n to what xtend r they useful??

Baby carriers basic nunchi the best varaku chaala vunayi.. it depends on what type of parents you are ..:-)if you plan on wearing the baby around daily get the best one.. ledu elaga stroller vuntudni akda andulone teesukuni veltham anukunte baby carrier avasaram ayinappude teesukondi.. ippudu konatam avasaram ledu anukuntuna.. memu generally stroller ne vadathamu.. nenu indai travel chesinappudu
http://www.amazon.com/Infantino-Flip-Front-Carrier-Black/dp/B003I867WQ
idi teesukunna.. ekkuva use cheyyaledu.. jsut between flights ala use chesanu adn tirupathi lo use chesa.. liked it..
the best for daily use ayithe
http://www.amazon.com/BABYBJ%C3%96RN-Baby-Carrier-Active-Silver/dp/product-description/B000Q97TLI


-->Baby rockers Vs Cradle n Swing?? which one do u suggest...
DH emo baby ki ala vibrations n swing alavatu ithe adi lenappudu baby ni manage cheyada kastam avuthundi antunaru n got to know that its life/time saver from few fren n 4m TIAns mee opnion enti??
Nenu siddu ki 2 in 1 swing and bouncer teesukunna

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2845527&CAWELAID=107499745

idi baga use ayyindi naaku.. siddu ki baby appudu bouncer baaga nachinid.. kani memu alavatu ayipothe kastam ani ekkuva sepu vunchaledu kani it worked for me when we needed him to sooth himself..
swing kuda baane help ayyindi kani after he turned 6 months inka swing istapadaledu.. it depends on the baby what he likes antaru.. so nenu 2 in 1 teesukunna..
cradler naaku idea ledu..

->Baby Bath ki elanti tub tesukovali??ee question monna baby care basics lo adugudam anukoni marchipoyanu so posting it here...

oka friend idi bavundi ani cheppindi
http://www.amazon.com/First-Years-Infant-Toddler-Sling/dp/B000067EH7/ref=pd_cp_ba_1

Vineela

rocker/swing....memu idi teesukunnamu
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fisher-Price-Smart-Stages-3-in-1-Rocker-Swing-My-Little-Eye-Collection/12960799
Maku baga use avuthundi...chinnappudu swing laga n ippudu chair/rocker laga use chesthunnamu....
Bathtub...nenu shritha ki ide vadanu
http://www.walmart.com/ip/The-First-Years-Newborn-to-Toddler-Tub-with-Sling/5172339
baby carrier....adi me usage ni batti teesukondi...DH ki ento adi vesukoni tiragalani korika tho konnamu kani hardly 2 times kooda use cheyaledu...antha ga aithe use avvaledu maku..


Bhargavi

Some Sleep Suggestions!

I will give you some suggestions which I have been following through... I have been strictly following Dr. Marc Weissbluth's book for sleep... sometimes I have been successful, sometimes not... but the key is u got to keep trying until the routine falls into place...

this is what he says in book...

the child wakefulness should not exceed more than 2 hours... the time starts when the child gets up in the morning...

suppose ur child wakes up at 7AM in the morning... try to put him/her to sleep by 9AM for the morning nap...

the next nap should occur between 12-2PM

the third might or might not occur... if it occurs it should be between 3-4 PM...

try to put the baby sleep between 6PM-8PM in the night...give him/her warm bath, feed, and then put to sleep...

if the baby wakes up in the middle of the night , do not bring the baby into the light..

ensure the room is very dark,noise free...so that they will not wake up....

look for baby's drowsy signs... they will become less active, whine, become fussy after 2 hrs... u can notice it very slowly... immediately soothe the baby n put him/her to sleep...

Initially u will ve some resistance from the baby as he/she is not used to this schedule.. but slowly it will fall into place and the baby will automatically fall asleep...

I have been trying this for 1 month and can easily identify when kid is drowsy and put him to sleep during the day & night time...

The more ur child sleep or gets rest in the day time the more he/she will sleep in the night...

U can refer to this book .. its really a good book.. ve been very useful to me...

Healthy Sleeping habits:Happy Child.. By Dr.Marc Weissbluth M.D.

- Courtesy - Gayathri

Pillala Aarogyam - Eenadu Links

check here

Banana and Lentils

... and the lentils

Weaning Foods

Another set of info all the way from UK :)!!

The weaning foods table

Another table

Thanks Jr. for sending this across and a special thanks for Suresh garu to get them scanned.

Baby Food - Salt and Sugar

I love it when people do actually take time to contribute and appreciate the efforts... thanks a ton Sravanthi... here they go!!

Sugar - Salt Table

Sugar intake

Child Sexual Abuse - A good beginner video!

Check out! Loved the tactful and sensitive manner in which Dr. Bhooshan has handled the kids.  He sounded approachable, friendly and cool to the kids without scaring them with the lecture kind of a feel, just cool casual talk making them aware of the most practical thing to protect themselves, amazing, hats off to the creators of the video.

It is a good practice to teach the kids from a very young age, very very young to begin with in my personal opinion, to protect themselves, to let them know it is okay to tell any concerns to the trusted ones, it is okay that they trust the parents with stuff they are subjected to.  It is our job to convince them that it is not a crime or something wrong if someone else does something wrong to them, their bodies, their feelings.  They need to get out of that guilt and fear and feel free to express and get help and security.

I practice little things like
** Talking to the kid while washing her bum and tell her that only mom, grandma or xyz should be allowed to touch the bottom, no one else.. every day, just like that, not an advise, just some casual talk.
**Same ritual at bath time when cleaning up the private parts, undressing, and simple things like not letting any new person, that mamma does not know or ask to remove her clothing.
**Toilet training, bathing are two periods when I think the topic can be popped without sounding preachy, casual yet convincing time to have a firm talk without actually scaring the kid.

Please pass it on!

More about Dr. Bhoosan here

Strange/New Behaviors

There are times when kids just want to try something new and end up with something or the other and this I can say with my personal experience.  The kid had this habit of pulling out her tongue long right since birth and in fact that is how I saw her the first time, the pink tongue sticking out from a really cute and tiny kid.  It was really really cute at that point, something etched in my memory for ever and ever.. but as time went on whenever she did that I used to ask her not to do it.. it was around 3 months of age that she got back to that habit, sticking the tongue out and then putting it back in and then sticking it out. I really got scared and the crazy me even went to the nearest Nagendraswamy temple and left eggs there to satiate him :).. come to think of it now, it is funny but back it was really NOT.  I was annoyed, irritated seeing her do it again and again, felt she would get used to it and to a novice first-timer parent it was really really scary, I used to say, please nanna, even tried the mild hitting on the tongue with a finger when it came out.  It did work, she did not get it but it was at that age... after a while that habit surfaced again and even that finger strike did not help... this time I got even more panicked but thankfully found the solution pretty soon, IGNORE!!

when the kids do things like
**Sticking the tongue out.
**Pulling their hair.
**making water bubbles through mouth
**putting fingers, at times even whole hand into the mouth.

Gently remind them for a while not to do it, if the frequency increases, just understand they are doing it just to get your attention, so just ignore it and they will get right on their own.

However, with thumb sucking it is a different thing altogether.  If it is something which has started suddenly after 3 months or so, then see if the kid is feeling some insecurity or anxiety, too many changes in lifestyle, just missing you more or any other reason you could figure out, spend some more quality time with the kid, assure that you are there for them through soothing words, etc. and most of the times, they do stop.

Do not make a big issue of it, shout, scold, lose patience at any point, especially with regard to new behaviors.  Be a bit stern in the voice, ignore it and let them know clearly that they will not be having any attention from you for such a thing which is actually not really acceptable and things will be just fine.

But then again, it is my personal experience and not an expert suggestion, try this and hope for the best :).

Also, for things like pulling out your/some one's else's hair, just let them know it is not acceptable through your acts.. maybe even pull her/his hair a bit stronger and let the kid feel the pain, to a lesser degree though.  Tell them that it really hurts you, talk to them and they actually understand that.  I find it useful in 2 ways, teaching them concern for another individual and knowing right from wrong.

Try and let me know if it actually worked for you.. Happy Parenting!

Aksharaabhyasam

The formal induction of a child to formal studies or traditional entry of the kid into the world of knowledge or gynana. is called Aksharaabhyaasam and ideally the age suggested in the scriptures is 5th year but in this present day and age we get it done in 3rd yr or the alternative odd year so as to get the kid to school at the current accepted age of 3 to 3-1/2 yrs.

Majority of the ceremonies if in India are done at the Basara Saraswati Temple or in the ammavaaru temples in Navaratri days of Dussera, Moola Nakshatram, Saraswati Avataaram day.

I had taken the kid to Nuzuvidu, the closest temple to my current location and the ambiance and the temple was awesome. Free of rush and corruption, peace and devotion are the feelings that engulf you the moment you enter the temple.

Age and Time Performed
Odd years of the child 3 and 5.. any day other than a Tuesday based on Tithi, Vaara, Nakshatra, Raasi of the child without Varjyam.

Things needed:
Palaka Balapam Slate and Slate pencil - preferably stone slate not an iron one.
Kotta Battalu - New dress
Tella Tundu - White Towel
Biyyam 1 to 1-1/2 kg - rice
Pasupu - Turmeric
Kumkuma
Vakkalu
Tamalapaakulu - betel leaves
Arati Pallu - ripe bananas
Kobbari Kaayalu - Coconuts
Bellam Mukka - jaggery

Taamboolam - A big steel plate
Glass
Spoon
Water
Vidipoolu for Archana
Poola Danda for ammavaaru
9 Slates, chocolates/sweets/gifts for 9 kids or any number of kids you plan to give.

Saraswati Temples in AP
Basara - They also do postal aksharaabhyasam for a fee of 75/-
Vargal
Nuziveedu - Gyana Saraswati Temple. charge 150/- plus brahmana Dakshina
Vijayawada, near Kaali Maata temple.
Durgamma Temple Vijayawada, Indrakeeladri (they give a kit which is included in the ticket).

PS:  And if you are looking for a silver slate that is used in the pic above, it is available in almost all the readymade silver jewelry shops and comes with a silver slate pencil holder as well but again, this is a one time use as you can't really send the kid with it to the school, not necessarily for fear of stealing it but for the kid's safety aspect.

Me, being the sucker for all things to be stacked away for kid's kids or her grownup year memories certainly voted for this!

Been a while..

It has been a while since I did an out and out First Steps post, have just been doing the info gathering stuff.  Parenting is a never ending job I know but there has come a point when there is a certain balance and rhythm in life, where learning things is there but there is kind of a lull for the time being, there certainly will come a time with bustling activity pretty soon, too much to work on what school, what friends, what tiffen box and all that stuff but for now am a teeny tiny bit relaxed... how is everything with you all..

There have been quite a few personal comments and queries in the recent past which I either try to answer if I know or forward it to Renu to answer if that is the topic she has dealt with or plainly say that I am not aware of.  It feels good to be able to answer and to come to a point where we have the ability to do it.  Once again, please leave in your mail id if you want reply to very personal questions and expect personal replies.  I might take a little time but I will certainly get back to you.

Happy parenting buddies... would love more comments if you like the job.. motivation you see.. even otherwise I will do it for my personal satisfaction, just looking for that unexpected bonus :).

Handling a Hyperactive Kid

Things that help

**Regular physical excercise.
**Interaction with people of all age groups and some exclusive time with their age group.
**Cut down intake of food having sugar, chocolate and junk food, especially more so in the evenings or at bedtime, well balanced nutrition eradicates half the problems.
**Strictly do not allow kids to play violent computer games and watch violent, emotionally charged scenes on TV/cinema.
**Giving the kids small responsibilities.
**Making them responsible for a pet if the health/house/budget permits.

The key is to channelize their energies positively and get the best out their ability. Being Active is a Boon not a Bane..!!  Firstly and most importantly, stop considering it a disorder and run around doctors and specialists, try and understand the needs of the children, their insecurities, spend time with them, understand their deepest fears and desires and most importantly be there, not just physically. 


If there is indeed a problem, then and only then after multiple opinions from various doctors, do you put the kid under medication for hyperactivity.


--- Sree

***************

Also when we go out side or any place or even everyday, tell your child what we have planned for the days. So then kids don't get anxiety like whats gonna happen etc.
Tell them where we are going adn what we expect from their so they don't have surprises. Sometimes these kids mind races so fast that they can't process their own thought process and people lable them naughty, active kids.

so instead give them rough idea about each forthcoming tihngs and teach them turtle technique.
In which take a deep breathe and calm down and think slowly.
Initially you have to guide child to help him recognise those moments when they can't focus and end up in trouble. So help you child saying come here for a minute calm down take deep breathes, count 1-10. Now look around where are we?
what are we suppose to do?
What were we told to do?
Are we doing that? yes? then what else to do?
if not then ok, what needs to be done etc.
This helps a lot.
Also if you let your child know already whats gonna be (in mall, what you expect etc.) it gives them guidelines to follow.
YOu can ask your child after she calms down so wehre are we? What did we takled about it at home? So now you know what to do? How can "we" do it.
Ok lets do it.
When we say "WE" child feels supported and less stressed and shows more interest in achiving expected behavior or correct her actions.

Courtesy :Sonal. IP

Investment Ideas for Kids - Moms Reviews

Visitors, Please feel free to add in more...

Key: Putting the eggs in different baskets

Minor PPF account.
gold- exchange traded fund via SIP (form of mutual fund)
More Gold ETF info here
Fixed Deposits
Mutual Funds - Mostly Diversified Equity(Which gives me liquidity, good distribution of investment avenue of my money in the equity market, no lockin period), ELSS ones (5 star rated ones alone and which are run by the best fund house/fund manager / and have proven track record , which give me tax savings plus good returns - 3 yr locking period)

- Split MF investments in 6 -7 best ones. Keep monitoring fund performance too and make wise switches among funds.

Madhu, you can think urself what you are looking for when it comes to MF - Do you have an orientation for largecap/midcap / bluechip kind of funds ? What is your risk appetite ? Do you need tax saving ? What is ur investment horizon ? Does liquidity matter to you ? You have already mentioned you'd invest quarterly . So, mode is ok. How better and how often you get time to monitor your fund performance and portfolio (top stock holdings of the fund) ?

As you have mentioned abt current investments - both are reputed good fund houses.

HDFC Prudence is a balanced fund :) A good (optimal) performer for those with moderate risk appetite. Reliance Vision - A good diversified equity fund.

To understand where your money goes , where it gets invested, how much % , what kind of sector - is it - its a well established mostly bluechip rated segment (large cap) or a fastgrowing segment with some risk potential (midcap) or totally new shores (small cap - highest risk) and how it reaps returns for you - its past performance (We know its no guarentee for same future returns.but atleast you know the track record) , How the fund has performed compared to its peers . What is the value research star rating , how experienced is your fund manager - how are perf. of funds that he manages, what is fund house strategy

These questions would matter while you make your selection.

I have just given a sample link

You can learn more going through each of these. I have been investing in MFs more than 7 years now and I am glad - its a good choice. - the funds where i've put my money.

Insurance (Protection, Savings and tax saving).
Real estate - Includes regular income generating commercial complexes as well as empty plots with money multiplying potential as well as real estate venues as residential homes which gives one excellent tax saving as Home loan as well as is an asset.
Gold
Post Office Savings.


Courtesy:  Anusha, IP

Simple Kid Activities At Home

Some tried and tested ideas by moms.. these are for kids above 3 yrs because it needs a little coordination, balance and general big baby skills and not for toddlers and infants

Building Stories

We can build a story together. I started a story and asked my daughter to continue the next scene and then it was my turn and then hers till the story ends at an appropriate juncture. It was really interesting doing with her...

A couple of samples I tried....

1) My daughter loves the story of "Goldilocks and the three bears". So I told her that Goldilocks has now been good and its the little bear who has been naughty and did not listen to his mother and ventured into the city. Now what do u think will happen?   She thought for a while and said, "The little bear will look at the crowd and so many vehicles and he was knocked down by a car". Then I continued saying, "Then the scared bear looked for a house and entered one. It was the house of the Goldilocks". Then we continued till the little bear ran back to the forest....

2) Another was - "I said Letter A is very proud of himself. He says the names of many animals, fruits, veggies etc. begin with him and he is the greatest". The letter 'B' on hearing that said, "No, no...thats not true! Even many animals, birds, fruits etc. have their names beginning with me". Then both of us listed various things that begin with the two letters.... Then I asked my daugghter, "What do u think happened next?". She immediately said, "Letter 'C' came and said, "Dont fight". ....

While building the story, I finished my cooking too :-)

And she also connected the word 'build'. She said, "We only build blocks, is it not? How come u are saying 'build' stories?" And then I explained to her....

The downside is through out the day she wanted to build stories....:-)

Sorting!
Sorting vegetables/fruits that we buy from the market and putting them into smaller baskets or covers. Removing curry and coriander leaves from their stalks and putting them into covers...are some tasks that we can get children to help us on.

As children sort, they build essential visual skills and logical thinking. And while they sort, we can do our work while simultaneously reeling off the benefits of each of the vegetables and how it helps them build a strong mind and body.

Float or Sink!
We can bring a small tub of water and place it in an area in which the child can do some experimentation safely. We can ask the child to collect a variety of objects from in and around the house like a feather, leaf, crayon, pencil, coin etc. and drop each one in the tub and see whether each of it 'floats' or 'sinks'.....

While children learn new vocabulary thru this experiment, they also learn an important science concept. As children begin to understand the concept clearly, we can extend by analysing why objects 'float' or 'sink', what do fishes do, what happens to an object that sinks....and so on.

Also we can get them make paper boats and float them in water.

Balance walk...
Find a long rope and lay it on the floor. Take turns with the child to walk on the rope without falling off or losing balance. Children get better and better with this with practise and also develop balance, coordination and concentration :-)

- Courtesy:  Bala

SORTING LIKES AND DIFFERENCES
It helps develop thinking skills.

1. Find 3 objects that are alike in some way, such as, the same color, the same size, the same shape, and the same type of object. Then, find one that is different.
Set out the four objects and have your child find the one that is different.

Sometimes your child will pick one that is not the one you had intended as the different. However, upon questioning her, she has a valid reason why this one is different and the others are the same. If they can explain their reasoning, accept their answer. This is a great game to teach children how to look at all characteristics of an object, and how to see that objects can fall into different categories.

2. Sort by fruits and vegetables
3. Sort leaves, toys by color
4. Sort spoons, pebbles by size

Courtesy:  Renu


Color Mixing - Messy but good exercise before bath

I took red, yellow and blue paints . Then applied red on his left palm and yellow on his right palm and asked him to rub together.and pressed his palms on a white paper . I asked "what color is it? " he said Orange.. Like wise do mix and match and involve the kid, they will enjoy it.

Rolling Crayon/pencil
Put a box on the chair of dining table and ask the kid to sit on the opposite side of the table, giving some crayons, pencil, some rolling object and ask them to roll out so that they fall into the box, they can keep the count of misses and hits and can get involved in the play for a while, initially the hits will be low but eventually the kids with their persistence will learn it :).

Courtesy:  Geeta

Genetical Disorders-Thalassemia

One important thing that couples should be aware before planning the kids is to go for Genetics counselling.


At the far glance, it looks not necessary and the numbers look really less, so we imagine we would never be trapped in those numbes. but, what if??? We cannot rule out the possiblity though it is less likely to happen. That is why, it is always recommended that we are aware of all the things to be better prepared to handle things.

Genetics couselling does help the couple to understand what to expect & what not in addition to the solutions offerable in any unlikely possible event.

May be i should put it in my own experience, so the parents out there can better relate it to themselves.

I happenned to take my elder daughter to her pediatrician for the MMR vaccination and upon general examination she asked me get HPLC & Iron serum binding tests done as her HB levels seems to be low. This test is not needed for every one with low Hb levels, but she suggested it because the kid was found to be on low levels in the previous examination aswell. She suggested that we get this test done to rule out any other reasons that are influencing hb levels.

So we got the test done & showed the reports to her only to hear that the kid is having the possiblity of Thalassemia intermediate and hell broke lose for us. The word seems to be too big and we never heard of it before. She tried her best to enlighten us on the issue and here are the details

Thalassemia beta is a genetic disorder that gets passed on to the generations only through genes & effects the formation of red blood cells. As the kid carries two sets of genes each from the parent, the severity of Thalassemia can vary based on the no. of genes mutated i.e Thalassemia Minor/Trait where one gene is mutated or Thalassemia Major if two genes are mutated.

Thalassemia minor is not so severe as healthy gene dominates the mutated gene and people effected with minor can lead absolutely normal life except that they need to get their blood levels checked from time to time & need special medical support during pregnancy & delivery. These cases normally go undiagnosied becaused of no visible symptoms and be mistaken as iron deficiency cases. One more important thing though to remember is to get married to a person who is NOT a carrier, to ensure that the next generations are not effected with serious form of Thalassemia i.e Major.
Thalassemia Major is a severe form of disease and is passed on to the kids if both parents happenned to be carriers. To break it down by logic, if both parents are carriers, they both carry one mutated gene and one healthy gene. Which means, there is 25% chance of being normal (Taking the healthy gene from each parent leaving aside the mutated), 50% chance of Minor (Taking healthy gene from one parent and the mutated gene from other) and 25% chance of Major (Taking mutated genes from both parents) which means 1 out of 4 can become Thal major effected.

There comes the importance of awareness. In our society, marraiges do happen by matching the social status, financial status & more over driven by physical appearance but no one really bothers about these things. So far, never seen an occassion where either side of parents are interested to get bride/groom's basic healthchecks done. The moment you ask for the healthcheck to be done, you can forget the proceedings on the alliance. In case of Thal, its really really important that two carriers are not getting married and thats the only way to curb it in the generations to come.

After explaining this, she asked us to get our tests done to see if either of us are carriers or both. If we both happens to be carriers, further prescribed to go for DNA analysis. This DNA analysis is done only out of genetics institutes one such is in Ameerpet, Hyd. So as a first thing to do, we both gave our samples and were asked to wait for 3 days for the results. I agree, i'm an educated person, but i'm a mother. I lost all my senses and just couldn't get myself alright for those three full days only to see that we both are carriers. What the hell??? If we both are carriers, its very well possible that Sanju can become intermediate/major and to even think about it is sending shivers down the spine. I searched for it over the net, and the health issues associated with Thal major seemed to be even more scaring. Enlargement of Organs, Regular blood transfusions, bone enlargements, chelations to extract iron deposits..what not??? And all these issues are we as parents passing on to the kid due to the lack of awareness? What about the younger one then? When its such serious, why i was not tested during pregnancy??? Why the society is unaware of this? Why we were not paying attention towards getting basic health checks done before finalizing on a match? I was extremely negative and started to blame every one & every thing in the reach within myself. But going by the same internet study, intermediate/major effected people do show up some signs but we dont see them in Sanju. So in one corner some thing was telling me that everything is fine, but reports have something else to say. how is it possible?

These reports have come while i was in office and as i heard the results through my husband, i couldn't hold myself. And, i didn't want to make it a big scene and draw sympathy (Ugh...hate it) or whatever, so i instantly sent an email to my director saying that i'm leaving due to ill health. As i was crossing the exit door, my boss was walking in and asked me if i can spare some time for a quick meeting. With a lot of difficulty, i gathered my words and told him that i was leaving for the day. He is smart. He quickly got hold of my mental status and insisted that we talk. We got into the conference room and i had to vent out whatever i had within. The instant advice from him is to go for second opinion. He knows a director from someother lab and spoke to him to arrange a personal counseling by the supervisor doctor. He assured me that everything will go fine after speaking her.

Next day, myself and my husband both went and met the doctor. She looked at the reports and told us that going by numbers Sanju is only a carrier but not an intermediate/major. Myself is a sure carrier, but my husband's readings are showing border-like numbers which in reality they consider as normal. She told us that we are very lucky to have a minor effected child despite me being carrier & the husband being in border line. However, she expressed a concern about the younger one and suggested that we get this test done to her immediately. She did explain the reports and completly ruled out the very thought of Sanju being intermediate/major. She said its ruthless to be written like this by lab people without proper knowledge and told us that report interpretation is more critical than the examination itself. So for now, we are at peace, We just have to see that Sanju is on good diet, get her tests done from time to time & get her married to a person who is not a thal minor which is after 20yrs. But the concerns about the younger one started mounting up and we thought we will get the test done as soon as possible.

As we were returning, my husband expressed that we better go to Institute of Genetics aswell for the reports interpretation just to be double confident. I agreed with him and we went there. The first doctor who saw the reports went by lab comments and said that Sanju could be an intermediate and we better get the DNA analysis be done to understand the status. Our spirits were down again. Only some time back the other doctor assured us that nothing to worry and now this??? We were referred to a scientist there. She saw the reports and the immediate reply from her is - "These reports are dirty, I dont see a relation in numbers". She then explained us that Hba2 numbers are critical to identify Thal conditions, but we must also see other proportions like fetal hb. Hba2 for all of us is more than 3.5 which is an indication for Thal possiblity, but fetal hb is absent for all of us which is in her terms "Stupid". Fetal gb should contribute for more than 9% while hb fragmant should be less than 85% which is not true in our reports. She told us that we should repeat these tests to clearly understand the situation. We have Sanju's exams going on during that time, so we thought we better get these tests done after the exams and got them done for all 4 of us during last week. And can you guess what reports have to say....All of us are completely normal, not even minors. Our HBa2 is less than 3, which means there is not even a remote possiblity of Thal be it Minor or Major. And the Hb fragmant contributions are all normal.  First is Sigh...what a relief. Next is Grr...We must sue that lab for this mental torture that we faced for last 4 weeks. Whatever, we got the results from an authenticated institute and we must agree that they are right. And the lesson learnt-  "Always go for Second opinion".

Having said this, don't you people think that genetics counselling is important before marraige, or if that seems to be next to impossible atleast before planning for kids? Yes, it is important. During our visits to Genetics institute, we were surprised to hear that all disorders that we see in kids are majorly passed on from parents with the combination of minor defects in one or both parents. And all this is due to inadequate awareness among the society. Thats a suprise. When a bundle of joy lays next to us in complete healthy state, we can't realize the pain that parents experience when the same bundle of joy is effected with birth disorders. And many of them need lifetime assistance or medical support and they can't enjoy the normal life. Doctors were clearly stating that they still see a lot of cases coming to their screening could have been dealt better if the parents approached them before planning kids. There are many techniques available for them to do prenatal screening & ensure that the fetus is normal and incase of any abnormalities, they explain the options to both parents and leave the decission to them to take & accept the risk. So its important that we make it a practice to get the basic health checks done (not just for mother) for both the parents, and approach the genetic couselling specialists as necessary.

Improving Child Immunity

What can you do to protect your child from the endless array of germs and viruses he's exposed to every day? 
Unfortunately, in some ways, getting sick when you're a kid is simply part of the job description. "We all enter this world with an inexperienced immune system.. Slowly, children prime their immunity by battling an ongoing series of germs, viruses, and other organisms -- which is why most pediatricians consider six to eight colds, bouts of flu, or ear infections per year normal.
But there are healthy habits you can adopt that will give your child's immune system a boost.

1. SERVE MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Carrots, green beans, oranges, strawberries: They all contain such immunity-boosting phytonutrients as vitamin C and carotenoids. Phytonutrients may increase the body's production of infection-fighting white blood cells and interferon, an antibody that coats cell surfaces, blocking out viruses. Try to get your child to eat five servings of fruits and veggies a day.

2. BOOST SLEEP TIME
Studies of adults show that sleep deprivation can make you more susceptible to illness by reducing natural killer cells, immune-system weapons that attack microbes and cancer cells. The same holds true for children. Children in day care are particularly at risk for sleep deprivation because all the activity can make it difficult for them to nap. How much sleep do kids need? A newborn may need up to 18 hours in a day, toddlers require 12 to 13 hours, and preschoolers need about 10 hours. "If your child can't or won't take naps during the day, try to put her to bed earlier.

3. BREST FEED YOUR BABY
Breast milk contains turbo-charged immunity-enhancing antibodies and white blood cells. Nursing guards against ear infections, allergies, diarrhea, pneumonia, meningitis, urinary-tract infections.The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that moms breast-feed for a year at least.


4. EXERCISE AS A FAMILY
Research shows that exercise increases the number of natural killer cells in adults -- and regular activity can benefit kids in the same way. To get your children into a lifelong fitness habit, be a good role model. "Exercise with them rather than just urge them to go outside and play.

5. GUARD THEM AGAINS GERMS SPREAD
Fighting germs doesn't technically boost immunity, but it's a great way to reduce stress on your child's immune system. Make sure your kids wash their hands often -- and with soap. You should pay particular attention to their hygiene before and after each meal and after playing outside, handling pets, blowing their nose, using the bathroom, and arriving home from day care. When you're out, carry disposable wipes with you for quick cleanups. To help kids get into the hand-washing habit at home, let them pick out their own brightly colored hand towels and soap in fun shapes, colors, and scents.
Another key germ-busting strategy: "If your child does get sick, throw out her toothbrush right away. A child can't catch the same cold or flu virus twice, but the virus can hop from toothbrush to toothbrush, infecting other family members. If it's a bacterial infection, such as strep throat, however, your child can reinfect herself with the same germs that got her sick in the first place. In that case, tossing the toothbrush protects both your child and the rest of your family.

6. BANISH SECONDHAND SMOKE
If you or your spouse smokes, quit. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 toxins, most of which can irritate or kill cells in the body. Kids are more susceptible than adults to the harmful effects of secondhand smoke because they breathe at a faster rate; a child's natural detoxification system is also less developed. If someone absolutely can't quit smoking, you can reduce your child's health risks considerably by smoking only outside the house.


7. DONT PRESSURE YOUR PEDIATRICIAN
Urging your pediatrician to write a prescription for an antibiotic whenever your child has a cold, flu, or sore throat is a bad idea. Antibiotics treat only illnesses caused by bacteria, "but the majority of childhood illnesses are caused by viruses.

Lastly, just ask your mom how much you troubled her, when you were so young ? Isnt it ? Dont get tired so easily. Remember you have to work hard to save your baby from all this atleast till he reaches five years, then gradually things will be better.
Once your child reached 5 years happily, atleast half work is done.
Hope these simple tips will help you.

Swimmer's Ear - Ear care

Essentials for Swimming

swimming ki swim diapers , baby floats , flotation swimsuits and sun protection products must.

Sun Hats, Sun Suits, and Rash Guards are a great way to boost your sun protection efforts.

u can also use goggles if ur kid allows.

u get swimming pool toys like foam numbers, plastic moulded toys, squirty fish ,swim rings and jumbo ball..

arm bands must that they can float properly.

swim caps to protect their hair from the water if the kid allows.

Swimmer's ear, also known as otitis externa, is a bacterial infection most often caused by excess moisture in the ear. The best way to avoid swimmer's ear is to keep yours clean and dry.
This may help you in avoiding it:
1. Keep the water out while you're showering: use earplugs or a shower cap.
2. Protect your ear canals when swimming. Wear earplugs, and resist the urge to take a dip in any polluted waters like ponds.
3. Take special care when cleaning ears. Wipe outer ear clean with a soft cloth wrapped around your finger. You don't want to disrupt the natural wax coating in your ear that protects against harmful bacteria.

Delayed Teething

What You Need To Know


Do not worry if the kid has not yet cut yet a tooth by her/his first birthday.. it is perfectly normal...


Some Teething Facts..• teething is relatively painless for many children..
• the first tooth can come in anytime between 3 to 15 months, with an average age of 4 to 7 months for most infants.
• if teething does cause symptoms, it is usually about 4 days before and until 3 days after the tooth comes in..
• don't blame serious symptoms, especially a high fever or irritability, on teething
• don't overuse teething gels and teething tablets, since they shouldn't be needed for the average teething child

Some interesting articles.

Today's parenting Quirky or Conscious?
HERE

Came across this beautiful link in Indian Parenting
HERE

Hollywood Celeb Moms on how motherhood made an impact on them
HERE

Kids and Sleeping Habits
HERE

Kids and Importance of Playtime
HERE and HERE

Controversial Chinese Parenting Articles
HERE Amy Chua
HERE Tiger Mothers CNN article

Extreme Parenting
HERE

US Education System
HERE

On Adolescent Stages
HERE and HERE.

Slow Parenting
HERE

SOURCE:  Indian Parenting.

Kids and Candy

Introducing chocolate, candy to kids is quite a tricky question.  Do we or don't we, how much should we, when should we, so many questions.

With a strong diabetic history from the kid's paternal side, I was strongly against any excess sugar usage in the kid's diet but the kid invariably ended up to be a sweet lover and has a tad bit more interest on sweet stuff.  When I was sick, the kid got the first taste of her candy, thanks to my mom, the doting grandmother, the Hershey, Ghirardelli and Lindt chocolates her father got for her.  The gummy bears did not do well with her taste, so it was Kisses and Snickers festival for a while and it was only much later that it came to my notice and by then the damage was done.  The kid become a total Choco-a-holic to my horror sustaining just on chocolate with the normal food forced down her throat.. sigh.

Anything in a limit is fine, but the kid started living on chocolate alone to my horror of horrors.

Some UNACCEPTABLE reasons to feed candy
**Hmm.. the kid is not eating anything else, so why not try it?
**She has skipped one meal, ayyo that tiny belly has nothing it, if she wants a chocolate let it be...(my experience says that she will skip the other meal and also the mid-meal snack because of eating candy to her content :(!!)
**She is so happy, there is a glow in her eyes at the mention and the site of candy, I do not want to take it away from her.
** the funniest of all, by my mom of course, if chocolates are bad why are so many chocolate ads targeted on kids and why are they not banned by the government.. since it is not banned, it is okay to consume.. are they all mad to let such dangerous stuff available to kids..(which made me search for walls to strike my head hard.. in a typical Brahmi style ;).

Results
Loss of appetite.
Itching around the anal area (supposedly pin worms).
Cavities/Caries...

To top it all, there were suggestions on this too like everything else from every corner from the so-called raised-so-many-kids experts that all is well and she can eat lollipops too (They had me pulling out the remaining hair on the scalp..)

Popular Misconceptions
**No problem she does not have teeth, so no problem at all, we can get her to stop before she gets the teeth.
**Oh it is okay, even if the teeth come no problem.. they are milk teeth and are going to go away anyway.
**Eating lots of candy leads to juvenile diabetes.
**Eating candy is good for health.

FACTS:
Even if the milk teeth fall out, the kid is at risk in future due to improper dental hygiene.  We are even advised to stop night milk feeds by bottle and also bottle feed to avoid bottle-tooth decay in kids, so why risk cavities.. We need to wash the mouth, rinse and spit after every sweet consumption which is not possible with the kids, so why risk the caries when there are so many healthy alternatives.  CHOCOLATES ARE NOT POISON... THEY ARE IN FACT VERY GOOD IF GIVEN IN MODERATION.. BUT do Toddlers have an idea of moderation, it is we, the parents who need proper discretion as to how much and when we need to give.


Why should we limit chocolates or candies to our children?? - Dr. Sanjay.

Never is there an easier time to teach self-control than when a person is a child. This is an excellent time to teach responsibility and discipline. What a child learns when they are young affects them when they grow up.

Here comes the concept of building eating healthy food since childhood. Children learn to binge on candy, chocolate and sweets at a very young age. See all these things contain lot of calories, if child develops eating these high calory food all the time, it becomes a habit, which can lead to problem like obesity and muliple problems related to obesity in future life.

So, its important to limit eating such high calory food. How you limit is upto you, may be once a week, may be on some particular days, may be as an incetive.
Eating chocolates everybody likes, dont you ?? but take it in limits. Try to develop good habits of eating more healthy food like fruits. I will prefer my child to have an apple rather then a five star as a routine habits. But if he follows my advises, i will surely bring one chocolate for him at the end of the week.

Try to make habit of brushing teeth every time before he sleeps, there is tendency to eat chocolates and sleep, which increases rick of caries/cavities.

Cleaning Toys

Kids, especially are no doubt power balls of energy and to keep them engrossed, we keep them busy with toys.  Some fun toys, some learning ones, some random ones we pick.

Out of the many, the kid might favor one specific toy, a blanket, a bottle or something which can undoubtedly be called her best companion, it goes everywhere with the kid, it does everything he/she does... I called it a comfort toy.

For Sreya, it had been a toy corn(maize) from her fruit/veggie toy collection, then a comforter for sleep, a favorite blanket which had to be there all the time.  It had to be there everywhere she went, all the time she was awake, and even the time of sleep.  There was a stage where all that she liked or set her eyes on were invariably found in her mouth, licking, sucking, plucking, pulling stage... no doubt laden with a battery of germs from here, there and everywhere.

Tips for Favorite Toys
Once, the kid lost her corn toy when she went out to play and she missed it a lot, then I realized the need for keeping two of her favorite toys.. the identical one handy.  It really helps.. also we need to use them both so that the wear and tear is equal.

If we see a kid leaning towards a favorite toy, make sure you keep a replacement of it.. like two of them. Sreya has a favorite blanket which she never lets go out of her sight, so I had to get her another identical one and use it alternatively so that one goes for a wash, she still has another one.. but this was when she was very young to understand anything, still an infant.

Later, we can involve them in the cleaning process.. like if it is a favorite toy.. we need to bathe it just like she does.. She takes a bath every day and the toy whatever it is, if it has a name, it has to take bathe every "xx" number of days, involving her in the process thereby giving them lessons in hygiene and cleanliness.

It still is her comfort blanket, her "beeba" but she knows it has to be cleaned too..

Cleaning up toys once in a while is very crucial, I clean the regular toys with the feeding bottle/toy liquid cleaner, Stony Angel brand which I got from Brooks, other brands were Pigeon and Noni..

Non-electronic Toys
Soak the non electronic toys toys in warm water.
a few drops of the liquid cleaner
Clean them in the liquid/mild soap water.
Rinse them in clean water.
Place them on clean cotton cloth
Wipe them clean..
Dry them in mild sun for a few minutes
Store them back..

This was the routine as a kid, week after week and at times every couple of days when the "lick, suck" stage was going on..

Electronic Toys
Wipe them clean with disinfectant wipes once in a while.
Also, I use wet wipes when disinfectant wipes are not available and a soft cotton cloth dipped in lukewarm Dettol water.

For Soft Toys,
If machine wash, gentle wash with liquid soap, softener and easy wash.
If Hand wash, soak in mild soap/detergent water, wash and hang them dry.

Soft toys can be put in a pillow cover tied in it and then put in washer too if washing along with other clothes in the load.

Some also put just a few drops of Dettol in the final rinse.

These are all cleaning measures but the best way is to ensure and let them know time and again not to put ANYTHING other than food items in the mouth.

Pattu Langas/Dress/Top Design Ideas For Baby Girls.. India

Click on the links given..


There is an amazing collection of ideas and designs for the kids, especially baby girls back in India, have a look at them.


MIMI's Collections.


Padmaja Designers


Suvastra


Neeru's Kids Collections


MIMI's Punjabi Dress Collection


Sree Sai Creations Tops and Dress Models


Lavanya's Collection


Traditional Pattu Langa Collection By Lavanya


For kids, Pre-stitched saree/blouse with stitched pleats - in malls/pattu stores..
Roopam's Vijayawada
Kalaniketan Vijayawada
and all brothers stores :) :).

Please feel free to add more.

Normal Baby Growth??? Growth Charts!!!

One primary concern of every single concerned parent would be is my growing well, is the development wholesome?.. so much so that we often stress ourselves with numbers and percentiles.. and comparison is the worst possible monster.. I just love one fact my pediatrician re-emphasizes time and again..

Healthy kids come in all shapes and sizes, dont bother about numbers, just focus on how happy and healthy/non-fussy the kid is.. give them wholesome nutrition and just forget it unless the doctor rings an alarm bell.. you have a happy active kid reaching milestones more or less around the normal period, just forget the rest... trust the doctor, forget the advisers (ooh, dont you feed the kid types you often get to hear in India).. just follow the routine..

I read a very nice article on all this HERE.

I am taking the general points of use from there for my personal reference.

Inputs from (Parenting.com)

Kids usually do not grow at a steady rate.. each kid may vary from the other kids and most often even different from his own siblings/parents of the same age... so dont let the alarm bells ring so soon.


A baby's size when he's born is based partly on genetics.  Boys are larger than girls and in case of twins, both boys and girls, are smaller than average.   There can be several factors.. one most commonly observed fact is that moms who are diabetics often have large babies.


During the first two years:A baby's growth is based on a combination of her birth size and the size he/she's genetically programmed to be.

For example, a small newborn going to be a big child will grow faster than the large kids who are going to be small over the coming time or vise versa.

During childhood/infancy:
The growth spurts usually come in small/long bursts in kids in the sense in some kids it might seem like a rapid growth in some and a rather slow burst in some.. so there will usually be time periods when the kid might look extremely chubby or very lean alternating, so this again should not be a cause of concern.  How long the growth spurt continues or how often is something which again varies from kid to kid or even in the same kid.  Also, milestones like rolling over, crawling, sitting up, standing, taking steps, teething anything and everything has its own time frame in one particular kid, so comparison among siblings or the neighbor's/friend's kid is, in my opinion, the worst possible thing we can do.  Learn to trust the doctor than letting the distractions worry you over some things.. if there is something of concern, the doc will ring the alarm bells, if the doc says it is fine, then it is fine most of the times.. but not a blind trust on even the ped, it is a matter of faith and balance.. the key is a fair balance.Both weight gain and increases in height come in short bursts of what can seem like rapid growth -- which is why kids can sometimes look almost chubby one month but lean the next. The duration of a growth spurt, as well as how much a child grows during one, differs from child to child (and from spurt to spurt in the same child). But it's not uncommon to see a visible difference in a very short time...


No one knows what causes a kid to shoot up one month and not another, so worrying over such things is not really worth it.

Let the doctor decide and you as a parent, and not the WELL-WISHERS as to how the child is doing in terms of overall progress.

Thumb of rule..
Birth to 12 months
Infants add 10 inches in length and triple their birth weight.. a kilo/pound plus or minus.
12 to 24 months
Toddlers add 5 inches and 6 pounds and then on the kids usually will have a settled/established growth pattern..

This again is a rough measure and like I say, dont go by the chart.. if the kid is happy, active, alert and doctor feels nothing is out of place.. just dont stress yourself out as to not having a chubby/tall/fair kid like an ad doll.. because majority of the kids are not.. trust me!!! Dont loose sleep over it..

Scalp boils/blisters

Scalp boils are mainly boils type furuncles that occur due the occurrence of infection in the hair follicles. Boils on scalp are exceptionally painful when you comb your hair. Sometimes the furuncles form pus which further worsen the condition of the infection. Due to exposure to dirt and dust often the hair follicles get jammed or clogged with foreign particles. In the presence of moisture and incidence of germs the bacteria causing boils attack the hair follicle and cause the development of boils on scalp.

A furuncle on scalp at first develops as a reddened surface across a single hair follicle. With time as the infection spreads the redness spreads to the neighboring hair follicles. The furuncle then gradually grows in size and develops a substance called pus at its center. Sometimes with maturity of the boil the pus flows out as it comes in contact with the other hair follicles and causes formation of more number of boils.

Causes of Scalp Boils
You may take a note of the following causes behind the development of follicles on the hair scalp.
• Due to excessive perspiration. If you sweat and perspire to a great degree, the hair follicles get packed with the residue (salt and other minerals) that is left after the drying up of the sweat ultimately causing boils.
• Sometimes the damage of the skin texture may also be the cause behind the development of boils. The skin gets prone to the occurrence of boils if it is repeatedly attacked by acne and other skin diseases.
• Intense and vigorous combing of hair can often develop minute creases on the scalp which acts as a passage for the bacteria responsible for causing boils.

In most cases boils heal in a natural way. You are advised to maintain a hygienic lifestyle.
Simple advise i would like to give is probably its collection of sweat there, which leads to such infections.
So try to wash hairs more often.
If there is dandruff, treat that first, use shampoo more frequently then soap.