What is kid? You may think what kind of question is this? Kid means kid, a child. But no, kid doesn’t mean just a child. Kid is a combination of soft sweet heart with little naughtiness to spread smile in the world. Kid is one who can surprise you every day with his/her sweet talk and curious mind. Kid is a one who can be happy with just a small star sticker on his/her hand. Kid is a one who cries when party goes over. Kid is a one who can stop crying when you offer a candy!!!

Do you know why? Answer is very simple. Because kids are innocent.

But sometimes they behave differently, a good different something similar to you!!! For example, one day they come to you and say mama I got two same gifts so you can give one of them to someone who really needs it!!! We feel proud when our kids do something very good like this. We appreciate that with wow my kid is big boy/girl now!!!

Take a moment and think is s/he really a big enough? Revise the incident with their reaction and rethink is it okay for this age? Am I not forcing them to react like a big girl/boy by words or behavior?

Good behavior is good if it comes with innocence but what if it comes with over maturity? Maturity comes with age and it should not come before the time or else it will abstract beauty of your kid, it will steal your kid’s childhood and it will kill your kid’s innocence.

Here we will discuss what to expect and what not from kids to secure their innocence.

• When you say I am having head ache and your kid try to massage your head for a minute and asks are you feeling better now? That shows their love and concern for you and that’s their innocence.

But when you say I am having headache, you go and play in your room and they don’t show up even once in one hour then that’s not kid!!! I know you will feel peace for this but this won’t be beneficial in near future.

• When you say please be quite to your chatter box and they really are quite for couple of minutes that’s more than enough. They will surely speak something after 1 or 2 minutes and that’s the way they should be; forgettable and free…..that makes them sweet and charming.

But if they really be quite until you initiate the talk then that’s not kid.

• If your kid is more in fashion that’s really good that s/he understands it at this age but if s/he don’t use much colors or mismatch and follows the concept of matching then you are surely missing his/her childhood. If your child compares his/her look with you then this is the time for you to take a break and think about her childhood.

For kids colors and favorites are beautiful not look!!! They feel they look beautiful as well as all. And that should be that way only.

• When your kid is ready to give everything to someone if asked then also it’s not good as that means 1. She is not attached to anything 2. She might be afraid of you 3. She is over matured. Well it’s okay if s/he is not ready to share sometimes or something.

You should respect their feeling for that. At the end they will surely learn the concept of give and get.

• It is perfectly fine if your kid cries when party goes over or when guests leave your house. This shows their affection for people. And that is really good sign. Don’t scold or use harsh words for this behavior or else either they will stop sharing their feelings with you or they will be carefree from people.

• If your kid talks in playground and can’t focus on play due to that; that’s their innocence. Encourage them to focus on play but don’t force them for that as sports they will surely learn later but this innocence won’t come again.

• If your kid understands people are more important than gifts, that is really good. But if they don’t wait for gift or they don’t feel excited by gifts then that’s not kid.

Kids’ reactions are good if and only if its age appropriate. If your kid shows over maturity then that too is not good as s/he will defiantly learn to react like a grown up one day but this is their only chance to react and behave like a kid, little naughty and little sweet.

This doesn’t mean you should not appreciate your kid when they behave well but yes don’t try to teach all at this age. Sometimes it’s good to hide few things when we know it’s not their age. Your explanation should be in brief only. Detail description steals their innocence, drop their imagination and make them mature than their age.

Do you want to test whether your kid is innocent or not?

Try small tricks when they are crying and if they start laughing or smiling in couple of seconds than you are on right path as kids are those who can cry and laugh together and if your kid can not do that, that means  you are stealing their childhood.

2 to 7 years age is really important to make them confident, test their limits, and explore their emotions. so just try to guide them to use their emotions in better way rather to stop it.

Don’t force them to learn anything before age as even god gifted over talented kids cannot have a normal lives.

Reader’s Photo

I would like to share one of my cute experiences of my son Aarnav who is 4 years old.

One day I asked “Aarnav will you please search a calculator for me?”

He just roam around for a while and said “I searched the whole house and I didn’t find it.”

I got up and showed him the calculator and shouted “The calculator is laying in front of you only.”

He cutely replied “Amma keep it again and ask me to search. This time I will surely get it!!!”

And all my anger turned into laughter because of his cute silly answer.

True, Kids’ stupid but cute answers are enough to change our mood.  Thank you very much Anju for sharing your mind blowing experience with us.

We are inviting cute conversation from all the parents. You can write your experience to fosterfeel@gmail.com with the name, age and photo of your kid and we will publish it on forstefeel.com/cute_conversation/kids_name on every Tuesday.

My favorite Me Time – Sand Play to refresh my mind

7 am milk 10 am breakfast 12 pm lunch 3pm milk 5pm fruit 6pm dinner 7pm sleep strict routine for me and my kid …….always busy in house hold chores and family life. I want to go out for dinner but can’t as I have to put my little one on bed by 7pm. I want to go for movie on Saturday but can’t because need to attend some family function. Where I am and what am I doing??? I feel like I am stuck somewhere and want to run away from this. But can’t just can’t. In 5 years at least 50 times I felt to run away from all these!!!

This doesn’t mean I don’t like to do all these things or I don’t love my kid and family but yes sometime I really want a break from all the responsibilities and want to live life freely ….I want to sleep as much as I want; I want to watch late night movie and I want to go for night outs too…..wish list will go on and on

Who knows me or read my articles won’t believe this as for all of them I am very much patient and content but truth is I too become impatient sometimes. But I know how to regain my composure. What I need in these conditions is inner peace and I get that from “Me Time” and that’s why I am writing this article for those parents (especially my readers) for whom I am tickled pink.

What is Me Time

Time that you spend for yourself and with yourself is called Me Time.

Why Me Time is important

Your days start with the kid and end up with kid. If you are working, with office and kid but in both the case you are living same routine life every day and thus your heart demands for a change and Me Time provides you that change. With Me Time you will feel relaxed and satisfied and so you will enjoy with the routine things.

What can I do in Me Time

Me Time is a time when you can be with yourself and engage yourself with your favorite activity. You can fulfill your wish list or you can just relax.

Me Times includes anything and everything that can make you happy.

How to steal Me Time

I am sure now you are ready with your Me Time plan but the question is how? You know what do you want to do but how can you get time for that? Well here we are sharing few ideas to steal Me Time to give you reference.

1. When you go to mall, ask your partner to go to kids’ area with your kid and enjoy shopping in different stores.
2. Enroll your kid in sports class and have fun with your book in that spare time.
3. Take a tour to kids’ friendly store like cross word or Barnes & Noble and feel free.
4. Always put your kid on bed before 8 so you can have a late night call or TV time to freshen up your mind.
5. Skip cooking for a day and clean your wardrobe or decorate your room or house.
6. Set a baby sitter for couple of hours and go for movie.
7. Leave your kids with your parents and go for a date to have a wonderful time as before.
8. Hand over your kid to your partner and go for spa to relax your body and mind.
9. Get up early and have a cup of coffee in garden with fresh air to rejoice your mind.
10. Get ready in different dresses and click some photos to get smile on your face.

Why without kid

Do you think your partner likes to do all the things which you do? Of course not then how a kid can like all these things. So leave your kids at home let them enjoy and you too enjoy with yourself.

Of course you can do all this with your kid but trust me without kid having fun with your self is more refreshing and will help you to be content. So when actually you have to be with your kids, you can enjoy thoroughly with them and won’t feel helpless or impatient with their crazy behavior.

How much time I should spend for me time

As much as you can but at least half an hour every day and 2 to 3 hrs weekly. If you can have both that’s reward for you.

When can I start

If you want you can start from the first day of delivery but if you can’t don’t wait for more than a year. Kids are big responsibility so take a break to enjoy the responsibility.

Still It is better late than never

There is nothing secret about a great parent. It is all about to stay calm and patient and it’s easy to achieve with Me Time. So try to steal Me Time and be a great parent.

Many things excite you during pregnancy but the most exciting thing to wonder about is “Am I going to have a Girl / Boy”. A simple curious question to yourself which is always worth wondering as if you know the gender “you can make a nursery accordingly” and if you don’t “The excitement can last till end.”

By your 5^th month ultrasound you will come to know the gender of your baby if she is in good position. But still nothing is 100% sure. The truth will reveal on the day of delivery only!!!

Image source Google

Well to find out your baby’s gender or not is up to you. But if you want to have some fun time with some funny guesses, go ahead and try following to find out your baby’s gender.

Heart Beat: Next time when you visit your doctor, don’t forget to ask him/her your baby’s heartbeat rate. This is common checkup done by doctor in every visit and its beautiful feeling to hear it too. The exciting thing is it can tell you who is going to develop inside!!! If heart beats are above 140, you are going to deliver a girl and if it is less than 140 it’s a boy.

Morning sickness: Are you suffering from morning sickness? If answer is yes you will be blessed by a girl and if you have less or none morning sickness you will be blessed by a boy.

Sweet or sour: Girls are sweet and so you crave for sweets if it’s a girl. If it’s a boy you may crave for some sour or salty items.

Beauty: There is a say that girl steals beauty from her mother. So if you think your skin is getting darker or your look is becoming dull it’s a girl and if you look same it will be a boy. Don’t worry about look as these changes are just temporary.

Ring experiment: Take off your engagement ring and tie it to one end of string. Hold it from another end near to your belly and check the movements. If it turns in circle you are going to have a boy and if it goes back and forth you are going to have a girl.

Delivery Time: There is a tale that girls like her mother a lot and so she won’t leave her womb so soon. This means if you are going to deliver a girl your delivery time will be higher and if it’s a boy your delivery time will be nominal. Well this is last day experiment but still exciting.

Well these are myths or truths facts or frames ; no one can say and no one can be sure until time will reveal it. But yes in my case all above were perfectly right!!!

Try some funny guess and have some fun

Reader’s Photo

Once my sister came to our house for vacation with her 4 months old baby. As it was 4 months baby my sister use to give her formula. My daughter Vency (who was 6 years old at that time) watched this for couple of days and once when my sister was making formula for her daughter she went to her and asked “Asi (my sister) what are you making?”

My sister simply replied “it’s kind of milk for babies.”

She asked “can I taste it”

My sister replied “yes sure and she gave her to taste it.”

After tasting it she said “it doesn’t taste so good Asi I don’t like it” and went outside to play.

 By the evening when I was making formula, Vency came to me and asked “why are you making milk again?”

 I replied “because baby is hungry”

And she innocently replied” then give her masala papad, she will get bored if you will give her milk all the times and this one is not even tastier!!!”

I couldn’t control my laughter after listening this. It’s been 5 years now but still sometimes we make fun for this masala papad.

This is one of the best examples of kids’ curious mind and their tender heart. Thank you very much Palak for sharing your hilarious experience with us.

We are inviting cute conversation from all the parents. You can write your experience to fosterfeel@gmail.com with the name, age and photo of your kid and we will publish it on forstefeel.com/cute_conversation/kids_name on every Tuesday.

When I asked “what is the toughest thing to raise your kid?” most of the parents shared the common answer “To feed my kid”.

True!!! Feeding kid is tough no matter what is the age of your kid!!! Every age has its own issues with food and every age has its own solutions too. Here are 8 rules to feed your kids (ages 2 years to 7 years) without mess and mental stress.

Image source Google

First and foremost rule Rule # 1: Spend more time on dining table than spending time in kitchen.

For grown ups food is fun but for kids it is not.  Reason is simple; kids don’t have much knowledge about food and taste and result less interest. For this age group there is no need to think what they like or not as they too really don’t have idea about their choice. Today fried rice can be their favorite and tomorrow omelet. No consistency in favorite not because their choice has changed but because they don’t know the real taste and meaning of “what is called my favorite”!!!! Can’t agree? Try telling your kid I love okra I love okra and see how your kid will start loving okra in just 15 to 20 days.

Well my point is don’t spend too much time in kitchen to cook your kids’ favorite food instead choose couple of healthy recipe of your choice and spend some time with your kid on dining table to feed him. Talk with your kid, sing rhyme, tell story, enjoy the table games and enjoy the meal.

Hot roti (bread) is not necessary for kids. It’s your belief that cold roti (bread) doesn’t taste good but actually truth is if you have good company you can eat anything and everything and so the kids. Give your company and serve the plate full of fun and food.

Rule # 2: Eat together 

No one likes to eat alone and so the kids. Best way to feed your kid is feed with family. If you will eat together they will observe you and copy you. And that’s the perfect way to teach them table manners.

Seat together and start the food at the same time. You eat and feed your kid too. Encourage them to eat by themselves. It is very common that you will finish your food first. Help your kid to eat once you are done and make the meal time interesting.

Rule # 3: Fix the menu – prediction makes possible

Prediction makes life easier and acceptable even though it is not of your choice. Fix the daily menu. That will help your kid to accept the food and that decreases unnecessary demands. Of course you can offer his/her favorite food as a treat of the day to reward good behavior but not always. This will help you in two ways 1. Decreases meal time battle 2. Reward will encourage them to stay in discipline.

Rule # 4: Stick to 3

Multiple choices create confusion. Number 3 is perfect for kids. More will confuse them and less will reduce options and/or nutrition. Every time offer 3 different things to eat and let them choose the quantity of the same. If they like let them eat the amount they want and if not encourage them to taste it.

My house rule is “if you like eat more and if you don’t eat a spoon.”

Choose healthy food which contains protein grain and vitamins. Add more fruits and vegetable in diet. Don’t forget to serve in 3 partition plate or bowl. If you have more categories to serve, you can combine two together so for your kid it will become 3 only. For example, if I have cooked lentil rice roti (bread) and vegetable, I would mix rice with lentil and serve roti (bread) vegetables and mixture of lentil and rice. And if I have cooked only rice I would prefer to serve it with salad and curd so at the end it will serve 3 to my kid.

Rule # 5: Serve half Feed full

If you know your kid eats two table spoons of rice in one meal divide it in half. First serve one table spoon and when your kid finish it give high five and appreciate him. Offer second table spoon. More appreciation more enjoyment. And because of this someday they will ask for 3rd table spoon too!!! So basically you are serving less and they are eating more.

Don’t forget to use kids’ spoon (small) to feed your kid. Encourage them to clean the plate but don’t force too much to finish all.

Rule # 6: Meal at meal time only

Set the meal time for your kid. Normally we offer 3 big and 3 small meals in a day for this age group.  If they miss or eat less during one they can cover it up in next meal time. So forget the concept of offering food after half an hour or so just because you think that they hadn’t enough because at end this kind of extra care will encourage their picky behavior.

They should know this is the meal time and after that they are not going to get it. Let them understand that if they are hungry they have to eat now or have to wait till next meal time. And as a result they will first fulfill their hunger and then think of something else!!!

25 to 30 minutes are enough to finish one meal and so set the timer of 25-30 minutes. Feed them during that time and once timer rings clean up the table and let them wait for next meal time.

Same rule applies if they get down from the chair or play with food or spit up. We want to make fun here but of course not with the food.

Rule #  7: Make the mealtime marvelous

Well as I said Table games are must. TV is okay up to 2 years but later if you would go with TV or mobile they will never learn how to enjoy meal. There are lots of table games like spy the color, tell me the riddle, count with me, memory game, say the rhyming word as well as simple talk to rhyme and story. Choose according to your comfort and choice and enjoy the time with your kid.

Rule # 8: Concern but don’t complain

Kids are weekly eater.  That means they manage their appetite in a week.  Some days they eat a lot and some days very less. Don’t worry if your pediatrician doesn’t concern about your kid’s weight as at the end of the week they will surely eat the right amount of food to feed their body.

No one can improve with negativity so never say you didn’t eat properly or anything like that instead praise when they eat well and encourage the good behavior.

Have A Happy Meal Time