Songs for Kids

How do you feel when you learn something new from your little one? I call that "Thrilling"! 
My daughter goes to a Montessori school and in their class and there is a mix of kids aged between 3 to 5 years. I personally like that idea because I feel that way, the younger kids get inspired by the older ones. Also, the older ones are qualified to take care of the younger ones and thus they become responsible. It is a win-win situation. My daughter, who will be four years old this October, started telling that she is "almost four" after a month or two of her 3rd birthday. She wants to play the role of the older ones. It is amusing how the little ones try to grow old and we, the older ones try to hold on to our age.

One more thing I like about her school is how they are introduced to some beautiful music. I love music. I started singing to my daughter much before she started to speak. She also started humming quite early. But when I went out of stock of some new tunes, my daughter brought some pleasant and catchy tunes to our playlist. 

I posted about some interactive baby songs in one of my previous post. Here, I am extending that list. As she is growing older, our favorite songs playlist is also getting longer. So if you are looking for some beautiful tunes to play for your child, give these songs a try.

So, here are some jingles for your children:

1. Somewhere over the Rainbow:
A few days back, I heard my daughter singing this song almost correct and thus it was an easy and an amazing finding. Later, I learned that it's quite a popular one. It will surely touch your soul.

2. I think you are wonderful:
Just listen to this one and you will be clean bowled. Well, I was. The lyrics and the tune are just wow!

Whenever I play this one, my daughter can't stop singing. 

3. I think you are Wonderful, I think you are marvelous:
This one is another catchy one. It was a little difficult to find this song. But, when I finally got this one, my kid was super happy.

4. Ram Sam Dance:
Well, this one is our most recent finding. Usually, if my daughter learns any new songs, she keeps on humming. If it's new to me, I try to google it with whatever words I can gather from her singing. This one went crazy. I asked her to repeat again n again and she was just singing "A- ravi, A -ravi". That is in the middle of the song. But after a few random trials, I got the correct one.

5. Let's star jump:
Music and Movement go parallel and this one is an example. 

5. Down By The Bay:
This one is a recent addition. Yesterday, she was singing this song while playing with her Lego and I just loved it. 

There is a lot of easy and simple songs for children which they can sing to, and dance with. Beleive me, playing the same old nursery rhymes can be boring. If your kid is addicted to iPad or your phone, just play this music and teach them the movements. I am sure, it will be exciting and fun.

I always wonder how they pick those songs in her pre-school. But whatever be that means, I plan to put them all together in one place. If you have a small kid who goes to pre-school or kindergarten and you are planning to play some wonderful music for your child, here are just a few examples. As and when I will decipher a new song, I will add to her collection. Till then keep humming "I think you are wonderful"!

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10 Interactive Songs For Babies and Toddlers

It was a cold and soggy winter evening. The clock struck 5:30. I heard my daughter's voice, arguing with her dad about something. I narrowed my eyes and pulled up my invisible antenna to catch a few words from their conversation. It was vague. I stood up to prepare my self for the storm that was going to land through the main door. Within a few seconds, I heard my daughter's most favorite words  "I don't want it, Daddy!" One day, I had planned to count how many times she used that phrase in a day.But, I lost track only after a few times.

I opened the door and my three-year-old darling daughter came running with her dad and dived into my arms. I tried to remove her shoe and she whined: "Why you helping me Mamma?" I stopped and waited patiently until she requested me to help. I questioned, "Are you hungry?" Her immediate reply was "Nopes!, I am not hungry!" "Okay, let me get your Dinner ready!" I chimed ignoring her usual reply and left to arrange her meal.

Seldom, I wonder how her daily routine is different than mine from my childhood, even my Mamahood. She wakes up in the morning, eats her breakfast, gets ready and goes to school. In the evening, she eats her dinner just after returning from school, then plays/studies and then takes her bath at night. Afterwards, she takes her snacks like cookie-milk or fruits and then she sleeps. Whereas, I have always learned and practiced a bath before Lunch. At 5:30 in the evening, I never imagined taking my dinner. It's been my cookie time. But, I guess, we practice what suits us best and that only becomes a routine with time.

As I was putting her dinner on the table, she eyed to check what all were there to finish. Suddenly she giggled "See, Daddy singing"! My husband was making his tea and was humming a song. I listened carefully to figure out the song. I could not help sighing. It's my daughter's recent favorite"Ants go marching one by one, Hurrah Hurrah". Yes, that's what has happened to our song vocabulary. We don't know any song other than our daughter's rhymes. But there is something in those tunes, you can really get addicted to!

Apart from the eternal ones that I also learned in my childhood, there are a few rhymes which my daughter taught me and I could not stop chanting. When my daughter started her infant daycare, she used to hum a tune which was not familiar to me. She was a year and few months old then. I asked her to repeat the song to guess what she was singing. But what was constant in all those times was only the tune and I could not google that tune. Then one day, while dropping her in the morning, I heard that tune playing on a record. I stopped to listen to the verses and after coming back home I googled for it. In the evening, once she is back, I played the tune and she was thrilled. I wondered how a song or a tune can catch a child's attention. 

Today I thought of putting all those songs and rhymes together, that is beyond "Twinkle Twinkle little star". My daughter taught me a few of them. These are the ones that she picked from her daycare or school or library story time and we always sing them together. What can be the best way of teaching an infant or a toddler other than music?

1. Barbara Milne Phonic song: This has to be the first one. This is the song I was talking about, the first song that I learned from my daughter. I know, in the coming years, there will a be a lot many things that I will be learning from her. But, this one is my first.

I always believe that teaching through music is the best way for educating infants. At least, it worked out for me. At 3 years, my daughter sings all the songs that I sing. The only difference is her ABC song says "Ello Mano P" and mine says "LMNOP". 

2. Slippery Fish
My next favorite is "Slippery Fish". One day, when my daughter was two and something, she came back home all excited to tell me about the new song. I could not make out anything from the song apart from "Oh No!" when she cupped her face in her two tiny hands and tried to wear an expression for fear, I guess. It was adorable!  The "fish" and with the "oh no" I was able to google it soon and I was caught by the tune the very moment. What it teaches a Kid? I could not comment on that. Maybe the Life Cycle or something about life? But I loved that way she sang that song and the pretense of fear that she recently learned. 

3. Baby Shark
This is another one that she picked from her school. The first time she sang it, it was only the word "Shark" and lots of "dddddddddooooooooo". She opened her finger for the baby part, her palms for the Mamma part and she was jumping for the Grandpa part. But again that catchy tune just got me. I found myself doing that "dooooddooooo" the whole day!

4. Zoom Zoom Zoom
We heard this song for the first time in the library story time. All the kids were doing the "Zoom Zoom Zoom" and at "Blastoff", they we jumping as high as they could.The tune caught with all the excitement and the giggles just made it to this list. On the internet, I did not get the version that we learned and this one is the nearest that I liked. 

5. One little Finger
I can't really remember where we learned this song from. It might be from her school. But we hear it in most of the story times in our local library. I think this one is really good for the younger ones to teach their body parts. I remember, how my little one used to wait in apprehension which part I am going to touch next and chuckled each time I touched her nose or tummy or her knees. Now, she sings this song for her mini mouse and teddy and sometimes for me.

6. Up to the Ceiling:

"Up to the Ceiling, down to the floor,

Left to the Window, Right to the Door.

Dady kiss me, Mamma Hugs me,

for I know my ABCs"

 This is a more extended version of the ABC Song and my daughter sang it very clearly one evening after coming back from her school. I didn't have to look it up since it was clear and with all the hands' movements. I learned it immediately. Though the right-hand and left-hand signal was not quite right in the initial days, soon, she started doing it all correct. In the web, I got the version that she actually does and I guess, this is how she learned in her school. 

7. Tiny Tim
This is another song that we recently learned in the Library story time. A song with something to act on is always any kid's favorite and this song has some good potential. 

8. Ants go marching one by one
Some Marching exercise while learning the numbers is fun for kids. My daughter keeps on marching while singing this song and actually sucks her tumb for one and ties her shoes as the little ant at two. 

9. Finger Family
This list can be endless. But I decided to end it at 10 and to put the last two songs which I have heard countless times with lots of variations from my daughter. She sings this Daddy Finger and Mamma finger song with lots of modulations in her voice. At first, the baby finger was "Oli" finger(Oli is my daughter's nickname) and after she turned three, "the Oli" finger soon became the Sister finger since she is no more a baby.

10. Wheels on the bus:
I an not sure if any kid is there who does not like this song.There are so many things you can do with this song! My daughter liked this song when she was not even one and now when she is three years, still she adores this song. 

If you like Music and looking for some interactive songs, try out this playlist. There are a lot more songs which are an interesting and fun way of teaching. But here, I picked the top 10 from my daughter's list. Practice some rhythm, hand motions, numbers and alphabets coated with giggles. Believe me or not, these tunes can help to turn off your mind and will let you relax. Give it a try!

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Her Poop Tale

My three-year-old daughter is amazing. Well, take a peek at any mom's heart and you will see a similar feeling. And, it is unquestionably true. A new-born baby is a master in 4 areas - feed, pee, poo, and cry. Sometimes, it just wonders me how fast a child learns. How their intelligence works and how perfect is the blend of their imagination and innocence!

Turning three was really a big deal for my daughter. She started telling everyone she meets "I am three years old. I am Big". She eats three cookies since she is three. At bedtime, she insists on reading three books. She believes she has three pairs of green socks since she is three years old.  In a nutshell, in this universe, anywhere if it is written three its only because she is three years old. 

She has her own set of beliefs. Whatever she hears, she interprets that in her own way. At times, she challenges my intelligence and leaves me tongue-tied. Like the other day, she made a serious face and reminded me "Mamma, you should share your things" when I was trying to put on a lipstick and I refused to put it on her lips even after her repeated plea. 

But today, I wanted to share a different story that annoys me and makes me giggle at the same time.  My darling daughter believes that everything has a life and a routine like hers, even her poop. 

Disclaimer: This post may get gross and it is my humble plea not to picture any of the moments.

A few days before she turned three, I went to her school to drop her in the morning. Her class teacher asked me to wait for some time and handed me a note that says: 
"Congratulations! Shreyanvi is now potty trained and is eligible to get promoted to the preschool." 
Any parent would know how exciting it feels when a child reaches a milestone. Apparently, I was delighted.  But, I always have my doubts. Initially, once she was declared "potty-trained" she found it exciting to explore any public toilet. Whenever we were out for lunch or shopping and we reached the destination, she declared proudly "I wanna go pee pee, Mamma". Maybe she wanted to reveal to everyone that she is no more on Diapers. Whatever may be the reason, I was disgusted to visit each and every loo I came across. That's why I started a routine for her.  Once she wakes up in the morning, she has to brush her teeth, eat her breakfast and then sit in her toilet seat before heading out. Most of the mornings, she sits there for almost half an hour, doing nothing. Soon, it became the best part of her day. She sits there and sings her rhymes happily. She does her ABCs and counting. She tells stories and expects her only listener(that's me) to laugh and participate. 

One morning, I looked at the watch and got really impatient and yelled "Hurry Up! Or you will reach your school tomorrow!" She replied immediately with an innocent face "My PooPoo is still sleeping, Mamma!" Although I was a little irritated, I could not suppress my smile. I wiped out my smile and responded, "So, wake her up Or you will be late!" 
She made a serious face and with a heavy voice, she scolded "PooPoo, WAKE UP AND COME FAST. I AM WAITING FOR YOU!" Surprisingly, her "poopoo" complied. She was overwhelmed and proud of herself. She had hundreds of questions thereafter.  "My PooPoo is a Girl or a Boy?" "Where is my PooPoo's mummy-daddy?" "When is her Birthday?" 

Then onwards, every morning, she still sits there for almost half an hour. She still tells her stories. But now, in between, she calls and talks with her poop and updates me on the different status like - "Still sleeping", or "brushing teeth" or "doing play play", even "eating bread"! Some days, she insists on rewarding her Poop with some stickers. Some other days she is angry with her poop, so I have to carry on the conversation. Well, that is parenting and it has its own perks.When my daughter's imagination goes wild, I just wait there and repeat:

💩"In my world, everyone's a pony and they all eat rainbows and poop butterflies" 

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Fun Ideas to teach your Toddler her ABCs

"When words fail, music speaks." 

When my daughter was born, I used to sing to her regularly. That was my only way of communicating with her. It was any kind of song, or a rhyme or even I talked to her in some tune. Also, my Dad, who does not remember a single song, used to sing ABCD song to her. She is three years old now. Still, ABCD song is one of her most favorite. 

She started singing on her own when she turned one year. She could not speak all the letters. But she used to manage it somehow.It was adorable. I bet, she had no idea how this ABCD would torment her life in some near future.

It was difficult to introduce her to the Idea that all this ABCD actually exist. I bought the wooden alphabet magnets from Melissa&Doug after she turned one. She used to play happily with those cute alphabets under someone's supervision. Playing involved just emptying the whole box and then cleaning up and then again repeating the same task a few more times. She named that toy as her "ABCD Box". She was too young to identify those alphabets. 

Once she turned two, I was totally armed with Alphabets in all form to start teaching her letters. She got discouraged. She did not have the attention span to sit and learn. I pushed her. Sometimes, she identified the alphabet correctly and sometimes did not. I was worried that my little angel will remain illiterate forever! I got flashcards, fridge magnets, ABCD puzzle and yes lots and lots of books. It was overwhelming for her. 

One fine morning, I was enlightened by a wiser me. Abruptly, I realized that she is so small and I am taking out the FUN of learning from my tiny girl! I promised myself that I would not stress out and will try to think of some better suitable way of teaching. I gave it some thought. I decided to talk about these letters when she is relaxed and in a happy state. Bath time is a good option, I presumed.

This time, I ordered the bath letters from Amazon and it worked as a magic. I realized that my daughter already knew her letters. It just that she did not understand why she had to answer every time I asked her the alphabets. She answered only when she felt like answering. And silly me considered that as her ignorance!

Before she turned three, she knew all her Letters. How did she actually learned her Letters? Can't say! But I can share all the weapons that I started this battle with. Something or other may click for you!


1.Melissa&Doug Wooden Alphabets: 

Pic Courtesy: Amazon

I got this one from Amazon. It is my daughter's first ever alphabets. I liked it since it is wooden and the box has total 52 alphabets, both upper and lower case. But the color has worn off after use for few days.

2.Fridge Magnets: 

A similar one she got on her 2nd birthday. She plays with those whenever she is in the kitchen. But I really doubt that she learned anything from these letters. 

3.ABCD Flashcards: 

Pic Courtesy: Amazon

I got the Playskool Alphabet flash cards from "Dollar Tree" store. We had played and used these flash cards for some days. I think a flash card is a good way to teach a child.The only challenge is holding her attention for that long. 

4.ABCD Puzzle: 

There is this Melisssa&Doug Puzzle where you have to put the alphabet in the correct position and it will tell what starts with that Alphabet. My daughter loved this one. Initially, she just matched the picture and put the pieces. Then gradually she got the idea and played with it the way she should have.

5.ABCD Blocks: 

These are the wooden blocks from Fisher Price. I am not sure how useful these can be to teach a child, but it is a good option to just get acquainted with the letters. My daughter got this as a Christmas gift.

6.Munchkin Bath Magnets: 

Pic Courtesy: Amazon

This one is our favorite. It is cheap and it is fun. I had put those near the bathtub and still, we play our "Letter Letter" game. This game is Fun. I say "Letter Letter"; my daughter says: "What Letter?"; Then I say an alphabet like  "Letter P" and she gets me the alphabet "P". Sometimes we play the same game for the numbers.

7. Mellisa&Doug Alphabet Express:

This is a recent addition. She has not yet completed the whole Alphabet train. But she sits with this on some days and tries to fit the letters to build her express train. 

I feel that whatever option you choose, consistency is the Key! The kids learn and forget at the same speed. So, repeating the same thing, again and again, may help. We play our "Letter Letter" game everywhere. If I see that she is not interested in answering, I leave it that time and bring it up some other time.

After she turned three, our next challenge emerged - WRITING! Maybe, someday, I will be able to add another post on how I crossed that Hurdle. Till then, Happy Learning and keep humming this catchy song, our all-time-favorite!

"Up to the ceiling, Down to the floor,Right to the Window, Left to the door...Maama kiss me, Daddy hugs me,For I know my ABC..."

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Netflix Shows - My Super-Sensitive 3 year's Favorite

"Deep in the hundred Acre Wood, where Christopher Robin Plays,
You'll find the enchanted neighbourhood, of Christophers Childhood Days!"

Underneath a beautiful "Apple Sauce" sky, there was a green carpet. It was skillfully decorated with flowers and butterflies and there started the story with "Once Upon a Time..." Yes, that's how "Pooh's Hefallump Movie" started. My three-year-old daughter was sitting silently with me and her Dad. I somehow managed to convince her to stop watching her favorite "Wheels on the bus goes round and round..." and give the movie a try. It started with a background narration and the beautiful wood, sunshine, birds and how everyone was happy like "Tumbly full of Honey". Then the background voice goes Deeper to describe how everything got changed when "The Stranger Came" and there was a backdrop Trumpet sound. My daughter shudder "what's that?" she asked with an alarm. I told her "Its nothing, it's an Elephant". She moved closer to me. The movie continued with cute Pooh sleeping and again another Trumpet which startled sleeping Pooh and my wide-awake daughter equally. We had to turn it off in 4 minutes when my daughter started crying shutting her eyes and ears. 

My daughter spends her whole day in a school. After coming back home in the evening, she eats her dinner and then after some play- study-color sessions, she takes her bath. Next, she gets her screen time. She watches her regular "ABCD" songs while we finish our dinner. She always favors her nursery rhymes and I am so tired listening to the same songs for years. I wanted to introduce some new shows, but nothing works out since she is too frightened watching those alone or even with us. So, her Netflix shows are restricted to only those which "makes Oli laugh laugh" (Oli is my daughter's nickname).

So, here goes my super-sensitive daughter's favorite shows on Netflix for 2-3 years of age group:

1. Little Baby Bum:
Little Baby Bum (also known as LBB) is a Youtube channel for kids of lower age group. This channel portrays the traditional nursery rhymes in 3D animation videos which are very colorful and entertaining. 

2. HooplaKidz:
HooplaKidz is another YouTube series and an educational website for pre-school kids. In Netflix, this show has only 1 Episode and we watched it again and again.

3. Mother Goose Club:
Mother Goose Club is the first show she started watching in Netflix which involves some humans, though the songs are the same old Nursery Rhymes. The kids sing and dance with the old nursery rhymes and my daughter also stands up and tries to imitate the big kids. She looks at them as her role model, surprised by their dancing skills and how beautifully they sing.In Netflix, there are only 2 Seasons and we have watched it several times.

4. Word Party:
Word Party is Netflix Original and the 3rd Season is added recently. It stars four young animals, "Kip" a Wallaby, "Bailey" an Elephant, "Franny" a Cheetah, and "Lulu" a Panda. The songs are super catchy and my daughter just giggles and dance when they are having a "Word Party" after they learn some new words. There is a Tickety Clock which tells what time it is and the adorable kids act accordingly. They just love to sing, dance and play. There is no adventure or anything scary and loved by my daughter.

4. Sarah and Duck:
Sarah and Duck is the adventures of Sarah, a little girl with a green hat and her best friend Duck. There is a background voice which narrates the story, talks to Sarah and her Duck. The adventures are fun and not at all scary. There is 2 Season in Netflix. I too like watching the small episodes and can't stop myself from giggling.  

5. The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories:
This series is just like the Book by Eric Carle. The first story is about a green baby caterpillar which hatches from an egg. He is very hungry and eats a huge quantity of food. He does not feel well. So he spins a cocoon in which he remains for the following two weeks. Later, the caterpillar emerges as a bright and beautiful butterfly which looks just gorgeous. The series looks quite different from the other shows. It is like a beautiful painting. I was not expecting my daughter to like it. But, she liked it somehow and was quite worried about the green little caterpillar. 

6. Pocoyo:
This small episode animated series is recently added to my daughter's watchlist. The main character of this series is a small boy "Pocoyo" who wears blue clothes. He is accompanied by a pink elephant "Elly", a yellow duck named "Pato" and a "Loula" a puppy. There is a background narration voice which speaks over the entire show. The stories are all about their day-to-day life and how things are going on with or around the super energetic Pocoyo.

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Potty Train a Toddler

"Congratulations! Shreyanvi is now potty trained and is eligible to get promoted to the preschool."

The week before my daughter's 3rd birthday, her class teacher handed me the above note. I smiled nervously "Really? Is she?"

I read lots of articles and blogs on how to start or when to start and how to practice potty training. I think each and every parent takes an approach that suits them best. Our strategy was a simple  "Wait until she is ready".  We could not try the steps of 5 days plans to potty training. We could not keep her diaper free because:

• On weekdays, she goes to a daycare and she has to wear a diaper until they confirm that she is ready 
• On weekends, we spend most of the time outside home and we could not take the risk

So, we took up a stress-free plan that suits our terms. We didn't rush her or us. So, here is my Steps to Potty Training:

Step-1: Switch to pull-ups: 
Once she turned 2 years, we switched to pull-ups from the regular diapers. She gradually learned to pull it down or pull it up like an underwear. She liked to pick her own design - a princess,  a car or a lion. 

Step-2: Potty Training Seat:
We bought a potty training chair before she turned 2. However, we never used it. I was not sure if she gets used to that chair, how would I practice her to seat in a regular toilet. It is not so convenient to carry it every time we leave home!

One day, I tried to take her to a regular toilet and she was scared that she would fall. She was nervous, she screamed and it looked fair! So, we decided that first, we need to make sure that she can sit comfortably. We got a potty training seat. It fits perfectly in the regular toilet and thus she can sit easily without the fear of slipping in. She didn't complain and got comfortable sitting there on her own.

Step-3: Regular visits to the toilet:
We started taking her to the toilet after she comes back home from her daycare. We made her sit there whether she peed or not. She sings her rhymes, tells her ABCs and 1-2-3 and we just wait there patiently. If she pees, we do high-fives and claps. Till now, we do the same. In the meantime, she started sitting on the toilet in her daycare and she got used to the concept and understood that it is a part n parcel of growing up. She was excited that she was not treated like a baby anymore and she is a "Big Girl"!

Step4: Underwear and No diapers:
When she was around 2 and a half years old, I bought a pack of underwears for her. She was super excited that she got to wear "pantoos" (yes, that's what she calls her underwears) like big girls. She was adaptive and willing to the concept of going diaper-free. On weekends, we started to put her without a diaper at home. But, while going out, we used a diaper. Sometimes, she used to tell us before a pee. But few other times, accidents happened. It felt like 'We were almost there, but not totally there'. 

Step5: Trust your kid:
We spend a lot of hours outdoors on weekends and I am always scared of using a public toilet. It is not always clean. I was looking for some ways to keep her diaper free, even if we are out. I saw some disposable potty seat covers in Amazon and I ordered. It looked amazing and safe, but expensive. I have to take her 4-5 times to a toilet and it seemed not-so-convenient. I started checking out again and the next idea I got was disinfecting wipes. We kept a bottle in each car and one in my bag while traveling and it worked pretty well. It fits my budget, easy to use and most importantly keep me worry-free. 

Then, one day, in her daycare, her teacher told that we can send her without a diaper. She spends most of her time, when she is awake, in a daycare. Unless they encourage her to stay without a diaper, she cannot be totally ready. I was waiting for this green signal for long. Then, after a few days, her class teacher handed me the note that "She is Ready."

Even, today morning, I repeated to her like a mantra "No pee or poo in an underwear". She understands, she repeats and until now, we are doing good. I am not worried anymore. We have come a long way without much efforts and I am confident that we will be reaching that goal soon enough. If an accident happens, I am prepared. 
I carry an extra pair of cloth.
I carry my disinfecting wipes.
I take her to toilets every two hours or when she asks for it.

So, to all the parents out there who are planning to start a potty training program for their kids or who are already in it "Just be patient and pick up your own pace!" Somewhere I read that "No child ever went to her proms wearing a diaper" and it is so true!!!

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How to stop bottle feeding in toddlers?

My daughter turned three on 3rd of October.  It was a busy fun-filled foody week. A friend with his family was visiting us. Their one-and-a-half-year-old son reminded me of my daughter at that age.  He was full of energy, dancing and jumping around. But when it comes to food, he just shut his mouth off. Playing some video can distract him for some time when his mom pushes a few spoons of food into his mouth.  But, after some time, he is hungry and cries for his bottle and milk. Even, at night, he wakes up multiple times for milk.

Watching them, I was wondering how the story repeats at every house! My daughter was really addicted to milk in her bottle. She used to wake up at night every two-three hours and I always questioned when I would get my sleep back. She needed her bottle to get back to sleep. 

When she turned one, her doctor suggested to stop using a bottle. It was tough! She didn't eat much and whenever she was hungry she used to ask for milk. I tried a straw cup. But she didn't like it. She cried her heart out every time. I complied after some time, thinking that she might be really hungry and would give it a try the next time! Well, you know, the next time didn't arrive for another 6 months.  

Then, one fine morning, I woke up determined and took all her bottles and put those in the trash. That’s It! It was that easy!
The next course of events was as expected. She didn't eat much. She asked for milk. The milk arrived in a straw cup. She asked for her bottle. I told her that I was not able to find any of her bottles. She searched. She cried. She didn't drink her milk. She got hungry. She ate some food instead. 

That night was difficult. She cried for milk. I and my husband took turns to soothe her. She was not able to get back to sleep and was irritated. She screamed, She yelled and at one point, I questioned my judgment. I thought I should not have thrown her bottles away. After crying for a few hours(That's right!), she got tired and she slept. We were terrified for the next night. 

Next night, she wept for some time and then she slept and it was not that bad. Well, it took her 3-4 days to realize that she won't get her bottle how much she cries. After, a few nights, she started sleeping 5-6 hours at a stretch. In the middle, if she woke up and cried for milk, I had just given her some water in her straw cup.

For a kid, it is easy and convenient to drink some milk and stay full. They tend to avoid eating and chewing because, you know, it's a lot of work! Moreover, they know if they cry for some time they can get their way out! They are pretty smart! Kids, like us, have a sleep-wake cycle at night.  For adults, we can get back to sleep without any aid. But, for kids, they need to learn that skill. Usually, they rely on feeding or sucking to get back to sleep. That's why they cry for a bottle. We sometimes have mistaken it for hunger. Believe me, they are not crying for milk because they are hungry.Even, milk at night can cause tooth decay.  And more milk they drink, less food they will eat. 

So, how to get your toddler give up a bottle? It's simple! Give up your weakness. Throw away all the bottles, so that you won't give up when you kid screams for his/her bottle. Well, that is my reality. It took us a few nights to get rid of bottles. But, it worked like a magic! Now, my daughter drinks her milk in a normal open cup with a straw; And on some days, she holds a cup in her tiny hands and drinks right away.

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Kids Fitness in Bay Area - My ideas to ensure well-being

It is rightly said, "Physical Fitness is the basis for all other forms of excellence." 

Every child is different and so is their ideas of having fun. But what is common to all these kids, is the requirement for a Fit and Healthy life! But, to engage a child in a physical activity is difficult, unless it is entertaining.

A baby learns through Play. For the first time when they turn their head, they see a huge world out there. They crawl for the first time and they discover how capable they are to explore on their own. When they walk for the first time they learn to move ahead and not to stop. So, for a baby, everything is new and exciting and any activity is amusing and discovering.

When a baby grows up, they get lured by the digital world. A Smartphone or a Tab or a Laptop or just a Television can keep them occupied for hours. I remember, as a child when I was growing up in a small town in India, we did not even have a Mobile Phone, forget about a tab or a laptop. We had a Television but there were very limited shows and the telecast timing was also restricted. So, my childhood was gadget free.

Honestly, I was never an adventurous kid. I never broke a bone or hurdled through the desks in school like many other kids. As far as I remember, I participated in a 100-meter race once and I was the last one to reach the finishing line. We used to have a PT (Physical Training) class in school. On one particular class, everyone had to try some Throws and then select any one of them to participate in the Sports Tournament, that year. I tried Javelin, then Shot Put and even Discus Throw and then my teacher told me to take a seat and some rest . Yeah well, the result was hilarious and I was excused to be mortified in front of the whole school. So yes, I was not into sports either. However, I was active. I used to walk with my dad or mom to the nearest market. I used to ride a bike to school. I learned Indian Classical Dance(Kathak).We used to play Tag in school. By night, I used to get exhausted and craved for some sleep.

Coming back to now, I still get exhausted at night and my soon-to-be-three-year-old daughter is all energized. I always look for some ideas to drive the little one's energy in the right direction. Here are my tried, tested, succeeded or failed options so far.

Park - The most popular choice among kids: My daughter too likes going to park. But, when the kids her age or even younger, climb, slide, jump or run around, she prefers to sit in a safe place and watch them. Sometimes, I lose temper and push her to give a try to the slides. But then, I realize that she got my genes after all. She still enjoys going to a park, occasionally kicks a ball or slides when she is convinced that no other kid will push her.

Dance - All time Hit: Be it Hip-Hop or a Ballet or just swirling around in a pretty dress, a dance can lift one's mood anywhere, anytime. At Sunnyvale Community Center, I got a couple of interesting classes for kids. The list is here and is extensive. I booked a Hip Hop dance class for her and she was super happy. Some music and tapping on the rhythm are sufficient to call it a dance.

Swim - A Summer Must-Have: Splashing and kicking in the water on a hot summer day is an absolute Bliss. Swimming is an essential skill that everyone should learn. I just love water and so is my child. When she was not even one year old, I took her to a warm swimming pool in a floater and she was super excited. After she turned two, I was looking for a swimming class for her. But here, the outdoor pool is cold throughout the year. So, I was looking for some indoor options and I got Daca Swim School. It is a perfect place for her. For the kids below 3 years of age, parents are allowed to get into the water. The Trainer is wonderful and my daughter just adores her. She sings she plays with the kids and she inspires the kids to swim - a perfect blend.

Animal Walk - Simple and Fun: A Bear walk or a Frog jump or a bunny hop, these exercises enhance the balance, core strength and agility. Top it up with some appropriate animal sounds and see the magic. For my kid, I booked a Gym class at Sunnyvale Community Center.On the first class, I realized it was not for her. The only exercise that she could do was the "animal walk" and she still does her penguin walk and tippy-toes walk that she learned from the class.

Race - Bond while screaming and giggling: A Bunny-Hop race, a Tippy-Toes race or a traditional run or a bike race is a fun way to build up their leg muscles and their stamina.

I am still looking for more amusing ideas to make Fitness as our lifestyle. Until then, I will stick to the usual ones like a walk with me or up and down on the stairs, splashing in the water. I will try not to hand her a mobile and miss out the fun of chasing a butterfly, or follow the trail of ants or watch a snail crawling.

Let me guide her to take the first step to Fitness and walk to a whole new bright future!

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2017 Summer Activities For Kids in Bay Area- Part III

Winter was always my favorite, until we stepped into the United States. I have spent my entire life in India where we savored those 3 months of relief from the scorching heat. We used to put our pillows and blankets out in the sun, to make it warm. Even, finishing up our homework sitting outdoors was so much fun.  Winter was the time to celebrate, go picnic, plant seasonal flowers, peel oranges while enjoying the Sun. I grew up at a place and time where oranges were available only in winter. We used to wait for the first arrival of oranges in the market. It was exciting! However, things have changed lately.
On moving to California, it turned out that Summer is the new Winter here. There are so many colors around. Summer is the time to create some beautiful memories and stay salty. We greeted this Summer with all our zestfulness and enjoyed it all. Scan through the other  Summer Activities we relished this season. We literally became SEAholic and explored some not-so-popular Beaches along with the touristy ones.

Strawberry Picking:
We went for breakfast on a Saturday Morning and after we finished eating, my husband asked: "What Next"? My response was: "Keep driving towards any sea beach until I find something". I always stock up a few diapers, wipes, a set of clothing, snacks, sunscreen for my daughter whenever I leave home. So,  as soon as we started moving, I started googling. A beach or a Ranch or some trail?  I came across a Strawberry Festival at Watsonville. It was something new and we thought of checking it out. We almost reached Gilroy and my search was still on. I was not able to digest that we were driving that far just to buy some strawberries. So, we just took an exit near Gilroy and was welcomed by this vast expanse of beautiful bright yellow sunflowers.

Our eyes were dazzled.It was worth taking a few lovely shots. My daughter was asleep by then and missed the breathtaking view.
I googled for some near by places and what caught my attention was Gizdich-Ranch. 
Pick your own Strawberries or buy it from some stand?Well obviously, the first option appealed more. As we followed the map and reached near by, there were signs everywhere. We followed the signs and headed to some picturesque apple orchards and finally reached there. Parking was small and free. But we did not see any strawberry there. As soon as we came out of the car, a sweet fragrance greeted us. It was PIE!!! We enquired about the strawberry picking which was a few miles on the other side. But how could we leave before taking a bite of pie?
So, we had some hot pie with cold ice cream at the picnic area, which was delicious, took a few funny pictures, stroll through the apple orchards, used the restrooms and left for strawberry picking.
Their Strawberry field is just a few miles away and there were plenty of parking areas. At the entrance, they lend us buckets for the strawberry. My almost-3-year-old daughter was ecstatic.

She was carrying her own bucket and was running around all busy and bossy. My mom was all occupied to decide on the reddest, juiciest and yet freshest one. At the entrance, they cautioned about bees and thus I was actively monitoring for bees where my daughter was picking, though I did not see many. It was sunny. Sunscreen, hats, shades were a must. I had to drag my mom from stop picking more strawberries because I was not sure how to preserve them. At the check out counter, they weighed what we picked and it was $1.99/LB if I remember correctly. We washed a few of them and tasted and it was super juicy and sweet. We drove through the road with some scenic farms on both sides and reached a nearby beach. It was a fun filled family day and we will definitely plan for a similar one, even next year.

Point Reyes Lighthouse:
We bid Goodbye to my parents at the San Francisco Airport this weekend. The Flight was at 11:30 on Sunday morning. Since my mom and dad are super punctual, they went for the security check around 9:30 A.M.We were sad and not ready to go back to the voidness of the empty house.So, my husband suggested Point Reyes. We thought that were already midway and it was not that late. But when we turned on the Google Map, it was showing a 2-hour drive from the airport.   Point Reyes is located in Marin County, California, a popular tourist destination on the Pacific coast.  It is a bit far from our house at Sunnyvale. Still, we decided to give it a try. 
We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and it was foggy on the other side. The drive was comfortable and the roads were scenic with hills and greeneries on both sides. My daughter was taking her nap and we could not stop in between. We needed some fuel. We took a stop somewhere near Inverness. the place is marked as "Point Reyes Shipwrecks" in the map. There were a few cafe and a beautiful spot with some picnic tables along the Tomales Bay. We packed some sandwiches and beverages from "Inverness Park Market", a local shop for groceries and a quick bite. The place looks just like a picture from a picture book. We finished our meal and took a stroll by the Bay, saw a few people kayaking and then started for the Lighthouse. 

Lighthouse was again a few miles from there. The intermediate road was full of adventure. We saw Cows and Horses, wide green pastures and hills. We passed the "Cypress Tree Tunnel" and there were a few exits for beaches which we avoided with a heavy heart since we did not want to miss the Lighthouse. On reaching the lighthouse, we got a parking by a miracle. It was full and one car was leaving and we just grabbed the opportunity. Otherwise, there were a lot of cars on the side of the road on the way to the parking.  The place was chilly and super windy. Thankfully, I had a sweater for my daughter in the car. I wished if I had one for myself. It was foggy and with very less visibility.  The view was breathtaking. The lighthouse is a brief walk from parking. My daughter was a little cranky with the sudden change of environment, the chillness in the wind, and also her grand parents leaving. She was not willing to walk. We were hesitant, tired and a bit uncomfortable at first because of the wind. But decided on giving it a try. After walking a few steps, we got comfortable. Daddy carried her till the Lighthouse staircase. It was difficult to carry her further all those 300 steps up and down. I had to give it a pass. I waited with my girl while my husband walked down those stairs. He came back panting after a few minutes and we headed towards our car. 
The place is far far away from our place but the view is spectacular. The way to home was long and wearying. We just tick off one more place and now while writing when I look back, I think I may go back again some day. 

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