THE RIOT ROOM- An Irresistible Indoor soft play area.

^{It feels like a blessing when you get a chance to witness your child enjoying & playing endlessly.}

^{We took a wise decision to celebrate the much awaited, 'Father's day', on the 19th of June, at The Riot Room, because last year my daughter was too small to understand the significance of this day and now my child could comprehend that it is daddy’s day, we need to make this day special .}

^{The Riot Room in collaboration with JAMM's network (Journey about mast moms) and Prism Toys organized a memorable event for ‘The Cool Daddies’.}

^{We were quite delighted to see a huge area converted into a play space for the kids with such vibrant colors and humble staff to take care of our tiny tots.}

^{We entered to have a lovely photo clicked on the photo booth and received our instant photo frame. There were games for all parents organized by Prism Toys and we went back to school & brushed up our GK.} 

^{The Riot Room is beautifully designed, conceptualized and owned by Hardika  Lakhani, who herself is a mother. My 2.5 yr old daughter had a fun time going around on all activities like building blocks, soft rides and slides, ball pool, ball shower, gun shooting, bouncing net, etc. The space also has a cafeteria which serves food and parents can also sit back and watch their kids play.}

^{The miniature activities in indoor play areas not only have a fun value but also keep our tiny tots engaged independently. They learn to play on their own, climb, pass the obstructions, and perform various physical and mental activities. It stimulates the mind and body. One also need not worry about the weather outside. During bad weather we cannot take our kids to open play areas. So such indoor play space provides great opportunity for kids to beat the weather and explore their play skills.}

^{They have membership plans, arrangement for birthday celebration and school picnics. One can avail the benefit of their referral scheme mentioned in their website: http://www.theriotroom.in}

^{They are open 7 days a week, 12 PM to 8 PM. Socks are mandatory for everyone (adults & children).}

^{So friends, do visit the place and write your review. I am sure you will have a jolly good time and kids can never get enough of their moniker slides.}

A simple MoM

She wakes up early in the morning every day, challenging the rising sun. There has been not a single day she has spent sleeping extra-long hours. There is an in-built alarm clock in her. The clock can stop working but there is no stopping for her.

 She takes early morning bath, performs her daily rituals, and prays for her family. Even the divine above must be wondering whether he gave her an extra punctuality power. She takes a cup of tea and sits on the sofa doing all monthly calculations. She doesn’t spend this time for herself and her eyes are on the timepiece. And there the alarm rings and even her cooker. She goes to wake her kids for school, prepares breakfast and tiffin. She has to deal with 2 fussy eaters every day in same pattern patiently and sternly. 

Once they leave for school she again gets back to kitchen to prepare breakfast & meal for her husband and in laws. Everyone has a different taste. For kids she prepares sandwich, for husband corn flakes and for in-laws paratha. In the mundane task of preparing delicacies for everyone she has forgotten what she likes and eats whatever suits her time and is ready.

Though everyone has gone to their respective schedule, she still has loads to do; laundry, monitoring maids, cleaning, changing pillow covers and bed sheet, settling bills of milkman, laundryman, cable, grocery  etc., The moment she sits the bell rings, the moment she thinks to do something the bell rings and it does at least 10 times. She doesn’t get bugged but thinks of it as a good exercise.  

Its 12 noon and time for her to get back to work, not household work but something she loves doing and is passionate about. Initially her family was not taking her earnestly but yes now they are and proud of her. She loves teaching. She always wanted to be a teacher. Her parents got her married early, and then came responsibility of house & kids. But time came when she could pursue her dream and career of her choice, though not full time but at least few hours till her children are not home because she doesn’t wants to affect their schedule and give them best possible time.

She runs tuition classes at home. Not many students but takes maximum 10, due to space constraint. It’s been 2 yrs. and she is steady and motivated. Dreams of opening her own classes in a big space. These few hours gives her mental satisfaction and she gets rejuvenated to get back again taking homework of their kids, revision, preparing tea & snacks, going to the market, taking kids to the park, preparing dinner and putting kids to sleep, taking care of medication of in-laws and showing affection & care to her husband. She doesn’t sleep before 1 am. Sometimes after everyone falls asleep, she prepares notes and sheets for her students and reads her favorite book.

Turn the word ‘MoM’ upside down; it appears as ‘WoW’, she truly has a WoW factor in her. She is a simple mom but a fabulous woman.

No big aspirations and demands, happy in her own cocoon. She has few set of friends whom she meets on birthdays and anniversaries. She visits her parents twice in a year during vacations in her native place. You can find her in every single women whether working or at home. Few qualities here and there but she resembles all of us. 


**The content is imaginative and doesn't bear resemblance to any character or person

Quaker Oats contest receipe: SCHEZWAN OATS TREAT

The way to man’s heart is through his stomach, well, for me it was not applicable since I stole my husband’s heart first and then got a chance to cook for him. The way he is a fan of my cooking, I also want my daughter to say that her momma is the best cook. Earlier I used to prepare a feast for my husband and now I prepare dishes to attract my daughter, who is a fussy eater, to at least make her grab a bite.

It is so difficult to please kids to have food. People say, make colorful dishes, so that kids get attracted to eat. But for me it was opposite. My daughter loves modest looking dishes. So I try to make simple looking, innovative, scrumptious recipes which are full of nutrients and which don’t require much time in preparation & cooking.

Oats has been regular in my child’s diet. Oats have become very popular in recent times, due to its various health benefits. They are higher dietary fiber and have healthy cholesterol-lowering properties. It reduces risk of coronary heart diseases, lowers blood pressure, easy to digest, and helps in reducing obesity. Here is my dish which I made from Quaker oats:

Schezwan Oats Treat

Preparation time: 15 min Cooking Time: 15min Total time: 30min Serves 4 people

Ingredients for rolls/tikkis:

1 small packet Quaker oats Homestyle masala 40g

1 small bowl grated cabbage (boil it for a little while after grating. Usually I prefer boiling cabbage before using it. Squeeze it completely.)

1 small bowl grated carrots (squeeze it completely)

1 small capsicum finely chopped

2 boiled potatoes

2 Tablespoon Jeera powder

1 Tablespoon red chilli powder or as per taste

Black pepper (crushed) as per taste

2 Tablespoon Schezwan sauce

4-5 bread slices made into crumps by grinding

1 small cheese cube, finely chopped

1 small bowl suji/rawa

Oil for frying

How to make rolls/tikkis:

Take Quaker oats Homestyle Masala and empty it in a bowl filled with water (cook as per instructions given on the packet). Bring it to boil, make a thick paste. Add this paste to a big bowl along with grated carrot and cabbage, finely chopped capsicum, potatoes, bread crumps, jeera powder, red chilli powder, black pepper, salt, and schezwan sauce.

Smash it completely and make as soft dough. Start making finger rolls. Place the chopped cheese pieces in between the rolls before giving it desired shape. You can make finger rolls, round tikki or star shaped tikki out of it. You can also add chopped dry fruits in between the rolls/tikkis. Apply some oil on your palms before giving it shapes. Spread suji/rawa on a plate and place the rolls, slightly over it so that they get covered completely. This will give a crispy taste to it. You need not deep fry it. One can also shallow fry it on a non-stick pan with less oil.

Ingredients for Chutney:

1 small bowl finely chopped coriander leaves

Half bowl mint leaves

1 small onion

1 small green chilli

1 teaspoon jeera

Salt as per taste

Half cut lime

How to make Chutney:

Grind coriander leaves, mint leaves, onion, green chilli, jeera, salt and then squeeze lemon for some tangy taste.

Serve the rolls with chutney and some salad. Children would love to eat by dipping it in Mayonnaise sauce(its readily available in the market). 

Easy to prepare, easy to serve dish with a twist, especially for children. They can carry in their tiffin’s. You can prepare the rolls/tikkis and keep it raw in the fridge. It shall last for min 2 days, and fry it whenever you want to. One can add vegetables of their choice. Serve it with bread or chapatti; it is filling and healthy too.

Nothing can pull you down, be strong as a mountain!

Have you ever wondered why are mountains so strong? How can they withstand the pressure of nature? No  matter how rough the weather is they stand still and robust. This is because they have a strong foundation and are meant to be that way.

Even humans are designed to be strong and fight against all odds. But not all of us can face life’s challenges with equal ease. Though we all have that quality of a fighter within us but we don’t recognize it especially at the time of crises. We tend to easily fall prey to the situation and sulk in bouts of sadness. We become so blank & deaf to encouraging & supportive words by our loved ones and surrender ourselves to the moment of dismay.

How many times has one felt like just staring at the wall and not reacting at all, as if we have been bitten by some venomous snake? No one is happy or sad as they portray in movies or daily soaps.

We all have the courage and will to fight all odds of life. We just have to identify it at the right time. Birth, death, pass, fail, win, loose, fall, rise, are some of the natural actions of life and life never stops at any of these occurrences. One has to move on and reach the skies.

Look at kids, the more they fall, the faster they rise to achieve their target, without even a small grump on their face. Then what happens to us when we become adults? Why we get so terrified by pains and hardships?

We adults have very less percentage of patience and tolerance levels. I have experienced and heard people saying, “I have faced so much that I can’t tolerate any nonsense”. Sometimes even I repeat the same words.

Let us not define any level and believe that we are most patient and tolerant being on this planet.

Meditate and keep repeating to yourself.

Don’t get triggered over small things.

Face every situation as a challenge.

Be rock strong.

Do what excites you to achieve more in life. Practice what makes you happy.

Be among people who motivate you.

Remember that yesterday will not repeat itself. The present will never come back again and no one can judge or see the future. Then why crib about past and worry about future. Take any given worst situation as a passing phase, with a bright ray of hope.

Manners in children! When & How?

A month back, I was inquiring about summer camp for my toddler and asked the representative of one of the camps, that do they teach anything related to manners/etiquette's. She said, ‘’not for this age group”. Well, my daughter is 2.6 and I was totally surprised as to what a foolish question I asked. She is too small for even to know what is mannerism all about. Though I try to guide her with little basic etiquette but sometimes I feel all this is taking her childhood away.

If children don’t mess up their food, scatter things, spill water, jump around, shout or talk loudly, who will do, we? Infact, I have seen many adults behaving like kids. Then why groom them from a toddler age. But it is well said, all that starts well ends well.

What if we were not controlled & disciplined by our parents? What if we were not thought to eat, sit, walk & talk with etiquette? We would have never known how to respect ourselves & others.

Mannerism is defined, ‘as a habitual gesture or way of speaking or behaving’. It is considered one of the most important qualities in human. 

Good manners makes a person sophisticated & is also popular among his counterparts. I have heard people praise not only their children but also their parents who show signs of good behavior.

So how do we inculcate good manners in children? There is no hand & stick rule here. One has to be sharp, observant & patient as a parent.

-Firstly, analyze why your child is behaving in a particular way. Is he/she showing any readiness to learn new things?

-Do not nag or push them, in just learning things. Rather than make it a learning experience.

-Children learn from home. Mannerisms seed starts sowing from home. We can be their mirror. Social etiquette's are learnt from family members and carried throughout life.

-Some basic steps like knocking door before entering, asking before borrowing, sharing, respecting elders, not invading in private matters, eating correctly, cleaning their own rooms or putting back toys & other stuff, greeting - hello, goodbye, sorry, thank you, showing appreciation, talking softly, not bullying anyone, etc., would just be a stepping stone to a well groomed conduct.

-Do not compare with other children. Every child is different. Some understand easily, some take a little more time.

-Do not be very strict and set many rules. Children don’t like too many boundaries. Once they turn 3, they become more independent and audacious.

-Sometimes children tend to do certain things, just to grab attention. Give them as much as devotion you can.

-If they are having frequent mood swings, try distracting them. Rather than giving heat to their behavior, try to ignore and ask for a time-out.

-Respect their individuality, likes & choices.

-Train them regularly. Children have a high grasping power.

-Nurture their strength rather than just highlighting their weakness.

Most important, shower them with lots of love & support.

SINDHI DAL PAKWAN RECIPE

Dal Pakwan is a traditional Sindhi dish and can be eaten as a snack or a wholesome meal.

PREPARATION TIME: Around 30mins    COOKING TIME: 30 mins  TOTAL: 60MINS   SERVES: 4

INGRIDIENTS FOR DAL: 

1 small bowl yellow chana dal (Bengal gram)

2 spoons Moong dal

Salt, turmeric, garam masala, red chilli, Dhaniya powder as per taste

INGRIDIENTS FOR TADKA:  3-4 curry leaves, pinch of hing powder, 1 green chilli, half teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds) and mustard seeds

Oil as per taste (preferably around 4 tablespoons)

FOR GARNISHING: Pinch of black pepper powder, jeera powder, freshly chopped coriander leaves, 1 finely chopped onion

PREPARATION OF DAL:

Wash and soak chana dal and moong dal 20mins prior to cooking. Heat oil and put the ingredients of tadka. Pour the soaked dal, put salt, turmeric, garam masala, red chilli, Dhaniya powder as per taste. See to it there is enough water in the cooker. It should be less than half size of cooker. Place it on slow fame initially for 10 min to avoid excess water, if any, tocome out while giving pressure. Place the lid of pressure cooker and cook for 10mins. Give atleast 6-7 pressures. You can either give tadka initially or after dal is cooked. Once dal is cooked, slightly turn the dal. Do not mix it. Dal should not be very thick. Garnish it with pinch of black pepper powder, jeera powder, freshly chopped coriander leaves, finely chopped onion (add little bit of red chilli powder to onion for taste) Keep the dal simple, with less of masalas, as that is the required taste of dal.

INGRIDIENTS FOR PAKWAN:

1 big cup Maida

2-3 spoons Atta (whole wheat flour)

1 tablespoon Rava/Suji

Pinch of jeera

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon oil

Oil for frying (as per pan requirement, preferably fill less than half of pan size)

Preparation of PAKWAN: In the meantime when dal is getting ready, start preparing pakwan. Keep oil in pan for heating.  Mix atta, maida, suji, jeera, salt, with water and prepare a dough. Add oil to it for softness. Do not make it loose. It should be a little tight.

Divide into 14-16 proportions and roll each into a size of chapatti around 3-4 inch, depending on pan size. Prick all over the chapatti with knife or fork.

Once the oil in pan is ready for frying; deep fry pakwan till crispy golden brown. Soak excess oil in tissue paper. Keep pakwans in airtight container. Usually they last for 3-4 days. Preferable if kept in a steel container. Avoid keeping in summers.

INGRIDIENTS FOR KHATTI-MITHI CHUTNI:

Handful of coriander leaves, pudhina leaves(mint leaves), half tablespoon jeera, 1 finely chopped green chilli, half chopped onion, 3-4 pieces of soaked tamarind(soak it 10 min before preparation. One can also add 1 khajoor. Do not forget to remove seeds of tamarind & khajoor), salt as per taste.

PREPARATION: Grind all ingredients and make the chutni less thick. One can add sugar or jiggery for a little sweet taste.

Your dish is ready to serve.

                                           

HAPPY LEADERS

 Leaders are born and not made!  If this thought holds true then we would have had very few successful people who became leaders not because they were born so but because there dedication, strong determination and the eagle eye to grab opportunity in toughest of situation made them a role model  for others

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Who is a leader?

-       The one who can strategically adapt in a competitive  situation.

-       Someone who has the ability to get work done from others.

-       The one who sees the big picture and compares his success with organization's success.

-       Somebody who leads others and even people follow him, trust him.

-       He/she can successfully achieve goals.  Takes risks and seems to be always positive about it.

-       Can deliver motivational speech to his colleagues.

-       Maintain strong business relation with stakeholders.

But how does a leader be so consistent in their performance.  Is it that they are born smart, have great qualification, vast experience or is it just luck which backs them?  The secret is BEING HAPPY. Happy leaders are efficacious leaders.

With so much of constant pressure to deliver results, how does one stay calm and yet enthusiastic to reach the goal.
Well, let us review few traits of successful and happy leaders:

Living Healthy: most successful leaders are much disciplined in their health regime. Getting up early, going for morning walks, having healthy food pattern, performing meditation & exercises are some of the healthy lifestyle patterns they follow. A healthy lifestyle not only makes one physically & mentally fit but also helps to stay away from lethargic attitude.

Work-home balance: These people really know how to maintain a steady balance between their work & life. Inspite of having a busy schedule, they remove a decent amount of time for their family. They go on vacations, picnics, family events and simultaneously even do not fall short of achieving their targets.

Socially active: They also know how to enjoy life. Yes, it’s not only work but entertainment also important for them. They do meet their friends often, are active on various communities and participate in social causes too. They are frequent visitors to events, charities, social gatherings, conferences & seminars. In this way they keep their minds refreshed. It is important for one to have a social life in order to just keep themselves away from work tensions & revive their minds.

Avid readers: Successful leaders are avid readers. For some books has always been an inspiration. They derive learning & experiences through the characters. We all know how reading impacts one’s mind. It opens up different avenues of logical & intellectual thinking.

Learning & development: They focus more on learning new concepts & developing required new skills. They don’t hesitate to get a degree at such a successful stage of their life. They become a role model for juniors. It is rightly said that’ there is no age bar to learn’. And true leaders prove this right. They not only enhance their knowledge & skill but also encourage people from their team to develop skill sets.

They are also regular in doing activities like playing chess, solving puzzles, Sudoku, etc.,  that provide mental stimulation.

Leadership is not only leading but getting along with people. Happy leaders create a happy environment.