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- Top 10 Ways To Become A Good Parent
- 6 Harmful Ingredients Found In Cold Drinks
- 7 Beautiful Train Routes In The World
- 7 Biggest Lies Society Taught You To Believe
| Top 10 Ways To Become A Good Parent Posted: 20 Aug 2013 08:20 AM PDT Becoming a good parent may be the toughest job in the world, but fortunately the reward is a healthy and happy child, which makes the tough task worth it. Though the area of parenting has been extensively researched, there is no sure way to tell what is right or wrong. Every child is a unique individual which makes their needs different from others. Here are the 10 ways that works for good parenting universally. 10. Adapt Peacefully To Changes in Life:Parents are often frustrated with the changes they have to make due to the entry of children in their life. Parents at times have to sacrifice their flourishing careers to take care of their children. As babies, they change the sleeping pattern, followed by terrible twos, and nothing beats the teen years. Preparing yourself for the change is the best way to deal with the frustrations that come with a child in life.
9. Accept Your Child for What S/He Is:Accepting the child for what they are is the first step on the road to peaceful parenting. When parents try to change their children into something they cannot be, it is not just tiring and exasperating experience for the parents, but also wears out the children. Every individual is born with some inbuilt talent and potential. It is for the parents to discover this talent and unwrap it slowly for success of the child.
8. Give Loads of Love:You can never spoil the child with too much of love. It is when you try to replace your love, attention and companionship with material things that you will spoil the child. Loving a child unconditionally is the right thing to do. Some parents confuse pampering and indulgence with love, which is unhealthy for the development of the child.
7. Spend Quality Time with Your Child:Just being with your child, while you watch television, surf on net or think about something is not counted as giving attention. Be there physically and mentally with your child, so that they feel connected with you. If there are more children at home, don't make anyone feel left out. Keep in mind that being with your child does not mean you hover over them all the time and smother them with your presence.
6. Rules are Not Meant To Be Broken:Do not be enthusiastic with setting rules in your home which are bent or broken for convenience. Have few rules which are supposed to be followed strictly. Many parents worry that their children will not love them for setting limitations and boundaries. Research has found that children like the rules as it makes them feel cared, protected and loved by their parents. Do not give in when children try to manipulate you to break the rules just for once.
5. Improve Your Communication Skill:Communicating with children is easy if you say exactly what you mean to say. Often parents try to beat around the bush, drop hints or use sarcasm which does not work well with children. Communication need not be always talking, as listening to your child and being approachable is another form of communication. Your response, body language and tone talks more to than your words, as children have keen sense of observation.
4. Be Part of Your Child's Life:Take interest in not just the studies or achievements of your child, but be a part of their interests, hobbies and friends. Do not ridicule if they show interest in something which you are not interested like music, movies, books or even friends. Respect their choice, though when you feel your child is not safe you can always create awareness in them. Never criticize or be judgmental about your child's leisure pursuits, passion or friends as that will give vent to rebellion in them.
3. Be Patient and Check Your Response:Even a very loving and affectionate parent drop their guard and respond with a loud "WHAT?" to a confession of less marks, broken vase, spilled bottle of jam on carpet and many other such incidents. The fear of wrath will lead the child to hide things and lie to the parent. Being patient and responding calmly but sternly will have positive effect on the child. Staying calm when the child has broken the precious gift your Mom gave you may be very difficult, but then being a parent is not an easy job. Try to explain the consequences of their action to the child and it is not bad to tell them how hurt you are.
2. Say Sorry and Admit When You Are Wrong:Just because you are the parent and have more life experience than the child, it need not mean that you are always right. Many times children catch their parents on the wrong foot. At such times it is best to say sorry and apologize. You do not lose respect of the child by saying sorry, but you surely will when you do not want to admit your mistakes but try to give reasons. Know that the child will learn the same and pay you back with same coin later in life.
1. Trust and Respect Your Child:Though children need love, care and affection, not many realize that they need to be trusted and respected by the people they love and respect the most, i.e. their parents. Giving them responsibilities, involving them in decision making, listening to them and allowing them privacy when they need it is showing respect and trust and not doing what they want you do. Respect and trust is successful in disciplining children than punishments, criticism, bribes, threats or rewards.
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| 6 Harmful Ingredients Found In Cold Drinks Posted: 20 Aug 2013 03:41 AM PDT
Soft drinks have become a part of every youngster's life. Be it party, celebrations, functions or just hanging out with friends; nothing is complete without the fizz of soft drinks. The parents are happy with the soft drinks as these beverages do not contain alcohol, which they find dangerous. Though it is proven that they lead to obesity, dental cavities, type 2 diabetes, bone loss and many more, no one takes them seriously. Only if consumers knew how hard on their health the so called soft drinks can be! There are quite some harmful ingredients in the cold drinks and here are the 6 most harmful of them. 6. Pesticides:Nearly 12 brands of cold drinks sold in India and other developing nations contain pesticides which are not found in the same soft drinks sold in USA or European countries. The pesticides and insecticides levels are high enough to cause cancer, birth defects and bring down immunity of the body. Though CSE has been fighting the case since 2003, it has not achieved much due to power of MNCs which rule the soft drink markets.
5. Carbon Dioxide:After the lungs expel carbon dioxide from our body with great effort, we consume it back through the soft drinks which have been infused with that specific waste product under high pressure for the sake of creating fizz in it and making it bubbly. Carbon dioxide is responsible for the tangy taste, sparkle and preservation of the soft drink, though, unfortunately it is a harmful substance which can cause severe cell damage in our body. The dead cells further increase acidity of the body which can lead to cancers of various kinds. Drinking too many carbonated drinks in short time, especially in competitions, can lead to death from carbon dioxide poisoning.
4. Caffeine:Considered an addictive and harmful drug, Caffeine is added to increase the flavor of soda in cold drinks. Many soda manufacturers add caffeine to the drink to make it addictive to consumers. Caffeine is present in coffee but it is not as much as harmful as in soft drinks, since it is not absorbed rapidly by body when you consume coffee as done with consumption of soft drinks. Caffeine can have both positive and negative effect on the health of the consumer depending upon the amount of consumption per day. Though it may stimulate the intellect and drive away fatigue and sleep for a short time, it is linked to anxiety, sleep disorders and increase of toxins in body when consumed in surplus. Caffeine is known to increase the risk of bladder and stomach cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes. If consumed during pregnancy, it may cause birth defects in babies.
3. High Acidity:Cold drinks are packed with phosphoric, fumaric, gluconic, acetic, tartaric, and citric acids to give it the sting which is craved by many consumers. The acids also make the soft drink sweet and act as a preservative. Human teeth can be damaged by soft drinks as much as it is damaged by battery acid. Continuous exposure to the acids can erode tooth enamel causing cavities and tooth decay.
2. Artificial Flavors and Colors:Aspartame, an artificial sweetener used in manufacture of cold drinks is a highly carcinogenic product with lot of additional ill effects on health. Some manufacturers use High-Fructose Corn Syrup which is again a dangerous product with inclination to increase the risk of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and cardiovascular problems. Diet soft drinks contain saccharin which is banned in many nations due to its harmful health effects. Tartrazine, carmoisine and brilliant blue are the colors that have adverse effects on the body, yet it is banned only in few countries. The caramel coloring is obtained by almost burning sugar which turns it into a highly carcinogenic ingredient.
1. Sugar:Sugar ranks topmost among the harmful ingredients found in cold drinks. Many may wonder, what is so harmful about sugar which we consume every day. A bottle of soft drink contains very high content of sugar which is tolerated due to the presence of Phosphoric Acid. The insulin burst followed by high intake of sugar causes high absorption of caffeine, rise in blood pressure, and increases sugar level in blood. It is also known to cause rise in Dopamine causing sense of pleasure and hence craving for more deathly liquid. Last but not the least, sugar adds calories to the diet causing obesity issues.
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| 7 Beautiful Train Routes In The World Posted: 20 Aug 2013 02:15 AM PDT Travelling by train is one of the best ways to introduce yourself to the culture of a place, and even say hello to all those towns and cities as you pass through them. Many consider it as the most romantic means of travel – the speed, the scenes, the swing and the snooze, all add to the lazy travellers' experience without emptying his pockets like flying usually does. There are innumerable scenic train routes in the world. The 7 that we pick from across continents to bring to your notice are: 7. The Pride of Africa:The 'Pride of Africa' is a luxury train that runs between South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania. The once-in-a-year trip planned on the train takes you on a 14-day epic expedition through Cape Town, Dar Es Salaam, Kimberley, Pretoria, the Kruger National Park, Beit Bridge, Bulawayo, Victoria Falls, Lusaka and through Tanzania to Dar Es Salaam. Two reasons make this train journey a must do. One, you will love the absolute luxury and the leisurely pace at which it will be served to you. And two, the nature-lover in you will get to see the hidden grandeur of a continent lesser known and mostly unexplored.
6. Konkan Railway:Nearly 750 km of railway line that connects the 3 Indian States – Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka – this rail link is bounded by the Sahyadri hills on the East and Arabian Sea to the West. The train on this line will chug you through fantastic scenes of dense forest cover we well as paddy, coconut and mango plantations. From criss-crossing rivers to endless stretches of water, from valleys to mountains, the Konkan railway is a delight to the eyes. The train goes through 92 tunnels, crosses 2000 bridges over hundreds of rivers and thousands of villages to finally connect the commercial capital of Mumbai with Mangalore. It was a trend-setting infrastructure project when it was completed and was made possible by several technological innovations.
5. Trans-Siberian Railway:Epic journey is a term that the Trans-Siberian Railway lives up to. A 19 day journey takes you from Moscow to Vladivostok, a port on the Pacific Ocean. It is the longest railway line in the world, crossing 8 time zones and with connecting branch lines into Mongolia, China and North Korea. Interestingly, this lifeline of Russia sees people from all social stratum and nationalities travelling along together on a most unique rail experience. Of course, you can book a private car to yourself too and even schedule side excursions like trekking, city tours and scuba diving. However, the more the merrier when a liter of vodka is available at just $3. Yes, we know you are booking your tickets already!
4. Andean Explorer:The Andean Explorer covers one of the highest standard-gauge rail routes in the world, reaching altitudes up to 14,150 feet, as it makes its 9 hour trek from Cusco to Puno and Lake Titicaca. From 8 am to 530 pm, you can enjoy your 3-course lunch sitting in beautifully decorated coaches. Or, sit in the glass-walled observation deck to soak in the absolutely incredible scenery. And we assure you that when you see the sunset a few miles before Puno alongside Lake Titicaca, you will wish this journey was much longer than just 10 hours.
3. Bergen Railway:The Bergen railway is considered one of the most scenic lines in the world. The line between Oslo and Bergen is the highest rail line in all of Europe. The most spectacular stretch is the one over the Hardangervidda – Europe's highest mountainous plateau. Since it connects Norway's two main cities the line is popular with both tourists as well as commuters. Ski resorts dot the way making this line as popular in winter as in summer. It took 34 years and 182 hand-carved tunnels to make this magnificent 7 hour journey possible. In 2009, it turned 100 years old! Those are some numbers there!
2. Alaska Railroad:The Alaska Railroad system covers 500 miles of some of the world's wildest landscapes. The 114-mile stretch through the Kenai Mountains is considered the most impressive section of the journey. The train veers you into areas inaccessible by car, apart from touching coasts, traveling through five tunnels, past cool blue glaciers and even over a river gorge. What's wild? Passing within 800 feet of Bartlett Glacier; sunsets over Cook Inlet on the return trip; the Glacier and Wildlife Cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park. What's wilder? Spotting moose, bears, Beluga whales and bald eagles, if you are lucky that is. Wild landscape, indeed!
1. Glacier Express:This is the most popular route amongst all the scenic trains and also the longest perhaps. Known worldwide as the world's slowest express train, the complete route operates from Zermatt to St Moritz (or vice versa). It will take you through mountain landscapes, very deep gorges, 91 tunnels, and across 291 bridges in about seven hours. The highest geographical point of the trip comes when traveling over the Oberalp Pass, which reaches over 6600 feet above sea level! And while you hold your breath for reasons aplenty on extremely steep-and-scenic inclines, your drinks will be served to you in a special tilted glass so as to avoid spills. Fascinated already, aren’t you?
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| 7 Biggest Lies Society Taught You To Believe Posted: 20 Aug 2013 01:15 AM PDT Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the biggest liar of us all? Not you nor me but Society. We all lie, and explain away our lies with reasons galore because we have to. But it so seems that society is the fattest liar of us all. Thank Heavens society is not a schoolmarm with a birch rod, ready to wield it on anyone calling it so. Even if it was, we would still tell you how society has fed you lies, and made you believe in those too (with our safety helmets duly on out heads, of course!) Here is a list of top 7 biggest lies society taught you to believe: 7. West is a bad influence:Society needs to travel the world, and learn something. Actually, our sources tell us it has been travelling the world but still hasn't learnt anything. What does it do instead? When the 'moral fabric' of the nation is in tatters, blame the winds coming from the West. From cell phones to skirts to noodles to rock music to English language to pub culture – just about any home grown evil can be baselessly contained in the lie that western influence is changing our today and ruining our tomorrow. (Different matter altogether that Mrs. Morality felt free enough to wear pants and tank-tops when in the West herself!) Society needs a make-over, and fast. Now, who's volunteering?
6. Parenting superstitions:If you are a parent already, you know what I mean. If you are not, this might drive you away from becoming one! Soon as your baby arrives, Society walks in like a doctor and pours into your brain myths and superstitions that are silly to say the least. Pure lies, as it passes on these vagaries as wisdom for your well-being. Do not see the lines on their hands till they are 12 or they will not be successful, do not throw a baby's leftovers down the drain or he will fall ill, don't eat greens when breast-feeding or your baby's skin will turn green and do not share the room with your husband till your child is 10 years old. Ok. We exaggerate the last one a wee bit! But then, what's a teeny bit of hyperbole on our part when a million such nonsensical lies are doing their rounds as truths to be feared and hence followed?
5. Virginity is Godliness:We wouldn’t know, do you? If Society had its way, it would want to live and die with the Virginal stamp, so over-rated is the concept of virginity and women. It's a lie! Virginity is not Godliness and neither can it make you feel like a God. If in doubt, ask the Gods themselves. The idea is just another means of writing character certificates for women, or denying them – ignoring all biological basis for the loss of one. Only cleanliness is next to godliness, or so we think!
4. Degrees are all:Degrees are important, but they are not all, as Society makes it out to be. What makes or mars a man is not the formal education that he acquired, but also the parenting he received at home, professional experience he gained at work, the kind of friends who kept him company and the pick-up line he used last without any success (OK. Not so much the last bit, I agree!) And then, at the extreme end of the less-educated but super successful spectrum we have Sachin Tendulkar, Bill Gates and thousands of others telling us how paying lakhs for a degree is not essential to become learned but being really learned and skillful can fetch you those lakhs for sure. There's more to education than meets the Society's eye, as it lies to make us believe a folder-full of degrees will take us to the beach on the moon!
3. Tall, fair, convent-educated mentality:You know what we are talking about. So your marriage did not get made in heaven and you need a matrimonial advert. Fine! But pray tell us, dear Society, why such venom you carry against those who are short, wheatish and educated from schools other than convents? Tch tch! This "printed fact" that a tall, fair and convent-educated girl is a better match for your nincompoop son is not just a baseless lie, it is making fairness cream walas go on an over-drive and making convents of all kinds spring up in every lane of every nukkad. And more often than not, your wards are far from deserving of such "idealistic" spouses. But that, Society sees not, and the herd holds its tail and follows!
2. Religion is 'dharma':A fabrication, this idea that religion is one's 'dharma'. Religion is not mean 'dharma', duty does. Duty towards every other human being, no matter what class, caste or faith. Duty to do good and be good, and not consider your religion above all the others and or before the idea of humanity. We may not have read our sacred texts cover-to-cover, really, but what we do know is that forwarding the idea of religion as the foremost and purest basis of identity is a lie society indulges in, ending up doing more harm than good and creating divisiveness where none need exist.
1. Women better off at home:This is as sexist as sexist gets. Society is wrong when it gives us examples from times immemorial to establish the lie that women are physically and emotionally suited to take care of the household and the men to work and earn. This age-old lie is so ingrained in the female psyche that it is making some of believe in it as if it were scientific and true. While we will say 'wake-up!' to the unassuming subservient women, we will say 'silence!' to that part of society which is perpetuating an unequal environment by propagating such self-serving lies.
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