The Itinerary was Kept an Exciting Suspense In essence, the discussion of the destination became an activity in itself. This had a two-pronged effect. One, they started looking at the map to figure out the place, and two, they got super excited when we told them about the next sights we would see. We Did Not Prepare for Distractions Instead, every second or third stop we bought the kids treats, which served as both souvenirs and distractions. The car ride gets spent exploring new vistas with their new play things.

Breaks Only at Scenic Spots We took preemptive strikes against boredom! We took breaks every 4-6 hours, giving them a chance to stretch their legs. The kids loved exploring a lovely place even in the middle of nowhere. And who doesn’t love creating memories by posing in fabulous vistas?! No Screen Time Means More Family Time Gadgets were used only when we needed to catch a nap or the kids got really antsy. Instead we did the below: Classic games like I Spy, License Plate, I’m Going on a Picnic, What Am I Thinking of. Try to work learning into road-trip games. I love making games up on the fly! Another favorite is making robots, letters from items found on the table at restaurants. Screen Time They Hadn’t Had Before We downloaded new movies/apps while on the road in places where we free wifi was available. Since our trip was for two weeks, we borrowed some CDs from the local library and Redbox, which were a pleasantly received surprise.

Making Friends Along The Way My kids and I love people watching and talking to strangers. Strangers are after all friends we haven’t met yet! Simple conversations lead to enriched experiences. Also, the kids learn to accept different people and their viewpoints. Remember to stay safe though. Ensure little ones know not to talk about your home, routine life or destination. Write the kids’ name, address and phone number and keep the information in their pockets. We even took a few selfies with really fun people.

About the Author:

Aditi W. Singh is mom of two and positive parenting coach specializing in cultural sensitivity. Founder of Raising World Children ezine and a freelance writer for Huffington Post, Thrive, Richmond Moms Blog, she has been featured in NBC12 News and Richmond Family Magazine. Through her work, she provides parents with tools to empower their children to become positive, global thought leaders. The post Tips To Make a Road Trip Easy And Memorable first appeared on Desh-Videsh Media reaches 1.5 Millions+ Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshi, and Indo-Caribbeans..]]> https://www.deshvidesh.com/celebrating-diwali-in-a-meaningful-way/ Thu, 28 Sep 2017 11:22:49 +0000 http://www.deshvidesh.com/?p=29760 Celebrating Diwali in a Meaningful Way By Aditi Wardhan Singh As the Indian festive season begins with Rakhi, we begin mentally preparing for and rejoicing all the series of festivals leading up to Diwali. The Festival of Lights, that brightens up our lives with love and hope. Festivals, though, are not only a time to splurge, eat and enjoy. They ...

Celebrating Diwali in
a Meaningful Way
By Aditi Wardhan Singh

As the Indian festive season begins with Rakhi, we begin mentally preparing for and rejoicing all the series of festivals leading up to Diwali. The Festival of Lights, that brightens up our lives with love and hope. Festivals, though, are not only a time to splurge, eat and enjoy. They are a treasure trove of core values like humility, being inclusive, empathy, experiencing life with all our senses (food, fireworks, new clothes), spending wisely, the importance of community and being yourself in every circumstance.

Impart Real World Values
Using Mythological Stories

The stories behind festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Janmashtami, Dussehra, and of course Deepavali or any festival around the world are wondrous examples of teaching kids how there is always good within all that seems bad. Mythology though, is hard to comprehend by young minds. It is paramount we connect these stories to real world examples to make them easier to understand and digest.

• Read children’s books featuring stories about Ramayan, Ganpati, etc.
• Encourage kids to ask questions about the story lines.
• Explain to kids in the simplest possible terms what every aspect of the story means.

Create Traditions That Carry Meaning

Every year start a new ritual that convey life lessons and encourage creativity. Below are some great ways to connect as a family and dare I say, save money too. Being frugal of course is a wonderful trait to foster.

• Cook sweets or cookies together.
• Create cards or decoration together.
• Discuss and put up decorations together.
• Find new ways to use the older years’ decorations.
• Visit a local orphanage or old age home with gifts or treats.
• Create Rangoli at home with flowers or sidewalk chalk or pulses.

Exchange Gifts From the Heart

In a materialistic world, it is important to teach kids to value presents made with thought.

• Make cards together for your extended family. Send them in advance. This is a great way to stay connected with family far away.
• Create idols from play doh or earthen/eco friendly clay.
• After spring cleaning (a tradition of Diwali), donate items that are old and have not been used for more
  than six months to those in need.

Connect with Community

In an age where people often get lost in the hustle of everyday life, it is important to connect with your friends and neighbors on this wonderful occasion. Organize a get together to create flower arrangements, Rangoli designs or art creations. Getting creative together in groups is a wonderful way to bond and break ice with new friends.

Find New Ways to Celebrate The Festival of Light

• It is fall season. What a wonderful time to collect dry
  leaves, twigs, etc. Use these to create a bonfire in your
  backyard.
• Fill up balloons with glitter or pieces of colored paper.
• Burst these in the evening for a vibrant ambiance.
• Kids could even blow up paper bags and burst giving you the cheerful sound of crackers.
• Make Diyas out of wheat flour. It is very simple and beautiful way to decorate your home.

About the Author

Aditi W. Singh is mom of two and positive parenting coach specializing in cultural sensitivity. Founder of Raising World Children ezine and a freelance writer for Huffington Post, Thrive, Richmond Moms Blog, she has been featured in NBC12 News and Richmond Family Magazine. Through her work, she provides parents with tools to empower their children to become positive, global thought leaders.

The post Celebrating Diwali in a Meaningful Way first appeared on Desh-Videsh Media reaches 1.5 Millions+ Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshi, and Indo-Caribbeans..]]>

The last day of school, I got my son ready and sent him off with a happy heart and waited for the clock to strike 12:00 pm when he would come back and I would hug him, wishing him a “Happy Beginning of Summer Vacation!”

The mere thought of summer vacation puts a pep in your step! The source of this joy is not just in not waking up early and prepping for school every morning. It is in having the kids complete another school year. Our little ones are growing steadily!

The last day of school marks not only carefree days, but also the anticipation of a new school year coming soon. The days in between are precious because they are full of endless possibilities.

Summers are a time for memories. When I was younger, it meant trips to India (I lived with my parents in Kuwait), visiting family. It meant happy-go-lucky play time with cousins, and fun celebrations with family and friends. It also meant learning a new art form and keeping up with homework my teachers gave me.

Now that I am a parent, I aim to make sure my children have a similar well-rounded summer of nostalgia! The idea is to nudge children in the right direction towards unstructured play and directional thinking. Organized chaos if you will!

How do we achieve this lofty goal ?

Create a Summer Bucket List

Whenever we try something new, our brain cells expand, opening up new worlds to us.

Get the kids together and make a list of all things you want try this summer. Add new activities, new places to visit, books you want to read, etc. Stick it on your fridge! This will be your Summer Bucket List. If not every day, cross things off every week and watch the kids and yourselves grow together with new experiences!

Earn Screen Time

We all know free time often ends up meaning screen time. To make sure screen time is accounted for, fill a jar full of folded notes or ice cream sticks with chores/lessons/homework kids can do before they get screen time. Attach five minutes of screen time to each activity. So, to earn 30 minutes of screen time, kids have to hand in tokens for six completed tasks.

This has four benefits. Of course, it limits gadget time. Kids learn the importance of earning something they want. They will voluntarily find ways to help out around the house. Also, the summer will include much needed writing/math practice for them to grow academically. Win win!

Boredom Buster Closet
Fill a closet with board games, activities, chalk, sprinkler sets, and other fun activities. Also, stick pictures of activities to do like baseball, cycling, back yard fun, and whatever else interests your child. Bonus would be toys they haven’t played with in a while. Whenever your kids come to you complaining of being bored (which is often code for wanting TV time or mindless eating!), direct them to the Boredom Buster Closet.

Be sure to keep the One in, One Out rule. When they take out one activity and are done playing with it, they have to put it back in before they take out the next one.

With a little bit of prep work, you are sure to have a blast this summer ensuring the kids grow mentally, physically and academically before their new school year begins.

About the Author

Aditi W. Singh is mom of two and positive parenting coach specializing in cultural sensitivity. Founder of Raising World Children ezine and a freelance writer for Huffington Post, Thrive, Richmond Moms Blog, she has been featured in NBC12 News and Richmond Family Magazine. Through her work, she provides parents with tools to empower their children to become positive, global thought leaders. The post 3 Ways To Have a Wholesome Summer first appeared on Desh-Videsh Media reaches 1.5 Millions+ Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshi, and Indo-Caribbeans..]]>