Summer reading: Who is in?

Studies suggest that students who read through summer break perform better in the following school year. Reading is one great habit you can keep for life and it takes reinforcements on kids. With the onset of Summer and the school summer break kicking in, here are ways you can have your kids engage.

Checking out the mobile library

* Look at your local library for ways you can get your kids excited to read, they always have something for you. Her is one such link.
* Checkout for mobile library, it excites kids to get books from them.
* Your city will also be hosting some reading challenges, so do check them out as well, and her is one for reference.
* Scholastic always wants great readers around, so signup for the summer reading challenge and also log your reading minutes and win prizes
* Barnes & Nobel has a book giveaway to all kids who read. Follow this link and keep reading.
* Half Price Books does the feed your brain program, where you read books and claim prizes (only in some states). What a great incentive to read.

looking for books at the library

Just do your part as a parent, keep reinforcing, get them excited about the rewards they cold get, and kids will follow along.

These are my finding and what we plan to do this summer, but if you have more information or ideas, do share in the comment below, and all of us will join along.

HAPPY READING!!!

Euphoric Bike to work day 2017

The finish at Nimble Storage a HPE company

As a commitment to myself and the earth, and also keeping up to what I posted, I rode my bike along with thousands to work today. As an earthday pledge, I plan to ride to work twice a week covering 16 miles round trip. Its a win-win with benefits for my mind, body and the earth.

Free takeaways

at a recharging station

It was amazing to see new people on the roads, as I don't see as many bikers on the road on any other days when i ride to work, or ride back home. There were plenty of refreshing stations, with goodies to take home, and who does not love free takeaways. 

Here are some of my benefits that I count on when I ride my bike.

with other bikers

• Better Mind and Body for just getting back on the saddle.
• Reduced CO2 Emissions and its good for the earth, and ultimately good for all life on earth.
• Reduced Traffic Congestion, and ultimately reducing mind congestion, as I am sure its really stressful to deal with the traffic stress.
• Save Money on Gas, as you use your stored fat, which anyways does not have any other good use.
• Get your boost of  Endorphins and Better Energy
• Last and the very best, get more on your team by  Inspire Others 

Even though the official date to bike to work is over, there are plenty days this Summer when you can leave your car behind and take your bike to work. And if you don't like to bike to work, there are always good trails to ride your bike around. When do YOU plan to ride?

Amazing view with no cars and emission around!!!

Get Ready for winter: Must Have Games at home

With rain, snow and cold weather luring round the corner, how about getting ready for the times you cannot go out. Kids cannot get enough time outdoors, so how do we keep kids busy? Here are some games that you can add to your home toy/game collection. I would call them the must haves for a fun family time at home. I have all of them, and we enjoy playing for sure. Keep those digital devices away and enjoy your family time together.

I have tried some on a 4 year old, and she can tag along and play, which means it works for all kids 4 and above. Adults are no exclusion.

* Jenga 

* Pictionary Game

* Electronics kit

* Uno

* Cards

* Ludo or Snakes and Ladders

 * 15 Puzzle Game

Build your vocabulary with Scrabble

Practice site words with Scrabble

Sorting and Ordering cards by numbers, colors, type

Ludo helps with counting and colors

Reading : Make it a habit, give them the blessing

“Your mind is your library of what you read.” 

― Lailah Gifty Akita

I did write a post sometime back on how reading helps all kids to learn and grow. If the kid is small and does not know how to read, that is not an excuse, all parents, siblings or anyone at home can read to them. I have a lot of parents ask me how to make it a habit, or how did I do it? Creating a habit just takes couple of dedicated days to make anything happen. If you start reading for a week at the same time, kids will ask for it on the 8th day, so there you go, a good habit in place and that is for a lifetime. I am not just preaching but have tried that on our girls.

We used to read to Nishka who is 6 now, and she can read to herself now. She also reads to the younger one. They read together, or we read together as family. Nishka has transitioned from toddler books, picture books to chapters and more. She knows fiction, non-fiction and is eager to pick up books in the library and knows what her genre of  likes/dislikes are. She also writes analysis about some books on what she understood, and that helps with crititcal thinking practice. Now don't get me wrong, but just one liners for the start, middle and end of the book helps with thinking on what was read, and gives good writing practice. I would say that is a good set of achievement for a 6 year old. 

Navya on the other hand is almost 4, and does not know how to read by herself yet. We are in the process of making her and independent reader, and that takes time and dedication. All we do is ask her to get the books she wants and we read for her. Most of her books are picture books and she loves looking at them. She also tries to read to us, like the way we do, and explains them, or I should say tires to explain. This is not exceptional for any kid, but is a habit in place and will help her with reading though out her life

Do check these to see how they read:

Navya tries to read

Nishka does a quick read on bats

Mom's delima behind a kids lunch box

Who all worries about what to pack for lunch for the next day? I do and I am sure you all do too. I try to avoid school lunch, because I know what I make for them is way better than what they get at school, and is all worth the time I spent on it.

Here are some tips before I share the lunch box pictures. This has worked well for me, and hope it does for you too.

• Do not repeat!  You know how easy it is for kids to get bored and skip lunch. You can plan ahead for a weeks meal to get started with, and then stick to a 2 week plan. 
• Read the school lunch menu and try to get something that works best for you and you kids along the same lines. This will help with their question of "Why don't I get the school lunch like my friends"
• It is absolutely "OK" to give them a small portion of chips(no full bags, not event the smallest bag) or half a cookie or chocolate milk as a treat, they will relish it.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Avocado Sauce, German Chocolate Cake and Watermelon

Chinese Style egg noodles with carrots and peas, Fried Egg, Pineapples and Strawberries

Pre Baked Chicken Nuggets, Sesame Bun with Cheese, Cucumbers and Strawberries 

Roasted Corn with baked chicken, cucumber(dusted with chaat masala),  Lychee and Probiotic Drink

Whole Wheat Sandwich with Cream Cheese, Avocado and Egg, Oranges and Cucumber

Inspire and Aspire

All of us are different! but all moms can and do relate to things from other moms. I do that too. I feel what every other mom could be going through, and try to fill in for "Walking in someones shoe". Every mom goes through the feeling of and weighing for your kids happiness along with yours. It is hard, but we all have been thought it and will pass with flying colors all the time. Just trust yourself, and do not judge yourself, and everything will be fine.

I had been wanting to write about a couple of thank you notes that I have been getting since I started this blog. Some notes are vocal while others are written directly to me, but I would like to thank everyone who has helped me be here, and like all of you, I do Aspire to a lot of things around me done by all of you.

Since you all are different but special in many ways, keep inspiring!

Here are some:

Thanks for the long list of baby items

Just wanted to let you know I also have two kids, 6 and 5 and work full time. Life is too busy, but i get motivated looking at your posts.

Inspired by you, I got finally time to create my blog, please let me know how it is.

My food habit has changed by eating along with you, and I am happy about it.

Natural Forests - Explore even more

Its almost end of summer, and are you running out of ideas to keep kids busy? All summer long, did you make a trip to the National Parks, if not, its the right time. End your summer the right way, and give your kids a happy note to make a jump start to a great school year.

Half Dome at Yosemite national park

National Park Services is celebrating its 100th anniversary on August 25, 2016. We all can celebrate it together by visiting any of the national parks from August 25 - August 28th for FREE, yes it is absolutely free at the entrance.

Do you have a 4th grader? It is even better in that case. Every 4th grader get a free entrance pass to all the national parks for a year, and every kid in a park has made it possible. Enjoy while they go to 4th grade.

As a family we love to make trips to National Parks. It is just something that neither can be experienced at home watching it as a show, nor can it be experienced while listening to someones experience. You have to visit it to experience it! We have a long list of national parks to visit, but as a family we made our first trip when Nishka was 3 and Navya just 9 months . Nothing is hard (thats the most heard excuses of all), its just the will to explore. Here are some pictures from the trips we have made. Hope you have a fun trip to any National Parks and do share how it was.

Tunnel View at Yosemite national park

Mirror Lake at Yosemite national park

Bridal Veil at Yosemite national park

Watching the Merced River flow at Yosemite national park

Wonder how tall the trees are at Yosemite national park

There are infinite possibilities, all you have to do is is plan and make it happenWatching the Merced River flow at Yosemite national park