I’m always eager to explore avenues that contribute to my children’s overall well-being and development. One topic that consistently captures my attention is the profound impact of nutrition on cognitive development in young children. It’s a journey filled with discoveries, insights, and a commitment to nurturing our children’s minds and bodies.
The Foundation of Cognitive Development
Research has long suggested that proper nutrition plays a major role in cognitive development during early childhood. Adequate nutrition is needed for proper brain function and cognitive performance. (1) As parents, we hold the key to providing our little ones with that nutrition. Here are some nutrients that are related to proper brain function and how we as parents can ensure our children receive these nutrients.
1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Nourishing Young Minds
Omega-3 fatty acids are vital constituents of the maturing brain and are considered crucial for development. These fats are abundant in fatty fish like salmon, and walnuts, and serve as building blocks for brain cells. Omega-3s are essential for normal cognitive development and function. (2)
2. Vitamins and Minerals Essential for Brain Function
Vitamins such as vitamin B12, and folic acid and minerals such as iodine and iron support brain development and its functioning. (3) If reading the above made your head spin a little, I hear you! It’s not always easy to ensure your child is getting all the nutrients they need for proper cognitive development.
While we can ensure they are eating a balanced diet, sometimes there are gaps. Children have their moods and one day one vegetable will be their favourite and the next day, they will refuse to eat it. So what is the solution in this case? Let me share with you my top 3 tips to make sure my child is getting all the nutrients.
1. Complan: Supports Overall Growth and Development of Children
Complan offers tailored solutions for the nutritional needs of growing children. It has 34 vital nutrients including 100 % milk protein to support 2X faster growth and nutrients like iron, iodine, and folic acid to support brain development and its functioning. It is also fortified with other vital vitamins and minerals like calcium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E, and many more. The best part is, it has become my child’s favourite drink too!
2. Creating a Positive Mealtime Environment
In addition to nutrient-rich foods, a positive mealtime environment is essential for children’s overall well-being. Minimizing distractions, involving children in meal preparation, encouraging them to explore new foods, and ensuring healthy eating habits help them build a positive relationship with food.
3. Bring in Variety and Flexibility
Offer a wide variety of foods to your child and be flexible with their preferences. This way, they feel confident, responsible, and more likely to make healthier choices. Nutrition plays a central role in cognitive development, especially in early childhood. By providing children with a balanced diet rich in essential nutrients, nutrient drinks like Complan which contains vital nutrients to support overall growth and brain functioning, etc. we can pave the way for their future. As parents, we have the power to nourish and empower our children to reach their full potential. 1
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the blog content are independent and unbiased views of solely the blogger. This is a part of the public awareness initiative supported by Complan.
The post details the meticulous planning involved in organizing a family trip to Thailand, focusing on key factors such as weather, travel time, interests, budget, and transportation. Emphasis is placed on booking flights early, utilizing free visa options, and understanding local transport logistics, especially for traveling with children.
Thailand trip is the most happening post nowadays on everyone’s feed. We spend so many days to plan this itinerary for our Thailand trip, considering many factors as we were travelings with kids.
Let’s discuss the Important factors to consider Thailand trip.
Factors to consider
Weather in Thailand – As the temperature is normally high in Thailand and we were travelling in March-April so we expected it would be hot.
Bangkok, like most of Thailand, has a tropical climate meaning it is steadily warm and humid throughout the year with a rainy monsoon season. April is the hottest month in Bangkok, with temperatures averaging at 30.5 °C (87°F) and the coldest is December at 26 °C (79°F).
Travel time – We want to cover multiple location so local distance between places was really important to plan your daily itinerary.
Places to explore as per interest.
Budget- The most important factor that helps you in planning the Holiday.
Flights
Let’s start with booking flights both international and local flights.
It is always good to book flights as early as possible, to avoid costly tickets. We took the benefit of FREE VISA and saved few bucks.
If you are travelling with kids you can take the separate priority line at Thailand immigration, that will save some time.
Local flights– The flight prices for cheap local airlines is mostly without any baggage, you need to pay extra for your luggage.
If you book the luggage also in advance you can get the low price benefit.
Local Transport in Thailand
Airport cabs booking is cheap at KLOOKthan any other local options as we needed xl cabs for two 6 people with luggage.
Klook services and drivers are good. Cabs provided are nice and spacious and always be on time.
Klook customer support was available on whatsapp.
In city transport you can go with GRAB. You need to have a local sim for Grab application.
Colorful TUK TUK ride prices vary and is totally on your bargaining skills.
THAILAND Sim
You can purchase sim from airport itself as we compared the prices on the company website were almost same.
we took 699 baht plan for 30 day with good data limit.
Sim counters are near the baggage claim and outside pick up points
E-sim options is also available and the connectivity and internet was good.
As we were two families we opted two different networks sim, that was helpful in case one network is down.
ATM withdrawal fees – It’s always good to carry cash from India as the cash withdrawal fees from atm is high. 200 baht for some banks and 800-1000 for others.
Cash is required in almost all places to shop or pay bills at restaurant
Forex card- choose the forex card which provides good benefits and charges less fees on reloading transactions. We have used HDFC FOREX Card
Being vegetarian it was not so hard to find good options to enjoy vegetarian food. Specially in bangkok and Phuket there were lot of Indian Restaurants with vegetarian food options.
In Chiang mai and chaing rai also we found vegetarian food in local places. Just in Big hotel chains it was hard to find veg options especially in Buffet, that was included in stay prices.
Follow this link to check out my next Blog for Bangkok and you can also check other travel blogs
Dhundhara is a village in Jodhpur District, Rajasthan, surrounded by four districts and secured by four gates. The author visited while staying at Kot Dunara, a heritage home. They experienced guided walks, local markets, visits to schools, interactions with farmers, and a jeep wildlife safari, ending with high tea
Dhundhara is a Village in Luni Tehsil in Jodhpur District of Rajasthan State, India. It belongs to Jodhpur Division .
Dhundhara village situated at corner of 4 district . which are pali barmer jalore and lasst village of jodhpur district.it is far 60 kms from jodhpur pali and balotra.it is last village of jodhpur district. 4 gates secures this village around.
We got the chance to explore this place as we had our next stay at Kot Dunara. A heritage home stay in rustic Rajasthan.
About Kot Dunara
It is an ancient Kot, which has been opened up for you as a boutique heritage hotel. Belongs to the Thakur family who have looked after the Kot for over hundred and eighty years, though its existence is estimated to be over a thousand years.
Places we visited in Dhundhara
During our stay in Kot Dunara, they have organised some really nice experiences.
Guided walk
We took a guided walk around village Dhundhara. exploring the local market Soak in the local village scenes, and watch local artisans make their unique handicrafts.
Enjoy the vibrant markets and end the walk with a visit to the girl’s school in the village.
We went to the adventurous ride in a jeep for the wilderness safari. Enjoy the local flora and fauna as we spotted local wildlife like Black bucks, Blue bulls and Chinkara deers.
And finally Ended the adventurous safari with High Tea in the wilderness.
Our overall experience was quite refreshing as we stay in metro cities, where its hard to enjoy open surroundings. Staying in a village provides an amazing experience connecting to our roots,
Getting chance to touch and feel the flora and fauna. enjoying the local cuisine and local tradition. I would surely recommend the stay when you are visiting Rajasthan.
heat the oil in a pan and remove from the stove, now add curry leaves, green chilli & coriander leaves to the oil.
Add water to this oil mix.
Add this mix to the dry ingredients and form a dough with it.
Roll this dough thin and cut out round shape with help of round glass or bowl or cookie cutter.
preheat your oven at 180 and bake the Nipattu for 12-15 minutes. Keep a watch and set temperature accordingly as all ovens behaves differently.
Optional- you can add 2 fined chopped garlic cloves in warm oil also with one spoon onion powder.
let it cool down completely before storing in airtight container. It might be soft once out of oven but as it cools it will be crunchy, just keep an eye it its turning brown you know it is done or you need to lower the temperature setting.
For more healthy recipes click here or check the cooking section from Menu.
We started the planning at least 2-3 months before. Planning includes various things like – length of visit, what to see, which time to visit, how to arrange etc.
We checked various travel partners/websites to get the quotation for a 6N/7D itinerary for 2 Adults and 1 kid to UaE. We were getting around 2.6L to 3.2L quotations. Cost of these packages depends on type of hotel and what all things you are including in it plus your bargain skills.
Finally, we checked if we could plan ourselves and if our friends are okay with that or not. Our friends were good with planning the whole trip by ourselves and had same thought that this provided us the freedom to plan as per our requirements.
Basically, with any tour package you get less tension, but you are stuck with them, they decide what to do when to leave where to go etc. With self-planning you have the freedom to decide what to do how much time to spend what to visit etc.
So, first we finalized what all places we want to visit in UAE and what all activities we want to do. Once we have that list, we checked the ticket prices on various websites. Then we checked the cab charges, hotel prices, flight prices and after all this we compared it with packages cost, and it was coming less only as this does not include their commission.
We booked better hotel, we decided what we want to visit, we decided the time when we want to visit, we decided in our leisure time what we want to do etc.
One can save some money on hotel and attractions. Like you can book something cheaper say a 3*, we choose to go to 148 Floor of Burj Khalifa which was costly then normal ticket, we booked a private 2-hour boat ride in Marina instead you can do a smaller tour or skip it, smaller tours of Abu Dhabi which were cheaper etc.
Attractions We Visited in UAE
After a lot of research and discussions with our friends we shortlisted:
We didn’t do the Desert Safari had done something similar in Jaisalmer so were not too keen on doing it. Our friends did it later in there stay with some of there relatives and said it was good one-time experience, if you have never experience something like that before.
Also, we missed visiting Museum of the Future as tickets were sold out, Dubai Eye as it was under maintenance.
There are a lot of other attractions/places to see in Dubai & around but you need time, so kept them for next visit.
Visa For UAE
We applied for Visa via MMT (Make My Trip). The process was quite simple and straight forwards. You don’t have to visit any place and can apply from the comfort of your home. We took 30 days Single entry Visa.
Document required:
Passport Scan – Front & Back
Coloured Visa photo
You can use MMT App for the same. Upload all the documents on there and pay. We paid INR 19,800 around for 2 Adults and 1 Kid. MMT say it will take around 10-12 days, but it takes around 3-4 working days to get the visa.
Do plan your trip well in advance to save some money. We were little late in finalizing the dates and doing the booking and due to this we paid around INR 20,000 extra. Initially same flight was costing us INR 57,000 and when we booked it 3-4 days later it was INR 77,000 around.
We choose Emirates because of the experience & service, even though we travelled economy but it’s different then Indigo and SpiceJet for sure. One can save some money here as well by choosing Indian Carriers.
If you have some Credit Card/Priority Pass that offer free lounge access, then you can plan your arrival at airport accordingly. We won’t recommend anyone to do this @Mumbai Airport as the Loyalty lounge here is pathetic. It’s so claustrophobic and smells of food all the time & you will feel like coming out of it immediately.
Food was also not good; we had few things there and were out of it in around 30 min. It was much better outside then sitting there. There are other lounges but as this Airport was taken over by Adani, I think they have converted them into but for Business/First class. There are much better lounges on Domestic then on International.
Do note that you’ll need separate cards for all the passengers even for kids above 5-6 years age.
Travel Insurance
We took this from Reliance General as this was the cheapest option. It costed us INR 1000 for 3 passengers with cover of USD100,000 and some add-on features which were common across all other providers.
For this trip we booked Aloft Al Mina which is a Marriott property. It’s a 4* property and it’s good. This property is situated right on Sheikh Rashid Road and has a hospital right adjacent to it. Marriott has their Elements property as well in the same compound so, 2 hotels in same compound.
The property is nice and clean with different options to eat and party. We have booked the room with B/F and they have good vegetarian options with good Indian options as well. Food was good, staff was good and helpful. We didn’t face any issue throughout the stay. Only drawback I would say is they don’t have any free pick and drop to the airport.
They do have free pick and drop to Dubai Mall and La Mer beach but that to is quite less, I think only 3 times a day.
Rooms were quite specious and had a great view of Dubai Downtown. We could see Burk Khalifa from one window and sunset in the evening from the other.
This property is near to Airport around 16-17 Km and nearest attraction is Dubai Frame and Dolphinarium. Farthest attraction was Miracle Garden, which was around 30 Km, but the beauty of Dubai is it will only take you 25-30 min max to reach there.
Attractions
We booked the above listed attractions mostly via there official websites and few via GetYourGuide. It’s best to book the tickets from the official websites as it’s cheapest there and there is guarantee that you won’t get cheated.
Only drawback of this is that you must pay in AED which will add some additional cost to your Credit Card, but you will earn points so kind of win-win.
We choose GetYourGuide as it has good reviews and packages, like Abu Dhabi tour, boat ride, walking tour. While booking this we paid in INR only and got a coupon code which gave us 10% discount but only on there App. Using this we saved at-least INR 8,000.
Taxi
We book all our travel within Dubai via Careem, this is the cheapest and most used app for booking taxi. In non-peak hours it starts from AED 5 around and in peak time which starts from 8 AM to 11 AM & evening 5 PM to 8 PM I think it starts from AED 12.5. For the farthest i.e. Miracle Garden which was 30 KM from our hotel we paid AED 64 which is quite reasonable and something similar we paid in Mumbai for Uber Prime ride to airport.
Uber is too costly there and is not for us mostly used by Europeans and Americans etc. for example same ride in Uber would cost anything above AED 150 easily.
One point to highlight is don’t get into any Black Cabs all Black Cabs are luxury cabs and will cost you way more then Careem. We took one from Miracle Garden to Dubai Mall and it costed us AED 94 this was at-least 9 KM less than what we travelled while coming to Miracle Garden.
International Sim
We purchased Matrix International sim from Mumbai airport for INR 33oo/- after 10% discount. We opted for E sim as our phones does not have duel physical sim options and our friends choose physical sim.
E sim calls were working fine but internet connectivity was a big issue. On the other hand physical sim was working fine. Also the number provided was UK number and not of UAE so our friends & other people in UAE were not able to call us on that number.
Adding to this, whatsapp calling is not allowed in DUBAI, it worked fine in Abu Dhabi.
Don’t take Matrix sim, at the immigration they handed us 2 Du sim for free with 24. hour validity and 1 Gb data. Then we can recharge it for AED 200 I think which will give validity, talktime and data. This is much better then Matrix but not sure how long this will be provided. Even if they stop then better to buy a sim there only.
Stay tune for more details about the daily planning and attractions details.
Miko 3 Ridiculously smart and seriously fun robot for kids
Are you looking for fun and learning way to engage your kid then here is the solution Miko 3 Smart !
Miko is your new intelligent friend who can help your kids from math tutoring , language lessons to dance moves and jokes. It is AI based robot, who keep learning and understanding being with your kid.
Meet Miko 3 , Adya’s new buddy who is smart and fun friend to be with.
Unboxing video of Miko3
What comes inside the box?
Instruction manual
charging cable- You need to use 5V, 3A DC input (Type C USB connector). The charging time will depend upon the adapter, if a 5V, 3A (15 W) adapter is used then approximately 4 hours will be required to charge from 0 to 100%.
Miko’s powerful AI technology adapts to the kids learning needs and behaviors, providing access to interactive education while consistently reinforcing other human connections within their life.
A super-rich app library loaded with games, challenges, and a wide range of interactive learning experiences. Miko brings the top premium kids’ content like Paramount, Lingokids, Kidoodle, Kidloland, Cosmic Kids and more.
With Max subscription, you get access to more than 50,000+ hours of new content experiences and 1,000+ experience types — games, puzzles, TV shows, coding lessons, yoga, and a range of STEM topics.
Designed with a more expansive touchscreen, it creates a healthy alternative to playtime on phones and tablets.
Equipped with a wide-angle HD camera and hi-tech sensors to map distance and edges, Miko moves all around the house.
The Miko connect feature allows Miko to keep kids and parents connected through video calls.
It can interact, tell stories and play games in 8 languages from around the world
Simply secure – It is a closed system with enhanced encryption that make sure that every byte of your personal data is protected.
How does Miko 3 works
1. Connect Miko 3 to Wifi.
2. Once connected, you get access to wonderful games & educational content.
3. Talk by saying ‘Hello Miko’. You can ask any question & Miko 3 is always ready with an answer!
4. You can also have knowledge based conversations with the robot.
5. Moreover, Miko 3 gets updated with new games and content every month for your child to have a wholesome fun & learning experience!
Parental control
It is connected with parental application that tracks your child learning through the time spent on Miko.
You can do video call to your kids through the application.
Your child data is safe -The data is end to end encrypted. They do not store/sell personally identified data on server or cloud. The parent is in full control of their child’s data.
My thoughts
Good for limited screen time without worrying what your kid is watching, as all the content is educational and as per child age.
Help those curios minds engage as they can ask as many questions as they want.
Created emotional connection with kid with its weird face expression.
I liked the Tidbits addition- An advanced AI feature for kids to have real educational and age appropriate conversations with topics such as health, environment, nature, history Geography and much more.
We all have made many choices in our life, that have made us proud and sad at times. Today I would like to talk about my one choice that changed a lot in a better way with a roller-coaster ride. First let me share why I am writing this post today?
Before I share my choice let’s understand little more about it.
What is CHOICE ?
Choice is a chance when you have two or many options and you have to decide among all what’s the best for you. Let’s take very simple example from your life, when you were have to choose between different flavours of ice-cream and after waiting for a while you choose one. That’s your very first CHOICE as a kid.
But as you grow older these choices becomes more hard and options becomes less and you have to decide what would be the best for you as that can impact on your life.
CHOICES -Impact & Importance
Your every choice has a big impact on your life either in a good way or bad way. When you have to decide your subjects it sets a bigger goal for you in your life as whatever stream you choose your will join that profession.
So it is really important to make all your decisions with proper understanding of all the pros & cons as the results can be fruitful or bitter.
My Choice and why I am proud of it?
I choose to put myself before all the traditions and emotions that were holding me back trying to make happy all people around me.
Now let’s talk about the decision I am happy and proud . It was when after my delivery , when I decided to stay with my husband to take care of my newborn without any elderly support as they were not able to stay with us ( personal issues).
This was a big decision as being first time parents we know the journey would not be easy for us, but this journey prove to be the best learning experience. I was learning everyday to take care of my baby and everything, this DO IT ON YOUR OWN situation boosted my confidence to handle everything .
What I gained !!
Home Baker & Blogger
I started baking to beat the postpartum depression and it worked as a therapy for me, Meanwhile started writing down the parenting experiences and this started my BLOGGING JOURNEY.
I researched about cloth diapering and baby wearing that was one of the best choices too. As they made my life easier and they were eco-friendly, as it was not so popular at that time my learning helped me understanding and by this I was able to help many other new parents who have the same doubts.
Today when I think about that decision,I feel that if I have chosen to go to my parents place. I wouldn’t get the chance to know my capabilities to handle such situation. As we get support we will never try to find new ways to get out of the situation.
Finally, all my experience made me realise it’s always good to take a decision for you and work on it. It might be hard at that time but you would be proud that you did what you felt right for you.
The right shampoo for curly hair can transform your beautiful curls and make them healthy too
Curly hair is receiving a lot of attention these days. People have started to love their natural curls. Fortunately with the right curly hair gel, cream and love, your curls can become irresistible. The requirement for curly hair is completely different from other types of hair. In today’s blog, I will be sharing my Curlvana fortify cleanser review. But before that let’s discuss, how to choose the right product for curly hair?
Need for Good Shampoo for Curly Hair:
Every hair is different and so is curly hair. You need to use different shampoos for curly hair. The structure of curly hair is to be blamed for its frizziness. There are a lot of variations in curly hair, from afro-textured curls, and coiled curls to wavy hair. The follicles of curly hair are different from other hair types. It is slightly slanted and it does not grow vertically upright like straight hair. The natural oil that is secreted from glands cannot reach the strands of curly hair. That is why curly hair needs extra moisture. This can combat the frizz and dryness of curly hair. Curly hair’s ability to absorb moisture also varies from straight hair. A simple conditioner is enough to make straight hair smooth and easy to manage. But curly hair needs more than just conditioner. It needs extra oiling, serum, mask, and lots of conditioning. Hence, you need to look for the best shampoo for curly hair.
How to choose the right shampoo?
Curly hair needs special care. You need to choose shampoos that are sulfate and paraben-free as sulfates and parabens are more likely to cause frizz and dryness. Curly hair needs a lot of moisture which can be received from hair creams, oils, or gels. One of the prime ingredients in most shampoos these days is sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). Though it produces a lot of lather, it can make the hair dry by stripping all the natural oils. Shampoos that have alcohol should also to be avoided. Shampoos that have natural moisturizers like plant protein, shea butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, almond oil, etc. can help in retaining the moisture in the curly hair. It also does not disrupt the pH level of the hair. So, always pick a sulfate-free shampoo for curly hair as that can prevent damage.
Why did I choose Curlvana Fortifying Curl Cleanser?
There are so many curly hair products available in the market these days. There are many curl-friendly ingredients used in all of the products to bring the best out of your curly hair. One such product would be Curlvana Fortifying Curl Cleanser. This shampoo also works for wavy curly hair. It is a gentle cleanser that gets rid of the build-up but not the natural oil of our hair. This cleanser has ingredients like Jamaican black castor oil, Shea butter, Aloe vera, Pentavitin, fermented rice water extract, plant protein, etc. All of which control frizz and also help to define the curl. It does not dry the curls, hence reducing hair breakage. All these key elements make this the best cleanser for all the curly hair girls out there.
The Curlvana shampoo is curated to gently clean the Indian curly hair and is the best chemical-free option. I hope the detailed Curlvana shampoo review will help you to pick the right product for your curls.
Kombucha is a fermented drink, made with tea and sugar with help of culture of bacteria also known as scoby. It is also known and consumed for its health benefits.
It is full of probiotics, enzymes, and healthy organic acids, it improves your gut health and immunity and can replace your sugary drinks with it. Because it’s fermented, it contains no or very little sugar!
We can create different flavours from the base kombucha, with the help of fruits and herbs. For detailed study visit here
Recently I have attended one session where learnt about olives and it’s benefits.
It was such an amazing informative session at Olives at your table INDIA baking with Ajay Chopra and learning about how we can include olives in our daily lifestyle!
We learned about different olives and it’s nutritional benefits!
They have Good fats only! About 75% of an olive’s fat content is oleic acid, which helps maintain normal blood cholesterol levels.
They are an excellent blend of vitamins, minerals, and good fats.
So, wanted to try this recipe with olives, let’s jump to the recipe.
Ingredients
Olives 1 cup ( blended without water ) you can take green or black as per your availability.
