Letter to my dear daughter #myfriendalexa

Dear Cheeni,

Even before I knew you were coming I named you, my little angel. I found a new reason for my existence when I saw those two pink lines. We (your Dad and I) fell in love within seconds listening to the magical sound of your heartbeat. I thought it was a myth to identify gender based on heart rate, but I knew it was you, my special rainbow baby.

I knew it from those constant kicks and strokes you gave me while you grew inside me. They were such a gift, a signal that you were alive and growing. The times I sing to you and read out to you when I was alone, I felt a strong connection. Those moments of acknowledgement when I talk to you, the signs of reciprocation kept me going even when I was tired or feeling low. Even today I try holding on to what it felt like to have you kicking and stretching the limbs of your tiny body inside my body, safe and sound. These are moments etched in memory for lifetime.

I wasn’t the only person counting down to your arrival. No words to express the excitement of your Grandparents (all four of them) and both aunts as I was nearing my due date. You see, you are their first grandchild and their first niece. The countless number of phone calls showing that they can’t stop talking about you, to see if it’s time. I really feel so blessed to see how many people love you.

I was so eager to be the mom you so deserve. Disclaimer: I may not get it right at first, but I promise to try my very best and I promise to love you unconditionally until my last breath on earth.

I celebrated my first Mother’s Day with you, my baby. I feel this irresistible need to tell you some things about what it means to me to be your mother. So exciting that I now have a girl of my own who will wish me “happy mother’s day”. Now that’s a change from me wishing my mom and all elder woman in family.

I replay the first moment I saw you, at times when I try sleeping at night. The first eye contact I had with you on the labor bed, when the nurse gave you to me, by placing you on my chest. That moment of relief, happiness, pain all at the same time.

And What about your Dad? You are so lucky to have him of course. I have never doubted his ability to make a fantastic father. And now I know you will be the girl(second) who ultimately melts his heart with just one look.

You’ve had such an intense impact on our existence here. And now, you will become the best and worst parts of us.

You have my eyes, and your dad’s hair, my round cheeks and his long fingers, but you are unique.

And destiny will tell us if you are as bold as him or as quiet as me. We have so much ahead of us.

You are a daddy’s daughter too but sometimes the feel that you’re all mine at least secretly gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment. He does travel along for the ride but you and me… We’ve got a special thing going.

There would be times where it gets tough, but I do know that we can get through tough times, and I want you to know that I’m always trying my best. I want to be a good mother and I’ll try my best to do what’s right for you.

All I would wish for you is to Create a life that gives YOU happiness. Nothing would make me prouder.

You will have plenty of days to thank me, but I would thank you on every Mother’s day for making me a mom and I am so happy to be yours.

I can strongly say there is no word in English language that sounds as delightful to a woman as the word, “Mom.” God must have coined it after a long thought. One shout out of the word “Mom!” — every woman turns her head. And that is how special it is to be a mother.

#sindhublogs

#myfriendalexa

I am taking my Alexa rank to the next level through Blogchatter .

Review of heart quake by Ishita Deshmukh

BLURB:

Bhuj. Circa, 2001. A city wrecked by a massive earthquake. They met after ten long years. Their hearts wrecked by the promise of togetherness that could never be. As love tries to bloom again in the unlikeliest of places, intrigue sets in. Fleeting shadows… Hidden eyes… Mysterious deaths. What will happen when the tremors of love collide? Will he make it to the epicentre of love? Will her heart quake? Only Heart Quake will tell…

MY REVIEW:

The plot is set in the disastrous background of Gujarat earthquake in 2001. Sonal Patel whose a nurse comes to Bhuj to assist her team of doctors to treat people who keep coming in the wake of the quake. It is predominantly a romantic story also highlighting the ghastly reality of a natural disaster that shook the nation in 2001.

Sonal comes to Bhuj to look for her friend, Smita; who lived in the same city . But she comes across Tejas her ex-boyfriend; who was there to pick themost challenging medical cases for his soon to be launched multi-specialty hospital.We also have Dilip, who was Sonal’s friend all these years and was to be her fiancée.There are a couple more relationships going on this plot. Say nurse Pooja from Sonal’s team who falls for Tejas.

Amongst all this, unidentified to any of them, there are uncivilized agents at work in this disastrous times hell-bent on filling their pockets at the cost of scarcely surviving human lives.

Can Sonal find Smita among the rubbles? Will she resolve her troubles with Tejas? Or will she move ahead to the next phase of life with her fiancée.

The portrayal of characters is very well done with notable importance to each and every character. The character of Sonal’s mom, was also portrayed well where she calmly advises her daughter. But in the end its only Sonal who gets the Spotlight.

The narration was lucid and flows fluently. I didn’t have to look up words to understand what they meant, such simple was the use of words by Author. The emotional quotient was managed commendably.

BOOK DETAILS:

  • Author: Ishita Deshmukh
  • Paperback: 255 pages
  • Publisher: LiFi Publications Pvt. Ltd. (2018)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 9386191490
  • ISBN-13: 978-9386191496

MY REVIEW:

Book Title: 4/5

Book Cover: 4/5

Plot: 4/5

Characters: 3.5/5

Narration: 3.5/5

Language & Grammar: 3.5/5

Final Rating: 4/5

The book is available on Amazon https://amzn.to/2oakecS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ishita Deshmukh is, in many ways, a mascot for national integration! Born to Bengali and Gujarati parents, she grew up on a steady diet of Tamil culture and French literature in Puducherry. If that wasn’t enough, she is married to a Telugu bidda. She has this uncanny (and unnerving) ability to switch between six different languages in the course of a conversation. She is a multi-tasking marketing professional who currently runs a small home business in Singapore and helps with her family business back home at Puducherry. She is passionate about the arts, loves painting, playing the piano and embroidery, but has always dreamt of becoming a writer. She is a regular fixture at the neighbourhood library and has a special place in her heart for romantic fiction. So, get ready to devour Heart Quake, the first of many delicious fares from her literary cauldron.

Review of The Friend by Teresa Driscoll

BLURB:

On a train with her husband, miles from home and their four-year-old son, Ben, Sophie receives a chilling phone call. Two boys are in hospital after a tragic accident. One of them is Ben.

She thought she could trust Emma, her new friend, to look after her little boy. After all, Emma’s a kindred spirit—someone Sophie was sure she could bare her soul to, despite the village rumors. But Sophie can’t shake the feeling that she’s made an unforgivable mistake and now her whole family is in danger.

Because how well does she know Emma, really? Should she have trusted her at all?

Time is running out. Powerless to help her child, still hours from home, Sophie is about to discover the truth. And her life will never be the same.

MY REVIEW:

This is one of the books where the plot turns out to be gripping and keeping you intrigued. It was one psychological thriller that was full of mystery, suspense and an impressively manipulative character in recent times.

The story goes like two friends Emma and Sophie whose kids are close in age. Sophie moved to Tedbury with her husband and son Ben. She immediately strikes a friendship chord with Emma. Sophie is inconsolable when she receives a call mentioning that the boys had an accident and are in the hospital. Most of the story narration is from Sophie’s point of view, but we have the other character’s view as well. The story unfolds in present time and flashbacks.

The plot occasionally skips to different character perspectives for a chapter or two to advance the story and the threads all pull together in a great crescendo at the end of the book.

The narration was good but at places too dramatic, in fact an overdose.

We’ve all been fooled by people who come into our lives bringing excitement with them, only to turn against us in the end. The word friend now has a new meaning after reading this book. I feel that this book is different from “I am watching you” by this Author. It is the best kind of thriller—one that doesn’t sacrifice portrayal for thrills. There are twists and turns that makes you want to gasp for breath. The book is creepy and intense and the suspense keeps you intrigued till the end.

BOOK DETAILS:

Author: Teresa Driscoll

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

ISBN: 1542046661

ISBN13: 9781542046664

Genre: Suspense, thriller

MY RATINGS:

Cover- 4.5 stars

Title- 4 stars

Blurb- 4 stars

Plot- 4 stars

Writing and Presentation- 4 stars

Overall- 4.5 out of 5 stars

The book is available on Amazon

Amazon : https://amzn.to/2LxyqG2

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

For more than twenty-five years as a journalist – including fifteen years as a BBC TV news presenter – Teresa Driscoll followed stories into the shadows of life. Covering crime for so long, she watched and was deeply moved by all the ripples each case caused, and the haunting impact on the families, friends and witnesses involved. It is those ripples that she explores in her darker fiction. Teresa lives in beautiful Devon with her husband and two sons. She writes women’s fiction as well as thrillers, and her novels have been published in six languages. You can find out more about her books on her website (www.teresadriscoll.com) or by following her on Twitter (@TeresaDriscoll) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/teresadriscollauthor).

Review of Lovestruck by Prasupta Roy

BLURB:

Kaatyaani works as an English teacher in a school. She enjoys her job as she finds it both challenging and rewarding. She dreams of excelling in this field and getting some recognition in her life. But, life takes a different turn when she marries Hemant. She now has only one wish-to become a mother. For, she thinks a baby will fill the void in her life. But fate has different plans! Amidst the turmoil when life seems meaningless she meets Siddharth, a tall and handsome man in his mid-thirties. In him, she finds her ideal man, her soul mate. They come closer, fall in love and wish to spend life with each other. But Kaatyaani won’t leave Hemant. For, she thinks he will be shattered if she forsakes him. Fate plays a game again when Hemant gets transferred to Bangalore. Her heart craves for Siddharth while her mind demands fidelity. In this tussle, between her heart and mind who will win-the heart or the mind?

MY REVIEW:

Lovestruck is about Kaatyani’s life. She works as a school teacher. Life takes a major turn when she marries Hemant. It’s the usual story of “expecting a child’ after marriage. They decide to visit the expert. We see a long episode at the hospital involving a big wait now that is something at least that is depicted about the real world. Hemant is always grumpy and Kaatyani is a cry baby. We see a lot this happening in fact throughout the book. Then we see an affair blooming between Kaatyani and her new found social media friend( Siddarth alias Sid as she fondly calls) whom she decides to meet after a couple of message exchanges. She decides to meet him regularly during Hemant’s absence.

And it’s so unbelievable that she decides to bring him home when Hemant is away on a tour. Fortunately for her or unfortunate for Chennaiites the flood happens so she makes him stay with her for ten days and nobody in the apartment knew about it. And her husband only calls on the day before he is expected to come to check on her and inform about his arrival.

Hemant gets another offer and the story shifts to Bangaloru. We have yet another affair in the book and that is Hemant with another woman. I’m not revealing the details of who it is, since there might be people who would want to buy the book and read it. And they get a quick divorce like how we purchase a tatkal ticket.

Kaatyani moves back to Chennai and starts searching for Sid. Sadly she gets a letter written by him from one of her old neighbours. Who has carefully preserved it to be handed over. In the era of fast communication, I’m not sure why will someone wait for the person to arrive in person to handover the letter. And our lady here, just tries dialling his number and finally resorts to writing a letter to him since she couldn’t reach him over phone. Kaatyani wake up, he found you through social media.Why not you try the same. So, she waits for another 10-12 years for him to arrive back and then reunites. THE END.

First of all, the plot is very usual. I noticed a couple of grammatical errors which should have been avoided, given the fact the author is a teacher. Secondly, the book is not gripping to read continuously, but could have been improved given a usual plot. Some parts were of very little details say the divorce the between Hemant and Kaatyani. The choice of words could have been better. Overall I would give it a one time read.

BOOK DETAILS:

Author: Prasupta Roy

Genre: Romance Fiction

Published by: Half Baked Beans

Number of pages: 130 pages

My Rating: 3/5

MY RATINGS:

Cover – 3.5 stars

Title – 2.5 stars

Blurb – 3 stars

Plot – 3 stars

Writing – 3 stars

Presentation – 3 stars

Overall – 3 out of 5 stars

The book is available on Amazon

https://amzn.to/2PxBDZw .

Review of corridors of time by Vinay Krishnan

Blurb:

Corridors of Time tracks the story of a sensitive young man who grows from carefree childhood to eventful manhood – one who stumbles before learning to stride through those dark and dense passages.

Set in Bangalore – a city of paradoxes. of gardens and garbage heaps. of technology and traffic snarls. of friendly people and failing infrastructure. when bungalows had gardens and pavements were meant for pedestrians. this is a narrative of the human spirit.

Rohan, an idealistic young sports lover experiences rejection, dark dejection and isolation and hurtles down the path to self-destruction.

Shyla, attractive and successful is everything his heart yearns for and his body desires, except, she is married!

Chandrika, simple and devoted fails to understand the man she loves.

The shuklas long for justice denied by the system.

And khalid fears nothing and no one …anymore.

MY REVIEW:

I am someone who believes in the saying that ‘excessive strictness and blind discipline are bad teachers for kids’. But we do know kids whose parents are in army are brought up with utmost strictness and discipline. Likewise, here in this book, the lead character Rohan is the son of an ex-Army man who is very strict and follows principled lifestyle. In fact, he follows principle for everything, he can be aptly known as Rohan’s teacher than his father. Such approach being showcased while bringing up children, often creates disruptions in the child’s life. As mentioned in the quote above, too much strictness towards him, Rohan grows up with a carefree attitude.

Rohan is an excellent sports person but a bad performer in academics. Due to this, he was always being pinned down as a failure in academics. This in turn worsens his performance when he joins college. He falls in love with a woman(Shyla) even after knowing she is married. Taking her as role model, he tries hard to complete studies by joining evening class. The lust angle that is usually looked at when a relationship between a bachelor and a married woman is spoken off is not visional here since the Author has sensibly avoided the details. The relationship between them takes a toll and they part ways to be good friends.

Rohan becomes dejected. After years, he secures a job where a girl(Chandrika) falls for him. He decides to proceed and go along but this time her parents reject the proposal. But they plan to move ahead and face a lot of hardships.

The plot is set in a timeline of two decades ago in Bangalore, but can be related even now owing to the current scenario of the city. The plot is more relatable when Rohan meets Chandrika and a couple of instance more relatable by a middle class family’s daily household.

The author has brought up more sub plots within this book, which have individual importance but I feel they could have been reduced to keep up the current pace of Rohan’s story. The climax was a bit unsolicited and very delicate.

BOOK DETAILS:

Author: Vinay Krishnan

Publisher: GJ group

Genre: Non fiction

Cover design: Envy designs

MY RATINGS:

Cover- 3.5 stars

Title- 4 stars

Blurb- 3.5 stars

Plot- 4 stars

Writing and Presentation- 4 stars

Overall- 3.75 out of 5 stars

The book is available on Amazon.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2OCmG7g

About the Author:

Vinay Krishnan describes himself as a ‘complete Bangalorean’. A student of Clarence High School, he graduated in Humanities from St Joseph’s College. Earning a diploma in Business Administration, he began his career at Usha International Ltd and rose to a position of Senior Sales manager. Vinay has now set up a construction firm of his own. He also writes and devotes his time to an NGO assisting people with disability. The city of his dreams, Bangalore, where he stays with his wife and daughter, continues to inspire and exasperate him. He can be reached at – vinaykrshnn@yahoo.com.

Praises for the book:

The book is simple in style and content, for often it is this simplicity that bewilders and rouses
Interest.
~ Shri S . Rajendra Babu, Former Chief Justice of India
The book has excellent literary craftsmanship, passion humour and adventure. Highly recommended.
~ Mr. Namboodiri, former Asst. Editor, Deccan Herald
This charming book about old Bangalore is written in a racy easy-to-read style.
~ Deccan Herald, Bangalore.

Review of Table for one by Neha Bindal

BLURB:

Taara Maheshwari, a single woman in her thirties and a successful lawyer, is tough from outside but a die heart fan of romantic movies from inside.

She grew up seeking her “happily ever after’ but amid various heartbreaks and culture of modern age short term relationships,her belief in “true connections” got replaced by the comfort of being “emotionally disconnected.”

After she turned 31, her parents persuaded her into meeting a guy for marriage who sounded just perfect for her. Acting on impulse,she told her parents that she would meet him only if they let her go on atrip to Europe.

As Taara went on to explore the world, she experienced what actually happens when a single Indian girl travels to Europe all by herself. Is it only about dancing, singing or falling in love? What happens after you fall in love? Does love conquer all? Only her story would tell.

My Review

One’s destination is never a place, but always a new way of seeing things.

The first thing that made me awe was the cover of the book. It looks to be wonderfully designed keeping in mind the asthetics of a travelogue or the diary of a traveler. Kudos to the creator.

I had an initial thought the book is on the similar lines of ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ but I was proved wrong.

Taara is just another girl like you and me who is in her early thirties. She has a modern upbringing and self-determining nature. The way she is described projects a girl next door image, but she sounds detained deep inside by the heart. She is a confused person who does not know what she wants.

After being crushed in two break ups, the girl grabs the opportunity to strike a deal with her father putting her future on stake and wanting to go on a solo trip. So, what does the trip have in store for her.

The trip which starts as a journey of exploration finally ends in rediscovering herself but now a strong woman. The cover gives you the feel that the book is about the places she visits but you are in for a surprise.

Every happening in life is a lesson and everything happens for a reason and every person whom we come across has a part to play.

Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eyes, that is where we realize love is what we feel and can be felt with memories too. The author has done complete justice to this.

The plot had a lucid narration to support and a let go feel which was commendable. An addition of a chapter of her life after the return from trip could have been added.

Love like you’ve never been hurt aptly complemented her. The novel is a light read and a good book to be carried on a journey.

The writing style was simple and lucid, with not much of a clichéd drama. Most places had a Bollywood reference which gives it a more Indie feel. In fact, the author’s description about the various places takes you on an imaginary solo travel.

Takes us women, on a trip of self-realization is this book in short. Go ahead and grab your copy.

I finished this book in a day, such intriguing was the way the author had written it.

“As you travel solo, being totally responsible for yourself, it’s inevitable that you will discover just how capable you are!”

“If you never go, you will never know!”, so get ready and pack your bags.

BOOK DETAILS:

Author: Neha Bindal

Publisher: Half Baked Beans

No Of Pages: 175

Genre: Romance,Travel Diary

MY RATINGS:

Cover- 4.5 stars

Title- 4 stars

Blurb- 4 stars

Plot- 4 stars

Writing and Presentation- 4 stars

Overall- 4.5 out of 5 stars

The book is available on Amazon.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2w7EhMA

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Neha Bindal is a chartered accountant and PGDBA and has changed four companies in her six years of corporate career.She takes life with a pinch of salt and a pitcher of margarita.She is an impulsive traveler,avid reader,part time writer and a full time dreamer.

She is also the first women from Laxmi nagar to fly solo across khardunga La pass(Leh) without oxygen. She has decided to open a cafe there and inspire people to “Netflix znd chill” when there is no oxygen by sipping freshly brewed half baked coffee.

Her philosophy of life is simiilar to Paul Walker.If you can’t have fun,there is no point doing it.

Review of Fate’s design by Subhashish Dey

BLURB:

When a kidnapper redeems his lost conscience and finds himself unable to murder the girl he has kidnapped, what does he do? Fate is cruel to him and good intentions are never enough.

At the same time, a woman dissatisfied with her existence flees from her home, not knowing what lies ahead of her. But all things come at a price and she has a hard path ahead through storms and fire.

Watch how fate has entwined these lives together, into a song through struggles of conscience and identity, through the deepest lows and greatest highs and through the flame of madness and the stings of survival.

My Review

The first thing that took me back when I was offered this book for review is the age of the Author.

Gone are the days where one can say the kid is just 14. I am totally impressed with his work and astounded at his talent. Author has done a noteworthy job in his maiden novel.

“You often meet your fate on the road you take to avoid it.” Is a French proverb. Likewise, fate has the supreme power to drag or if I would say weave the pattern of our lives. The book stands out and makes itself a good example of it. The feelings like love, harassment, affection, morality, duplicity were all expressed in such a way a matured human would do. The narration by the author was at the right pace. Not too much or not very little. The maturity stood out here as well. Simple expressions of pardoning were brief and heart-touching.

The story at some places were predictable, but I never had the feeling to skip the pages and go ahead, that definitely should be credited to the writing that was eloquent and warm. The reunification of Andrei and Irina brought out the best literal talent of the author, where he depicts the separation space being filled with love and affection.

Here’s wishing the author a successful and bright literary future.

I write this review with the age of the author still vivid and clear in my mind for each word.

Overall the book gave me a warm feeling and attachment to the characters and made me learn that,

Fate doesn’t care about your plans.

Fate will find a way.

About The Author

Subhashish is a 14 year old student of Chinmaya Vidyalaya Anna Nagar. He has been regularly contributing short stories to his school magazine. An avid reader, Subhashish believes that books open the doors to some wonderful insights in life. An inquisitive boy, Subhashish loves to explore different places and spends time trying to understand the culture of the people there.

Subhashish lives in Chennai along with his parents and grandmother. This is his first attempt at writing a novel. Subhashish is passionate about music and loves singing and playing his piano. Incidentally , music forms the backbone for the story if his novel.

BOOK DETAILS:

· Author: Subhashish Dey

· Publisher: Good Times Books PVT LTD

· No Of Pages: 204

· Genre: Drama, Mystery

· Title Fate’s design

MY RATINGS:

Cover- 4.5 stars

Title- 4 stars

Blurb- 4 stars

Plot- 4 stars

Writing and Presentation- 4 stars

Overall- 4.3 out of 5 stars

The book is available on Amazon.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2vv7sKg

Review of Iridescent life by Sonal Bharija Singh

IRIDESCENT LIFE by Sonal Bharija Singh

BLURB:

This book is a story of life by a person’s outlook that everyone can relate to. It is about every individual who has been in a relationship. It’s about anyone who has ever been happy or dejected. This book is just a small effort to help people recognize themselves and their lives as it is essential to understand life before acting on it.

THEME:

The book is about the author’s perception of life and the various stages. She brings out the general view or notion and how it differs according to her. She talks about liberation of women, the thinking process of brain, the yearning to ask life for more. She does explain them beautifully with references to her childhood. Then there is a chapter about what she regrets and how she is considered weird. There are 19 chapters, each of which is based on her opinion on the difference in thought process.

MY REVIEW:

The book cover made me fall in love with it immediately. Samridhi Bharti has done a commendable job which also is one of the reasons that made me read it immediately. As you know the appearance also plays an important part. It’s a small read and can be finished maybe in two or three hours during a short journey.

As I mentioned in the theme, the book is about the Author’s take on life which anyone can relate to. The book brings about self- realization which is the basis of life and which when done right makes it easier to take on anything in life. After all, understanding oneself will make us better and judge situations and act accordingly. The book has 19 chapters which are inspired by her own experiences and her own life and thoughts the way she has accepted her life in all the colors as she believes that “there are more colors to life than just black and white”. However, I did find few places contradictory to the point that was initially made and some minor grammatical errors. On a lighter note, I would suggest the women folk giving this book a read to improve self-realization.

BOOK DETAILS:

· Paperback: 106 pages

· Publisher: Blue Rose Publishers; 1st edition (7 July 2018)

· Language: English

· ISBN-10: 9387996069

· ISBN-13: 978-9387996069

MY RATINGS:

Cover- 4.5 stars

Title- 4 stars

Blurb- 4 stars

Plot- 3.5 stars

Writing and Presentation- 3.75 stars

Overall- 3.7 out of 5 stars

Title – Iridescent Life

Author – Sonal Bharija Singh

The book is available on Amazon, flipkart, shopclues and bluerose.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Kkotv4

Shopclues: https://www.flipkart.com/iridescent-life/p/itmf63ak6wr5kuww?pid=9789387996069&lid=LSTBOK9789387996069HALMIB&marketplace=FLIPKART&srno=s_1_1&otracker=search&fm=organic&iid=5c99b8e6-66d1-490e-ab77-2813680567e3.9789387996069.SEARCH&qH=a010d89b18a8911f

Flipkart: https://www.shopclues.com/iridescent-life-139261116.html

Bluerose: https://bluerosepublishers.com/product/iridescent-life/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sonal Bharija was born on 31st October 1988 she is a management lecturer who was raised in Delhi and completed her post-graduation from Bangalore. She loves spending time writing her thoughts and studying human behavior, the aim of her life is to connect to people through her writing, apart from her job and writing she enjoys getting together with her family and husband, going out with friends and listening to music.

Who is a fussy eater ? How to adapt and tame one .

What is fussy eating?

Fussy eating happens when usually your kid starts rejecting food or seems choosy about what is being fed.

When does a baby turn a fussy eater?

This can be a regular habit or can be at intervals. The baby may have an immature digestive system, which will cure itself with time, or might be teething, have an infection,food allergy, or just may not be ready for solid foods yet.

What symptoms should I look out for?

Your baby may push away the spoon or turn her head from it. She might close her mouth,as you try feeding her, spit out food, or become cranky or tired at mealtime. They might also start throwing food when they are playful.

Suggestions to avoid fussy eating stage

  • Don’t delay introducing lumpy foods. Keep changing frequently between purees and lumpy food.
  • Remember that your child will never voluntarily starve themselves. Hunger and fullness can be very well judged by kids.
  • Do not make a fuss of whether your child is eating or not. Remain calm. All we need to do is to concentrate on making mealtimes enjoyable family events. If an occurrence is enjoyable, your child will want to repeat it
  • Be genuine about the amount of effort you put into making your child’s meals. Don’t feel annoyed when they refuse to eat.
  • Don’t threaten and shout at them. This might make it even more difficult
  • Do not use desserts as bribes.

How do I adjust to my child’s eating habit:?

Part of the problem is solved when parents avoid to force feed a child like a adult.

  • If your kid is in the age of 2 months to 2 years, we need to understand that their stomach size would be small. If they have too much of liquid intake say fruit juice or milk, that might be filling them up and say no to a solid when offered.
  • The meal size should be that is something that should suffice a child- size. If they are hungrier they would ask for more. Ideal plan would be three meals spaced at an equal interval and a snack in between.
  • If the family is used to eating late at nights. This would not suit the child. They might get tired and start getting cranky. So always feed the last meal earlier.
  • Weekly assessment is better than daily.
  • Let the kid decide when they have had enough, this would help them understand their body and make them realize when to stop and when to ask for more.

How to tame my fussy eater?

  • Do not force feed the child. If the child turns the head away and rejects food by closing mouth , it’s a clear sign that they are full, even if it is very little. Trust your kid that they know how much to eat. Despite the above signs, if you still try to force feed it might lead to tension and discomfort.
  • Experiment with food textures. Even babies have food preferences. Some enjoy wet gravy foods, while the others prefer finger food. Some might want o continue with liquids, while the others might want to graze over half a dozen meal. Offer healthy options and he’ll develop a taste for them. But do not trick them with junk to eat the meal.
  • Change the speed. Some babies are fast eaters some are slow. So try changing the pace to see if there is a difference.
  • Do not distract the child. Keep away toys, books and turn off TV. Main focus should only be on eating.
  • It’s tempting to let a picky eater take as long as they want to eat. Keep meal length reasonable. It should not be more than 30 minutes. You can tell them you should eat before your hands become dry.
  • Let the baby touch and feel the food that is being offered. There is nothing wrong in exploring.
  • Follow your baby’s timeline. Most babies begin eating solid foods between 4 and 6 months, but some may start a little earlier, others later. As with crawling, walking, potty-training, and just about every other infant milestone, there’s no perfect time .No baby is unique. So let them take their own time.
  • Encourage self-feeding. By about 9 months, many babies are interested in trying to feed themselves. Although your picky eater is likely to make a mess waving around the mealtime spoon, letting him take control is important to a child’s growth and development. Let them participate, which makes it enjoyable for them.
  • It’s a natural feeling for babies to slow down on their feeds. This is usually at the end of year one babies’ growth tends to slow. So does their calorie need. Be patient; growth spurts are on the way.
  • Keep trying, gently. Some babies may need to try a food eight, 10, even 15 times before they enjoy it, so be patient and continue to revisit a rejected food over time, time as long as there are no allergies.
  • React passionately to a picky eater and even a 1-year-old will understand her power over you. Realize that you want your baby to eat for her own well-being, not to please you — and that baby’s rejection of a food is not a rejection of you. Don’t let on that you’re frustrated or angry.
  • Even if it’s our job to feed the baby, it’s their choice to choose what to eat and when. As long as the child is active and has a healthy weight gain, we needn’t worry.
  • Make meal time educative. Teach them where food comes from.
  • Eating together is a good practice. Make sure at least one of you eats with the child.

Toddler recipes for fussy eaters:

  • Baked sweet potato wheels
  • Dry fruit powdered balls
  • Melon balls
  • Shaped cheese slice
  • Popcorn gobi mildly spiced
  • Mildly spiced ragi or soya chakli
  • Carrot kheer
  • Multigrain balls
  • Rice cakes topped with ghee and sugar
  • Rice crepes with veggie purees
  • French fries shallow fried
  • Bite sized jam buns
  • Mini quesadilla with veggies
  • Dhal rice balls
  • Curd rice cakes
  • Soups of all veggies

I did read through a couple of books to learn about child nutrition.

The gentle eating book by Sarah Ockwell Smith

Eat, delete Junior by Pooja Makhija

These give us a better understanding of our child’s food habits and nutritional needs.

Parenting Journey

Hello All,

Welcome to my world of blogging where I go about sharing my experiences as a new parent.

Motherhood has indeed made me a new person I discover each day.

I am a mother of a naughty beautiful toddler , Shrinika who makes me run on my toes all day. Wait..I’m a working mom so don’t take it literally. So it’s not all day and the times when I am with her.

Let me take you on a journey of good parenting through my experiences shared here. Feel free to let me know your comments, show some love and give me your suggestions and feedback. Happy parenting.