Childhood days...

Poem reliving memories of my childhood days.........

Wonderful were those days
when we were young
Without a care about the world
Life could never go wrong.

Living in our childhood home,
Feeling safe and protected
Ignorant about life's harsh realities,
A happy and carefree life we led.

Dad shielded us from the big bad world,
Mum wiped away our tears
In our parents caring arms
We lived without any fears.

Caught up with studies in school
Called teachers names,
Played with friends in the evenings, 

badminton and other games.

We loved ice creams and cakes
Pastries, chocolates and lollipop
Playing in parks filled us with glee
We looked forward to visiting toy shops.

Woke up late on Sunday mornings
Spent endless time in front of the TV
Played video games and watched cartoons
Mickey mouse and Tom and Jerry.

Did homework, praticed craft
Read books and stories untold
Rode bicycles, Played with dolls, 
We lived in our own make believe world.

Get together with cousins during summer vacations,
Laughter and good times galore
Playing card games, eating pani puri
Enjoyment to the core.

Laughed for the silliest reasons
And sometimes shed tears
Did whatever we wanted and wore what we liked
Spoke our mind without any fears.

No worries about housework, 

No insecurities about career
No tensions about kids or
What to cook for dinner.

No egos to hone
No pretenses about life,
No appearances to keep up
No pride to cause strife.

No regrets about the past
No dissent about today
No fretting about the future,
Come what may.

No fear of criticism or misunderstandings,
No tensions about facing humiliation
Anger, hurt, resentment, mistrust or hatred
Such emotions were alien.

Such was the beauty of childhood,
The realities of life were unknown
Sometimes I wish I was still a child,
Sometimes I wish I'd never grown.

For somewhere along the journey
From little kids to grown ups,
We payed a huge price
The innocence of childhood was lost.

The challenges of being a stay-at-home mum

Has anyone ever thought about the challenges of being a stay at home mum? Just like a working woman has to put up with targets, pressures and deadlines, so does a stay at home mum. Why ? Well simply because she is 'at home'
For instance her home is expected to be spick and span all the time. So what is the kid is throwing toys around the house at all times and the husband is too lazy to put his stuff in place? She is expected to clean after them.
And her kids are supposed to be well-behaved at all times. In the case of a working mom it is alright if the kids are not on their best behavior or don't do that well in studies. After all their mother is working so they get that extra leeway. But a a stay-at-home mum is not given such allowance. One instance of bad behavior by the kid or one academic failure and she is instantly crucified for negligence. Does anyone realize what tremendous pressure this is?
She is not expected to require any domestic help. After all she has the entire day to do the household chores. But a poor working woman already has too much to do at her workplace,  so she cannot be burdened further with mundane tasks so in her case hiring domestic help is perfectly justified. 
If a stay-at-home mum is seen laughing and gossiping with her girl gang she is immediately criticized. Oh these housewives have nothing else to do the whole day than gossip about clothes and jewelry is what we hear. However it is perfectly okay for working women to have long coffee sessions with her friends in office. After all she needs a break from her stressful work.  Come on people, give the poor woman a break, a stay-at-home mum is entitled to a change from routine work as much as a working mum.
A stay-at-home mum is expected to be an excellent cook. If a working mom messes up a meal well so what? She probably has other important stuff to do than practice cooking.  But a stay-at-home mum has all day to hone her cooking skills. So there is no excuse or scope for error. One badly cooked meal and people are ready to pounce on her and tear her self confidence to pieces.
Isn't it an unfair expectation from any person not just a stay-at-home mum to never err?
I am ashamed to say that when I was working full-time, I felt the same way. However being a stay-at-home mum for the past 2 years has given me a whole new perspective and I realize how wrong I was.  Being a stay-at-home mum is a most challenging and underrated job. I'm not saying life is a bed of roses for a working mom but to be biased and judge someone simply on the basis of whether they are working or not is grossly unfair. It just results in undue pressure. 
So next time you think it is all play and no work for a stay-at-home mum, just remember that she has her own challenges which as as stressful as those of a working mom if not more. She is extremely fatigued of people peeking into her life and being critical of every aspect of it. So just respect her decision of being a stay-at-home mum and let her be.

Womanly women

When we were at my first job, me and my girl gang had created some 'womanly woman' rules. We were fresh out of college and did not have a care about the world. We loved a good laugh. What's a 'womanly woman' you wonder? Well , read the following rules and you will know for yourself. All womanly women possess these qualities and all those aspiring to be a womanly  women  should  adhere to them .

Note: I am sorry if this post is offensive to some people, but it was completely unintentional. I do not mean to mock anyone,  my only intention behind writing this post was to relive those good memories with friends.

1. Womanly women have long hair.
2. Womanly women have long nails gleaming with nail polish.
3. Womanly  women don't  laugh loudly, they shyly giggle.
4. Womanly woman always sit with their legs together and never with their legs apart.
5. Womanly women are experts in draping saris and can walk without tripping while wearing one.
6. Womanly women bat their eyelids when  speaking to a member of the opposite sex.
7. Womanly women always wear a bindi even if they are wearing western outfits.
8. Womanly women love wearing bangles on their hands and 'paayal' on their feet.
9. Womanly women are soft spoken.
10. Womanly women are pious and believe in fasting.
11. Womanly women are the unquestionable authorities  when it comes to religious customs and traditions.
12. Womanly women can cook and love cooking.

New year, new beginnings....

I don't know about others but every new year fills me with new hope. Its like a new start to life, to make up for all the things I missed doing in the past year.

Resolutions for this year- Well exercise and stay fit, eat healthy,  make my daughter more independent,  drive a vehicle, be a bit more relaxed .....

Not sure how many of the above I will be able to achieve. .but I'm feeling positive!!!

What a coincidence that this is also my 50th post in this blog. When I started this blog in 2012, I never imagined that I would reach this mark. I thought this blog was just a passing hobby that would be forgotten over time. But it turned out to be just the opposite. Each post makes me want to write more. This blog has given me a new avenue to vent my feelings, to say what I want to say, to express my views without fear.

So here's hoping I reach the 100 posts mark by the end of this year !!

Happy New Year!!!

Then and now. .....

A poem which highlights  the difference  in childhood days then and now.....

When I look at the world  around me, I must confide
So much has changed as compared to the nineties, when I was a child

To watch chitrahar and sunday movie on doordarshan we would be keen
Now such a variety of channels, daily soaps, movies and reality shows can be seen

There was no email we would write letters on paper 
Now communication happens via Facebook, Whatsapp  and Twitter

We watched cartoons like Mickey mouse and tom and jerry
Nowadays TV channels show pokemon, doreamon and oggy

Rasna was our favourite  drink,
Coke and pepsi were distant things

Our favourite actors were sharukh, kajol and Aamir
Nowadays kids are crazy about Varun Dhavan, Alia and Ranbir

We loved pani puri and other chaat
There was no Mc donalds, kfc or pizza hut

DDLJ and HAHK were our favourite movies
Kids nowadays disregard them as cheesy love stories

Our cricketing heros were Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Ganguly
Nowadays we hear the names Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli 

To play games like hopscotch and hide and seek we would rush
Nowadays kids only care about angry Birds and Candy Crush

We would scour 'Tell me why' books for our research 
Today's  kids prefer using internet and google search

Baggy pants and A line dresses were in fashion
Unlike leggings and jeggings in comparison 

Life back then was not so competitive
And exams and other tensions were few 

All this and numerous other things make me feel so old
So much has changed  and I have so many memories to hold

No generation is good or bad, they have their ups and downs
We can't smile upon one and upon the other frown

Time and tide wait for no man as they say
And we must embrace new stuff as it comes our way

Generations may change and trends are never the same
But across changing times, our values we must retain

5 life lessons that I would like to teach my daughter

1. Respect for parents
Any parent no matter if they are rich or poor want their children to have the best and they would go to any extent,  undergo any sacrifice to ensure that their children don't miss out on anything. As a child I was aware of the sacrifices my parents made for me.  But being a mother has given me a whole new perspective. So my dear daughter, no matter where life takes you just remember that there are two people who love you unconditionally no matter what. In return all they ask for is you to remember them and respect them. 

2. Focus on Education
I cannot emphasize how important education is. I know many people cite Sachin Tendulkar's example to make a point that a degree is not necessary in order to be successful. But that is just a one off instance. Without a proper education you are nobody in this world.  Education gives you the financial independence to face the world with self confidence. 

3. Marry wisely but don't expect your marriage to be a fairy-tale  
Never marry for looks or money or simply due to peer pressure. Marry the person who will be the rock in your life, who will stay with you in difficult times. Don't go around looking for your tall dark and handsome prince charming. Rather  marry the person you can share your golden years with.
Marriage is not all rosy contrary to what you see on TV.  Unlike the happily ever after ending, the real challenges kick in after you get married. There are  adjustments, misunderstandings etc which may lead to fights and but don't let your ego get in the way of love. 

4. Count your blessings
Life is a race and the moment you get what you want there will be more goals in front of you. Better job, higher salary, bigger house, bigger car the list is endless. Its only human to want something better in life but  don't let this quest ruin the journey. Just take a pause sometimes and be grateful for what you have. Think of the less fortunate ones who don't have what you do and would gladly trade places with you. 

5. Eat healthy and exercise 
Though you may not realize the importance of this at a young age, I cannot stress how important it is to eat healthy food. You may give yourself the occasional treat of junk food but don't make it a way of life.  A healthy lifestyle  will go a long way in keeping sickness at bay. Plus staying fit makes you feel good about yourself.

Movies from 'my' time.....

With so many new movies coming out I nowadays find very few movies that I can relate to. When I was younger, my parents would often ridicule the movies we watched stating that the movies 'nowadays' are no match for the movies during 'their' times while I silently wondered how those slow paced movies with bulky actors could possibly be better. 15 years on, I understand what they mean and I feel the same way. So while the next generation may mock me for my choice of movies, I would still like to list down my favorite movies from my generation :)

1. Pyar toh hona hi tha
This is my all time favorite movie. I have fond memories of watching this movie nearly 15 years ago with my best friends. I still remember the dialog "aisa hi hoon main" which made us all fall in  love with Ajay Devgan  :) I think this was the starting point of Ajay Devgan's career shift  from being an action hero  to romantic/comedy movies and he pulled it off well. The Ajay Devgan-Kajol  on screen chemistry coupled with a few comic scenes makes this a most entertaining film.   
2. Dilwale dulhaniya le jayenge
Another hit movie of my generation . I'm  sure every girl from my generation  will have this movie  in their top 5 list. The Raj-Simran pair played by Shahrukh-Kajol romance on screen really makes one want to  fall in  love.The scenic European outdoors add the cherry on top of the cake and make this movie a visual delight.
3. Rang de basanti
The story of 5 youngsters who get inspired by India's freedom  struggle and rebel against present day corruption. Each of the 5 characters play their parts to perfection.  I liked this movie, because it was different, it was a welcome change from the mediocre films coming out in those days. This film made the audience sit up and take notice.  All in all a wonderful movie, makes the hair on your hand stand up.
4.  Dil toh paagal hai 

Another of my favorite love stories.  Madhuri plays the role of a girl living in her own dreams and Shahrukh of a person who doesn't believe in love. How they gradually realise that they are destined for each other formulates the rest of the story. Madhuri's dance performances leave the audience spellbound and the soft romantic music makes you want to listen to it over and over again. 

5. Dil chata hai

This movie has a certain charm about it which makes it very likable.  This is the story of three friends and their journey from carefree college guys to mature adults. I bet each of us has this phase in life when we are young and without a care about the world. The three lead actors fit into their character's skins very well, be it Akshaye Khanna  as the serious brooding guy in the group or Saif as the confused womaniser or Aamir Khan as the joker of the group. That combined with Aamir khan's comic sense of timing and Preity Zinta's perky self makes this a movie a must watch.