Parenting is in fashion!
Yes, its so true that parents nowadays enjoy doing their job as a parent and are in look out for various ways how they can contribute in their babies wholesome development. Due to the limited knowledge they have, parenting books or parenting websites come real handy in absence of any elderly guidance in their families.
Parents’ job is considered to be a big job in today’s world. It’s not only looking after diet, good habits, good health but parenting requires wholesome knowledge about various topics which really helps in proper upbringing of the baby.
The world is no more a secure place for babies. They need proper care for their healthy development, emotional development, and physical development. Parents.com provides wholesome knowledge even on such topics which you as a parent will never think of. Skills required to do parenting is not possessed by all parents. Some skills like patience really have to be developed. Tips from parents.com really comes handy and is very useful
The Internet world is full of knowledge and tips that at times its so confusing which tip to follow and not.www.parents.com is one such site which I can trust for any guidance. I would love to share with my readers that this website not only shares and guide about topics related to various age groups of the baby , but also it guides about all round development of your child. Practical tips like how and what to play, practical activities in which kids should be involved, how to improve motor skills and much more like that. I never came across any website which goes such a deep way in parenting.
As a parent, I don’t want to have a regret in the latter part of my life that I wished I knew about it and could have helped my baby. I am grateful to parents.com for coming out with a solution for my queries.Creative articles like the Super idea of playdates, Activities to do with your child while you are traveling by car, basic manners for kids and so much more open up parent’s mind and helps in proper nurturing of kids.
Parents.com is really a treasure of knowledge regarding parenting.
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
If you have a dream and you are passionate about it, nobody can stop you in achieving that.
Shobha Bhalla’s success story justifies this quote. It sets a live example in front of all women entrepreneurs who share the burning desire.
Shobha has attained iconic status as a CEO of ‘India Se’ in Singapore. In an exclusive interview to Women lines, Shobha talks of her life and work.
Shobha Tsering Bhalla – CEO & Editor-in-Chief, is an entrepreneur in the field of Print media. India Se, a magazine produced by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) for NRIs about NRIs, is her brainchild and has recently celebrated 4 years of excellence in Singapore. It is a leading lifestyle magazine for NRIs in Singapore.
India Se- a name which was coined by Shobha herself. She dreamt of it when she presented a white paper to highlight the need for such a publication, catering to the ever growing Indian population in Singapore. She says that “Five years back Indians had reached a critical mass and a critical achievement level but, alas, there was no global media platform to talk about our achievements, aspirations, our culture or multitudes of cultures.” It was that time she conceived the launch of a magazine which does just that.
Shoba’s passion to pursue her dream project led her to resign from her cushy job and give to Singapore – ‘India Se’ on May 27, 2007. A naturalized Singaporean, veteran journalist and a former banker Shobha was prepared with all required skills to start a magazine. She was the pioneering Managing Editor of Lycos Asia – in charge of Internet content for 9 countries in Asia. Prior to that, she worked as Regional Research Editor in the equities research division of ING Barings and earlier, as a Research Editor at OCBC Investment Research. From 1989 to 1997, she was also a senior correspondent in Singapore ’s oldest national daily ‘The Straits Times’ and more recently Editor of the Impact and Property sections of Singapore ’s 2nd largest circulating newspaper TODAY.
Shobha was Born in Sikkim, India. After graduating she began her working life as a management trainee and correspondent banking officer at the State Bank of India, India ’s largest bank and moved to Singapore with her businessman husband 25 years ago. Shobha’s aggressiveness towards achieving excellence in whatever work she does and hunger for success differentiates her from others. She says “Hard work is only key to success”. At present, her main challenges are to get quality output for her magazine and source the require finances to keep it running. Just like herself, she demands the same passion from her staff.
“As NRIs, we are among the most educated and highest earning ethnic minorities in our countries of domicile – making the term NRI a metaphor for success everywhere”. While sharing about the objective of ‘India Se’ as a magazine Shobha comments “While India Se is a magazine dedicated to issues that are important to NRIs and Person of Indian Origin (PIOs) it is not restricted only to these groups of recent Indian immigrants. As a cultural and lifestyle magazine, it also seeks to connect, inform and entertain all people of Indian origin even those a few generations removed, who identify themselves culturally, ethnically and emotionally as Indians. But in doing so, it does not exclude non-Indians who may want to find out what makes Indians – especially overseas Indians – such a powerful and vibrant economic and cultural force globally.”Focus of India Se “she shares “is on informing and entertaining an international audience of highly educated readers. ”
Recently Shobha was a speaker at a forum in programme ‘Breaking Barriers 2011’, organized by Women’s Indian Network (WIN), which is part of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry(SICCI) and Narpani Ladies committee, where she addressed a large crowd of women entrepreneurs.There she shared how proud is she to be a woman and does believe in woman power. She says ”If women can raise lovely families they can perform better in workforce undoubtedly. ”Shobha considers Anita Roddick, owner of ‘Body Shop’ as her idol and is inspired from the way Anita has set up the whole concept of ‘Body Shop’ chain.
India Se’s vision is to become Asia’s and eventually the world’s most well-read and influential magazine among overseas Indians. Believer of quote “This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. – William Shakespeare.” Shobha is really Inspiration personified to all those budding entrepreneurs who have burning desire in their heart to prove something in life.
Womenlines wishes Shobha best of luck and success in life!
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Womenlines wishes best of luck to Sujata to excel further in life. Please visit https://www.facebook.com/#!/SujataSe?fref=ts to have a look at the latest collection of lovely bags Sujata Se has got for you.Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda
“Spread love everywhere you go.Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”-Mother Teresa
At age of 12, she felt strongly the call of God. At age of 18, she left home to serve people and the rest of her story is really a history to be taught to coming generation that somebody like her really existed on earth.If I get a chance to meet any historical figure Mother Teresa will be that lady whom I would like to meet and talk. How can such a lady exist who served humanity without any hope of return? “The Missionaries of Charity” was started by Mother to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared to look after.This organization is present in many countries all over world and following Mother’s way of helping needy people.
Mother Teresa followed her instincts and was always ready to help poor. First calling made her realize she is born to help others and second calling made her realize that she should not lead her life as a Convent Nun but should help poor directly. Her life history teaches us if there is will there is the way. Her desire to help people was fulfilled and various organizations across the whole world supported her mission. From the late 1960s until 1980, the Missionaries of Charity expanded both in their reach across the globe and in their number of members. Mother Teresa opened houses in Australia, the Middle East, and North America. In 1979 Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. By that same year, there were 158 Missionaries of Charity foundations. Whenever she got a chance she found out some way to help the section of society who really required most help. Like for Aids Patients, she opened a first house’Gift of Love’ in 1985in New York where she spoke at the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly.
I want to hug her and feel her positivity around myself. Somebody pure like her can be like God only and in true words, she is a saint. I want to ask her how she managed to be such a pure person. How she managed to be a human and save herself from all negativity around herself. How was she able to make her willpower so strong?
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Hats off to Jill Sheffield, founder of “Women Deliver’ for her dedicated efforts in the field of improving the Maternal health of women across the world. The mission of Women Deliver itself speaks volume about their objective of concern about women-Invest in Girls and Women – it pays!
Women Deliver is a global advocacy organization working to generate political commitment and financial investment for fulfilling Millennium Development Goal5-to reduce maternal mortality and achieve universal access to reproductive health. Ms. Sheffield, the founder of Women Deliver has achieved so many accolades that it’s not possible to introduce her in one line. Concerned majorly about women issues throughout Ms. Sheffield is serving on the board of the Pangaea Global Aids foundation, she is also the founder of Family Care International(FCI).She founded FCI IN 1987 in response to call at the Women’s Decade Conference in Nairobi which identified the silent tragedy that one woman dies each minute from pregnancy-related causes.Ms. Sheffield is also one of the few civil society representatives appointed to the UN Secretary Generals Commission of Information and accountability for women’s and children’s health.
Women Deliver is organizing Maternal and Reproductive Health Conference 2013 in Kaula Lampur on 28-30May.A number of influential leaders like Melinda Gates(Cochair Bill and Melinda Foundation), Helen Clark(Administrator UNDP), Anuradha Gupta(Joint Secretary Ministry of Health , India), Michelle Bachelet(Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of United Nation Women) and many others are confirmed to participate in Women Deliver’s third global Conference. . Answers by Women Delivers to certain queries mentioned below itself proves the clarity of their purpose-
What are the critical issues that women face, especially in Southeast Asia?
Globally, more than 287,000 women die each year during pregnancy or childbirth, and more than 200 million women want, but do not have access to, contraceptives. We have made progress for girls and women under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and the pace of change is accelerating. Since 1990, fewer women are living in extreme poverty, more women have access to modern contraception, and maternal deaths have nearly halved. But challenges remain, and progress is uneven across regions and countries.
Southeast Asia in particular showcases the promise, progress and continued challenges facing women’s health and equality. The region has successfully reduced gender inequality in education and has made remarkable progress in reducing maternal deaths. However, Asia and the Pacific continue to bear the brunt of maternal deaths — almost 40 percent of maternal deaths worldwide occur in the region.
Why is it that women still suffer from the above-mentioned problems nowadays?
Historically, women’s health issues have not been prioritized. In fact, progress toward MDG(Millennium Development Goal) 5 has been the slowest of all the MDGs – and it’s not for a lack of solutions that work. We know how to save women’s lives and increase access to contraceptives, but to do this successfully, we need both political will and financial commitments to deliver the services women want and need. For too long, maternal and reproductive health have been seen as “women’s issues,” but they are not. They are everyone’s issues. It is up to all leaders to ensure that these issues receive the attention and the funding they deserve
What this year’s conference will try to achieve?
Taking place as discussions about the post-2015 development architecture is underway, Women Deliver 2013 will be a landmark opportunity to ensure that girls and women remain a development priority worldwide –and to hold leaders accountable for the impressive commitments they’ve made.We must move from promises to progress. With thousands of global influencers in the room, we can – and we will – generate the political will, financial investments and grassroots action needed to improve girls’ and women’s health and rights. –
How different is this year’s conference compared to previous years? For example, are there more participants than ever? Different themes being discussed?
This will be Women Deliver’s third global conference and we anticipate it will be our largest and most influential yet, with thousands of private and public sector leaders from 160 countries expected to attend.This will be the first time the conference is taking place in Asia, and as a result, progress and continued obstacles facing women’s health and equality in Asia will be a key focus. It’s also the first time the conference will be held in a predominantly-Muslim country, offering a unique opportunity to tackle pressing challenges in the broader Muslim world.
Womenlines wishes best of luck to Women Deliver for their future endeavors!
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Its all about courage!
Malala, a Pakistani teen blogger is a symbol of defiance against militants. An outspoken critic of Taliban Malala came into news when she was shot head on 9 October 2012, in an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen while returning home on a school bus. In the days immediately following the attack, she remained unconscious and in critical condition, but later her condition improved she was sent to a hospital in the UK for intensive rehabilitation.She is known for her education and women’s rights activism in her country where the Taliban had at times banned girls from attending school. In early 2009, at the age of 11/12, Yousafzai wrote a blog under a pseudonym for the BBC detailing her life under Taliban rule, their attempts to take control of the valley, and her views on promoting education for girls.
Malala’s undomineering courage has already helped her in achieving a nomination for the International Children’s Peace Prize by Desmond Tutu and Nobel Peace Prize. The latest feather in her cap is that she has signed a deal of $3 million to publish her memoir.and this is an incredible feat.The book, titled “I am Malala”, will be published by Weidenfeld & Nicholson in the UK and Commonwealth and by Little, Brown in the rest of the world.
If you are honest and courageous then the sky is the limit for you!Womenlines wishes best of luck to Malala for her future endeavors.
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Movies are a great way to relax. Some movies help you to feel better, some help you to laugh a bit and few are there which leave such an impact in your mind which cannot be forgotten. “In Pursuit of Happyness is such a movie. I recently got a chance to watch this movie and was really moved by the storyline and found it must share with my readers.
The Pursuit of Happyness is a film based on real-life story of Chris Gardner who is a famous entrepreneur, investor, stockbroker, motivational speaker, author, and philanthropist.In the early 1980s, he struggled with homelessness while raising his toddler son Christopher. Gardner’s book of memoirs2006 is the base for the movie’ In Pursuit of Happyness”. Directed by Gabriele Muccino, the film features Will Smith as Gardner, an on-and-off-homeless salesman-turned stockbroker. Smith’s son Jaden Smith co-stars, making his film debut as Gardner’s son Christopher Jr.
The unusual spelling of the film’s title comes from a sign Gardner saw when he was homeless. In the film, “happiness” is misspelled as “happyness” outside the daycare facility Gardner’s son attends. The rousing, true-life story of a single dad who went from living on the streets to owning his own brokerage firm is brought to the big screen by superstar Set in early-’80s San Francisco, the film charts the hard times and eventual comeback of Chris Gardner, a suddenly single salesman who has custody of his son, but finds that providing for the two of them is a challenge in the increasingly unstable economic climate. He struggles to work his way from unpaid intern at Dean Witter to something more substantial, even as life continues to offer him setbacks.
The film portrays a beautiful message that whatever are the conditions in your life, how much low you are feeling, it is only your determination to succeed going to help you in raising your standards. So never stop dreaming. If you have a dream just go for it.
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Its a fact and I still can’t believe it! 
There is a lady named Immaculee Ilibagiza whose life was transformed during 1994 Rwandan genocide when she with seven other women spent 91 days silently together in a cramped bathroom of a local pastor’s house.Isn’t it unbelievable?
Immaculae was a 115-pound university student with a loving family. When she came out of the bathroom she weighed only 65 pounds and her whole family was murdered.And what helped her in surviving?Prayers! Yes, she prayed continuously for 91 days, from the morning when she opened her eyes till night. Her father gave a set of rosary beads to her before she went into hiding.She began to pray the rosary as a way to come out of her negativity.Through prayer, she was able to forgive her tormentors and her family’s murderers.Immaculée’s strength in her faith helped her her to stare down a man armed with a machete threatening to kill her during her escape. She also later came face to face with the killer of her mother and her brother and said the unthinkable, “I forgive you.”Above all Immaculée learned English with only a bible and a dictionary in that tiny bathroom and this helped her to get a job at UN later.
Immaculae’s story shows the power of belief and faith. In such circumstances, she was not only able to survive but she was able to forgive her tormentors too.That’s the power of belief and prayer.We get troubled with small problems in our daily life and here is this woman with such amazing faith. Hats off to her for her courage and faith!
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Chinese vegetarian cooking never attracted me until I tried it !
Singapore is a heaven for Chinese food and is considered to be a real heaven for gourmets. While I was working for some time I tried my hands on local Chinese vegetarian food during my lunchtime. I will not say that my taste buds were impressed but yes I found it light in comparison to our Indian food which is rich in nature. Finally, I decided to try my hands on it, to bring some variety in our daily food menu. I was surprised that efforts were not wasted and now my family has become a big fan of Chinese vegetarian food.
I started with vegetable soup in which I used lemongrass first time and it gave an amazing taste to the soup. Using only vegetables in the soup and adding little lemon juice to it made the juice lighter and it really acted as a starter. Otherwise previously when we had our regular Chinese soup full of sauces, it itself acted as a meal. For the main course, I experimented with mushroom, chestnuts, broccoli, Chye sim, eggplant and baby corn. Mixed vegetables with the addition of light soya sauce and vinegar and topping it with red chilly flakes made it an awesome meal to be taken with rice or noodles. Mung Bean Sprouts is the other Chinese addition in vegetarian dishes.The crunchy texture and nutritional qualities of mung bean sprouts make them a popular addition to meals.
It’s not just about the taste. It’s important that Chinese vegetarian dishes display a harmonious balance of colors and textures as well as flavors.It is worth trying and highly recommended to those who look for healthy recipes with some experiments in taste!
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Femina, a magazine close to the heart of an Indian woman, is revolutionizing the publishing industry. The issue titled ‘Made By You’ will be compiled using stories and articles written completely by readers & fans from across the country. ‘Made By You’, as the issue is aptly named, will unlock the power of social media to reach over 5 million women, encouraging them to submit their thoughts and express themselves.
Womenfolk lives to revolve around so many close to heart stories that can teach others a lot about various experiences in life. The sensitivity and beauty of womanhood are awesome and it helps every woman to survive in this world with her inner power and confidence. It’s a beautiful journey which every woman goes in her life starting as a daughter, then crossing various stages of sister, wife, friend, Mother, and finally grandmother. Every stage is itself a story which carries some strong message in it. Platform ‘Made By You’ created by Femina is surely a brilliant idea and thus going to help many ladies around to share their experiences.
Femina has built it’s success around its over-all connect with the progressive Indian woman in every aspect of her life. It will feature the work of hundreds of new “journalists” and is scheduled to hit stands in April 2013. The publication will pose as a platform for real women to unveil their talent and share their stories with readers across the country. Contributors can use Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest to share their editorial ideas on a varied range of topics.
Link to an Application on Femina’s facebook page, that enables fans to submit their sample articles – http://on.fb.me/13LDVaf
Twitter- https://twitter.com/FeminaIndia
Take the benefit of Femina’s Motto “If you’ve got a story, We’ve got the space!” and share your story with whole world!
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!