Smart Food For Smart Mind

In order to gain in sound and happy mind one must deligently work on one's food intially.

In this reference a great Indian sage Ramanujacharya a proponent of Vishista Advaita i.e. qualified non dualism, gives following guidelines.

Food contains all energies that go up to make forces of our body and mind. Thus difference between body, mind and the food we eat is but of manifestation only. It being so, that out of the material particles of our food we construct the instrument of thought, and that from the finer forces lodged in these particles we manufacture thought itself. Hence it naturally follows that both instrument and the thought will be modified by the food we take.

According to Ramanuja, there are three things in food we must avoid.

1) Jati: 
The nature or the species of the food. All exciting food must be avoided as meat, onions, garlics etc. Any food that has been standing for days, till its condition is changed, any food whose natural juices have almost dried up, any food that is mal odorous should be avoided

2) Ashraya:

The person from whom it comes. The idea that each man has some aura around him and whatever thing he touches, a part of his character, as it were, his influence, is left on it. So we must take care who touches our food when it is cooked. A wicked, imnmoral person must not touch it.

3) Nimitta:

The instruments. Dirt and dust must not be in food. Food should not be brought from the market and placed on the table unwashed. We must be careful of saliva and other secretions. Again, we must not eat food, half of which has been eaten by someone else.

When these things are avoided in food, it becomes pure; pure food brings up a pure mind, and in pure mind is a smart and happy mind.

Recreation and Meditation

Man is made up of various spheres of existence. These are body, mind, energy, knowledge and soul. In oriental countries this is called as the ‘Five Sheath’ theory of existence. As a matter of fact anxiety, fear, lack of confidence being the states of mind, meditation is a very effective way of managing and relieving all these unwanted mental states.

Meditation is a technique to attain a state of fine concentration through which you get peace and satisfaction of mind. There are many forms of meditation and they all seek the same end result. Here we shall see an exercise of breathing that shall calm your mind and drive away your fear and panic. The steps of practicing the breathing exercise for meditating are:

1)      Posture: This is important because it provides a impetus for the act of concentration. One must sit in an erect posture by folding your legs as in the posture of Siddhasana. The head, the neck and the spine should fall in single line.

2)      Focus: One must close his/her eyes and focus on the singular point in the middle of both eyes internally.

3)      Breathing: Steady deep breathing should be practiced and the inhalation and exhalation process should be witnessed.

4)      Duration: One may practice this exercise minimum for 10 minutes and can extend the time as per the stamina and convenience.

5)      Consistency: One must follow a routine in order to achieve result. Fixed a proper time of a day may be morning or evening, and stick to it. Do not change the time frequently. The meditation exercise should be done daily without fail.

Autism- Signs in Pre-School Children

Signs of possible ASD in pre-school children

Your child may

1) not speak as well as would be expected for a child of their age,  or may not speak at all

2) not appear to notice other people around them

3) not respond to other people’s facial expressions or feelings

4) have little or no imagination or not pretend when playing

5)not be interested in other children or play with them

6) not take turns when playing

7) not share enjoyment or happiness

8) have problems with non-verbal communication (for example,  eye contact, facial expressions)

9) not point at objects to get someone else to look at them

10) have problems looking to see where another person is looking  (known as ‘gaze monitoring’)

11) not start activities or play

12) use unusual repetitive hand and finger movements or react, or not react at all, to particular sounds or sights

Working With Teachers and Schools

Many teachers say that they don’t often receive information from parents about problems at home. Many parents say that they don’t know what the school expects from their children—or from them. Sharing information is essential and both teachers and parents are responsible for making it happen.

The following questions and answers can help you to get the most out of talking to your child’s teacher or with other school staff members.

Q: What do I do first?

Learn everything that you can about your child’s school. The more you know, the easier your job as a parent will be. Ask for a school handbook. This will answer many questions that will arise over the year. If your school doesn't have a handbook, ask questions. Ask the principal and teachers, for example: What classes does the school offer? Which classes are required? What are your expectations for my child? How does the school measure student progress? Does it meet state standards? What are the school’s rules and regulations?

Ask about specific teaching methods and materials—are the methods based on evidence about what works best in teaching reading or math? Are the science and history textbooks up to date?

Ask if the school has a Web site and, if so, get the address. School Web sites can provide you with read access to all kinds of information—schedules of events, names of people to contact, rules and regulations and so forth.

Keep informed throughout the school year. If your schedule permits, attend PTA meetings. If you are unable to attend, ask that the minutes of the meetings be sent to you. Or, find out if the school makes these minutes available on its Website.

Q: When should I talk with my child’s teacher?

Early and often! Contact your child’s teacher or teachers at the beginning of the year or as soon as you can. Get acquainted and show your interest.

Tell teachers what they need to know about your child. If she has special needs, make these known from the beginning.

If you notice a big change in your child’s behavior, school performance or attitude during the school year, contact the teacher immediately. Report cards are one indication of how well your child is doing in school. But you also need to know how things are going between report cards. For example, if your son is having trouble in math, contact the teacher to find out when he has his next math test and when it will be returned to him. This allows you to address a problem before it mushrooms into something bigger. Call the teacher if your son doesn’t understand an assignment or if he needs extra help to complete an assignment. You may also want to find out if your child’s teachers use e-mail to communicate with parents. Using e-mail will allow you to send and receive messages at times that are most convenience for you.

Q: What if my child has a problem, such as with homework or not understanding what’s happening in class?

Contact the teacher as soon as you suspect that your child has problem with his schoolwork. Schools have a responsibility to keep you informed about your child’s performance and behavior and you have a right to be upset if you don’t find out until report-card time that your child is having difficulties. On the other hand, you may figure out that a problem exists before the teacher does. By alerting the teacher, you can work together to solve a problem in its early stages.

Request a meeting with the teacher to discuss problems. Tell her briefly why you want to meet. You might say, “Tim is having trouble with his social studies homework. I’m worried about why he can’t finish the assignments and what we might do to help him.” If English is your second language, you may need to make special arrangements, such as including in the meeting someone who is bilingual.

Approach the teacher with a cooperative spirit. Believe that the teacher wants to help you and your child, even if you disagree about something. Don’t go to the principal without first giving the teacher a chance to work out the problem with you and your child.

Q: How do I get the most out of parent-teacher meetings?

Be prepared to listen as well as to talk. It helps to write out questions before you leave home. Also jot down what you want to tell the teacher. Be prepared to take notes during the meetings and ask for an explanation if you don’t understand something.

In meetings, the teacher should offer specific details about your child’s work and progress. If your child has already received some grades, ask how your child is being evaluated.

Talk about your child’s talents, skills, hobbies, study habits and any special sensitivity such as concern about weight or speech difficulties. Tell the teacher if you think your child needs special help and about any special family situation or event that might affect your child’s ability to learn. Mention such things as a new baby, an illness or a recent or an upcoming move.

Ask about specific ways to help your child at home. Try to have an open mind. At home, think about what the teacher has said and then follow up. If the teacher has told you that your child needs to improve in certain areas, check back in a few weeks to see how things are going.

Q: What if I don’t agree with a school rule or with a teacher’s assignments?

First, don’t argue with the teacher in front of your child. Set up a meeting to talk about the issue. Before the meeting, plan what you are going to say—why you think a rule is unfair or what exactly you don’t like about an assignment. Get your facts straight and don’t rely on anger to win your argument. Try to be positive and remain calm. Listen carefully.

If the teacher’s explanation doesn't satisfy you, arrange to talk with the principal or even the school superintendent. Do not feel intimidated by titles or personalities. An educator’s primary responsibility is to ensure the success of each and every student in his classroom, school or district.

Q: What’s the best way for me to stay involved in my child’s school activities?

Attend school events. Go to sports events, attend parent-teacher meetings and awards events, such annual functions etc.

Volunteer in your school. If your schedule permits, look for ways to help out at your child’s school. Schools often send home lists of ways in which parents can get involved.

Q: What if I don’t have time to volunteer as much as I would like?

Even if you can’t volunteer to do work at the school building, you can help your child learn when you’re at home. The key question is, “What can I do at home, easily and in a few minutes a day, to reinforce and extend what the school is doing?” This is the involvement that every family can and must provide.

The schools also need to take steps so that parents feel good about what they’re doing at home and know they’re helping.

Helping Your Child with Test-Taking

You can be a great help to your child if you will observe these do’s and don’ts about tests and testing:

Do talk to your child about testing. It’s helpful for children to understand why schools give tests and to know the different kinds of tests they will take. Explain that tests are yardsticks that teachers, schools, school districts and even states use to measure what and how they teach and how well students are learning what is taught. Most tests are designed and given by teachers to measure students’ progress in a course. These tests are associated with the grades on report cards. The results tell the teacher and students whether they are keeping up with the class, need extra help or are ahead of other students.

The results of some tests tell schools that they need to strengthen courses or change teaching methods. Still other tests compare students by schools, school districts or cities. All tests determine how well a child is doing in the areas measured by the tests.

Tell your child that occasionally, he will take “standardized” tests. Explain that these tests use the same standards to measure student performance across the state or even across the country. Every student takes the same test according to the same rules. This makes it possible to measure each student’s performance against that of others.

•  Do encourage your child. Praise her for the things that she does well. If your child feels good about herself, she will do her best on a test. Children who are afraid of failing are more likely to become anxious when taking tests and more likely to make mistakes.
• Do meet with your child’s teacher as often as possible to discuss his progress. Ask the teacher to suggest activities for you and your child to do at home to help prepare for tests and to improve your child’s understanding of schoolwork.
• Do make sure that your child attends school regularly. Remember, tests reflect children’s overall achievement. The more effort and energy your child puts into learning, the more likely it is that he will do well on tests.
• Do provide a quiet, comfortable place for studying at home and make sure that your child is well rested on school days and especially on the day of a test. Children who are tired are less able to pay attention in class or to handle the demands of a test.
• Do provide books and magazines for your child to read at home. By reading new materials, a child will learn new words that might appear on a test. Ask your child’s teacher for lists of books for outside reading or get suggestions from your local library.
• Don’t get upset because of a single test score. Many things can influence how your child does on a test. She might not have felt well on test day or she might have been too nervous to concentrate. She might have had an argument with a friend before the test or she might have been late to school because the school bus got caught in traffic. Remember, one test is simply one test.
• Don’t place so much emphasis on your child’s test scores that you lose sight of her well being. Too much pressure can affect her test performance. In addition, she may come to think that you will only love her if she does well on tests.
• Do help your child avoid test anxiety. It’s good for your child to be concerned about taking a test. It’s not good for him to develop “test anxiety.” Test anxiety is worrying too much about doing well on a test. It can mean disaster for your child. Students with test anxiety can worry about success in school and about their future success. They can become very self-critical and lose confidence in their abilities. Instead of feeling challenged by the prospect of success, they become afraid of failure. If your child worries too much about taking tests, you can help to reduce the anxiety by encouraging the child to do the following things.

—Plan ahead. Start studying for the test well in advance. Make sure that you understand what material the test will cover. Try to make connections about what will be on the test and what you already know. Review the material more than once.

—Don’t “cram” the night before. This will likely increase your anxiety, which will interfere with clear thinking. Get a good night’s sleep.

—When you get the test, read the directions carefully before you begin work. If you don’t understand how to do something, ask the teacher to explain.

—Look quickly at the entire text to see what types of questions are on it (multiple choice, matching, true/false, essay). See if different questions are worth different numbers of points. This will help you to determine how much time to spend on each part of the test.

—If you don’t know the answer to a question, skip it and go on. Don’t waste time worrying about one question. Mark it and, if you have time at the end of the test, return to it and try again.

After the Test

Your child can learn a great deal from reviewing a graded exam paper. Reviewing will show him where he had difficulty and, perhaps, why. This is especially important for classes in which the material builds from one section to the next, as in math. Students who have not mastered the basics of math are not likely to be able to work with fractions, square roots, beginning algebra and so on.

Discuss the wrong answers with your child and find out why he chose the answers.

Sometimes a child didn't understand or misread a question. Or, he may have known the correct answer but failed to make his answer clear.

You and your child should read and discuss all comments that the teacher writes on a returned test. If any comments aren't clear, tell your child to ask the teacher to explain them.

Early to bed early to rise makes Jack a good boy!

All through generations parents are trying to preach their kids the goodness of getting into bed early and rising early in the morning. Well that seems to work for many, but most of the children are not convinced of the fact. They tend to slumber at the toll of midnight and wake up when the heat of morning Sun feels greater than that of their blanket.

If you understand the reason for following the reason of going to bed early and rising early, shall benefit you a lot. We as humans have some rhythms to follow in our life. Most of our rhythms are biological. By rhythms it is meant a particular pattern of periodicity. Some rhythms are annual called circannual rhythms, some are monthly and some follow a daily pattern.

Sleep is a circadian rhythm, i.e. the pattern is repeated every 24 hours after. If we have day light to work, them we have night to sleep. This is the law of this biological rhythm. By obeying this law we can have the following benefits:

1. Healthy heart

Staying up late in the night is a way to torture your body with high blood pressure and cholesterol. These are the risks associated with the heart. If you do not want to worsen the situation get sufficient sleep.

2. Reduced stress

A peaceful sleep in the night relieves physical and mental stress that is caused during the process of regular activities. It relaxes the body and mind. With insufficient sleep you are risking your health with heart strokes and other diseases.

3. Enhances memory

Sleeping early lets your mind arrange the thoughts well. Waking up early with a fresh mind will repossess all of it.

4. Protects you from diseases

By sleeping late in the night you are only stressing yourself which will increase the blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This routine can affect you with cancer and other heart diseases for life. So sleep early and let your body maintain the pressure levels constant.

5. Gives time for breakfast

Breakfast is very important to kick start the day. And most of the times as we wake up late we miss it. To ensure food to our intestines waking up early in the morning and breaking the fast by 10 a.m is very important.

6. Positive performance

Sleeping continuously for at least 7 hours in the night is necessary. Inadequate sleep will curb your ability to think creatively, cope up with stress and concentrate. All these stress factors will have a negative impact on your performance.

7. Helps metabolism

Our body needs to send away all the unwanted waste from within. Sleeping through the day till noon will disorganize the exile. We need to eat and sleep on time to maintain energy.

8. Reduce the risk of cancer

Sleep in the dark. Light in the night reduces the melatonin level which is supposed to cause sleep and prevent the risk of cancer. So make your room dark and sleep early in the night allowing your body to produce melatonin.

9. Boosts energy

Sleeping early will let you complete your 7 hours of sleep and makes you fresh the next morning. It gives you the energy to perform better. An alert mind can also concentrate well.

10. Maintains weight

When you sleep too late your organism is disturbed. Sleeping for less than 7 hours a day is an invitation to obesity. The hormones that impact appetite are troubled by lack of sleep which leads to sudden weight loss.

So start going to bed early, and rise early!

Happy Sleeping!

Time Pass- Think Wise !!

Having seen the craziness about the newly released Marathi movie- Timepass, I wonder of the aftermath on the minds and behavior of teens. Nevertheless the movie is grossing good at the box office and it is a thorough entertainer, meant only for the purpose of entertainment, one should beware of the outcomes!

Movies form an integral part of post modern culture every where in the world. Many a times they have serious implications on the lives of people in the society. Conversely some real life is shown on the reel life. If we were to talk of this Marathi movie or the movies of like genre, I feel it may have the following outcome on the class of today's highly exposed and vulnerable young adults-

1) Propensity to fall in immature, unrealistic relationships.

2) Increase in impulsive behavior.

3) Loosening of morals.

4) Unnecessary struggle in life for worthless accomplishments!

5) Taking the parents and their care for them as obstacle/hindrance.

6) Loosing the charm of life at a early and tender age.

Teenagers are like those toddler's who have learnt to speak and walk recently but lack the exactitude of judgement. Whilst they want to secure their freedom at any cost to unconditionally enjoy the mirth of life. Here is where a real guiding force required. Someone to lend them a hand, sit along them, cherish their fantasies, direct their energy, motivate and inspire for the higher purpose of life- A true Friend-Philosopher-Guide.

A movie like this shall entertain them, but may unknowingly grab their mind, and they shall imitate the same picture in their life. Some may even try to elicit the favorable situations in order to fulfill the aspiration, which is cause for most of the blunders in a life of an young adult.

One of our faculties of learning is through imitation. I think society holds the responsibility to give these teenagers some good stuff to imitate.

Think Wise! Act Wise!