This book was about?

This was a collection of vibrantly illustrated stories for children aged 4-9, that promises them to teach something different through lessons on friendship and science. The book was extremely colorful, attractive and the illustrations are amazing. Bumblee Bee is the main protagonist of these tales. The author uses this character to talk all about nature which includes topics such as climate change, environmental issues, sustainable development and so on. These endearing tales in an easy way teach children all these concepts.

I liked this book because –

This book explains simple topics like water harvesting, why plants are important for us etc. It also covers about how bugs and insects help us and successfully inculcates the importance of plant life, it also gives insights to life cycle of butterfly, concepts like why plastic is harmful, and more knowledge about solar energy, composting etc. Though all these topics are taught in the school curriculum but when they introduce topics of bugs, insects, water harvesting, farming etc. through stories, it opens up doors for discussion, imagination and creativity.

One should read this book because –

A must have book in your library! This is a wonderful read for both kids and adults. It teaches us about the goodness of nature around us. The author has built the stories beautifully as a bee hive. The complex concepts explained in simple manner not only makes us read and enjoy Biplob, but making us yearn for more.

February is a month with its own beauty. With the landscape turning into different shades of brown and trees shedding their leaves we are reminded by nature that life is a cycle where the old gives way to new. It is a joy to see leaves dancing their way to the ground. They twirl and turn as they make their journey from their lofty abode to the ground. Come February, many find no beauty in this starkness and bareness. But as one grows older one appreciates this time as the moment when life starts anew. The old and decayed give place to fresh lease of life. The gardeners have a tough time raking in leaves and weeds. One can hear the grumbling of the gardeners who have to work overtime to keep the gardens neat and tidy. But they go about their work systematically and with lots of hard work for they look forward to getting the garden ready for the spring when flowers would fill every nook and corner. Their hard work would pay dividends then.

There is another set of the population which dreads the month of February. It is the children who find this month dreary and challenging. With ‘eggjams’ around the corner, February is the month which shouts for hard work. Parents and children move around with tension writ large on their face. Everyone waits for the date sheet with bated breath. For those who are appearing for board exams, it is a different game altogether. The very mention of board exam brings forth doubts, despair and sad exclamations. Life appears to be a burden. Each mark counts. It is a hurdle that needs to be crossed. For the younger ones, it is sittings with the parents who oversee the minutest of details. It’s not exams but a war game. Strategies are made and unmade. Timetable is chalked out where students designate specific time for each subject. Parents threaten, cajole and pamper their wards. It is, indeed, a tough month.

Many questions flash through the mind: Why exams? Why studies? Why do grades matter? Why do I have to study a particular subject in which I have no interest? There are no answers. One has to plod on. Well, dear students, I agree studies are tough and exams do play spoilsport. But then we are not so disciplined that we do our work diligently. We like to take shortcuts. Thus, there has to be some measuring rod to tell us about our weaknesses and strength. The exam system might be flawed but when we live within a system we have to learn to make the best of it. It is the same as life. We all desire things but there are many times when things are not doled out to us on a platter. We have to surge on. We take reluctant, hesitant, baby steps but at the end we do reach somewhere.

There are many schools that are changing the way children are being assessed. There is emphasis on holistic development. I agree three hours does not qualify to assess you for the hard work put in the entire year. That particular day might not be your best day. But despite all these hiccups, we need to give our best. Grades matter but they should not be made a priority. The intake of knowledge is important. That is going to help you throughout your life. Thankfully, there are a lot of fun activities in schools. Classrooms have become more interesting. Teachers try to bring out the best in each student. The books are informative with pictures that speak a thousand words. They are colourful and engrossing. Technology has helped in making learning fun. Your parents are a great help as they are well versed with the different concepts. If they are unable to teach you because of lack of time or because of lack of clarity of a particular subject, they are more than willing to hire tutors for you. All said and done, you are a blessed lot.

Thus, February should not be mourned for as the month of exams. It should not be associated with hard work depriving you of partying and having fun. You can snatch moments of fun. You can talk of it being the month that would make you one year wiser and one year older. Every rung climbed would help you graduate into the tough competitive world where you would have to slog hard to earn your ‘moolah.’ Your workplace would not allow you time to grumble and choose. Take this month to peep into the hectic life ahead. But, believe me, the slogging and working hard has its own benefits. We have often heard, ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.’ Hard work and keeping yourself occupied weans you away from thoughts that can be depressing and low.

Your identity is made by your ‘karma’. It is up to you to craft your destiny. You will see people taking the short path to success. There will be times when you would not like to work hard. You might feel that you did not get the reward that you expected. This is a temporary phenomenon. My guide, Dr T.R Sharma, who guided me during my Ph.D. gave me my first lesson on the very first day when I went to meet him. He said, ‘If you want to work with me, you will have to work very hard. I am a hard taskmaster. You have to remember that hard work never goes unrewarded.’ His words were intimidating. They were scary but I felt rewarded when he made me complete my doctorate degree within three years which was the stipulated time. I took no extensions. Everyone lauded me for it was a record of sorts. His words proved true. The appreciation brushed all my doubts away. Hard work is always rewarded.

So, enjoy the last phase of winters. Bask in the soft sun. Pick up your books. It is the perfect month for studies. You don’t need to make your hands dive into the quilt to keep them warm. Even if there is an electric cut you can continue to study as it is not hot and humid. You can eat to your heart’s content as the winters gets with it goodies for your large appetite which is a characteristic of the winters. Eat, pray and study to climb one rung higher. It is fun to be seniors in school. It’s a matter of few days and then the beautiful process begins of buying books, bag and stationery for the next class. So happy studying! May you score well and soar high.

Someone has aptly said that creativity is not something reserved for the artists, poets and geniuses, nor is it a bolt of lightning to strike someone, but a way of life. Everyday work performed by everyone becomes creative when it’s conducted with new ideas, optimum precision, zeal and happiness. Then it becomes a choice – a choice to live life the creative way.

Parents often think, creativity is inborn, their child either has it or not, but the truth is, it is as equal a skill as it is a talent, and parents are the catalyst, the first catalyst in children’s creative journey as parents alone can provide a suitable environment to let creativity bloom.

Often, being creative is considered synonymous with having artistic or musical inclinations, which though is not incorrect, yet is not the complete picture either. Creativity is a life skill, basically, brewing up new ideas. It is a core component of a child’s personality which supports development of qualities like flexibility, cheery disposition, optimism, self-appreciation and self-confidence. Creative children perform any task with an eye for details, excitement, thriving for beauty and efficiency. In return they gain satisfaction and enjoyment from the process.

Nowadays, changing social and family dynamics have forced parents to provide children with flashy toys and hi-tech gadgets right from a very early age. This limits a child’s imagination, hindering creativity. We, the modern age parents either become entirely oblivious of our children watching age inappropriate programs, reality shows, playing noisy games, or we over-pamper them like helicopter parents not letting them inhale without sanitizing every breath they take! We need to RELAX and treat them as intelligent people who need just one thing from us – our time. Dr. A. Witham once said, ‘Children spell love… T-I-M-E.”

And No, the time we talk with our sister on the phone about their shenanigans, doesn’t count; nor the time when we shop for them from the costliest place or take them to swanky restaurants for dinner with our friends.

The time we cuddle and play with them, run or are at a swing with them, when we eat together- just we, the child and the food, when we converse with them, converse as in ‘we listen to them and respond accordingly’ not they listen to our, ‘sit straight-eat fasts’… that is the time we actually spend with them. In such moments we create positive memories, build strong emotional bonds -an essential step for children to understand and express themselves.

Limited screen time for children and fixed screen time for parents provides extra hours, relaxed minds and new ideas making simple activities like baking a batch of cookies for guests, folding clothes, or arranging the dinner table as playgrounds of creativity- try new arrangements for all three! Remember, there are no wrong arrangements, just different ones.

We parents do not need to be rich, gifted or well trained; our everyday experiences make us rich, this world full of wonders is our gift, and life, the best training we can have. Feeling excited about being a parent wins us 90% of the task. The best part is, there are no perfect parents, only happy ones.

John Muir once said, ‘ The power of imagination makes us infinite.” So, we must let them imagine and daydream, but ensure they must act too, to make those aspirations come true ; let them explore, introspect, and make them understand that creativity is a source of joy.

When Jim Rohn said, ” The way you do one thing, is the way you do everything” he must have been talking to the moms and dads of the world, because a creative child grows up to be a creative Educator, creative Entrepreneur, a creative Chef, a creative Mommy or a Creative Manager. They uplift and enrich whatever they touch.

To be the catalyst for such amazing development, we parents need to convert our homes into a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, knowledge and play. Our lives must be an amalgamation of acceptance and discipline, routine and liberty…making it a cauldron where ideas simmer and dreams crystallize, where the child can spice up the recipe irrespective of the outcome, then we’ll get a magic potion of creativity sparkling all around us

We often use the above phrases to motivate or encourage people to achieve simple tasks or gigantic goals. They are the culmination and recognition of many things along with the hope of attainment of the desired objective like –

• Recognising the efforts taken by the individual
• Expressing confidence in the individual’s ability
• Giving strength and reinforce self-belief
• Pushing the individual to look past the vulnerabilities and focus on the goal
• Accepting the challenges endowed and acknowledging the individual’s mindset to still carry on
• Giving credence to all the hard work put in and wishing for a positive outcome
• Letting one know of the support they have in all spheres physical, mental or emotional

Simple terms like the above do wonders for uplifting the spirits of anyone. We see its usage in simple things like when a child learns to ride a bicycle, play a musical instrument, gives his first exam, participates in a sports event etc. Yet, the greatest impact of these can be felt in the most important aspect of any student’s life – ACADEMICS.

Exams are looked upon as a means of testing the child’s capability to imbibe, apply and reproduce all that’s taught. Students gives exams throughout out the year in the form of periodic tests, half yearly, annual exams, internal assessment, class participation and so on. There are some exams which are more important than others. They have an everlasting impact on the student’s life, yes – 10th & 12th Board exams.

These exams are not given only by the student but by the entire family. The main part of studying and giving the exam is done by the child. The parents slog throughout this year providing the additional infrastructure in terms of extra class arrangements, its transportation, nutritional food intake, discussions & teaching wherever possible, ensuring a stress free and calm atmosphere at home conducive for better concentration and so on.

The preparation of these exams begins in the previous classes itself. The amount of importance attached to these leads to stress build up, nervousness, self-doubt in many. THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC OF “YOU CAN DO IT” & “ALL THE BEST” COMES IN.

They help the child in overcoming the anxiety of the boards, reassuring that they are not alone battling it out, do away with the self-doubt, and renew the efforts again that might have taken a hit due to all the negativity. Saying these to the kids doesn’t cost us anything but it gives them that little push, little solace, little nudge, little comfort that they seek.

A thumbs up, a smile, a firm handshake, a hug, a pat on the back or head let them know of the immense love they are surrounded with. They have a domino effect wherein one small positive thought takes them to their ultimate goal of doing well in these exams.

A child may know a subject but the exam jitters set in a vicious cycle of confusion, chaos and poor performance. In times like these the mention of these phrases by the parents, peers, teachers put the child at ease, helps them to regain the lost focus and confidence and ensures that the toiling of many months is fructified into a stellar performance.

Similarly, when the child gets caught in the trap of feeling that he has not done enough or should give up mid-way, these phrases help them to get back in the groove of “this is achievable, I can tackle this and start afresh.”

Let’s make it our mission to pass on this positivity to as many students as possible and contribute in our own small way in their success.

Wizkids wishes all the students of Std 10th & 12th –

“The Earth has music for those who listen,” said George Santayana.

Our lives would not be the same without music. Sounds of nature are fascinating since they are not always played on a music system. We constantly encounter it since we are surrounded by nature all the time, and it plays a crucial role in our lives. The way that nature exposes us as people is peculiar. Every hour of the day and the advent of a new season are signaled by a special piece of music. For instance, many people use a rooster’s loud crowing to signal the beginning of the day, which serves as an alarm clock. Seasons can be identified by paying close attention to the noises made by animals. For example, it is a common belief that the arrival of monsoons is indicated by the loud croaking of frogs, and when the koel stops singing, it means that the season of spring has ended. All these sounds have a profound effect on a human being, and the following are the ain benefits of listening to the sounds and music of nature:

• Relaxation of mind: Our minds need a break from gadgets. Phones, laptops, computer screens, television etc. take up a lot of our time. It is very important to spare one hour away from technology and go out for a walk wherein you allow yourself to observe nature. Chirping of birds can be relaxing and it leads to release of the happy hormones in our brain.
• Awareness of surroundings: By going out for leisure walks in the woods or even in a park, one can observe nature and learn a lot from it. It is a must to know about birds that are there in your immediate area, so that you can recognize them from the voice. Birds are beautiful and very intelligent creatures. By learning all about the birds that inhabit your surroundings, you might develop the habit of feeding them as well as interacting with them.
• Improves focus: It can be relaxing to hear birds singing, frogs croaking, or just to be completely silent in the woods. You may be able to focus better on your academics and have better concentration as a result. You can strengthen your ability to concentrate by paying close attention to the sounds of the bird chirping.
• Recognition of animals through their sounds: Understanding and being familiar with the sounds of various animals is a wonderful place to start if you want to increase your general understanding of them. Using a book with buttons for many types of animals and their sounds, young children frequently begin learning about numerous types of sounds through it.
• Connect with nature in a new way: Ringtones of our phones often replicate sounds that have been taken from nature. Consciously or unconsciously, all of us want to stay as close to nature as possible. By going for a walk in the forest, we can do that without any help from the gadgets. Listen to all kinds of sounds carefully to.

Therefore, music is all around us. Due to the easy availability of music on our gadgets, we have completely forgotten about the melodious music that nature provides us for our entertainment as well as relaxation. To improve and better understand natural sounds, you can play a sound detective game to expand knowledge and skills. This will make you more knowledgeable about animal sounds and bring you closer to nature.

The chirping of the birds, the rustling of the leaves, and the flowing of a river through a forest all have a meditative tone to them; you just have to have patience and lend an ear. Give yourself five minutes of complete silence, and you will realize what beautiful things nature has in store for us. It has been rightly said by a wise man, “Heaven is under our feet as well as our heads.”