How to pack a ‘SPICE’ punch in your life?

I was reading about Susan Sontag yesterday where she talked about three abnormal polarities that we perpetuate as a culture- the polarisation of man/ woman, young/ old and intuition/ intellect.

Our stereotypical mindsets make us believe in men, youth and intellect over women, old age and intuition.

Do you agree that women condescend themselves and men condescend women too.

We all love to be young and are embarrassed to be old. We swear by the power of intellect over intuition.

Isn’t this high time to end this OR Game and change it into an AND Game?

Our stereotypical

Counsel someone.

When you counsel someone, you help two people – the person seeking your counsel and you.

counselWhen you listen to the seeker, your mind nods and read between the lines of your own understanding.

When you explain a few truths to the seeker, you remove the haze from your mind too.

So, seek out someone whom you can offer help. Counsel someone so that you get counseled too.

As parents, it has a deeper meaning. Isn’t it?

#LifeTruths #Counselling #Mentoring #ParentingTips

A letter written from the heart

Nidhi Arora, Founder ESHA with the book

Dear Swati, I just finished reading the book 54 Reasons Why Parents Suck, and I am in tears.

3 years ago, I gave up a corporate role to exclusively spend time with our son. All these years later, I STILL hear this almost on a daily basis:

•Children grow up anyway. Why did you have to leave such an enviable career?
•You wasted a seat at an IIM. Why go to an IIM if you wanted to sit at home and raise children? 
•Women should not leave the professional world due to childcare issues. The employer should arrange for a daycare.
•Why couldn’t you ask your mother or mother in law to live with you??
Without going into the right that these people have to be judge and jury on my specific case, these comments, and the sheer frequency at which they are made – both to the face and behind the back, indicate, quite clearly, the majority view on parenting in our world.

So, dear Swaraa(and Swati), THANK YOU for validating:

•The small things matter. You cannot decide when a child will choose to confide in you. It is important that you are present when that moment arrives.

•The ONLY way to get a child who lives a mindful existence is to be a MINDFULLY present parent.

•If kids spend too much time on their gadgets, take a good, long, hard look at what you do with gadgets in their presence.

•Parenting is not a part-time job I do after office hours.

•It is POSSIBLE to have an open, nurturing relationship with a parent, where both are open about their weak spots, vulnerabilities and comfort zones.

•Disciplining is not outdated. Even children appreciate parents who set limits and help them grow.

•Open communication is very vital. Our children are telling us, as straightforward as they can, that they want to talk and be heard. We are not listening!
Dear both: More power to you, for writing this book. I Hope this will encourage, above all else, a feedback loop from parents to children in every house.

PS: If you really want to benefit from this book, I recommend that you also supplement your reading with the Parent-Child-Adult Ego States theory. To apply things that this book hints at, we will have to discover and if needed, alter the ego state we exist in.