The joy of togetherness

While technology has enabled us to connect easily with each other, the same technology takes us away from our loved ones. The human touch is replaced by the tap on our smart phones. During my childhood, when mobile technology had not come into our lives, real togetherness flowed in our lives. The day began with the younger members of the family taking blessings from elders while evenings saw the whole family enjoying TV together. People greeted each other when they went out and children enjoyed games together. People shared moments of joy and sadness and even though resources were limited, the joy of togetherness overpowered the limited resources.

Life has undergone a sea change since then.

Mornings begin, not by greeting each other but by checking our mails and social media accounts on our smart phones. Breakfast table sees us glued to our smartphones in our self created silos. Once people used to ask each other's well being when they faces each other in office. However, now, office elevator too sees us hiding behind our smartphone screens, avoiding the effort of a friendly conversation. What if someone calls to us, we have headphones that ensure we only listen what WE want! Being in touch with old friends now is limited to Facebook likes and checking their timeline updates. While earlier, evenings saw the whole family crowded in front of the television, now every member of the family is glued to his/her smartphone or TV in his/her respective room. Kids too prefer connecting with their buddies on social media even if that friend stays nearby.

And then, we say we are connected!

Is this life of living in silos fulfilling? No, for this is evident by the rising cases of stress induced diseases. Obesity among kids is on the rise. Doctors blame a sedentary lifestyle for all this. We have learnt how to stay connected but have lost the real connection with the real world. People look for online buddies while a prospective good friend is sitting next to them. I remember as a kid when we used to go on our annual vacations, kids in trains used to interact...in have made few nice friends like that. However now you will see almost all kids toying around with their parents' smartphones.

What is real togetherness then?

Real togetherness is doing away with virtual connections and opting to spend quality time together instead. Research says doing activities we like together is therapeutic and increases our happiness quotient like nothing us. Spending quality time with friends and family also ensures we have people to share joys and also to get moral support in times of sadness.

Watch this excellent video which shows how real togetherness brings real joy that no virtual means cannot.

Visit http://www.kissanpur.com and discover the joy of real togetherness!

Fun, friends & freedom from Frizz!

On a Monday morning, this is the feeling of most girls admiring their freshly shampooed hair in front of the mirror -

"Mirror mirror on the wall,

Who has the best hair of them all"

However, by the time the calendar hits Friday, the same girl stands in front of the mirror in frustration, cribbing at the havoc played by pollution, stress and sweat -

"Mirror mirror on the wall,

Can someone manage this frizz after all"

I am one of these girls. The week begins with me admiring my smooth hair and Friday evenings see me tying my hair to save a bad hair day.

Add to this, pregnancy. As far as hair are concerned, pregnancy is the best phase of a woman's life, when hair decide to stay and give us moral support. However, soon after delivery the hair start bidding adieu. 

Soon after my son was born, I faced the problem of Frizzy hair and tremendous hair fall. While a quick Google search gave me many elaborate home remedies waiting to be tried, managing the baby hardly gave me anytime to try even one.

Few days ago, when I received an invite for the Dabur Vatika #FrizzFreeHair meet, I was all excited to find a solution to my hair problems. This was also my first IB meet after moving to Mumbai and I was superrr excited to meet team indi and make some new blogger friends! Another reason for excitement was that this also gave me to increase my saree count for my 100sareepact! The dress code was green and the only thing green I was looking good in post delivery was a lovely green saree!

Thanks to my baby's cranky mood and Mumbai traffic, I ended up reaching the venue late and missed the band's performance I was so eager to witness. As i entered the hall, i saw many people in black suits and got a bit puzzled if this was the right event. However, I later came to know they were students of NMIMS who were here to learn about product launch. Vineet welcomed me with a warm smile at the entrance asking me to quickly register as the event was already on!

As my eyes searched for a vacant seat, Priyanka waived at me and I took a sigh of relief! 

We were all excited to know about the product we were here for - Dabur Vatika non sticky Jasmine oil, that promised to make our hair Frizzy to fantastic!

Soon team Dabur took over the centre stage and introduced us to the brand and product. Most of us were surprised to know that Dabur hair oil has been nourishing the hair of millions of women for the past 75 years!

The info session began covered everything from the definition of Frizz to how Dabur Non Sticky Jasmine oil with its Silicone Oils helps fight Frizz. Soon the product was unveiled and everybody got so excited to get the perfect pose with the oil!

The session was followed by a round of hair care tips where many women shared their tried and tested recipe for hair care!

An indi meet is incomplete without the game and so the game of the day was - Rock, paper, Scizzor...Amidst a lot of fun, laughter and confusion, the game finally saw its winners while the losers had their hair messed up! 

But why to fear messy hair when the event is for a hair oil? We were pampered with a relaxing champi and a cool hairstyle at the Champi counter!

The meet also introduced me to these lovely ladies, better known as my BFFs -

Gauri @ http://survivaloftheoptimist.blogspot.in

Shalini @ http://baketitude.blogspot.in

Priyanka @ http://www.writersmelon.com

Along with Sujata Tawde and Manisha

Finally it was time to gorge on the sumptuous food. The ladies enjoyed the food amidst chatter and headed home.

The excitement was not yet over. As I opened my goody bag, my eyes widened in excitement to spot a wonderful Philips Hair Straightener! I knew that Dabur meant what they said when they mentioned "Hum Samajhtey Hain Aapke Balon ko!"

My living room’s makeover with Bed, bath and beyond

Ever since hubby and I moved into our own pad, we had wanted to design it according to our own taste and personality. The flat, like most ready to move houses had plain cream walls which more often than not, made me feel very dull and old. We wanted to have a youthful appeal to our living room, since our house was always buzzing with friends and parties. However, as soon as the thought of a makeover would come to my mind, I would start fretting about so many things.

• Who would do the run around to shop for the right shades of paint, home décor items (we both have pretty hectic jobs in Mumbai)
• Since we had recently relocated, we hardly knew any local guy who could do the painting job for us. Without fleecing us!
• I would often visualise the kind of space I wanted – lively, youthful and refreshing. However, after a hectic day in office I would be often, too tired to decide the entire look in my mind.

Few days ago, I discovered the all in one solution to my makeover concerns –

http://www.bedbathmore.com/

The more I discovered the website, the more it seemed my living room’s makeover would be a reality soon.

http://www.bedbathmore.com/ is one stop solution to all your décor concerns.

Ideas, expert advice, paints, décor, furniture – the site offered everything at one place!

I soon got glued with their décor district and began to read the numerous articles on how to give a perfect makeover to your house.

Once I was done, it was time for some action. I chose the theme lemon cooler for my living room, since I was looking for a refreshing and youthful appeal. Finding the perfect shade was easy since the theme automatically offered the shades close to the look I wanted!

I quickly went to the paint finder tool and after selecting the shade, tried few looks for my living room.

To my surprise, the tool not only helped me select the perfect shade and preview the look, it also helped me calculate the approximate costing, offered product comparisons and….also offered to find a local professional to convert your dream look into reality! Wow! Was I dreaming? No!

So, what are you waiting for? Come to http://www.bedbathmore.com/ and find all your décor solutions at one go!

 I am participating in the #PaintFinder activity in Association withBlogAdda & Bed Bath & More“

Pampers pamper our li’l ones with Softest Diaper Ever

Motherhood blessed me three months ago and since then, my life revolves around my little bundle of joy. Keeping him happy and comfortable has been my whole sole priority. After all, it’s the mother baby looks up to in moments of happiness and trouble.

Since my baby arrived at the onset of Mumbai monsoons, my biggest concern was how to keep him dry and comfortable. Using a cloth nappy meant having to deal with frequent nappy changing and a cranky baby. Hubby and I began exploring options in diapers however; we weren’t too comfortable using diapers for long hours since we didn’t want our baby’s soft skin to get affected.

In the middle of all this, when BlogAdda invited me to the preview of Pampers premium care pants, my reaction was “Who knows about diapers more than a mother” and I was super eager to know the mystery behind #SoftestForBabySkin.

Finally, on the designated day, I landed at JW Marriott, which incidentally was also the venue for WIN Awards 2015. After spending some amazing time at the ongoing sessions and meeting my fellow bloggers over a lavish lunch, the BlogAdda team quickly signalled us to come to a separate area for the event. The entrance itself brought a wide smile on my face as it read “World of soft” and carried a picture of an adorable baby everyone looked at and went “Awwwww”

As the BlogAdda crew led us in, we were welcomed by the Pampers crew who promptly asked me to pose against a lovely wall which had been created especially for the event. I loved the placard “Softest diapers, sweetest mom” and soon felt like a diva posing to shutterbugs!

We quickly rushed to the main hall where the main event was about to begin and the set inside instantly made me feel as if I was on a TV show!

Inside, there were many bloggers and mommy bloggers with their lovely kids. I also spotted a table titled “Demo Zone” and was very curious to know how the demo could convince moms that these diapers are the best for their children.

 

No sooner had we settled that a beautiful voice caught our attention. I had spotted the gorgeous Mandira Bedi in the hotel lobby but didn’t know we would be lucky to have her at our event! 

She soon appeared on stage and opened the event in her signature style.

There were four chairs on the stage which meant three more celebs had to be there. “Who would be the other 3 surprise guests?” we all were wondering. Mandira soon welcomed the other panelists for the event –

Tara Sharma – Actress and celebrity mom

Ajita Gopal Seethepalli – Child sleep consultant

Dr. Wei Sing Long - Pampers R&D Expert

The event began with the panelists talking about the importance of good sleep to a baby’s comfort and development. Celebrity moms Mandira and Tara shared their personal experiences of being Pampers moms and that how soft and dry diapers can help in the overall development of the baby. During my sleepless nights with my baby, I often wonder how celeb moms manage their kids, so when Tara spoke about the challenges she faced as a new mom, I could totally empathize with her.

The two experts on the panel had a more technical approach to the whole soft diaper concept. Leading Baby Sleep Consultant Ajita Seethepalli highlighted the importance of softness to a baby’s sound sleep. She drew parallel between continuous sleep and uninterrupted playtime, which has a direct correlation with the cognitive, mental & physical, development of babies.

Finally, scientist & R&D expert Dr. WeiSing introduced us to the product for which by now, everyone had become curious.

Soon, we were asked to touch the three diapers kept in separate compartments on our tables and vote for the softest diaper. While most moms encouraged their kids to take their pick, at our table we were all adults. 

I could instantly make out the one particularly soft diaper but decided to stay mum and wait for the voting results. 92% voters had chosen the same option as mine, and soon the panel unveiled the identity of this softest diaper – Pampers premium care pants!

 

Now that we had our first look and feel of the product, it was time to know the product features in detail. Scientist & R&D expert Dr. WeiSing took us through the Pampers 5 star skin protection, that make it the best diaper for baby comfort.

1.  All-around softness –

Pampers understand baby’s skin is the softest, so premium care pants have been made using soft materials to provide softness and comfort. Also, the all around waistbands and leg cuffs ensure a snug fit, minimising leakage and making movement more comfortable for baby. 

2.  Upto 12 hours of dryness –

Pampers premium care pants come with ultra dry core that quickly absorbs and locks away liquids. While this was sounding too good to be true, Dr. WeiSing actually demonstrated the technique by showing how the same material absorbed poop like chemical poured in a glass. 

3.  Baby Lotion –

Pampers understand a mom’s concerns and therefore, Pampers premium care pants come with baby lotion that helps protect the baby’s precious skin. Dr. WeiSing took cards as substitute for baby’s skin. The cards when treated with baby lotion in diaper showed no impact of pee like skin irritant poured on them indicating how the baby lotion in Pampers protect the baby’s skin. 

4.  Breathable materials –

The micro pores in Pampers premium care pants help air circulation, which allow the baby’s skin to breathe.

5.    Wetness indicator –

The only way a baby communicates his discomfort is by crying. No matter how much mom understands her baby; it is only when the baby cries that a mom usually discovers that the diaper is full. To save the baby this discomfort, Pampers premium care pants come with a unique wetness indicator that turns from yellow to blue when in contact with fluid, so parents can easily know when it is time to change.

Pampers also showed us the first look of their TV commercial and the promo video. While we all murmuring “Cho Chweet” at the sight of cute kid in the commercial, Tara had a pleasant surprise for us. She showed us some of her family videos that showed her changing diapers and her adorable kids talking about their views on Pampers. The witty Mandira Bedi was quick to add, “People these days don’t say diapers, they say Pampers!”

Next, it was time for a live demo and everyone rushed to the demo zone to take pics of the celebrity. Tara took the lead in highlighting the features of Pampers premium care pants.

Needless to say, twitter was abuzz with #SoftestForBabySkin!

Finally, Pampers pampered the bloggers and moms to the part they waited for – one to one with the celeb panellists and a lovely goody bag. It was so much fun to discover celeb moms Tara and Mandira discussing babies and motherhood with us sans any celebrity air! A real mom to mom conversation! I complimented Mandira on her post baby weight loss and she was quick to offer her expert advice, “Start working to shed that baby fat RIGHT NOW!” While I discussed the importance of comfortable diapers with Tara, Dr. WeiSing was very sweet and down to earth as I thanked her team for developing #SoftestForBabySkin diapers!

 

 

When I left the venue with my goody bag, I was all smiles, for thanks to the unique product demonstration by Pampers, I came to know the best and softest diaper for my baby’s skin!

I have been using Pampers premium care pants for my baby. Read the product review here.

This blog post is written for the Pampers #SoftestForBabySkin activity in association with BlogAdda”

About Pampers

Pampers is the #1 selling diaper brand worldwide. For more than half a century, Pampers has been caring for the happy, healthy development of the world’s babies and in turn, has grown to become P&G’s biggest brand.  Every day Pampers serves over 25 million babies in more than 100 countries around the world.  Pampers was inspired by babies.  In 1956 Vic Mills, a P&G researcher was inspired by his desire to create a better diaper for his newborn grandson, and his work led to the creation of the brand.  Pampers takes great care in developing products that benefit both baby and mom, and are committed to making a difference in babies’ lives. 

Pampers India can be reached on social media at –

FB – www.facebook.com/PampersIndia

Twitter – www.twitter.com/PampersIndia

Instagram – www.instagram.com/PampersIndia

I am a Pampers mom, are you?

As a mom to a 3 month old, I have no words to explain the joy I feel when I see my baby happy and comfortable. Being a mom is a huge responsibility, for it is mother a child looks out to in moments of happiness and trouble. Mothers understand the unspoken in their children – be it the most comfortable position that gives their baby a sound sleep, the lullaby in their soft and familiar voice the baby recognizes, or the gentle touch that soothes a crying baby.

My baby arrived in monsoon time when humidity makes even us adults irritable. Keeping him dry and comfortable therefore, had been a huge challenge for me since day one. Until he completed a month, I wasn’t allowed to make him wear diapers. “His skin is so soft, constant use of diapers would harm it”, the elders would say. Only I know how my baby and I bore the torture of cloth nappies. No sooner than I changed his nappy and rocked him to sleep, he would wake up to a wet nappy, irritated and cranky.

After a month of sleepless nights, when it finally came to using diapers, both Mr. Hubby and I were very skeptical. We wanted to use the best and softest for our kid, since our baby would spend close to 6-7 hours overnight in a diaper. After much research, we got special newborn diapers for our baby since there was no softer option available. However, we wouldn’t find these at every medical store, since not many people use them. Also, these are available only upto 5kg, which meant we would soon have to find another softer option. Whenever my baby would get irritated in extreme humidity with long hours of diaper use, I would just leave him without any diaper for few hours so that his skin could breathe.

Coincidentally, I was invited to a special preview of the Pampers premium care pants for mommy bloggers. I had done my R&D on diapers so when they claimed these diapers are #SoftestForBabySkin,I was all enthusiastic. At the event, experts introduced us moms to the benefits of the new Pampers premium care pants. Read about my experience at the Pampers premium care pants preview here.

I decided to try out the sample diapers given to me at the event.

Pampers, the number one diaper brand in the world understands the importance of softness and dryness to a baby’s comfortable development. Hence, after much research, they have launched new premium care pants.

“How are these diapers different?” one may ask. Well, these premium diapers are so soft that babies won’t actually notice them, and after using them for my baby, I can vouch they are the softest diapers we have ever used. This comfortable experience can be attributed to Pampers 5 star skin protection –

1.     All-around softness –

Pampers understand baby’s skin is the softest, so premium care pants have been made using soft materials to provide softness and comfort. In fact, we bloggers tested the softness at the event where we were to touch diapers kept in 3 separate boxes without knowing the brands. The diapers 92% bloggers voted as the softest came out to be Pampers premium care pants. Also, the all around waistbands and leg cuffs ensure a snug fit, minimizing leakage and making movement more comfortable for baby.

2.    Upto 12 hours of dryness –

While I target maximum 6-7 hours of diapers at night for my baby, at times due to me being busy with morning household chores, he ends up spending 10-11 hours in them. Whenever this happens, after certain duration my baby begins to feel uncomfortable in his wet diaper and gets cranky. However, when I tested Pampers premium care pants on him, I deliberately kept the diaper on and even after 10 hours, he seemed rather comfy in his pants, giving me a stress free morning to finish my household chores. Pampers premium care pants come with ultra dry core that quickly absorbs and locks away liquids.

3.    Baby Lotion –

As mentioned earlier in this post, my baby’s skin was our topmost priority while choosing the right diaper. Pampers understand a mom’s concerns and therefore, Pampers premium care pants come with baby lotion that helps protect the baby’s precious skin.

4.    Breathable materials –

The very reason I leave my baby without diapers for few hours a day is to enable his skin to breathe. But Pampers has solved this problem of mine. The micro pores in Pampers premium care pants help air circulation, allowing my baby’s skin to breathe.

5.    Wetness indicator –

The only way a baby communicates his discomfort is by a cry. No matter how much mom understands her baby, its only when the baby cries that a mom usually discovers that the diaper is full. To save the baby this discomfort, Pampers premium care pants come with a unique wetness indicator that turns from yellow to blue when in contact with fluid, so parents can easily know when it is time to change.

It has been a week since I have been using Pampers premium care pants for my baby, and I can say that this is the softest and the most comfortable diaper I could have given him. Since pampers premium care pants come in all sizes, I am relieved for I can continue to use these for my baby as he grows.

Seeing my baby happy and comfortable is all I want as a mom, for a happy baby makes for a happy mom.

I am a Pampers mom, are u?

This blog post is written for the Pampers #SoftestForBabySkin activity in association with BlogAdda

Try the new Pampers premium care pants at http://www.amazon.in/b?node=7212667031&tag=pampers-blog-21.

Pampers India can be reached at –

FB – www.facebook.com/PampersIndia

Twitter – www.twitter.com/PampersIndia

Instagram – www.instagram.com/PampersIndia