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The Unseen Weight: How Society Puts Pressure on Mothers

In today’s fast-paced world, mothers find themselves under an immense amount of pressure, often driven by societal expectations. From being perfect caregivers to achieving professional success, the demands placed on mothers can be overwhelming. In this blog we will talk and explores the various ways society puts pressure on mothers and the impact it has on their well-being.

The Myth of the Perfect Mother

One of the most pervasive pressures is the expectation to be the “perfect mother.” Society often paints an unrealistic picture of motherhood, where moms are expected to be endlessly patient, always nurturing, and constantly available. This ideal is not only unrealistic but also harmful, as it sets mothers up for failure and guilt when they inevitably fall short of these impossible standards.

Balancing Work and Family

The modern mother is often expected to excel both at home and in her career. The pressure to be a successful professional while also being a devoted mother creates a relentless tug-of-war. Juggling work responsibilities with the demands of family life can lead to burnout, stress, and a sense of inadequacy. Society’s lack of support for working mothers exacerbates this issue, leaving many to struggle in silence.

Social Media and the Comparison Trap

With the rise of social media, the pressure on mothers has reached new heights. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook are filled with images of seemingly perfect families, well-behaved children, and spotless homes. These curated snapshots can create a false sense of reality, leading mothers to compare themselves unfavourably and feel inadequate. The constant comparison to others’ highlight reels can erode self-esteem and create a sense of failure.

The Pressure to Do It All

Mothers today are often expected to be more than just caregivers. They are also seen as the primary educators, health advocates, and social planners for their children. The pressure to “do it all” can be overwhelming, leaving mothers with little time for themselves. This relentless demand can lead to stress, exhaustion, and even resentment, as mothers try to meet everyone’s needs while neglecting their own.

Judgment and Criticism

Societal expectations often come with a side of judgment and criticism. Mothers are frequently judged for their parenting choices, whether it’s their decision to breastfeed or bottle-feed, stay at home or work, or how they discipline their children. This constant scrutiny can be disheartening and isolating, making mothers feel like they can never do anything right in the eyes of others.

Lack of Support Systems

Despite the high expectations, many mothers lack adequate support systems. Extended family structures have changed, and community support is often lacking. Without a strong support network, mothers can feel isolated and overwhelmed, struggling to meet the demands placed on them. This lack of support can lead to feelings of loneliness and mental health challenges.

The Impact on Mental Health

The cumulative effect of these pressures can have a significant impact on a mother’s mental health. Anxiety, depression, and burnout are common among mothers who feel the weight of societal expectations. It’s crucial to recognize that these pressures are not a reflection of a mother’s worth or capabilities but rather a symptom of unrealistic societal standards.

It’s time for society to recognize and address the immense pressure it places on mothers. We must move towards a more supportive and realistic view of motherhood, where imperfections are accepted, and support is readily available. By doing so, we can help mothers feel valued, capable, and empowered to raise their children in a healthier, more balanced way.

If you have thoughts or experiences on this topic, we’d love to hear from you. Share your comments below and let’s continue this important conversation.

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Want Your Child to Eat Well? Here Are a Few Tips to Make Mealtimes Enjoyable

As parents, we often find ourselves worrying about our children’s eating habits. We want to ensure they receive the right nutrients and grow up healthy and strong. However, in our quest to feed them well, we sometimes end up controlling their food intake too much. This approach can backfire, leading to mealtime battles and stress for both parent and child. Instead, here are some tips to help your child eat well and make mealtimes enjoyable:

Stop Controlling Their Food Intake

Children have an innate sense of how much food they need. Trust them to listen to their bodies and decide when they are full. Forcing them to eat more than they want can lead to a negative relationship with food. Allow them to stop eating when they signal they have had enough.

Let Them Connect with Their Hunger

Encourage your child to recognize and respond to their hunger cues. This helps them understand their body’s needs and develop healthy eating habits. Instead of insisting they eat at specific times or finish their plate, let them eat when they are genuinely hungry.

Trust Your Baby

Trust is key when it comes to feeding your child. Believe that your child knows how much food they need. This trust fosters a positive eating environment where your child feels comfortable making their own choices about food. It’s important to support their autonomy and help them build a healthy relationship with food.

Make Mealtime Pleasurable

Eating should be a fun and enjoyable experience, not a chore or punishment. Sit with your child and share meals together. If you’re not hungry, simply keep them company and engage in pleasant conversation or playful activities. Creating a positive atmosphere around meals can make a significant difference in how your child perceives food.

Avoid Fussing About Food

We often become overly sensitive about whether our child is eating enough. This anxiety can transfer to the child, making mealtime a stressful event. Instead, relax and trust that your child will eat what they need. Avoid turning mealtime into a power struggle.

Let Food Be a Joy

Focus on making food enjoyable rather than something that must be controlled or enforced. Introduce a variety of foods and let your child explore different tastes and textures. Encourage them to try new things, but don’t pressure them. Celebrate the act of eating as a joyful, shared experience.

Eat Together

One of the best ways to encourage healthy eating habits is by eating together as a family. This not only provides a model for your child but also makes mealtime a bonding experience. Children are more likely to try new foods and eat well when they see their parents doing the same.

By following these tips, you can create a positive and stress-free environment around food, helping your child develop a healthy relationship with eating.

We hope these tips help you make mealtimes more enjoyable and stress-free for you and your child. Do you have any other topics you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback.

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Spice Up Your Meals with This Tempting Thecha Recipe

Thecha, a fiery green chili-garlic chutney, is a traditional Maharashtrian condiment that can add a delightful kick to any meal. Bursting with flavors and packed with heat, this chutney is perfect for those who love their food spicy. Made with a handful of ingredients and prepared in minutes, thecha can transform a simple meal into a tempting feast. Whether you pair it with bhakri, chapati, or rice, this versatile condiment is sure to become a staple in your kitchen.

Ingredients:

10-12 green chilies, stems removed
6-8 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup peanuts
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons oil

Instructions:

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the green chilies, garlic cloves, peanuts, and cumin seeds to the pan.

Sauté them for about 3-4 minutes until the chilies and peanuts start to slightly change color and release their aroma.
Now add salt and coriander leaves. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool down for a few minutes.


Once cooled, transfer the sautéed mixture to a mortar and pestle, and start grinding it coarsely using the mortar and pestle. You can adjust the level of coarseness according to your preference.

Gradually add the lemon juice to the mixture and continue grinding until all the ingredients are well combined.
Taste and adjust the salt and lemon juice if needed.

Your Maharashtrian Thecha is now ready to be served. Serve the Thecha with paratha or rice. It adds a spicy and flavorful kick to your meal.

Thecha is not just a chutney; it’s an explosion of flavors that can elevate your meals to a whole new level. Its fiery heat and robust taste make it an ideal companion for various dishes, adding a tempting twist to your everyday meals. If you enjoy spicy food, this thecha recipe is a must-try.

We hope you give this recipe a try and experience the delightful punch it brings to your meals. Do let us know how it turned out for you in the comments below. And if you have your own version or any tips to make it even better, we’d love to hear that too. Happy cooking and enjoy the flavors of Maharashtrian cuisine!

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Incredible Health Benefits of Mishri- The Indian Rock Sugar

If you have ever been to an Indian restaurant, it is common to spot a bowl, at the entrance of a restaurant containing fennel seeds and rock candy squares. This practice stems from the age-old ayurvedic wisdom that mishri is a mouth freshener, digestive, mood uplifter and energy booster. 

Rock sugar also known as Khand or Mishri is unrefined sugar made from the solution of sugarcane and the sap of palm tree. It is made by evaporating the sugarcane sap. The nectar and sugarcane tree is almost colourless when it is in its fresh form. As it ages for a few hours it develops a creamish colour. To make white mishri, it is processed further by boiling the creamy mishri with water and then cooling it down in dark spaces. The unrefined rock candy is similar to the refined sugar in colour but tastes so much better in flavour. It is less sweet than refined sugar making it an ideal, mild sweetener for many drinks and dishes.

How to differentiate between Real Mishri and Artificial Mishri

There are three types of mishri available in the market. They are:

* Dhage wali mishri: It is simply mishri crystallised on a thread. It is the authentic, traditional form of mishri.

* Small machine-made crystals of mishri

* Large crystallised lumps without any thread

For real Mishri, go for Dhage (Thread) wali Mishri as it is the most traditional and authentic mishri. The use of thread is a common practice to support the process of crystallization.

Read below for some amazing health benefits of Mishri:-

Mishri is loaded with vitamins, minerals and amino acids and is often used for medicinal purpose. It is used in Ayurveda for centuries for strengthening weak immune system.

  • Cough suppressant: Due to its medicinal and therapeutic value, mishri, in Ayurveda, helps easing cough and cold symptoms. It is also famous among Indian classical singers to prevent their vocal cords from being dry. A powder of mishri and black pepper with lukewarm water helps in alleviating cough and also sweeps out excess mucus. Pop a small piece of mishri instead of sugar and artificial flavour loaded cough lozenges as a natural cough suppressant.
  • Aids Digestion: It also helps in giving relief from acidity, gas, nausea and indigestion. Having mishri with fennel seeds post meal is not just an amazing mouth freshener but it also helps in digestion. 
  • Increases Haemoglobin: According to a famous nutritionist, Rujuta Diwekar, mishri is useful in anaemia, weakness, pale skin, dizziness and fatigue. It helps to support good blood flow in the body.
  • Boosts Energy: Mishri is an instant source of energy, that refreshes your dull mood and boosts your energy especially during post-menopausal mood swings. Mishri improves memory and eases mental fatigue.
  • Mood Swings: It helps in dealing with mood swings, depression especially in new mothers as a result of post-partum depression.
  • Treats Nausea: Mishri is an elixir when it comes to relieving nausea and vomiting sensations. By keeping these tiny sweet in your mouth, you can soothe the unease that may have got triggered by acidity or an infection.

Takeaway 

While natural sweeteners like jaggery and honey also have amazing health benefits, mishri is often overlooked and forgotten because of its pale countenance. And for people who worry about ‘sugar’, it’s the processed and hidden sugars in the processed foods you need to be wary of. Natural sugar works wonders and should be a part of your healthy, wholesome diet but of course in moderation. Cheers to good health! 🙂

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Kara Chutney- South Indian Chutney- Idlis | Dosa

Chutneys are special when it comes to Indian cuisine. India is the origin of different varieties of regional chutneys. They are super versatile. You can relish it as a condiment, use it as an ingredient, and even as a spread. Not just that, chutneys enhance flavor, provide texture contrast, preserve ingredients and hold cultural significance.

South Indian cuisine is not just about coconut chutney. There is so much variety and one such variety is Kara Chutney which originated in Tamil Nadu where kara means spicy. This chutney is typically made with onion, garlic, tomatoes and red chilies. This chutney because of its spiciness and lot of other flavours pairs perfectly well with foods that do not have lot of complicated flavour combinations like idli, dosa, appams. 

I am a hardcore chutney fan. I need variation when it comes to having chutneys with idli or dosa, even if it is a slight one. And this kara chutney is like an explosion of flavour in your mouth. It is delicious to the core. In fact it is my favourite chutney from South Indian cuisine. You can obviously make it less spicy by adding lesser dried chilies. I also like this Spicy Tangy Peanut Chutney which also pairs great with dosas and idlis. It is made with no onion or garlic. You can give this a try too. 

Originally kara chutney does not contain any coconut but I like to add a little bit to cut down on spice and also I feel coconut kind of balances all the other overpowering flavours of garlic, onion, lentils and tomatoes.

Let’s see how to make Kara Chutney my style with step by step recipe. 

Recipe: serves 4

Ingredients 

  • Onion: 1/2 cup
  • Channa Dal/Bengal gram: 1 tbsp
  • White Split Urad Dal: 1 tbsp
  • Arhar Dal: 1 tbsp
  • Tomatoes: 1 cup
  • Garlic: 2 cloves
  • Dried Red Chillies: 2 (you can increase or reduce as per your liking)
  • Coconut: 2 tbsps
  • Tamarind: 1/2 tsp
  • Water: 1/2 cup
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil: 2 tbsp (I used groundnut oil)

For Tempering

  • Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
  • Curry Leaves: 1 sprig
  • Asafoetida/Hing: a pinch
  • Oil: 1 tsp

Instructions 

  • In a pan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Now add all the lentils. Roast till fragrant and lightlish brown in colour. Take it out and set aside.
  • Now add a tbsp of oil and add roughly chopped garlic. Sauté till rawness goes.
  • Then add onion and dry red chilies. Cook onions till they become translucent. 
  • Now add roughly chopped tomatoes, salt and the fried lentils. Cook everything till tomatoes get mushy and soft. 
  • Switch off the flame and allow to cool. Then in a blender, add tamarind, coconut and 1/4th cup of water and give a blitz. 
  • Remove the lid, scrape the sides and then add remaining water. Blend again till it becomes a smooth paste. You can add little more water if required.
  • For tempering: Heat a tsp of oil. Add mustard seeds and a pinch of hing. Allow it to splutter. Switch off the flame and then add curry leaves. Let the leaves rest in the oil for a few seconds and then pour it over the chutney and mix well.
  • Check for saltiness and tanginess. If you want it more tangy, at this stage you can add little bit of lemon juice. 
  • Serve kara chutney with idli, dosa or uttapam. This spicy chutney also goes well with paniyarams.

Note: Store the leftover chutney is refrigerator and consume within a week.

You should definitely try this chutney if you are a fan of South Indian cuisine. Do let me know in the comments if you do. Would love to hear from you.