Lunch for your kids: Indian or not?

Many Indian parents raising kids outside of India wonder every day if their kids should be taking Indian lunch - which may look and smell exotic to their friends - or should they pack them more acceptable - and familiar - lunch? This is a micro level question of a macro level issue. Should you make them feel proud of their Indian heritage or should you teach them to assimilate?

Are you a parent facing this dilemma? What do yo think?

Ten financial things I would like to teach my children

1. Never, ever spend more than you make.
2. Always save 10% of your earnings - no matter how small or how big your income.
3. Invest in only what you understand.
4. Eat at home more often. It is not only healthy but also saves you a lot of money.
5. Always remember that shopping is an activity - not an entertainment.
6. Find out the price you will have to pay for anything that is being offered "free'. (Yes, nothing is really for free, so you are paying one way or the other).
7. Do not be fooled by the false advertising. Buying is always spending - not saving. If you buy something that you do not need or want, you are not saving anything on that item, no matter how deep the discount is. 

8. Happiness is always in simple things in life, not expensive things.
9. Be happy for your friends if they can afford something that you cannot. At least now you will have an opportunity to enjoy their possessions for a short while.
10. Remember that success can be measured at many levels, and financial success is just one of the ways. Know your strength and your successes.

Indian parenting

The more I meet Indian parents, the more I realize the need for the support network that we are missing here in America. As a mother of two daugthers -who are now in college and work world - I remember the struggle I faced while raising them. (many of the things I learned along the way is available in The Indian Parenting Book).

I would like to hear about the struggle of you parents out there and how you have tried to solve the two-culture, two-career problems.

Do you pack Indian lunch for your children or do not want them to feel that they are different? Do you celebrate Christmas at home? Do you let your daugther go for a sleepover?

Please share your thoughts on this blog for other parents.

Happy Parenting in the meantime.

Taare Zamin Par

Just saw the movie Taare Zamin Par by Aamir Khan and loved it! It is about time some one opens the eyes of middle class Indian parents to realize that there is more to life that A+ grades in Math and Science. This movie really brings out that point very poignantly.
Very emotional as well with beautiful music.
Hope more film directors tackle topics that are different than any typical love story.

trips to India

Every trip to India is like a reminder of how much I have changed. It is scary, reflective, and pointed. I wonder if others feel the same way. Have you found yourself visiting your home country and coming away with the feeling of your past and your current life?

I would love to hear about it.

India in the media

Today, checking New York Times most emailed articles, I found that four out of ten were somhow onnected to India: outsouring, yoga, poverty and other topics. It is still something new to me to see so much about India in the media as for last 30 years I rarely saw India mentioned in any major media. Oh yes things have changed, and as a self-appointed media watch on India and other things, not to mention a self-appointed critique of how Indian culture is changing - I notice it more clearly than may be others. Now I wonder what kind of impact this new interest in everything-Indian is going to create to the Indians who live outside of India as well as inside of India. Is the border blurring so much so that it would be hard to know if you are physically there or not? Would all of it help in creating a more self-assured India and Indians or would it just become another western-influenced society? Interesting! Only time will tell, I guess.

India in the news all the time now

Today, checking New York Times most emailed articles, I found that four out of ten were somhow onnected to India: outsouring, yoga, poverty and other topics. It is still something new to me to see so much about India in the media as for last 30 years I rarely saw India mentioned in any major media.
Oh yes things have changed, and as a self-appointed media watch on India and other things, not to mention a self-appointed critique of how Indian culture is changing - I notice it more clearly than may be others.
Now I wonder what kind of impact this new interest in everything-Indian is going to create to the Indians who live outside of India as well as inside of India. Is the border blurring so much so that it would be hard to know if you are physically there or not?
Would all of it help in creating a more self-assured India and Indians or would it just become another western-influenced society?

Interesting!

Only time will tell, I guess.