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What started off as a phone call a year ago. talking about the one thing we felt was the most defining aspect of our lives – Parenting, has led to this incredible journey called Madhuram Musings. Standing at 33 episodes. we still feel like a new born child.
The learnings and discoveries we have had on parenting has been tremendous. It surely has made us better parents than what we were a year ago. We hope and pray that this learning never stops and that we are able to create that little village around us, like we hoped for.
While we have come a long way in the art of podcasting, we know we have a long way to go. We need your support in not just providing feedback for our content, but also in spreading the word if you liked our podcast. We hope to create more valuable content in the coming year.
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 34
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The way religion is practiced and introduced to children varies from family to family. There is no right or wrong way to do it. But like a lot of other controversial aspects, the influences of religion is not just restricted to what is introduced at home.
We are living in challenging times and we want to make sure we are able to restrict or moderate influences from external entities on our children. In this episode, we discuss how we introduce or “not” introduce God.
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 33
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Eksik bölüm mü var?
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A lot of us living in the US, face a lot of uncertainty due to the visa process. This uncertainty spills over how we plan our future and impacts our parenting decisions to a some extent. And the impact a visa denial or expiry is sometime quite immense, especially on older children.
In this episode we talk about the uncertainties we faced personally and those around us, as this something every parent on a visa goes through. From college planning, to second language proficiency, to level of coaching in sports, everything has to be planned with a contingency plan in mind.
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 32
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We often notice children estimate a person’s worth based on the car their parents’ drive in or the cell phone they carry. As the world is getting more and more materialistic, with more avenues to flaunt that material wealth, it creates a lot of inequality and insecurity in a child’s mind.
As mindful parents, it is critical to ensure that we teach our children not to judge based on someone’s material wealth. That should start from us. As long as we refrain from judging or critiquing or admiring someone for what they own rather than who they are, we have started the process of mindful parenting.
In this episode, we talk about explaining to children, early on, the difference between need vs. want and adding the layer of priorities. We also show them the importance of material things not defining a person. This is crucial, as if this thought process goes unchecked, it may lead to insecurities in the child’s mind as they would start defining themselves based on what they have in comparison with what their friends or other celebrities have. We will also be building a better community and future if we are able to help our children stay off the material pleasures of life and help them enjoy life itself.
Please share your comments and feedback on our comments section or feel free to write in to us
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 31
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Please join us for a fun conversation on the holiday season and our attempts at making resolutions. While we have not been hugely successful at keeping them, we are sharing a few tips on how to get close to keeping them..
We will follow up this episode with our travel stories during these holidays. Stay tuned..
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 30
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While we at Madhuram, have not encountered bullying when we were school aged children in India, it is an issue which seems to be plaguing our children and many of their friends here in the US. The number of children effected by bullying in the United States is alarming. While the numbers quoted are anywhere between 10% to 90%, most research articles quote 20% as the number of children effected by Bullying.
With the changing dynamics of internet and social media and the anonymity it gives, cyberbullying has also become a serious threat for our children. India is ranked the country with highest cases of cyberbullying, with about 37% of children affected due to it.
It has short- and long-term effects on the individual who is bullied, the individual who bullies, the individual who is bullied and bullies others, and the bystander present during the bullying event. There is a lot of systemic support available for children who are bullied, but the biggest support system is the family. In this episode we speak about the experiences our kids had on bullying and how we handled it.
Please share your experiences and thoughts on bullying in the comments section.
Resources:
7 ways to prevent cyberbullying
Statistics on Bullying
Some more stats
Prevention of Bullying
Preventing Bullying in school
Some fast facts
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 29
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When I told some of my friends that I watched the court scenes of Jai Bhim with my son, they doubted my judgement. So we used this episode to talk about the right time to introduce sensitive subjects to children, how did we do it, how did they react, what can be said and where do we draw the line.
It would be great to hear from you on what you think about this and join our conversation on how to create social and political awareness in children. Please send us a note or drop in your comments in the comment section.
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 28
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Very often we hear about a child who is either disinterested in food or eats too slow. In our Madhuram team, we have 1 kid in each family who is this way. In today’s episode, we share our frustrations and challenges with you. We have not shared any extensive tips as we have not found the secret formula ourselves to overcome this issue.
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 27
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The way we learn and work has been changing at a rapid pace. Careers are not viewed the way it was viewed 10 years ago. We moved from a single job through a person's life, to many jobs, to people having multiple career paths in their lives. A lot of well paid jobs do not necessarily require a traditional college degree. Acquiring a specific skill or a certification is sufficient to get a well paid job.
This is sure to continue and with this trend, traditional education may become impertinent or obsolete. Or is it? In this episode, we discuss our thoughts on this, the optimism and fears we continue to have regarding the kind of educations our children should receive.
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 26
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This episode is a collage of 4 interviews of high school/college students, who explain their journey towards college prep.
Thanks to Jhanavi, Rohan, Ramya and Shoham for their time and great insight into how they had/have been preparing to get into the college of their choice.
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 25
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Planning for college funds is a crucial aspect of College Prep.
It starts from understanding how much college education costs in the US. Costs vary based on:
Type of College Residency StatusFinancial assistance is something which we need to explore too.
Assistance based on financial status are called Grants. Please check the below link for further details:
FAFSA
CSS
TEACH
Assistance based on merit are scholarships. There are many scholarships available and we do not have to only focus on the large ones. Applying to a smaller scholarships can add up to a large enough sum towards college funds. There are also way more scholarships available compared to Grants. However, some scholarships can be restrictive. So be sure to read the complete information about the scholarship before applying to one. Scholarships are also given based on other traits like leadership, sports, music and other extra curricular activities.
We have also spoken about the various saving options to save for the children including, 529, Roth IRA, taxable regular brokerage and Real estate options. We also have discussed the types of student loans available.
Resources:
www.whitecoatinvestor.com
www.thefinancebuff.com
https://www.savingforcollege.com/questions-answers/
www.MorningStar.com
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/student-loans/understanding-student-loans
https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/merit-based
https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/fee-waivers
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 24
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In this episode we take a deep dive into what all entails in a college application process.
GPA calculations is based on the scores / grades you get in your high school. There are many calculators available to help you calculate your GPA. Depending on the stream you choose in your high school, your weighted GPA is calculated.
Some of the GPA calculators which help you convert these grades to your composite / weighted GPA are:
GPA Calculator
Omni Calculator
Some of the competitive exams like SAT and ACT. There are multiple paid and free resources available to help you prepare for these exams. Some of the top rated free resources are:
Khan Academy
Kaplan
Princeton Review
College Board
These tests are conducted 7 times a year, and we recommend taking it at least twice, once in your Junior year and once at the start of your senior year. The fee is between $50 to $90 per test. Based on certain criteria, you can have your SAT/ACT fees waived.
For community colleges, you can also take ACCUPLACER.
In the episode, we explain the current approach colleges are taking towards these competitive exams.
We also talk about the types of colleges you can apply to, apart from the public & private universities, like, community colleges, vocational / technical institutes, Service academies, online colleges and international colleges.
We also touch upon other things required for the application like essays, recommendation letters, interviews, college tours etc.,
The application can be submitted on platforms like Common app, Coalition App, Common Black College Application, apart from the college specific portals.
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 23
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High school is when all the real action starts. While, the sooner we start prepping towards college, the better, it is never too late to start. And High school is the best place to start. It offers a plethora of options and resources in the form of electives, clubs, counsellors, college credit courses, volunteer opportunities, scholarships and more.In this episode, we have attempted to give a structure to the process and categorized activities to be done in each of the buckets. We have tried to find the balance between keeping it detailed, but not too specific to certain colleges or careers.We will be following up this episode with a more detailed episode on competitive exams, resume building, and the college application process.
Resources:
Categorizing Colleges
GPA Calculation
Dual Enrollment
Preparing for Essays
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 22
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Some people think it is too early to start thinking about college in Middle school, while some think it is the right time if not a bit late to start prepping for college. We believe, that it completely depends on the child’s position. Some children are very clear and determined on what they want to do in college and the career they want to choose. But parents have to ask themselves, have they been exposed to all options possible?
Middle school is the perfect place where children can explore and make a more informed decision on what they want to do in their future. It will help them pick a path in high school and college, which will take them closer to their dreams. Let your child explore and experience different things during their middle school years. Let them enjoy the journey and adventure it holds.
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 21
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This is a light and breezy episode where we discuss and rant about the anxiety we have about our kid’s education. As our kids are entering middle school and high school, we have been researching on the various options available in the US school system. We are sharing our learnings and perspective from other high school and college going kids, in this mini series about College Prep.
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 20
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Raising a child is an adventure by itself and raising an autistic child has a flavor of it’s own. Patient and mindful parenting is required for raising any child, and when it comes to raising an autistic child, the understanding, patience, empathy required is amplified.
Today’s guest for our Parenting பேட்டி, is a wonderful dad who shares his experiences and journey so far in parenting his son who is within the Autistic spectrum. We hope you find this episode useful and comforting.
Resources:
Gemini.org
Brain Balance
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 019
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It would not be an exaggeration to say we can no longer imagine a world without social media. Tweens and teens spend a lot of time on social media. When we chatted with a few teenage kids the answers that came out were surprising and startling.
Kids think of social media as a connection platform, which of course it is. But the line becomes blurry when kids use only social media to connect and define their lives. Social media platform provides a lot of opportunities for being anonymous which encourages bullying and
Social media has a many positive impacts too in terms of creating content, boosting self confidence and staying in touch.
Here we try to see both sides of the coin of social media. Listen and share your comments !!
Resources:
Impact of social media on children
How social media has changed the way we parent
Why I won’t let you use Social Media – An open letter
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 018
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Books are a window to the world. But the internet has taken that privilege over for most of us, especially the new generation. But can it truly replace a book? How can we help build our child’s imagination and curiosity, while keeping screen-time at bay? Reading a book, transports the child into a world they can create themselves, rather than someone else imagining it for them.
Parents play a critical role in inculcating a reading habit at the right age. In this episode we talk about how we helped our children build the habit. We also talk about the tips and tricks we used to convert our children who were reluctant readers and how it’s never too late to help our children build one.
Resources:
Encouraging a reading habit – Oxford Learning
How to raise a reader – NY Times
10 Ways to Cultivate Reading habit – Moms.com
How to develop Reading habit in kids – PlanetSpark.in
Encouraging your child to read – ReadingRockets.org
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 017
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The greatest legacy we can leave our children is happy memories.” – Og Mandino
Travelling over the summer break is one of the most enriching experiences which we can give our kids. It improves their curiosity, feeds their wonder, brings them closer to family, but above all creates memories. Memories, which money cannot buy.
Plan an impromptu visit to the park, build sandcastles in a beach, hike in the woods, play a game of cards on a train trip or an RV trip, or maybe wait in a long queue for a rollercoaster ride. This is the time when each and every moment we spend with them, makes a strong impression and creates memories which last a life time. These memories help build their character and perspective of life, well into their adulthood.
In this episode, two dads chat about the sweet memories they made, travelling with just one of their children. They share their experiences, challenges in planning this trip and what they took away from it.
Listen to this episode and share your comments and feedback.
Resources :
Earth Trekkers
My dirty shoes
Rough Rides
Family Travel Magazine
Podcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 016
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In this episode, we share some resources on all available Summer classes and Camps.
Summer Camps:
Camp Wonderopolis is one of the most highly regarded digital summer camps on the planet that is entirely free. Parents and children will find a wide variety of fun and engaging summer camp activities to take part in.
Camp Supernow is one of the top virtual summer adventure camps for kids ages 4-10. Kids interact live with their magical counselors and peers from around the world during immersive classes in arts & crafts, theater, STEM, movement, music, mindfulness, and beyond.
Maker summer camp Makers : Summer Camp focuses on hands-on learning for children. It’s a project focused camp where your child builds things based on their interests. With a focus on science, technology, and art, it brings multiple disciplines together.
Outschool : Has an array of summer camp options to choose from. You can choose based on the reviews, cost, and the timing of the camps.
Language:
Alliance France Stories By Gus On The Go Little Pim App : Kids Learn Mandarin App : Learning by Mindsnacks App : Duolingo App : Endless Spanish App : Rosetta Stone Kids Lingo Letter SoundsCoding
Elementary School
Blockly Code Combat Stencyl Code Monkey Code.Org Studio Kodable Scratch TynkerMiddle School
App Inventor Code Avengers Code Monster GameBlox Codemoji LightbotHigh School
Glitch Codecademy Code HS Pluralsight Code Wars Khan Academy – Computer Programming VidcodeBest Coding Website For All Ages
CodeWizardsHQFinding a Tutor
Teacheron K12 TeachersOther resources:
Khan Academy Tinkerlab Zip School IXL ProdigyPodcast Weblink: Madhuram Musings - Episode 015
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