Author: Malavika
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Comparison in Kids: A Personal Reflection
Recently, I took my 3.5-year-old daughter to her swimming class, along with a friend of hers who’s around the same age. As the class began, I couldn’t help but notice that her friend was completely at ease in the water—splashing around fearlessly, listening to the instructor, and picking up swimming skills quite effortlessly. Meanwhile, my…
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Handling Your Toddler When They Hit You: Understanding and Responding with Compassion
If you’ve ever had your toddler hit you—whether with a tiny slap or an angry shove—you’re not alone. It’s a jarring experience, but it’s also a very normal part of early childhood development. Toddlers are still learning how to handle big emotions, and sometimes their little bodies react faster than their words or understanding can…
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Preschool as a First-Time Mom: A Week of Tears, Growth, and Letting Go
I thought I was ready.We had talked about school for weeks, packed her bag together, and practiced our goodbye routine. My toddler was excited—until the first day came. She cried.Clung to me.Refused to go in. And suddenly, my heart felt like it was breaking. The First Week: Sitting Just Outside Those first few days were…
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Comparison in Cousins: Learning to Let Go of the Pressure
The first time I felt it, I brushed it off. “She’s already talking in full sentences? That’s great!” I said, smiling. But when I turned away, I couldn’t help but glance at my own toddler—still mastering a few words, still needing me to understand their world through gestures and sounds. I told myself it didn’t…
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Making Peace with My Partner’s Limited Availability as a Parent
Motherhood has taught me many things—patience, resilience, and most importantly, the art of letting go. When I imagined raising children, I pictured my partner and me navigating parenthood together, equally sharing the joys and burdens. But reality looks a little different. His job demands long hours, leaving much of the parenting load on me. There…
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How I Custom Designed My Toddler’s Summer Timetable Using ChatGPT
As a working mom, summer break can be both exciting and overwhelming. Keeping a toddler engaged, active, and learning while balancing work and daily chores is no easy feat. This year, I decided to take a different approach—I used ChatGPT to help me design a custom summer timetable for my little one, and it turned…
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How Postpartum Care (Bananthana) Helped Me
Bringing a baby into the world is a transformative experience, but the postpartum phase can be just as challenging as pregnancy. I never fully understood the importance of postpartum care until I experienced it firsthand. Traditional Bananthana, an age-old postpartum recovery practice in many Indian households, played a crucial role in my healing, both physically…
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Heavy Mom Guilt: When You Lose Patience After a Long Day at Work
It’s 6:30 PM.You’ve spent the entire day juggling deadlines, meetings, emails, and endless to-do lists.You walk through the door, still mentally ticking off tasks — dinner needs to be made, laundry’s piling up, tomorrow’s prep isn’t done. Then your child wants you to play.But they’re whining. Maybe throwing a tantrum.You feel your patience slipping.You raise…
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Why “Me Time” Isn’t Selfish as a Working Mom
I used to believe that once I became a mom, especially a working mom, every spare minute should go to either my kids, my home, or my job. And if I even thought about taking time for myself—just to sit, breathe, scroll, sip coffee alone—I’d immediately feel a pang of guilt. Sound familiar? But here’s…
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When Is the Right Time to Return to Work After Maternity Leave?
The question of when to return to work after maternity leave doesn’t come with a universal answer. Every mother’s journey is unique, shaped by personal circumstances, financial needs, career demands, and emotional readiness. For some, the decision is made for them—by the nature of their job or financial situation. For others, there’s a little more…
Mom On The Rise 