Report Writing Tips for Students

Every student must know how to write a report skillfully. It is a must for each and every level of schooling and higher grades of education. Education boards introduce report writing in the school curriculum to test the communication skills of a child and thus eradicate rote learning. A adept report written by a student demonstrates his learning skills and command over the language. Students usually bound themselves with fear of report writing, but once they get the knack of it, then they may find report writing as easy as a simple narrative essay. So let us start learning with the basic principles of report writing and understand how to begin writing a good report.

Principles of Report Writing

One cannot say that there are any mentioned hard and fast rules for report writing. Hence students can expect lots of flexibility which would be accepted in terms of how one writes a report. A student can write a report as he wishes, but all he needs to do is include some important points which will ensure qualitative output when writing a report.

1. The first and the foremost point a student should remember is the opening statement which is nothing but brief summary of the whole report.

2. The events that are mentioned in the report should be arranged in a logical order rather than sequential order.

3. Try and be precise and use of simple language works well.

4. Repetitions of facts should be avoided. The facts mentioned should be brief yet comprehensive.

5. A good report includes condensed details, critical thinking and lucid adjectives.

Characteristics of a Good Report

A good report on whatever subject or level it may be, for school submissions or for work purposes should have these eight important characteristics which makes it a good. These eight characteristics of a good report are

1. Fresh Presentation - The report that you are planning to write on whichever subject and on whichever level should have a fresh appeal to it.

2. Outstanding Originality -  A good report is when the content of the report sound original and exceptionally good.

3. Appetizing Style - The style and manner in which the report is written should be impressive and engrossing. The content within the report should be equally interesting.

4. Lively and Lucid Language - Usage of vivid adjectives, brief yet comprehensive details, perceptive writing and energetic output are all important features of a good report.

5. Appealing to Human Interest - A report is considered to be good, if it is found interesting and appealing to a reader.

6. Factual Content - The content used within a report should do complete justice to the subject on which it is written. It should be factual and should remain pertaining to it.

7. Well Organized - The content of a good report has to be organized very well, preferably in a sensible order.

8. Grammatically Correct - Usage of proper grammar, punctuation and spellings should be given utmost importance while writing a report. A good report should be error free.

How to Begin a Report

Once a student understands the principles and characteristics of a good report, then all remains is the way one should begin a report. The beginning of a report is the most important part of a good report. This is where a reader or the examiner is going to sum up a judgement on how he would find the rest of the report and whether he should continue reading or put it aside. So let us learn how to begin a report.

Selection of the Topic

Before you begin to write a report, the most important thing one has to do is go through all the topics that are provided and select the one topic carefully for which which you have at least a bit of an understanding. Select a topic which you can associate yourself to or you have interest or experience to some extent. 

Jot Down Relevant Points

You have obviously selected a topic which you have some interest in or can associate yourself with. So get down to work by jotting out all the points or events that come to your head related to the topic on a rough paper. Remember you need to write down these points as these are flow of thoughts which come and pass by; and when you don't note them down they may just disappear when you really want them.

Arrange Points in Logical Order

Once you have made a rough note of all the points relevant to the subject, start putting them in an order to make sense. Roughly arrange these points in a manner on how and when you wish to use them. This way, once you start writing your report your focus is clear on how you are going to begin the report and how you will start including these points throughout the report. 

Make it Interesting

Make sure that you arrange and present these points in your report in such a manner that they make it an interesting read. As mentioned earlier the first paragraph of the report is the cream of the whole report, hence make sure that you write about the most important points or facts in the beginning. Rest of the points should be included in the second and the third paragraphs. But make sure that these points too should be important and relevant to the first point. 

Ask Yourself 

While writing a report, you should ask yourself few questions such as, 'what?', 'who?', 'why?', 'when?' 'where?' and 'how?'. Now see that you try and answer all these questions in your report. That is finally the whole purpose of writing a report where one has to provide details of a particular event or a fact. So these questions need to be answered. However it is not necessary that you may need to answer all the question in every report, finally it depends upon the topic. You need to analyse which questions relate to the topic you selected and act accordingly. 

Go With the Flow

Once everything is clear to you about how you are to start with the report writing format, you begin writing the first paragraph of the report. This is the only difficult part of the report writing. Once you get done with the first paragraph, you ease yourself and get into the flow of thoughts. Thus the next paragraphs set in, as it gets easier with the amount of rough homework that you carried out in the beginning of the report writing.

Don't Drag the Ending

The report which starts out interesting in the beginning may go a bit slow towards the end. This usually happens when we are not thoroughly prepared with the logical sequence of the points. Once you know how to start and how to end, there is nothing that would stop you from writing a good report. But always remember something that you started on an interesting note has to end in the similar manner. 

Expansion of Ideas - Speech is Silver But Silence is Gold

Man always has to carry the weightage of words he has spoken. Words once fall out of one's mouth can never be carried back. Such is the case of value of words and the value of silence. It is said that values of the words we speak is not more than silver, but value of silence we maintain is worth gold. When we start to speak or give our opinion on a particular subject, it is necessary that we have thought through before speaking. It is always important to know when to speak and how much to speak. Speaking unnecessarily on subjects we do not know much about, can land us in trouble. Hence, sometimes it is best to remain silent. The act of being silent is more powerful than  the act of speaking without knowledge.

When people have arguments where both the parties wish to prove their point, each one may start to speak irrelevant points just to portray himself wiser than the other or just to prove his point. But if one of them would just stay silent and wait for that perfect opportunity to prove his point, then maybe an argument would not get heated at all. Instead of blabbering insignificantly; which would not provide any solution one should use the power of silence to solve such situations. Thus Silence would prove out it's worth with the valuable role it would play in such situations and in our life.  

Tales of Tenali Raman - Tenali Raman and the Greedy Brahmins

Once when King Krishnadevaraya's mother got very ill, she spoke to the king about her wish of wanting to donate mangoes to the Brahmins. Not being a season of mangoes, the king found it difficult to fulfill her wish and before his guards could find any mangoes in the neighboring states,  his mother passed away. The king was heartbroken that he couldn't fulfill his mother's last wish. Time passed but king couldn't forget this episode at all.

So one day, the king called a Brahmin and asked him for an advice. He said, " O Brahmin! It was my mother's last wish to donate mangoes to the Brahmins. It was not a mangoes season so it was difficult enough and before we could find any, my mother passed away. I couldn't fulfill her last wish  and now I wonder whether my mother's soul will rest in peace?  O dear Brahmin! please help me to bring peace to my mother's soul."

This Brahmin was a greedy man and considered this as a golden opportunity to make some money for himself and the other Brahmins. He said to the king, " O my dear Lord! This is indeed a grave situation. If a person's last wish isn't fulfilled then the soul of this dead person never attains peace and wanders in the dark. Now that you haven't been able to fulfill her wish when she was alive, you will have to make sure that you fulfill it before its too late. But right now the only way to do this is not by donating real mangoes but only pure, golden mangoes to the Brahmins."

Being a religious and faithful man, King Krishnadevaraya readily agreed with the Brahmin's suggestion. He not only distributed golden mangoes among the Brahmins but also offered them other gifts. The Brahmins guaranteed the King that now his mother's soul would rest in peace. This made the king very happy and relieved.

Tenali Raman had witnessed the religious ceremony and was unhappy with the Brahmin's greed. The fact that angered him more was that the Brahmins had actually looted and deceived the king in the name of religion. So he decided to teach the Brahmins a lesson.

As soon as the Brahmins got ready to leave the king's court, Tenali Raman approached them and requested, " O dear Brahmins! I am so impressed with the rites that you performed to liberate the soul of the king's mother. It is my mother's death anniversary today and I request you to come visit my home and perform some religious rites for her. I have made arrangements for some gifts that I wish to give you after the rites are performed."


Hearing about the gifts the Brahmins readily agreed to perform the rites and happily went with Tenali Raman. They were aware of the fact that Tenali Raman always received gifts from the king for his witty answers and intelligence. So they knew that Tenali Raman would offer them expensive gifts. As soon as the Brahmins entered Tenali's house, Tenali locked the doors from inside and lighted a fire in the hearth inside the kitchen. He also put some long iron rods in the fire to heat.

The Brahmins were shocked by Tenali's act and wondered what was going on. They did not see any preparation for the religious rite that was to be performed. On the other hand Tenali was busy heating long iron rods and turning it properly from all sides to heat well.  After losing patience,  the Brahmins asked Tenali, "Dear Raman, can you tell us what is going on here? We don't see any signs of preparation for rites to perform. On the other hand you are busy heating iron rods. If you don't wish to perform any rite, please let us know so we could leave." On this Tenali replied, " O Brahmins! please have some patience. I am waiting for the rods to heat, once that is done you can start with the rituals."

Puzzled, the Brahmins started looking at one another. They started to get a bit nervous. One of them asked Tenali, " Tell us Dear Raman, what has iron rods got to do with the rites that are to be performed for your mother? This just looks like a complete waste of time and we have to return home."

Calmly, Tenali Raman replied, "The thing is my mother suffered from arthritis. She used red-hot irons to relieve pain in her joints. On her last day, she asked me to heat the iron rod, but before I could do so she passed away. Now I know that her soul hasn't attained peace because her last wish was not fulfilled. So I am going to put this red-hot irons on your bodies. This way I am sure her last wish will be fulfilled and finally her soul will rest in peace." The Brahmins looked shocked. Tenali continued, "Why not! If the king's mother can attain peace by you receiving golden mangoes then why can't my mother attain peace if I put red-hot iron on your bodies. If the king's sin can be recompensed by offering you golden mangoes then I am sure my sin can be recompensed by putting red-hot iron on your bodies."

The Brahmins looked aghast. Tenali allowed them some time to recover from their shock. Then he said, "O Great Brahmins! Please have patience. Now in few minutes I will bring red-hot iron to each one of you." And, saying so Tenali Raman went inside. Now the Brahmins had realized what message Tenali Raman wanted to convey them. They were ashamed of themselves. All the Brahmins went to Tenali Raman and asked for his forgiveness. The very next day they went to the king's court and returned the golden mangoes. Wondering why, the king asked for explanation. The Brahmins replied, " O Lord! You have been kind and generous to us. But we have taken undue advantage of the situation. We got greedy and we are ashamed of our behaviour." Now they told the king about their episode with Tenali Raman and how he helped them realize their mistake.

After listening to all this the king said, " O Brahmins! It is against my custom to take back the gifts that I give as charities. So there is no way that I will take back the golden mangoes. Please keep them with you." On this the Brahmins replied, " No way we could keep the mangoes and continue to be the sinners. Please O King! don't force us to keep the mangoes."

The king got very angry on listening all this and started losing his patience. Finally Tenali Raman came to the Brahmin's rescue. He said," O Lord! Please don't force the Brahmins to accept the mangoes against their wishes. Your stand is also right when you say that you can't take the gift back. But I would request you to send the golden mangoes directly to each Brahmin's house. This way the problem will be solved without any trouble." The King readily agreed and was pleased with Tenali Raman. He came forward and hugged him.

Expansion of Idea - An Idle Mind is a Devil's Workshop

When a man's mind is idle, he is meant to face problems! Once the idle mind of a man starts indulging in the activity of it's own, then the problems seem to arise. One problem thus gives rise to other problem and so on. It could easily be associated with a child too. When a child has nothing to do, he starts engaging himself in things that do not belong or relate to him in the first place. The curiosity of a child makes him do things which he himself does not understand. For example, say a child would want to play with any appliance available at home, say a mixer-grinder. He would be curious enough to know how a machine works and would go on to play with it's buttons. If a parent is around, he would stop the kid from doing so. But when the child is alone, this curiosity of an idle mind may create a mishap.

Thus a child should be kept engaged with activities which are engrossing and entertaining. For example, small children can always enjoy a puzzle or educational game. Adult children can engage themselves in hobby cultivating activities such as reading, coin collecting, drawing, singing, cooking etc. This helps a child to keep his mind at work rather than keeping it idle and inviting problems. Same is the case with grown-ups who should always keep their mind engaged in activities they enjoy rather than constant worrying and bickering. An idle mind is a host of unnecessary thoughts which may lead to dangerous actions from such man. It is said that some dangerous things that happen in the world are a result of an idle mind. Hence one can say that an idle mind is a devil's workshop. The best one can do is engage in fruitful activities and thus keep his brains active for the betterment of his own self and the society at large.

Expansion of Idea - Laughter is the Best Medicine

It is said that when we wake in the morning, the first thing we should do is smile. Smile works wonder for us as it gives a positive approach to the day we look forward to. And if we could just laugh and begin our day what better than that! People who laugh fall less ill. This can be done by those are optimistic in life. Or we could rather phrase this by saying that laughter makes man optimistic. Laughter is also an exercise for our facial muscles. as it helps keep wrinkles at bay and also helps avoid double chin.

Now that man has realized the importance of laughter, no wonder we find tons of laughter clubs emerging out in every part of the city. Laughter clubs are places where members of the club come together and enjoy loads of laughter by sharing funny and livid moments with each other. Even doctors suggest patients to enroll in a laughter club or enjoy a good comic book or even watch funny television shows which could add a little humour to life. Thus one can conclude that laughter does helps us maintain good health in all is the best medicine.

Tales of Tenali Raman - Tenali Raman and The Shrewd Barber

The royal barber in the court of King Krishnadevaraya was known for his efficiency. He was a real expert and was known for his skilled hands and expertise. But the barber himself was never happy and satisfied with his work. He wanted to be better and do much better than his present work. His discontentment was known by few courtiers. These courtiers were jealous of Tenali Raman and always came up with new ways to get him out of the court. So they tried to use the discontentment of the royal barber to remove Tenali Raman from the king's court.

The courtiers visited the royal barber and said to him, "Don't you think you are wasting your skills and your life?". On this the barber answered, "Yes, I do believe it myself, that I can do better than this. But I seriously don't know what other than this I am good at!" One of the courtiers laughed on his reply and said, "Who said that one has to be skilled to do better in life! Now just look at Tenali Raman. He is successful for nothing. All he has to do is tell few jokes to the king and make him laugh. He is handsomely rewarded just to do that." Another courtier added, " Yes! In fact we are indeed sure you are rather more intelligent that Tenali Raman. Maybe you should try to impress the king and replace Tenali in the King's court."

The barber was impressed with the idea and said, "Yes! I think I am intelligent enough than Tenali Raman. But how do I replace him?" To this the courtiers suggested, "Why don't you impress the king with a good shave and when the pleased king asks you what you want as a reward you request him to give you Tenali Raman's position." So accordingly the barber, very next day impressed the king with a good shave. The pleased king asked him how he wanted to be rewarded and the barber asked the king to give him Tenali Raman's position in the court. The king thought to himself, " It is impossible to refuse this man. But I am sure the courtiers are trying to create unneccassary trouble for Tenali Raman. Now it is totally upto Tenali Raman to deal with this situation." So the king readily agreed and offered the barber Tenali's position in the court with a promise that the barber should be able to entertain the king as much as Tenali does.

So the next day, in the king's court the barber came and sat on Tenali Raman's seat. When Tenali entered the court he was surprised to see the barber seating in his place but did not say anything. He simply bowed to the king and left the court. The courtiers who were jealous of Tenali Raman were very happy that they were successful in removing Tenali from the court. The court proceedings started and the barber came up with some jokes which were enjoyed by no one. He realized that he had made a fool of himself in front of the entire court. After the end of the session, the barber left for his house.

On his way home, the barber saw Tenali Raman sitting under a tree washing and scrubbing  a black dog. Amazed, the barber went to Tenali and enquired, " Dear Sir, why are you washing this black dog? On this Tenali replied," Well, I saw this black dog on the road, but did not like his colour. So I am scrubbing the dog and removing his colour and turning him white." To this the barber said, "But Sir, we cannot change the colour of the dog". On this Tenali looked at him and replied, "Why not! If one person who is skilled in his profession can suddenly change his own profession and become something he is not at all good at, why can't this dog change it's colour."

The barber realized the message Tenali Raman was trying to convey to him and immediately apologized for his behaviour. The very next day the barber apologized to the king and said, "My Lord! I got greedy and on my friend's suggestion tried replacing Tenali Raman. But Now I have realized that a person can't become what he is not. I am a skilled barber and wish to remain the same. And I hope you will appoint me back as your personal barber again if you have forgiven me for my mistakes."

The king replied, "Don't worry barber, I am not angry with you. It's good to know you realized your true worth. I purposely granted your wish back then of replacing Tenali, otherwise you would never have realized the truth. Tenali Raman is indeed a jewel and his brightness cannot be replaced by anything else." Tenali Raman visited the king and narrated him about the whole incidence that happened the day before about the black dog. To this the king laughed merrily and handsomely rewarded Tenali Raman. And thus Tenali Raman once more proved his wit and intelligence.

Kiddle - Safe Search Engine for Kids

We always worry about our child's safety, when it comes to their web browsing. Web-browsing for children is definitely necessary, as they have to check answers, details, work on projects and so on. But parents get real worried with the exposure the kids have to unlimited media and world which is harmful for kids. While web surfing, kids are exposed to information, media, images or even words which can be pretty harmful for their young minds. And that's not all, kids can fall prey to various dangerous activities and may provide sensitive data to people who may harm them or can turn out dangerous for them. 

Nowadays schools ask for projects which require complete research work and that's where internet comes into picture. Other than that kids enjoy watching movies, playing games, listening to songs, enjoying hobby activities and much more. Few young minds who are voracious readers, opt for reading books online and also enjoy researching or finding meanings for words they don't understand. Even using word search, synonyms, thesaurus and word builders are so much common these days. But whenever a child is online, web surfing how could one stop a parent hovering around! A chill-pill for parents has come in this case with the Kiddle Browser. 

Safe Search Engine - Kiddle

Kiddle Web Browser is a visual kids search engine, which is powered by Google. It helps kids to enjoy and experience safe web surfing, downloading images and videos which are filtered and assure safety. All the images, news and videos that are found on Kiddle Search are said to be tailored as 'Safe-Search'. There is no fear of kids searching keywords which they used to do in other browsers. With Kiddle, only kid-safe filtered data is produced. This stuff that is shown as a result for Kiddle Search is only related to kids. For example, if your child searches for a word say, 'Apple"; the first result the Google Web Browser would give you is about Company Apple, but in Kiddle 'apple search' would be related to fruit information, nursery rhymes, videos and other results suitable for kids. Only if the kid searches for Company Apple, then the relevant data would be shown on Kiddle and that too the data related to what this particular company is doing for kids as their audience. 

Usually the first three results that are shown in Kiddle search are specifically for kids, which are been hand-picked and checked thoroughly by Kiddle Editors. The design of Kiddle is child-friendly, so the kids tend to enjoy the surfing and web-browsing. The best part about Kiddle is that, it claims to not collect any personal information or identifiable information on kids. There is no registration or downloading required. Thus no personal information on the child would be made available on the web through Kiddle. Kiddle is basically a juniors safe search where all a parent can expect is a safe search results for kids. Usually the websites that are oriented through search results from Kiddle are been recommended by educators, librarians and concerned parents across the globe.

How Safe is Kiddle

As mentioned earlier, Kiddle is a safe search engine and hence parents can trust their children to custom search safely with Kiddle. Kiddle images are safe for children so are Kiddle games. Kiddle videos provide a safe video search for kids. The first three searches, as I said earlier are hand-picked, the next four searches include names of sites that are kids- friendly and usually include content understandable to kids. From result 8 onwards, the sites which usually provide expert content, written by adults yet for kids are provided. Hence one can be assured that the results are kid-oriented and do not contain explicit content. If sensitive words are used during a search on Kiddle, the guard robot blocks the search. Kiddle app can be easily downloaded on the kid's smart phones to help them browse information whenever they need. Google Kiddle for a safe Kiddle download. 

For example, if the term 'sex'  or 'porn' is used in the Kiddle search it usually blocks the search. Though terms like 'transgender', 'gay', 'lesbian' etc would provide relevant searches. The sites listed for these word searches usually are kids friendly, at least in the first few searches. But still, parents should definitely supervise the search on Kiddle, as the search finally depends totally on the use of keywords. Yet, one must say that Kiddle does a splendid job with preventing and blocking sites which contain adult content, unjustified violence, nudity and swearing. 

Kiddle Site Blocking Request

Kiddle provides an option for parents to use a form, where in a parent can fill in such keywords or sites that they have found on Kiddle Search and don't wish their children to see. By using this option parents actually help Kiddle do better filtering and blocking. Once the form is submitted, Kiddle promises to take action immediately and help Kiddle Search do better. 

Kiddle Internet Safety Tips for Parents and Educators

Kiddle provides certain internet safety tips for parents and educators, which can help parents safeguard their kid's online experience much further. As it is to be understood that Kiddle Search can be helpful only to a certain limit, and beyond that it is totally on the specific child to handle himself. Hence it is the duty of parents and educators to inform and teach kids how to take care of themselves and their privacy. Speaking one to one with a child is really helpful. A child has to know how much he should be speaking about himself to strangers and thus not posting information about him and his family on the internet. He or she needs to be explained the importance of the passwords and how revealing them to outsiders can be dangerous. Also it is the duty of a parent to regularly monitor his children activities , about which sites they regularly visit or which apps they use on the internet. The child should me made aware of the threats and dangers some sites can cause them if they try to access it. 

Thus one can say that Kiddle can be safely recommended to kids as a safe search engine. It will definitely help a child to have a wonderful experience filled with fun and education. If the child understands how to use Kiddle in a safer manner, then Kiddle would be the best tool for him when it comes to learning and understanding topics that are relevant for his personal and mental development.

Tales of Tenali Raman - Tenali Raman's Extraordinary Wisdom

Once upon a time a wise man showed up in King Krishnadevaraya's court. Being a great scholar, this wise man had earned many medals and accolades, which he showed proudly in the King's court. He had great knowledge of all the Vedas, Upanishads and religious books. Being proud of his achievement, the wise man showed off in the King's Court and enjoyed how people flattered him. He was not alone and was accompanied by handful of followers who continously sprayed words of flattery for the wise man. He enjoyed all the attention and challenged people who had doubts about him.

To prove his own wisdom, the wise man challenged the scholars present in the court. The king could see through his scholars and understood that they were in no position to accept the challenge so he himself fixed a date and asked his scholars to make the necessary arrangements.

Now the scholars were really worried as they thought they couldn't match the wise man's intelligence. They came together and discussed the strategy. Though they didn't wish to participate, they very well understood the king's anger and the consequences for refusing so. So after much discussion, the scholar's from the King's court decided to seek help from Tenali Raman. They were very much aware how Tenali Raman knew to handle such tricky situations.

Thus the whole party of scholars from King's court went to Tenali Raman and made him aware of the situation. They explained to him the difficult situation they were put into and requested him to help them, thus to avoid shame and disgrace. Tenali Raman listened to them and replied, " My dear Scholars, I can see how you are worried about the disgrace you may face. I, also understand that this is a matter of your prestige and honour. All I will request right now is for you all to go home and relax. Leave everything to me". On such assurance from Tenali Raman, the scholars returned home with much relief.

The day of debate arose and the King's court was filled with courtiers, pundits and dignitaries. King Krishnadevaraya was also present but looked little tensed. The wise man entered the court and walked up in front of the king with great pride and confidence. His followers came with him and stood surrounding him, ready to cheer and enjoy the debate. The wise man and his followers were used to such high-end debates and were always coming up with new ways to insult and disgrace their opponents.

After few minutes, Tenali Raman entered the court dressed like a pundit. He carried a large packet wrapped in a cloth, which resembled a big volume neatly packed by thick strings. Tenali Raman bowed to the king. King Krishnadevaraya saw his tension relieving with the sight of Tenali Raman. It was not the knowledge that Tenali Raman possessed which provided him the relief but Tenali's quick wittedness that king knew would help save the situation.

The King thus announced to start the debate. Tenali Raman rose and spoke aloud, " O wise man! I have heard so much about you and your knowledge. You are undoubtedly intelligent and knowledgeable. I, myself too have defeated many opponents in such debates like you , but yet I find myself to no comparison when it comes to you. Sir, I am carrying this book with me and with your permission would like to start the debate on this book itself?" To this the wise man asked the name of the book.

Tenali Raman replied, " The name of this book is 'Thilakasta Mahisha Bandhana'". The wise man tried to recollect this book but couldn't remember it at all. Now the wise man was in a fix. He knew if he said that he knew about the book he would have to talk about it, but if he said he didn't know about the book it would prove to be his lack of knowledge and also would prove his defeat.

So the wise man thought for a while and replied, "Little pundit, it has been a long time since I have read that book. So presently I have forgotten  few chapters from it. Why don't you all provide me a day's time so I can refresh my memory and debate on this as you suggest". Tenali Raman readily agreed to it and was granted king's permission.

On entering the royal guesthouse, the wise man started worrying. He knew that it was impossible to read entire volumes of the said book in so little time. But on the other hand he didn't wish to be defeated by the young pundit and be a cause of humiliation in public. So he along with his followers fled from the palace in the middle of the night.

As usual the courtiers and the dignitaries gathered the next day in the court for the debate. Everyone along with the king waited for the wise man to appear. When the king inquired with his guards, then only he realized that the wise man had fled in the night. Shocked, King Krishnadevaraya turned to Tenali Raman and demanded, " What have you done to him? Which book are you carrying exactly that scared the wise man? Why was he so afraid? I want to know the name of this book."

To this Tenali Raman replied, "The name is Thilakasta Mahisha Bandhana, but actually there is no such book." The King asked, " But then what are these volumes that you are carrying?" Tenali Raman humbly replied, "Your Majesty, this packet in my hand contains no such volumes, but some old and useless books that I have tied together along with some sticks and thick rope. The sticks mean 'Thilakasta', the tying means 'Bandhana' and the rope  that is been used for tying is actually used to tie the buffaloes and so I added 'Mahisha'. And hence I gave this packet this name. The proud man got confused and wondered that if he confessed his ignorance, it would be disgraceful and so he fled".

King Krishnadevaraya was very much pleased with Tenali Raman and praised his quick wittiness. He also rewarded Tenali Raman handsomely. The scholars present in the king's court were relieved and thanked Tenali Raman for his quick wit.

How to Tackle a Comprehension Passage

One of the best tools aimed at assessing a child's reading and communication skills as well as his understanding of the language, a comprehension passage plays an important role in school papers and assessments. A child is judged by the way he tackles the comprehension passage and answers the questions followed. A comprehension passage comprises of either a prose passage or a poem passage which is followed by multiple questions either factual, evaluative or interpretative. While answering those, a child exhibits his command over the language and thus gets assessed. Once you understand how exactly you should handle the comprehension passage, then there is no stopping you. Few outlines to be followed and then just go on dealing with it effortlessly.The English passage question and answers are much more easier to deal with if you learn how to tackle them correctly. Lets learn few tips and tricks about answering comprehension questions strategy.

How to Tackle a Comprehension Passage

Read the Passage

First, most important thing one should do is quickly yet carefully read the passage. Few students start answering right away without even giving a glance to the passage. This can be a big mistake and then the answers may just go wrong. So it is advisable to read the passage carefully. Time constraints call for quick reading but see that you are thorough and understand the passage well. In case of a poem passage you should read it a couple of times just to get the idea.

Read and Understand the Questions

Once you are done reading the passage, have a look at the questions and try to understand them. Read the questions carefully and get a gist of it.

Go Back to the Passage

Before you start answering, get a quick look at the passage and try to connect the questions with it. Try and locate the answers that you are seeking by combing through the passage. This will facilitate your answering process as you would know the exact location of the answers.

Start Answering

Now that you know where the answers are start answering the questions. Be precise and to the point. Try and answer in simple sentences and avoid complex sentences as much as possible. Answering comprehension questions strategy is to try to write short answers and yet be concise.

Give a Proper Title

A comprehension passage always asks for a heading. So before giving a heading or a title to the passage survey the passage once again. Try to focus on the dominant theme of the passage and then develop an ideal heading based on it.

Expansion of Idea - Destiny is Yours to Decide

It is indeed a regular occurrence when we see, many of us making comments on plight of a beggar or a street urchin lying on the corner of a street. We usually end up feeling sorry for them and for their destiny. We in our minds have come to a conclusion that whatever we endeavour is because we are destined to do. It does not come as a surprise indeed! This is a one common misconception that we have against the life of people around us. Why just others; we often talk in the similar manner about ourselves. Imagine many of us saying, "What can we say, lets see what is written in  his destiny?" One always tends to blame destiny for the suffering he goes through. Such comments are so carelessly abandoned that it denotes how we have come to an passive acceptance that we must accept all the ills happened to us, as we are been destined to do so. This indeed is a negative approach towards life which implies that you already accept the defeat without even putting a fight. What happens with such approach is that we do not try to fight against the odds as the feeling within us clearly states why should we, when we have no choice as this is our destiny. If this approach is maintained by parents then the upbringing of a child is much careless and aimless. In such cases children grow up with the same attitude and do not fight to make their own destiny. Though being a great country, still it lacks behind only because of such approach. One has to understand that there is no such thing and we make and create our own destiny. No one else, not even fate can interfere in it anyway. If, tomorrow you fail miserably in life, then look back and see for the mistakes you did, rather than blaming the destiny for it. What we become is not a matter of chance but it is one's own efforts and hard work. What we choose for is what we become. If you work hard then nobody can keep you away from your success. Destiny is yours to decide and nobody else can have a say in it. 

Expansion of Idea - All That Glitters is Not Gold

It usually happens to most of us! We buy a book assuming if the cover is so attractive, how good the story would be. But it turns out that the story inside is not as good as the beautiful cover promised! But on the other hand a book with a dull cover may turn out much interesting than expected. And this is not limited to a book but many other things. A fancy restaurant may serve worse food ever, however a simple cafe or small restaurant would serve you the best food you might have eaten. Judging anything or anybody by it's appearance would be deceptive at times. Thus we must never make decisions based on the way anything appears in front of us, the way it is packaged or advertised. Nowadays we see innumerable advertisements about products which are shown in best light, nonetheless we know the truth only after using it. We often assume that a product is good because it is expensive, which is not  true at all.  Judging a person based of his appearances too can be misleading. A person like Mahatma Gandhi dressed in simple dhoti made his mark in front of well-dressed British. Similarly Abraham Lincoln was never appreciated for his looks yet he is considered to be one of the best Presidents of all time. Hence we can conclude that what appears beautiful may at times be uglier than we could imagine, as all that glitters would not be gold. 

How to Help a Child Deal with the Death of a Loved One

"When someone you love dies,

You never quite get over it.

You just slowly learn,

How to go without them.

But always keeping them,

Tucked safely in your heart."

It is very difficult for a child to cope up with the recent death of someone he loved. The death of his loved one confuses and hurts them and makes them go into a shell. They actually wonder what it is all about as they don't understand what is happening around? Whenever there is a death in the family of our near and dear ones  we exclude children from the funeral. The whole process of death or dying makes us vulnerable. So just imagine what a child must be going through! Bewildered and totally confused of what is going around, children usually try to seek answers from their elders. And when they don't get these answers for their questions they get wrong notions about the whole dying process.

When death occurs within a family, a child is usually kept away from the process. We take care that we avoid discussions pertaining to death be withheld in front of our children. Either we try to change the topic or we send them to their rooms. Often kids are sent away until the funeral process is completed. Kids are not invited to the funeral and everything is concealed in euphemism and secrecy.

But have we ever wondered what all this secrecy and concealment does to a child. The sudden disappearance of his favorite person add to his dilemma. Now this death could be of anyone, one of his parents, grandparents, siblings,uncle, aunt or even a close friend. Someone very near and dear to him or her whom they see everyday and would not be seeing anymore. This could really be devastating to a child. The whole concealment would further worsen up the matter.

How to help a Child Deal with the Death of a Loved One

Let Your Child Pour Out To You

Try and understand what your child is going through. It is important that a child pours out his feelings and his confusions. Try to talk to him. This will definitely relax his mind and help him feel better.

Have One to One Conversation

It is very important that you and your child have a fair conversation. He has to be told and not to be kept in any darkness. A child has to know what is going on in the house and he is also part of it. Answer his questions fully without divulging deep details.

Let Him Know It is Okay to Remember

Assure the child that even though his favorite person won't be around anymore, it is still okay if he misses them or tries to remember them. 

Let Him Say Good Bye

Let your child participate in the funeral process. Experts have maintained that when a child is allowed to involve in the process of death, he or she copes better. Let the child be allowed to share his or her favorite memory with the person, in front of everyone. He could even sing a farewell song or a good bye song if he wishes.

Let Him Know the Cause of Death

The child should be made aware of the cause of death, but not in exact terms. The child could be told that the person who died, his death was due to some illness or old age or accident. Merely saying being sick can make a child fear sickness as if, "Oh, I have fear, I am sick and I am going to die"!

Alive In Memories

If the person who passed away had a special bond or connection with the child, assure him that the connection would always remain that way. Don't ask him to try to forget this person.  Let the child know that it is okay to always keep the dead person alive in his memories. Allow the child to keep a memento like a picture or a thing belonged to the person who passed away. 

It would take a little time, as they say 'Time heals all wounds'. As days would pass, your child would start feeling better. We need to give them some time to recover. Always be close by and try to spend some time with them. Try to engage them in activities they enjoy. This would act as a distraction and could help your child to deal with the death of his loved one. 

Tales of Tenali Raman - Tenali Raman and The Thieves

In the Kingdom of Vijaynagar, a band of thieves where known to cause enough trouble to the people, especially the rich merchants. The guards of King Krishnadevaraya tried their best to catch them, but they remained fruitless. The thieves used to search for a rich merchant and then loot his house and get away with it.

These thieves have been constantly observing Tenali Raman. They were aware of the fact that Tenali Raman was handsomely rewarded by the king very often. Looting his house was going to be an excellent opportunity. But what the thieves were unaware was that Tenali usually distributed all the gifts and rewards among the poor.

So one night the thieves seek the opportunity of robbing Tenali Raman. They came to his house one night and hid behind the bushes. But Tenali Raman had already seen them hiding. Being clever, he knew how to handle this situation. He went to the nearby window and started speaking loudly to his wife, "My dear wife, I have been hearing a lot about these thieves who loot rich people at night. I have an idea of saving our valuable treasures. Why don't we put all our wealth in this big trunk and hide it in some secret location." His wife asked, "Where do you plan to hide it?" To this Tenali Raman said," Come with me, I will show you."

Tenali Raman put some big stones in the trunk and closed it. Then he dragged the trunk and brought it behind his house. He pushed the trunk into the big well and went inside the house with his wife. The thieves meanwhile were witnessing the whole episode. They were very happy that they knew the secret place where Tenali Raman had hidden the valuables. The trunk indeed looked very heavy when Tenali Raman was dragging it. So they waited patiently behind the bushes allowing the family of Tenali Raman to sleep. Then they went near the well and examined it. It was indeed a big well and full of water. The only way, they realized, to remove the trunk out was to empty the water from the well. So they started drawing out water from the well.

Meanwhile Tenali Raman had managed to come out of the house and hide himself outside. He had heard all the plans the thieves were making. He saw the thieves drawing out water. He realized he had not watered the plants in a while. So an idea came to him. Without the thieves' notice he tried making small channels in the ground with the help of a shovel. The thieves did not notice him as they were busy drawing out water. They kept throwing water on the ground which through the different channels made by Tenali started flowing towards the garden. By this simple act, the water wasn't wasted and the plants were watered well. This went on for sometime.

 The well being big, the thieves got tired after a while. They stopped and sat near the well and discussed about their plans. Meanwhile Tenali had asked his son to fetch the guards. The guards surrounded the thieves and captured each one of them. The thieves were too tired to protest or run.

In the king's court the next day, the thieves were brought before the king. The king summoned the thieves to prison. The king was impressed with Tenali Raman's bravery and presence of mind.

How to Write a Good Essay

Not everybody is born to write a good essay! I must say, some possess born talent to write good, engaging essays. But that does not mean those who do not possess such skills, cannot acquire them to pen down good essay. To write a good essay one must do some preparation, and mind you this preparation has to be done even by those who possess natural talents. Once the basic preparation is done, then as soon as you start writing an essay the flow of thoughts pour down sequentially and thus a good essay materialises.

How to write a Good Essay

Get a Clear Idea about the Subject of Essay

Before writing an essay, it is important to get a clear idea about the subject of the essay you are attempting to write. It is important that there is no misunderstanding about the meaning of the topic that is been selected by you to write the essay. Select topic on the basis of your knowledge about it. If a topic is not understood well, then the essay that you plan to write would go all wrong and you may just end up writing something irrelevant to the topic.

Jot Down Points

Now as soon as you have understood the topic, start writing down all the points that flash through your mind related to the topic. When we think of a subject to write down on an essay, we automatically start thinking about various points pertaining to essay, but if we don't jot down those points immediately, we may just forget few of those when we actually start writing an essay. These points could be anything pertaining to the topic, for example, if you plan to write an essay on Discipline, then points such as success, values of discipline, hard work, achieving goals etc would flash through your mind and you would want to discuss these points in the essay. So it is important that you jot down these points on a side of your paper or a notepad.

Arrange the Points in Order

Now that you have a clear idea about the subject of the essay, and few points are being jotted down by you pertaining to the subject, start adding a proper sequence to these points. Try to arrange these points in proper order, so as to where and when you wish to include these points and discuss about them. Try and make an arrangement in such a manner that it helps you grasp the attention of your reader.

Make a Good Introduction

Once the points are in order, see that you make a good start. The way an essay opens up to the reader is very important for his further engagement. If a essay starts out in a dull fashion, then there are chances that the reader would assume that the essay is just boring and would not even skip out the rest of the content. The introduction of an essay should be attractive yet slightly brief. It is important to make a good introduction if you plan to write a good essay. The introduction should include  brief explanation about the way you treat the subject. Starting with a proverb, a saying, a quotation, an incident or even a small story can work wonders to your introduction part of the essay.

Stick to the Topic

Throughout the essay, while penning down your thoughts and ideas see that you stick to the topic. Don't try to stray away from the subject and confuse the reader. Whenever writing an essay on a particular topic never include ideas or thoughts which are not related to the subject.

Don't be Repetitive

The most boring aspect for a reader while reading an essay is the repetition. While reading an essay reading the same thoughts or sentiments again and again throughout the essay are not welcome. Make sure that while connecting the points or discussions in an essay you do not repeat sentiments or expressions or even use the same key word over and over again.

Avoid Usage of Short Forms

Short forms such as won't. shan't, don't, shouldn't etc should be avoided including in an essay. Try and avoid using numerals too in an essay. They portray an essay in a bad form. A use of abbreviations such as e.g., etc, should be avoided, instead use full forms like for example, so on and on.

Use the Same Tense Sequence

This is one of the key rule one should definitely follow while writing an essay. Suppose if you have started writing an essay in past tense, then you should continue the essay throughout in past tense. The whole essay should be written in a same sequence of tenses.

Be Simple and Precise

Instead of using complex sentences, which if not used carefully may destroy the whole essence of your essay; it is advisable to go simple. Try using simple words and sentences in your essay. Try to be direct and precise. Try not to be tempted in using complex or big words just for the sake of impressing the examiners or readers.

Express Yourself

Writing essay is all about expressing yourself. One important rule about writing a good essay is that you write it on the basis of your knowledge and imagination. When you write an essay try and express yourself. Let the reader know your genuine feelings and experiences. This helps readers to connect with you and enjoy your essay.

Reserve the Best for the Last

As much as an introduction is pivotal for penning down a good essay, the conclusion of an essay also holds a great importance. What has been started by you in a beautiful manner has to conclude in the similar impact. The conclusion of a good essay should be interesting and powerful. A dull and boring conclusion would spoil the whole show. It should sum up the arguments included in the essay and should prove that you made a valid point. It is necessary that all the arguments or discussions made in the essay are concluded with a strong view point. A inclusion of striking paraphrase or a quotation might be interesting.

Once you get through all these points and understand what and how to write, there is no stopping you. Just go ahead and pour out your thoughts and knowledge over an topic you know you could write a good essay about.

Essay - Is Studying Grammar Better than Practicing Conversation

Studying Grammar is definitely better than practicing conversation. As all know that language is the most effective means of communication and the ability of people to talk is one of the skills that makes human way different from the rest of the animal world. Animals have simple language to communicate as in few of the noises they make. But on the other hand, human are known to speak many languages throughout the world.

Practicing conversation could be very easy, all one has to know words and speak or write them. But knowing words alone does not suffice . Each and every word has to be put in a definite order so that they make sense when spoken, and this is where grammar plays its role. Grammar teaches us to use words in proper punctuation and sequence which provides complete justice to the conversation we are having. 

People who plan to govern the language by practicing conversation without studying grammar fail miserably in their efforts to communicate with others. In turn during such conversations such people can be misunderstood more often. By doing so they make a complete fool of themselves with their lack of knowledge of Grammar. But on the other hand a person who has studied grammar and uses it effortlessly in his conversation can make an impression on to his listeners. Such person stands out in the crowd and gains success with his remarkable communication skills.

Tales of Tenali Raman - Tenali Raman and Goddess Kali's Blessing

Once upon a time in a small village called Tenali in the state Karnataka, there lived a young boy named Ramakrishna who was great devotee of Kalika Devi. Ramakrishna used to worship the goddess daily at the village temple.

So one afternoon when Ramakrishna was offering his prayers at the temple, a sage passed by. The sage saw a young boy praying the goddess and was impressed with his devotion. He came to the young lad and enquired whether he visited the temple daily. The young lad answered yes.

On listening his answer the sage asked Ramakrishna, " Do you young lad, worship her daily without fail ?" To this the lad answered, " Yes, I do worship her daily without fail."

So the sage out of curiosity questioned, " Ramakrishna, do you worship the goddess faithfully?". To this Ramakrishna smiled and answered, " Yes, absolutely as the goddess looks after me and cares for me." The sage who now was enjoying the conversation carried on, " Have you ever seen her?". To this the innocent Ramakrishna answered, " No, I haven't been that lucky yet, but I am very much eager to see her. You think I can see her someday?" To this the sage replied, " Yes, why not? If you are really one of her great devotees then she will definitely meet you. But then you do have to prove it to her, impress her. Let me help you, here I will give you one mantra, this you should pray to her whole night. She will definitely appear before you. But mind you, don't you get scared with her ferocious looks."

Ramakrishna smiled to this and said eagerly, " No, I would never be afraid of the goddess as I worship her everyday." Smiling and satisfied with the answer, the sage guided Ramakrishna with the mantra that he needed to chant with full concentration and after blessing him left. Ramakrishna followed the sage's instructions and sincerely chanted the mantra with full concentration. He was so engrossed with the chanting that he didn't even realize that the night had passed and the sun had rose. Ramakrishna was abruptly disturbed by a sweet voice that was calling out to him. As Ramakrishna opened his eyes he was awestruck to see Goddess Kali standing in front of him in her glorious yet ferocious avatar. The young lad continued to look at the goddess dumbstruck. Then suddenly he started laughing out loudly. This made the goddess angry and ask, " What's wrong Raman, are you not afraid? To this Raman replied, " No Mother Goddess! How can I be afraid of you. When I worship you". Goddess Kali was amused by the answer," So, tell me Raman, why are you laughing?"

To this Raman fearlessly answered, " O Mother Goddess, when I first saw you I was impressed with your glorious avatar, but the thing that made me laugh is that though you have thousand faces, how come you have just two hands?" Goddess Kali looked amused and confused, to this Raman explained, " O Goddess, all I am saying is, see I have one nose and two hands, so when I catch a cold it still gets difficult for me to manage my running nose with both hands. You on the other hand have countless noses. I seriously wonder how you wipe and manage them with just two hands. Listen, Mother Goddess please don't get angry with me and curse me for this; but I seriously want to know." 

Goddess Kali was impressed with the child's vivid imagination and genuine curiosity. His innocence made her laugh. She said, " Ramakishna, I simply love your modesty, quick wittedness and imagination. So from now on, You will be known as Tenali Raman and I am making you a 'VIKATAKAVI'. With my blessing you shall be famous throughout the world and would be known as a witty and wise man. Go to Vijayanagar kingdom and meet King Krishnadevaraya." And by saying so, she blessed the lad and disappeared.

Young Ramakrishna was indeed very happy. He decided to follow the Goddess's advice and go to Vijayanagar Kingdom. Thus the young Tenali Raman started his long journey which finally changed his destiny.

Jataka Tales - The Story of the Clever Vaidya

Once upon a time, in a village named Chandrapur lived a hard working farmer named Mohan. Mohan was a young and kind person. He took care of his farm and the pair of bulls he had bought just the previous day from the cattle fair. He promised himself that he would feed them well only with fresh grass, bathe them and then take them to work on field. This would be his regular routine, A content man, Mohan would never miss his routine.

Next day, after finishing his work for the first half of the day, Mohan sat down under the tree for lunch. He and his bulls had worked hard for five hours and they needed a break. Content with his work he dozed off for a couple of hours unaware of the fact that he was been watched. A thief had been keeping an eye on Mohan since morning. He had been looking for an opportunity to get his hands on the bulls. The bulls would make him rich for a while, as selling them would fetch him a good price.

Seizing the opportunity, the thief tiptoed towards the bulls and led them away. But he hadn't got a bit far, when suddenly Mohan woke up. Shocked by what he saw, Mohan demanded angrily, "What do you think you are doing?"

The thief snapped back, "Who do you think you are to ask me this? These are my bulls and I can take them wherever I wish." Mohan was outraged by his answer but he was a smart man and couldn't be tricked easily. He held the thief's wrist and wouldn't let him go. 

The quarrel between them caught attention of farmers from the nearby fields. They all gathered around the two wondering what was going on. Since Mohan claimed that he had bought the bulls just the previous day and they had not seen him with them, the farmers couldn't take his side. This made Mohan unhappy. He wondered how this problem would resolve.

Finally one of the farmer suggested, "Let's take these bulls to our Vaidya. He is a wise man and can easily solve this problem." Agreeing with the suggestion made, the bulls were led to the local Vaidya. The Vaidya listened patiently to both the sides and then became quiet. Within minutes he knew what he had to do.

The Vaidya first turned to the thief and asked, "What did you feed the bulls?" Without any delay the thief replied, "Sir, I fed them boiled rice and two pumpkins!" Then the Vaidya asked the farmer, "And what about you?" The farmer said, "Vaidyaji, I fed them fresh grass!"

The Vaidya then went inside his house and came back with some liquid that he gave the bulls. Immediately the bulls threw up and wonder what came out - half digested grass! The Vaidya smiled and remarked, "So, now you know who the rightful owner is!" The farmer sighed in relief, took his bulls and went back home.

How Scorpions Can Survive Without Eating

Scorpions can face adverse situations and at times survive for months without food. Scorpions eat insects as food. When such situation occur, scorpions slow down their metabolism to one-third of its normal scale. With this routine they are able to use very little oxygen and can survive on just one insect a year.

This doesn't mean the scorpion can't spring up quickly enough in action on sight of it's food given hos low metabolism. Well no!! that's not the case. It still can hunt with the same zing as in normal circumstances. 

How to Fight Depression Naturally

Most of us suffer from depression at some point in our lives. The feeling of trapped in my head can be due to depression. It could be mild to moderated depression, a result of stresses in life or even some incidents that can affect us beyond limit. Depression is a serious problem and shouldn't be ignored. It is said that pill-popping and prescriptions to anti-depressants have risen over the last decade, But mind you, this pill popping doesn't actually work for everyone. And for the rest of those who are benefited with anti-depressants, experience various side-effects such as anxiety, insomnia and restlessness among others. Always remember anti-depressants only take care of the symptoms and not the cause of the problems. Hence it is advisable to look for natural alternatives which would help you overcome depression and dark thoughts that usually flood your mind and also prevent the development of mental disorders. Let's learn how to fight depression naturally.

Working Out

It is commonly known that exercise can improve your mood and make you feel better. Exercising releases endorphins which is actually a make-you-feel-good chemical. Regular exercising offers a feeling of achievement which can boost self esteem. Exercise in any form; be it hitting a gym, yoga, dancing, jogging, weight lifting etc would be good. Practice of yoga is highly recommended to fight depression as the breathing techniques can help calm mind and help one feel better.

Being Outdoors Help

Being outdoors definitely helps to fight depression naturally. Research has suggested that one feels better being outdoors rather than indoors during depression. People suffering from depression usually try being indoors ending up being a couch potato. Taking a walk, exercising outside, going for a jog, gardening are some of the activities that can immensely help to combat depression. A stroll in the park amidst beautiful greenery is just the thing that works wonders for the disturbed state of mind.

A Good Balanced Diet

People suffering from depression go frenzy with food. Either they eat less or they just gorge. But when they gorge they prefer foods ladden with fats and salts. Foods such as chips, crisps, icecreams, chocolates, aerated sugary drinks become part of their diet. This further worsens the problem. Just eating some fresh fruits or vegetables can actually uplift our mood. Try including fruits, dry fruits, whole grains, cheese, eggs, fish (omega-3 rich fishes such as mackerel) etc in your daily diet. This will help in mood boosting.

Brighten your Mood

Do anything that brightens and improves your mood. Get a massage, it helps reliving the tension and improves mood. A deep body massage helps relax your muscles and releases tension. This indeed brightens your mood. Listening to songs that make you happy also brightens the mood. Spending a day shopping with friends cheers you up. Having lunch with people you enjoy spending time with can indeed brighten your mood. Starting a day with a smile can brighten your mood.

Nothing is as good as Music

Music is known to benefit our souls at emotional levels. Music heals thy soul! Music helps brain to relax and helps beat insomnia caused due to depression. To beat depression a little deviation is necessary. What better than music! Learn a musical instrument or attend musical workshop or give a shot at singing. Singing your heart out can remove the depressed feelings stuck inside your soul. Attending musical workshops will remove you from isolation and help you fight depression.

Take up Reading

Books are man's best friend and friends is what you need to combat depression. One just has to discover the healing power of books! Reading books of great authors actually inspire you and help you to cope up with life and its suffering. We relate to literature someway or the other by relating to personalities or characters of a book who delve in same situations as we do. When we read how this character fights all the barriers and fends for himself, we are motivated to come out of our difficult situation.

Adopt or Foster a Pet

They love you without a single selfish bone in their body. No expectations and loads of love in return! That's what love of a pet is all about, especially dogs. Nobody knows how actually it happens, but yes it does. Adopting or fostering pets can help you fight depression naturally. You may just forget about the anti-depressants! Loving a pet and getting loads of love in return can be a effective drug-free therapy where a person suffering from depression will engage himself in a joyful session with the adorable pets. Joining groups that care for animals, volunteering in fostering activities for abandoned pets  or animal shelters can take all the heaviness from your mind and make you happy beyond boundaries.

Talk about it

The best way to fight depression is by talking about it. What one needs during such time is a good listener. Talking about our problems and discussing them makes us feel as if some weight has been lifted from our shoulders. Then we start to relax. So talk to somebody whose company you prefer. Call you best buddy who would feel your pain. If you don't wish to talk to anybody in particular then write about it or else blog about it. Pour your heart out in some way or the other.

Thus take a step forward towards fighting depression naturally and everything else will fall into it's place perfectly.

How to Avoid your Child's Disobedience

Disobeying is in our blood, wouldn't you agree to that! We ask ourselves, have we been the obedient kind? Our kids somewhere in their part of growing up get this trait from us. It's not something we ask them to learn from us. Our children pick and learn from daily observation - observing us! So this is how some children accidentally learn disobeying from their parents. It is also a behavioral trait that a child can develop in it's adolescent stage due to mental repression of their feelings.

How to deal with a disobedient child

- First we ask ourselves! Would it be right to spank or verbally abuse a child for disobeying? Is anger the right weapon to handle your child's tantrum. Is yelling back or punishing a child the right approach to reinforce obedience. Should we be taking a child's disobedience  personally and act accordingly. No!! certainly not.

- It takes a lot of patience on the part of parent to act as a responsible parent. First all we need to do is deal with this situation with patience and calm.

- Finding the actual reason behind child's disobedience could be the first step that you take to tackle it. Why is your child behaving so can help you answer a lot of questions and also help find solution.

- If the disobedience of your child comes from his curiosity then all it needs is good reasoning and patience to deal with the situation. Help them by providing solutions and answers to their curiosity.

- If a child is confused then clearing their confusion helps. Talk to them! Let them know the rights and wrongs.

- Tantrums can be the worst behavior trait a parent would wish to handle. A moody child needs to handle with loads of patience and calm. Try to divert their attention to change thier moods. Be calm and reasoning while doing so.

- Provide attention to your child. In order to avoid your child's disobedience spend some quality time with them so they don't go seeking your attention by being disobedient. Make it rule - in spite of your busy schedule, you will spend few hours of your day or maybe weekends with your children. Let your children know how much you love them.

- Don't encourage a child's disobedience during primary stages. Don't give into their unnecessary and unworthy demands every now and then. Teach them discipline.

- Don't punish your children every now and then. Be firm on decision you make if you think they are right for them. Certain instructions or rules should not be changed even for once. Any threat which you don't intend to follow shouldn't be made.

- Set an example. If you wish your child to follow rules, see that you too follow the same. For example, If you ask a child to eat vegetables but he doesn't see you eating them. Or you ask your child not to watch television while eating food but you watch. How do you expect a child to obey in such cases.

- At times a child disobeys because he feels his behavior is right. In such cases providing a little legroom or space helps. For instance a child would learn to obey if he experiences certain things, other then following your instruction out and out.