20 Eco-friendly Tips to Help Save the Earth

In simple ways and methods we too can lend our hand towards saving our Planet Earth from destruction. Each one of us can come up with some contributions towards helping save our beautiful planet. This can be done with easy and smaller ways. But these easy and simple ways will definitely have a big impact towards saving our environment. Here are some ways you can help and protect planet earth.

20 Eco-friendly Tips to Help Save the Earth

1. Fix the Leaking Tap

Wasting water is one of the critical problems that need to be taken care of. We know that there is not much drinking water left on our planet. Many houses ignore the problem of leaking taps which is one of the major causes of water wastage. So first and foremost that you can do is get a plumber and fix the leaking taps in your house.

2. Use Energy Efficient Light Fixtures

Energy efficient light bulbs have several advantage over traditional light fixtures. They use 30 to 50% less energy. They last 10 times longer than the traditional light bulbs. The energy efficient light-bulbs save your money in a big way. So replace those traditional light-bulbs with energy-efficient light bulbs and save energy which in turn helps saving the earth.

3. Turn Off your Computer at Night

Many have the habit of keeping their computer on even when not in use, especially during nights. Turning computer off during nights can help you cut down a lot on electricity bills.  Unless you want your computer to perform any overnight task, it is advisable to turn it off during night. It helps in energy conservation and thus to save Mother Earth. This also helps your computer to perform better.

4. Use a Pressure Cooker

Using a pressure cooker is the best way to save time and energy. With pressure cooker the cooking time reduces which also ensures less use of energy. When we cook our food in a pressure cooker, the escape of steam is lesser than a regular cooking pan. Pressure cooker uses up to 70% less energy than other cooking appliances. It thus reduces fuel bills and carbon emissions. One more advantage about cooking food in the pressure cooker is the food cooks quicker and tastier.

5. Stop Wasting Food

Some of us are fortunate to get good food and some are not. But those who have a lot of food at their disposal waste most of it. Wasting food not only reduces the amount of food available on the planet but also contributes to the wastage of the natural resources. It also effects the energy conservation. In a way food wastage impacts the Planet Earth in a big way.

6. Buy Energy Efficient Appliances

Before buying or replacing electrical appliances such as dishwasher, washing machine, microwave ovens, air-conditioners etc for your house, try and learn more about these appliances. Check whether these electrical appliances are energy-efficient and are made in sustainable ways. Such energy-efficient electrical appliances would not only protect the environment but also reduce your energy use and in turn lower your electricity bills.

7. Stop Using Plastic Bags

One of the most important way to save our planet is to completely stop the use of plastic bags. Plastic serves a serious threat to the environment. Disposing plastic poses a risk for animals and birds as well. Hence it is important that we stop using plastic bags right-away. Even if a shopkeeper gives us a plastic bag to carry our shopping items, we should be able to say no. Carry your own cloth bags or jute bags for shopping.

8. Reduce Use of Paper

Gradually we have come to a point where we realize that this planet of ours is turning into a big dumping ground. In an effort to clean our house, we dump almost everything on this big, giant dumping ground without giving it a second's thought. And that includes paper too. Hence to make a difference and save our planet, try to reduce use of paper as much as you can. This can be done by reducing use of book-prints, making use of digital prints, implementing cost-saving paper reduction program and recycling paper.

9. Donate Old Books

Instead of throwing away books, donate them to libraries or anyone who may find them useful. This especially can be done with study books. Poor students who cannot afford study books can make use of such books and would definitely be thankful. If you have unused pages that can be reused, try to bind them and make diaries or recycled notebooks out of it.

10. Grow Your Own Food

You do not need to be a farmer or have a farm to grow your own food. But you can try to grow some food items like vegetables, herbs, fruits within your kitchen window, terrace or balcony for your regular use. This can be done on a smaller scale and on organic terms. This way you know what you eat is good enough for your consumption and safer for your health. Some food items that can be grown include chilies, herbs, tomatoes, brinjal, coriander, curry leaves and so much more.

11. Shorten Showers

One way to save water is by shortening the time you stand below a shower. Shower bath can be relaxing but they do waste a lot of water. So try to shorten your shower timings or better - take a bucket bath.

12. Recycle and Reuse

This is the best way one can help Planet Earth. What we can do is reuse and make use of most of the things that we think we do not want anymore. Such as plastic cups which can be used as plant pots or pen holders. Recycling helps reduce the amount of waste that we dump on the earth. This can be done by redecorating and recycling a used product to turn it into entirely new product. Such activity can be fun and help us make the environment cleaner and much better place to live.

13. Borrow, Don't Buy

This may not be something that many prefer, but it is an ideal way of saving our planet. We can borrow books from our friends to read instead of buying a whole new one which may be responsible to cut down a tree to create. We can borrow study books from senior kids for our younger kids. We can borrow dresses which our elders outgrow into. Even if you don't wish to wear them, you could borrow and donate it to those underprivileged kids who can make the most of it. Few borrowed items which your family or friends do not want anymore can be recycled to make something new. This way we can make use of the most of it and help our planet earth.

14. Turn Off The Switches

Whenever not in use, make sure you turn of all the unnecessary switches. Many of us have a habit keeping lights and fans on, even when they leave the room. Switches to ovens, television, chargers, computers, speakers are left on even when they are not in use. We should pay attention to such details by checking out and turning them off if unused. This way you play a major role in energy conservation.

15. Start a Compost Pile

Composting is very planet friendly and can benefit your gardens a lot. If you reside in a building, introduce the idea of a compost bin where all the household kitchen waste and garden waste can be composted to make a organic fertilizer. This can be used to enrich your compound gardens as well as individual plant pots. Vegetable scrapings, used water, rotten food, dried leaves, grass etc can be added to this compost bin on a regular basis to create rich and eco-friendly fertilizer.

16. Use a Clothesline

Instead of using a clothes dryer, one can use a clothesline to save our planet. Use of clothesline not only helps save energy but reduces energy bills and saves money. With enough humidity, clothes that are hang on clothesline dry in no time.

17. Plant Trees

One of the most important and easy way one can help the planet from degradation is by planting trees. We know how important trees are to the planet to stay healthy. It is not just about the health of the planet but our health too which is at risk. The only way both can be taken care of is by growing and maintaining lots and lots of trees.

18. Shop Wisely

Shopping plays an important role in our efforts towards saving our planet. What we shop and how we shop has a huge impact on our contributions towards saving our planet. Buying less plastic and carrying reusable shopping bags works in a positive manner. One has to put a lot of thought before buying certain items to make sure you are not cheating yourself as well as your planet. Reduce use of plastic-wares and disposable items. Instead opt for recyclable and reusable items. Do not buy things if you are not going to use them immediately.

19. Volunteer to Cleanup Drives

Do your bit to save your planet and be proud of it. Volunteer in cleanup drives and help clean the areas around you. This will not only make your planet clean but would make you feel proud of yourself. Sign up with society cleaning drives or NGOs for a weekend task and spend some time cleaning your surroundings.

20. Educate Others

If you as an individual alone can make a difference by doing your bit, imagine what would be the result if many follow your path. This can happen only when you don't keep your knowledge to yourself and educate others. Start by talking to people in your society or office and make them realize the importance of these steps they can carry too for saving the planet earth. Make them realize the importance of energy conservation, recycling, reusing and inspire them to do their bit. Initiate a cleaning drive or a tree plantation drive within your neighborhood. These efforts of yours will never go wasted and would benefit all of us in the near future. 

Expansion of Idea - There is Nothing Impossible in Life

For those who believe in themselves there is nothing impossible in life. People who are full of optimism always take life in a positive way. They do not allow negativity enter their mind and thus control their way of thinking. For such people there is nothing impossible in life, as they learn to fight problems and face challenges. One sees many obstacles in the path of success. These obstacles are barrier to success and can either let you down or take away the possibilities of life.

But just the fear of facing obstacles should not take your success from you. One must not run away from problems but face it with fortitude and courage. There are solutions to each and every problem, but it is all about your approach towards it that helps or hinders your progress. If we allow ourselves to look at life with fullness and entirety, we can foresee what is coming toward us.

Unbridled determination and perseverance can help us go long way in life. Looking at the brighter side of life can help build a positive approach. Only such attitude towards life can help turning impossible into possible. Optimists are one of the shining examples of this. They have a positive approach towards dealing with challenges and fighting problems. And only for such people everything is possible and nothing is impossible in life.

What is Soundproof Glass

There are numerous occasions when we wish, we were sitting in a room with soundproof glass; especially when we are with friends spilling out secrets. Soundproof glass help us achieve that level of privacy where conversation stay intact with no secrets been revealed to the outside world.

Soundproof glass is a type of glass which refrains sound from penetrating from one side to the other. This could either be from inside to outside or from outside to inside. Such type of glass are used by people who spend time in noisy environment. For example, people living on busy streets or cabins of noisy offices.

How Does Soundproof Glass Work 

Sound in the form of energy pass through various mediums such as solid, liquid or gas. The closer the molecules in the medium, the faster the sound energy pass from one point to another. Since the molecules of a solid medium are closely held, the sound travels faster through it. But when a soundproof glass is installed, it absorbs the sound waves and reduces vibration thus working as a barrier and preventing the sound from passing.

How can Soundproof Glass be Made

A sound proof glass can be made by simply using a thicker glass. The thicker the glass, the stiffer it would be and lesser the vibration. One of the other option to make a sound proof glass is using a material between two panes of glass. One of the most common material used for glass sound proofing is lamination. Lamination of glass is where a thin piece of plastic is placed between two glass panes. This cuts down significant amount of sound and allows noiseless atmosphere. Laminated glass work as the best soundproof glass and best soundproof windows.

How To Make A Water Filter

This is a simple activity for kids, that help them learn about water purification process and how it is carried out. This could work as one of the best summer engaging activity for kids, as they not only make the water filter right from scratch, but understand and learn science. The making of water filter with this activity is easy and the kids will have lot of fun making it. The wonders of science can be learned through such simple techniques. The technique is pretty simple and kids can carry on themselves, with adult supervision.

Materials Required For Making a Water Filter

Pet bottle - 1(2 liter capacity)
Gravel
Activated charcoal
Cotton ball
Dirty water

Method for Making a Water Filter

1

With the help of an adult, cut the bottle in half.  Put the bottle upside down resembling a funnel inside the bottom half. This is what the use is - the bottom half would work as the collector of the filtered water and the top half will be where we build the filter.

2

Place a thick layer of cotton ball inside the filter, i.e. the top half of the bottle. Now continue to add one layer of thick crust of activated charcoal on the cotton ball.

3

Place the third layer of gravel on the sand. Lightly shake the filter, so that all the layers are fixed firmly in their place. Your filter is ready.

4

Pour the dirty water through this filter. You can make your own dirty water by adding bits of paper, small leaves, little mud or dirt in the water. Once you pour this dirty water in the filter, wait for the filtration process to happen. Do not pour all the dirty water, but keep some as a specimen which you can compare later with the filtered water.

5

You will soon see that once the water starts moving through all the layers, it gets much cleaner than before.

6

Gather all the filtered water and compare it with the dirty water you have kept. You will notice the difference in both the water.

How it Works

Activated charcoal is often used in the water purification process, mostly in commercial water filters. As the water travels through each layer of the filter, the dirt gets stuck in each layer. The bigger pieces of dirt like paper bits, get stuck on the first layer. The small pieces pass through the first layer but get stuck in the charcoal layer. The cotton ball layer gets rid of the fine dirt and the result you get is the filtered water.

Tip

If you do not have activated charcoal, make use of sand. Add a thick crust of sand instead of charcoal on the cotton ball layer. 

Importance of Encouraging Curiosity in Children

Children often challenge their parents and teachers with ideas or thoughts that are beyond their understanding. We as parents are exhausted with the countless question attack such as," But, why mom?" or "But how does it grow?" or "What does it mean?" directed towards us by our children. There are times when we don't even know the answer or don't know how to answer some of their questions. Few children can be too curious and answering some of their questions may be too embarrassing for parents. But should that be a reason for a parent to stop attending to a child's curiosity?

Nowadays with the exposure of media and internet, kids know too much for their age and at times could come up with doubts and questions which may have nothing to do with their age. But they just want to know - why, what and how. These why, what and how could be little too much for their age and may be beyond their understanding. But still it is our job as a parent to answer them and nurture their curiosity.

Why is Curiosity Important

Curiosity in kids is often a good thing. Some can be naturally curious about a variety of things. It is said that throughout his life, Einstein wondered about relationships between gravity, space and electromagnetic radiation. The present curriculum most of the schools have today, leaves little scope of arousing curiosity in children. The syllabus and teaching methods implemented, calls for rote-learning. Hence very few kids try to go beyond textbooks and look out for more information on a topic. And hence that should be the reason why parents and teachers should nurture and encourage children's curiosity. The thing is when we encourage our child's curiosity we allow them to grow and become creative. The natural tendency to be curious allows a child be more creative and self-learner. Curiosity stimulates their brain and reasoning abilities.

10 Ways To Encourage Curiosity in Children

1. Parents and teachers can nurture a child's curiosity by supporting and encouraging it. Live experiments, nature walks, science exhibitions, open discussions and group studies help out children to diligently work towards dealing with false hypotheses and coming to their own conclusions.

2. The curriculum should be made such to arouse an intense curiosity among children. This can be done by fragmenting the topic and allowing a child retrace their steps around the topic collecting more data and coming to their own solutions which satiate their hunger.

3. Allow the child to live in their own thoughts to think it through. Do not answer in the first glance and satisfy their curiosity. Instead try and allow them to explain and explore their point of view and thoughts on the same.

4. Be supportive of their curiosity. If you consider your child's thoughts to go in a wrong directions, provide hints here and there, but do not reject his idea all at once.

5. At times, curiosity could lead your child to gain new knowledge or a whole new meaning. It would shape up his thoughts and allow him to learn something new.

6. Supporting your child's interest is the best way to deal with his or her curiosity. For example, if your child wishes to experiment on something, and even though you know that it is going to be messy; yet provide him with the opportunity to conduct the experiment, with a promise that help could be expected from him while cleaning.

7. Open discussions on certain subjects your child is curious about could turn out helpful.

8. At times you may not support an idea that your child finds curious about. But instead of making this point clear to him, if you allow him a chance to realize this on its own it would be a better learning experience for the kid and he would never forget it. This way a child does not feel rejected and at the same time is happy to find the reality of certain situations or things.

9. Engage your kids in activities that can stimulate their curiosity.

10. Curiosity plays an important role in your child's learning and hence never let it dull out. Keep asking questions to your child which allow them to think about a particular topic and come up with answers that encourage their curiosity. 

How to Make an Erupting Volcano

This is a simple activity for kids who are fascinated by the idea of a volcanic eruption. With simple materials such as baking soda, modelling clay and food colors, made available to them, they can easily make this DIY project of erupting volcano at home safely. With this simple experiment provided step by step, kids will learn how to make a model volcano.

Materials Required for making an Erupting Volcano

Paper cup - 1
Tin foil / aluminium foil - Few rectangular sheet
Modeling clay
Cardboard - 1 square sheet
Baking Soda - 3 teaspoons
White vinegar - 1 cup
Dish washing liquid - 1 tsp
Yellow Food color - 1 tsp
Red food color - 1 tsp

Method for making an Erupting Volcano

1

Place a square cardboard sheet on a horizontal surface. Place a paper cup in the center of the cardboard sheet. Wrap the tin foil or the aluminium foil around the cup and fold the edges of the foil all around the rim of the cup.

2

Wrap and shape the foil around the cup, as to resemble a shape of a mountain. This could be done by using a couple of foils one over the other and making the shape.

3

Using the modeling clay, make layers over the tin foil all around the rim of the cup. This would give a perfect  mountain touch to your model.

4

Start adding each colour one by one in the cup. Once added, mix well with the help of a small spoon.

5

Add to this the baking soda and then add the dish washing liquid over it.

6

Once you are ready for the erupting volcano, add cupful of vinegar inside the volcano. Enjoy the volcanic eruption! This model can also be made bigger with larger use of same material.

How does it work?

The vinegar that you add to the cup reacts with the baking soda to produce an effervescence reaction. Effervescence reaction means fizzling and bubbling. This reaction produces Carbon dioxide and water. In addition the dish washing liquid added to the mixture gives viscosity which sort of makes the reaction looking lava like!

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. 

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. 

How to Make Paper Lantern - Easy Steps

School projects in India always include DIY projects for kids about making articles such as diyas, lanterns etc; especially during Diwali. Making paper lantern is a quick and easy craft ideas for kids. Here's an easy method of making paper lantern using materials easily available at your local stationery shop. The steps for making this paper lantern are so easy that kids can do it themselves. Let's learn step by step method to make paper lantern at home.

Materials required for making paper lantern 

Ice-cream sticks - 32
Butter paper - 2 sheets
Ruler
Scissor
Glue
Pencil

Method for making paper lantern

1

Take two butter papers. Apply glue on one vertical end of each butter paper and stick the edges to make one long sheer of paper.

2

With the help of a ruler and pencil, draw four squares on the glued butter paper. I have measured 12 cm X 12 cm. If you want to make big lantern, draw bigger squares.

3

Now With the help of scissor cut this long rectangle that contains 4 squares side by side. My rectangle measured 48 cm in length and 12 cm in breadth.

4

Now try to fold these squares at end. It would look like a cube. Now join the two ends of this rectangular butter paper.

5

In case you make a bigger square, you may require two ice cream sticks or one and half ice cream sticks. With the help of glue, stick ice-cream sticks on edges of each square. Cut few ice-cream sticks in small shapes like drops and paste it in the center of each square paper to make a unique design.

6

Stick two ice-cream sticks on top of the lantern for suspension. If you have made this lantern using bigger squares then you should use a lace or decorative thread on top of the lantern for suspension.

Your decorative paper lantern is ready. 

Safety Tips for Children in the Kitchen

Most kids enjoy experimenting in the kitchen. It could just be anything right from simple nimbu paani to making an omelette. Be it a girl or boy! cooking can be enjoyed by both of them. Cooking can be really fun in kitchen for our young chefs provided they follow certain rules.

Top Ten Kitchen Safety Rules for Children

1. First most important thing is adult supervision. Never attempt cooking in kitchen without your's parent's presence. Let them handle the chores which can be dangerous such as cutting, chopping, steaming, frying etc...at least until you master them.

2. Second important thing is hygiene. Make sure that before cooking or handling food, you wash your hands very, very clean.

3. While prepping in kitchen it is possible that your hands get dirty or sticky, in such case wash hands again before continuing. Keep a kitchen wipe or cotton napkin handy.

4. Before trying to experiment with your recipe, make sure that the utensils you use are clean as well. We don't want germs in our food, do we?

5. Before you begin your cooking quest, try reading and getting well versed with the recipe you plan to make carefully and repeatedly. Make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready and handy.

6. Once you have finished using the ingredients, put them back in place. Your mom should get her kitchen clean and tidy, the way she keeps it!

7. If your recipe involves handling hot dishes, it would be a good idea to let your parents help.

8. Use of ovens and microwaves can cook food easily and deliciously. But if you won't be careful, then there chances of getting scalded. So it's necessary that you ask your parents to guide you.

9. If you are really interested in cooking and experimenting in kitchen, start with easy recipes. Learn from your parents the use of various utensils and gadgets. Learn how to handle them.

10. Before becoming a skilled chef, try and help your mom in prepping. Constant practice makes one perfect.