A parent's guide: Everyday health and hygiene essentials for your kid

Cleanliness and good hygiene are essential to maintain good health by getting rid of viruses and bacteria that cause illness. Basic practices such as washing hands properly are known to reduce serious and potentially fatal diseases such as pneumonia, scabies and other infections.

No matter what your child’s age is, maintaining good hygiene is essential for the overall health and prosperity of the kid. There are many precautions you can take as a parent to prevent your child from protect your child from insects.

Check out the following hygiene essentials for your kid-

1. Use a Hand Sanitizer- This can be a good alternative to keep your hands clean while travelling etc. when you don’t have access to soap.You can use a sanitizer to clean your hands in situations like pre and post meals, while inserting or removing your contact lenses, treatingwounds, while handling soiled stuff or garbage and other such situations. Keeping your hands clean and germ-free is the primary and the most important hygiene step towards good health.
2. Use WetWipes for your kids- Baby wipes are great for cleaningevery type ofchild related mess. Any time when kids spill or get dirt on their hands/face, grab a wet wipe to save the day!
3. Keep basic medicines in case of emergency- While travelling, one must be prepared. Carrying a medical kit comes handy. Consult your doctor and carry appropriate medicines for situations like cold and flu etc.
4. Carry your own bottled water- Basically, any or every disease caused is due to the intake of contaminated water. So it is necessary to ensure that you carry bottled water with you every time.
5. Use mosquito repellents– Parents are hesitant to send their kids outdoors due to the problem of mosquitoes and other insects. Mosquitoes being the biggest cause of worry, proper precautions must be taken. Apply 4 dots of Goodknight Fabric Roll-On to ensure 8 hours of protection from mosquitoes.One can even use Goodknight Patches which are specifically designed for new born kids. Both the products are 100% natural and pediatrician certified and hence absolutely safe for kids.

Therefore, make sure you carry the above mentioned essentials to ensure the safety of your child at all times!

A travel bug's essentials for a successful family trip

A travel bug's essentials for a successful family trip-

Travel is fun. Navigating to a new place, discovering unknown and exotic territories, meeting people with different cultures can be an experience to savour. Being a journalist I am always on the move. But, traveling with family demands more attention.

While discovering new regions and meeting various people can be the pros of traveling, if not planned properly it can be an absolute disaster. Therefore, I list down some of the essential things you need to carry with yourself on a family trip-

1. Mobile Phones, charger and/or a Power Bank- Mobile Phones are an essential commodity in today's times. It will help you stay connected to your loved ones in times of emergency.

2. Important documents- Scan important documents like driving license, passport etc and mail it to yourself. Store all the important documents in your backpacks or a small pouch tied to your waist. 

3. Medications- Pack your daily dose of medications(if you take any) or for any other family member. Keep a copy of the doctor's prescription with you.

4. Good knight Fabric Roll-On- Who knows how the climactic atmosphere is going to be when on a trip. So it is better to carry Good Knight Fabric Roll-On that keeps you mosquito free by just applying 4 dots on your clothes. It is also 100% natural and thus absolutely safe to use while outdoors.

5. Backpacks for everyone- Use the convenient, hands-free day backpacks for hiking, sightseeing, or carting towels and sunscreen to the beach. It can also double up to store your personal important documents. 

6. A reusable water bottle- By using a reusable water bottle you are not only helping the environment but also have an instant souvenir when kids slap stickers on it! It also keeps the water taste like "Water" instead of hot plastic.

7. Duct Tape- A small roll of the duct tape comes in handy for everything, from last-minute luggage repairs to babyproofing a hotel room.

8. Good knight Cool Gel- Another important essential to carry on a family trip is the mosquito repellent gel from Good knight. The Good knight Cool Gel is skin-safe, cooling gel that gives you an 8 hour protection from the dangerous mosquitoes that can cause dengue and chikungunya.

9. Credit/Debit cards and some cash- Carrying money on a vacation is a balancing act between safety and utility. Whenever possible, divide up your cash and credit/debit cards at multiple safe spots.

10. First aid supplies- In travel destinations, basic first aid supplies
tend to be overpriced, and it's not always convenient to hobble to a store post-injury in search of emergency supplies. Instead, make yourself a little first aid kit and keep it with your toiletries.

So now that you have the list of all the essential things to carry
when traveling, here's to hoping you're able to do some travel for yourself.

This Eid Ul Adha, Sacrifice the animal within!

As we celebrate Eid ul Adha, it's so important to truly follow and practise the spirit of 'Sacrifice' that this unique festival stands for. The eagerness for sacrificing the 'animal' and having that Kaleji in lunch shouldn't be the mainstay. How about sacrificing the animal-instinct within? How about sacrificing that coveted material belongings and helping the poor and the needy?

I said it last year and I'd say it again, that if the amount of money that is splurged on getting the best goats (many a times, the price and size and breed of the goat is equated with one's status symbol) is judiciously utilized for spending on the modern education of poor Muslims then it can do a world of good to the community rather than mere show off of money by a few. They who don't do Qurbani (of an animal) are many a times looked down upon with and I am sure many people end up doing Qurbani out of societal pressures and to please the children (in spite of economic constraints). 

We haven't done the traditional Qurbani this year but our resolve to help the poor and the needy is steadfast. We shall help, not only now, but if we can, then right through the year. I am confident, Allah is with us, for our Neeyat is right.

Sushant Singh Rajput and Sara Ali Khan starrer Kedarnath shooting to start on August 25

Sushant Singh Rajput and Sara Ali Khan starrer Kedarnath shooting to start on August 25

By Faridoon Shahryar

Prernaa Arora of Kriarj Entertainment revealed to me that the first day of Sushant Singh Rajput and Sara Ali Khan starrer Kedarnath will start on August 25 in Kedarnath itself. This is what she had to say about the film. 

Faridoon Shahryar: What's the latest on Kedarnath with Sushant and Sara Ali Khan to be helmed by Abhishek Kapoor? 

Prernaa Arora: Right now we are preparing for Kedarnath because 25 th of August is the first day of shoot in Kedarnarth with Sushant and Sara, so I am really happy that before the release of Toilet we completed Parmanu. 

Faridoon: Kedarnath is another film that has been in a lot of news because of Sara Ali Khan, and people have a lot of interest in her. She is creating a huge buzz as well!

Prernaa Arora: She is big star and daughter of a superstar. When you see someone for first time like when we saw Deepika in Om Shanti Om or Aishwariya , as soon as you see them you know that she is a star. Similarly Sara is also very talented plus she is a very different looking girl. She is a mix of a proper hindi film heroine like Deepika. Sara ke liye bahut noise hai abhi bahut log use dekhna chahte hai and it is a very big responsibility. We are blessed that we have her with us and let's just hope for the best. 

Civil War

Civil War

A Poem by Faridoon Shahryar

Clouds are drifting with

An alarming pace 

And the march towards 

The jungle 

Is injected with an

Uncanny nervousness.

Why such a deluge 

Of people 

Camping in 

Inhospitable conditions?

Why are they ripping off

Trees and amputating branches?

Familiar faces, 

Who hung out together 

Are ready with archaic 

Stone age weapons

Pointing the chilling sharpness

At each others throats.

I could see a lion 

Sitting unconcerned 

In a corner

Knowing fully well

He doesn't need to hunt,

Once the flesh falls down

He just have to eat and chew,

A king sized life.

The animals have taken over the city

As the jungle is lit up by a

Fire of inhumanity 

The clouds are confused 

No amount of peace water 

Can douse the madness now!

The Fire that never was

The Fire that never was

A poem by Faridoon Shahryar

A fire tore into 

The middle of the tree

As a snake queue of flames

Hugged the forest,

The driver waded through 

A flood of smoke on the road

Assured, that the fire will 

Be under control;

Then the image of

A bunch of flowers 

Screaming for help

Shook me;

Emotions ought to be slaved

So say the wise;

Life will go on as usual

Tomorrow morning,

Flash bulbs are busy

Prostrating before 

Unreasonableness;

A mere forest fire 

Isn't newsworthy

So say the 

Know-all editors.

The forest cried hoarse,

The help never came,

Dew laden night 

Calmed the scars;

It's time to forget 

The gory details 

That's the recipe for happiness,

The only way out.

Sporadic selfishness of Roses and Lilies

Sporadic selfishness of Roses and Lilies

A Poem by Faridoon Shahryar

My eyes are hungry to

Capture beautiful landscapes 

Maybe to wipe out 

The worrisome horrors

That were inadvertently 

Peddled non stop 

By the misplaced ideology 

And the intolerant liberals

Parched breath

That was sapped

Of all moisture,

Aided by the glorious 

Perfume of life 

Is once again 

Lusting for 

The roses and lilies 

That were always there 

But maybe I was 

More keen on 

The incorrigible stench,

The blame lies with me

And I accept my fault. 

Call it an escape 

Or a form of weakness

But I am clinging on 

To a ray of respite.

I am open to fighting 

Selflessly...Again!

But let me also enjoy 

My share of sporadic selfishness. 

Ironical, but true....

It is ironical when several Muslims in India complain that the majority community is increasingly becoming less secular. The fact remains that most of these complainants can't think beyond their own 'community'. The question you need to ask is that why should only Hindus be secular? Why can't you look beyond your very myopic world view and be consciously more inclusive, more respectful of customs of other communities? The right wing is dominating the narrative in India. The fact is that their economic, cultural and educational policies are in tatters and hurting aam aadmi big time. They are taking advantage of divisions in the society to further their illiterate goals. Instead of looking at your fellow countrymen with suspicion, join hands and genuinely make efforts at nation building and make the divisive forces irrelevant and obsolete. It may seem like a bit filmy but definitely holds true...Don't ask what the Nation has done for you, ask yourself what have You done for the Nation !!

An Extraordinary Death

An Extraordinary Death

A poem by Faridoon Shahryar 

Pain is not new 

Others have felt it before

Pain will flower 

Even when you're not around;

It is time to make

The lie of life 

One hell of a ride.

The bloody trail,

A fictitious tale,

Salivating scavengers 

Feasting on rumour mongering 

Go out and have 

Your day in the sun,

Yes I am willing to die

If that pleases you,

But I will dance,

A happy dance 

Till the last breath,

Rob me of all my rights

But I bet you can't 

Rob me of happiness,

A golden smile,

As if nothing happened.

If death is my fate,

I refuse to die 

An ordinary death.

Come get me!

Nile:In search of perfection

Nile: In search of perfection 

A poem by Faridoon Shahryar

Boat of time 

Rests easy,

Creases of ripples 

Play hide and seek

On a gentle face;

Grace balloons

In slow motion 

Sunlight nudges 

Optimistically;

Smoke oozes out,

Tepid clouds of fire

Spoil the magnificence,

If only I could douse it,

If only perfection could exist.

Provocative Illusion

Provocative illusion 

A poem by Faridoon Shahryar

Fear App 

Has been 

Forcibly installed 

As that's what is 

Relevant now;

The victim App

Is increasingly 

Less in vogue,

The job is almost done.

Smartphone of emotions,

A playground for change 

Menacing ringtone 

Blood on the keypad,

A digital nightmare,

A catastrophic daydream.

'Don't react'

Silence screams.

'Provocation is an illusion,

Don't react'.

A Dove, escapes...

A Dove, escapes..

A poem by Faridoon Shahryar 

A dove has taken a flight

The chaotic river flows 

Amidst cacophonous turmoil, 

Determined not to look below

The noise will die down anyways

Sky of possibilities beckons

Graciously opening its arms

Away from forked friends 

And poisonous foes

The uncertainty, 

The hope, 

The falsehood 

Its all behind 

Far behind, 

Time to escape, 

Refuel, 

Clouds of make believe 

Seem like a

Safe refuge.

The New Normal

The New Normal

A Poem by Faridoon Shahryar 

The ants are insignificant 

They always were

Now a bit more

No, the elephants 

Aren't afraid, 

Old stories are irrelevant;

The animals are the same 

But their roles have changed 

This is what is being called as

The New Normal. 

Predators propagate 

'We don't prey, we protect'

The jungle believes them 

Fear of deluge 

Besieges the hapless 

Announcements are made

Blaming the warped atmosphere 

On a known enemy

The night of calamity strikes

In the veil of darkness 

A tragedy is endorsed

Predators prey mercilessly 

Morning finds them wearing 

The garb of protectors 

Jungle echoes gratitude

This is what is called as 

The New Normal. 

A bunch of fools

Raised their voices

For they knew 

The pattern of deceit, 

No one believed them 

They were labeled as 

'Mischief makers'

The rotten apples 

Buried their voices

In the graves of 

Petrified silence 

This is what is confirmed as 

The New Normal. 

Morning awakens me

With an acute pain, 

I am trying to figure out

My new role 

In the new order

For I am neither

Predator, pretentious protector

Nor a worthless fool

All I know is that I am scared of

The New Normal...

An Unstoppable Wind

A poem dedicated to my mom Najma Mahmood who celebrates her 75th birthday tomorrow. :) 

An unstoppable wind

A poem by Faridoon Shahryar 

The wind was caged 

Inside four walls

Of a small town

A ray of light sparked 

An interest to spread 

The wings;

Window of closed minds

Burst open 

The sky was her own

An applause followed

And many a storms

There were options 

To get buried in the hot sand, 

Merge with the cold sea water

Hide in illusion of clouds

But this was a wind 

Meant to bring in Change 

Not out of any design 

She just refused to 

Buckle down under pressure 

Many an obituary were written, 

Yet, the journey got inspiring

The wind became a storm

When it was forced into submission

The opposition gave way grudgingly

Bugle of victory 

Can be heard from a distance 

Such triumphs are rare

The wind is simply unstoppable...

Can I trust you?

Can I trust you? 

A poem by Faridoon Shahryar 

I was woken up 

By a fear, 

And it had a face 

There was nothing untoward

Almost like a friend 

Yet the intuition lurked

In suspicion, 

I asked hesitantly, 

'Can I trust you?'

Get scared, or...

Get scared, or... 

A poem by Faridoon Shahryar 

The wind glared ferociously

Threatening to smash

My car window 

There was Arrogance 

In its eyes 

As if the protective glass

Didn't stand a chance;

Waves of discomfort 

Knocked at my heart 

An impulse urged to 

Get out of the car

And run, far away, 

Save myself, 

Find help, 

Maybe a respite, 

A shelter. 

Another knock,

Piercing scream, 

Monstrous wind

Laughing menacingly

As if provoking me 

'Get scared, or... '

Inauguration of Jashn e Rekhta 2017 was a grand success

Inauguration of Jashn e Rekhta 2017 was a grand success
By Faridoon Shahryar

IGNCA, New Delhi was draped in the colors of Culture last evening February 17 as #JashnERekhta2017 was launched with fanfare. Books, couplets from great poets, a food court with food items that can cause riots and there was an air of vibrancy permeated with an indelible love for Urdu adab.

"Tehzeeb, tameez aur adab, ye hamaare desh ke zevar hain," said Amjad Ali Khan Sahab, the Sarod maestro who along with Gulzar Sahab launched the three day festival that has done amazing service to the popularity of Urdu, especially amongst the youngsters. Amjad Sahab addressed Gulzar Sahab as the "Ghalib of this generation." Now that is surely debatable. Firstly, the level of poetry that Ghalib practised is truly rare and there are very few poets in the last one and a half centuries who can come close. Gulzar Sahab is an extremely popular name due to his immense contribution to the world of films. He referred to himself as "Urdu ka aashiq". His heartfelt support to Urdu and its script (rasmul khat) is truly praiseworthy. He pleaded that the Urdu script (which is shrinking) must find ways to reach out to as many people as possible. "Gharibi mein navaabi ka maza deti hai Urdu," he said. He also said that 80% of language that is spoken in Bollywood movies is Urdu. Amjad Ali Khan Sahab also made a pertinent point when he said that Urdu shouldn't be assoaciated with any particular religion. "Ye hamaare desh ki zubaan hai," he said.

Sanjiv Saraf Sahab, the visionary behind Rekhta, made an important announcement when he launched 'Aamozish', an online learning programme for Urdu script. This was appreciated by one and all. Sanjiv Sahab also unveiled the new logo of Rekhta. Javed Siddiqui Sahab, Saurabh Shukla, Gopi Chand Narang Sahab, Shamim Hanfi Sahab, Prem Chopra, Sheen Khaaf Nizam and Farhat Ehsas Sahab were other dignitaries present yesterday. Ayan Ali Bangash and Amaan Ali Bangash performed their mastery with Sarod. Their rendition of Rabindra Nath Tagore's 'Ekla Chalo Re' was fascinating.

In the next day two days, prominent speakers like Irfan Habib Sahab, Justice T S Thakur, Salman Khurshid, Prasoon Joshi, Sharmila Tagore, Gopi Chand Narang and several more will talk about various aspects of Urdu. There will be various kinds of Mushairas, baitbaazi, theatre productions, Ghazal evening, movie screening... In other words, priceless nuggets of Urdu adab and tehzeeb are up for grabs. My session with Prasoon Joshi is on Sunday February 19 between 11 am till 12 noon at deewan-e-aam.