Category: Children’s Features

Mathematics is an integral part of our life but many think of it as a boring subject that has to be studied in school or college. In their latest boxset Improve Memory and Maths Skills, Aditi and Sudhir Singhal not only make mathematical principles fun and easy-to-learn but also show a different a side to this subject – a side that can help us improve our concentration skills and increase our attention span. The boxset also includes a manual that will help you memorize anything and explore the immense power of your memory.

Read to know more about how you can tackle the math monster:
Many teachers wonder what magic they can perform to make their kids like the subject. But the fact is it all depends on what you think about the subject and how you present it to students, both children and adults. If a teacher introduces a concept by saying ‘today we are going to start a new topic and it is very difficult. You need to pay attention, otherwise they won’t understand’, those students who find maths difficult automatically switch off, thinking they won’t be able to understand today’s topic. And the students who like the subject also tend to get a little stressed, which is not an ideal mindset for establishing a solid foundation. Instead, if a topic is introduced by saying, ‘Today we are going to learn something very interesting, which I feel you all will enjoy doing,’ and some activity or storytelling accompanies it, then everyone can get involved.

During interaction with students and teachers over the years, we[Aditi and Sudhir Singhal] have realized that whether one fears maths or loves it depends on how well a person understands it. If someone scores well in maths, they start liking it. But if they give wrong answers, they develop a fear of the subject, believing that maths is difficult.

The main factors that contribute to this fear are:

• Clarity of concepts –When a concept is not clear, the child or adult makes mistakes repeatedly, losing confidence and eventually giving up.
• Lack of practice – If someone understands the concept but doesn’t practice it enough, then he/she is not going to retain it for a longer time. Through practice, one is able to understand the patterns involved in the procedure and develops strong pathways in brain which are required to accomplish a particular task.
• Wrong beliefs and messages – Every time a child hears a parent, older sibling, grandparent saying ‘Maths is very difficult’, it makes them think if their elders feared the subject, then it must indeed be very difficult to master, feeding their fear of the subject.
• Not able to relate it with daily life situations – Most students are unclear about the significance of the topics covered during their maths class. Often, they do not see a connection between the topics taught and real-world problems.

To remove the fear of maths, we need to shift our focus from remembering procedures or formulae to understanding them with proper reasoning. First of all, maths should not be treated as just a subject you need to study to get marks in exams. Rather, the emphasis should be on knowing the beauty and importance of maths in daily life. In the present education system, upto eight standard, maths curriculum is focused on calculation skills involving mainly long procedures and formulae. That’s why, with time, students start losing interest in it as they think calculations can easily be done using calculators and mobiles. The remedy for this is for school-level maths to be more related to day-to-day situations. The emphasis should be more on developing mathematical thinking and problem solving skills of a child rather than just working on calculations. Apart from teaching the procedures to solve a particular problem, understanding of why we are using that procedure should also be taught. In short, we need to add the why along with the how to solve a given task or problem.

Students can improve their maths skills by practicing the following strategies:

• Solve challenging puzzles, playing Sudoku, or playing chess. This will help exercise the brain and develop thinking skills.
• Practice maths regularly, doing at least 3 questions daily.
• Instead of using calculators, try to do calculations mentally.
• Don’t hesitate to ask questions.
• Use Vedic math to make your calculations fast and easy.
• Try to relate maths problem with day-to-day situations.

Aditi Singhal is an international memory trainer, author, motivational speaker, counsellor and Vedic Math expert. Sudhir Singhal is a dynamic trainer, author, motivational speaker and counsellor. Both of them hold the Guinness World Record for conducting the largest mathematics class. Their latest boxset Improve Memory and Maths Skills contains the best tips and tricks and is meant for all age-groups students, teachers, and parents. Guaranteed to improve your mathematics and memory skills, these books are must-reads for competitive exams, maths enthusiasts and puzzle aficionados.

Get cracking the boards season by getting your hands on this boxset.

The Incredible Adventures of Mr. Cheeks by Tazmeen Amna, is an exciting journey of three friends seeking to break away from the set roles enforced by the village of Hastings on each of its residents. Mr. Cheeks, a fabulous tap-dancing Chihuahua; Mr. Grey, a tabby cat who loves painting; and Hopper, a rabbit who sings the most melodious songs; wish to portray their talents at the Annual Carnival of Hastings. However, the roles of each animal at the carnival is rigidly divided which poses a problem for the three friends.

The book maps the struggles which they face together highlighting their cherished friendship. Here we give you a few instances of friendship and courage shared by them:

1. Despite their different appearances, Mr. Cheeks, a Chihuahua “dogue” and Mr. Grey, a big tabby cat; were great friends. Although they were dubbed as an unusual pair of friends, their friendship grew beyond their physical differences and they set an example for others.

“And this was unheard of! Even in Hastings! But the two made it work like a charm.”

2. Since Hopper, the rabbit was anxious about not being able to fit into the new community of Hastings and about the skills that he possessed which were thought to be a little odd for a rabbit; Mr. Cheeks and Mr. Grey helped him get comfortable and welcomed him into their circle. They also encouraged him to be confident about his unique talent.

“Hopper smiled. Maybe there was room for a different rabbit in Hastings after all!”

3. When Mr. Grey decided to put up and exhibition of his paintings, his comrades, Mr. Cheeks and Hopper volunteered to help and support him in this endeavour. The trio worked together to make the exhibition a success.

“The trio took a moment to admire their work. The sun shone bright upon them, as though expressing joy, making the colours of the garden seem more vibrant and the pictures more lifelike.”

4. After coming back defeated from the Carnival Management Bureau of Hastings, Mr. Cheeks had lost all hopes of tap-dancing and his friend Hopper singing at the carnival. But Mr. Grey, seeing how sad his friend was, came up with a bright plan to help his friends showcase their talents!

“It is now my life’s mission to make sure you both get the opportunity you deserve”

5. By going beyond their stereotypical roles of what a dog, cat and a rabbit ought to do; Mr. Grey, Mr. Cheeks and Hopper also inspired other animals of Hastings to follow their hearts and not be tied down by those constructs.

“Finally, change had arrived in Hastings.”

Follow this exciting journey in The Incredible Adventures of Mr Cheeks, where three friends face the challenge of following their heart -even when it isn’t the easiest thing to do.

In N for Nourish, celebrity nutritionist Pooja Makhija demystifies the misleading theories about food that float around in a market driven by commercial interests of corporate giants. Her book draws attention to the inherent relationship our bodies have with food so that what we eat determines the quality of life we enjoy.

‘You will never not need food. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks—these will be part of your life for the rest of your life. When you’re feeling sick, food can heal you. When you’re feeling tired, food can pick you right back up. By eating right and eating well, food will always be your BFF.’ writes Pooja.

Here are 6 food myths from her new nutrition book for children above the age of 10, N for Nourish, that are finally being busted-

Myth 1: Dieting and fasting help you lose weight

Skipping meals counters your weight-loss plans as it puts your body in a state of panic and consequently, change gears to crisis management mode. Expecting lack of nourishment in the future, the body begins to store fat to supply energy over a longer period.

‘[Pooja Makhija] finds that a lot of older children skip breakfast or have just a small meal because they think that it will make them lose weight. In fact, skipping breakfast or any meal increases fat storage and decreases fat burning. And leads to weight gain. In other words, the more you starve, the more weight you gain.’

 Myth 2: If you feel hungry, you are hungry

Hunger and thirst trigger off similar signals in the brain and this can make us feel hungry when, actually, the body needs water to rehydrate.

‘There is a special centre in your brain that tells you how hungry you are. Similarly, there’s another part of your brain that tells you how thirsty you are. But, here’s the catch: both the thirst and hunger centres are located very close to each other. In fact, they are so close to each other that they are almost like neighbours. This becomes a problem when you are dehydrated as your confused brain cannot make up its mind about whether you are hungry or thirsty. And in this chaos, it makes you feel like eating when you should be drinking.’

Myth 3: All carbs are made equal

Complex carbs are better for your health than simple carbs.

‘When you eat simple, sugary carbs, your body does not have to do much to     convert the sugar in the food into blood sugar. Your sugar levels shoot up, which is why you suddenly feel energized. But it is also why you feel tired later—because your levels crash as quickly as they rise. But complex carbs, with all their fibre and starch, take more time to be converted into energy. And even though it takes longer, the glucose also stays in your body longer, to give you just the right amount of energy you need with none of the side effects.’

Myth 4: Fats make you fat    

An age-old vendetta against Fats is laid to rest here as Pooja Makhija clarifies    how Fats, in the right proportion, form an essential component of a balanced diet.

‘Your body needs fat. Fat is what protects your organs, including your brain. About 60–70 per cent of your brain is made up of fat. In other words, if your brain cells don’t have enough fat, they will not be able to do their job.’

Myth 5: Choose Sugar-free foods for weight loss

Artificial sweeteners imitate the taste of sugar and play on the fragile sensibilities of weight watchers. They dupe consumers into thinking that sugar-free means less calories, which tends to increase consumption and eventually lead to weight gain. This, in addition to the various side effects, makes these a bad gimmick to fall prey to.

‘One of the worst offenders is HFCS or High Fructose Corn Syrup. HFCS has many horrible side effects including the possible development of heart disease, cancer, cholesterol and diabetes, as you may get older. And, to top it all, it leads to quick weight gain.’

Myth 6: Only exercise can burn calories

Eating at regular intervals offers fuel to the body in the form of calories which it burns to aid digestion. The external exercise we do is additional to this ongoing process.

‘Digestion, like eating, breathing or even sleeping, burns calories. So, if you eat every two hours, you can burn calories even without running, jumping, playing or exercising. It’s almost like going to the gym!

Keeping the fun in food alive, N for Nourish shines a light on the hidden devils of the food world. Perfect for kids ages 10+ .Get your child a copy today!