Physical fitness leads to better brain function by Harshita Modi

The time of pandemic has devastatingly changed our lives, but it did teach us that health should be on top of our priority list. Ignoring our health could indeed lead to fatal consequences.

Let’s hear from Harshita Modi, a blogger and a mother of two little munchkins, about the importance of inculcating healthy physical habits in kids for a better future.

Q1. What inspired you to give blogging a shot?

To be honest, I myself had no idea of getting into blogging. It happened one day that my brother-in-law initiated me to create a page on social media featuring my daughter because she has been very expressive since childhood and we thought maybe her video could go viral like those of other babies. I never thought I’ll end up blogging and now it has been a year and a half that I have been blogging and sharing. People started liking her pictures and videos and eventually, I earned so many followers that brands started approaching me for collaborations, about which I didn’t know either.

Q2. Please share something about your kids.

I am blessed to be a mother of two cute kids, Anayta and Anant. Anayta is my daughter, she is very expressive and full of enthusiasm and energy. She started pouting when she was 2-3 months old and I clicked a lot of pictures with her then. I also have a son who’ll soon be 3 years old. Both my kids share a very good bond and completely enjoy each other’s company. I don’t have to look after Anant so much because his ‘didi’ does that well and he keeps on learning from her. So I am pretty relaxed that they bond well together.

Q3. What is your opinion about inculcating playing habits in kids?

In my opinion, inculcating playing habits in kids plays a vital role. Firstly, it keeps them busy and engaged otherwise kids become dull and lazy. It also helps them to discover new things through role-play and makeup stories in their own world of imaginations. In the growing years, a child needs recreational activities for their brain development. They will connect with those games and will spend time playing instead of feeling lonely or left out. So it is healthy for kids to be involved in mindful indoor and outdoor games.

Q4. What kind of games do you encourage your kids to play?

I think there should be a balance between academics and games. There are many educational toys and games which could help your kid absorb and understand easily but letting them play only educational games will bore them. So, you have to also let them play fun games. My kids are too small for board games, so right now they are not into board games. They love role-playing games like they’ll take any of the toys or any other stuff and create random stories and that is their entertainment. As of now, outdoor games are restricted, but before this, they used to run and go cycling and they absolutely love playing hide and seek.

Q5. Which kind of DIY activities do you involve your kids into and what’s your favorite?

I do involve my kids in a lot of DIY activities. If you see my Instagram page, you’ll find many. My daughter loves painting and crafting, so I make sure to do at least one DIY activity with her daily. For instance, I’ll take a chart paper and then we’ll make an animal out of it which includes cutting and pasting as well which a child enjoys at this age. Sometimes I give her cotton and she makes clouds out of them, sometimes she does blow painting, brush painting, and much more.

With my son, the case is a bit different. As he is younger and his sensory and motor skills are still developing, I involve him in those activities which would help him in developing these skills. Like, I give him boiled potatoes to peel or to pluck coriander leaves which would encourage sensory skills and improve muscle strength as well. We play a game called collage painting in which you have to tear the pages into bits and pieces and then paste it, so little kids find it elusive to do because their muscle movements are not very active at this age. So, if you ask me about my favorite DIY activity, it has to be these kitchen and natural activities.

Q6. What changes did you face in this pandemic situation and how are you dealing with them?

Actually, not much has changed in our lives in the lockdown. Before the lockdown also I used to keep my kids busy in various activities and games. The only difference now is that they are not going to school and I am not getting rest for the two hours which I did before. But, it’s a note for parents that we should be more conscious of our health now. 

Sometimes, my daughter misses her friends, but here we are a family so there are kids of similar age groups and she plays with them often. Schools are also conducting online classes, but kids find it difficult to concentrate due to which they do not understand the concepts well. I teach them and make them understand the lessons. My son also gets worksheets that I help him to solve. I have recently admitted my daughter in skating classes. Because, a child cannot keep on doing activities and classes for the whole day, right. They need some space as well. So, it gets difficult. But, I guess we do not have any option right now.

Q7. What message do you want to give our readers?

 This time of pandemic will hopefully be over soon, so utilize this time fruitfully and spend a lot of time with your kids. Start on with new activities and games which you never did or you could do them only when you have free time, so do them now. For those who are working parents and do not get much time to spend with their kids and always had a grudge, this is the time for them to live the days with their children and enjoy.

Follow her on Instagram @cutestcontent for more insights.

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