Does the thought of getting back to routine  after Eid gets butterflies  in your stomach? Are you stressing over the thought of having to wake up at 7 in the morning or sending kids to school especially after the month of Ramzan and the party week after Eid?

Well this happens with most of us and getting back to routine or start doing important things, or completing your pending tasks, or getting back to achieving your goals can be quite a struggle.

Be it your health and fitness routine or your money saving goals or of starting something new or finishing that book or teaching your kids something new, everything gets a bit off track in Ramzan and Eid.

Late night eating, shopping, preparing, and lots of cooking hardly leaves energy to focus on other things, so once we are done with Eid Milans and Get Togethers or Eid dinners we become victims of procrastination.

What is procrastination after Eid?

Let me put it short for you its “Susti”

A very professional term for a very unprofessional feeling that is; “SUSTI” and something which we Karachiites are a major victim owing to the hot weather, increased humidity, and untimely load shedding which makes us spend more on KE bills and petrol for the generator.

All these setbacks absorb more energy from our mind and body and leave us  like a half human and half zombie creature.

So if you are just lying around on the couch with the remote in your hand and not exactly watching TV, instead just skimming it or all you want to do is sleep and not even are in the mood of changing your pajamas then its time to break the shackles and get back to work with these 3 simple steps:-

1. Take a Shower; First Thing in the Morning

It doesn’t matter if you are waking up early or wake up after 12, just step into the shower and let the cool water flow on your head.

There’s a connection between water and refreshment so if you take a shower the earliest possible, it will relax your body and flush away all the dullness and numbness.

2. Wear Nice clothes and Get a Little Dressed Even if You are at Home

Sounds too much work… I know we all love our pj’s and there’s nothing more comforting than our loose soft, night clothes, but too much comfort drags our body to a toxic level; that is procrastination and in turn we keep delaying important tasks for tomorrow and the day after.

So proper clothing and neatly done hair breaks the too much comfort zone and sets you in action and you actually feel like doing something of value.

3. Talk to Your Loved One or a Near Friend

Psychologists, therapists and even wise people say talk to somebody.

Eye to eye contact, a healthy conversation have healing effects on the body and mind; and kindly keep your hands off your phone and just verbally talk to the person next to you.

Put down your anxiety or discuss the food of Eid or even some gossip, this simple connection between two people relaxes the human mind and gives us the feeling that I’m not alone and I want to smile more and laugh more I want to complete my work nicely and spend more time with him or her.

I want to enjoy life without any guilt of pending tasks so I’ll get up now and start working and get organized.

If you are a mother of young kids like me, my elder one is 5 years old and my younger one is 23 months, then what could be a better idea than losing weight or simply toning up your body this summer vacations.

Like many mothers I still struggle to tuck in that belly fat which is a result of C-section and now that my younger one is 23 months old I have decided to utilize this summer in a very positive and healthy way.

The first thing that we all need to understand ONE BASIC RULE OF WEIGHT LOSS and that is:

CONTROL YOUR DIET

And by controlling diet it doesn’t at all mean that you eat less instead it means that you EAT HEALTHY.

Basically its improvising your diet.

Being a mother of young kids requires a MOUNTAIN OF ENERGY to go you through each day and so cutting down on food will leave you hungry, angry, agitated, frustrated sick and in the end you end up yelling at your kids or making sulky faces in front of your hubby.

So Lose Weight But Don’t Lose Your Mind

Here are some simple things you can do to Lose Weight in Karachi this summers.

Start With Simple Changes

• Drink a glass of freshly squeezed grape fruit juice as soon as you wake up. Pakistani local grape fruits are not very bitter  and have a very mild bitter, citrus sweet taste.

Hyperstar has excellent grapefruits these days both local and international, the local ones appear to be a bit dull and not very perfect shape.

However their prices are lesser as compared to the international one but they taste equally good and are very juicy.

I just bought 1.5 kilo grapefruits for Rs.400

• If you are not in a habit of eating breakfast then please start taking breakfast, a healthy breakfast is your fuel for the entire day. Eggs, brown bread, fresh juice, cheese, fruits a breakfast must have all these.

• Slowly star quitting white sugar, and by slowly I mean slowly.

If you take 2 tsp sugar in tea make it to 1.5 tsp and then 1, eventually no sugar.

Remember you are also a mother and sudden changes in your diet will affect your mood so take it very slow.

• I know it can be very tempting to see the leftover fries and nuggets or chips that are left on the table and one just cant help  popping it in the mouth. But try to fight this urge. Your children can consume it their metabolism is very fast but you simply don’t need this deeply fried stuff. So say “NO”

• Many people in Karachi have the concept of “Shaam Ka Nastha” which is usually equivalent to Aloo kay samosay, pakora jalebi, chai and chanachoor all of which is deep fried.

• Try to improvise this Shaam ka nastha with green tea and honey, bhoona chana, dried apricots and if you cant resist the urge for biscuits then go for rusk or wheatable biscuits.

• Try snacking on fruits. Pakistan has the best local grown fruits. Apples, mangoes, peaches, bananas, guavas.

These fruits are extremely economical and are 100% organic. So a big “YES” to such a approachable blessing by nature.

• Supplements: Asian women generally have a low hemoglobin count and to keep that up we need iron. Though all meats the way they are cooked in our cuisine lose many of its nutritional values, taking iron supplements must be a part of our everyday diet. And if you take omega-3, zinc, vitamin B-6 then its all very good for your overall health.

• Don’t join the Gym: Yes this is a simple change we are talking about, because if you join the gym then it will affect your daily routine, you might find it very hard to cope up especially if you have little children and why spend money to lose weight , why not save money by eating less sugar, less carbs, and less packaged foods?

• Just try to get more physical, play ball with your kids, do some dancing, don’t stress out when your maid takes an uninformed off rather use it as opportunity to burn some calories.e

• Drink lots and lots of water. Avoid sugary drinks they simply push your body to work harder while water flushes out your toxins and keeps all your systems running smoothly.

Once you get your hands on these “Simple Changes”, you can go to the next level and that’s Exercise.

Karachi is the metropolitan city of Pakistan and it has a long history of producing some of the most talented and successful students of Pakistan.

With the oldest school established in 1847 and holding the honor of having the second oldest school in South Asia, best schools in Karachi hold quite a standard.

Now a days its not only 2-3 schools that are considered best schools in Karachi instead there are many more schools that have an excellent and properly maintained school building with spacious play grounds, certified trained staff, a good history, and are up to date with all the modern and recent academic curriculum.

So now parents don’t have to worry over competition rather focus on selection.

List out the best schools in Karachi that fall under your choice and start preparing for the admission.

1.Apply in More than 5 Best Schools in Karachi

Since there always some chances of getting rejected from the best schools in Karachi, its recommended to apply in more than 5 best schools in Karachi.

Read my blog:

https://www.acupofkarachi.com/choose-good-school-karachi/

2. Dates are Very Important

Give calls to best schools in Karachi  and the first thing they will ask you is ,”Whats your child’s birth date?”

•  Birth Date

Your child’s birth date will lead his future.

If your child was born before July he will be in different class and if after July it will be a different class.
So plan a year ahead and if now your child is one year right now  I am sorry to say you are already late.

• Registration Date

All schools have a registration date and you have to register your child on that date.

So be very vigilant about these dates. Stay updated from the schools websites.

 Registration fee

While some schools charge Rs 2000 for the registration, Karachi Grammar School registration is free, and other schools such as British Overseas School charge Rs. 40,000(non-refundable)

Documents required for Registration

• Child birth certificate
• NIC copies of both parents
• A family photograph
• Some schools also ask for the vaccination record
• School leaving certificate of previous institution

Completing the Registration Form

Always take a pen with you.

Read the form thoroughly and fill it in correct English, the writing should be neat without grammatical errors.

Write honestly about your occupation.

Always give accurate information.

What are the best schools in Karachi looking for?

Once you get a call or a message from the school for the interview, start preparing.

Preparing for the Interview

Best schools in Karachi want children from well educated families to be a part of them. This maintains their standards and decorum.

The interviewer is smart enough to judge you by your conversation and can easily pin point if you are pretending to be someone you are not.

Also its best that you don’t pressurize your child about performing perfectly in the interview rather keep him calm and just prepare him for the basic academic requirements according to the class.

3.What to Wear in the Interview

Wear simple, comfortable clothes, nothing too flashy and not over the top. Your clothes should reflect your seriousness towards the interview and your child not your desperation.

4.Your Attitude matters

Be honest, and please don’t try to pretend to be someone you are not.
Be confident but definitely not OVER CONFIDENT.

A gentle smile, a firm handshake, eye to eye contact and clear, concise answers impress everyone.

5.Common Questions in a School Interview

What do you do?(more questions related to your profession).
Why did you choose this school?
How much time do you spend with your child?
Do you live in a joint family or a nuclear family.

Are there siblings in the school?

Decision

Children whose siblings  are already attending the school are given admission easily.

And if you are a stake holder, Bank CEO,Government officer the chances are high your child will get admission easily.

Then once you are done with the interview don’t be too hopeful for a positive response because there are chances that you might be rejected.

But then there is always another good school lined up and you can always apply there.

Choosing a good school in Karachi for your child can be quite overwhelming for reasons  like top level security, authentic licensed schools and very important the area of the school.

Karachi is a huge city with a population of 2 crores and every corner of the street has a school with a significant strength of children.

So how do you know which one is a good school?

And every social class has a school that fits in its budget.

What to Look for in a Good School

1. Schools that Operate as ONE; not as a Franchise

There are many schools in Karachi that have up to 20-25 branches. (I won’t name them but you know the ones I’m pointing out.)

Any business man who can tap profit in the education market can rent out a bungalow and adopt the franchise.

The biggest problem with these franchise based schools is that they lack a permanent faculty, teachers come and go and they usually hire the ones who are willing to work on a low payroll.

However there are some branches of these schools which are under the management of the actual owners of the franchise.

Such branches have a better reputation, comparatively, and they maintain good standards.

2. The School Building

A well designed school building provides facilities that serves all basic purposes. A good school building raises the spirits and aspirations of the students and teachers.

An improper designed school building directly affects the students and teachers health. Pupil concentration, energy levels and mood are influenced by basic environmental factors such as natural light, air quality,noise,  and temperature.

The school building is the foundation of the infrastructure of the school.

3. Playground is A Must

Don’t overlook this element.Your children spend  half of the day in school, where a ground is very essential for physical training.

Fresh air, greenery and space to stretch your legs is very important for development and motivation.

Children who do physical training not only are healthier but also perform better academically.

4.Location, Location, Location

In a city like Karachi with so many uncertainties one definitely can’t afford to suffer the pain of sudden strikes,petrol strikes, long traffic jams with your children stuck far away from you.

A maximum distance of 15 minutes by car is fair enough for your peace of mind.

And bonus if the school is by walking distance.

5. Fee Structure

Good schools in Karachi have fees ranging from Rs.5,000 per month, and it goes up to to Rs.100K per month.

Every socioeconomic class does have a good school within its reach.

But if you have the desire of sending your child to a very expensive, elite school then do consider additional costs. Because its not just the school fees  you pay, but after school programs, get togethers, foreign trips arranged by the school all cost money.

Note: Its not necessary that a very  expensive school will guarantee good results and a low to medium range school will perform poorly.

So always plan out your budget accordingly.

6. Security

Also consider security when you are looking for a school.

Main road entrance is not very safe and how proactive are the security guards and there must not be any trespassing in the school property.

CCTV cameras, armed security guards, screening of outsiders coming to school all are good security measures.

7. Follow Your Instincts

You have to physically go and search for good schools in Karachi yourself. Talk to teachers, meet the principal, check out the toilets and clear any queries.

Don’t set your mind on for, more the mouths the chances are the better it will be.

Your friends, and family are sending their children to school and that’s how they see it.  Don’t let them decide.

Your own analysis and thoughts should matter most and so if you feel certain about a school, no matter what others think, then you did find a good school in Karachi for your child.

Some Important Tips:-

• Dropping and picking up your child yourself is much better then sending him by bus or van. Its more secure.
•  Be acquainted with the school staff and maintain a healthy relationship with your child’s teacher.
• In case of Karachi unrest days its better to keep you children at home.

Karachi University is one of the oldest and most renowned institutions in Pakistan.

Karachi University admission proceeds into 53 departments and 20 world class highly reputable research centers quality.

Teaching in the University of Karachi is conducted under 6 faculties:-

1. Faculty of Arts

2. Faculty of Science

3. Faculty of Islamic studies

4. Faculty of Management and Administrative Sciences

5. Faculty of Engineering

6. Faculty of Pharmacy

145 colleges are affiliated to the University of Karachi.

Degrees offered in Karachi University

To learn more about Karachi University admission;

Refer to page 15 of the prospectus  http://uok.edu.pk/admissions/2015/front.pdf

Things to Keep in Mind:-

• Karachi University admission for morning and evening classes are separate.

• You are required to fill an application/enrollment form in your own handwriting. This form can be collected from the Silver Jubilee Gate main university gate or downloaded from the official website of Karachi University.

http://www.uok.edu.pk/

Steps to Follow:-

1.Stay Alert About the Admission Date

Karachi University admission date and the availability of forms is announced on the university website www.uok.edu.pk and also on advertisements on newspapers.

Its usually around the mid of November, so stay alert around that time.

2.Read Karachi University Prospectus Thoroughly

Always go through the eligibility criteria mentioned in the prospectus.

You can give a maximum choice of 5 departments.

http://uok.edu.pk/admissions/2015/front.pdf

3.There are 2 Criteria for Karachi University Admission

Open Merit Admission

These are the departments which will grant you admission on your Inter Percentage basis depending on whether your percentage is within  the closing percentage of that department. You just have to fill the form and submit it at the Silver Jubilee Gate of Karachi University with the admission fees.

Refer to page 115 to see the list of departments which fall into this category.

Aptitude Test

Some departments require an aptitude test and also consider your Inter percentage for giving admission.

 How to calculate your percentage for the aptitude test

For those of you who are finding it difficult to calculate your score of the aptitude test, read the steps below

Example: You scored 70 in your entry test and your Inter percentage is 60%

Then the calculation will be like this:-

60% x 70 = 42

Now 42 is rounded off to 40 which means now your score is 40%

Now this number 40% is multiplied by 60 (Inter percentage)

40% x 60 = 24

Now both the deduced numbers are added.

Total = 42 + 24 = 66

It means you scored 66% in the aptitude test and on this basis you will be granted admission.

Refer to page 113 to see which departments fall into this category.

4.Announcement of Successful candidates

The names of the successful applicants is displayed outside the main gate of Karachi University. Keep your receipts very carefully for further processes.

5.Claim Form

If you feel that you have been denied an admission although your eligibility was within the merit then you can submit a claim form with Rs 500.

1. Do not stress about it AT All
The moment you shout, “I want to see your homework done!” that’s it. You just put it off for your kids.

Grownups may forget but kids will linger on to this stress.

School is where discipline is at its peak but home is where the heart is, so just let it be and take it easy give children time to relax and enjoy their own freedom.

When you start becoming the teacher instead of the parent this stiffens up the child and instead of taking responsibility for his homework and learning it as an extension of knowledge he starts to stray and the moment the pressure builds the child will lose interest.

So very gently and calmly you can say “O.k so you got homework let me see, this looks very easy why not do it right now,” if the answer is “Yes,” congratulations but if it’s a “No” or “I want to play now, I will do it later” your answer must be, “O.k you can do it later,” with a smile.

This technique is a complete no-pushing method. Children will come to the table with much more ease.

2. Let your child be the teacher
Very important and helpful. Give your child a break let him also get the feel of a grown up, in school there’s a teacher, at home there are parents, so why not give your child some freedom to enjoy adulthood.

So when its homework time do not immediately point out mistakes rather you make mistakes and ask him to correct you. Write the letters upside down and ask, “Teacher is this correct?” The pleasure he will get by correcting you will further want him to perform better and he will learn to take pride in his own work.

3. Make homework pretend play
This one works for me and Kabir the best.
Ali, Kabir and I, together we play pretend of teacher and two students. I am the teacher of course and Kabir and Ali are my students. I give them tasks which is the homework and then asses their work.

Of course Ali will make some mistakes and then in a very calm tone I will correct his mistakes and motivate him to do better. Such an act teaches a very important lesson to Kabir and that is to learn from your mistakes and try to do better.

Remember every child is different and sooner or later they will learn but as a parent its our responsibility to make learning at home easy and fun.

“Once upon a time there was a little boy in Scotland. His mommy would play with him, read him stories and sing songs for him. He just loved watching his mommy do the house work. He loved to look at different things and observe them.
One day his mommy was making tea when the kettle caught his eye. His mommy was boiling water in it. Then what; the kettle’s lid began to move. This grabbed the little boy’s attention. He looked closely. After a while he removed the lid then put it back. Then again he did the same thing but the lid kept moving.
How is the lid moving? This question kept ringing in his mind.
He saw there were water droplets on the lid. Next he placed a spoon in front of the spout of the kettle, and the same water droplets were formed.”

This little boy was observing the effects of steam. From then onwards steam became his fascination and when he grew up he built the first steam engine. This little boys name was James Watt.

I still remember how I got lost in this story and went home and tried experiments with steam.
“History teaches everything including the future”-Lamartine
You see it’s all about how you teach history. Are you just delivering lectures or are you telling a story?

When we were children story time was the favorite. From the magic of fairy tales to the thrill of war stories, these stories would make our imagination go beyond the limits.For me learning new things came from a story.

Benefits of Teaching History:
Make it a point to discuss history with your children.

• History builds confidence in children, it makes them think beyond the limits and most importantly it raises the question: “HOW”
• How did this happen? How was penicillin discovered? Was it by accident? How?
• Big inventions and discoveries come from simple people. Thus children can relate to these people. They believe, if she can do it so can I, and this development must never stop from children to teenagers to adults, one must never lose interest in history.

Every individual who made history has a childhood which was simple yet they could see the big picture. Big inventions emerge from a very small place. And this is what children should believe.

When I was a child I simply could relate to Michelangelo or Gandhi, my field of thinking was limitless; there was no end to it.
This limitless believe in possibility also helped me in my Masters when I was doing a project for Environmental science and I was successful in Treating colored water effluent with a fungus.
As children grow older they may say I find history boring. This is a red signal.
You see it’s the subject of history which encourages a child’s creativity.

Ways to develop interest in history:
• Tell stories of the famous people childhood; children must be able to relate to them.
• Do not emphasize much on the dates rather focus on the message.
• A great and fun way is to watch historic movies, really stirs interest.
• Encourage questions even if it’s in the middle of the story.
• Do not separate history from other subjects, include science, math, literature everything in it.
Focus on the point history is a part of everything. There is no existence without history.
We all want our children to be bright and confident. We want them to believe “Yes it’s possible” in whatever they want to achieve and telling tales of history truly sets an example.