Potty wash training to my daughter

My daughter is 3.5 yrs. I was telling her that she should start washing her potty and I will help her always. She was reluctant initially. I was trying this for couple of weeks and ended in vain. 

We took a vacation to our native for 15 days. After coming back, I told her, I would give her favourite Ice cream when she washes herself. She tried happily. After that I again washed her and made sure she is properly washing her hands to.

Now, she is washing herself and we just make sure she is clean. Now no ice creams.

My daughter is the best compared to myself. She is always ready to learn stuff but I am the one who is not ready or don't know how to do it. :(

Caustic soda to clean Chimney Filter

For the past 5 years, we were using Chimney and cleaning the filter was one big task until I found the correct way to do it.

My friend told me the right procedure : 
We can fill the stainless steel sink with Hot water and add Handful of caustic soda to it. Then drop the filter and leave for 15 mins. 

I tried it and it was perfectly clean.

Caution : 
1. Use gloves while handling Caustic soda
2. Open the exhaust door and give proper ventilation to the kitchen as the fumes could be allergic. Keep the other doors closed

Alternate use: To clean the blocked drainage

Activities for children - Fun glasses

Again my daughter was asking for painting. 

We took a cardboard sheet. Since we don't have a printer, we did the drawing ourselves. We did the painting.



Idea copied from : http://www.firstpalette.com/Craft_themes/Wearables/Fun_Glasses/funglasses.html

Instead of temple (ear) pieces, I tried attaching twine that can go around her head. I attached the twine using a stapler. 

It took us just half an hour.

She enjoyed it well and took it to temple and whereever she went!

Activities for children - Shapes

My daughter got this toy as a gift!



 I taught to trace them. Now she is drawing the shapes herself.



The images are copied from the net.

Activities for children - Turkey

Since my daughter liked painting, she kept asking for painting.

We did this. It was fun. My daughter loved painting her own hand.




This photo is from the net.

Activities for children - House

I dont know how I got this idea. I just started cutting the card board and made it. Its not perfect. Anyways it was fun to make it.

We made a double door and used the little catchers(hair clip) as the lock to the door.



Since the camera is not with me, I am using a similar photo from the net.

Now the little chicken which she got it from school is sleeping in the new house made by her.

Activities for children - Octopus and Penguin

I am writing this because it will be easy to repeat for my second child. 

I got this idea from the internet. http://www.hellokids.com/c_11842/activities/how-to-draw-step-by-step-drawing-tutorials/learn-how-to-draw-with-hands/how-to-draw-an-octopus-with-your-hand



My daughter was little reluctant to colour it but was happy to see me making it. When our neighbour came she was happy to show it to her and I repeated the activity with them, which she enjoyed with her friend.

Actually I wanted to paste our own photo. But since the camera is with the cousin, I am not able to paste ours.

Naughtiness of my daughter - 2

We are doing alteration in the house according to Vaastu Sastra! Hence the house itself a total mess with workers in and out of the house.

This time my daughter had hidden the house key again. We searched and couldnt find out. This time the search team were 4! My husband had to use the Car for everything for one and half days.

Then while taking the vacuum cleaner to clean the house, we found it not working properly and lots of small items were coming out of the blower duct - bits of paper, colour pencil, sketch, wooden pieces, small ball. Finally my husband guessed that the key should be in there. He peeped into the hole and found a glimpse of the key. 

We let of a sigh of relief and dismantled the vacuum cleaner as she had put it in the blower duct. 

Education Expenses in Bangalore

A survey in the following program shows that we are spending 20% of a person's income for educational expenses of a child!

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xyef61_en-desam-1_shortfilms#.UU1j9RdHLwk

Suppose a persons take home income is 10Lakh. He would put his/her child in a school where the average fees will be as follows.

School fees                           : Rs. 60K to 75K 
Bus fare                                 : 12K to 20 K
Extra Curricular                     : 25K (Dance / Karate / Drawing / Music / Tuition...)
Hobby class                           : 12K (Swimming / Skating / Sports ....)
Transport Expenses             : 5K 
Grooming and Accessories :12K
Books / Toys and Gifts          :12K

Total : 150K

So, I am sure I will be spending around 15% of income on my daughter itself.
This does not include birthday party, Medical and other function expenses.

Since I have not put my daughter in a school, I don't know the expenses! Once I get to know I will post the actuals.

This is another supporting study from UK, 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2181963.stm

I

Naughtiness of my daughter - 1

There are lots of things which I cannot bear. But I feel I should start recording them as she can have a good laugh one day!

We were to go to temple by 8 PM. After which we planned to have dinner and then my husband had to leave the house by 9.30 PM to catch the 10.20 PM train.

When we were about to leave for the temple, we found that the house and bike key was missing.

We searched in every bag, every cupboard and every nook and corner where we could misplaced the keys including the kitchen cupboards. I even checked myself and my husband's pockets in few dresses where we could have kept it.

It was 8.30 PM so we decided to go ahead using the car and the spare key. Finally after returning to the house and repeating the search for another half an hour, we found that my daughter has taken the key while playing and hid it in the shoe rack which we could find out.

Craft work during Pregnancy

My most favourite cartoon character. I am not good at drawing. I traced the sketch from the internet and painted it and hung it on a window screen.

I did this 3 years back when I was 35 weeks pregnant. I always love to see this!

Best view from my home!

This is the view from our balcony. We can enjoy this until our neighbor's site is constructed!

En Desam En Makkal - Medical Expenses

Health is Wealth! Else we need to spend our wealth to keep our health. 

In the following Tamil program("En Desam En Makkal"), people talk about their medical expenditure on diseases like kidney failure and Cancer Treatment spending minimum of 5 Lakhs and on average 7 to 15 Lakhs and upper scale of 35 Lakhs to 1.5 Crore.

This episode will create us an awareness about our future Medical Expenses.

Episode link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o11RwOIG3Fk

Homemade Health mix

I started giving homemade health mix for my daughter from 9 months. Here are the things I include for Homemade Health mix (Sathumaavu).

1. Millet - Ragi: Ragulu(Telugu), Kizhvaragu(Tamil), Mundua(Hindi)
2. Millet - Bajra: Sajjalu (Telugu), Kambu(Tamil), Bajra(Hindi)
3. Millet - Jowar: Jonnalu(Telugu), Cholam(Tamil), Juar/jowar(Hindi)
4. Channa dhal (Brown and white)
5. Urad dhal
6. Bengal gram
7. Barley
8. Soya
9. Maize
10. Green gram - Paasi pairyu
11. Rice - Both parboiled and raw-rice
12. Wheat
13. Pearl sago - javvarisi (Tamil), sabudana (Hindi)
14. Cashew
15. Badam
16. Pista (little)
17. Red rice / Kai kuththal rice
18. Samai ( one of navadhanyam)
19. varagu arisi (one of navadhanyam)
20. White gingelly seeds
21. Cardamom 

Pediasure Disadvantages - Big No from doctors

My daughter has less weight and she is slow in her growth. People always suggest me to add pediasure to her daily diet. I get irritated when people start advising me to take pediasure / amway or any artificial supplements.

The doctors themselves don't give pediasure for their children. My friend is herself a doctor and she tells me not to give. But there are also some doctors who advise people to take pediasure.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xxknsb_neeya-naana-part-6_shortfilms#.USIKKx1qnXs


I would relate her growth to her genes (my in-laws are below average) rather than supplementing her with artificial stuffs.

But I do give her a malt made of all the grains and nuts. It contains more than 20 items. I do give her atleast one fruit a day. I see to that she eats some eggs also. For this itself she has enough energy to play and make me tired.

A famous dialogue from Kung-Fu-Panda part 1. "No matter what, a peach will always grow to be a peach tree but not an apple or orange."

I am happy for my daughter for what and how she is.

Homemade Health mix : http://healthywealthyhomemaker.blogspot.in/2013/02/homemade-health-mix.html

Book - Oru porulathara adiyaalin oputhal vaakumulam

Just came across this book through Neeya Naana. Its worth a read. Thought you might be interested.

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. By John Perkins 

Tamil Version : " ஒரு பொருளாதார அடியாளின் ஒப்புதல் வாக்குமூலம்‘ 

Book review : http://riyazahmedk.wordpress.com/2012/06/13/book-review-confessions-of-an-economic-hit-man-john-perkins/

Download : crs.itb.ac.id/media/jurnal/refs/landscape/confesi.pdf

Why I liked?

Perkins highlighting how media is owned by corporations and how common man is hidden from real truth. 

The points I liked:

"The next time you are tempted to go shopping, read a book instead, exercise, or meditate. Downsize your home, wardrobe, car, office, and most everything else in your life. Protest against "free" trade agreements and against companies that exploit desperate people in sweatshops or that pillage the environment."

"Imagine if the Nike swoosh, MacDonald's arches, and Coca-Cola logo became symbols of companies whose primary goals were to clothe and feed the world's poor in environ-mentally beneficial ways."

Comparing investment and interest rates

1. PPF. Every year you can vary the investment between 500 to 70,000. Lock-in period for 15 years. Rate of Interest is 8.8%.

2. A land/plot gives 15% to 18% rate of interest over the period of 15 years. 

3. A flat will give upto maximum of 12%. (still working on this)

Our flat - Cost of per sq.ft in 2008 is Rs.2500. Cost of per sq.ft in 2012 is Rs.4200. That is 11% appreciation. We are paying bank loan for 12% which is a loss. The only gain we save our rent. We usually get a rent close to 6% annually on the cost of the flat. 

Caution: Flat is a depreciating asset. Means we cannot directly equate it with market price.

If we don't have a loan, we save the 8% appreciation + 6% interest!

4. Equity - Something between 8 to 12% standard. 

5. Gold ETF is also a good bet! We can sell it to convert it to cash.

6. Bank FD - They give 8%.

I have not included NSC!

Ega Thesa Uruvaga Ani

This means, we appreciate a person/thing, even if he/its not worth it.

Occasions:

• To make fun of a friend or colleague or teacher. 
• With cunningness to cheat someone 
• To motivate / boost someone's confidence / morale  
• To end a heated conversation / argument easily

Other : http://healthywealthyhomemaker.blogspot.in/2011/08/vanja-pugalchi-ani.html

Essential Investments for Future

Today everyone of us are smart. We would like to be prepared for all the major expenses that we might face in the Future.

Major Financial Planning to be done for the Future:
1. Child's Higher Education
2. Child's Marriage Fund
3. Emergency Fund
4. Retirement Fund
5. Health Insurance / Medical Expenses Fund

I have not started saving for Emergency Fund and Medical Expenses Fund. This is because, even I am poor in Financial Planning. 

Anyway, I will start looking into them sooner.

My daughter is asking for Moon!

Yesterday night, my daughter woke up in the middle of the night and she started asking for moon with a cry. We couldn't help her for long. Finally she slept by herself again.

We couldn't control our laugh for a long time. What a dream. :)

How to plan for Retirement Fund?

Generally, we all start to think how much do we need for retirement. Retirement fund is also called as Annuity or Pension Fund from which we can withdraw a fixed amount. 

I wanted to calculate the retirement fund in the following ways.

1. Regular Annuity - Fixed withdrawal for limited time with no cash left behind
2. Inflation Adjusted Annuity - Withdrawal adjusted to inflation for limited time with no cash left behind
3. Perpetuity or Infinite Annuity.(Inflation not adjusted)

Regular Annuity

1. Monthly Expense NOW
Our monthly expense is 20,000. This is without school fees, parties, eating out, etc.

My husband is ~30 now and he might work till 50. So, after that we would need retirement fund for 20 years. (Everything is in God's hands!)

2. Monthly Expense in FUTURE


Years : 20 
Inflation : 15.
Amount needed after 20 years : 20000*(1+15/100)^20 (Compound Interest formula : P[1+R/100)^N])

Amount needed : 3,27,330.74


3. Annuity calculation

Number of Years after Retirement : 20
Rate of Interest : 8%
Annuity Principal Amount required: 3,93,94,687.68 ( Annuity = PV(rate,nper,pmt,,1))

4. Savings plan (SIP) for Retirement Fund

So, our family should catch up with 3,93,94,687.68 before my husband turns 50. 

This could be calculated using PMT in Excel.
SIP Monthly = 66,881.70. [PMT(8%/12,20*12,0,39394687)]

Is it possible to save this much on SIP for retirement Every Month??? Tiring isnt it??

I gave up calculating other Annuities as I understood well that those values are going to be even higher!

So, whats the solution for Retirement Fund? I will tell you our little own secret at the end!

Child Education Fund: http://healthywealthyhomemaker.blogspot.in/2012/12/how-to-fund-your-childs-education.html

Child Marriage Fund: 
http://healthywealthyhomemaker.blogspot.in/2013/01/childrens-marriage-fund-india.html

Children's Marriage Fund - India

Cost of Children's Marriage Fund - India

1. Cost Estimation for the Children's Marriage NOW.

In India, its a good culture that the parents try to reduce the burden of the children by funding the marriage expenses.

In my family culture, we have the habit of dividing the costs equally between both families. Expense per family (Engagement + Marriage) : 1,50,000
Cost of dress per family : 50,000

Total costs (Without Jewels) : 2,00,000


2. The costs of Funding the Children's Marriage in FUTURE.

Lets assume the number of years needed to fund the Child's Marriage: 15 years. 

The cost of inflation is 10 to 15%. As usual, I am keeping it on the higher end 15% so I don't end up in trouble. 

Years : 15 
Inflation : 15.
Amount needed after 15 years : 200000*(1+15/100)^15 (Compound Interest formula : P[1+R/100)^N])

Amount needed : 28,46,354.33

3. The savings required per month.

I am not going to talk about Equity or MF. I am simply concentrating on Recurring deposit at the rate of 8% for 15 years.

We can use a simple formula in MSExcel: PMT(Rate,Num of Years,PV,FV,type)
Rate = 8%
Num of Years = 15
PV = 0 (Initial amount)
FV = 64,56,758.40
Type - Not Required

SIP Monthly = 8,225.55. [PMT(8%/12,15*12,0,6456758) ]

Tax on Interest yielded is not taken into account. 

Next, We could plan for Retirement Fund.
http://healthywealthyhomemaker.blogspot.in/2013/01/how-to-plan-for-retirement-fund.html

Child Education : http://healthywealthyhomemaker.blogspot.in/2012/12/how-to-fund-your-childs-education.html