Welcome to my life

“We must be the change we wish to see in the world”- Mahatma Gandhi 

First- thank you all for your birthday wishes! Blessed to be loved by many. It’s been a week to remember for many reasons. One thing core in our parenting and passion for Travel Plus Them is teaching our children about the world, the people, all the different faiths, cultures, and to be proud of who they are. This is the first year in many years that we have not traveled for my birthday, but I still made the celebration meaningful.

As person of color who grew up in Teaneck, NJ, I will forever stand by my black brothers and sisters. I want to teach children to speak up for themselves and others when they experience things that are unfair.

While there are many ways to support- this moment is about my voice. Some people are lucky to have voices that can be heard but that freedom is not extended to everyone. And unfortunately- this is true in many parts of the world. Hence please use your...

This message is to embrace diversity and culture through global learning experiences. As Shyla said “We are connected around the world!” 

Question- With global travel at a pause now, how can my kids become global citizens?

Lakshmi’s Learning- There many ways to teach diversity to the next generation about the world and it does not solely come from school. It actually starts with us parents! Please note this is one example. Even if it is just a sprinkle of knowledge- it’s a start and can be done at home! Let’s leverage our community and Google to learn!! 

What I did- April was a holy month across some of the world’s major religions. My girls already know a lot about our Hindu faith. I want them to continue to be confident and proud of who the are. To achieve that- it’s important for them understand the bigger picture around them. So I leveraged the opportunity to ensure they understand the holidays that came in...

Question:  What are some activities to do while traveling that young kids can enjoy? 

Lakshmi’s Learning: Focus on doing something that your toddlers/kids love (interests can vary by age). Generally, kids like animals!!  Especially at the ages my kids were in this picture- 3 and 1.5 years old (before fears really hit).

We planned our entire trip to Thailand with the intention of bathing the elephant at this amazing sanctuary. It was a very humbling and sacred family experience.  We talked about it for weeks and girls were so excited! They enjoyed the first hour riding and feeding the elephants. But as you can see by bathing time, they were tired and the novelty wore off! They later played with the other kids that live in the sanctuary... which was great too! The adults still enjoyed this once in a lifetime experience!

So the question I always get asked is, should you wait until kids are older for these experiences?—— I generally say this- no, do...

Happy International Women's Day to my two moms- my mother (Amma) and my mother-in-law. Of the many amazing women I have in my life (thank you all), I am who I am because these two continue to shape my life as a woman, daughter, and mother.  

Lakshmi’s Learning- While mother and mother-In-law relationships are not meant to be the same- they both play very important roles in my life. At times, they have too much to say and comment on, but I know that they love me more than any other women in my life! LOL!  I treasure our adventures near and far.  I am honored to experience the world with you.

My daughters wanted to make this video gratitude.

Question- How should we address the global health situation with our kids? Should we?

Lakshmi’s Learning- I have been talking to my girls about the “virus” and why we are staying at home. Obviously my preschoolers are to understand many things, but they do have feelings and mental health is important. They have been sad that that their family cancelled their FL visit last week, we cancelled our upcoming family trips, there is no school / activities for weeks, etc. Although they love more time with us- it is important that we allow them to share their feelings and ask questions too. During our talks- they wanted to thank all the essential workers- health heroes, farmers, first responders, teachers... thank you!

And the most important person to them- their favorite doctor, their dad! ——Special thanks to my husband, family, and friends who are essential workers who keep us living!

Please watch this insightful video—- something my daughters learned from all their travels on how to conserve toilet paper and be clean! 

Question- How can we possibly conserve toilet paper? I thought it was essential? 

Lakshmi’s Learning- I wanted to show you all a way to toilet paper and still be very clean. We may still be low on toilet paper for weeks to come! 

Many countries around the world do not use toilet paper to clean- it is not a must have. And when people do- they don’t use it in excess like we do in the US (yours truly too). Now is a great time to learn how we can do things differently. 

So you may ask- how do you clean?? - Mother Nature’s gift... water!   It’s better for the environment too! Here is an example of my daughters’ demonstrating on the toy potty. She uses water to clean (with cleansing bottle or spray) and 1-2 squares of toilet paper to “dry-off” versus many squares multiple...

This was me and newborn Shyla five years ago today....2 seconds after she arrived.  I share this knowing everyone has a different pregnancy and birthing journey- it’s truly unique to a mom and baby. This was mine. 

Many people scared me about labor. “it’s long, it’s painful, etc.” But I am a high energy person and I didn’t want to channel all that stress. The day before I delivered (today 5 years ago)- Someone I barely knew told me to be positive and enjoy labor. 

What??? Enjoy labor??? That was the first time I heard anyone say that!! And I was so inspired by her words! It totally made sense- why not shift my mindset to being positive??? And it was the best decision I made. Even in labor- while I was nervous, I was feeling really good. Of course-it’s not meant to be a trip to the spa! But everything was blissful… and before I knew it, a new human being arrived!!!

Note- My husband did not...

Happy Holi from us! 

Holi is India's  “festival of colors” celebrated by billions of people around the world! Holi signifies the arrival of spring, good over bad, and a fun day to meet others, play and laugh, and celebrate life and people! 

How do we teach the next generation about global holidays? Since this a community celebration- I have hosted Holi at my daughters’ school with all the wonderful colors!  It brightened my day to see the happiness in the 100+ children!! Remember, as a parent- your dedication can create a positive experience and impact so many kids!

You too can celebrate-- just get some colored powder, play some music, dance, and put the colors everywhere.  The colors represent the vibrancy of all the colors and shades of the human race!

As we say… Holi Hai (Holi is here)! 

For many people, life is about love, near and far. My reflection- This picture was taken just a month ago with some of my family in India. And, in just in one month, one family member is no more. 

While mourning is part of the journey, reflection is important too. Often times, our lives and careers get so busy that we have limited time to invest in what/who matters most... loved ones . Sometimes we even channel stress to those we love. Hence, let’s take a moment to reflect and prioritize time + positive energy for the people we love. While I am so far from perfect, I know I try my best.