pets as family

There are many benefits to owning a pet. Pets teach children valuable life lessons like responsibility, trust, compassion, respect and patience. While pets offer a lot of benefits to kids, kids also have a lot to offer the pet in your family as well. Both kids and pets enjoy high energy play as well as having a cuddle buddy during nap time.

If your child asks for a pet, talk with them about responsibility and the permanency of owning a pet. When the “newness” wears off or the puppy/kitten gets older, will they still want to care for the animal? Have they expressed a consistent desire for a pet and understand it will need daily care up and above play time?

Set up and discuss what your child’s pet responsibilities will be ahead of time. Remember, no matter how committed they are at the time of getting a pet, you will have to consider yourself as the backup plan if and when they cannot or will not continue to care for the pet.

One of the major reasons, and an important life skill, for owning a pet is to teach responsibility. Pets require food, water and love. Many, some more than others, require exercise. They also require grooming (brushing develops large muscles of the arm) and bathroom time (walking the dog develops large muscles of your child’s legs and is good for the development of their heart, brain and lungs).

Children over 5 years old can have developmentally appropriate responsibilities in regards to the care of the pet. Children under the age of 4 should be monitored with pets at all times, and children under the age of 10 should not be expected to take care of a dog or cat completely on their own.

A second skill children learn is trust. A pet offers unconditional support when a child (or anyone) is sad, angry or upset. They can teach your child to trust the pet, themselves and build trust in other relationships as well.

power of pen

The curious mind of man invented various means to record his observations and experiences. As time progressed, alphabets of various languages came into existence and literature , was produced. One field on which the teachers would lay thrust was the art of writing beautifully and they would ensure that their students would master the art of flowing handwriting. So the students were required to write with a reed ‘kalam’ on wooden plank or takhti for as long as the first five years in the early years to master the art of calligraphy. They would invariably had to write something on their takhtis everyday and show it to the teacher to get appreciation as’good’. Contrary to all this, children these days are introduced to phones, computers, laptops as even before they are able to learn to speak clearly. As students reached the sixth class, they were allowed to use pen holders into which nibs could be inserted and students had to dip their pens into inkpot to write on their notebooks having four lines. It was followed by fountain pen which could hold ink but it too had one disadvantage. While refilling the pen, sometimes the ink would spoil the hands or smudge the paper .The spilled ink would, then be wiped out with a handkerchief or a piece of cloth. The students were required to write cursive and fluent exercises, often on four lined pages for days and weeks with the result that as time passed, most of the students developed flowing handwriting with a distinctiveness of their own having proper length and space between the letters and the words. Then came the ball point pens and gel pens which did not require any bottle of ink for their use .So many people gravitated towards these pens for writing exercises or signing documents. One of the advantages of the ball point pens and gel pens is that they could be thrown out after use. When one writes on paper, there is something and personal comforting the mind and the soul. Thus, putting pen to the paper is a satisfying experience for the writer. One feels elated and uplifted to see his good handwriting. Writing letters in good and flowing handwriting using words pregnant with meaning was what every young man would  aspire to impress his beloved and friends. At school ,calligraphy competitions used to be organized frequently and those who wrote beautifully were honoured and profusely appreciated. But now a days, both young and the old are so busy in their phones, ipads, desktops/laptops that they have little time and inclination to write in ink. Most people don’t take pride in owning pens of internationally famous brands. They simply type messages on the phone and post them on the social sites.
But it must be remememberd that pen is not going to lose its importance. Taking time to write letters or invitation using a pen is relaxing and tactile process. With e-mail and text becoming the primary source of communication tool but emails may get overlooked or deleted without much thought but a well and beautifully written letter itself has power to demonstrate love, care, effort and time it took for the composer to write it. There is something in the act of pouring thoughts out on paper, the scritch-scratch of the fountain pen and the romantic blue, black, blue-black or green ink that covers the paper, which is quite personal. The intimate act of sitting down to write a letter to a friend as opposed to the gesture of sending an email, a text or a tweet transfers the communication into a more thoughtful and meticulous enterprise. The act of writing itself is cathartic and it requires a hard work to communicate and wrestle with ideas to form letters with greater attention to uniformity in look, shape, height etc of letters to  convey ideas.But in the wake of modern technology and texting of messages and emails, many people don’t use pen for purposes other than putting down their signatures on documents and elsewhere.But it must be remembered that pen is not going to lose its relevance in the times to come.Shorthand came and became obsolete; type writers met the same fate, similar may be the fate of desktops and laptops in the years to come as these gadgets may be replaced by some more advanced technological inventions but pen will continue to rule the world and prove that it is more powerful than all these things.All the people should  cultivate the habit of writing letters and messages in ink.Parents too should encourage their children to write’birthday’wishes and ‘thanks’ notes in flowing handwriting. We should also wish our relatives and friends by writing handwritten letters as sending a handwritten note conveys much more closeness than a typed one on the social sites can. It simply means sending a part of yourself to your friend or relatives.

Music Therapy

Mature man plays a guitar while seated at piano bench

HISTORY OF MUSIC THERAPY

Music has been used as a therapeutic tool for centuries and has been shown to affect many areas of the brain, including the regions involved in emotion, cognition, sensation, and movement. This fact, combined with the engaging nature of music and the diversity of music forms, makes music uniquely effective in the treatment of a wide array of physical and mental problems, including depressionanxiety, and hypertension.When traveling music groups played for hospitalized veterans during and after both World Wars, doctors and clinicians began to realize the powerful effects that music has on the healing process and requested that professional musicians be hired by the hospitals. This created a need for specialized training in the appropriate delivery of music as a therapeutic method.

Gradually, colleges and universities began to include music therapy as part of their curriculum, beginning with Michigan State University in 1944. In 1950, the first major professional organization for music therapists was formed, and it became known as the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT). In 1998, the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) was formed out of a merger between the NAMT and the American Association for Music Therapy. The AMTA focuses on increasing awareness of and access to music therapy services while promoting the advancement of education, training, professional standards, and research in the field of music therapy.

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM MUSIC THERAPY?

Music therapy can benefit many individuals. The diverse nature of music means it can be applied in the treatment of concerns both physical and psychological. In some instances, the therapeutic use of music has been able to help people in ways that other forms of therapy have not, as it can sometimes elicit responses that may not appear through more traditional forms of treatment. When people find it difficult to express themselves verbally, they may display a greater degree of interest and engagement in music therapy than they would in a more traditional form of therapy. No background in music is required for a person to benefit from this approach.

Because music can evoke positive emotions and stimulate reward centers in the brain, music therapy is often able to alleviate symptoms of mental health concerns such as:

Music therapy can both assess and enhance cognitive, social, emotional, and motor functioning, and studies have shown positive results among individuals who have intellectual or physical difficulties, brain injuries, or Alzheimer’s. This type of therapy has also been used in the treatment of physical ailments such as cancer and hypertension.

The positive effects of music therapy are not limited to those coping with severe or long-lasting physical and psychological problems, and this therapy can benefit people in a variety of situations. Music is frequently used to reduce stress levels and pain perception among mothers in labor and has been associated with improvements in self-esteem, self-concept, verbal communication, prosocial behavior, socialization skills, group cohesion, and coping skills.

WHAT HAPPENS IN A MUSIC THERAPY SESSION? 

The intervention methods employed in music therapy can be roughly divided into active and receptive techniques. When a person is making music, whether by singing, chanting, playing musical instruments, composing, or improvising music, that person is using active techniques. Receptive techniques, on the other hand, involve listening to and responding to music, such as through dance or the analysis of lyrics. Active and receptive techniques are often combined during treatment, and both are used as starting points for the discussion of feelings, values, and goals.

Music therapy can be conducted with individuals or in groups, and the music may be chosen by the therapist or by the person in therapy. A music therapist will generally ensure the type and mode of the chosen form of music, as well as the timing of the music intervention, are appropriate for meeting the needs and goals of the individual in therapy.

When introducing music, therapists often base their selections on the Iso principle, which states music is more likely to have influence if it matches an individual’s current condition. Therapists therefore try to ensure the lyrics and melody of a selected piece of music are well matched with the mood and psychological state of the person in therapy.

Songwriting is commonly used in music therapy and may involve writing original songs or modifying existing ones, with the latter being a more structured approach to writing. A person might modify a song by changing some of the words or lines, adding new verses, or writing entirely new lyrics to match the existing tune. In cases when songs are freely composed, the therapist may provide an emotion or topic to serve as a starting point. 

Music therapy can be used in a variety of ways:

  • When a person experiences difficulty communicating after a stroke, singing words or short phrases set to a simple melody can often enhance speech production and fluency.
  • A person with impaired motor skills might improve fine motor skills by playing simple melodies on a piano or tapping out a rhythm on drum pads. Listening to a rhythmic stimulus, such as a metronome, can also help a person initiate, coordinate, and time their movements.
  • A therapist might play a piece of music for children with autism who have limited social skills and ask them to imagine the emotional state of the person who created the music or the person who is playing it. Doing so can help a person with autism develop or strengthen the ability to consider the emotions others are experiencing. 
  • Group drumming circles have been used to induce relaxation, provide an outlet for feelings, and foster social connectedness among members of a group. Group members might sit in a circle with a hand drum while the therapist leads them in drumming activities that may involve group members drumming one at a time or all at once. Those who are part of the circle may be asked to express how they feel by playing a rhythm on their drum or the group might be asked to improvise music as a means of increasing group cohesiveness.
  • Music might be incorporated into guided imagery or progressive muscle relaxation techniques to enhance the effectiveness of these methods.

TRAINING FOR MUSIC THERAPISTS

Those wishing to become a music therapist must have at least a bachelor’s degree in music therapy from an institution approved by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). Music therapy programs involve coursework as well as an internship in an educational and/or health care facility. After successfully completing one of the AMTA-approved programs, individuals must take the national examination offered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). If they are successful in the examination, they receive the credential Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC), which is required for professional practice. Board certification is renewed every five years, and in order to maintain this credential, music therapists must retake the CBMT examination or complete 100 recertification credits within each five-year period.

LIMITATIONS OF MUSIC THERAPY

Music therapy generally produces positive results, but it is not recommended as a stand-alone treatment for serious medical and psychiatric issues. While music may help to alleviate some of the symptoms of these conditions, other forms of treatment such as medication, physical therapy, or psychotherapy may also be necessary.

Further, while it is possible for any form of music to be used effectively in music therapy, not all individuals will find each type of music to be therapeutic. The benefit of a particular type of music will often depend on an individual’s preferences and the condition experienced by that individual, and some music forms may actually cause agitation. To achieve success with music therapy, a therapist will likely need to ensure the musical preferences of the individual in treatment are taken into consideration.

Being passive is not our default mode as human beings.

Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.

William James

Why is Motivation Important?

Why is it important to understand motivation? Why do we care about what people want and why they want it? How about because it can improve our lives.

Understanding motivation gives us many valuable insights into human nature. It explains why we set goals, strive for achievement and power, why we have desires for psychological intimacy and biological sex, why we experience emotions like fear, anger, and compassion.

Learning about motivation is valuable because it helps us understand where motivation comes from, why it changes, what increases and decreases it, what aspects of it can and cannot be changed, and helps us answer the question of why some types of motivation are more beneficial than others.

Motivation reflects something unique about each one of us and allows us to gain valued outcomes like improved performance, enhanced well-being, personal growth, or a sense of purpose. Motivation is a pathway to change our way of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

Benefits of Motivation

Finding ways to increase motivation is crucial because it allows us to change behavior, develop competencies, be creative, set goals, grow interests, make plans, develop talents, and boost engagement. Applying motivational science to everyday life helps us to motivate employees, coach athletes, raise children, counsel clients, and engage students.

The benefits of motivation are visible in how we live our lives. As we are constantly responding to changes in our environment, we need motivation to take corrective action in the face of fluctuating circumstances. Motivation is a vital resource that allows us to adapt, function productively, and maintain wellbeing in the face of a constantly changing stream of opportunities and threats.

I have learned from my mistakes, and I am sure I can repeat them exactly.

Peter Cook

There are many health benefits of increased motivation. Motivation as a psychological state is linked to our physiology. When our motivation is depleted, our functioning and wellbeing suffer.

Some studies show that when we feel helpless in exerting control for example, we tend to give up quickly when challenged (Peterson, Maier, & Seligman, 1993). Others have proven than when we find ourselves coerced, we lose access to our inner motivational resources (Deci, 1995).

High-quality motivation allows us to thrive, while its deficit causes us to flounder. Societal benefits of increased motivation are visible in greater student engagement, better job satisfaction in employees, flourishing relationships, and institutions.

But unhealthy fluctuations in motivation also explain addiction, gambling, risk-taking, and excessive internet usage. The motivation that underlies addictive behaviors shares the neurological underpinning associated with dopamine centric rewards system and tricky inner working of the pleasure cycle.

survival

Can I survive this pain.

It is hurting so much.

I lost everybody I loved

What I did gain?

I did everything possible

As much as I could.

For those who were to close.

There I see myself so irritating.

Will I ever overcome this depression.

My eyes hide the pain.

They’ve become loyal nowadays.

Things have gone in gone in wrong direction.

Why did I care so much

Why did I believe

Why did I loved them more than I loved me.

Was it all my fault.

Did I opened the wrong vault

Should have I given it a hault.

Was it really my fault

                                                                                                                             pratishtha vats

confusion

I don’t want to face it

I don’t want to run away either

I don’t want you to come close

I don’t want to go away either

I don’t want to love you

I don’t want to hate you either

                                                                                                     Pratishtha vats

To Make a Difference in the World

Racism – Racist is a dark word; it is as dark as the night, it is as dark as the souls of disgusting people. But I would like to talk about racial discrimination – not only in distant places but also in the United States. In fact, I am hoping that everyone will talk about racial discrimination. Only by talking about it, we can overcome past and present unfairness. On the third day in South Africa, when I was walking along the street with a black girl friend, some workers called “Hello, you are white, she is colored”. When I was walking down the street, I let people bring their heads out of the window.

If you do not affect the world around you, you will not spend the whole day. I believed that nothing will change in the world, but when I noticed that small actions had a major impact, I noticed that everyone had an impact on the surrounding people and the world, but we decided It must be. What are the differences? Never underestimate the power of simple good deeds. A sincere smile, praise or real “how are you?” Can produce bigger differences than you think. You may not know if this simple and meaningful gesture is the only good thing from someone else.

Everyone thinks that everyone can truly change the world, but something is bigger than all of us. You can definitely change the world around you – this is not a problem. Please watch as expected for the actual controllable impact. Privileges are realistic and can not be denied. You can not do one thing to change your hometown or the environment or situation yourself was born, but you can control where you go. You may have to work harder than others, it’s bad, but you should use something you might think weakness or damage, for you Work it out

Helping others and changing the world helps make the world a better place by improving people’s lives. You can make a difference, one at a time, one at a time, one project at a time, giving a sustainable impact to the world. As these quotes motivate you to help other people and work as hard to make positive changes.

Prices are ever on the increase.

A rise in prices, economists say, is a sing of development and prosperity. But during the last two decades, prices of almost all the essential commodities have been increasing at an alarming rate. These soaring prices have caused great unrest and frustration among the people. The people belonging to the middle class and the salaried people are hit hard. All the more, the soaring prices have become a big threat and an open challenge to the government. It has shaken the faith of the people in the government. There is no let-up in the situation. Life has become very hard.

29,539 Petrol pump Images - Free & Royalty-free Stock Petrol pump Photos &  Pictures | Depositphotos
people are facing problems due to rise of prices of petrol.
            Not to speak of rising prices, things of daily use are sometimes not available in the market.  Big businessmen hoard things and sell these in black.  Adulteration of eatables is a big health hazard.  Sometimes, there is no sugar, no kerosene oil, no cooking gas, nothing.  The prices of petrol, cooking gas, kerosene oil and several other items of daily use are increasing every year.  Not only that, the railway fares, air fares and bus and taxi charges are also increasing regularly.  The rich make a display of their wealth while the poor find it difficult to make both their ends meet.  Life has lost its charm for the average bread-winner.  The indiscriminate rise in prices of essential commodities has left many a people tense and helpless.  No one can foresee what is in store for the common people.

            There are many causes of the unprecedented rise in prices.  Inflation, black marketing, hoaring, faulty credit system, over population and improper system of distribution are some of the major causes of hike in prices.   The standard of living of the people has improved.  People need more things than they needed earlier.  The increasing demand leads to hike in prices.  Sometimes, natural factors like flood and drought also contribute to rise in prices.  Much food is being wasted in the parties and marriages.  Production of food is not in proportion with the increase in population.  Social evils also tax the common people badly.  With the breaking of joint-family system, the cost of living has gone up.  The purchasing power of the rupee is continuously falling.

            It is now being increasingly felt that large scale corruption by some political leaders in power and some senior officers in the government  is also the cause of constant rise in prices.  In the recent past, several scams have come to light that involve big amount said to have ben pocketed by the big-wigs of the country without any shame or remorse.  Several cases are pending in the courts.  It is, however, feared that influential and moneyed people have the power to so circumvent the legal process in their favor that they go scot free.  These huge amounts of black money produce a very bad effect on the economy of the country and lead to a rise in prices.

            It is  the duty of the government to bring down the prices of the essential commodities at least.  Price line is the life line of a nation.  Black marketers, hoarders and profiteers must be brought to book.  Family Planning programes should be stepped up to check over-population. More fair-price shop should be opened in different localities.  There should be an equitable distribution through the fair price shops. Shopkeepers should be directed to display the stock of essential commodities along with their prices.  Those people who buy things in the black market should be punished.  Production of food should be increased.  Sincere efforts should be made to stabilize prices of essential commodities. Evils of corruption, bribery, smuggling and illegal gratification deep-rooted in the society must be rooted out.

            Let us hope that the government will be able to bring down the soaring prices.  What is needed is the right intention and the force of will.  The government has, in recent  past, taken some steps to control the prices and revamp the economy of the country.  The government efforts have met a partial success and inflation has been controlled to some extent.

did suicide ever hit your mind ?

sometimes it feels like nobody is around, nobody wants to be around, feels like everyone is avoiding I don’t want to care what everyone says or think about me as they don’t know what I have gone through they dont know whether it is my choice or my helplessness, the don’t know whether I want to be like this or I have to be like this for some reason what they know is just what they assume. the assumption is the worst thing in the world as assumptions they have made are according to them and not the truth. the main thing that tears me into pieces is my family, friends even they are not understanding my problem.

being in such a position sucks.

but what hits me at late nights or when I am thinking of myself is that if I am being sad or being lonely it is because I want me to feel in such a way if I want then I can enjoy my loneliness and get encouraged by my failures of life. the more I fail the more I will succeed the more I am lonely the more I’ll get the chance to shine.

don’t let your weakness weaken you just make yourself learn from them and make them your strength. there are many people who will let you down or make you feel unwanted, make you feel useless, there will be many times in life when you will feel the worst. dont let people do this to you as you deserve all the happiness you are not alone in this world. you are wanted and you are loved but you need to make yourself worth it and make yourself proud.

LOVE IS NOT WAr

How many times have we heard that one? Speaking very frankly, I think this phrase is highly meaningless. Love does not have to mean war unless you make it into a fight, a fight for what you deserve, i.e., to love freely. To quote James Kirkup in his poem No Men Are Foreign, “The land our brothers walk upon is earth like this, in which we all shall lie.”, we are all born the same and eventually perish on the same land. 

People who belong to the LGBTQ+ community are no different than the ones who don’t. It is very straightforward and simple when you really think about it and are willing to open your mind to acceptance without wrongly judging somebody’s strength of character based on who they identify as. Gender well as sexuality, are two very subjective terms. It might mean one thing to someone and something entirely different to another. The term ‘LGBTQ’ is an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer. These are all umbrella terms for the people who resonate with the particular label. Some people might not want to label themselves at all, which is also completely natural. As allies of the community, we should encourage them to be true to themselves and help them feel safe in their chosen environment. We should talk more freely about this taboo topic in order to ensure the development of people’s mindsets by educating them on the subject. 

It is not important what labels a person has, or no labels at all. What matters is their metal, what they are made of, who they are as humans.