Hey Sikh Mama Tribe!
Gosh, it’s really taking me long to get back into the swing of things. I’m finally getting my kids settled into their back-to-school routine, just in time for the winter holidays – haha! I am still learning to take things easy (and slow) when it comes to settling into a routine. I used to rush into everything (after school activities etc.) and ended up way too overwhelmed. I recognize that I do not have to keep up with anyone, and I can do things at my own pace and do what feels right fo myself and my family. I’m hoping to get back to spending more time bringing you awesome content – including Instant Pot recipes! Those of you who know me, know I that I can’t live without that amazing appliance, but that’s another story for another time!
Do your kids attend any after school Gurmukhi/Sikhi related programs? I took a long break from sending my kids to the after school Gurmukhi classes for the last year or so, because all of that driving around really took a toll on me mentally. This platform has brought on a lot of virtual friendships which I’m super thankful for – one of them being an amazing Singhnee (Tanveer Kaur) from Calgary who has started a monthly subscription box called Playing with Painti. This subscription box is meant to help us teach our children Gurmukhi in a more interactive and non-traditional approach….from home!
Tanveer Kaur kindly sent me a box to review for you – and my kids were so excited from the minute we opened it, they were begging to start using it. As soon as you open the box, you can just see and feel how much love and hard work has been put into putting each individual box together. The activities are wrapped up so beautifully, I almost did not want to open it. The instructions are written very clearly so that parents understand what to do. If your child can read English fluently, then you can even get them to read it to you. I feel like even though both of my boys are at different reading levels, they enjoyed the activities anyway. I was even able to modify it a little bit and challenge my older son in a different way than his brother. The two activities my kids enjoyed the most from this particular box (box 4), was the watercolor painting and having to use a straw to blow on the wet paint and make it into a monster.
Playing with Painti truly showcases a unique and interactive way for us to teach our children the language of their heritage. Not only does it allow us to teach them in a way that feels fun to them, but I found it to be a bonus that it allows us to connect with them even on an emotional level. My children were soooo happy because they felt like I was playing with them. Unfortunately, I’ll be the first to admit that I am not always able to spend time with them like I really want to, because I let my everyday, mundane chores get in the way. I feel like just having this box to review helped me realize that if I even take out a few minutes to play with them – they can end up learning something invaluable at the same time!
Be sure to check out Playing with Painti to learn more about pricing, material downloads and individual subscription boxes that are available!