We often amass a bulk of clothes, not knowing how to reuse them, but interestingly, each of these clothes can be upcycled in useful ways. And this can be done, not only with your mother’s old sarees and kurtas but also with your own old jeans, tops, and pants.

These clothes can be reused into pillow covers to refresh your home décor without spending much. Instead of discarding worn shirts, jeans, sarees, or kurtas, you can turn them into stylish cushions that add character to your sofa, bed, or reading nook.

Here are some creative pillow‑cover ideas you can try:

We often think of play as noise, movement, and a little harmless mess. But sometimes play becomes something far more revealing. Sometimes it shows us what a child understands about safety, belonging, and emotional warmth long before they have the words to explain it. In a video posted by MyZeroGravity on Instagram, a quiet moment inside an orphanage captured exactly that feeling. The shelter was being renovated when attention suddenly shifted to one little girl standing in front of a painted kitchen drawn on the wall. She began pretending to cook, stirring an invisible pot, serving imaginary food, and moving through the scene as though the tiny kitchen were real. There were no utensils in her hands and no actual meal waiting to be served, yet she seemed completely immersed in the moment, creating comfort and familiarity through imagination alone. Scroll down to read more…

It is a simple image. But it lands with unusual force

Because children do not just play to pass time, they play to make sense of life. They rehearse what they have seen, what they have missed, and what they hope to feel again. In many homes, pretend play is charming and easy to overlook. In places shaped by absence, however, it can become deeply telling. A child who pretends to cook may be acting out care. A child who feeds invisible people may be reaching toward connection. A child who builds a whole world out of a wall painting may be doing something extraordinary: repairing, in imagination, what reality has not yet provided.That is the quiet truth this moment exposes. Emotional security is not built only through toys, furniture, bright walls, or finished rooms. Those things matter, yes. But children remember the feeling of being held, noticed, soothed, and included far more than they remember the décor. A safe environment is not just visually pleasant. It is emotionally responsive. It is the difference between a space that is merely improved and a space that truly feels lived in. What makes the video so powerful is not sadness alone. It is the resilience hidden inside it. The child was not waiting for the room to be perfect before playing. She had already entered her own universe. She had already found a way to transform a painted outline into a domestic ritual. That kind of imagination is not trivial. It is intelligence in its most human form. It is adaptation. It is survival with tenderness attached.

For parents, that should be impossible to ignore.

Children are constantly reading the emotional climate around them. They notice whether they are interrupted or listened to, whether comfort arrives quickly or slowly, whether home feels safe enough to relax in. When those needs are consistently met, children usually play with confidence, experimentation, and joy. When they are not, play can take on a different texture. It can become repetitive, protective, or strangely intense. Sometimes, it becomes a child’s private language for saying what cannot yet be said aloud.That is why emotional security matters so much. It is not a luxury. It is the foundation. A child who feels secure is better able to explore, trust, and regulate their feelings. A child who does not feel secure may still play, still laugh, still imagine, but often with an undercurrent of longing that adults may fail to notice.The scene at the shelter also reminds us that care is never only about construction. Renovation can build a better room. Emotional attunement builds a better childhood. A new wall can brighten a corner, but consistency, affection, and responsiveness brighten the inner world. And that inner world is what children carry forward.Perhaps that is why the image lingers. Not because it is unusual, but because it is painfully familiar in spirit. So many adults were once children who filled gaps with fantasy, who acted out meals they wanted, hugs they needed, or homes they wished were warmer. Children do this not to deceive us, but to help themselves live through what is missing.And in that small performance inside an orphanage, there is a reminder every parent needs: children do not just need spaces that look cared for. They need spaces that feel emotionally inhabited. They need adults who understand that the deepest kind of security is not painted on a wall. It is felt in the body, remembered in the heart, and carried for life.

Bell peppers are not acidic like oranges, so most people never associate them with vitamin C. Yet they are loaded with it, especially when fully ripe.

Red bell peppers spend more time maturing on the plant. During that process, their nutrient content rises. This is also why red peppers taste sweeter than green ones. Green peppers are harvested earlier, before they fully ripen, so their vitamin C levels are lower.

A single medium red bell pepper can provide more than 150% of the daily vitamin C requirement for adults.

What makes this interesting is how differently the body experiences these foods. Oranges feel refreshing and juicy. Bell peppers feel crisp and earthy. Yet both support collagen production, iron absorption, skin health, and immune function because of the same nutrient: vitamin C.

Nutrition researchers often point out that people tend to chase nutrients through familiar foods while ignoring vegetables sitting quietly in the kitchen drawer.

Bell peppers fit that idea perfectly.

A child’s tantrums are the most intense part of parenting. Screaming, crying, and anger can leave parents feeling emotionally exhausted. While the first reaction to such behaviors is to immediately stop it, however, parents must understand the child’s emotions behind it. Sometimes what looks like a child’s ‘bad behavior’ is actually a sign of overwhelm and the inability to regulate emotions. Mindful parenting means responding with calmness while still maintaining healthy boundaries. Here are five mindful ways parents can respond to a child’s tantrums:

Pause before reacting

It is natural to become emotionally reactive when a child starts yelling or throwing tantrums. However, when parents raise their voice, they make the situation even worse. One of the most powerful parenting tools is to simply pause before responding.What parents should do in this situation is to take a deep breath, lower their anger, and take a few seconds before speaking. A calm parent becomes a source of emotional safety during a storm of feelings.

Photo: Canva

Validate the child’s emotions

Children need to feel understood before they are ready to listen. When parents dismiss a child’s feelings or tell them they’re “overreacting,” they make them feel unheard. This is why the solution lies in acknowledging what they may be feeling. Using statements such as “I know you’re upset” makes the child feel at ease. More importantly, this does not validate their behavior, but simply gives the message that their emotions are real and accepted.

Set boundaries without harshness

Mindful parenting is also about teaching children that boundaries are important. When a child throws tantrums, parents should teach that their feelings are valid, but bad behavior isn’t. The key to effectively communicate this lies in staying calm while being firm. Phrases like “I know you’re upset, but throwing stuff is not okay.” This approach teaches children emotional regulation without making them feel ashamed for having big feelings.

Photo: Canva

Focus on connection, not control

When parents try to control a child’s behavior during a tantrum, they are practically suppressing their emotions. Since children are overwhelmed with emotions when they throw tantrums, attempts to control their emotions intensifies the outburst. Simple gestures like sitting beside them quietly, maintaining a calm presence beside them, or offering a warm hug can help children feel safe and understood.

Reflect after the tantrum ends

The real opportunity for parents to build trust in the child’s mind comes when the child calms down after the emotional outburst. Instead of scolding the child or shaming them for their actions, parents should use the moment to have a reassuring conversation with the child. This creates a lasting impression in the child’s mind, and they understand that it’s okay to express emotions and one shouldn’t suppress them. Over time, these calm post-tantrum conversations improve problem-solving skills, and build a deeper sense of trust and emotional safety.

The words “kidney failure” often create immediate fear inside families. Many people assume life becomes hopeless afterward. That is no longer true.

Modern medicine has dramatically changed survival and quality of life for kidney patients. Treatments like dialysis and kidney transplantation now allow many people to live meaningful lives for years and even decades.

Dr Dheerendra says, “There is an irrational fear about these treatments which one needs to overcome.”

Across the world, people with kidney disease continue working, travelling, exercising, raising families, and pursuing careers after treatment.

Fear often comes from lack of understanding. Knowledge replaces panic with preparedness.

Be careful about what you add to your routine
Sometimes protecting the kidneys is less about adding more things and more about avoiding unnecessary harm.

The internet is full of miracle cures, detox powders, herbal cleanses, and aggressive supplement trends promising to “repair” kidneys naturally. Many are not backed by science.

Dr Dheerendra calls this dangerous cycle “mixopathy” constantly changing treatments based on advice from unqualified sources.

“What you do is as important as what you don’t do,” he says.

The kidneys prefer stability. Random experimentation may overload them further.

A balanced lifestyle still matters deeply:

Drink adequate water
Control diabetes and blood pressure
Sleep properly
Avoid smoking
Exercise regularly
Limit excessive salt intake
Take medicines only under medical guidance

Simple habits done consistently often protect the kidneys more than expensive wellness trends ever can.

The city of Jaipur, which is also called the Pink City, is experiencing fast urbanisation and the need for effective transportation services owing to the traffic jams that have emerged. In a bid to solve these problems, the Government of India has approved the Jaipur Metro Phase 2, which is a move towards modernisation of infrastructure of the city.

Route and key features of Jaipur Metro Phase 2

Jaipur Metro Phase 2 is a proposed plan for a North-South corridor from Prahladpura (south end) to Todi Mod (north end). Its total length is about 41 kilometres, and it will be a significant development in Jaipur’s existing metro system.The proposed plan will have 36 metro stations, mostly elevated with a few critical stations being underground. These stations will be mostly built around high-density areas such as airports.Some of the key regions that this metro will pass through are:

There are plans for integration with the existing Phase 1 corridor via interchange stations. Construction of this metro corridor is targeted to complete before September 2031 with several phase constructions.

Image Credit: Canva

Cost and implementation

The Jaipur Metro Phase 2 project involves a significant investment of approximately ₹13,038 crore, making it one of the largest infrastructure projects in Rajasthan. The project will be implemented by the Rajasthan Metro Rail Corporation Limited (RMRCL), which is a joint venture between the central and state governments.This structured funding approach ensures financial feasibility while enabling the adoption of modern metro technologies and infrastructure.

Boost to connectivity and urban mobility

One primary objective of Jaipur Metro Phase 2 is to significantly improve city-wide connectivity. The current metro network mainly serves the east–west corridor, but Phase 2 will introduce a strong north–south link, connecting previously underserved areas.This expansion is expected to:

Establishing metro connectivity between different industrial, business and residential centers will be highly instrumental in economic activity and efficiency.Moreover, this metro construction aligns with India’s objective of achieving sustainability within its cities, as metros minimise carbon emissions.

Real estate and property market impact

The impact of Jaipur Metro Phase 2 on the real estate sector is expected to be substantial. Historically, metro connectivity has led to increased property demand and price appreciation in cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, and Jaipur is likely to follow a similar trend.Rise in property prices: There will be a consistent increase in the value of properties close to the metro railway station because of easy accessibility and convenience.Growth of new investment hotspots: Areas like Sitapura, Jagatpura and Vidhyadhar Nagar have the potential to become new zones for residential and commercial investments.Demand for rental properties: People working in offices or colleges will find it convenient to live near metro stations, thus increasing the demand for rented flats near the corridors.Transit-oriented development: The project is an example of Transit-Oriented Development, where urban planning revolves around the metro railway station.Overall, the metro expansion is expected to create a ripple effect, driving infrastructure growth and enhancing the city’s real estate ecosystem.The Jaipur Metro Phase 2 project is not only about a metro transport system but also about a transformational process that will change the city’s face, featuring a 41 km long corridor, 36 metro stations, and at a total project cost of ₹13,037.66 crore, as per PM INDIA. Besides improving connectivity and mobility, it will also boost the city’s economy while lowering its carbon footprint. Real estate development projects will also gain momentum due to the implementation of such a project in the city.

Not every baby product is as safe as it appears. Many everyday items parents unknowingly use on their child may expose children to harmful chemicals and irritants. Experts repeatedly emphasise that parents need to be extra cautious about what they use around them.
Highlighting this, a Hyderabad-based Oncologist Dr Arrjun Sankaran, recently shared a list of common products parents should avoid using on children. According to him, children are more sensitive to chemicals, fragrances, and harsh ingredients than adults. He adds that some everyday products may irritate the skin, affect breathing, or expose children to things they simply don’t need at a young age.
Here are some products the expert says parents should not use on their children:

Chillies are an essential ingredient in Indian kitchens, instantly adding the right spice, fire, and crisp to any dish.

To avoid the last-minute runs to the market, these thin fiery vegetables can be grown easily, even at the last minute when most needed.

If you love cooking with fresh, fiery chillies but don’t have a big garden, growing them in grow bags is the perfect solution. Grow bags are lightweight, affordable, and provide excellent drainage, which chilli plants absolutely love.
Growing chillies in grow bags not only saves space but also gives your plants the best environment to produce maximum fruit.
Disclaimer: The tips given here are purely for reading and educational purposes, based on general information and common gardening practices only. Results may vary depending on your location, climate, plant variety, and care routine. Always check local growing conditions and consult a gardening expert if you’re unsure.
Here are a few simple steps by which you can grow green chillies in grow bags at home:

A child does not need a large vocabulary to be preschool-ready. What they do need is some way of communicating hunger, discomfort, bathroom needs, fear, excitement, or a desire for help.

This communication can be verbal, physical, or a mix of both. They may point, use single words, repeat familiar phrases, or take an adult by the hand. The point is not fluency. The point is whether the child can make themselves understood enough to reduce frustration.

When a child can express needs, even in a limited way, they are less likely to feel lost in a new environment. Preschool becomes easier when the child can say, in their own way, “I need this,” “I do not like that,” or “Please help me.”