Bollywood mothers reveal how they keep the kids engaged amid lockdown

Maanayata Dutt mother to twins Shahraan and Iqra 9Maanayatas son Shahraan enjoys taking to a string of outdoor workoutsKeeping them activeBoth my kids were active and engaged in all kinds of outdoor activities They are athletes and have won several medals in school They enjoy sports like football running swimming and Taekwondo Hence they became restless when the lockdown started but have now got accustomed to it We train together and may take to dance sessions to keep workouts fun and engaging We also meditate and they have online yoga classes They also help me with daily household choresAs for their meals I have always ensured the family has a balanced diet They have milk consume eggs for protein and have fruits as one meal Similarly my protein intake in the form of shakes is integral I maintain a timetable and occasionally allow them to binge and have cheat days when they indulge in chocolates and chips Since I cook every day they no longer complain about missing their weekenddinners at restaurantsMaanayata teaches Iqra knitting Keeping them engagedThere were a few crazy days but they understood the situation The best part is that the online schooling classes occupy five to six hours of the day Since we were in UAE when the lockdown was imposed and are hence stationed here they get on a video call with Sanjay Dutt husband who is in Mumbai and that keeps them entertained Shahraan and Sanjay do masti I also make Iqra knit with meSporting gloves the family stationed in UAE prepares a mealHow I stay activeI used to enjoy training in the gym Now I juggle yoga with some abdominal and thigh exercises Also the daily chores suffice as a workout tooShahraan Dutt cyclingThe biggest struggle todayI wish the family wasnt living in different countries at this time Things would have been easier if we were together and the lockdown wouldnt have seemed like a task This could have also been the perfect opportunity for Sanjay to spend time with the childrenSunny Leone mother to Nisha 4 and twins Noah and Asher 2Keeping them activeBefore the lockdown the children would head for a swim once a week and take to zumba art and storytime classes We would also go for long walks in the park Now we make them run around in the parking lot without touching anything Their diet remains unchanged except that now it is Daniel Weber husband and I who do the cooking We give them a wellbalanced diet and may indulge in pizzas for a change Otherwise we have healthy mealsThe family takes to activities like painting to keep themselves engaged PicsInstagramKeeping them engagedNisha still has school so she has a lot of homework to do every day The boys colour paint and build things We keep them busy with activitiesHow I stay activeMy workout has been contained to a 30minute walk or jog in the building I take the kids along in their strollers so that they can get fresh air Running around them all day is a workout too I ensure that I clock in 20000 steps on my Fitbit each day I am not someone who can sit at home and do homeworkouts because I get boredOn the biggest challenges in this scenarioIve taught the kids to use sanitisers and not touch anything We are essentially desocialising them from people It will be a huge task to undo this once we can be around others again Parents teach children how to be around other children and act share and behave with them We will have to start that process anew As human beings we learn a lot in a new environment But they are so young that they wont remember this period even though we willKonkona Sensharma mother to Haroon Shorey 9Keeping him activeIt is challenging In the past we would go out because he would enjoy cycling in the society compound Now we can no longer do that He would practice skipping in school So I make him skip at home too so that he can stay physically active Apart from that I also make him perform household chores like washing vegetables grating cheese and collecting the laundry so that he can stay activeKeeping him engagedOn the suggestion of a friend I began playing snakes and ladders with him but in this case whoever is bitten by the snake must say the tables Apart from that I have been teaching him about countries and their capitals He enjoys that I also make him watch interesting films like Mausam which he liked I dont know how much of this time is being utilised appropriately but it is a struggle because children tend to get restlessCatch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news