PTM, which stands for Parents Teacher Meeting, is an important tool for comprehensively developing children with both nature and nurture. However, PTMs are often conducted as rituals without proper preparation or focus on development. PTMs should be accepted philosophically and used to actively engage parents and teachers in discussing children's progress. When done effectively, PTMs can help children succeed through cooperation between home and school.

1. Gunashrayamz
PTM – a ritual or
a development. Family Comes First
Newsletter Volume: 1 - Issue: November - December 2012
FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY A shelter under the virtues with zeal.
When I encountered with my idleness, the non-productiveness; a frustration and
helplessness have taken me to a line, ‘Action is a guarantee of result; where there is
no action there is no result.’
And few similar quotes like ‘people believe on what you do than what you say’ and
‘action speaks louder than words’ etc.., have inspired me.
But how would or could one idle takes the first action? The action that is capable of
changing the life. To take the life to a higher and expanded platform. The action of
purpose. The consistent action.
First thing I got was the free advice. The advices to do different things. To earn and
connect. To read and listen. Many have tried to motivate me and many inspired me
with success stories. Everything worked but nothing resulted. Everything was mo-
mentary. Everything was good enough to start but nothing was sufficient to give it
a momentum.
And one morning all those things were settled in my mind and I got a word that
changed my life all together. The word was ACTability. The ACT representing At-
titude, Communication and Time. Attitude towards other, communication with self
and be open and aware with the time. Ability to link all the three and stay happy and
“Never confuse movement with
connected.
action.”
Attitude as dictionary explains the way you think and feel. It leads to communica-
tion, the internal communication, the self talk. And this communication came at the
Ernest Hemingway
moment of truth. The moment of happening. The time factor attached to the same.
And this time became integral.
More I read more I learned, and more acted upon, the belief started to be converting
in conviction that ACTability is the single word that can change the lives of many,
even it had been.
The philosophy, science, religion and spirituality all were pointing towards one
thing, and that is ACTability. I find all of them agreed at ACTability.
It passes the test of fundamentals of knowledge and reality, the cause and effect or
reasoning theory, the test of faith and trust, a discipline of legacy, the completeness
with values and the conviction by experience.
The ACTability is the ability of internal communication that refines the attitude to-
wards other resulted in inspiration to act with time and direction.
I bless you all with the power of ACTability and will share with you on the details of
the same in coming issues.
Till than be healthy, prosper, blissful and blessed…Happy Gifted Life.
“All human actions have one
or more of these seven causes:
Manish Kumar Aggarwal
chance, nature, compulsion, habit,
The Mindfood Chef
reason, passion, and desire.”
Aristotle

2. Gunashrayamz
Count Your Decisions
FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY
You have decided Mr.Manish! You have a decision now! with you. She got me remembered that I have waited for an hour
When she had spoken these words, it was awakening. at consultants office and four hours in her office reception for my
turn. I have made a list of fifty people from my mobile phone and
In my first interview, I had applied for a job and was sitting in front had submitted to her, obeying her words.
of the interviewer, my supervisor afterward. It was awakening
when she said, ‘’Yes, you have taken this decision a far before you Now she started. Look at the decisions you have taken since the call
came here’. you have received. Count by numbers. First when you accepted her
to tell you something about a vacancy, second when you had visited
She was replying to my confusion, which their office, third you have decide to wait
I had communicated to her. I told her there for your turn, fourth had given time to
that I was still indecisive to join this job. have details of the profile. You have accepted
I was being carrying a strong belief in to draft your resume, submitted there, now
entrepreneurship. I wish to work in the you have seven decisions.
same very manner. I was selected to be a
Sr. Eighth your visit to our office, waiting here,
Sales Manager in a life insurance company. prepared the list, and now replying to all my
An entrepreneur turning into an employee questions, personal and professional and I
! am a stranger.
I was still confused for, Was it a promotion You are with more than ten decisions in
or demotion? An independent professional has to work under count including attending my questions. And now you are saying
somebody else, as a subordinate? that you are still indecisive. You have decided a way before. The fear
But destiny had selected her to teach me a life lesson. She continued, is just the acceptance of the visible one. The one where you have to
“How did you reach here? Who had informed you about this sign and accept; you have a decision now. The visible, the tangible.
interview schedule?” Really it was there. I have taken so many decisions without force
on me. They all were my decisions but unconscious, unaccounted
I have told her that I got a call from the consultant and their ones.
relationship officer had informed me about the vacancies. I had
visited their office; they have detailed me about the job profile, and In life also we take so many decisions. We fail to accumulate them
financials of it. for absence of taking the onus of results; the responsibility of “This
She asked, “Then?” Is My Decision.” When we will take the responsibility of our every
Family Comes First
I have prepared my resume, which they have seen and forwarded decision and be aware of this strength, we will be winning, winning
to your office with a forwarding letter. I came here and now sitting together.
Bill Haven was the member of canoe race in United States. He won fulfill his dream.
many medals at local and national level. In 1924 Olympic Games in People believed it a biggest mistake ever of his life.
Paris, the sport of canoe racing was added to the list of international
competitions. Everybody’s first choice was and expectations were But Bill Havens knew what was most important to him. Less people
from his team only. could put the priorities at right place and lesser able to act
upon them.
But fate was testing this great father. His wife was
expecting a child. Right before a day she was admitted And he acted upon what he believed was the best, said yes
to the hospital. He was in a dilemma as his dream of to something that truly matters. For Bill, it was the only
Olympic Gold was knocking his door at one hand and way to peace; his internal communication, his self talk
his attention towards his wife and would be baby on the was loud, ‘Family Comes First.’
other.
A baby boy eventually born to Bill and his wife was a boy,
The daunting questions were, ‘Should he go to Paris whom they named Frank. Twenty-eight years later, in
and risk not being at his wife’s side when their baby 1952, Bill received a cablegram from Frank. It was sent
was born? Or should he withdraw from the team and from Helsinki, Finland, where the 1952 Olympics were
remain being held. The cablegram read: “Dad, I won. I’m bringing home the
with his family?’ gold medal you lost while waiting for me to be born.”
Bill’s wife insisted him to go to the Paris. After all, competing in the Frank Havens had just won the gold medal for the United States in
Olympics was the culmination of a life long dream. the canoe-racing event, a medal his father had dreamed of winning
but never did.
In the conflict between his personal dream and profession versus
his attention for the family, his attention won. He considered to be This time the internal voice of Frank was much louder as it was
at her side as his highest priority, even higher than going to Paris to returning as the echo of twenty eight years, ‘Family Comes First’.

3. Gunashrayamz
Buying Happiness
FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY
Manav stood first in his mid term examinations. He was excited the most wise man, the head of the family, his grandfather.
about the reward now. When he got the report card, the first
sentence he spoke to his sister was that he would get the father All the children have taken a long breath and re-gathered their
agreed this time. enthusiasm. The only light of hope was the
trust in their grandfather’s decision.
Manav had worked very hard and worked with
a prior commitment. His family was equally All reached the festival and the Chunnu, the
excited about his result. At his door step only, youngest of all called the Manilal uncle, ‘Uncle!
his younger brother came running and shouting, Uncle! I like this doll’
‘Congratulations!!! Papa had announced a gift
for you.’ Two young children of 12 and 14 were the
stall owners. Manilal uncle asked, ‘What is the
What is my gift? cost of this doll?’
We are going to village for Dushahara (an Indian Everybody had ignored in despair as
Festival)! everybody had witnessed such a scene many
times before.
He added, ‘We had called your class teacher and
got the result. Are you happy now? We all are.’ The reply came, ‘Twenty five?’
And this was his only expected wish from his father. Manilal uncle returned to all and asked, ‘how many do like to have
this one?’
Manav was happy about it. It was his dream coming true. He was full
of enthusiasm. He was planning and saving for it for last six months. Presuming his trick but in a ray of hope five had raised their hands.
He had heard a lot about it many times before but was getting his Manilal counted, ‘Five’.
chance to enjoy it live now.
He ordered, ‘Five please. But pack them individually.’
They reach the village about 5 pm. The next was the most awaited
day of the childhood. All were shocked.
Next morning all got ready when a voice had squeezed the Making it an earthquake, he paid the entire money without any
enthusiasm of all the children. The voice was of Manilal, his mother’s bargaining and ask, ‘lets move head.’
cousin. Coming to the news that he was the host for the day, the
faces of all the children got paled like suffered of anemia. The shock was heavy for everybody. And Manav had asked him in
spontaneity, ‘No bargain, Mama ji (Maternal Uncle)?’
Manilal was well known for his awful bargaining nature. A very
miser man. People used to return without buying in his company. He replied, ‘Happiness can’t be bargained, smiles are priceless;
And on this great day he was the host. especially, when it’s about children and on special occasions. I
bought it for you and two young entrepreneurs.’
...is following you now...
Nothing could be done at this point of time and this decision was of The Mindfood Chef
When I received the first mail in my inbox from twitter with the
message “is following you now”, was a sensational, and continuing These types of cameras were blessed by Shree Krishan to me at
that sensation with every such mail now. The mail which was different intervals of my life. Not moving the way back but starting
carrying a sense of leadership, responsibility, courage, wisdom and from my marriage, my first office, my first employee, my first angel
pride. daughter, my very first moment after falling from high, my first step
on the stage as speaker/trainer/facilitator in learning and my first
A mail speaking more than the four words. A mail putting me at a spoken line and a lot more...
level higher. Giving me two more eyes to make me more accountable.
Inspiring me to live every moment with a purpose and a smile. This time it was something different, it should be. This time He is
People are looking at me. People have expectations from me. planning something bigger for me and from me, beyond my own
selfish needs. I am connected...
A mail asking me to clarify my thoughts; challenging me to share
with right words; and making me simple and transparent. I have My gratitude to all those eyes, to make me who I am today; to all
made a glass house of my own thoughts and actions; people would upcoming eyes; and a request to continue this support...
expect me to remove my curtains on every morning or wait for the The Mindfood Chef
evening lights to have a clear view of inside. I am connected.

4. The Mindfood Chef
Our Purpose: “Inspiring Smiles”
We, at The Mindfood Chef, serve happiness, a sense of accomplishment; help to live a worthy
life, creating legacy to the names – the immortality, a decision for having an inspiring life.
We support individuals for learning who they are, who they want to be and help in
developing a success map for reaching the potential. Earning money, recognition, fame,
relations and achieving self.
We support organizations for developing a common and perpetual organizational behaviour,
refining outlook, developing a synchronized thinking, simplification in processes, creating
responsibility centers and growing human capital.
Our Product Category
“The Roots of Violence: Wealth without
work, Pleasure without conscience, Parenting | Student’s Arena | Organizational Aids
Knowledge without character, Commerce Personal Development | Chef’s Special
without morality, Science without
humanity, Worship without sacrifice,
Politics without principles”
At ‘The Mindfood Chef’, we facilitate 4. Adequate Supervision
Mahatma Gandhi learning, development and evolution. 5. High and Inspiring Team Morale
Under Organizational Aids, we serve the 6. Effective Communication
solutions for following basic needs of the 7. Simplify HC (Human Capital)
organisations: Procedures
8. Customer Delight
9. Learning for Specific Skills &
PTM – a ritual or a development.
1. Defining Vision, Mission and Values
2. Effective Organisational Structure Procedures
3. Effective Planning and control
PTM, that stands for Parents Teacher Meeting school’s side.
in schools, is a tool for comprehensive
development of a child, supported with nature But the core is missing in most of the times.
and nurture. There was a time when call from This is becoming a market and status tool for
a school for a child was assumed to be the some schools and an outing for few families.
embarrassment for parents. Good many things are stereographic.
“There are two lasting bequests we can ‘You are informed to attend When we have understood,
give our children: One is roots, the other the school of your child researched and spoken to
is wings.” on so and so date, at such many responsible parents
n such time’ was the most and teachers, this field does
insulted line for parents on require a proper professional
Hodding Carter
part of their child and a call preparation for teacher,
for punishment for the child. parents and management TDH 9780313737
But with the passage of time of educational institutes. It
and change all around the requires a continuous study
PTM is an important part of and efforts for expanding and
curriculum in every school. raising the bars. This must
#2519 First Floor, Sector 40-C, be the learning experience
Chandigarh - 160036 We live in a nation of rituals for all the members to this
themindfoodchef@gmail.com and so as PTM, the important developmental effort. And a
tool to discuss and nurture the roots of a child, conscious effort.
Phone: 0172-4636596 is also running as a ritual.
+91 92 16 38 39 40 When the PTM will be philosophically accepted
+91 92 16 79 80 81 It’s becoming a mode of information from and honoured, actively participated and
school to parents for what they are doing in effectively executed this would be winning,
http://in.linkedin.com/in/aggarwalsahib school, adding new to curriculum, something winning together.
http://www.themindfoodchef.blogspot.in about progress of the child, some complaints
https://twitter.com/#!/mindfoodchef both the side, few appreciation also from The Mindfood Chef