I always wonder how some people get away with not eating certain things. My mother was Margaret Thatcher when I was growing up. I eat everything and I clear my plate. I am not a mummy yet but I learnt some things. The truth is most times parents create picky eaters.
A child may reject certain foods a few times and we conclude the meal is off limits. Children would be children and that sometimes means acting out in ways we may not be able to understand or explain.
How To Handle Picky Eaters
You should know these;
1. You don’t run a restaurant
At mealtime, tell your kids “This is what’s for dinner. If you don’t like it, that’s fine; you don’t have to eat it. But there is nothing else.” They can decide for themselves whether to eat the food in front of them or wait until the next opportunity. Of course, it helps to consider their tastes when planning a meal, making sure that—in addition to the new recipe you’re trying—at least one or two of the other offerings are tried-and-true favorites.
2. You can spice things up
True, kids have delicate taste buds, but that doesn’t mean they need to be served a steady diet of Indomie (even if that’s all they ask for). In fact, it’s all the more reason to give them flavorful food; children really notice when something tastes good because of their naturally sensitive palates.
3. Give vegetables
I have experimented with my little cousins and I sneakily added vegetables. I’ve had success with delicious main dishes, such as garden egg layered with spiced minced beef, I’ve made lots of vegetable-based sauces for spaghetti. I have made curry sauce with green pepper, carrots, cauliflower. I am getting hungry just typing.
4. Try to eat together
Children like to copy parents or older ones. If they are of age, serve them the same things you would eat. This means you should be eating food that would be nutritious.
5. You have to try one bite
And no more, if what your child tastes makes him or her vomit. Some mothers I know are so worried they won’t be able to tell the difference between genuine revulsion and mere stubbornness that they let their kids off the hook too quickly. Let the child know he doesn’t have to finish, and praise him for giving it a try. Let them taste it at least.
6. If all fails,use bribery (and don’t feel guilty)
• No icecream if you don’t eat a good amount of dinner.
• No seconds until you try a little of everything—but then seconds can be whatever part of the meal you like most.
• Or, the most mysteriously effective one of all, “I see you’re not eating your chicken. Mind if I give it to your brother?” at which point, some inexplicable competitive urge kicks in and the child (some) polishes off everything on his plate.
7. Save room for dessert.
I can’t lie: Ice cream, chocolates often tastes better than anything on the planet. Still not everything in life is sweet even with food. So try to expand their taste palette.
 
I sincerely wish you good luck in handling picky eaters.

In New York,
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There’s nothin’ you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let’s hear it for New York, New York, New York
Alicia Keys, New York
I can tell you singing that song has me pumped, packing my bags to at least see the sights in New York. Of course I have to apply, pray and fast for American visa first. When you have crossed the hurdle or if you don’t have to, visit New York and see the sights.
Things You Must Do

Stroll through Central Park:Leave your New York hotel and enjoy a stroll or ride a bike through one of America’s most famous parks. Doesn’t it remind you of the TV Series Friends? The best part about Central Park is that it’s free.
Carnegie Hall: An entire trip can be dedicated to Carnegie Hall and its collection of delicious restaurants, its enticing gift shop and educational museum. As one of the premiere concert halls in the nation, Carnegie Hall is a national institution.
Times Square:It doesn’t have to be New Year’s Eve to enjoy Times Square in New York City. As the heartbeat of NYC, Times Square signifies everything that the city represents. The excitement, the glamour, the independent free-spiritedness and artistic qualities of New York are all on display in this timeless spot. One of the best places to begin sampling true New York night life.
Broadway:This is the most famous theater district in the world, and you can choose from timeless classic productions like “Chicago” at the Ambassador or a newer stage rendition of “Mary Poppins” at the New Amsterdam Theater. Either way, no trip to New York is complete without some singing and dancing.
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum:Where else in the world can you have a picture taken with Britney Spears, President Bush and Jack Sparrow? This world-famous wax museum is one of the most visited spots in New York and you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to visit these stunningly accurate figures.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art :From the early 20th century portraits and sculptures to the steel mastery of Frank Stella, the Met is one of the foremost collections of fine art in the world. The museum is so expansive and visual; you should plan on spending an entire day here. If you’ve never been, get on a flight to New York City and go see some fine art. Tip: Wear comfortable shoes!
Take it to the Top of the Rock:The newly opened Top of the Rock Observation Deck on the 67th, 69th and 70th floors of 30 Rockefeller Plaza offers one of the most impressive views of one of the most impressive cities in the world. It’s open until midnight for a romantic visage of the twinkling stars above mirroring the glittering lights from the city below.
Join the Argument for Best Pizza.:One of the longest running debates is who actually has the best pizza in New York. Tons of New York restaurants serving homemade pizza offer up a voice in the debate. You simply can’t take a trip to NYC without adding your input on the matter, and fortunately, there’s no tastier debate! Try the classic pies at Lombardi’s Pizzeria on Spring Street for a taste of old NY and don’t let the line at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria in Brooklyn scare you, it moves pretty quickly! 
Take in the Customary Historical Landmarks.:Visit the historical significance of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, The World Trade Center Memorial and the other national landmarks in New York.

I am not married yet but this is a question that often crosses my mind. I see a lot of women around me make that choice and I wondered what I would do in that situation.
Let me tell you how I see it.You meet, you fall in love, and it’s marvellous. Suddenly, your world has been turned upside down, and finally feels the right way up. You feel more alive than you ever have, and happier than you ever knew you could be. Your heart beats bigger, better and stronger than ever before. You didn’t believe this sort of thing was possible, so you pinch yourself, and you’re met with the incredible realisation that this really is real. They write songs and poems and plays about this, and here you are, in the middle of your own epic love story.
But then you decide to have a baby. And it works and you’re left wondering, what now?
I believe making your children’s happiness your highest priority can result in an unanticipated and undesired consequence: the promotion of the idea that marriage requires the sacrifice of one’s personal needs and desires in order to fulfil the imperative of responsible child rearing.
People today are quick to sacrifice  lives and marriage for children. But as we break our backs for our kids,we have to remember to have a balance. There is a natural order in marriage. It begins with two people falling in love, believing that they are the most important person in the world to each other. As children come along they need to be cherished and loved but never more than your spouse. Then when they’re grown and gone, it’s back to just two people again. When these two remain in love, it provides a stability and a legacy for the children, no matter their age.
Show that man love today.

It is very easy to think that some people have bumps and some do not. Nobody enjoys bumps so there must be a way out. Here is what I have found works;

Exfoliate the skin in the area you want to shave 24 hours before shaving to remove any dead skin cells on the surface
Dampen hairs in the shower only briefly prior to shaving
Apply shaving cream or gel — not soap — before shaving. Shaving creams and gels are formulated with agents that make the skin slippery and help the hairs to fluff up. This allows you to shave with less pressure, and to avoid scraping the skin, which risks deep nicks, but also causes microscopic cuts, roughness and inflammation of the skin. This swelling of the skin may close off the follicular openings, causing the hairs to get stuck beneath the surface, which results in razor bumps
Clean all your razors with hot water and alcohol before and after use. Discard razors after they’ve been used for one week
Shave the bikini area in the direction of the hair growth using a sharp, single-blade razor to avoid shaving too closely — a close shave means that the hairs have settled further beneath the skin surface
Apply hydrocortisone cream at the first sight of a growing red bump. Spot application for a few days can reduce inflammation and break the cycle of an ingrown hair forming, but do not apply it daily because it will cause skin damage and stretch marks if overused.
Don’t shave daily; this will give the skin time to heal
If you regularly feel itchy after shaving, make sure your shave gel or cream is free of irritating fragrances and mentholation
Wear looser clothing the first day or two after shaving to keep pressure off the involved areas
Do not wear heavy makeup on your hair bumps. This will only cause more skin irritation

The skill and precision required to get the perfect cat eye phew! I used to leave this to the professionals but like with everything, practice makes perfect.

When drawing a cat eye, follow the outer bottom lash line upward to get the perfect line.
If you have a hard time drawing a straight line of eyeliner at the base of the lids, draw dashes and connect by smudging the liner with a Q-tip.
When creating a cat eye, keep applying eyeliner past the length of your eyebrow. You can always remove the excess, but it can be really hard to lengthen a liquid line with precision if you’ve stopped too soon.
Use a palette of stone grey shades for a smoky cat eye.
For a daytime cat eye, begin at the inside of the eyelid and drag the liquid liner applicator all the way across the lid to the outside of the eye. When you get to the outside of the eye, move the applicator up and out to create a wing effect. Do not make this line any longer than an eyelash to keep it from being too dramatic.
Apply shadow before attempting a cat eye to ensure you don’t smudge it.
If you want a daytime-appropriate cat eye, apply a layer of shadow, draw on your cat eye, and wait for it to dry, then apply another layer of shadow to tone it down.
Tilt your chip up but look down at a mirror when drawing your cat eye.
Make your cat eye bold by drawing it on with a bright color, instead of your basic black or brown.
If you’re having trouble with liquid liner, draw a practice line with a pencil eyeliner and the trace it with the liquid.

I really enjoy doing these book reviews(Americanah). I know a lot of Nigerians are not bookworms but I am in love with the idea that someone would pick up a book because of what I have written. I also try not to give negative reviews because people translate things differently. I mean it took me a while to read this book because of all the negative reviews I read and I ended up enjoying it thoroughly.
If you have lived outside the country at some point in your life this book would be very relatable.
Americanah Heroines
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie features one of the most interesting heroines I’ve read in a while. Ifemelu grew up in Lagos but left to attend college in America when the military dictatorship gripping Nigeria began interfering with her education. The book starts with Ifemelu preparing to move back to her native country after thirteen years away, looking back on her first love, Obinze, who is now married and has a baby daughter. The storytelling is so rich, I loved how it started with Ifemelu’s present situation and then worked into her past for a few hundred pages filling in the gaps on what had led her to the precipice of heading back home. The book shows the harsh reality of life, how sometimes we do things we are not proud of just to survive.
Ifemelu is not the most lovable character, she is proud, selfish and most times judgemental but she is real. What struck me was how she got her American papers as a result of her relationship with a white man but was so quick to judge her friend in Nigeria for having a sugar daddy.
One of the most interesting components of the book was Ifemelu dealing with the realities of being black in America. Throughout the book there are entries from Ifemelu’s blog addressing race intertwined with the narrative.
Americanah Imagery
The imagery in Americanah is something else, the scent of fried plantains, coconut milk rice, and hair relaxant seem to rise off the page. It’s a long read, but completely worth the time investment.