Real Mom | Nisha of Love Laugh Mirch

And before we know it, May has also come to an end. But with a new month, I have some exciting new things planned. If you’re here for the first time, allow me to take this opportunity to introduce you to a Fun Instagram Challenge I host every month called ‘We Are Real Moms.’ It is a prompt based Community Building Monthly Photo Challenge and you can read all about why I started this and how you can play along, by clicking here.

As a part of this challenge, I will partner with an Insta-Mom every month – someone I met online and yet share a bond, a real friendship with, someone who is Real about her life and its challenges no matter how pretty she or her Instagram pictures look.

I take extreme pleasure in introducing you to Nisha, a fellow Mom, whose profile I stumbled upon by accident. The fact that she was desi but settled abroad caught my attention, I fell in LOVE with her pretty pictures, I laughed at her witty and funny Instagram Stories, and the cute moments she shares with her daughter (popular as Little Mirchi) bring tears to my eyes (totally not kidding.) The relationship she shares with her daughter is something I’d love to have when my Little Laddoo ( the nickname is inspired by Nisha’s nickname for her daughter) is all grown up.

The first exchange I remember having with her was when I responded to one of her Insta Stories – a joke about Punjabi aunties and Trump. It was hilarious and I almost had a fan girl moment when she responded to my message. From there we went on to interacting more with each other, hosting a Holi Themed Photo Challenge with two other fantastic ladies, and today, she calls my Little Laddoo her Insta-Niece. Yes, humne dosti ko rishtedaari mein badal diya. 😂 [We’ve taken our friendship to the next level. Although, literally, that means that we are no longer just friends, we are now family.]

Now I might be a little slow because Nisha has been calling Laddoo her niece for months now, and I just realised this. If Laddoo is her niece, then doesn’t that make us sisters? 🤗

And when I had that epiphany, I was even more grateful for the real connections I’ve made on Instagram. It is because of relationships like these that We Are Real Moms exists, and it aims at helping you meet some wonderful women with whom you can form bonds so strong that they start to feel like family.

Meet Nisha – creator of Love Laugh Mirch (a blog about Indian Food, Culture, and Lifestyle), fellow blogger and mom, who is now also a friend, a sister, and I can’t wait to see what more we can add to this as time passes.

So Nisha, I’m super duper excited to be doing this with you. But before we talk about the challenge, let’s talk a bit about you. You know I think you are amazing and so much fun to be friends with, so it was no surprise that you would be one of my first few co-hosts. And I want to share your awesomeness with everyone, so I’m going to ask you a bunch of questions, like an interview. Let’s get started.

I’m sure people ask you this all the time, but I’m still going to ask…

…how did you come up with ‘Love Laugh Mirch’?

Nisha says, “I wanted something with a Desi touch, true to my personality! When I first started my blog, I had the tagline “The need to feed, a tummy and a soul” which truly represented why I started blogging in the first place, fulfilling a passion while learning how to cook.”

What does your typical day look like?

Nisha says, “As a creative, no one day is the same. Most of my writing gets done in the wee hours of the morning when Little Mirchi and my husband are still sound asleep. I love the silence in the house, it helps me focus. My recipes and photography happen in the first part of the day, usually before 3 PM to take advantage of the sunlight.”

As Insta-Moms we put a lot about our children out there…

…do you worry about who may be watching? How do you ensure your child’s safety and privacy while not compromising on your social media presence?

Nisha says, “While it is difficult to screen everyone that reads my blog, I do try to filter my Instagram followers and block any suspicious accounts. There are certain things that are strictly off limits: location tags, school name, her schedule. For example, from the day she was born, I made a firm decision not to post any nude/semi-nude pictures of her on social media. There is nothing cuter than a baby in just a diaper but those moments don’t need to be out on the web. I think as a parent we try and find any way to keep our child safe and protected as we can.”

What do you love the most about Instagram?

Nisha says, “I’ve met some wonderful women on Instagram over the past few years. Some of them have become real-life friends and some Pen Pals of sorts.”

What is the hardest part about being a mom?

…the biggest challenge, according to you? How do you deal with it?

Nisha says, “I think finding a balance is always a challenge. In the first few years of motherhood I don’t think I made much time for “me” and if I did, I would feel guilty about it. As Little Mirchi has grown older, I have realized that making time for myself, and the things I love, is important to keep me sane and balanced.”

And the easiest part?

Nisha says, “Loving her, of course! Every night I go to bed thinking I can’t love her any more than I already do and the next night I retract and think I can and I already do. I had no idea how much love my heart could hold until after becoming a mother.”

What is the biggest lesson motherhood has taught you?

Nisha says, “One of the biggest lessons motherhood has taught me is that ‘A Mother Knows Best.’ You will get advice from ten different people, some wanted and some unwanted. You can listen to everything but in the end, you know what’s best for your child. Follow your gut; it’s generally right.”

How has connecting with other people on social media been for you…

…moms in particular? Would you recommend it to others? Why? Or why not?

Nisha says, “I think connecting with other moms on social media is a great way to build your own village, it’s a great way to meet like-minded parents and hear different opinions. That being said, one should take everything with a grain of salt and do thorough research before following any trends and/or advice.”

How do you manage to keep it real…

…when you look at others’ seemingly perfect lives on Instagram?

Nisha says, “The little boxes of perfection you see on social media is just a small clip of someone’s life. It’s important to keep that in mind while browsing and especially important when you find yourself comparing.”