What do you want to be when you grow up? Some of you would like to follow your parents, some would love to emulate older siblings, while many inclined towards sports and athletics would hope to become famous one day.

DK Publishing’s When I Grow Up — Sports Heroes helps those who want to be sportspersons by highlighting the careers of some of the best names in the market.

Illustrated by Lucy Semple, this inspiring board book for little ones profiles the careers of Usain Bolt, Lionel Messi, Angelique Kerber, LeBron James and other sports stars, inspiring readers to follow in their footsteps. The book dedicates two pages to each athlete mentioned, explaining that, like the readers, they were once small children learning about the world.

The athletes featured in this book is brilliantly imagined as a kid by the illustrator, which is helpful in many ways. First, it resonates with young readers, and second, it explains the circumstances in which these individuals grew up, which might not have been ideal.

If you didn’t know that the fastest man on the planet, Usain Bolt, wanted to be a cricketer, or that Lionel Messi left Argentina to train in Spain at the age of 13, then there is a lot you need to know about your favourite athletes.

The book explains how these kids found what they loved, the sacrifices they made and who helped them follow their passions all the way into adulthood.

The main objective of this book seems to be drilling into your minds that being young isn’t a disadvantage, but an advantage, because every athlete we adore once started young. For them, achieving sporting greatness was a tough task, but their journey will surely inspire many others to follow.

Besides Messi and Bolt, the book also takes you down memory lane, showing how Ellie Simmonds developed a love of water, who inspired figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu when she was young, and why Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber plays with her left hand.

You will be surprised to know the answer to all these questions, and many more that will arise in your mind while reliving the experiences and passions of these world-class achievers.

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 4th, 2026

Making large batches of mouthwatering food that pleases everyone is a mum’s work, ours is just to make enough to please ourselves when a craving hits us.

So when you just want a warm, comforting dessert without making a whole batch, this single-serve apple crumble is perfect for you. With soft, cinnamon-spiced apples beneath a sweet, buttery topping, it has all the tempting flavours of a classic crumble, but ready in minutes.

It’s warm and soft sweet, with just the right balance of fruity sweetness and crumbly goodness in every bite.

And as it is made in the microwave with simple ingredients, you don’t need any adult supervision or help. And it is also ideal for late night indulgence when there is no gas supply and you can’t use the gas oven.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup apple (diced and peeled)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Method

In a microwave-proof bowl, mix diced apples, cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar.

Microwave for 30 seconds.

Add butter, milk, vanilla and the rest of the brown sugar. Mix well.

Stir in the flour and baking powder. Combine well and microwave oven for a minute or so, depending on the setting of your microwave oven. Enjoy!

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 4th, 2026

One of the bitter truths of today’s world is that, whether girls or boys, children or adults, most of us are more focused on capturing life’s moments than actually living them. Life seems to exist behind filters instead of in real time.

Wherever we go — a family dinner, a birthday party with friends, Eid celebrations or any other special occasion — we are busy clicking pictures. We are forgetting how to take life slow, sit and talk with family and friends, and listen to the stories of our elders. Slowly we are forgetting what such moments truly mean.

That is why today we have countless pictures, but fewer real memories. We forgot how to create memories because we were too busy trying to record them.

And it doesn’t end there. We often fail to realise the deeper impact of this habit. Many boys and girls have become so used to posting filtered pictures on Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms that they no longer feel comfortable with their real faces. At such a young age, insecurities about physical appearance begin to grow.

They can speak confidently online, hiding behind screens and filters. But when it comes to meeting people face to face, they feel nervous, worrying that others will judge them for not looking exactly like their edited pictures. Many children do not understand that filters are not necessary. They should learn to accept themselves as they are. If they want to take pictures, they should do so confidently and embrace their natural appearance. Otherwise, their entire lives may be spent focusing only on what they believe are flaws.

I did not realise this truth myself either. I was living in the same way, until I understood it when it was already too late.

My grandmother lived with us and I had been very close to her since childhood. I would fall asleep listening to her stories at night. Most of my meals were cooked by her. I went everywhere with her. I received the purest form of love from her.

But as I grew older, something changed in me. Even when I sat beside her, I was not truly present. Instead of talking to her or listening to her stories, I remained busy taking pictures, editing them and posting them online. She would call me again and again to sit with her, but I was occupied with my phone — uploading posts, checking reactions and showing the world what I was doing.

Then one day, she left this world.

That was the day I truly understood what I had lost. I realised how many memories I could have created with her, how many more stories I could have listened to and how much more time I could have spent sitting quietly beside her. Instead, I had given more importance to temporary online attention than to her presence.

That realisation hit me deeply. I understood that pictures, on their own, hold no real value. It is the moments behind them that matter.

I began to think about all the picnics, Eid dinners and weddings I had attended over the years. I have albums full of photographs with my cousins — yet I struggle to recall the laughter, the conversations or the simple joy of being together with them at those moments. There are images, but very few living memories attached to them.

Today, I request the younger generation to learn how to create memories with their families, friends and loved ones. Wherever you are, learn to be present. Enjoy the moment fully. Taking pictures is not wrong, but it should be done in moderation.

So that years later, when you look back, you will not only have photographs to scroll through, but also warm memories that still make you smile.

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 4th, 2026