Child - Parenting Hub

Advice from the experts

Delicious Vitamins – A treat for daily maintenance

In today’s world, more people are in need of food supplements to support their diets, but do not enjoy taking pills. That’s why Nutripure fruity chews make vitamins easy and painless to take. The delicious tasting Nutripure fruity chews are specially formulated with natural fruit pectin for adults and kids. Here are a few reasons why fruity chew vitamins are so popular: They are easy to take, especially for adults and children who struggle to swallow tablets. They are very convenient, you don’t need to have a glass of water with you, you can take them anytime and anywhere. They are easily digested. They are delicious and come in a variety of fruity flavours. Gelatine Free No Sugar Coating Vegan Gluten Free No Artificial Colours or Sweeteners No Preservatives No GMO Ingredients FOR KIDS: MULTI VITAMIN Complete (60) – R109.95 NutriPure Multi-vitamin Complete have been specially formulated into a soft and chewy treat, making vitamins fun and easy for children 3 years and older. Multivitamins contribute to the normal function of children’s immune systems and the normal function of many other systems in the body contributing to general wellbeing. Each NutriPure MultiVitamin Complete contains 11 Essential Vitamins & Minerals: Vitamin D, B6, B12, C, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid and Niacin help to metabolise carbohydrates, fats and proteins and are factors in the maintenance of good health. VITAMIN C (60) – R109.95 Contributes to the normal function of the immune system* Research shows that in the winter months children are at a higher risk of colds and flu due to the decline in their immune system. NutiPure Vitamin C is the tasty and effective solution to compensate for the deficiency of this vitamin and to contribute to the normal function of the immune system. Vitamin C also contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system, normal energy- yielding metabolism and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. One Nutipure bear contains 80mg of Vitamin C which is 100% of the EC RDA. PRO BIOTICS (60) – R153.95 With 1 billion live friendly bacteria. At any age, a balanced intestinal micro-flora is highly important in keeping the body in healthy working order. The healthy bacterial micro-flora in the gut is a key element for overall well-being. NutriPure Probiotics is formulated with Bifidobacterium infantis & Lactobacillus rhamnosus, two scientifically tested bacteria strains. Each Nutripure bear contains 1 billion live cultures to help your child boost his daily culture intake. Ideal to use every day. Important to take when children are on antibiotics. IMMUNE SUPPORT + (60) – R109.95 A factor in the maintenance of good health* NutriPure Immune Support + contains a unique blend of 6 essential vitamins and minerals that all contribute to the normal function of the immune system. Vitamin C, B6 and B12 help to metabolise carbohydrates, fats and proteins and are factors in the maintenance of good health. VITAMIN D Gummies (60) – R109.95 Helps maintain strong bones and teeth plus is great for the immune system and is known to aid in the fight against viruses. Extra soft so suitable for even the fussiest eaters. Vitamin D contributes to: The normal function of the immune system, the maintenance of normal bones and teeth, the maintenance of normal muscle function, normal absorption/utilisation of calcium and phosphorus. FOR ADULTS MULTI VITAMIN Complete (60) – R134.95 NutriPure Multi vitamin Complete has been specially formulated for adults. Each NutriPure Multivitamin chew contains a balanced dosage of 12 essential vitamins and minerals: Vitamin D, B6, B12, C, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid and Niacin help to metabolise carbohydrates, fats and proteins and are factors in the maintenance of good health. IMMUNE SUPPORT – Vitamins C, D, B6 & B12 (60) – R134.95 NutriPure Immune Support has been carefully formulated with 6 essential vitamins and minerals: Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Zinc and Selenium are all a factor in the maintenance of good health. VITAMIN D – High Strength (60) – R109.95 Helps maintain strong bones and teeth plus is great for the immune system and is known to aid in the fight against viruses. Vitamin D contributes to: the normal function of the immune system, the maintenance of normal bones and teeth, the maintenance of normal muscle function and the normal absorption/utilisation of calcium and phosphorus APPLE CIDER VINEGAR – Gummies (60) – R159.95 A great natural Immune Booster. At last taking apple cider vinegar has been made easy and great tasting. Nutritional highlights: 500mg of Apple Cider Vinegar per serving for immune support and metabolism, Vitamin C for immune health, Vitamin B6 for energy yielding metabolism and Vitamin C & B6 to reduce tiredness and fatigue. A delicious array of vitamins and minerals for every occasion. There is now no excuse not to stock up and maintain your health.

August 25, 2021

Chicco Unico Air Car Seat

Purchasing a safe car seat is one of the most important decisions a parent makes long before their precious little one even joins the family. There are many options on the market and the information overload can be supremely overwhelming. The Chicco Unico Plus Air is a super seat that is suitable for us from birth till 12 years of age making it a highly cost-effective choice for parents. There is a reason this car seat is rated 4.9 out of 5 stars by over 94 reviewers internationally! The Unico Plus is now a part of the “Air” family making it more breathable and well ventilated – perfect for South Africa’s warm climate! Easy installation either by Isofix or your vehicles 3-point belt A padded reducer provides additional protection for your tiny newborn Side Safety System – ensuring best practice in case of lateral impacts The Unico Plus Air can be purchased at participating baby outlets for R4999.99 – a great investment in your little one’s well-being. For more information head to www.chicco.co.za

August 19, 2021

Things to look for when considering a school | ask the tough questions

While academics are often seen as the hallmark of any good school, a pupil will not achieve to his or her potential unless they are encouraged, believed-in and supported. At the outset, you should look for a school that will nurture and care for your child as a first priority, one that meets your child where they are at and encourages growth of their whole selves. A good school, a school worthy of your child will have teachers that go beyond the terms of a contact of employment. They will be women and men of character, who have empathy and a deep sense of commitment to the young people in their care. They should be people that take on the education of your child as something honourable, exciting and challenging, and will strive to give of their best in growing each and every student in their charge. Here is a simple tip: When scheduling a visit to a prospective school, ask when breaktimes are and plan your visit so that you have your feet on the ground at break. You can tell everything about a school from breaktimes: A snapshot of the sense of community; the way pupils engage with each other and their elders; and how happy, settled and included pupils are from how they act and behave when they are in the social times between lessons. Ask about the school’s support programme for the emotional wellbeing of the pupils. What systems do they have in place to provide for the pastoral care of the young people? Don’t ask about their Matric pass rate, but rather ask them about how they respond to a pupil who they see sitting alone at breaktime. Ask the Head taking the tour for a specific example of when he or she has made a decision that has put the wellbeing of a child as a matter of first priority. Put the Head on the spot. You need to know that the school you are handing your daughter or son to will look after your daughter or son. Ask the Head how they respond to teenagers who are programmed to challenge the system. Ask what they do specifically to ensure everyone feels welcome, everyone feels included, everyone feels supported and everyone feels deeply cared for. Most good schools will tell you about their academic performance and will showcase their top achievers and that is good. These pupils have done well. But what about the pupil who has improved their mark significantly and who has achieved a passing grade for the first time? What about the pupil who battles to make friends? What about the pupil who has a home life that is impossibly difficult? What about that precious child who just needs someone to believe in them? Ask the Head these questions because schools are not just about a few. They are about the many. Schools are so much more than places of academics and sport. They are places where learning happens and where lives are shaped and grown. They are places where untapped potential is tapped and where the individual within the group is seen and matters. Come and talk to us at HeronBridge about the care we will take of your daughter or son. Come and ask us these difficult questions and have a listen to how we approach education in a way that is creative, affirming and inclusive. Come and listen to what it is that we do that allows us to provide an education second to none. By Simon Crane | Deputy Head, HeronBridge College

August 17, 2021

School for Real Life

Independent learning creates independent learners. Most of us have been raised in a traditional school system, where our learning was mainly from textbooks, workbooks, and the blackboard. We were bored and unmotivated most of the time, we wished we didn’t have to be stuck in the classroom listening to one person tell us about subjects chosen for us by educators in an era gone by. Most of us have lived full, successful lives without needing to know much of the information that we were forced to memorise and regurgitate in school. We are beginning to realise that that there are more fun, effective and creative ways for children to learn. Researchers are still studying how children learn best and about the problems they encounter in the school system but teaching children in traditional schools, is like learning about polar bears in a zoo…there is no room to navigate one’s preferred style of learning. After all, a child standing at the check-out counter with a ten Rand note in her hand will be far more motivated to do the maths calculation than one sitting at a desk with a workbook, and this applies to many other skills taught in school. Not only do children become independent thinkers and self-managed students but the environment of homeschooling promotes family bonding and improves learning outcomes. Attending school, in general, weakens the relationship between parents and children, as family groups are not together for most of the day and parents are always struggling to keep up to date and be involved in what their children are learning about. Each child is unique and each child has different talents, abilities, and emotional needs at different ages and stages, this would suggest that any form of education that is designed for the masses cannot be in a particular child’s best interests. Since every child is one-of-a-kind, you need to understand their history, their physical, emotional and mental health, their developmental milestones, their talents, interests, and potential as well as other intimate family information. This personal information should be used to tailor-make the child’s education to suit him or her, education needs to be flexible. The school system can never provide this kind of customised education. Home education can! The school system fails learners in many ways – by focusing on policies, procedures, administrators, teachers, and controlling large groups of children, the needs of the individual child are overridden by the needs of the system. One of the goals of home education is to raise humans who will become self-disciplined and take responsibility for their own education and their own lives. Students can take ownership of their education and do what they need to do for their own reasons, not to conform to the requirements of a teacher or a school system. Home education means parents and their children can choose which learning materials they wish to use. They can study topics that interest them and use materials that are not in conflict with their values and beliefs. This allows for greater freedom and diversity, rather than a one-size-fits-all ideology. The school system forces children into age-segregated classrooms to facilitate mass-delivery of the learning material. Classroom interactions are limited to one age group, which is a false environment in which to learn social skills. As adults, we live in a multi-age community so while learning at home siblings of varying ages can enjoy building relationships and sharing their learning experiences. It is a big decision to abandon the traditional school system and take on home education, but if the school system is failing your child and you identify that the future is changing every moment why not embrace a pro-active, forward-thinking solution to the education of your child. The future needs rule-breakers and creative innovators, not robots with linear thinking. Enrol them in a schooling method that prepares them for real life.

August 16, 2021

Your children with disabilities want to do it themselves!

From my 20 years of professional experience and a lifetime of personal experience with disability I can honestly say that helping your children with disabilities to learn and participate in activities of daily living is probably one of the most important things you will ever do for yourself and for them. Activities of daily living (ADLs) are essential and routine self-care activities that most young individuals can perform without assistance. The concept was originally proposed in the 1950s by Sidney Katz and his team at the Benjamin Rose Hospital in Ohio. Healthcare and educational professionals often use a person’s ability or inability to perform ADLs as an indication of their functionality, particularly in regard to people with disabilities. A person’s ability to safely care for themselves will significantly impact on their quality of life, will set the stage for future performance in school, work and independent living, and determine their need for different levels of care and support in adulthood. Most people engage in daily tasks, almost automatically with little thought. But for individuals with mental and physical impairments, these essential daily living skills can present barriers to leading a happy, healthy, fulfilling life. Types of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) ADLs are skills needed to manage one’s basic physical needs, as well as more complex activities associated with living independently in the community. They include a person’s ability to: Move around independently. Use the toilet independently. Feed oneself. Bathe / shower and groom oneself.Drive or organize alternative means of transport to get around. Shop for groceries and other items like clothing. Prepare meals. Pay expenses, use a banking service and manage money. Clean a home, do laundry and basic home maintenance. Communicate using technology. Obtain medication and take as prescribed. Do you do too much for your child? When children are young parents intuitively take over the executive functioning role of their child’s brain. They make important decisions for their children, organize their lives, and create structure and routines. Most of the time, the responsibility for these processes moves from the parent to the child as they get older. This is an important part of a child’s development, and a clear indication of this is when children start saying ‘I want to do it myself!’ But what about children who have barriers to learning or disabilities? In these children their executive functioning skills are often compromised, negatively affecting their ability to naturally learn important life skills. These children will need more help and support to participate in ADLs and become more independent. This can be an emotionally taxing and time-consuming burden for parents and becomes a dysfunctional habit which disempowers children and increases stress, burnout, and resentment for parents. Why parents do too much for their children Parents tend to be more protective of children with disabilities, believing that their children won’t manage these responsibilities. Some parents feel sorry for their children with disabilities and believe they shouldn’t have more responsibilities when they already find many aspects of life challenging. It takes a lot of time, energy, and patience to teach children with disabilities to be more independent. Parents struggle to set aside time for this with the demands of work, running a household and caring for other siblings. Many parents believe their children with disabilities will learn daily living skills naturally when they are older and that there is no reason to start earlier. Children are very aware that parents or the helper manage these tasks at home, unfortunately creating the perception amongst children that they will never have to do these tasks themselves. Benefits of teaching your children daily living skills The benefits of teaching your children ADLs are endless, and although the choice to do this could be perceived as the more difficult option, it certainly results in long term advantages for both parents and their children. Increased independence. Improved confidence and self-esteem. A sense of purpose. Reduces the burden on parents. Teaches responsibility and perseverance which are critical life skills. Improves a child’s chances of being a more independent adult. Builds an understanding of following structured activities which is vital for entry into the workplace. Introduces the concept of being rewarded for ‘work’ if incentives are used. How to teach daily living skills Teaching a child with a disability to be more independent will require some planning and different approaches to ensure a positive and successful experience. Do the tasks with your children. Children with disabilities learn and retain information better when the skill is demonstrated, and they can model someone else doing it. Step1: Let them watch you first while you explain what you are doing. Step 2: Allow them to try small parts of the task while you instruct, watch and guide. Step 3: Prompt them to explain to you what needs to be done, allow them to try on their own, observe, assist only if needed and give feedback. Step 4: Leave them to do the task on their own by following a checklist and give feedback once complete. Teach the task where it usually happens – if you are teaching your child to use an ATM do so at a real ATM so that learning is more tangible. Break the task down into simple steps. This helps explain the correct sequence of events so that children know where to start and what comes next. Use visual reminders – checklists, a photo sequence, rosters, and videos. Visual tools work best for children with disabilities and should be exciting to look at, visible, accessible, and linked to a child’s interests where possible. Explore using assistive devices and technology that make elements of the task easier to manage such as alarms, reminders, and adapted / assistive tools. Advances in technology and creative tools can make the impossible possible. Continuously praise and reward. Positive reinforcement is so important for children, it encourages them to keep trying and helps them to believe in their abilities. Use star charts or a points system and link achievements to

August 12, 2021

Chicco Oasys Group 2-3 FixPlus Car seat

Did you know that every child under 1.5m tall (between 10 and 12 years old) needs some form of support to survive a crash? It’s a sobering thought, isn’t it? This means that your little one will need to travel in a car seat until they are 12 years old in order to be fully safe should the unthinkable happen. WHAT SEAT DO I USE ONCE MY BABY HAS OUTGROWN THEIR GROUP 0/1 SEAT? The Chicco Oasys 2-3 Evo FixPlus is a car safety seat that grows with your child and it now features a new level of safety – the new Safe Pad. This makes this seat the perfect seat to transition to once your little one hits the scale at 15kg (around 3 years of age) to 36kg (around 12 years of age). Installation of this seat can be completed in a few easy steps either by using the vehicles own 3-point belt or by attaching the rigid FixPlus to the Isofix-points. No matter how fast your little one grows, the Oasys 2-3 Fixplus Evo car seat always adapts perfectly to your child’s body size, as both height and width can be adjusted independently of each other by using a convenient rotary wheel. At the touch of a button, you can adjust the backrest and seat surface in four different levels until a comfortable position for your little one is created. The integrated cup holder keeps refreshing beverages safe and easy to reach – because juice and snacks are what gets us though those long trips, right folks? Just in case your little crumb-snatcher spills something by accident, you can easily remove and wash the easy-to-clean cover – winning! From only R4499.99, you can rest easy knowing your little one is safe and sound in the Chicco Oasys Group 2-3 FixPlus car seat! For more information head to www.chicco.co.za

August 12, 2021

Should My Child Learn a Second Language and When?

One of the magical things about children is their incredible ability to learn without even trying! There reaches an age where suddenly it seems you may have done the most minuscule thing and notice your child has picked this up. The same can be said for children and languages! So, just why are children so good at learning? The main attribute to this is a child’s neuroplasticity – more specifically – the brain being malleable! Although neuroplasticity can occur throughout our lives, children naturally have the most plasticity due to all the neurons making and forming new connections and thus being able to make those connections and stores in the brain much simpler than perhaps an individual over 25. What this malleability allows is for children to basically have an unlimited hard drive with almost very little effort (an ability we all wish we could keep into our adulthood!) The most rapid time for learning is from 2 years until around 10 years old (that is not to say that the brain stops being neuroplastic, just that it is less likely for you to create new connections organically without you focussing on this). It is during these sweet years that once a skill or ability is learned, the brain is able to remember it well into adulthood, easily pick up the skill again, easily grasp similar concepts and the like as the brain has already experienced this skill and more importantly, made the neural links to tap into when necessary. How does learning multiple languages work in children? There is a myth that learning multiple languages at a very young age causes confusion in a child. This is not so. A child can develop and learn multiple languages (and we really mean multiple – this is not restricted to one or two languages) simultaneously whilst growing up – and often leads to greater ability to codeswitch (the ability to switch between speaking one language and another language interchangeably). Why is this? As a child – when we are learning multiple languages – we learn it at the most fundamental basic level – which is by NOT having the ability to translate from a home language. This means – when speaking, a child does not need to first decide which language they want to respond in, and then translate from their home language, because they do not have one yet! They are developing crucial neural links without needing to draw from a reference, that being their home language! The key to teaching children languages is repetition in the target language as often as possible. Why is it better to learn a language as a child vs. as an adult? This is not to say that it is impossible for adults to learn a second language – it most definitely is! But it is unarguable that children are able to pick it up easier. Why is this? It can be attributed to 2 factors. The first was touched on above, as a child – everything we learn is new – that is the foundation of our experience and learning – so those make up our fundamental references – and if you do not have any references, you have to form a new one in order to learn that concept. Conversely to adults – we already speak a language fluently. Our thoughts and words are moulded by that language. So when we are learning a new language – we immediately want to make it relatable by knowing the translations of words. We don’t learn a word as a definition, we learn a word as reference to the word we already know in our language. This will lead us to need to translate in order to speak a second language vs. a child learning naturally and fluidly the definitions of multiple words in multiple languages without the need to translate. The second reason goes back to neuroplasticity. As an adult, although we still have some neuroplasticity, it is not as malleable and extreme as that of children. Our neural networks are pretty much formed and unless we really focus and study that topic, turning new knowledge into long term memory can be difficult. More interestingly, the language centre in our brain decides “ok – this is what we need to know for this language!” when we start learning a new language as an adult, our brain needs to decide where to store this information (our hard drive is no longer unlimited!) and will then decide that the place where the new neural connections will be made will be in the already existing language centre. Effectively, deleting some words that we may have previously known to make space for the new language. This is why most people who become fluent in a second language as an adult, may suddenly find they forget something in their home language that previously they knew. In children, this is not so! That neuroplasticity is so ready – that when the information is coming into our brains for language – the language centre then MOULDS to the number of languages that the child is learning – so instead of forgetting some things in a home language – a child is actually able to store up to double without it affecting either language conversely! Further to this – the brain at a young age is able to say “hey! There are different languages out there – maybe we should keep some neurons available if we ever encounter more” and thus bilingual children are able to learn a new language even as adults. What age should I start teaching my child? The simple answer is – from birth! As parents we mould our children’s experiences and starting to speak in multiple languages from as young as possible will only allow that malleability to really excel and grow. For formal lessons, here at Fluent Panda Language School, we recommend putting children in our kids classes from as young as 4 years old.

August 11, 2021

Hey moms and dads, did you know…?

85 percent of a child’s brain development has already taken place by the age of six. Children who participate in quality pre-school education reach higher levels of education, are less likely to drop out of school, and have lower chances of needing learner support later on in their school careers. Children aged three to five are in the crucial stages of developing self-regulation; learning how to focus, wait, and control their impulses. While these skills are built on into adolescence, the critical building blocks are formed during their early years. Children form attachment styles between the ages of two and three. This means that children need a safe and caring environment to learn how to interact and behave around others, paving the way for relational attachments later in life. During the early years of life, children have a natural curiosity to explore the world around them. Through play, they participate in nature’s way of learning, picking up on cues and experiences in their everyday. While children will continue to learn naturally, introducing young children to organised instruction outside of their family context supports their ability to learn both soft and hard skills. In a loving, creative and intentional environment, children are given more opportunities to develop their cognitive, physical, social and emotional skills which lays a solid foundation for future learning and school readiness. Enrolling your child into pre-school can be a big decision, but starting early helps your child to “learn how to learn” as they spend time in the classroom and on the playground, learning from their peers, their teachers, and their own experiences. A good-quality pre-school that allows for all the above to happen is one that puts the social and emotional wellbeing of a child at the forefront, includes perceptual motor development, a rich language environment and activities that stimulate cognitive development. At HeronBridge Pre-Preparatory, we provide a happy, safe and encouraging space for children, aged two to six, to grow and develop. All of our teachers are specialists in Early Childhood Development which means that while children spend the day “playing” their activities are specifically designed to facilitate learning in a way that is relevant and age-appropriate to each child. To find out more about HeronBridge, and why we believe in laying a solid foundation for learning through Pre-Prep education, visit our website www.heronbridge.co.za or book a tour on 079 508 7436.

August 10, 2021

How mainstream schooling is dumbing down our kids and stifling their creativity.

Perhaps we can find a hidden blessing in the current pandemic crisis that we are all experiencing. Our schools have been shutting down for lengthy periods and have allowed many parents to consider alternate methods of education. The problem with mainstream or traditional schooling is systemic: it is a system that, at best, is designed to dumb our children down; at worst, indoctrinate them. Dumbing down the population is, if you think about it, the main way you can control a population. You can control the cultural narrative because people who haven’t learned to practice the important art of questioning everything will be easily manipulated by the mainstream educational narratives. A study of the history of traditional schools quickly reveals that this “dumbing down” was the intention from the start. Public schools in the West were modeled after the worst aspects of the factory style of education developed in 19th century Prussia. “Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth learning can be taught.” — Oscar Wilde Traditional education focuses on teaching, not learning. It incorrectly assumes that for every ounce of teaching there is an ounce of learning that happens by those who are taught. However, most of what we learn before, during, and after attending schools is learned without its being taught to us. A child learns fundamental things as how to walk, talk, eat, dress without being taught these things. Adults learn most of what they use at work or leisure while at work or leisure. Most of what is taught in classroom settings is forgotten, and much of what is remembered is irrelevant. In most schools, memorization is mistaken for learning, and most of what is remembered is remembered only for a short time. Young children today are increasingly aware of the fact that most of what is expected of them in school can better be done by computers, recording machines, cameras, and so on. We should then ask ourselves a few questions. Do the schools that we have designed best suit the world we are entering into? Has the old industrial form of education that our current system is based upon become obsolete? How can schools be designed to prepare young people for a changing world with increasing needs for a future that will be very different from the industrial age of the past? The central argument here is that the way the schooling system is designed and enacted stifles the possibility of many individuals while reinforcing a broader system of control and teaching young people skills for an era of the past. In general, schools today have become places where we actively discourage thinking that is not predefined, approved, and stamped by the larger social system of the day. In the educational process, students should be offered a wide variety of ways to learn, among which they could choose or with which they could experiment. They do not have to learn different things the same way. They should learn at a very early stage of “schooling” that learning how to learn is largely their responsibility — with the help they seek but that is not imposed on them. Homeschooling provides for this offering to your child, as the responsibility to learn or not to learn, lies with the child. Homeschooling gives your child the opportunity to be their own teacher and it is in teaching themselves that they learn. Subjects are not learned in isolation like they are forcibly taught in mainstream school, rather homeschooling is holistic in its approach, as so much is learned from applying one’s interest and skills to what is being learned. Entrepreneurial education like homeschooling or independent learning teaches the important skills of innovative and creative thinking, helping students develop a flexible “growth mindset” that can adapt to new problems. These kinds of skills are useful beyond the job market. They give students the tools to be active citizens in a complicated and fast-changing world If we want our children to be able to think critically and thrive in the marketplace, it starts with taking back our children’s education any way we can.

August 9, 2021

The Wonderful New way of Learning

Traditional approaches to education are no longer relevant in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. With the pace of change accelerating in the 21st century, a key requirement to thrive is lifelong learning and the ability to acquire new skills quickly. How can “learning to learn” and the ability to be continually reinventing oneself be fostered in children from a young age? It starts with recognizing that the world is changing faster than ever before. To prepare children for the future, parents need to be forward-looking and re-access the type of education that your child needs in this day and age. In today’s world of artificial intelligence, robotics, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, you must prepare children for uncertainty and promote agility and adaptability. This requires a reorientation from early childhood education through to university. It means encouraging flexibility rather than specialization. Parents and children need to completely reimagine education. Instead of learning to memorize facts and figures, students need to “learn how to learn” and how to solve problems. They should be allowed to learn independently, which means that changes are needed at every level. We must infuse things like entrepreneurship into the curriculum because with the disruption we are experiencing in society, many individuals will need to be able to create their own jobs. We may end up in a world in which people are more likely to be autonomous contractors rather than having a secure job that lasts for a lifetime as our parents and grandparents had. We need to completely reframe the system of education based on where the world is going, instead of repeating the same failing patterns that are no longer applicable in the new world we are living in. Education has always been seen as merely the first twelve to fifteen years of your childhood, It needs to be re-identified as a lifelong opportunity, as we truly never stop learning. Working on projects for real organizations, going out into your community, and understanding real-life challenges that people are facing helps you to shape your learning into experiences that you will benefit from throughout your life. These experiences cannot be learned from a textbook but rather by looking at the world head-on. Education has historically been what one can call “Just in case education”, which gives you all kinds of facts and figures just in case it may become relevant to you. But today what we need is “just in time education,” which has three main characteristics: It never stops. Education is lifelong, we always hold the opportunity to learn. It is focused on learning how to learn and learning how to solve problems. You learn independently outside of the traditional classroom, you learn from projects, from playing, from mentors, from experiments, and in a variety of other ways. Instead of giving students a menu of academic disciplines, we should rather present them with a menu of problems and challenges that the world is facing. So, when we ask students to declare a mission and not a major, we are saying: “Pick a problem you want to solve and build your learning around that.” It is about giving a purpose to learning and not just learning for learning’s sake. It is about creating problem solvers because problem-solving will always be relevant even as the world changes. When a machine makes your job obsolete – if you are a problem solver, you will still have relevance in the world. How can your child be his or her own teacher? From the moment a child is born, they have a raging desire to learn, and we believe that if you just follow their lead, provide them with a rich environment, give them the undivided time and attention of the people who care about them the most and encourage their efforts, they will not only learn but exceed all expectations Students have the capability of teaching themselves which makes teachers unnecessary for independent homeschooling. Kids are born with a love of learning. And strategies like repeated testing and flaunting failure stifle a child’s desire to learn The secret to motivating your child is to always let them know that how great you believe they are and remind them that they have the potential to achieve anything. At Syllabis Learning we strive to ensure each student has everything they need within their grasp, creating an environment that enables the child to reach their full potential. We provide all you need to give your child a safe and secure learning environment. We offer a guided program, a roadmap of studies to meet each child’s learning objectives. All our content is written and developed by qualified teachers and curriculum experts. Syllabis Learning offers a refreshing new choice to the learner of the digital age.

August 3, 2021

Why Homeschool with Syllabis?

From the moment a child is born they have a raging desire to learn, and we believe that if you just follow their lead, provide them with a rich environment, give them the undivided time and attention of the people who care about them the most, and encourage their efforts, they will not only learn, but exceed all expectations. We are all a product of our schooling experiences and in teaching our children we sometimes unwittingly make the same mistakes schools make. Schools arrange for kids to fail. Do you remember how the teachers always caught your mistakes and rarely, if ever caught your successes? And what about tests? Tests are given to reveal not how knowledgeable we are, but how ignorant we are. The school system is set up so that no matter what you do, you lose. Kids are born with a love of learning. And strategies like repeated testing and flaunting failure stifle a child’s desire to learn. If you want a kid to hate something – be sure to point out all the ways in which he doesn’t measure up. Don’t you agree that most of us avoid doing things that we don’t do well. On the other hand, when we do something well, people notice and give us praise. Our reaction to their praise is believing that we are good at it, and with this boost in confidence we are ready to do it over and over again. Success produces high motivation! The secret to motivating your kid is to always let them know that how great you believe they are and remind them that they have the potential to achieve anything. At Syllabis Learning we strive to ensure each student has everything they need within their grasp, creating an environment that enables the child to reach their potential. We provide all you need to give your child a safe and secure learning environment. We offer a guided program or roadmap of studies to meet each child’s learning objectives. All of our content is written and developed by qualified teachers and curriculum experts. Syllabis Home Education offers a refreshing new choice to the learner of the digital age. Our component based learning plans empower students of all ages to successfully complete a home based education in a distance learning like environment. It is like having your own virtual school right in your hands. The curriculum consists of a blended mix between online lessons, textbooks, study plans and practical projects and assignments. We present study material to the learner in a simple, concise and understandable way and we provide tangible, creative and technological materials to enhance the learning experience. Our educational material is flexible and easy to use. Give your child the independence they crave, as they progress at their own pace, and because very little parental assistance is required, our curriculum works great if you’re homeschooling more than one child. Our curriculum gives the child the freedom to be flexible. Self-paced means student-paced and Syllabis students have the ability to work as much as they want every day, which aligns perfectly for a successful homeschooling experience. We provide everything you and your child need to make is easy to be and stay organized and on top of your learning objectives. Homeschooling is a most suitable way to raise and educate children. Trust the children. Trust yourselves. Embrace the magic, after all the magic is in the child.

July 29, 2021

Signs your young child may be suffering from Anxiety

There are many reasons why children develop anxiety. From genetics to traumatic events, personality types that are prone to it or natural fears that have deepened. However, it is important to remember that if your child suffers from anxiety, they may not have it for the rest of their lives, and it is a condition that can be managed. Here are signs to look out for to spot anxiety in your child. Unusual tantrums may be anxiety. If your toddler has started throwing temper tantrums and showing disruptive behaviour – these may stem from them being anxious about something. If the tantrums aren’t associated with tiredness, and come about in specific situations, try to take a step back and see if there is something about that scenario that could be overly stressful to your child. Young toddlers often can’t communicate their fears and emotions, so they act out instead. Avoiding situations Have you noticed your young child hiding behind your legs whenever you are in a new place or doing everything, they can not to go to school every day? While both of these situations can be absolutely normal reactions, if you find it persists and becomes more intense, your child may be suffering from anxiety. Sleep disruptions If your child suddenly battles to sleep through the night, and you find them tossing and turning when they didn’t before – this could be caused by anxiety. Just like adults who suffer from anxiety battle to sleep, so too can affect your child’s sleep. Physical signs If your toddler or young child often complains of things like tummy aches or a sore head, however, doctors have said that there is nothing wrong; this could be a sign of anxiety. And they aren’t pretending. The stress that anxiety can cause their bodies can induce these psychosomatic symptoms. The difference between being anxious and a disorder Everyone has moments when they feel anxious. This doesn’t necessarily mean you are suffering from an anxiety disorder. In actual fact, anxiety in the form of fears can be good for our children – it is our brain’s way of telling us something may be dangerous. When usual fears and stress start to become debilitating and stops your child from doing everyday things – this is when they may be dealing with an anxiety disorder. What you can do to help Not all of the above signs mean your child has anxiety – however, if you spot more than one on a regular basis, the best bet would be to take your child to their doctor and let them know your concerns.

July 28, 2021

Baby’s physical milestones for every age

As parents, we naturally want to keep track of how our little ones are developing or if there are any concerns around things they are supposed to be doing. This milestone guide, written by Occupational Therapist Megan Smith, gives you the average milestones children reach at certain ages. It is important to note that not all children are the same, and many develop at different paces than others. If you are concerned about drastically missed milestones, we always suggest booking an appointment with your child’s doctor to check everything is on track. Milestones for 0 to 6-month-old babies During the first 0 to 2 months of the baby’s life, they have limited control over their own movements as they are generally due to reflex actions. (Baby massage and exercises will assist in muscle strength and tone development). During the first few weeks, babies will lie in a flexed position (tucked inwards, knees to chest and arms towards trunk centre). This mimics the position they maintained in the womb and allows them to feel safe and secure. Swaddling assists babies in maintaining the contained position. Babies first motor milestone are to overcome flexion and uncoil into a more neutral lying position. As their back muscles strengthen, this becomes easier and more natural. 4 to 6 weeks – during tummy time, babies will start to lift their heads off the mat for short periods of time. As the neck muscles start to strengthen, this movement becomes easier and will be sustained for longer. By six weeks, they should be able to hold their head up for a few minutes in supported sitting and on their tummy. 12 weeks – arm movements start to appear more controlled as babies start to swipe for objects held in their visual field. This is important for developing arm strength. By 3 months old, when babies are placed on their side, they can roll over onto their back. 3 months – babies can hold their heads up at a 45-degree angle during tummy time. During the 8 to 12-week period, babies will start to notice their hands and bring them to their mouths actively. This is the starting point in developing hand-eye coordination. 4 to 6 months – babies start to prop up on their elbows during tummy time and may even hold themselves up on straight arms in this position. They may collapse on one arm, causing them to roll over accidentally. 4 to 6 months – when lying on their backs, babies will start to play and engage with their toes, bringing them right up to their mouths. This is important as the position strengthens their tummy muscles. By 6 months, babies should be rolling one way – back to tummy or tummy to back. By 6 months, babies will love to be supported on your lap in the standing position and bounce. This strengthens the leg muscles to prepare them for pull-stand. 6 months – babies should achieve the sitting position. 6 months – babies hands become more functional, and they start to actively grasp and manipulate objects. Milestones for 6 to 12-month-old babies 9 months – independent sitting where babies will be able to get in and out of the sitting position on their own. While sitting, babies will start to reach forward for objects and turn their trunks to the sides to reach objects. During the reach, they may find themselves propping forwards into the crawling position. 9 months – babies should have a good contralateral crawl. By 9 months, babies can pick up an object between their thumb and forefinger. Around 9 to 10 months, babies can pass toys from hand to hand. At 9 to 12 months, babies will start using external objects to pull themself into a standing position. Once in a supported standing position, babies will bounce and rock on their legs, preparing their muscles for weight shifting needed to achieve walking. During this period, one bounce will eventually turn into a step, and they will learn how to cruise – holding onto something with their hands for support and moving their feet. Walking is the most variable milestone and really depends on the individual child. Some walk at 9 months, others at 16 months. Milestone for 12 to 18-month-old babies At 12 months, they will point to objects with their index finger. At around 15 months, they can now bend in standing to pick up a toy. At 15 months, babies can crawl up a few stairs. At 18 months, babies can start to take a few steps backwards. At 18 months, babies can page through a thick paged book. Milestones for 18 to 24-month-old babies Towards 2 years, toddlers can now run more rhythmically, faster and with better balance. At 2 years, toddlers can walk up and down stairs unaided, holding onto a rail. They can stand and kick a big ball without losing balance. They can catch a ball if you through it into their arms. Milestones for 2 to 3-year-old’s At 2 years, they will start to ride a tricycle. They can hit a ball lying on the floor with a bat. They are able to hold a crayon with all fingers and their thumb in opposition, using elbow and shoulder to draw. They can jump down a step with two feet together. At 2,5 years, they can walk between two lines. They will start to cross the midline of their body during activities. They can stand on one leg momentarily. They can throw a ball in a specific direction. They can kick a ball without losing balance. They can use their fingers separately – touching their thumb to their index finger. Milestones for 3-year-olds They can walk backwards, forwards and sideways. They can walk heel-toe with good balance. They can walk on a straight line. They can throw a ball from above his head. They start to use an inferior pencil grip – holding the pencil between their thumb, index

July 23, 2021

Teaching children how to spend

You don’t have to wait to leave a monetary legacy for your children, instead, help them develop healthy savings and spending habits now that will set them up for future financial freedom. As parents we have a significant role to play teaching our children the value of money. These lessons should not be limited to lessons around saving money but should be extended to how to spend. I was shopping with my children a few months ago when my son asked me to buy an expensive Lego set. “Put it on your card,” was his solution when his Lego request was denied. You still have to pay for whatever you spend on your credit card, I explained, adding that you have to earn enough to cover your spend. Since ‘spend less than you earn, buy less than you can afford’ is my personal mantra, I only spend on my card what I can afford to ‘repay’ at the end of each month. Having decided that my children would benefit from a money chat at this point in their lives, I adapted a story from a children’s book, ‘More Than Enough’, distributed by Foord Asset Management. Here’s what I told them: When squirrels get old, they don’t have as much energy as they did when they were young, and they like to rest and enjoy the forest a little more. However, when squirrels are young, they are full of energy and need to collect as many acorns as they can, for a few different reasons: They collect acorns so that they and their family can eat. They collect acorns for the winter in case food is more difficult to find during these months. They also collect acorns for when they are old and don’t have the energy, or the ability, to go out and look for acorns. These three reasons easily translate into our daily lives and are the motivation both to earn and save: Earn so you can buy food and clothes, pay rent or a bond, pay school fees and maybe even go on holiday. Create an emergency pot of money in case things do not go to plan – making provision for, for example, unanticipated expenses, job loss, health issues, and so on. You can also add long-term insurance to this pile of acorns; this is a crucial part of an investment portfolio to provide for you and your family in the event of death or disability. Save money for retirement. Out-of-pocket principles Arguably as important as why to save, it’s imperative to teach children how tospend their earnings and savings. I have often heard friends proudly noting that their children save all their pocket money. That means that they continue to spend their parents’ money … thereby losing a valuable opportunity to learn a lesson on the value of money. Following our squirrel tale, my children started to receive their own pocket money and manage their own credit cards (debit cards for now, but they don’t yet know the difference). I advised them that half the pocket money was going into a ‘spending account’, for whatever purchases they wanted, and the other half into a ‘savings account’, not to be touched until they turn 18. For now, I put R50 per month into each spending and savings account, and separately have a unit trust for each of them that they are unlikely to be aware of until adulthood. What’s important is not the amount, but the principle. There is already seen evidence of the spending lesson taking root. Over the past few months, my children’s spending habits have changed. What started off as spending on rubbish and sweets has transformed into waiting for a few months of pocket money to get something they really want. They occasionally ask me how much their savings account has accumulated so they can weigh up a purchase. Each child has had a birthday since we started this and any cash gifts from family and friends go into the spending account. Their savings accounts earn interest, albeit at a paltry rate, which is an opportunity to teach them about the free money (interest and compound interest) they earn by leaving the savings pot alone. Now is the time We have a duty to teach our children about money and, more importantly, the value of money. This does not mean your sole purpose needs to be to find a job that pays the most. What it does mean is understanding where you are and where you want to go. Financial security, I believe, is within most people’s reach although this will mean different things to different people. If you earn R30 000 a month, for example, it’s unlikely you will drive a Ferrari and go on annual overseas holidays, but you can probably put something away to secure your future. It’s never too late to start learning about money and savings – it’s also never too early. By Stephen Katzenellenbogen, Senior Executive and Wealth Manager at NFB Wealth Management

July 15, 2021

Quanta Books

Quanta is your at-home physical science teacher. Top universities across the country use the Quanta Books series What makes the Quantaseries unique? The content is divided into bite-sized ‘quanta’; each quantum contains a crisp and to-the-point summary of a specific topic enriched with hints and tips, followed by an exercise containing numerous questions on the subject. The series addresses three essential aspects that are often overlooked when studying Physical Sciences: Practice: The series contains hundreds of exercises (mainly from national examination papers from 1990 to 2012), and examples from the Department of Education, to help learners practise their skills. Catering to all learners: The content targets both the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Many learners are ‘right-brained’ learners, who either get bored in Science class or who battle to understand the abstract concepts. The DVDs, which accompany the books, contain cartoons, animations, and demonstrations that enable the ‘right-brained’ learners to visualise difficult and abstract concepts. Detailed explanations: The back of the book includes a memorandum with step-by-step answers to all the questions. The answers to the multiple-choice questions are also fully explained! *All our books are available inboth Afrikaans and English. Get in Touch with Optimi Publishing [email protected] / 087 405 2244

July 14, 2021

PARENT SURVIVAL KIT – ADHD

Most parents would never ignore their child’s broken bone or obvious signs of physical injury. Yet, when it comes to a child’s mental state and someone tells you that your child has ADHD or that your child needs medication! Panic sets in. You are not sure what all of it really means. However, what you do know is that you definitely are not keen to medicate your child. However, you are told that without meds your child is likely to make limited academic progress. So, where to from here? All is not lost Your child will be ok! There are many paths to follow, but having ADHD is definitely not the end of the child’s world. It is unfortunately a fact that if you take no action whatsoever, then your child is likely to battle more than they should at school and during their life. Courses of action The first port of call is to find a deep understanding of exactly what ADHD is? Well, it relates specifically to concentration and focus issues. The ICD-11 states that it is “a persistent pattern (at least 6 months) of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that has a direct negative impact on academic, occupational or social functioning.” The ICD-11 further states that the onset of these symptoms occurs prior to age 12 years, typically by early- to mid-childhood. One of the questions that is often asked is: Is there a correlation between intelligence and ADHD? Research has shown that there is no major correlation between ADHD and intelligence, but children with ADHD are often more adventurous, more likely to be entrepreneurs…, more likely to “think out of the box”, but they will battle with formal, long-term study environments. Most adults work with their ADHD, whether they know it or not, they are likely to choose jobs where they have freedom of movement and don’t always have to rely on a structured environment in order to succeed. Symptoms The actual symptoms as observed by a teacher in the classroom are: Inattention Non-completion of tasks in the allocated time Loss of focus General problems with concentration Self-focused behaviour Interrupting Problems with patience Emotional turmoil Fidgeting Problems playing quietly Avoidance of tasks Daydreaming Trouble getting organized Forgetfulness Do we see these symptoms at home? Most of the time our children are playing or are involved in an activity which they want to be involved in: gaming inside, playing a game outside or doing something relatively passive like watching TV or a series or something similar. When we are able to observe our children attempting to complete a focused task like studying or homework tasks, that’s when we are likely to see some of the ADHD symptoms. If there was anything positive about the complete lockdown, we had in 2020, it was that we as parents we got to see our children’s actual classroom behaviour. If we were able to see their online behaviour, then we were extra lucky. In most instances many parents had the opportunity to observe that their children battle to stay focused and/or complete a task, even though their teacher may have advised them of the situation before. What about medication? Which meds should we use? “I have come to the conclusion over a number of years that the possible side-effects as discussed on the medication pamphlets are not always exactly the same for everyone. I believe that each child (person) reacts differently to medication in their systems. From absolutely no side-effects at all, to other debilitating side-effects.” Should we use stimulant medications? Should we use Long-Acting medications (8 hours)? Should we use alternative prescription medication? Should meds be part of the solution at all? “Well, my advice is to use whatever meds your Paediatric Neurologist or Paediatrician recommends, but to stay in close contact with the medical professional. They need to know how your child is reacting, and how to alter and possibly prescribe something else if necessary. Remember, medication is always a last resort, and when the time comes to use whatever medication, the medical professionals prescribe for a better and healthier way forward.” Toolkit A Parent Toolkit that could assist you along the way is as follows: A formal assessment by a Paediatric Neurologist (if possible, otherwise a Paediatrician), including questionnaires for the child’s teacher, as well as your input as a parent, and an assessment at some stage of the process by an Educational Psychologist. Understanding that it is a neurological condition. Creating structure, boundaries, and an appropriate environment for learning at school and home. Correct school placement if possible (small classes, and an understanding teacher). Close liaison with the child’s teacher, medical professionals, and all therapists. Medication if recommended by the child’s teachers and therapists, and prescribed by a suitable medical professional. Your child is exceptional and most likely will achieve great things throughout life. Your job as a parent now, is to understand your child and assist wherever you can to help them on their journey to greatness. By: Dr Greg Pienaar, Principal at The Bridge Assisted Learning School

July 13, 2021

10 Notable People Who Were homeschooled

In an age where more students are receiving an education and graduating than ever before it is interesting to take note that education is finally evolving into something far more exciting. Along with the education of teachers, learning tools and teaching techniques have also changed significantly with the digital revolution. There is finally a drive to incorporate technology, mobile devices, and independent learning into the student curriculum. If the thought of homeschooling concerns you then perhaps reading about 15 notable people who were homeschooled will begin to change your view on independent learning and this revolutionary method of schooling. Thomas Edison Thomas Edison is one of the most famous and productive inventors of all time with almost 1000 patents in his name, including the electric light bulb, phonograph, and motion picture camera. He became a self-made multimillionaire even though he was considered a difficult child at the school he attended so at the age of 7 his mother removed him from school and taught him at home. Alexander Graham Bell Bell was homeschooled until the age of 11 before enrolling in a traditional school. Despite his poor grades at school Bell went on to be a noted inventor and held more than a dozen patents. Albert Einstein Although he was named time magazine’s “Man of the Century,” Albert Einstein was not an “Einstein” in school. The Nobel Prize-winning physicist, famous for his theory of relativity and contributions to quantum theory and statistical mechanics, dropped out of high school at age 15 to continue his education independently. Teddy Roosevelt The 26th US president, leader of The Rough Riders and inspiration for the teddy bear, Teddy Roosevelt was born to a family of fourteen children. Roosevelt and his siblings suffered from a variety of physical ailments, and as a result, were home-schooled. The children were taught by their mother, aunt, and a French governess, who did a fantastic job: Teddy was admitted to Harvard in 1878. Abraham Lincoln The remarkable 16th President of the United States known for leading the nation during the civil war and abolishing slavery is a product of homeschooling. History books did not lie when they said he was raised in a poor household by loving but unfortunately illiterate parents. Unlike the parent or private tutor-led homeschool method we know today, Lincoln had to teach himself how to read and write while also supporting his family. Proof that independent learning does rely on someone else teaching you. Leonardo da Vinci The artist behind the legendary paintings Mona Lisa and The Last Supper was a homeschooler! Da Vinci went down in history not only as a great painter but also a polymath with extensive knowledge in various fields like biology, math, architecture, and engineering. This renaissance artist was taught English, writing, and math by his father. Agatha Christie This famous mystery novelist was homeschooled by her father. She taught herself to read at just 5 years old. She wrote some 75 novels, including 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections. Christie is perhaps the world’s most famous mystery writer and is one of the best-selling novelists of all time Maria Sharapova Although she was enrolled in a prestigious school at the age of 9, Maria Sharapova and her parents decided that home learning was the best choice for the athlete t continue her journey to becoming a famous tennis star. Sharapova is a brilliant example that independent learners can become well-rounded and emotionally intelligent people. Emma Watson The bright and fearless Hermoine Granger in the Harry Potter series, as well as one of the highest-paid actresses of all time, Emma Watson was homeschooled for most of her adolescent years. Watson had to be educated by a private tutor on set along with her co-stars as she started acting professionally at age 10. Watson earned her degree in English Literature in 2014 from Brown University. Taylor Swift Singer-songwriter and ten-time Grammy award winner Taylor Swift was homeschooled from the age of 14. She chose to learn independently to accommodate her touring schedule. Homeschooling has become a popular option for numerous celebrities to allot more time to grow their showbiz careers Choosing to homeschool your kids might feel like an all-too-eccentric route to take, but you’d be surprised to find that your child is actually in good company if you choose to set him/her off on this specific path of alternative learning.

July 12, 2021

TikTok, Roblox and game videos: What kids were looking for in 2020-2021

A new Kaspersky Safe Kids study has revealed what children were interested in during 2020 – 2021. Over the past year, their interest has grown in the categories of ‘software, audio and video’ and ‘e-commerce’, while ‘Internet communication media’ and ‘computer games’ have slightly decreased. TikTok, YouTube, and WhatsApp are at the top of the most popular applications. At the same time, TikTok overtook Instagram with almost double the level of popularity. 2020 turned out to be one of the most unusual years for modern children. The pandemic has changed many common life situations across the globe, including education, meeting friends and family, recreation, and entertainment. Kaspersky analysed anonymised data, such as search queries, the most popular Android applications and website categories requested voluntarily provided by Kaspersky Safe Kids users, to explore how the interests and needs of children have changed under the new conditions. The most popular website categories among children in South Africa were ‘software, audio, video’ (52%), ‘Internet communication media’ (14%) and ‘computer games’ (9%). Among the most popular apps, YouTube leads by a wide margin – the service remains the most popular video streaming service among children around the world. In second place is the messenger WhatsApp, and third is the popular social network TikTok. The top list also includes games, such as Brawl Stars, Roblox, Among US and Minecraft. Children globally are very active in listening to and watching music videos on YouTube – its share is 17.35% in searches for music genres and videos. A number of ‘trend’ videos were also visible in the statistics – ‘pop it and simple dimple’ and ‘ASMR’ account for 4.43% of the queries. This year, requests related to the video game maker Gacha Life also stood out in the top ratings of children from all over the world with a share of 4%. When it comes to music tastes, alongside traditional leaders like K-POP bands BTS and BLACKPINK, singers Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish and Travis Scott, another musical genre, like ‘phonk’ became popular. There is also a trend towards ‘creative’ videos – more and more requests for beats, samples and lessons on creating music in various programmes began to appear at the top of the list. At the same time, TikTok remains the main musical trendsetter for children. Cartoons account for half (50.21%) of all video searches by children around the world. The most popular ones are Lady Bug and Super Cat, Gravity Falls and Peppa Pig. In second place were various TV shows – the most frequent search in English was The Voice Kids. In movies and TV series, the most popular trailers were Godzilla vs Kong, Zach Snyder’s recent Justice League and the Disney+ mini-series WandaVision. Netflix also continues to attract the attention of more kids – the most frequent requests via the platform were for Cobra Kai and the now iconic Stranger Things. TikTok remains the undisputed leader among children, but at the same time, the perception of the social network has begun to transform. Now it is no longer only a social network for clips and lip syncs, as more educational and creative content has begun to appear on the platform. At the same time, to create TikTok videos, one person has to do the work of the operator, actor, director, and the entire film crew. All this develops skills that can not only be useful for children in the future, but could lead them to choosing it as a profession. For video games, those trending the most with children globally include Minecraft (22.84%), Fortnite (6.73%), Among Us (3.80%), Brawl Stars (6.34%) – which recently captured the attention of children and is very popular – and the much-loved Roblox game (3.82%). At the same time, the most frequently played game in the top 10 for almost all countries is Roblox. Of all the regions, it was children from Kazakhstan who became leaders in visiting sites devoted to computer games – 26.01%. In second place were children from the UK (19.40%). But we see a very different picture in India, where children hardly ever visited sites dedicated to video games from a PC (just 5.08%). “Modern children grow up with gadgets in their hands from a very young age, so they adapt to the digital space and master new technologies much faster. We see how TikTok has become one of the main trendsetters among children in a short time and continues to keep their attention. At the same time, YouTube hasn’t lost ground and remains the leader in popularity among children, in part due to the huge variety of videos, ranging from ‘let-plays’, documenting the playthrough of a video game, to educational lectures and clips. Understanding and analysing the interests of children on the Internet helps us to pay attention to the issue of safety. By knowing what kind of music a child listens to, who their favourite bloggers are or what games they play, parents can strengthen their trusted relations with kids. For instance, they could film a TikTok video together. This will also let parents help their kids to protect themselves from potential hazards online,” comments Anna Larkina, web content analysis expert at Kaspersky. To ensure children have a positive online experience, Kaspersky recommends that parents: Learn more about your children’s interests. Surf and learn together. See where children spend their time online and explore how to best keep them safe. Explain that sensitive information should only be shared via messengers and only with people they know in real life. Consider downloading parental control apps and discuss this topic with your child to explain how such apps work and why they need them to stay safe online. Spend more time communicating with children about online safety measures. Tell your children what must not, under any circumstances, be published on the Internet and why.

July 9, 2021

Easy Ways To Encourage Your Children To Draw

Research published in Psychology, Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts found that drawing boosts your mood, making you feel happier. Not only that, but it encourages penmanship, helping with fine motor skills and muscle memory. Drawing is also an excellent way of stimulating the imagination, and provides children with a sense of accomplishment, helping them to boost their self-esteem. Encouraging your child to draw is easy, and you don’t need expensive equipment – you don’t even need a pen or pencil: you can draw in sand or soil if you’re on the beach or in the backyard. Children will enjoy spending time expressing themselves, both indoors and out, having fun with art. Drawing family pets The pets in your home make the ideal art subject, and will give your child the opportunity to add texture to their drawings. Think about sketching fur on a cat’s face – the lines go in many different directions to create contour and help give the face a sense of dimension. It is easy to achieve the effect of fur just with a pencil when you’re drawing a cute cat face. One of the best times to draw a pet is when they’re asleep. You can then focus on small details, like the spotty dimples of a dog’s nose, or how large their ears are in comparison to the rest of their head. Your child can also have a go at drawing some colourful paw prints. Finger painting You don’t need to use a pen and paper to be able to draw: get your child to try using different parts of their body. Finger painting is a good start, and a fun activity for pre-schoolers and toddlers. You can use coloured paints, or even make your own art materials from plants and flowers. Finger painting is only the start though – what about elbow painting? Or using your feet to create different shapes? By making drawing a tactile experience, you can engage your child and help them to improve their coordination and motor skills. Doodling and Zentangle Drawing is a wonderful way to express yourself, and doodling in particular can be a great way of freeing the mind. It shows children that you don’t always have to draw a certain subject: even the simple act of putting pen to paper and starting with some flowing squiggles can be good fun. Those squiggles may become something unexpected entirely, or you can use them as a starting point to create imaginary creatures, aliens and landscapes. For older children, the Zentangle method can be fun, creating structured and sequenced patterns to create larger images. It helps the mind to focus and relax, easing stress and making you feel happy. Zentangle is also a great way of drawing botanical pictures, filled with trees, leaves and flowers. Drawing is extremely beneficial for children, and helps them to develop their fine-motor skills in a creative way. Drawing is also an essential tool for helping children to express themselves, boosting mood so they feel happy.

July 9, 2021

Glenoaks Remedial and Special Needs School A look into our Assisted Learning Stream

In the heart of Kensington, lies a hidden gem. This gem is Glenoaks Remedial and Special Needs School. As a strong establishment of 52 years in remedial and special needs support, Glenoaks offers a unique and comprehensive educational experience for any child who presents with wide-ranging barriers to learning. The school has a specific stream dedicated to learners with special educational needs. This stream is run by a team of dedicated teachers and therapists who are passionate about special needs and strive for each child to reach their true potential. The GOAL (Glenoaks Assisted Learning) Stream caters for learners from the ages of 6 to 14 years, who have special educational needs which inhibit them from learning in the ‘traditional classroom’. Our learners are unique, inspiring and present with a variety of different and individualistic learning styles. Even though they cannot cope with the pace and complexity of an academic curriculum, neither in a mainstream nor in a remedial classroom, they are able to learn within our supported environment – this is because we focus on what our learners CAN do! Each of our learners have differing areas of strengths. Some have promising potential in one or two subject areas but demonstrate functional abilities in other areas and some of them demonstrate strengths with tasks of a practical nature. A placement in the GOAL stream allows for teachers and therapists to work on enhancing the learners’ strengths whilst developing their skills in areas they find difficult without having to abide by a pre-determined curriculum that may not be suitable to their learning style or needs. Our learners all benefit from repetition, positive reinforcement, and reduced time pressure, aiming at developing skills within their levels of ability. At present we have a Junior, an Intermediate and a Senior GOAL Stream class. These classes are divided according to a child’s age and ability. Our class sizes are between 5 – 7 learners, and the younger classes have a classroom facilitator. This allows for individual attention and support throughout the day. We also have a multi-disciplinary team consisting of psychologists, occupational, speech and language and remedial therapists, as well as facilitators, all working together to ensure that no stone gets left unturned when it comes to your child’s educational needs. Subjects in the GOAL Stream include life skills, activities of daily living, cooking, supported reading, home management, current events and world knowledge, basic administration skills, computers, drumming, library, sport, social and emotional skills, Occupational Therapy groups, Speech-Language Therapy and communication groups, social skills groups, work experience groups, and arts and crafts. We also work on individualised numeracy and literacy programs with each of our learners. Our classroom themes are all-encompassing themes and many of our activities are ‘out of the box’ to best support learning needs and styles. Older GOAL Stream learners have many opportunities for project-based learning in preparation for in-house work experience. Our core focus for these learners includes developing their life skills, and functional mathematical and literacy skills so that they can be productive and contributing members of society, whether it be within independent or sheltered working environments. Our school has a warm and nurturing environment. Please spend some time looking at our website, and make an appointment if you wish to come and see our gem of a school! The staff at Glenoaks take inspiration from each child as well as their families, and this poem written by a mom who was asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability, has made us look at special needs differently. It’s like this… Welcome to Holland Written by Emily Perl Kingsley When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans. The Colosseum, the Michelangelo David, the gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting. After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.” “Holland?!” you say. “What do you mean, Holland?” I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy. But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to some horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place. So you must go out and buy a new guidebook. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It’s just a different place. It’s slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around, and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills, Holland has tulips, Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy, and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life you will say, “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.” The pain of that will never, ever, go away, because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.

July 7, 2021

Five ways to help build your child’s communication skills and confidence

We start communicating from the time we’re born, heralding our arrival with a wail – but that’s just the first step in our communication journey, as we learn to engage with our parents, our friends, our teachers, and others. It’s worth remembering that nurturing effective communication with your children is about so much more than the humdrum of daily routines – it also helps grow their skills, makes them feel safe and secure, and helps them develop strong and intuitive relationships with people outside the family. With the 2020 LEGO® Play Well Study highlighting that 96% of parents say that play facilitates communication with their child, and 88% of children saying that play helps their parents get to know them better, these five ideas to build communication skills are a great place to start: Play ‘chatting catch’. Toss a ball or bean bag between you, with the throwing person asking a question while it’s in the air, and the catching person answering the question when they catch it. This will distract your child from the awkwardness or shyness they may be feeling – with the added bonus of boosting their catching and throwing skills! Talk about non-verbal communication, or body language. You could do this in a ‘charades’ format by acting an emotion and then asking your child to identify it – they could even show you what they think they look like when they’re feeling that emotion too. Play describing games with construction toys, such as ‘What is it?’ and ‘Communication House’ from the LEGO Six Bricks booklet. These games, and others that encourage children to describe what they are doing well enough for their friends to build items based on their descriptions, are great ways to stimulate thoughtful communication. Consume content together – whether it’s a TV programme or reading a book together – and then discuss what happened afterwards. Ask questions about the plot, about the characters, and even about how the story made your child feel. Remember to let your child express their thoughts and views about the story – you may even see the world from a completely different perspective! Use car time to talk. When you’re doing the school or extra-murals parents’ taxi run, ask your child about their day – but avoid questions that can be answered with that dead-end word – ‘fine’. Ask what the best and worst parts of the day were, or what their favourite activity was – and share those elements of your day too. Helping your child improve their communication skills could be as simple as talking about what you’re doing as you go about your daily tasks, or it could be as focused as playing a game that’s purpose-designed to improve their confidence and vocabulary. Whichever activity you choose, it’s important to be engaged and to listen to the feedback you’re getting – communication does, after all, go at least two ways! By Kristian Imhof, country manager for LEGO® in South Africa

July 6, 2021

Have you had your Vit D3 sunshine shots?

Here’s a winter health fact. Our bodies need Vitamin D for many important processes including supporting the immune system, bone and muscle building, and to promote better sleep and mood. We can even produce enough vitamin D ourselves. That’s if we bare our arms, legs, back, chests or faces to the sun for a limited period of time, because the sun’s UV rays produce Vitamin D in our bodies. Scientists reckon that five to 15 minutes, or five to 30 minutes for darker skinned people, of sun exposure two or three times a week will do it. But during winter, just when we need this immune boosting and stress relieving sunny gift to help us through the season of colds and ‘flu, the days are short, we stay indoors, and are usually covered up head to toe for much of the time. But, fun tip ladies: if you wear a cami under your warm clothing, you can head for a sunny spot at a warm time of day, strip off the top layers and you’re all set for a short spot of winter sunbathing. You may not wish to try this at the office! For those of us who can’t do the sun thing, vitamin D is also available in some foods, mainly in fatty fish like pilchards, tuna and salmon. Milk, yogurts and cereals are often fortified with Vitamin D too. Still, there are good reasons why many of us can’t get enough Vitamin D from sun or food (being elderly, covered up clothing for religious reasons, no time to go outside, being darker skinned…). In those cases, a one-a-day Nativa Complex® Vitamin D3 https://www.nativacomplex.co.za/immune-health/#nativa-complex-vitamin-d3 can fill the gap. It’s the newest addition to the well-established Nativa Immune Complex® range. Nativa Complex® Vitamin D3 supplies 1000 IU of Vitamin D and can be administered from 6 years of age. Cost is around R100 for a month’s supply, from Takealot, Dis-Chem, Clicks and selected pharmacies nationwide. Read about this well formulated immune boosting range at https://www.nativacomplex.co.za/immune-health/#immune-complex-product, and then enter our competition for a chance to win one of two R750 vouchers from Cotton On . Their stylish men’s, women’s and kid’s clothing can see you through winter, and (yay) into Spring. #VITAMIN D3 #sunshine vitamin

July 1, 2021

The Myths and Facts about socialisation and homeschooling

The socialisation myth was born out of a misconception of what it means to be homeschooled. Many critics, educators, and parents still believe that homeschoolers hit the books at 9 am do schoolwork until 4 pm, and spend the entire day alone and isolated from the rest of the world. This notion, of course, is quite uninformed! This topic of the effect homeschooling has on socialisation has been one of the most heavily researched issues for years now. People still have trouble conceiving how or if a child can develop optimal social and emotional skills when homeschooled. These concerns are almost always goodhearted but usually said from a position where people assume that the conventional way of schooling is the only way, and have done very little research on the subject. These assumptions arise from a variety of misconceptions and If you’re thinking about homeschooling, this article can help you understand the myths and facts about socialisation and homeschooling. Let us first understand the definition of socialisation. Socialization is (1) the activity of interacting with other people through which (2) the process of internalizing occurs. We internalize norms, rules, appropriate behaviors, values, ideologies, basic attitudes, self-image, and everything else that’s culturally dependent. Children do not always respond well in large groups of 20 or 30, where peer pressure is high and kids feel the need to look and act the same way as their counterparts. Learners find themselves surrounded by rivalry, competition, and ridicule. Large groups of children become noisy and result in kids becoming nervous and over-excited. Learning becomes difficult and this is when behavioral problems develop. Does this sound like an environment for healthy socialisation? Dr. Raymond Moore, an author of over 60 books and articles on human development, who has done extensive research on homeschooling and socialisation says this in his book, The Hurried Child, “The idea that children need to be around many other youngsters to be ‘socialized, is perhaps the most dangerous and extravagant myth in education and child-rearing today.” After analyzing over 8,000 early childhood studies, Dr. Moore concluded that, contrary to popular belief, children are best socialized by parents – not other children. A homeschooler knows she is part of a family unit that needs, wants, and depends on her. She does not have to follow the crowd or continuously be compared to her peers. By interacting with her parents and siblings she has a greater opportunity to build confidence, self-respect, and self-worth. The result is an independent thinker who isn’t influenced by peers and is self-directed in her actions and thoughts. Children need time to dream and grow and find out what it is they love to do. This is something few children enjoy today as they spend the majority of their time at school trying to fit into the same mold as every other student, never given the freedom to be an individual with their own set of needs. They are never alone at school, and their after-school lives are packed full of activities, as well. Homeschoolers have a wonderful opportunity to spend more time on the things that drive them and by joining sports clubs and group programs in their community they can enjoy all forms of socialisation. Socialization, like learning and life, takes place every day. How you interact with your kids – and how they watch you interact with the outside world – teaches them all the social skills they’ll need to know. Stop worrying about socialization. It’s a “problem” that never existed!

July 1, 2021

MARIO GOLF: SUPER RUSH TEES OFF ON NINTENDO SWITCH!

Join your favourite Mushroom Kingdom characters on the fairway for a super speedy round of golf. With Mario Golf: Super Rush, the Mario Golf series makes its return in its speediest instalment yet. Players can join a variety of Mushroom Kingdom characters in different multiplayer modes or start your own Golf Adventure now that the game is available on the Nintendo Switch. Watch the latest trailer here: Simple button controls make it easy for new players and seasoned pros alike to get their game on. It’s as simple as taking aim, choosing the shot strength and sending the ball flying. Players can curve their shot to avoid hazards and put spin on the ball to affect how it rolls after landing. Several features are on hand to help players conquer the course, including a shot gauge that adapts to the angle of the slope and a scan that lets you read the terrain. Additionally, it’s possible to use motion controls by holding a Joy-Con controller like a golf club*. Players can choose from a cast of 16 Mushroom Kingdom characters, each featuring different strengths and equipped with their own unique special moves. Pauline, Chargin’ Chuck, and King Bob-omb will make their first appearance in the series. Players can hit the fairway with up to three others, both locally and online**, in a variety of modes. With a selection of six lavish courses to choose from, including standard courses and courses with special hazards, every round of golf is different and there is still more to come from the Mushroom Kingdom-infused golf game. Free updates to the game that include additional courses and playable characters will be released in the future. Modes range from Standard Golf to the energetic Speed Golf, Battle Golf – a more frantic variation of Speed Golf – and an RPG-like story mode in Golf Adventure. In Golf Adventure, players can enrol their Mii character in golf training at a prestigious country club and go all the way from rookie to pro. They’ll be able to interact with familiar Mushroom Kingdom characters, learn how to play and take on a variety of challenges. Players can even bring their Mii character – and their customised stats – into other modes, too. Mario Golf: Super Rush is now available only on Nintendo Switch. Swing over to store.nintendo.co.za and take advantage of their Star Bundle offering, where you can build your own unique Nintendo Switch bundle including Mario Golf: Super Rush and get a free carry case and Nintendo Labo Kit with your purchase. * Motion controls cannot be used during Golf Adventure. ** Internet connection required. To use online services, you must create a Nintendo Account and accept the related agreement. The Nintendo Account Privacy Policy applies. Some online services may not be available in all countries. Online play requires paid online membership. Find out more about the paid membership service.

June 28, 2021

Review: REMY – A Book About Believing In Yourself

REMY is a short story revolving around the everyday life of a school boy named Remy. This young boy has very own battles to face and conquer. Along the way, comfort characters not only come to give him comfort but some guidance which would really love to master. Naidoo has written an encouraging story to help and direct others in conquering their own battles. I enjoyed the journey of Remy going through bumps and realistic fallbacks as the lessons throughout the story can be applied in other scenarios. I feel that not only would young children, tweens and teens relates to this book but to many adults who lack self confidence in themselves and what they would like to achieve. Remy’s character was developed in a way I do not often see or read about. I think that everyone would benefit from taking a page out of his book. The story makes sense and gave a simplified view on growth at a well written flowing pace that replicates a natural journey for someone to go through. Overall, I highly recommend this book. I found Remy’s story to be quite heartwarming, enjoyable and encouraging in my own story. This book is perfect for parents who are encouraging self growth and the understanding of emotions. You can grab yourself a copy at www.mayurinaidoo.com. This lovely story was written by Mayuri Nadioo

June 25, 2021

14-year-old mental health advocate Jess Robus shines a light on youth mental health in her inspiring debut book

A FEW SLIVERS OF LIGHT A collection of poetry By Jess Robus With a maturity that belies her 14-years, vibrant Jess Robus is already a singer, songwriter, debater and musical theatre aficionado. On 3 June 2021, she added ‘published author’ and ‘published poet’ to those accolades, with the release of her debut book A Few Slivers of Light, now available for purchase online on Amazon, on her own website or via PayStack. A Few Slivers of Light is a beautifully-written, vulnerable and emotive collection of poems of a teenager’s journey with anxiety and depression. Author Jess Robus hopes she will inspire other teens and young adults to speak up about their struggles and to reach parents who might have children experiencing these challenges. With May having just been Mental Health Awareness Month and June being Youth Month, there is no better time for Jess to release her poetry collection for the world to see. Starting to write poetry at the tender of age 8, Jess chose this medium as a means for her to process the world around her. Jess explains; “I’ve always loved writing, and poetry in particular I’ve found to be a very engaging medium both from the perspective of the reader and the writer. It’s an art form that can so eloquently capture emotions and thoughts and enables me to deal with them and process them constructively. Publishing this book is a way for me to share my struggles and recovery and hopefully show others that they are not alone.” Award-winning author & poet, Raashida Khan has written the Foreward to the book. An excerpt of that Foreward captures the essence of the book; “A few Slivers of Light is more than a collection of beautiful and evocative poetry. It is a revelation. An insight into the psyche of a young woman walking her journey of life while dealing with challenges, both internal and external. Jess Robus displays insight and talent that belie her young age. Her writing journey mirrors her personal journey so that as readers, we are drawn in and are captured by the turn of phrase, use of words, and interesting take on writing style. The imagery used in her descriptions are sometimes startling, but always concise and targeted. Jess fearlessly invites us to experience her thoughts, feelings and emotions in the most intimate way. That takes courage and is inspiring to see in one so young. As readers, we are more than observers being given a glimpse of the depths of despair and heights of triumph. The poems speak to the heart, mind and soul of the reader, taking us into deep recesses of our own consciousness.” Mental health and awareness around it is very important to Jess. She went through a two-year depressed anxiety spiral and has witnessed the struggles that her friends and fellow teenagers have experienced with their own mental health. Her poetry book as well as some of her music, chronicles her own journey of accepting and constructively dealing with the challenges she has faced. With A Few Slivers of Light, she gets to share her story and reassure others that whatever they may be going through, they are not alone. Jess is often asked what motivates her to put her thoughts into poetry; an unconventional medium for teenagers. She responds; “In terms of self-expression, poetry is honest, raw and real. It can truly capture the emotions of a moment and in doing so helps me to recognise them, express them and deal with them.” Jess had her guests captivated at her book launch held in Johannesburg on 3 June. Family, friends and members of the media were mesmerised as she shared her poetry with the group. This captivating teenager showed maturity beyond her years as she answered question after question by convenor Raashida Khan and then the audience. Says Jess; “It was really such a wonderful experience to get to share the book and my thoughts with people and to see how many are passionate about normalising discussions about mental health. If I can reach just one person and let them know that their feelings are real and valid and that they are not alone, then this book will have accomplished its purpose.” Jess concludes; “I’m so excited for my poetry to be out in the world and for people to have the opportunity to read it. I’m hopeful they’ll find some meaning from it.” A Few Slivers of Light is self-published, and now available for purchase online on Amazon, via Jess Robus’s website or via PayStack Follow Jess Robus on Social Media Website Instagram Facebook YouTube Wattpad JCDuValier For interview and photo requests, please contact Collett Dawson from The CoLab Network on [email protected] Publicity Photographs courtesy of Vivid Images Photography

June 23, 2021

It’s all about control

As parents, we all want to protect our children. The question for many parents is how you can monitor what games your children are playing in order to avoid exposing them to content you might deem unsuitable depending on their age. Luckily, most consoles have some kind of parental control system in place, and the Nintendo Switch is no different. The Nintendo Switch Parental Controls supports a safe and fun environment for your child’s gaming experience So what kind of functionality can you restrict with the parental controls and how do you do this? To begin with, there are the obvious reasons – you think some of the games on your console, which might be appropriate for you as their parent, are just too violent or with too many adult themes for children to understand. You might want to restrict what your children can buy on the eShop, which is likely loaded with your credit card details. Or perhaps you might want to restrict the amount of online time your child has every day. There are a number of ways you can do this – either directly on the console, or via the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app, which you can link to your Nintendo account (which you will need in order to be able use this feature). The app also offers a few more features if you’re looking for additional levels of control. On the console itself you go into System Settings, and scroll down to Parental Controls, which will encourage you to download the app. You’re not required to do this but it really is the more comprehensive and the easier option, especially if you have kids who might be able to circumnavigate the parental settings. You can set the age level of your child in order to be able to control what kind of age-appropriate content they’re exposed to, select the rating board of the country in which you reside, disable voice communication so your child can’t speak to others online, and disable VR controls which is recommended for children under the age of seven. Make sure you choose a PIN that your child isn’t likely to be able to guess! Setting up the controls on the app is likewise very easy. You’ll need to sign into your Nintendo account, and once you’ve linked your Switch to the app via a registration code (remember where I told you it would tell you to download the app earlier?), and now you’re ready to set up things like daily play limits. You’ll be asked to enable push notifications so you can monitor your kids’ activity. If you want to restrict access to the Nintendo eShop, there are a separate set of restrictions for those as well which will ensure your child doesn’t make unauthorised purchases, whether those are games or add-ons you might not want your child spending your money on! Ultimately you can remove the parental controls as well if you feel you no longer need to monitor your child’s activity – for whatever reason – but it’s comforting to know that Nintendo is equally as invested in protecting your child as you are. Feel free to read more about how Nintendo is supporting a safe and fun environment for your child’s gaming experience here. By Pippa Tshabalala on behalf on Nintendo Distributor SA

June 22, 2021

How to cope with school closures amidst the third wave

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues its upward trend, more stringent lockdown regulations could follow, including the closure of schools and a return to more regular remote learning. Several schools have already taken the step to start closing partially or fully amid community or localised outbreaks. In addition, many parents may be taking their children out of school in a bid to protect themselves. For many parents, especially homeschoolers, this is familiar territory by now, but for others, they may need some extra advice on how to cope with learning at home. We look at five tips on how to cope with school closures. Talk about the current situation Firstly, have a conversation with your children to make sure that they are calm and understand what is going on regarding the current situation. By now, many children may have a better grip of this situation. However, it’s still important to try to reduce any possible anxiety while also communicating that learning will now occur at home for the next few weeks. Also read: How to help a child struggling with (coronavirus) anxiety Supplement learning with e-learning If your child’s school has handed out learning packs, make sure you have them on hand. If possible, look through the lesson material and search the internet to see if there are ways to supplement the learning topics with e-learning. There are many providers out there who offer free e-books. One local South African example is this e-book library from Optimi Classroom, which consists of 45 000 free e-books Stay organised Being organised is critical. Make a schedule that you and your children agree to and stick to it. You don’t have to follow a strict timetable to complete academic work throughout this period, but having a plan does help. If you need assistance with setting up a timetable, we have put together this simple daily schedule to guide you and your children with staying on track during school closures. Bear in mind that you might not be able to stick to a timetable if someone in your household is sick, needs to return to work, or do other activities. Your child will then have to adapt the schedule and complete the academic work at another time. However, even loosely sticking to a timetable will help everyone know what is expected while ensuring that learning takes place. Also read: Ten tips to help you cope with school closures Exercise It’s also critical to ensure your children engage in physical activities such as playing in the garden or even going for walks. You can add playtime into your timetable as a reward for completing academic work. Apart from this, you can also encourage your children to participate in hobbies or even certain extracurricular activities, where it is deemed safe from a social distancing perspective. Also read: Why exercise is important for good academic results Hire a tutor Finally, if you feel you need extra help and resources, look to credible homeschooling providers out there that follow the CAPS curriculum. Homeschooling providers, such as Impaq, can offer a structured approach to learning and guidance on what to teach and when. Learners can also continue their learning journey at home amidst school closures when registering with a home education provider. Plus, you do not have to do it alone. There are independent tutors across the country who can meet virtually to help guide you and your children during this time. Calling in a tutor is also a great option when you have children in multiple grades or at different levels; the tutor can work with one child while you help another. In addition, tutors are also a valuable resource for more challenging subjects, especially in the higher grades. by Louise Schoonwinkel, MD of Optimi Home

June 18, 2021

30 Brilliant Reasons to Homeschool!

Thinking about homeschooling your kids? Or perhaps you have already made the decision to homeschool? This could be due to various reasons, some of which may include wanting to remove your kids from a negative school environment, to protect them from bullying or giving them the freedom to learn in a progressive way that may be more appropriate for them. An environment where creativity is nurtured and celebrated, a method of schooling that better prepares your child for his or her future. Here are 30 reasons you should consider homeschooling your child: Your child can learn at his or her own pace. Your child can create their own curriculum. Your child can learn a wider variety of subjects. Learning can happen anywhere and at any time. When they are done work for the day, they have free time to focus on things they enjoy. Your child will learn valuable life skills. Your child’s creativity can be nurtured and celebrated. Your child’s work is not done for mastery, not for a grade. It is easier to accommodate your child’s specific learning needs. Your child can learn in the way that suits them best. Your child won’t fall through the cracks. There will be less peer pressure to deal with. Children learn to challenge assumptions and think for themselves. Your kids will have more time to play. Homeschooled kids grow to become independent thinkers. You can limit the opportunity for your child to be bullied. You can ‘shelter’ your child from negative influences like drugs and sex for longer or until they are older and can handle things better. Your kids can relax and be themselves and be free of the pressure to conform to the masses. Children become empowered when their ideas are heard and validated. Family bonds become stronger as your family will spend more time together. Kids are able to learn in a safe and supported environment. School can be taken outside, or anywhere for that matter. Kids are more confident. Kids learn time management skills, a valuable skill to have. Your child will not have to wait for everyone to reach the same level before moving on. Children get to be themselves. Kids get to learn for the sake of learning – not to pass a test or mark a box on a list of set standards. Greater opportunities for kids to focus on hobbies. Kids can work with fewer distractions than there are in typical classroom settings. Your child will be able to set their own schedule as they get older. These are only a few of the amazing advantages to homeschooling, Syllabis Learning can help you achieve all of the above and more with our integrated and independent learning curriculum. Make the decision to give your child the best in education.

June 16, 2021

Helpful tips for moving when homeschooling

Moving home is said to be one of the most stressful life events, ranking alongside divorce, loss of employment, and long-term illness. However, moving – whether to a neighbouring suburb, a different province, or abroad – can also present wonderful new opportunities, including new jobs, new friends, and new possibilities! While the period immediately before and after a move is stressful for any family, it can be doubly so for those educating their children at home as all the packing and preparation happens with your children around. Although moving takes up an incredible amount of time and energy, it does not mean that learning has to come to a halt when you are planning a move. In fact, the flexibility of home education becomes an added blessing during this potentially stressful time. Another great advantage of home education is that when you move, your children don’t have to change schools. While their surroundings may change, their approach to learning will largely stay the same. What may change are extracurricular activities, as you may have to find new places for your children to take art classes, play sport, or study music. This, however, is part and parcel of moving for all families. Read more: Can homeschoolers take part in extracurricular activities? Moving tips Here are a few things to consider when moving: Teach creatively: look for alternate ways to engage your children while you are buried neck-deep in boxes. Helpful options include audiobooks, documentaries, educational content on the internet, or maybe even a ‘substitute teacher’ (ask a friend or family member to present a few lessons). Stick with the basics: do not try to do an entire day of subjects if it is going to stress everyone out. Focus on one or two subjects like Mathematics or English, then get packing. Pack like a pro: when you pack, clearly label your children’s books and lesson material. This will allow you to grab the required box at your new house easily when you are ready to start teaching. Involve your children: there are so many life skills involved in moving – organising, planning, etc. – making it a perfect opportunity to teach your children valuable life lessons. Take a farewell tour: visit any favourite playgrounds, museums, or other special places around town before the move, and enjoy a final meal at your favourite restaurant (remember to take plenty of photos). Learn about your new area: let your children do researchabout your new area. They can look at different communities, places to visit, and activities to try once you are settled. Bring a backpack: your children may feel stressed on the day of the move, so let them pack a few favourite items in a backpack that they can carry with them. Included items could be a blanket, toy, book – whatever brings them comfort. Also include items to help pass the travel time, such as materials for drawing or games. Read more:Benefits of playing games with kids Keep a watchful eye: moving is a big deal. Children who are home educated may have smoother transitions in some ways, but moving does represent a transformation in life. Even if your children are excited about the move, there are still plenty of emotions to work through: sadness about leaving friends and familiar places, anticipation about what is coming, and possibly apprehension, fear, and anxiety about the unknown. If your child displays unusual behaviour – sadness, moping, crying, yelling, defiance, hyperactivity, or inattentiveness – try to be understanding and supportive rather than punitive. Read more: How to foster resilience in children Take a breather: flexibility is one of the keystones of homeschooling, so use it to your advantage during a stressful situation such as moving. Know that things will be different for a while, and that is perfectly fine. In fact, it is part of life. So, take a few days off to allow your children and yourself to adjust, explore, and get things unpacked. Learning to adjust and adapt to change is just as important as any academic subject. Home education allows your children the freedom and flexibility to learn these necessary life skills. It also gives your family time together to work through the emotions associated with change. So, try to be present and include your kids in the process because there is much to learn during a move! Read more: Supporting your child’s emotional intelligence development By Danielle Barfoot

June 11, 2021

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cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Cookie	Duration	Description
_ga	2 years	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gid	1 day	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the website is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visted in an anonymous form.

Cookie	Duration	Description
_gat_gtag_UA_18530557_4	1 minute	No description
pron_ip	session	No description
pvc_visits[0]	1 day	This cookie is created by post-views-counter. This cookie is used to count the number of visits to a post. It also helps in preventing repeat views of a post by a visitor.
tk_ai	session	Gathers information for WordPress by themselves, first party analytics tool about how WP services are used. A collection of internal metrics for user activity, used to improve user experience.