No two children are the same; they have different talents, interests, develop at different rates and have different strengths. As parents, it is essential to tread carefully as one can either build or break the confidence and self-esteem in one’s children.
Music is a good therapeutic tool for people with different abilities and ages. This is mostly so for children with autism. Medical experts have shown its calming effects and how it’s helped autistic kids integrate into society.
South Africans are fortunate enough to live in a country where the people are blessed with wide-open spaces and an abundance of wildlife. Many children in foreign countries are limited in the amount of time they spend outdoors.
Many learners place very little emphasis on studying for a language exam – after all, we use language every day so how difficult can an exam be, right? Wrong!
We’ve all heard the saying, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. But recent research shows that that is not the case. In their book Words Can Change Your Brain, Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman write: “A single word has the power to influence the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress.” The saying would perhaps then be more accurate if changed to sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can change my brain.
South Africa has just passed a law prohibiting the spanking of children as a way of punishment. The debate as to whether this is ‘right’ or not rages on, with parents on both sides of the argument expressing their points of view. In fact, Cindy Glass, Owner and Co-Founder of Step Up Education Centre says, “there is little that causes the intensity of emotions and opinions as that of whether or not spanking your child is helpful or whether it is simply something that has been passed down from one generation to the next, with little or no workable alternatives.”
Education in any realm is important for changing oneself as well as the community in which we live. Education is the only way that people can build the knowledge to affect any change. I am not merely referring to the learning of facts and theorems but more critically, learning how to effectively question, explore and think about issues, change one’s mind (and the minds of others), innovate and create.
As any parent knows, when it comes to affording quality education for our children, we need all the help we can get. Escalating school fees, continual costs of uniforms and many extras make educating our children a significant, long-term family expense. Quality education features high on the UN’s list of 17 sustainable development goals, and South Africa is a signatory to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which recognises the vital role that education plays in improving lives.
Stand close by and observe the children solving their problems. This is how they begin to develop the skills and confidence to communicate calmly, honestly and politely with others.
Teaching learners’ acceptance starts with learners accepting themselves and their flaws and different abilities.
Bullying has three defining characteristics – it is deliberate (a bully intends to hurt someone), it is repeated (the behaviour continues over time), and it is power imbalanced (bullies pick on those they perceive as weaker). While bullying takes many forms – verbal, physical, emotional – the results are always destructive. Recognising the warning signs is an important first step in taking action. The following signs may point to bullying: Unexplainable injuries. Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics or other valuables. Feeling sick or faking an illness, and frequent head or stomach aches. Changes in eating habits, such as binge eating or suddenly skipping meals. Being unusually anxious, nervous, upset, teary, angry and withdrawn. Difficulty sleeping, frequent nightmares or bedwetting. A sudden and significant drop in marks, loss of interest in schoolwork or not wanting to go to school. Avoidance of social situations and other activities. Feelings of helplessness or decreased self-esteem. Running away from home, self-harming or talking about suicide. What to do if you’re being bullied Tell someone If you or someone you know is being bullied the first thing you need to do is tell someone you trust (a parent, sibling, friend, uncle/aunt or a teacher) about the bullying. Tell them to stop Bullies often prey on individuals they perceive as weaker. Try acting confident and assertive and tell the bully to stop. Bullies might also be caught off guard if you brush their comments off with humour or say nothing and walk away. Find safety in numbers Keep yourself surrounded by people and always find a friend to walk with or to eat lunch with. To read more about what to do if you or someone you know is being bullied, click here. Remember that home education allows parents to offer their children emotional reinforcement, to help boost their confidence and self-esteem so they can learn and grow in a safe, supportive and loving environment. By Danielle Barfoot
If there’s anything that a parent would nod their head yes to, it’s the fact that their children would rather have them rip the hair off their heads, than to eat healthy and nutritious food.
“Computer games don’t affect kids, I mean if pac-man affected us as kids, we’d all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pink pills and listening to repetitive music.” Unknown According to research, middle and upper class South African children spend about five hours a day in front of a television, computer or smartphone screen. That makes screen time the leading activity for young people after sleep. Due to the limited South African research available. I used the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) research. They have found that too much screen time negatively affects child development. They recommend no screen time at all for children under the age two, and no more than two hours per day of high-quality programming for older children. The AAP also recommends keeping televisions, computers and video games out of children’s bedrooms. How does this screen time affect your child on a day to day basis? Obesity, Advertising and Body Image Studies have shown a link between childhood obesity and media exposure. Watching television and playing video games are passive activities that take time away from the exercise children should get from active play. Additionally, the more television a child watches, the more junk food commercials that child is exposed to. Children are more easily influenced by advertisements than adults because children don’t always understand their persuasive intent. Media consumption can also contribute to negative body image in children and adolescents. Movies, television and magazines depict unrealistic standards of beauty that can encourage eating disorders and other unhealthy behaviors in both males and females. Media and Violence Violence is pervasive in television, movies and video games; even the nightly news and children’s cartoons can contain violence. Children with emotional difficulties might be especially affected by violent images. Playing video games is a popular pastime among children and adolescents, but parents should be aware that many of the bestselling games are violent, and often feature killing as their primary focus. Media and Sexuality Children are easily influenced by what they see and hear, and studies have found that children who see sexual material in the media tend to engage in sexual activity at an earlier age. Parents of primary school children are urged to keep all sexual content out of their children’s media diet. Parents should also take care to set up search filters on their internet search engine so that children do not accidentally stumble across sexually explicit images. Tips for parents If your child is not old enough to watch a programme or play a game due to age restrictions, don’t give in! This could harm your child. Be sensitive to each child’s emotional state. Teach your child that it is okay to leave a movie or to turn the TV off, if they become uncomfortable. Be careful of the advertisements when watching sport, or in between children’s programmes. They often play trailers of programmes or movies you would not want your child to watch. Children are more easily influenced by advertisements than adults because children don’t always understand the persuasive intent of adverts. Advert can be scary! Giving a child too many options can be as negative as allowing them none. A child thrives in an environment that has boundaries, structure and consequences. This can be proven by the games they play, television they watch and even their interaction with their peers. The same rule should be applied at home. The bottom line is to power off regularly to help your child understand the clear boundaries between the virtual world and the real one. By Ben McCarthy, Principal of Pinnacle College Copperleaf
Covering a wriggling child in sun cream is tricky enough, but when your little one has sensitive skin it can be even trickier– you don’t want to use anything that’s going to irritate. That’s why Childs Farm sun protection products don’t containparabens, SLSs, mineral oils, artificial colours or anything that might make sensitive skin flare up. Plus if you have a super-wriggler on your hands, our spray and roll-on sun lotions make everything easier.
For a parent, nothing eliminates the burden of entertaining your child more than handing them your smartphone.
Not only is constructive play fun and entertaining for children, offering them endless hours of creative play. It has great benefits to early childhood development. Constructive play can start from a young age and as the child’s confidence grows, more blocks and shapes can be added.
“We all want to leave a better and safer world for our children and for future generations. This is a realistic goal that is achievable, provided that we stand up and get involved.”
So, you want to know what a typical day is like for a homeschooling family? That’s one of the best things about home education (also known as homeschooling) – there are no typical days! When educating your children at home, a “typical day” is as unique as each of the families choosing this education option.
And a unique curriculum, influenced by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which encourages the holistic development of every learner towards their purposeful and impactful future
SACAP (the South African College of Applied Psychology) will be hosting a special parent morning at its Durban Campus on Saturday, 12October. Aimed at promoting family well-being, the theme of the event is ‘Resilient Parenting’ and the programme features Mom & Author, Gabi Lowe who will be giving a compelling, inspirational talk after the release of her memoir ‘Get Me to 21’. A tour de force when it comes to authentic resilience, the book rocketed to number 3 on the Exclusive Books Bestseller Chat within three weeks of its launch. In times of deep uncertainty and relentless change, resilience is one of the most important qualities we can nurture in our children, but not many of us know what this is and how to do it. Gabi Lowe’s experience of raising a beloved daughter, Jenna Lowe, who developed a rare lung condition and became a unique champion of organ donation in South Africa, has been at the harshest coal-face of resilient parenting. As a Life Coach, Gabi expertly makes the lessons she has learnt accessible and relatable for everyone no matter what situation they are facing. The SACAP ‘Resilient Parenting’ event also includes an important session with Psychologist, Elizabeth Campos whose work is focused on how young adults can increase their resilience through attitudes and skills to impact positively on academic, social and emotional functioning. Elizabeth helps parents understand their children’s behaviour as communication. She will present the steps that young people can take to improve their resilience and share practical advice for parents on how they can support their child’s journey. The SACAP ‘Resilient Parenting’ event will take place from 09h00 to 13h00 at the Durban Campus on the 5th Floor, 199-203 Peter Mokaba Road, Morningside on 12 of October 2019. Durban parents can RSVP online at https://www.sacap.edu.za/events/resilient-parenting/
Moms love it when their little ones come home from school buzzing with knowledge. Sometimes though, the activity isn’t inside their heads but on top! Head lice populations rise in summer, and girls with longer hair pick them up easier than boys.
‘All negative behaviours stem from fears rooted in negative self-belief. We cannot control the behavioural choices of others but we can do something to assist our children in making better friendship choices.’
Teenagers have different reasons for not wanting to go to camp anymore, from feeling like they have grown out of the annual excursion to wanting to invest time in things that interest them outside of camp.
Kindness is no easy task. In an attempt to facilitate their social and emotional development, we, as adults must stop thinking of the discomfort these discussions cause and become proactive in educating the youth. Peer socialization and valuing each other’s space. Children begin to form their gender identity around the age of three. Friendships between boys and girls are imperative in their social development. Girls inherently are more compliant and accepting during interactions, whereas boys are more active and physical. These relationships are valuable as they teach respect between the two genders and help form healthy attitudes towards each other. Children will encounter many challenging situations during their years at school. Teach your child phrases to use during unfavorable situations at school. Such as “I don’t like what you’re doing. Please stop. ” Perpetuating stereotypes and ideals of inequality Adults often unintentionally teach children gender stereotypes. Even teachers, at some point in their careers have told their class to “ask mum to pack your picnic lunch” or “get dad to fix your bike”. Stereotypes even appear at birthday rings when girls get pink cupcakes and boys get blue. Have a look through your son’s or daughter’s toy collection. Do their cars and dolls outweigh their gender-neutral toys? Teaching our little boys to “toughen up” and hide their feelings is no longer the approach to masculinity. Speak to them about what it means to be respectful and why it’s wrong to view others in preconceived ways. Be mindful of what you say. Our words leave lasting impressions on children. Model good behavior Children learn through mimicking the behavior of the adults around them. When we convey manners and use good coping skills, so to do our children. Avoid emotional reactions, explain your decisions and admit your mistakes. Our actions leave indelible marks on children, make sure the ones you chose to leave are positive ones. Foster Empathy Talk openly and honestly about feelings and how to identify them. Teach children that there are emotions other than “happy”, “sad” and “angry”. Children need to feel comfortable discussing things that bother them and to know that they can express themselves in a non-judgmental and safe environment. Reiterate that there is value in showing vulnerability and in communicating with those around them. Empathy is not a fixed trait and takes time to develop so ask questions and allow your child to open up to you from a young age. Stand up for friends As impressionable as our little kids are, they do have an understanding between right and wrong. Teaching them to discern between situations which constitute an emergency and situations which they can influence is a great starting point. We need to teach them how to be brave and defend their peers. During their early years, they can be taught to remove their friend from a situation and play elsewhere. Identify inappropriate behaviour and teach children problem solving skills and solutions to counter this behaviour. Help us to raise kind, compassionate, respectful and capable little human beings. They need our guidance and we need them to be confident, strong and proud. By Areeva Mahabir, Grade 00 Teacher at Crawford Village
The weather is getting warmer and it’s time to get outdoors. One of the most exciting outings is to gather the family for a picnic. You can picnic in your own garden or venture to some of the great picnic spots around South Africa. Here are some tips to have a fuss free picnic: 1. Pack light Make sure you pack smart and light. You never know how far you are going to need to walk to find the perfect spot. Picnic Baskets are great but can be clumsy if you are balancing a toddler on your hip as well. Backpacks make the best picnic bags. Don’t forget a good lightweight foldable picnic blanket try not weigh yourself down with heavy blankets that get damp and dirty. 2. Stay Hydrated Keep a bottle of frozen water in your bag in summer, this will slowly melt and keep the water cold. For something sweeter for the kids the new Miracle 360° Fruit infuser cup from Munchkin makes for a healthy choice. Add your child’s favourite fruit like strawberries, oranges, or blueberries into the fruit basket, twist it into the bottom, then fill the cup with water. The twist-on fruit extractor breaks up the fruit allowing it to infuse into the water and make a fun flavourful drink! Bye, bye juice and unhealthy cooldrinks! Hello, healthy flavoured water! Plus, your kids stay hydrated and clean (or at least cleaner!) while playing at parks and scenic areas. 3. Keep the hunger at bay When packing for a picnic, it seems like there are never enough bowls to accommodate all the different snacks everyone wants. Once again Munchkin have an answer Munchkin Love-a-Bowl comes in a set of four bowls with interchangeable lids, these come in handy when your little ones have not finished all the snacks and want to eat later. With all the tossing around in your picnic bag the lids need to be leak proof. Munchkin Love-a-Bowl are 100% guaranteed to be spill proof, leak proof and break- proof. Now that’s the kind of bowl I need on a picnic. 4. Keep the Insects away Flies and bees can be a pest on a picnic! Our top tip for this is take along your Camp Cot Mozzi net. It can come in handy if baby falls asleep in a pram or for just keeping those bugs off the food. 5. Snacks on the go If your kids enjoy food on the run, consider the Munchkin Deluxe Snack Catcher. It is designed to keep up with your toddler’s active lifestyle. This cleaver little bowl teaches self-feeding with a bit more dexterity and a lot less mess. It’s a multitasking bowl with soft flaps that are gentle enough for fingers to get through but sturdy enough to keep messes at bay (and insects out.) 6. No Stress Picnics with kids need not be a challenge so stick to what you know your kids like to eat and drink and don’t forget something special for Mom and Dad Picnics can be a cost-effective outing, so go out and enjoy a bonding time with your family. Don’t forget to enter the picnic hamper competition on the competition page. Thank you to Munchkin for generously donating our favourite products for the prize.
The moment I found out I was pregnant with my second child I was in tears. These were tears of a combination of emotions: joy, happiness, fulfilment and panic. My husband and I always wanted two children, but we didn’t expect them to be 18 months apart. I knew it was going to be tough and that nothing can fully prepare you for a new human in your life, but being thrown into the deep end, for me, was the best preparation.
Have you noticed that we may be bringing up a generation of young people who feel so entitled to gifts, devices and whatever they desire, that gratitude is becoming a lost art? How often do you feel uncomfortable in choosing gifts for yours or other’s children because you know that the more affordable, ‘little’ things may result in a forced ‘thank-you’, or worse, a temper tantrum?
We have become addicted to and slaves to our phones. Liberate yourself and your children from the chains of cellphone dictatorship.
Dené worked hard and obtained her National Senior Certificate through Impaq at the end of 2012. She got accepted to the University of Pretoria and started her BA Drama in 2013. Dené has passed her master’s degree in Drama and Film Studies from UP with distinction – with the feedback that she achieved the highest mark in the department’s history! She shares her advice to current and future Impaq learners, parents, guardians, and tutors:
parents have come to (unconsciously) rely on the buying of material gifts to let their children know that they love them while not fully understanding the negative implications of these well-meaning gestures.” She adds that joy in receiving material gifts and especially if the gifts are guilt-driven is most often short-lived and children are all too frequently left feeling confused, alone, miserable and frustrated and, in some cases, even a bit depressed. You see, it is not the receiving of many material gifts that they seek!
