Advice Column - Parenting Hub

Advice from the experts

Foppapedretti Piuleggero

Foppapedretti came about from the passion for wood of its founder, Ezio Foppa Pedretti. It all began in 1945, in the home in Telgate (in Bergamo) where young Ezio devoted his spare time to making wooden toys out of the leftovers from his uncle Pierino’s umbrella handle factory. In the 1950s he began making the first products for babies, products that launched the company and became its visiting card for decades to come. Wood remains the most important material used by Foppapedretti, but seeing as the company is always on the lookout for new ideas to satisfy the needs of the ever-changing market; in 2004 they embarked upon an adventure in the world of pushchairs. Foppapedretti wanted to apply its company philosophy to this industry as well, and the results are clear to see: products must be highly functional, practical and safe, but also innovative to always stay at least one step ahead. And so, after about four years of experimentation, the only stroller with electrical motor on the market today was introduced in 2011 (production began in March 2012): MyoTronic, a product the President and CEO, Luciano Bonetti, invested a great deal of personal energy in. In 2011, MyoTronic won the prestigious international Red Dot Design Award. The super-lightweight and sturdy stroller Piùleggero by Foppapedretti weighs only 3, 6 kg. opened, closed and pushed with just one hand. used from birth (usable up to 3 years, maximum weight 15 kg) Adjustable footrest and extendable and removable canopy, With UPF50+ protection: this fabric shields from the sun’s ultraviolet rays with 98% protection. An aluminium stroller which weighs only 3,6 kg (without accessories) and closes easily, Standing up on its own and occupying a little space. a multi-position reclining backrest, 5-point safety belt with chest protectors, protective armrest which can be opened Spacious storage basket. Safety Strollers are designed and made in compliance with safety regulations to ensure that: The dimensions are such that no part of the body will get stuck. The structure has undergone static and dynamic load tests to ensure the stability of the blocking devices. The opening and closing mechanisms have been designed so that the stroller cannot accidentally fold up. The product is entirely stable and, under normal conditions of use, will not tip over. It has undergone mechanical resistance and stability tests to ensure that it can withstand normal daily use without breaking or warping. Tests have been done on the braking and parking mechanisms, the grip of the handles and rough terrain travel. It has no small parts that can be ingested. The materials and paints used are non-toxic and free from any ingredient that may be hazardous to human health. The instructions manual provides all the information and safety warnings you need to use the product correctly. We suggest: That you carefully read the warnings found in the instruction manual. Any product, even when constructed in compliance with European law, may be dangerous if used improperly. Do not use a damaged product nor one that has been used before as there may be invisible damage (deteriorated materials due to age or improper storage) or it may not be compliant with current law. When buying a childcare product, take note of the age for which the item was designed. When you buy a product, especially a childcare product, make sure that either the wrapping or the product itself has a reference to an EC law: this guarantees that the product is in compliance with the general product safety laws. Retail price is R 5 299.00 Available at the following retailers: Hamleys, (Sandton , Eastgate , Menlyn & Mall of Africa) www.takealot.com www.loot.com www.simplicity.co.za www.thebabyzone.co.za

October 9, 2017

Cholesterol: Top foods to improve your numbers

If your diet gave you high cholesterol, it can lower it, too! It’s easy to eat your way to an alarmingly high cholesterol level. The reverse is true, too — changing what you eat can lower your cholesterol and improve the armada of fats floating through your bloodstream. Different foods lower cholesterol in various ways. Here are the top foods to lower your cholesterol and protect your heart. IN WITH THE GOOD Soluble fibre Soluble fibre binds cholesterol in the digestive system and drags them out of the body before they get into circulation. This type of fibre reduces LDL cholesterol levels more than a diet low in saturated or trans fats alone. Five to 10 grams of soluble fibre a day reduces LDL cholesterol by 5%. Barley, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots and beans are great sources of soluble fibre. They also take a while for the body to digest, meaning you feel full for longer after a meal. Bananas, apples, strawberries, prunes, citrus fruits are rich in pectin, a type of soluble fibre that also lowers LDL cholesterol. Omega-3 containing fish Eating fatty fish e.g. mackerel, trout, sardines, pilchards, snoek, salmon – two to three times a week can lower LDL cholesterol in two ways: by replacing meat, which has LDL-boosting saturated fats, and by delivering LDL-lowering omega-3 fats. Omega-3s can reduce blood pressure, risk of blood clots and triglycerides (fat in the blood that increases cholesterol) in the bloodstream and also protect the heart by helping prevent the onset of abnormal heart rhythms. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — may reduce the risk of sudden death. Seeds Flax seeds have been shown in several meta-analyses to reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol by 5–15%, reduce Lipoprotein (a) by 14% and triglycerides by up to 36%. Flax seeds are anti-inflammatory; it is a source of fibre, lignins as well as phytoestrogens that further protects against heart disease. The dose required for these effects is between 14 to 40 grams of flax seed per day. Important to note is that these health properties do not apply to flax seed oil. Chia seeds at a dose of 25 g per day is also good for cholesterol lowering. Sesame seeds at 40 g per day reduces LDL cholesterol by 9%. Unsaturated fats or plant fats A number of studies shows that eating nuts and avocados is good for the heart. Rich in mono (MUFA) – and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids, both can lower LDL cholesterol and they have additional nutrients that protect the heart in other ways. All nuts are high in calories, so a small handful will do. Make sure the nuts you eat aren’t salted or coated with sugar. To avoid eating too many nuts and gaining weight, replace foods high in saturated fat with nuts. For example, instead of using cheese, meat or croutons in your salad, add a handful of walnuts, cashews or almonds. Another good source of MUFAs is olive-, canola- and avocado oil. Try using these oils in place of other fats in your diet to get its heart-healthy benefits. Add it to a marinade or mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing. Both avocados and these oils are high in calories, so don’t eat more than the recommended amount (as indicated by your dietitian). Soy Eating soybeans and foods made from them, like tofu, soy mince, soy yoghurt and soy milk, was once touted as a powerful way to lower cholesterol. Analyses show that the effect is more modest — consuming 25 grams of soy protein a day (300g of tofu or 2 ½ cups of soy milk) can lower LDL cholesterol by 5 percent. Sterols and stanols Foods are usually fortified with sterols and stanols and these plant compounds interfere with the body’s ability to absorb cholesterol from food. Some margarines and yogurt drinks come with added plant sterols and can help reduce LDL cholesterol by 5 to 15 percent. However, for most people, it is not possible to achieve the optimum intake of 2g per day from foods. For example, the recommended daily dose can be obtained by using 25g (5tsp) Flora PRO.ACTIV spread per day that could be detrimental if you are watching your weight. Fortunately, there are also supplements available that are worth trying. Pomegranate Pomegranate is a potent antioxidant that lowers oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Consuming 250ml of pure pomegranate juice per day or one to two cups of pomegranate seeds is recommended. OUT WITH THE BAD Harmful LDL cholesterol creeps upward and protective HDL cholesterol drifts downward largely because of diet and other lifestyle choices. Genes play a role, too — some people are genetically programmed to respond more readily to what they eat — but genes aren’t something you can change. Here are things you can change. Saturated fats Typical sources of saturated fat include animal products, such as red meat, whole-fat dairy products, eggs, and also a few vegetable oils, such as palm oil, coconut oil, and cocoa butter. Saturated fat can increase your levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol. But it has some benefits, too — it lowers triglycerides and nudges up levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. The role of saturated fat in heart disease is currently under debate. For now, it’s best to be sensible and manage your intake of saturated-fat-rich foods. Refined carbohydrates Increased refined carbohydrate intake may be more important in having a detrimental effect on cholesterol levels than saturated fats. Refined carbohydrates have adverse effects on insulin resistance, LDL and HDL cholesterol as well as triglycerides levels, thus contributing to coronary heart disease risk more than saturated fats. Trans and hydrogenated fats The right amount of these fats are zero! Trans fats are a by-product of the chemical reaction that turns liquid vegetable oil into solid margarine or shortening and that prevents liquid vegetable oils from turning rancid. These fats, often found in shore-bought cookies, doughnuts, crackers, cakes, pies have no

October 9, 2017

Rethink Your Drink – Choose Water!

Clean and clear, refreshing and invigorating, we know instinctively that water is good for us. Yet, many of us have lost touch with water. Overwhelmed with the wide choice of what to drink, most of it sweetened with sugar, we’ve somehow left the simple, but profound goodness of water behind. National Nutrition Week 2017, running from 9 to 15 October and, with its theme “Rethink your drink – choose water”, aims to help us rethink when it comes to water and get into the habit of making water our beverage choice each day. Water contains no kilojoules and hydrates. It is essential for health and is the best choice to quench thirst. What the campaign highlights is that when we are not drinking water, we are probably choosing a sugar-sweetened drink which spikes our daily kilojoule intake, degrades our diet, and leads to weight gain and the onset of non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and dental caries. “The prevalence of obesity and non-communicable diseases in the country is alarming,” says Rebone Ntsie, Director: Nutrition, of the National Department of Health). “The South African Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2016 found that the prevalence of overweight was 13.3% among children 0 – 5 years of age. About 67.6% and 31.3% of South African women and men respectively are overweight and obese. These findings show that overweight and obesity among children and adults have increased from earlier surveys. Replacing sugary drinks with water can help.” Professor Pamela Naidoo, CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa (HSFSA)warns that the risk of coronary heart disease and ischaemic stroke rises with an increase in body weight. “There is also a clear link between sugary drink consumption and heart disease,” she says. “Indicators of heart disease such as blood lipids and uric acid also increase with an increase in consumption of sugary drinks.” Daily consumption of two or more sugary drinks has been found to increase the risk of developing diabetes by at least 24% compared to consuming less than one sugary drink per month. According to Statistics South Africa, diabetes was the second leading underlying cause of death in the country in 2015, accounting for 5.4% deaths and the leading cause of death in females (7.1%). On average, commercially produced sugary drinks contain the following amounts of sugar per 500 ml serving (2 average-sized cups/glasses): Sweetened fizzy drinks: 13 – 17 teaspoons Energy drinks: 13½ to 15 teaspoons Fruit juice: 12 – 16 teaspoons Sweetened milk or yoghurt-based drinks: 7 – 13½ teaspoons Sweetened iced tea: 8 – 10½ teaspoons Sports drinks: 4½ – 12 teaspoons Sweetened drinks, such as sweetened flavoured water, vitamin enriched water and coconut water: 4 – 8 teaspoons of water The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the intake of free sugars, i.e. sugars added by the manufacturer, cook or consumer or sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates, should be less than 10% of the total daily energy intake for adults and children and less than 5% for further health benefits. “This means that the maximum intake of free sugars from food and beverages per day for adult men and adolescents (14 – 18 years) should not be more than 12 teaspoons, and for adult women and children 5 – 13 years, not more than 9 teaspoons”, says Nicole Lubasinski, President of the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA).“To achieve more health benefits, the number of teaspoons of sugar from food and beverages per day for adult men and adolescents (14 – 18 years) should not be more than 6 teaspoons, and for adult women and children 5 – 13 years, not more than 5 teaspoons”. Some sugary drinks have a nutrition information label, this will indicate how much of the carbohydrate in the drink is found as sugar”, says Carol Browne of the Nutrition Society of South Africa (NSSA). “Sugar is one of the primary ingredients in drinks, and so it will be listed high up on the list of ingredients. In milk based drinks some of the sugar will be the sugar from milk, and this is not classified as a ‘free sugar’. In these products the total sugar content on nutrition information label should be considered with the ingredient list.” “It makes good sense to replace sugary drinks with lots of clean safe water”, says Rebone Ntsie. “Drinking lots of clean and safe water is essential for one’s health. Besides keeping you hydrated, it helps with digestion, regulate your body temperature, and to lubricate your joints. Furthermore, tap water is cheaper than any other drinks.” “There are several ways to increase your intake of water”, says Abigail Courtenay, registered dietitian and spokesperson for ADSA. “Make sure you always carry water with you; set reminders on your cell phone or notes at your desk every hour; drink water with meals; before and after exercising; and send a bottle of water with your child to school every day. You can also add fresh slices of lemon, cucumber, mint leaves, lime or fresh fruit to your water or unsweetened rooibos or herbal teas to add more flavour.” On Wednesday, the 11th of October, ADSA (@ADSA_RD) will be hosting a Twitter Talk from 13h00 to 14h00 where dieticians and National Nutrition Week partners will be providing information, tips, ideas and advice on choosing water as the beverage of choice instead of drinking sugary drinks. Join the conversation live on Twitter, and follow the @ADSA_RD handle to get great ideas and tips. The Department of Health in the various provinces will also celebrate National Nutrition Week during the month of October. For more information on National Nutrition Week 2017, visit the website: http://www.nutritionweek.co.za/ National Nutrition Week Partners: The National Department of Health: www.health.gov.za The Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA): www.adsa.org.za The Nutrition Society of Southern Africa (NSSA): www.nutritionsociety.co.za The Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa (HSFSA): www.heartfoundation.co.za Consumer Education Project Milk South Africa: www.rediscoverdairy.co.za

October 6, 2017

Last minute shopping for your hospital bag – don’t forget the car seat!

Being an expectant mom or dad is an exciting time for both parents, whether it’s your first and even your third child. However, as you count down to the arrival of your little one, it’s important to remember to pack the correct essentials for the arrival of the new bambino. This is often a daunting task for new parents but it doesn’t have to be. While packing your bag, consider the bare essentials that you will need during your hospital stay and, more importantly, for the first trip home with your little one. In fact, the safety of your infant should take priority when thinking of what you need to pack and so – not only for your first trip home, but while traveling anywhere else – a car seat is one of the most important things to pack when getting ready to bring your baby home. In fact, did you know that it is illegal for an adult to travel with a child in a car that is younger than three years without being strapped into a car seat? The consequences of driving with children who are unrestrained are far reaching, where children can be killed or seriously injured, even in the slightest collision. It therefore comes as no surprise that many private hospitals have included a clause that no newborn children may leave the hospital premises without them being strapped into an infant car seat. It is therefore, important that, as an expectant parent, you are educated around your child’s safety, while on the road. Here are a few tips to consider when purchasing a car seat: How reputable is the brand of the infant seat you have chosen? When purchasing a car seat – one thing that most people consider is the brand reputation, by reviewing what is being said about a specific product either online or from a family or friends’ experience on a specific product. It is important to do your research and make sure that inferior products are not being sold locally – this means understanding which brands are leading and which are inferior. If it seems too good to be true it probably is. Is the car seat correct for the weight and height of your baby? Height and weight are key factors to consider when selecting the right car seat for your child. It is not about age but rather about their specific frame – given that not all age-similar children are the same in height and weight. Below is a guide to which car seat your child should be using – depending on their weight and height: Group 0 seats are designed for babies from birth to 9kg, Group 0+ seats are designed for babies from birth to 13kg Group 1 seats are designed for toddlers weighing between 9kg to 18kg Group 2 seats are designed for children from 18kg or absolute minimum of 15kg Once your child has outgrown the highest adjustment of the booster seat, your child should sit on a “bum” booster until they are 1.5 metres or taller As a parent – will you be able to safely strap your baby into the seat when required, and do you know how to strap them in correctly? Strapping your children in correctly is by far one of the most important factors when purchasing a car seat. In most instances, you would choose the one that is easy to install and uninstall however, it is critically important that you know exactly how to strap the actual car seat into the vehicle, as well as that you understand how the buckle system on your child’s car seat works. There is no point of having a car seat if it is not strapped in correctly, or if your child is not buckled up as per the instructions. How much does it cost – is this really a factor? You definitely can’t put a price on your child’s safety however, the good news is that you don’t have to. While there are a number of retail outlets that sell a range of car seats (from very expensive to reasonably affordable), there are also outlets where you can buy/donate money towards a refurbished car seat which has been safety checked, cleaned and as good as new. Rather take this route to save costs if you need to, than settle for an unknown brand that may compromise your child’s safety. These are all important considerations that you need on hand, to safe guard your little one when travelling. The benefits of having your child strapped in a secure car seat cannot be stressed enough – here are a few key aspects: The seat provides comfort and protection When fitted in a rear-facing position the baby does not feel any potential harsh breaking The straps will keep the baby secure and steady from unwanted movements that might be harmful in the event of an accident/minor bumper bashing The cushion of the seat is water resistant and can help in cases where their nappies might leak or milk and juice might spill during travel. Always make your child’s safety a priority, no matter the circumstance or situation, as your child is dependent on you as a parent to safe guard them from potential harm. So, while you are doing your last-minute shopping for the hospital stay remember to make an appropriate car seat purchase a top of mind priority! By Niki Cronje, Group Marketing at Imperial Road Safety

October 5, 2017

Former NASA Astronaut on Living Maths Space Tour in SA

If you have ever been curious about what it is like to be shot off the Earth into space and to live and work in a shuttle while orbiting the Earth then don’t miss the upcoming Living Maths Space Tour 2017 with astronaut, Dr Don Thomas. South African students and families will have a unique opportunity to get into the same room with a bona fide spaceman when Dr Don Thomas visits the country for a series of public talks and school visits. During his seven years with NASA, Dr Thomas completed four sensational shuttle missions, logging over 1040 hours of adventuring in space. His inaugural mission aboard the STS-65 Columbia in July 1994 set a new flight duration record for the US Space Shuttle program with 236 orbits of the Earth and 6.1 million miles travelled in 353 hours and 55 minutes. Living Maths, a STEM-based NGO, is bringing Dr Thomas to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban for the Space Tour 2017 from 30 October to 9 November. Steve Sherman, Chief Imagination Officer at Living Maths says, “Our mission is to inspire and excite South African children about Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Space is undoubtedly one of those key topics that can ignite a lifelong passion for these subjects. How many of us actually get the opportunity to meet a real astronaut? For some, it’s a dream come true! The Space Tour will be a rare and special opportunity for the daydreamers, the imagineers, the scientists and the curious in our country to learn more and be inspired.” Space travel is arguably the most profound way to experience our world and our place in the universe. Many astronauts report the ‘Overview Effect’, a fundamental change to their worldview due to witnessing the Earth from the vantage of space. Dr Thomas says, “I am taking part in the Living Maths Space Tour for two reasons. As only 550 humans have had the opportunity to fly in space, I feel a sense of responsibility to share what I have seen and experienced with others. I have completed 692 orbits of the Earth and have seen first-hand the beauty and fragility of our planet, and I think it is important to share important lessons with my fellow citizens of Planet Earth. And secondly, I am keenly interested in having humans set foot on Mars in the future. I know I am too old myself to undertake a mission to Mars twenty years from now, but I hope I can excite and inspire your young learners to follow in my footsteps and perhaps, become future Mars explorers.” Dates and Venues: Cape Town 30 Oct – Jan Van Riebeeck Primary 6:30-8:30 pm 1 Nov – Bergvliet High School 6:30-8:30 pm 2 Nov – Parklands College Preparatory 6:30-8:30 pm Johannesburg 7 Nov – King David Victory Park Primary 6:30-830 pm 8 Nov – Saxonwold Primary 6:30 -8:30 pm Durban 9 Nov – Durban Girls College Auditorium 6:30-830 pm Tickets can be purchased through Webtickets, and prices range between R50 and R80, with Family ticket options available too. Space Tour 2017 is powered by Protea Hotels-Mariott and their support has assisted us to bring Dr Thomas to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban from 30 October to 9 November. Further information is available at www.livingmaths.com Depending on demand, additional dates may be added to the tour.

October 4, 2017

Help, my child is behaving badly at school!

The trouble with bringing children into the world is that they do not arrive with user manuals! How much easier would it be if we could troubleshoot in a manual and find the solution that would solve their problems with minimal mess and fuss! As parents, one of our deep-rooted fears is that our children may behave badly whilst at school, upset their teacher, classmates or, worse, the Principal (whom we have learnt to fear from our own childhood misdemeanours)! As a mom and teacher, Cindy Glass Co-Founder and Owner of Step Up Education Centres can relate. She offers some advice and a new perspective to parents who are navigating the world of not-so-perfect kids. She starts out by acknowledging that negative behaviour at school can affect all who associate with the individual who has behaved badly. Parents, in particular, can feel angry, frustrated and even helpless when their child consistently chooses negative, self-harming behaviours. “It is very easy for a parent to slip into ‘reaction’ mode and punish the child in ways that they may have experienced as a child. It takes great courage, however, to choose to understand these behaviours and find positive, creative solutions,” says Cindy. She adds, “Consider this: Every choice we make, every action we take is based on how we feel about ourselves as a person! Negative behaviours at school have a solid and powerful root – FEAR. Fear of rejection, fear of not being good enough, fear that the teacher will notice that he is struggling to understand the work, fear of being alone and fear of not being noticed and acknowledged. Think about it! Many children would rather get into trouble for negative behaviours than it be discovered that they are not coping with the pressures of school!” So what can you do? Cindy says that children need to understand that all actions have consequences. “Positive choices result in positive consequences and the same applies to negative choices. Being consistent in your expectations and consequences is essential.” “Fair, dependable boundaries are key to establishing a sense of stability within children. It takes courage not to shout, get excessively angry or perhaps even physically harmful toward a child who consistently misbehaves. I STRONGLY recommend that you read the book: ‘Have a new kid by Friday”, by Dr Kevin Leman. I did and it completely changed my approach to dealing with my children!” Cindy exclaims. Most of all she reminds parents that harmful words and actions destroy children and says that you should try teaching your child to value WHO HE IS and is so doing, overcome his fears. How? “Do this by choosing to value who YOU are!” says Cindy. There are no easy solutions, but with determination, patience and tons of love, you will be rewarded with more positive behaviours and it will be worth it! About Step Up Established in 2016, Step Up Education Centres is a dynamic after-school remediation and tutoring franchise with a difference. Step Up offers children an opportunity to succeed in a schooling system that is, at times, very unsympathetic. From the moment, a child walks through a Step Up Education Centre doors they feel different. They no longer feel silly or stupid. They no longer feel misunderstood. They no longer feel judged. After just one lesson they feel hope. They see possibility. After a few sessions, they walk taller, feel smarter, do better. Why? Because Step Up believes that every child has potential…And our passionate educators will not give up until they reach it!

October 3, 2017

Parenting a Pregnant Teen Mom

This past Saturday after services at Congregation Beth Hallel where I attend services, I stood in the lobby talking to a friend who is a nurse at Kennestone Mother and Child center. She told me of several girls age 12 having babies. We both sensed the anointing of the Holy Spirit and knew there was some sort of calling on me to help these young girls. However, it has also occurred to me there may not be much support for the mothers of teen mothers. So, I am writing this blog piece for you. The first thing I need to say is this it is okay to be both disappointed and angry. However, pouring condemnation and shave down o your daughter’s head will only cause her and the baby stress. This is not the best think for her or for you. Get out of the house alone with someone you trust and let out your anger and frustration with another adult who can handle your fit. Try your best to be supportive with your daughter. Secondly, this is not your fault and it is not your daughters fault. Whether she is pregnant by a boy her own age or by a sexual predator there is very little either you or her could do to stop it unless, it is not to have sex in the first place. We all encourage out teens to not have sex before they are married or at least adults in a committed relationship. We have to recognize our culture is based on human sexuality. We also need to understand this is the agenda of planned parenthood and they work tirelessly to ensure they have a ready group of families who need their services. Not too many others will tell you this but the truth is the truth. There is a reason they supply school nurses with millions of condoms and it is not to protect kids from sexually transmitted diseases. It is difficult to curb curiosity in kids who see sexuality all over our culture. What I encourage you to do is to lay aside blame and instead take time to remember the fears, uncertainty, and overwhelming feelings of becoming a mom and recognize your teen is feeling all of those same things now. Though you may not have been a teen at the time or maybe you were. You know all of these feelings. What do you wish you knew at the time. Looking back what would you tell yourself now if you could? Tell your daughter instead. Right now what she needs most is to know you are on her side. Sit down and have an open and honest conversation with her. Let her know calmly if you are angry and disappointed. But, also that you love her and support her. Talk to her about her desires for her life and her baby. Do research together and learn more about all of the options. Today’s world if full of open adoptions where teen moms have full rights to know and openly communicate with adoptive families. They even visit and know their children. I think this is a very positive option for the teen Mom and the family who often can not have children. If the father is in the picture support them both as best you can. Again, blame is not appropriate with the boy either especially if they are the same age. Society plagues on boys to be “men” by expressing their sexuality. It is a very strong young man who can resist the lure. Most young men who succeed have Dads who have taught them what it means to be men. If they have an absent or distracted father they are on their own and may not have the backbone they need to resist this temptation. Include him and his family in the research and decision-making. If they are choosing to be involved then try and make it as easy as possible for all involved. You accomplish litter with anger and spite. While celebrating is not wholly in order being a pregnant teen is stressful enough. Try to project some joy into her life. Others may see this as rewarding her for bad behavior and I get that. But, once you have discussed the mistakes she has made and talked about the choices she made and has to make;it is time to rebuild the relationship you and she have. This is so much more important now. As she goes through her pregnancy she is going to receive a lot of mean and negative rhetoric from peers, adults, and others. She needs you to be her soft place to fall. Be the place she can turn to, to let out her frustrations, cry about how unfair the wold is and just be sad sometimes. This is an extreme time, gather all of your supportive family and friends around her and just love her through it! There is more to come. I just wanted to give you some food for thought. Believe in Parenting

October 3, 2017

Why kids prefer camp over school

Camp and school are very similar in that both are learning environments for children. However, the differences between the academic and experiential learning context explains why many children not only prefer camp, but also why they gain more personal growth in the camp environment. Here are 8 differences between camp & school: 1. Experiential learning method Learning is practiced on a daily basis at both camp and school. While school is more about textbook learning and studying for exams, camp promotes learning via experiential education. At camp, children get to physically participate in an activity and attain a skill from it. This method of learning seems to be what many children prefer. 2. Informal atmosphere School provides a formal environment, which children may find intimidating and conformist. Camp, on the other hand, is a very casual environment which allows kids to learn while still having fun and without too much restriction. The quote, “What we learn in fun, we never forget” is all too true for the camp environment. 3. Supervisors are role models Learners at school are supervised by their teachers with whom they often cannot develop a friendship, nor are they offered any opportunities to do so. At camp, kids are cared for by young adults called camp counselors. These counselors are specifically trained in child psychology, and as young adults with a passion for children they easily become role models and friends to the children in their care. 4. Diverse friendships Some schools restrict their learners from making friends beyond their age group, and the class barriers often prevent kids from different grades and schools from mixing with one another. Whereas, holiday camps accommodate children from around the world of all ages, of all cultures and races. This exposure to diversity is healthy for children, and it allows kids to make friendships freely and to expand their worldview – all with appropriate supervision. 5. Bullying prevention Schools have become the prime ground where bullies are born and begin terrorizing other children. The reason for this is probably because teachers are expected to spend more time teaching and performing administrative duties, rather than paying careful attention to their learners and their individual needs. At camp, the counselors supervise the children around the clock which allows them to deal with bullying as it happens and it also allows them to spend quality time with each child to attend to their personal needs. Additionally, many camps have a higher staff to child ratio than schools, which helps to create a bully-free environment. 6. Fostering Independence Learners at school are controlled by their school rules which promote discipline and order, and understandably so. However, kids also love the freedom to choose, of which there is little opportunity at school. Camp, on the other hand promotes independence and balances this with discipline. Children may choose the clothes they wear, the activities they want to participate in, the friendships they make and the food they eat. 7. Physical activity is promoted Learners spend most of their school day behind a desk rather than outdoors, which many children find frustrating and uninspiring. At camp, kids are always on the go, out and about, having fun and being active without the distraction of technology. Not to mention that the increased exercise they receive at camp benefits their ability to learn, concentrate and the quality of their sleep. 8. Less anxiety and more stress management Mention exams and assessments and watch how quickly children develop anxiety. The schooling environment can put a lot of pressure on kids, whether it is peer pressure to do well, or the usual exam stress. Camp is a more anxiety-free environment, and when children to do express their anxiety, they are encouraged to communicate with a counselor and also taught coping mechanisms to help them handle their stress. Obviously, school cannot be avoided, but the camp environment is a child’s sanctuary when school closes for the holidays. Together, both school and camp experiences provide many opportunities for a child’s academic and personal growth. Therefore, camp is well worth considering for your child to receive the benefits of both experiential and academic education.

October 2, 2017

Genetic Testing & Nutrition

Ever wondered why nutrition studies demonstrate so many conflicting results or why some people respond to one type of diet and others don’t? It might be because of us. Well, because of our different genes. Just about everybody benefits from a diet consisting mostly of whole, fresh foods. But when it comes to fine tuning for sport performance, weight loss or optimum health – our needs and reactions to specific foods might differ. And this difference likely depends on genetic variation. Humans are 99.5% the same, yet that 0.5% difference matters. This specific question led to the emerging science of genetic testing, called nutritional genomics (a.k.a. nutrigenomics) – the study of interactions between genes and diet. WHY TEST YOUR DNA? Your ability to lose weight and predisposition to specific illnesses all depend on how your genes interact with your environment. For instance, your genes may suggest that you’ll grow to somewhere between 1.65m to 1.7m. But your actual height is an interaction between genes and environment. If you grow up malnourished, you won’t reach 1.7m. What we eat early in life (and what our moms eat while they’re pregnant) can affect our genes and regulate our traits – including development of diseases, even decades later. Our genes can be influenced by all kinds of things, such as: Nutrient deficiencies or excesses (especially at crucial developmental stages) Dietary components (omega-3 fats, phytoestrogens, cruciferous vegetables, folate, to name a few) Sunlight and vitamin D Toxins (such as industrial chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals) Bacteria and viruses Exercise Alcohol and other drugs Circadian rhythms (such as sleep, shift work, travel across time zones) A host of other factors we probably don’t even know yet. It sounds a little scary…… but while we can’t control our genes themselves, WE CAN CONTROL HOW OUR GENES ARE EXPRESSED – whether they’re likely to get “switched on” or off. Genetic expression is strongly shaped by our environment, over which we DO have some power. So, if we know more about our genetic defects (called genetic variants), we might be able to adjust our lifestyle or environment in order to be healthier and prevent some illnesses. For example, some gene variants can tell us how your body metabolize certain foods. Others can tell us whether or not carcinogens in cooked meats will influence the development of colon cancer. And others can predict inflammatory response and predict DNA repair. Genetic testing may also be useful in exercise prescriptions. Specific genes have been identified with athletic potential and performance. If we know more about our own unique risk factors, we might be more likely to make healthier choices – choices that could impact our genetic expression HOW GENETIC TESTING WORKS It is as simple as 1-2-3! Do a cheek swab DNA testing is easy and painless, by taking a cheek swab sample (like they do in Crime Scene Investigations on TV) and then sending the sample back to the DNAlysis laboratory for analysis. Here they use modern technology to analyse a person’s sample in order to identify genetic variants and study the relationship between individual genes and diet – thereby gaining intimate knowledge about physiological processes that may not function optimally. Unlock your results DNA reports are generated that allows an individual to understand how their genes affect the way he or she respond to the environment e.g. the foods they consume or toxins they are exposed to. Optimise your diet and training plan DNA reports are used to refine your nutrition and exercise plan to manage your weight and health. Providing you with a diet plan tailored to your genes (be it low carb or low fat) and insight into optimal exercise intensity for weight loss. However, some people have the gene where physical activity does not help them lose weight! Certain genetic variants can shape possible behaviour traits such as impulsive tendencies and addictions. Knowing, for instance, that you’re probably constantly looking for a reward can help you understand why you might be more drawn to an exciting sport or tasty snack. And help you work with your dietitian and trainer to find nutritional, exercise and behavioural strategies that work for you. INSIGHT INTO THE DIFFERENT DNA TESTS DNA DIET DNA DIET tests a number of well-researched gene variations that impact metabolism, absorption and storage of fats and carbohydrates, as well as eating behaviour. It provides insight into how our bodies respond to different types of foods, it may also have a powerful influence on what we like to eat (bitter vegetables or sweets) as well as why some people get fat and others stay thin. Some gene variants affect appetite and satiety. Others appear to influence how efficiently people burn fat for energy. The DNA DIET report provides additional insight into how each individual reacts to carbohydrates, saturated fats and intensity of exercise, allowing a trained Nutrigenomic practitioner to further personalise your eating plan to suit your needs. DNA Diet tests some of the following genes involved in key metabolic processes: Obesity risk / insulin resistance Binge eating Carbohydrates metabolism Fat absorption DNA HEALTH DNA HEALTH tests for 36 gene variants that are known to have a significant effect on health and susceptibility to chronic diseases. DNA Health reports on genes involved in the following areas: Cholesterol metabolism and risk for heart disease Bone Health & risk for osteoporosis Vitamin B Metabolism and risk for cancer Inflammation and oxidative Stress Detoxification Insulin sensitivity/resistance and risk for diabetes Food Responsiveness, including Lactose intolerance, Caffeine processing, Salt sensitivity and blood pressure & Iron overload disorders DNA SPORT DNA SPORT tests genetic variants that influence injury risk, recovery, as well as power and endurance performance. Results provide insight into various biological areas that impact training responsiveness and sporting performance, optimal exercise selection, and injury and recovery strategies. The test is suitable for the elite performance athlete as well as the recreational athlete looking to maximize their fitness potential and reach peak levels of conditioning. DNA Sport reports on the following

October 2, 2017

MYTH BUSTERS BABY SLEEP EDITION

Keeping your baby up longer at night/between naps will encourage her to fall asleep faster and sleep better. This is definitely a myth. Keeping your baby up longer at night/between naps will result in an overtired child. An overtired child will be fussy, cranky, have trouble feeding and take much longer to settle into sleep. They will also be more likely to wake during the night and earlier in the mornings, and will only have very short naps the following day. Your baby will sleep through the night when she is three months of age. It is possible, if you have set the foundations for healthy sleep skills early and your child is developing good self-soothing strategies. In this instance, you can usually expect babies to start sleeping through the night between three and six months of age (providing they are healthy and developing well). However children that still rely on “props” to fall asleep, such as feeding/rocking/patting, etc. will more than likely continue to wake through the night. This is because they have never learned the ability to put themselves to sleep so they are unable to consolidate sleep cycles through the night. They will often rouse after a sleep cycle and instead of using their own skills to return quickly to sleep they will cry out for their “prop” before they are able to go back to sleep. Letting your baby fall asleep while being held is a bad thing; you should never wake a sleeping baby. It is very difficult to always put your baby in their cot/bassinet while awake and allow them to use their own skills to fall asleep when they are newborns, as they need to sleep often. Parents will sometimes be out and about and need to put their baby to sleep in the pram/car or carrier. However it is important to be respectful of your child’s sleep needs and whenever possible give them the opportunity to attempt to fall asleep in their cot/bassinet. This is the place where they are going to get the best quality sleep. Remember how challenging and disturbed your own sleep is if you have to sleep in the car, or even when staying in a hotel room as opposed to your own bed at home. If you always let your baby fall asleep in your arms they are never going to develop their own self-soothing skills. Just remember that as your child grows, they get heavier and while you may find it easy to rock a newborn to sleep in your arms it will not be as easy to do this with your one, two or even three year old. It is never enjoyable to have to wake a sleeping baby, and the only reason I would suggest doing this would be to preserve a bedtime. As children get older their sleep needs change and sometimes too much daytime sleep (for an older baby or child) can have a negative effect on bedtime and sleeping through the night. However the opposite is also true and over-tiredness will also negatively impact night time sleep so it’s best to err on the side of more sleep as opposed to less. Daytime naps aren’t always needed. Most children will usually drop their daytime nap around three or four years of age (providing they are getting their 11-12hrs of night time sleep). However, it is possible that children as young as 2 ½ years of age drop their daytime naps. Before this age, a daytime nap or naps are very important to prevent over-tiredness and recharge their little bodies for the remainder of the day. Filling your baby up by putting infant cereal in her bottle will help her sleep. This is a myth. For very young babies, the length of time for which they are able to sleep is largely determined by how quickly their little bellies empty after a feed. However, as your baby reaches the three to six month age, it is healthy sleep habits and good self-soothing skills (that can be introduced gently from birth) that will help your baby sleep for longer periods. It is always very important to ensure your baby is well fed and developing properly, but the addition of good nutrition throughout the entire day is more important than adding infant cereal to their bedtime bottle.

September 28, 2017

Review: Parent Magic

With so many parenting books on the market, we often don’t know which one to choose. The world we live in today provides a wealth of information, however we don’t always know who to trust for our information. We were sent the Parent Magic book out of the range of Raising Kids Positively by Carol Surya. Now you may remember we reviewed her board game as well. This book however provides great insight into reinforcing your child as a happy and confident one. Carol Surya is a psychologist that simply takes parenting to the next level. Learning how to communicate and discipline your child without destroying their confidence I think is any parents dream. The book starts off tackling how you can build a secure foundation for your child, one moves through this journey to learn how to be more involved as a parent. I think that is something that every parent battles with. We all lead such busy lives these days that being involved in your child’s life sometimes come second. I certainly realised that there are easy ways to be more communicative with my children and at the same time that I could be more involved if I applied some simple steps. Now this is a hard one for me. You see, I have 5 children and run a business which does not leave much time to always communicate. I am sometimes one of those mothers that get caught in a rut and simply go through the motions of life and parenting. That was not my dream as a mother but rather just life that flung me in that direction. Carol Surya helped me to get closer to my children in the simplest of ways. More importantly I understood that there was room for improvement that would help me feel more confident as a mother and my children feel more confident as children. We often forget that our children have feelings as well and that those feelings need to be acknowledged and that I as the parent need to address the root of the problem. I certainly felt that our lives improved after myself read this book and applied her teachings to our parenting. For more information please I urge you to check our her website at www.raisingkidspositively.com and get your hands on a copy today – you certainly won’t regret it

September 26, 2017

Tips for New Mothers and Fathers

Being a new parent is the most difficult, yet most important and satisfying work you will ever do. I remember doing all the research before our child was born, reading all the parenting books and articles that I could get my hands on and asking friends with kids for their advice. Unfortunately you only really understand and absorb this information when you are going through it yourself. Here are some practical tips on how to survive the early weeks with the new baby: Get the house and the nursery ready before you bring the baby home. You will not have a lot of spare time in the first few week s, so it will help you both if everything is prepared. If you are renovating or adding on another room make sure this is complete long before you bring the baby home. Get as much rest as possible. Sleep when the baby sleeps, and moms and dads take turns sleeping late on weekend mornings. When you aren’t sleeping use that time to relax, read or watch daytime TV. I remember catching up on all the books I had been waiting to read and paging through many a magazine while my baby was sleeping. Eat nutritious meals. If a neighbour or friend offers to help, ask him or her to bring you dinner or do your grocery shopping. Also, stay hydrated and drink fluids throughout the day. Get linked with other parents. You can share ideas, concerns and experiences. It is good to know that you are not the only ones who may be struggling. You can encourage each other when the times are tough and also celebrate together when things go well. Don’t expect too much from yourself. Housework won’t always get done, but eventually you will get back to a routine. Call your doctor or clinic with any questions or concerns you may have. This will save you from needless worry. Try and do some light exercise as soon as you can. It will help relieve some of the tension you may feel and help you to sleep. Take your baby in the pram and make it a family affair. Visitors can be helpful, but don’t let them interrupt your rest or your family time together. If you are tired don’t be shy to ask them to come back on another day. Dads: don’t let mothers have all the fun. Spend lots of time caring for and playing with your baby. The rewards are great! It’s important to ask for help when you need it. This could be family, friends or neighbours. Don’t be shy about this. Many people are happy to help and are just waiting for you to ask. Take time for yourself after the baby arrives. It may take several weeks for you to settle into a new schedule, however when you finally do, that’s the perfect time to find a sitter and take a break. Set up a good bedtime routine as soon as you can. Set a time for feeding and giving baths; stick to it every night. If you have older children, be sure to let them know every day that you love them. Start a memory book. It is a good record of your child’s early years. You can use a scrapbook or a notebook with blank pages. Write down all the great “firsts” for your baby. Things like the first time they smile, sit up, crawl, walk, talk or do anything special. Put in photos of your baby at various stages and later add pictures that they have drawn. You and your children can enjoy it together as they grow up. Enjoy every single moment and embrace your new role as parents. There will be crying, lack of sleep, highs, lows, laughs and many joyful moments – embrace them all. It won’t last forever and one day you want to look back on

September 26, 2017

Umbilical Cord Care

Becoming a new mom is filled with so many fun, exciting and sometimes nerve-wracking moments. There are also many things that you need to look out for and make sure you are doing correctly for your little one as a new mom. One of these, often very daunting things, is caring for your baby’s umbilical cord. Huggies® expert, Lynn Bluff, registered nurse, midwife and childbirth educator, sheds some light on this subject. How long does it take for a newborn’s belly button to heal? Babies in the womb receive nourishment and oxygen through the placenta, which is attached to the inner wall of the mother’s uterus. The placenta is connected to the baby by the umbilical cord, which attaches to the baby through an opening in the baby’s tummy. After your baby is born, the umbilical cord is clamped and cut close to your baby’s body, approximately 5-6cm long. It’s a painless procedure, and it leaves an umbilical stump attached to your baby’s belly button. The stump will dry up and drop off in about 7 to 21 days. When the stump falls off, you may notice a little blood on the diaper – don’t worry, this is normal. Sometimes, after the stump falls off, there may also be a little oozing of clear or yellow fluid. Cleaning the cord stump To clean your baby’s umbilical cord, you can apply surgical spirits to an ear bud or piece of cotton wool. Another option is to use sterile/cooled boiled water and gently clean the entire umbilical cord. The most important area to clean is where the cord is attached to the baby’s tummy. Your baby may cry when you do this, not because it is painful but rather the spirits feel very cold against their tummy area. It is not painful to clean as there are no nerve endings in the cord. It is very important, to not put anything on the cord. Some cultures put dung on the cord and this is very dangerous as it can lead to neonatal tetanus, a disease that is often fatal for the baby. Do not even apply any creams or powders. Just clean it well and let it dry. Over a week or so the cord will become drier and drier and eventually drop off. The drier the cord the sooner it will fall off. Tips to keep your baby’s cord clean A baby’s umbilical cord can easily become infected if not cared for properly. That’s why Huggies® developed Huggies® Preemie nappies and New Baby Size 0 nappies with an innovative umbilical cord cut-out. These Huggies® nappies make cord care easier for moms as they help prevent infection by allowing the umbilical cord to stay clean and dry, which is absolutely essential. But, it is still important to clean your baby’s umbilical cord after every nappy change and bath. Signs of umbilical cord infection Infections are rare, but consult your pediatrician if: Your baby cries when you touch the cord or the skin next to it The skin around the base of the cord is red The stump smells foul or has a yellowish discharge Also call the doctor if the stump bleeds continuously, as this may be a sign of a bleeding disorder. Becoming a new mom is filled with so much joy and a few challenges. Huggies® would like to encourage you as a new mom to be a little easy on yourself during this process. Both you and baby are learning together and this takes time but you will get the hang of it all. Huggies® is there for you every step of your nappy journey, baby gets its first hug from mom and its second hug from Huggies®.

September 25, 2017

The Basics of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding has been shown to have major health benefits for both the mother and child but despite this, breastfeeding may not always come naturally to new mothers. Life Healthcare therefore actively encourages women to consider exclusively breastfeeding their babies during the first six months of their lives. There are two essential ways to prepare for breastfeeding ahead of the birth. Women should start by attending a breastfeeding class conducted by a certified lactation expert. They also need a breastfeeding plan, which should include what to do during the first hours following birth, where to get support if needed and what to do if the baby has special needs, and so on. The advantages of breastfeeding include protecting babies from some of the biggest killer diseases of infants and children in South Africa – diarrhoea and pneumonia. Breastfeeding is also associated with improved development and educational achievement. However, babies are not the only beneficiaries. Breastfeeding after birth helps the uterus contract and reduces the mother’s postpartum blood loss. While there are a number of benefits to breastfeeding, there are also common problems that may limit a new mother’s desire to breastfeed. Breastfeeding problems can vary from structural problems of either the tongue or lips of the baby. In addition the mother may have incredibly sore nipples, there could be difficulties in latching the baby, or even low milk supply. Fortunately, almost all these problems can be sorted out with better support and the right advice – preferably from a certified lactation specialist. For latching problems, immediate action needs to be taken to find out what is wrong and it should be remedied. Mothers should feel reassured that although nipples may become tender during breastfeeding, painful nipples are not normal. Importantly, there should be a zero tolerance approach to the separation of the mother from her baby after birth. Separation causes anxiety in babies and there should be skin-to-skin contact between the mother and baby as soon as possible.. Dads can also get involved by attending breastfeeding classes with mothers so that they understand the process. They can certainly help with other baby chores too, including tummy time, burping baby, changing nappies, or of course making mom’s tea or running a bath. While there are numerous medical advantages to breastfeeding, it is important to remember that babies need food regardless. Mothers are therefore encouraged to follow a feeding programme that works best for both them and their baby. For whatever reason, some women may decide breastfeeding is not for them. If this is the case, they need not feel ashamed or guilty. Ultimately, mothers will do what’s best for themselves and their baby. Back-to-work breastfeeding tips: When women return to work their breastfeeding schedule may get derailed. Here are some essential tips to ensure a smooth transition. Don’t start pumping breast milk before the first six weeks. This is how long your body takes to adjust to producing milk. Most women produce 900ml of breast milk a day, although this number fluctuates between 750ml and 1050ml. Work out how frequently your little one feeds during a 24-hour period, and then divide that number by the amount of milk you produce daily, using 900ml as the average to find out how much milk you should be pumping. You don’t need to introduce bottles too early in the process – a couple of weeks before you return to work should be fine. Talk to your employer about incorporating pumping into your work schedule to relieve full breasts. Know the guidelines for storing milk. Milk that has been frozen loses some of its protective enzymes and antibodies, however it is still better than formula powder. Breastfeed ‘on demand’ during weekends and plan for more nighttime nursing.

September 18, 2017

Parenting in the social media era – how to manage your online accounts to ensure your children’s safety

Riaan Badenhorst, General Manager, Kaspersky Lab Africa Social platforms give many families the freedom to communicate with their loved ones, whenever and wherever they want – it is convenient and no doubt saves lots of time. Further to this, social media sites also give parents the opportunity to share their memories and moments with family and close friends – and often this includes posting pictures of children, as they grow and achieve great milestones in life. However, does this freedom and convenience come at a cost? While internet and social media safety are often topical discussion points for many parents today, the reality is that keeping kids safe is not just about making sure their social activity is monitored closely and protected. Parents also need to understand that what they post online about their children can also put their children at risk. As such, parents must also take security measures, on their own social media accounts – especially those who use sites to share pictures and precious family memories. But, do parents know where to start? In 2016*, a Kaspersky Lab security expert uncovered a malware attack that tricked approximately 10 000 Facebook users around the world. Essentially their devices were infected with a virus after receiving a message from a ‘friend’ claiming to have mentioned them on Facebook. The compromised devices were then used to hijack Facebook accounts, and spread the infection through the victim’s own Facebook friends and to enable other malicious activity. Now, imagine if this ‘other malicious activity’ was stealing pictures of kids and selling them for a profit? How would this make parents feel? The reality is that this kind of cybercriminal activity can happen. However, to safeguard any online social media accounts, parents can follow the following key tips: Refrain from making social media profiles public – if parents have their social media accounts set on public view, anyone can access these profile pages and view (and take) the content and images from these pages. A public view invites everyone with an Internet connection to look through pictures on the page. Having an account set on a public view is very reckless. Rather, profiles should always be set on a privacy view – that only offers access to people the profile user is connected to (i.e.: friends). Privacy can also be changed on a post by post level, and as such, parents should make use of these added settings and take extra care when it comes to posts about their kids. Avoid sharing pictures of other people’s kids’ – this is often a ‘pet peeve’ for many people – especially those who are very particular (and rightly so) about having pictures of their kids posted online. As a parent, be aware that not all parents are fans of posting images to social media, and so avoid posting pictures of your kids, with other kids on the image – such as group school photos or party photos. Don’t create a social media profile for children – given the convenience social media offers, there are instances when parents create a whole new profile, just for their child, for the purpose of sharing pictures and updates about their child’s life journey. While this can be a nice thing to do to keep family and friends updated, it can also be very risky – as remember this profile is online and therefore can be at risk of cybercriminal activity. Bath time should be private – while kids do tend to do the cutest things while in the bathtub, this time is something that should be kept private, to protect children. Invest in a good Internet Security solution for your devices – over and above following these practical steps, parents should also ensure that the devices they use to view social media, and upload images to social media sites, are well protected with a good internet security solution. While the internet and social media platforms provide many benefits today, social media safety, for families and children, rely on parents being aware of the security risks that are present. In understanding these risks, parents are then able to take the necessary steps to ensure the protection of their children at all times, while still using social media platforms, safely, in their personal capacity. *http://newsroom.kaspersky.eu/en/texts/detail/article/kaspersky-lab-exposes-facebook-phishing-attacks-10000-victims-in-two-days/?no_cache=1&cHash=66aee758115addf47bcae243d89896ec

September 15, 2017

Babies and Crawling

The natural progression of a baby is moving from sitting to crawling. Crawling is your baby’s first method of getting around efficiently on his own. In the traditional crawl, he’ll start by learning to balance on his hands and knees. Then he’ll figure out how to move forward and backward by pushing off with his knees. At the same time, he’ll be strengthening the muscles that will soon enable him to walk. Lesego Mashishi-Matlala, Huggies® expert in occupational therapy sheds some light on babies and crawling. Crawling is a tough job. It requires a baby to use both mind and body. First, the muscles in his back, neck, shoulders, arms, and core must be strong enough to support his weight and help him maintain balance. His vision also plays an important role. When babies crawl, they use what’s known as binocular vision, using both eyes together to focus on one target. They go back and forth between looking off into the distance and looking at their hands, which helps build depth perception. Crawling also requires information processing and integration. Visual auditory, touch and smell sensory information and processing is facilitated through crawling. These senses lead baby’s movements. This occurs when your baby crawls to their favourite toy that emits sound or light, or when your baby crawls in the direction of your voice. Once your baby has processed the sensory stimulation, they judge the distance, speed or pace in which to crawl to reach the source of the sensory stimulation. Now this is a lot of brain stimulation for your little one. Crawling also stimulates the development of spatial awareness. This is when your little one learns to go through, over or under things. Their little brains process and work out where they are in space in relation to objects around them. Baby soon learns how to negotiate a more efficient path to their desired destination. It is common that babies start crawling with a bum shuffle, gliding in reverse or propelling themselves bilaterally first with their hands, followed by their feet. To make sure that your baby is comfortable whilst crawling, a comfortable nappy such as Huggies® Pants and Huggies® Gold is ideal. Huggies® Pants has an all-round soft and stretchy waistband. This nappy also has the double leg elastics which gently surround and hug baby’s legs for a secure fit to prevent any leaks. Huggies® Gold nappies with its stretchy waistband and fasteners to provide a snug and comfy fit. This nappy also has a DryTouch TM liner that can absorb wetness in seconds for ultimate skin protection. These qualities in a nappy not only ensures comfort for baby but freedom of movement as well. As your little one makes his way through the house, expect him to go through a range of emotions: excitement when he discovers something, disappointment if you remove it or take it away, and confusion or frustration when an obstacle blocks his path. You can look forward to engaging in a near-constant game of “follow the leader”. Anywhere you go, he’ll be right on your heels! About Huggies® Huggies® is known for providing a range of nappies for every stage of a baby’s life. From the very first moment up until the last time they wear a nappy. The range consists of Huggies® Preemies, Huggies® My First Nappy, Huggies® New Baby, Huggies® Gold for Boys and Girls, Huggies® Dry Comfort®, Huggies® Pants for Boys and Girls and Huggies® Little Swimmers®. They also offer a range of wipes – Huggies® Pure, Huggies® Natural Care, and now Disney Huggies® wipes. Huggies® is part of Kimberly-Clark South Africa, a subsidiary of the US-based Kimberly-Clark Corporation which market innovative health and hygiene products that people come into contact with every day. Find us: Website – www.huggies.co.za ; Facebook – HuggiesSA and Twitter @huggies_sa.

September 13, 2017

Letting Go of the Guilt and Enjoying Our Kids

As parents, but especially mothers we tend to be so hard on ourselves. We easily compare ourselves to others and find fault with what we do. This causes so much guilt. We judge ourselves harshly if we are working moms for not spending more time with our kids, or if we stay at home we do the same for not doing enough, not playing enough or for just being too tired. We spend hours on Pinterest looking for ideas of age appropriate educational activities to do with our kids, which we just don’t get to doing because preparing the activities takes too much time and effort. By the end of the day we are exhausted and still feel that we have not done enough. As mom’s we need to relax and deal with ourselves with some grace. That mom you saw yesterday who always looks like she has it all figured out, also has her struggles and breakdowns, today you just didn’t see it. What do our kids really need? They need us to be present when they are with us. Pack away your phone, switch off from work and chores and just spend some FUN time with them. It doesn’t have to be for long, but they need to have your undivided attention. They need to play and laugh, and you do too. Children build relationships differently to adults. Children learn to love, trust and learn through play. So if you want a strong trusting relationship with your child, play with them, listen to them. If you want your child to be successful, to love acquiring new knowledge and to enjoy learning (and later to enjoy school), they need to learn through play. That is the way they learn. That is the way that their brains are wired to learn. I know most of us are busy and don’t know where to start, especially when our kids are still very young, and can’t talk or take initiative yet. And although a baby is super cute and her smile melts your heart, the question remains, how do we play with them, so that they learn and build all those little neuro pathways in their brain that they need later on in life? Those little pathways only develop in the first few years of your life and then they are all you have to use for the rest of your life. The answer is seems simple, we need to do purposeful play, but where do we even start when our lives are so busy? That is why Skidz has developed an awesome product which takes the work out of it for you as the parent and gives you all the info and equipment needed to enjoy the time that you have with your child, playing. SKidz Clever Activity Boxes covers the age range from birth to 5 years in 5 boxes. The ages are divided as follows, 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-18 months, 18-24 months and 2-5 years. How it works is that you buy the box appropriate to your child’s age, which includes the equipment needed as well as an easy to follow manual. There are over 100 activities in each box which are all age appropriate and helps your child learn through play. It also includes nursery rhymes and sensory play ideas. You can then just choose what activities to do with your child and have fun while spending some quality, uninterrupted time together. The other option is to follow the curriculum. This is also ideal for little ones who stay at home. The curriculum has divided the activities into a more formal structure, where it tells you what activities to do each day of the week. It also works in a 3 week cycle so that you do not repeat the same activity every time. The activities are also divided into 3 month age gaps. This means that when you for instance purchase the 6-12 month box, the activities are divided into 6-9 months and 9-12 months, which you get in the same box. More info can be found on our website http://skidz.co.za/ and you can follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/skidzsa. We can also be contacted directly at [email protected]

September 13, 2017

Bedwetting Myths Debunked by Dr Michael Mol

Bedwetting is a common occurrence in many South African households. Research has shown that up to 25% of children at the age of 4 and an estimated 10% of South African children aged between 4-15 years old experience bedwetting. Even though bedwetting is common, it is not often spoken about openly due to feelings of embarrassment. This embarrassment and lack of communication has contributed to a number of myths surrounding bedwetting coming to light. Dr Michael Mol, Brand Ambassador for DryNites® Pyjama Pants, debunks seven common myths below, in the hopes of helping parents support their children affected by bedwetting. Myth 1: Bedwetting is caused by drinking too much fluids before bedtime This is not true. The medical term for bedwetting is Nocturnal Enuresis, which is summarised as the involuntary discharge of urine after the age at which bladder control should have been established. The word to take note of is involuntary, which means that the child does not know that they are wetting the bed. There can be numerous reasons for bedwetting. In most cases, it’s linked to delays in physiological development, children are unique and each child develops at a different pace. It could also stem from being in a very deep sleep or a bowel issue like constipation. It is suggested that you limit your child’s intake of sugary or caffeinated drinks a couple of hours before bedtime but they should always be allowed to drink water as this doesn’t affect whether or not your child will wet the bed. Myth 2: Using an absorbent product enables bedwetting Bedwetting products, such as DryNites® Pyjama Pants, have been shown to improve sleep quality, boost confidence and reduce stress (which can be a causational factor in bedwetting), as it makes wetting the bed less of a big deal. DryNites® Pyjama Pants will also give your child some control over the situation, especially if they have reached sleep over age. Myth 3: If your child is properly toilet trained, they shouldn’t be wetting the bed If your child wets the bed it doesn’t mean that they haven’t been properly toilet trained. Urine control during the day is completely different to what goes on when your child is sleeping. In most cases it will rectify itself in time and is nothing to worry about. Never blame yourself or think that you didn’t finish the job properly when you were taking them through the toilet training phase. Your child could be a star bathroom goer while they’re awake, but it is nobody’s fault if they wet the bed while they’re asleep. Myth 4: Children wet the bed when they are lazy to go to the bathroom This is false and, if believed, could lead parents to blame their child for wetting the bed, which will only exacerbate the problem. There are several reasons why your child may be wetting the bed. These are the most common problems associated with bedwetting: Delay in bladder reflex development, meaning your child’s bladder is not signalling the brain to wake up Their body may not be producing enough anti-diuretic hormone, which slows down urine production at night, so we don’t have to wake up as much A delay in bladder development can result in lower bladder capacity Myth 5: Punishing your child for wetting the bed will help their progress Remember that your child has no control over the situation and probably feels incredibly bad about it. Being punished for something they can’t help will only cause self-esteem to decrease and stress to increase. Many parents go the opposite way and try star charts or reward systems for dry nights. The best thing a parent can do for their child in this situation is to remain calm and supportive while helping their child to manage their bedwetting. Understanding the problem goes a long way in terms of maintaining your child’s confidence levels. Myth 6: Bedwetting is a sign of psychological problems or anti-social tendencies There is no evidence suggesting that primary bedwetting has anything to do with psychological issues. It is true that if your child begins wetting the bed after a period of six months or more of being dry at night (secondary bedwetting), it could be due to stress or an emotional issue, such as grief. If this is the case then you should talk to your child about what’s on their mind and flag the issue with your GP, play therapist or psychologist. Myth 7: Waking your child in the middle of the night for a bathroom visit will end bedwetting It is common practice for parents to wake their children in the middle of the night and encourage them to use the bathroom to prevent bedwetting. This is often referred to as ‘lifting’ and can seem like a good strategy if it helps keep the sheets dry. The reality is that this will not improve your child’s bladder control and could frustrate them, especially if they don’t need to urinate when you wake them up. If your child is over five years old it may also cause them to feel discouraged which will have a negative effect on their self-esteem. For more information on DryNites® Pyjama Pants, or to ask Dr Mol a personal question or to request a free sample, visit www.drynites.co.za. DryNites® Pyjama Pants are currently available nationwide. About DryNites® Pyjama Pants DryNites® Pyjama Pants are a discreet, comfortable and absorbent form of bedtime protection. They can be worn under pyjamas or a nighty and come in designs suitable for age and gender to make them look and feel just like underwear. DryNites® Pyjama Pants are available for Boys and Girls and come in two sizes, 4-7 years and 8-15 years. These products have trusted absorbency and leakage protection to ensure a good night’s rest. And because they’re discreet and underwear-like, children can feel more confident and independent at bedtime, either at home or on nights away. Waterproof mattress protectors and sheets can be uncomfortable and indiscreet. DryNites® Pyjama Pants allow your child to sleep on their usual sheets to ensure that

September 11, 2017

Sensopathic Play – More Valuable Than Parents Realise

In a fast-moving digital world, where children are glued to the couch with a handheld device in-hand, give them an opportunity to experience the world through touch – a fun and engaging way to play and learn with endless developmental benefits. Parenting expert Nikki Bush says sensopathic play uses the sense of touch, the biggest sensory system in the body to help children better understand the world around them. “Sensopathic play is a very real, concrete and experiential way to learn through personal experience. And as Albert Einstein said: ‘Learning is experience. Everything else is just information’,” Bush says. Yet, in the modern world fewer children engage in sensopathic play, and instead spend more time in front of a laptop computer or playing video games. Bush says the digital world has evolved so much that these days real toys and games have even been replaced with similar screen-based games. “Screens don’t provide three-dimensional learning. And these days a 4-year old can play a shape matching game on a tablet, but can’t do it in the real world. Similarly, a 5-year old can build a 64-piece puzzle on a computer game, but struggles to build a puzzle in class,” she says. Parents are advised to encourage this type of play, and Bush says the options are endless. Drawing on a child’s back with bubble bath during bath time; allowing him/her to draw pictures on the patio door and window with shaving cream, and crafting little figures out of play dough are just a few examples that guarantee fun, interactive multisensory experiences. And there are many developmental benefits attached to each, including fine motor coordination and teaching a child how to feel emotionally safe and secure. “Balance children’s time on screens with even more time doing real activities in real time with real objects and real people and you’ll be surprised at the results,” she says. There are dozens of toys on the market that encourage sensopathic play and the Child Development Team at Toy Kingdom has carefully selected and curated a range of toys that encourage this form of play, including finger paints and play dough, as well as dolls and plush toys. “Every child needs an opportunity to experience the world in a very real sense and through the sense of touch. By ignoring sensopathic play, your child will not learn as effectively as when they are fully, physically engaged in their own learning creating meaningful experiences,” Bush says.

September 8, 2017

Review: MasterChef Junior Range

If you have a budding chef in your house, then this is the product range for you! We are all too familiar with the popular tv show MasterChef Junior and now they have their amazing cooking line for children. I think that as parents we often forget just how educational cooking can be for children. Not only do they brush up on their math skills by measuring correctly but there is a science that goes with cooking. Exploring your child’s creativity is a must and MasterChef Junior encourages your child to do just that. We were sent 2 out of the 5 MasterChef Junior sets available. Kids really are provided the opportunity to become the ultimate home cook. Each box set provides your child with real cooking tools, plating suggestions to created fantastic dishes, and recipes for all skill levels such as: Line Cook Sous Chef MasterChef Best of all a blank recipe card comes in each set so that you child can get creative with the flavours and dishes that they love most. Cooking is such a valuable skill for any child to learn and so having tools on hand to teach them can really turn into a bonding experience. Certainly what stuck us most is the unbelievable quality of products. From the real wood finish to the silicone bowls, handles, jugs and baking cups to name a few, these products are certainly worth every cent. The Pizza Cooking Set This set includes: Sauce Ladle Wood Pizza Board Personal Pizza Pan Pizza Cutter Every child LOVES pizza. In our case it provided a fantastic Saturday afternoon lunch activity. We only wish that we had more pizza pans this size as they are certainly the perfect size for children. Each of our children had fun making their own dough and then following their recipe to create a special afternoon treat that THEY created themselves. The Baking Kitchen Set This set includes: Mixing Bowl Liquid Measuring Cup Rolling Pin Spatula 4 Silicone Baking Cups 4 Dusting Guards In our family one of our daughters is gluten intolerant and so making breakfast for her can sometimes be a hard task. In our house we encourage our children to help each other which can sometimes be hard when it comes to her meals. We simply loved that there was an easy breakfast egg cup recipe that was easy enough for our youngest children to follow. This made our breakfast a whole lot easier. Now although this did not fall within baking as such, it was probably the best part. The fact that children are encouraged to mix and match and make cooking fun and awesome again! The recipes included in this set were: Chocolate peanut butter cupcakes Baked macaroni and cheese Breakfast egg cups The only thing we can say is that we really wish we had the entire set. MasterChef Junior cooking sets include: Burger Cooking Set Pizza Cooking Set Baking Cooking Set Breakfast Cooking Set Cooking Essentials Set These products are recommended for ages 6 years and up and are available from Toy Kingdom Stores or online Toy Kingdom stores across South Africa: V&A Waterfront, Cape Town Canal Walk Shopping Centre, Cape Town Tyger Valley Shopping Centre, Cape Town Cavendish Square Shopping Centre, Cape Town Blue Route Mall, Cape Town Mountain Mill, Worcester Gateway Theatre of Shopping, North of Durban Ballito Junction, Durban Sandton City Shopping Centre, Johannesburg Cresta Shopping Centre, Johannesburg East Rand Mall, Johannesburg Clearwater Mall, Johannesburg Forest Hill City, Pretoria Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, Pretoria Centurion Mall, Pretoria Woodlands Boulevard, Pretoria Milimani City Mall, Tanzania Somerset West Mall (opening soon) Visit their website at www.toykingdom.co.za Tweet: Follow us on Twitter @toykingdomshop Facebook: Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/toykingdomshop Instagram: Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/toykingdomsouthafrica/ Pinterest: Follow us on Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ToyKingdomSA/ You Tube: Follow us on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgRUx-2NfXYRX7W5CL0su8g

September 7, 2017

Why I believe in camp, and you should too

Having turned the dream of creating a ‘children’s paradise’ into a successfully running business, Sugar Bay’s Founding Director, Zoë Ellender, shares why the benefits of American summer camps inspired her to start her very own camp in South Africa. “As a child, I was given a lot of opportunities to go on holiday which didn’t require spending a lot of money. We would go to our grandparents on a little farm in the Free State, in Clocolan, which is along the Lesotho border. I would be surrounded by my older cousins who were great role models and we would be busy from sunrise to sunset; climbing mountains, building forts, jumping off cliffs and just going on escapades. When I began soul searching after realizing I was unhappy in my legal career, I cast my thoughts back to these moments in my life when I was happiest. I began recapturing my youth and parts of these holiday experiences. This is how my love for camp began, in a healthy environment, without any distractions, just full of fun,” Ellender shared. Ellender was inspired by the concept of a children’s summer camp after reading the American Camping Association (ACA) logo, “Camp gives kids a world of good”. This is what prompted her to begin a holiday destination exclusively for children. “Summer camps have become a tradition in America and are extremely popular. It’s not a matter of ‘Are you going to summer camp?’, but rather ‘Which summer camp are you going to?’ I wanted to bring this caliber of camping to South Africa, to create a tradition and make summer camp a way of life,” she said. “South Africa has a very limited knowledge of camp and the usual veldt school camps are common in the country. I dislike the fact that these camps have the ‘compulsory’ aspect in their activities, and therefore I offer free choice at my summer camp,” she added. Ellender was convinced about the benefits of camp while doing market research and interviewing a host of summer camp counselors in South Africa who had worked at camps in the United States. “After speaking to them and hearing them explain the benefits of camp, I was convinced that starting a summer camp was the best idea I could have ever had. The counselors inspire me to believe in camp because of their energy; they are such cool people. It’s amazing to see that they make such a huge impact on the kids, that the kids will follow them to the ends of the world. They also have an incredible ability to create fun out of anything”, said Ellender. When asked, “How do you to continue to believe in your summer camp?” she responded; “Seeing the difference it makes to kids and their lives. They keep coming back to camp to escape the stresses of the outside world and reap the benefits of camp. The kids keep growing in confidence as a result of their camping experience. It’s great to see kids having fun without technology, keeping in mind how much time they spend engrossed in social media these days.” Ellender expanded on some of the benefits she has witnessed at Sugar Bay, which maintain her confidence in this business, “I believe in camp, because I believe it’s really important to get kids out of their comfort zones, and out on their own every now and then. This really helps them to make decisions by themselves and to be able to establish new friendships independently. It’s good for kids to do these things without parental support and without the distraction caused by their screens. I believe that camp is a fundamental building block for children. Kids don’t get to form relationships at school in a healthy way. However, at camp, there are specially trained counselors to guide them. As a mother of three kids, at three different ages, I definitely see the importance of this guidance offered at camp, whereas at school, kids are left to fend for themselves.” Ellender encourages parents who doubt her testimony, to ask other parents who have sent their kids to a camp like Sugar Bay. She says, “Don’t take my word for it. Ask any child or parent who has ever come to Sugar Bay.” Her words are evidently true, judging by the hundreds of five star reviews which flood their Facebook page with praises from both children and parents alike. If you would like more information about this one-of-a-kind summer camp, visit www.sugarbay.co.za or contact 032 485 3778.

September 7, 2017

Loveys, Blankies, Burpies, Teddies….

Linus from the “Peanuts” comic strip is infamous for carrying around his security blanket while sucking his thumb. An attachment object or “lovey” as it is better known, is very helpful when you are trying to help your child have restful deep sleep. It becomes something of comfort when one of the parents is not around. A comfort object, transitional object, or security blanket is an item used to provide psychological comfort, especially in unusual or unique situations, or at bedtime for small children. Among toddlers, comfort objects may take the form of a blanket, a stuffed animal, or a favourite toy, and may be referred to by English-speaking toddlers as blankey and loveys. Here are the most frequently asked questions concerning comfort items. 1. How does it work? Because these objects help a child make the transition from complete dependence to independence, experts sometimes refer to security objects as transitional objects. It takes the place of the mother-child bond. A security object can give a child both emotional and tangible comfort, especially during times of stress. In addition to providing security, the transitional object allows the child to show his autonomy. The young child enjoys having authority over something. It also becomes an association with certain scenarios. When used for sleep, the child may associate the particular item with sleep. 2. What is a good choice for an attachment object? It is vital to make safety your first priority. Make sure the object doesn’t have any hard parts/edges, sounds or lights that could eventually disrupt your baby or toddler in the night. You’ll also need to think about choking hazards – no loveys that have small, detachable pieces, or even pieces that are sewn on but could potentially detach (think stuffed animals with small, plastic eyes sewn on). It could be a taglet, a soft toy, a blanket or “spoegdoek”/burp cloth. Whatever lovey you choose, buy at least two or three and secretly rotate them so that they each become equally loved and used. If the main lovey goes missing, you could easily replace it without your baby being any the wiser. Also note that although you may be intentionally introducing a lovey, your baby may make an association with something completely different. It’s important to be flexible. 3. How do I introduce an attachment object? In the first stages of baby’s life, you do not necessarily put baby down with his lovey, but having it around or even between you at all times will help your baby associate it with comfort. You really can start using it from the start although your baby won’t make an association while he/she is so young. Long before you start to put baby down to sleep on his own with the lovey, make sure the lovey is present at nursing, soothing, reading and relaxing times. Have the lovey be a part of your day. Use it to play peek-a-boo, or have the lovey snuggle with you and your baby during feedings. Give the item some personality! And (most importantly), incorporate the lovey into the bedtime and naptime routines. Maybe you kiss the lovey then baby, or just simply snuggle them together. Try to ensure that the lovey’s always present. You can also wear the item so that it smells like you. 4. What if my child does not become attached? Previous studies have shown that up to 70% of young children develop strong attachments to objects such as toys or blankets. The phenomenon tends to be confined to the western world, where children usually sleep apart from their parents at an early age (http://www.theguardian.com/science/2007/mar/09/psychology.uknews). Children’s needs differ when it comes to transitional objects. Some children never even have a security object, some jump from one object to another in short periods of time, and others cling onto one object for years. Take your child’s lead but don’t give up to soon. (See next point). 5. At what age should it be implemented? Attachment to a transitional object tends to develop at around six months of age. The attachment peaks at about eighteen to thirty months of age. The security objects are generally most important when the child is about two-and-a half years old. This may be because between the ages of two and three children develop the necessary skills that allow them to emotionally relate to people other than the people most important to them. Thus you can start introducing the lovey from as early as 1 day, but continue to try to introduce it for up to about a year. 6. When should a transitional object be taken away? I personally believe that the child should give it up when it is ready, especially when the child is not walking around with it but actually only using it for sleep. Sometime between the ages two and five, most kids are ready to bid farewell to their blankies (though they may occasionally cling to these during times of stress). The attachment is rarely abnormal, but do keep an eye out if your tot is always snuggling his lovey instead of playing with toys, running around outside, or socialising with peers. If so, consider whether there’s an underlying cause, such as a stressful situation at home or a problem with a child-care provider. Weaning an older child away from a cherished blanket or doll requires that parents acknowledge the symbolic importance of the transitional object. If the object is simply taken away, that will rarely work. An alternative is to offer the child new and more satisfying things and it may take a while until the right combination is discovered. A child may need a transitional object at night for a few years after giving it up. “It’s easier for children to cope with stress during the day when other people are around than at bedtime when they are by themselves Here is some more tips on letting it go 7. How should a lovey be used when used for sleep? (Should it

September 7, 2017

Teaching Your Child How to Save

By Thami Cele, Head of Savings & Investments, at Absa Retail and Business Banking To avoid the next generation making bad financial decisions and to help them enjoy financially fit lives, children need to be taught the essentials about money. If you’re a parent, this doesn’t mean filling your child’s head with financial facts and figures, but rather offering them age-appropriate money lessons. It’s never too soon to start either, as research by bestselling author Beth Kobliner in her book Get a Financial Life reveals that children as young as three can grasp financial concepts, particularly around saving and spending. Good financial skills are vital to ensure we are able to get through life as adults without too many pitfalls. From making a savings plan to guarantee security after retirement or as back-up in case of emergency to avoid falling into a cycle of debt, a healthy understanding of the concept of money is essential and it is important to start implementing these learnings from a young age. If you are a parent, here are five simple ways to teach your children about saving money: Get a piggy bank This form of savings is more meaningful for younger children who can’t add or count too well. Keep the savings visible: you can try the old jam jar system as a savings mechanism for both short-term and long-term savings and allow them to even draw pictures to illustrate what they are saving for – like a toy guitar or teddy bear for short-term saving and perhaps a trip to an exciting destination for long-term purposes. Take them to a bank to open their account This helps youngsters understand where their money is going and introduces them to the concept of financial institutions. In doing so, you help your child prioritise short-term and long-term savings. Model good spending and saving habits As parents, you have the biggest influence on the way children save or spend. Examine your own spending habits: next time you dash out to get the latest designer handbag or shoes, ask what message you are really sending to your impressionable children. Show them the money We have to remember that children today don’t see cash and financial transactions the same way we saw them when we were growing up, so we have to consciously make sure that children understand cash as the basis for learning more about money later. When giving children an allowance or income, give the money in denominations that encourage saving. For example if the amount is R50, give out five R10 notes and encourage that at least one be set aside for savings. Also talk about money in front of your children. Many people avoid this, but if you have healthy discussions about money in front of them, they are more likely to develop the right attitudes towards savings. Teach the difference between a want and need Talk to them about how adverts are designed to make them feel a need for the item they are selling – and how to differentiate between what they want and actually need. It will stand them in good stead when they are adults. Teaching your children how to save is an important step to prepare them for financial responsibility and a secure future. But it won’t go very far if you don’t “practice what you preach” and save for the future yourself. Whether we like it or not, most of us take after our parents and emulate the habits we observed in them during childhood. In other words, you need to start acting how you want your children to act when they grow up.

September 6, 2017

Stem Cell Myths – Busted

The term stem cell gleans different reactions from people both in the medical community and the wider public. Still an emerging science, but with immense possibilities, stem cell research is shrouded in many myths and misconceptions. Cryo-Save has taken on the top myths and clarifies facts regarding this fast-growing medical treatment. Myth 1 – Stem cell storage is costly Stem cell storage is available to anyone who would like to store their baby’s umbilical cord stem cells. Cryo-Save has multiple cost options and interest-free payment plans to store cord blood and tissue. Myth 2 – All stem cells are the same When you hear “stem cells”, you may not know exactly what these are or conjure up images of a certain cloned sheep. In reality, stem cells are the body’s internal repair system. It continuously replaces dead or diseased cells with new, healthy cells to ensure normal function of the body. We differentiate between embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are powerful because they are pluripotent and can develop into any type of cell in your body. But they’re often controversial because of their origin and is not part of the stem cell storage services offered by Cryo-Save. Multi-potent or adult stem cells are found throughout the body and they form only certain tissue cells, maintaining your body’s organs as you age, e.g. blood forming stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells. BLOOD FORMING STEM CELLS produce new and healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets continuously, to ensure normal function of the blood and immune system, (like a factory producing new cars every day). RED BLOOD CELLS are responsible to carry oxygen to all parts of the body. WHITE BLOOD CELLS are the soldiers in our blood and fight off all foreign invaders like bacteria etc. PLATELETS form clots to prevent excessive bleeding. Researchers have successfully used umbilical cord stem cells (taken from a new-born’s cord blood), to treat leukaemia and other blood disorders since 1998. Stem cells from a baby’s umbilical cord are considered adult stem cells and these precious cells, if not cryopreserved, are discarded as medical waste in many instances. Therefore, these cells are free of controversy and acceptable to most cultures and religions. Myth 3 – Umbilical cord stem cells can only be used for your baby Your baby’s umbilical cord stem cells are a 100% perfect match for your baby and biological parents’ stem cells will be at least a half match. There is a 25% probability of matching siblings, and unlike bone marrow transplants you don’t have to have a perfect match in transplants when making use of cord blood stem cells. Myth 4 – I didn’t store my first child’s stem cells so there is no point in storing for the second child Just as some people need organ transplants to treat or cure diseases, blood stem cells can be transplanted too. If the blood forming stem cells in our bodies cannot produce healthy cells or stop producing cells completely, we cannot function normally and our stem cells will have to be REPLACED with healthy ones that can be found in the bone marrow or umbilical cord blood. Sometimes these stem cells are your own, and sometimes they will come from a donor. Cord blood contains powerful stem cells, and fact is that if your baby becomes ill in the future you may be able to use these cells as treatment. One of the contributing factors is that partially matched cord blood stem cells can be used for transplantation, increasing the chances of finding a suitable match. Today, umbilical cord blood stem cells are used in more than a third of all blood stem cell transplants in the world. Therefore, storing your second child’s stem cells has the possibility, depending on the degree of matching, to treat your first child should a stem cell transplant be required but also other members of the family. Myth 5 – Stem cell storage is only available overseas Cryo-Save has been storing umbilical cord stem cells for families all over the world since 2000. It is the leading family stem cell bank in Europe and Africa, Cryo-Save has stored more than 310 000 samples. Cryo-Save South Africa offers both local and international storage options in either Pretoria or Europe for both cord blood and cord tissue. This local facility complies with the highest international standards and importantly complies to the coveted AABB accreditation standards. AABB, formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks, is an international non-profit association, representing individuals and institutions involved in the field of transfusion medicine and cellular therapies. Accreditation by the association follows an intensive on-site assessment by specially trained assessors who established that the level of technical and administrative performance within the facility meets or exceeds the standards set by the Association. AABB’s Accreditation programme (recognised by the International Society for Quality in Healthcare – ISQUA) contributes to quality and safety of collection, processing, testing, distributing and administration of stem cells. Myth 6 – Mixed race parents can’t store stem cells On average, the chances of finding a perfectly matching blood stem cell donor for allogeneic transplant, are only 1 in 100 000. These odds are significantly worse for people from a mixed descent. However, despite its diverse ethnic make-up, South Africa (nor the rest of the continent) has no public cord blood stem cell bank, which makes the likelihood of finding a matching donor even more challenging. Should a child from mixed descent be diagnosed with a blood-related cancer or disorder, the search for a possible stem cell match can be debilitating to a family’s finances and hope for recovery. Therefore, Cryo-Save encourages mixed race families to store their babies’ stem cells. Myth 7 – Stem cell banking is only for families with a history of cancer The myth is deceptive and dangerous. The uses of cord blood stem cells have extended far beyond treatments for cancer. Researchers have invigorated the field of regenerative

September 4, 2017

Help Your Child Develop Study Strategies

Parents and guardians can, and should, help their young children develop good study habits from an early age, to help them achieve academic excellence throughout their school years and beyond, an education expert says. “In primary school, learners will start bringing homework assignments from school, and be required to study for tests. These early years are the best time to guide children and equip them with the strategies and tools to ensure that study discipline comes naturally in later years,” says Clare Pretorius, Senior Deputy Principal at Trinityhouse High Randpark Ridge, a brand of Africa’s largest private education provider, the ADvTECH Group. Pretorius says once parents have left behind the frazzled and often anxious toddler years, they will be faced with a whole new myriad of uncertainties and frustrations once their school going children are required to start studying and performing to the best of their ability academically. “Every young person differs when it comes to attention and dedication to studies, homework and exam preparation. Some parents have intrinsically motivated children, while others need to constantly spur them on. Regardless of where a child falls on the spectrum however, parents can guide and equip them to ensure they are able to grow and develop to ultimately realise their full potential,” she says. It is important for parents and guardians to first establish what a child’s intrinsic learning style is – auditory, visual, or a combination of the two? “It is possible that the child learns through doing rather than seeing. The preferred method, if used correctly, will facilitate successful learning.” It is also vital to ensure that children have a suitable study environment. “This refers to both the physical environment and the atmosphere created for the studying child,” says Pretorius. “Daily routine needs to be established, and this includes when meals are served and when family outings are arranged, as children need little to distract them from the task at hand. Preparation of the environment also includes ensuring that all necessary equipment is available. As children get older they will organise this themselves, but initially a parent needs to assist and demonstrate best practice.” Once the groundwork has been laid, parents should assist – with varying degrees of involvement – with the actual study process. “Intrinsically motivated children may need firmness and guidance as to when enough is enough. Avoid allowing children to study into the small hours of the morning only to sit their exams in an exhausted state. On the other side of the spectrum, many children will need firm encouragement just to get going. These children do well when study schedules are drawn up with the help of parents, with lots of encouragement to get with and stick to the programme.” Pretorius says study programmes must be realistic and give adequate time to each subject. “It must be flexible and make allowances for last minute emergencies such as power failures or illness. Such a programme should be set up well in advance, as that in itself brings a sense of control to the situation for both parent and child,” she says. “Supporting your studying child can be a cause for stress, which is exacerbated if the child also doesn’t enjoy writing exams or studying. So parents should understand that they are key to the maintenance of a relatively stress free environment. There are years ahead of our children that will be filled with homework, tests and exams. If we can engender a positive attitude and a diligence in approach to academic work right from the start, it will go a long way to cultivating positive and diligent young adults who realise their potential.”

September 1, 2017

Stimulating Language and Listening Skills

Language is considered a verbal behaviour which is learned by means of the environment. A parent / caregiver and other significant adults in a child’s life provide modelling and reinforcement of these learned language structures and of speech (Allyn & Bacon, 2001). The caregiving environment is therefore extremely important to the child’s development. Early in a child’s life, as they start pointing to objects, parents often automatically label these objects and thus form the beginning of the child’s vocabulary acquisition. Once the child has some words, he might point and say “ball” and the parents would say “yes, that is a ball. A red ball. Do you want the ball?” The parent is thus modelling the sentence construction and the combination of words into a sentence, as well as reinforcing what the child is saying each time. Listening skills and auditory processing skills involve processing information through our hearing, memorising this information, and processing and reasoning the details to provide an output. These skills also include awareness of sounds in words (e.g. rhyme, sounding out words: c-a-t) which are crucial for later reading and writing. It seems that with the advances in technology, this generation of children are being more and more exposed to visual input such as televisions, iPad’s and smart phones, potentially reducing the necessity of the use of their auditory skills; The skills so crucial for many activities of daily life. The following ideas for activities may be used in order to stimulate your child’s language and listening skills: Make language a part of your daily routine. During bath time and dressing, name the parts of the body and your child’s clothes. During cooking, name the ingredients and make use of short phrases, such as “put it in the bowl.” and different actions e.g. “stir,” “pour,” “crack the egg.” Although your child may only learn to produce rhyming words later in their pre-school years, nursery rhymes are a fantastic way to teach rhyming incidentally. Playing games such as “I spy with my little eye” assists in your child’s listening, auditory memory and reasoning skills, as well as, creating awareness of the initial sound in a word. Playing “I am going on a picnic, and I’m going to bring…” assists in developing your child’s auditory memory skills. These are crucial for recall of details for following instructions and other important tasks. On a daily basis, your child should be provided with instructions that should be followed. These can even be silly instructions for example, “Take the spoon and put it on your head and walk to the door.” You may take turns giving each other instructions. This also gives your child a chance to express themselves and verbalise steps to be followed. Try to lengthen the complexity of the instructions, for example, if your child is able to cope with 3 details in the instruction move to 4 details (e.g.. draw a red circle under the square) or 4 steps (e.g. colour the girl’s hair in brown, draw grey eyes and then give her a mouth and nose). Identification of common labels such as Coke, Mac Donald’s, Pick ’n Pay, is an early pre-reading skill. This teaches children that symbols are associated with a meaning. Reading is such an important part of your child’s learning, language and development. From infancy, your child will learn the vocabulary and language structures, as well as early pre-reading skills such as holding a book, turning pages and that reading occurs from left to right (in English). This is crucial for language development and later reading skills. Furthermore, the love of books and of reading is an immeasurable asset. Ultimately, it seems that we need to go back to our roots and learn to enjoy and apply some of the games of our youth and our parent’s youth. For more information and ideas on how to aid in your child’s development, look at the SkidZ Clever Activity Box program. It is filled with age appropriate activities for language and listening skills as well as other areas of development. The program provides an option of a daily curriculum which includes activities for everyday of the week. The SkidZ program is not only comprehensive but provides hours of fun for little ones. For more information on the SkidZ Clever Activity Boxes visit their website at www.skidz.co.za Written by: Jemma Roets – Speech- Language Therapist and Audiologist Jemma Roets qualified as a Speech-language therapist and Audiologist at the University of Pretoria in 2007. She later completed her Masters degree in Early Childhood Intervention, specialising in severe disabilities, in 2013, at the University of Pretoria.

August 31, 2017

The Value of Grandparents

There is absolutely no doubt that grandparents engender a tremendous sense of stability and connection when they are included in the upbringing of children. Their relationship with their grandchildren often reflects feelings of comfort and security in a way that is indefinable but powerful, and cannot be underestimated. Grandparents help children to understand their place in the family hierarchy, they give children a different kind of love – more indulgent perhaps but underpinned by the value of their experience that children respond to instinctively. Balance and perspectives It’s not always plain sailing however – and often the sharpest divide between grandparents and grandchildren are the parents. From generation to generation there are many changes in lifestyles and opinions; today’s world is different and the way your parents brought you up may not be the way you want your children raised. Society revises itself continually and ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’ is no longer as relevant as it was in our parents’ time. Today’s parents need to be in sync with modern parenting styles and apply fresh approaches to training, rewarding or admonishing children. And if granny doesn’t agree, this can cause discord in the family. Try not to allow this problem to spoil the relationship with the grandchildren. It’s best to talk your point of view through with your parents, and explain the reasoning behind your style of parenting. Children are under far more pressure today than they were two generations ago, and sometimes grandparents just need to understand the new rules and why they are there, and come to terms with the changes. The support system It is vital for families to recognise and appreciate the often selfless support system that grandparents provide. Not only do they fill all sorts of parenting gaps when both parents are working but they also provide a safety net during times of trouble such as divorce or financial constraints, or death of a parent. And they are also the source for some life-long life lessons. Many people look back and recall that it was their grandparents who taught them manners, respect, and the difference between right and wrong. Grandparents have the time and the insight to explain things to children in a way that parents do not. But those lessons, reasonable and sensible, couched in love and fun, are the ones that stick with the children. It may be difficult for parents to turn back to their own parents for support. After all, they’ve been living independent lives for some time, making their own decisions. Sometimes the support from grandparents is expected, taken for granted, and the reliance becomes unreasonable. It’s good to remember that your parents still have their own lives to live and should not be pressured into becoming surrogate parents 24/7. The expected responsibilities of grandparents can be so easily abused, especially if they (as is so often the case these days) come to live permanently in the nuclear household. What grandparents and grandchildren gain from each other While children gain so much from their grandparents, it’s truly reciprocal. When grandparents see their grandchildren, they see the future and experience a sense of continuity that fills them with contentment. There, in their grandchildren, is the physical evidence of the flow of life, the past connecting with the future. A grandparent’s love is second only in emotional importance to a parent’s but it is usually less conditional, more empathic. Grandparents enjoy their grandchildren in the moment without censure or apprehension about minor misdemeanours. And children know this, revel in it, because it offers them a different kind of freedom to be themselves, to stretch a couple of boundaries while fully cosseted in loving admiration, and the luxury of asking for more. Active, involved grandparents also show much less depression and higher degrees of life satisfaction. They tend to be happier with their present life and more hopeful for the future. And while grandparents teach much to their grandchildren, so do the grandchildren love to teach their grandparents – especially cool stuff on the internet! Grandparents get to meet the world anew through the eyes of their grandchildren. What to do when there are no grandparents Sadly, there are always situations where grandparents live far away – or may have already passed away. It is important then, to talk about the grandparents often, to share photographs, and many phone calls. To engender a sense of excitement when granny and grandpa are coming to visit, or any visits are planned to see granny. Even though the connection may be distant, it’s vital to build on it and keep it strong. If grandparents have passed away, keep memories of them alive with their grandchildren in the same way – through conversation and photographs and many anecdotes – which children love. If there is an old age home nearby, take your children to meet the old people; give them a chance to engage with older people in a positive way, to get to understand age, frailty and an old person’s need for the company of children. There are many old people, distanced from their families – or without any at all – who would benefit from your visits and in return offer their wisdom, admiration and unconditional love for your children.

August 30, 2017

Technology and Tots

Embracing technology is essential in this day and age, and I am certainly pro having kids learn to use technology in education. The question is “at what age should encourage our little ones to engage with screens?” Because babies engage very readily with screens, it can be tempting to rely on screen time as a convenient baby sitter, while you grab 5 minutes to yourself. However, the American Association of Paediatrics advises NO screen time in infants less than two years of age. Let’s look at the reasons for this advice and what we can do: Screen time is void of emotional engagement. TV’s and iPads are not a relationship. While your little one plays a game on your iPad or watches a program on TV, he is missing out on essential loving interactions at a time when his brain is wiring at a rate of a million connections a second. Choose that wiring opportunity carefully. Learning happens best in the context of love and time. Research has shown that babies learn best in the context of love and fun and laughter. This emotional connection is negated whist engaging with technology. Babies who watch videos in the first year, have fewer words at 18 months. Proceed with caution – your baby needs relationships to learn. The blue light emitted by screens has been shown to hamper sleep. Melatonin is our sleep hormone, controlling sleep/wake cycles. The blue light of a screen suppresses melatonin secretion, resulting in wakefulness. So for both you and your child (of any age), no screens for an hour before sleep times. What can you do: Model responsible screen behaviour – if you are on your device constantly, you are depriving your baby of engagement. In addition, your baby will think it’s the norm and expect that same standard for himself. No TV under 1 year of age. Between 2 and 5 years old let your baby watch content that makes sense to you – if there is no language and it makes no sense to you it’s worse. Watch and engage with screens WITH your toddler – talk through the show, explain the emotions – that way your baby learns through the experience. As a mom of three, I know that when life gets hectic and you actually just need 5 minutes to yourself it’s tempting to rely on an electronic babysitter. So my message is proceed with caution and insight and be a responsible parent in the technology age.

August 29, 2017

Healthy Coping Skills For Teens

Let’s face it, we all need to learn healthy coping skills, but adolescence is a particularly stressful time, when making healthy choices is so important. With hormones raging, peer pressure at its peak, sometimes overwhelming high school stress caused by erratic relationships and high expectations, conflict with parents and a driving desire to explore their world and express themselves, teens are at risk of going off the deep end. They learn coping skills from us parents, but often we have developed our own bad habits, like reaching for a glass of wine, a cigarette or unhealthy foods when we’re stressed or totally losing our cool in the traffic. Here are some better coping mechanisms for them to practice until they become healthy life habits: Work on building self esteem. This is the foundation on which they will build their blossoming selves. They need to spend time alone to know themselves – their strengths and vulnerabilities, their talents and unique qualities. Making a list of 10 positive qualities about themselves and reviewing it every day can help start each day on a positive note. Using positive affirmations and filling their heads with inspirational words helps. There are fabulous stories of people who have succeeded against all odds. Taking the power out of negative words like “fat” (fabulous, amazing, tenacious) can help to stop them from feeling emotionally hurt. Joining a sport or creative activity they enjoy and are good at can really help them to feel better about themselves. It’s also important for them to associate with positive, supportive people who uplift and believe in them. Girls are especially vulnerable to falling into the trap of losing themselves in an attempt to fit in with a group perceived to be popular. Having a happy outlook goes a long way towards winning over their peers and it helps to be grateful for what they have rather than focusing on what they don’t have. Take responsibility. Teens need to learn to take responsibility for their own life – for the good and bad decisions they make. They shouldn’t beat themselves up over mistakes – just learn from them, apologise where necessary and don’t keep repeating the same mistakes. They must understand that some of the most successful people on this planet had to fail many times before they succeeded e.g. JK Rowling, who was turned down hundreds of times before her Harry Potter books were accepted by a publisher. Parents should reiterate that “failing” is how we learn so actually, there is no such thing as failure – only results – which they may like or not like. Fear is usually generated by the unknown but they shouldn’t let this hold them back – unless they try, they will never know what they might accomplish. Take control of their life. Teens need to learn that although they can’t always control what happens to them, they always have a choice as to how they respond. Being right and always winning is not nearly as important as doing the right thing. Even if they’re handling difficult circumstances, blaming other people doesn’t help – that just gets them stuck in the drama of the moment. Instead, looking at how to resolve the situation will be a lot more helpful in moving them in the right direction. If they want things to change, they have to change their actions. Doing the same thing over and over will give them the same results. They should not accept limiting beliefs about themselves, e.g. “I’m hopeless at maths”. Everyone has different strengths and it may just be that they learn differently and need someone to explain concepts in a way they can grasp. They should think BIG! The power of the mind is unlimited and what the mind can conceive and truly believe, it can achieve. Set goals. Teens must learn how to set goals and take small steps towards achieving them. There’s a saying: if you aim at nothing, you will achieve it every time! Goals are like ship rudders – they set the direction in which our lives move. A great goal setting method is for them to: Brainstorm all areas of their life – include school, personal, hobbies/interests, sports, etc. Write them all down. Some examples could be health/fitness, self-confidence, friendships, family, prioritising skills, organisation skills, etc. Make a chart with 3 columns – Yes, No, Maybe. Put everything they wrote down under the columns. Yes = areas they really need to work on right now. No = Areas they think are okay right now. Maybe = Areas they could work on but there is no urgency right now. Get it down to 3 goals in the Yes column. If they have more than three items, they should think about which three are the most important for them to work on right now. Move the others over to the Maybe column. These 3 Yes goals are their primary Those in the Maybe column are their secondary goals. Look at each goal and think about what they would like to achieve in 3 months. Imagine how it would look and feel to achieve this – make it real. Write down a goal statement for each goal. It must be inspiring and visionary, challenging and achievable, measurable (there should be a time limit), clear and focused. E.g. In 12 weeks I want to feel fitter and more energetic by running 5km three times a week. Now change the wording to make each goal inspiring. They need to look at it and feel really excited and motivated by it. E.g. “Wow, look at me now!” They can get ideas by looking up company slogans – e.g. Nike “Just Do it!” It will help to create a vision board and pin up photos of people who inspire them, sayings that motivate them, etc. Now set actions for each goal, with due dates. It helps to do this on a weekly basis. They need to keep setting different actions as they

August 28, 2017

Crossing The Midline

There are many terms that teachers, psychologists and other professionals may use that, at times, are perhaps not explained effectively leaving parents at a loss to the significance of these difficulties. It is important to understand what the importance of these conditions are, (especially if they have been mentioned in your child’s school report) what they mean, and the possible consequences and repercussions thereof. The midline is akin to an imaginary line going down the middle of one’s body from head to toe. Midline crossing is important for many skills to develop later on. For example, midline crossing is important for a youngster to develop the ability to use one hand to write across the entire page. This will also determine whether the youngster will have the necessary skills to read the length of the sentence across the page from left to right A child who can’t cross the midline, for instance, would use his/her left hand to write or paint on the left-side of the page and his/her right hand to write or paint on the right-hand side of the page which can hamper the learning process. Crossing the midline is also an indicator of bilateral co-ordination which is the ability to use both sides of the body and brain simultaneously. This is important for gross motor skills such as climbing stairs, walking, riding a bicycle and swimming. In addition, bilateral co-ordination is also important to read, write and learn. In other words, the right and left brain have to work together, for example in reading the left brain’s task is to decode a word whilst the right brain facilitates the understanding and meaning of what was read. Midline crossing is therefore essential for a youngster to develop as it is a very necessary skill for learning in all areas of life.

August 28, 2017

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