Parenting - Parenting Hub

Advice from the experts

Guide on how to express breast milk

One of the beautiful things about breastfeeding is that breastfeeding is a relationship between you and your baby. Breast feeding is not only about nutrition but also bonding and getting to know eat other. The dynamics and how you feed can change overtime as both of you grow in your knowledge of breastfeeding and of each other. Breastfeeding is so intimate that your experience will be so different from other mothers. And that can be so beautiful! Mothers need to talk about their breastfeeding experiences because although there may be a similar themes all the moms have their own unique story. There are so many ways to breast feed a baby. Did you know that over 85% of breast-feeding mothers also express their breast milk? There are so many reasons for mothers wanting the express like prematurity, separation from baby, illness, pain, low milk supply, fast letdown or even engorgement. Some mothers see this as their ideal feeding method while other mothers have had to raise up to a challenge and finding a way in which they still can provide breast milk for their little one. As an exclusive pumper (while my babies were in NICU) and then a part time pumper (while learning how to breastfeed and then later going back to work), I can say that expressing is a wonderful way to still supply breast milk to your baby but that it is also a lot of work. The time it takes to express plus the sterilisation of the equipment is valuable time for any mother. My private goal for breastfeeding my children was the “standard” 6 months exclusive and 2 years or longer. I can confidently say that without the initial expressing and then part time expressing, I would never have reached my goals. As I mentioned earlier expressing breast milk takes time and effort. Here are some hacks to help you make the most of your time: Learn how to hand express. This is an important skill that all breast-feeding moms need to know. You just never know when you will need it. Use the correct pump for your needs and affordability. Find a good quality double electric pump that can help you to express in less time with higher milk out comes. This may be the defining reason for being successful or not The key to a good milk supply is emptying of your breast. If you are exclusively pumping, you need to remove your breastmilk as often as your baby would have fed. This can be 8 or more times a day. Massage and use warmth before you start expressing to help with your let down and milk supply. If using a breast pump, you can use hands on expressing and finish with hand expression. This way you are able to completely empty your breasts which helps with increasing your milk supply. Store your breast milk safely. If you are planning to continue to breastfeed once you go back to work, inform your company before you go on maternity leave. If they do not have a room and policies to help you with breastfeeding this will allow them time to find a space that is appropriate for you. Ask them for the policy on breastfeeding and enquire about your two 30-minute breastfeeding break that you will be taking in order to express for your baby. Here are some tips on how to practically express for your baby while at work Step 1: Build a stash You only really need to start to store up a supply of breast milk about 2-4 weeks before you go back to work. You can expect to express the following amounts: If you are expressing in between feeds while direct feeding expect to express about half a feed. If you are expressing to replace a direct feed expect to express a full feed Women have different storage capacities so some women will be able to express more than what is expected. All women are different and try not to compare yourself with others. For some great storage solution have a look at the Ameda store n pour storage bags and bottles Step 2: Find your work expression spot Make it as comfortable as possible for you. Check to see if you can lock the door, or bring a sign for the door that indicates that you are expressing and that you should not be disturbed Step 3: Make the place clean and hygienic as possible If needed clean the surfaces. Wash your hands before your start expressing. Bring sterilised equipment to the office. This way you can avoid the need to sterilise at work. Step 4: Prepare for expressing Use a few minutes to disconnect from the hustle and stress of work. Focus on your baby, you can even watch a short video or look at pictures of your child. Use heat pads and/or massage your breast to help with the let-down. Step 5: Express your milk Express in your preferred method. Step 6: Store your milk safely Once you have finished, store your breast milk into the contain that you will be freezing it in. Make sure it is closed tightly and will not leak during transportation. Depending on the facilities that you have at your workplace. You can store your milk in a fridge or cooler bag with ice packs for the rest of the day. Once you are home you can freeze or get the milk ready for the next day. Remember to label the bottle with baby’s name and date of expression so that you can identify your milk and how old it is. Step 7: Clean up Make sure that you leave the area clean and ready for the next mom to use. Step 8: Prepare for the next day Once you are home wash and sterilise your equipment. Once your equipment is dry pack it away ready for you to take to work. This way you are less likely to forget it

December 16, 2020

How to up your computer skills even if you’re 40+

Google seems like a word cemented into the modern vocabulary, but not everyone is as savvy with tech terms (or usage of the actual tech) as Bill Gates, the guy that founded Google. The truth is that older employees, in particular, might feel left behind by their lack of computer skills. In almost all sectors and industries, computer literacy as an absolute must-have for office staff all the way from receptionists to top executives. While most of the workforce has embraced the computer revolution, some haven’t acquired these skills yet. But the good news is that computer skills are easier to pick up than you think. Computers are also more user-friendly these days and training is widely available. Also, you don’t need to become a computer pro in order to thrive in the modern office environment. How to improve your computer skills Get over you fear The first point of action should be to get rid of the fear factor. Your attitude toward acquiring skills can quickly become a stumbling block. Keep in mind that keeping your skills updated and relevant is your OWN responsibility. Nobody is going to pave the way for you. If you want to make it in the modern workforce, you’ll have to ensure you’re staying as proactive as possible. Understand the skills you’ll need If you want to work on your computer skills, you should focus on basic computer skills like navigating file systems and menus. You also want to get comfortable with Microsoft Office programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Essential internet skills like web browsing, searching, and email will also do you a world of good. Get started on the right foot One of the best ways to get started is by sitting down with a friend or family member and using their computer to test which skills you have and which ones you need to work on. You can also make use of community colleges or learning centres if you’re battling with gaining access to a computer. Once you begin to learn, the key to success lies in continued practise. Let the world know about your new skills You really have to think about obtaining experience and work samples. You can start volunteering at your church or community organisation. Do some data capturing or help with their monthly newsletter. This will help boost your confidence and give you that experience to showcase on your resume. Improving your computer skills won’t necessarily see you changing jobs to something like a programmer, but it can significantly benefit your career by proving that you’re resilient and adaptable.

December 16, 2020

Summer safety tips for parents

Most accidents that put children in the emergency room during the summer and festive season are preventable, says leading paediatrician and Paed-IQ BabyLine CEO Dr Iqbal Karbanee. “Unfortunately, many common and fun family activities during the summer months can quickly take a turn for the worst and end in injury. Others can have lasting and traumatic consequences for families,” says Karbanee. Examples of such activities include a trip to the beach or the local swimming pool (drowning), a home-based braai where there is a wood fire or paraffin burner that can fall over and cause a fire (burn wounds), or even bicycle or scooter rides (traffic accidents). The ChildSafe Initiative in South Africa suggests that 80% of child injuries occur in or around the home and while many children are hospitalised, hundreds more end up visiting the emergency room and thousands more go to clinics and doctors. Karbanee says that it is difficult to count the cost of treating preventable accidents in children, whether as once-off hospital visits or the longer-term costs of prolonged treatment and rehabilitation. It can cost up to as R500,000 when skin grafting or plastic surgery is required, which can be as a result of a burn. The Child Gauge Report 2019 suggests that more than 8,000 children die every year as a result of injuries. About 5,000 of these are accidental or unintentional, with leading causes being road traffic injuries, burns and drownings. Globally, it is estimated that one million families lose a child to a preventable injury every year. “Reducing the number of preventable accidents is therefore a healthcare priority that should be observed by all parents and caregivers, especially during the summer months,” says Karbanee. Below Karbanee discusses the top summer risks that are preventable and how parents can keep their children safe. 1. Trampolines are great ways for kids to use up excess energy, but they are simply too dangerous. Children’s bones are still developing and experiencing an injury whether through a broken or fractured bone can set them back developmentally. Serious injuries related to the brain or spine can occur. If you are gifting your child or children a trampoline over the festive season, or if you already have a trampoline at home, there are ways you can lessen the risks associated with the equipment. Always make sure there is adult supervision and only one child at a time should be on the trampoline. No children under the age of six should be allowed to jump and it is the parent’s responsibility to ensure that strict rules are enforced. 2. Shopping centres, amusement parks or even the beach are fun outings for families to enjoy. However, it can be easy for a parent to be separated from a child especially if these places are busy. Make sure you and your child have a plan should they become separated from you and how they can look for help. Older children should be able to memorise your cell number. 3. Drownings are known as silent killers because children are unable to shout for help and they are amongst the most common preventable accidents that can happen in seconds. A drowning can happen in a few centimetres of water. Life jackets are a must if you want to boat, canoe, jet ski, SUP with your kids or even just spend time near a body of water. Never leave a child unattended near water and consider hiring a lifeguard to keep watch over the kids in the pool if you are having a gathering or party with several children in attendance. 4. Dog bites are a major cause of preventable traumatic injury in children. Too often what starts as a peaceful or exciting family day out turns into a horror story involving a dog attack, with the victims mostly being children who can sustain severe injuries. Teach your children to not go near a dog who is off leash or without a muzzle, and to not put their face close to the dog’s, even if it is a trusted family pet. If the dog runs up to the child or a family on the beach or elsewhere, children should not reach out to pat the dog, even if it looks cute. 5. Wood fires are common in South Africa during summer. They are dangerous to children if unattended, as children are naturally curious and may want to see what happens when they throw things in the fire. The smoke also poses a danger to young respiratory systems as they are still developing, even more so if the children suffer from asthma or allergies. Put fireplace tools and accessories out of a young child’s reach and keep a fire extinguisher on hand. It may seem obvious, but never leave children unsupervised with candles, paraffin burners or outdoor wood fires. Always ensure children are in the company of trustworthy responsible caregivers and ensure paraffin stoves are out of reach and on safe work areas. If an accident does happen, never apply any butter or other food onto a burn. 6. Playgrounds and parks are good to get kids to play outdoors, but be careful of hot slides and poorly maintained equipment that may have rusty nails or sharp hooks. Hot equipment can burn bodies and sharp objects can tear skin, which may require tetanus shots. Also remember to put sunscreen on your child of no less than SPF 50 when spending time outdoors. The CANSA association of South Africa suggests that exposure to UV radiation received as a child increases the risk of melanoma later in life. 7. Bikes, scooters, skateboards and other wheelie toys are fun for children but should not used near moving traffic. Traffic-related accidents are amongst the highest preventable accidents for children. Protective gear like helmets or shin or knee pads can go a long way in preventing injuries, whether only scrapes and bruises or more severe. If you live in a neighbourhood that does not have a bike line where kids are less at risk, then make the effort to go

December 16, 2020

Plunge into the adventure of a lifetime!

Is your child finished with school and not sure what is next? Don’t settle for traditional academics, take your child’s learning to the next level. Our programs are open to over 17-year-olds, high school graduates, gap year students, university students and graduates, or anyone taking a breather between careers. Men and women. No prior experience necessary. No fitness level necessary. Under the guidance of professional mentors, your child will gain a new perspective on life and learn how to create a future filled with excitement, adventure and purpose. Our programs include several internationally recognised certifications. Some of the certifications we offer: EFR First Aid Qualification, Surf Lifesaving Qualification, SAMSA Skipper Qualification and PADI Scuba Qualification. It’s going to cover all the stuff you wish you were taught in school but never were. Visit www.sugarbay.world for more information. Are you confident in towing a skier? Could you install your own washing machine? Have you ever welded a braai stand? Repaired your own surfboard? Or wired a light fitting? More than 95% of people contract other people to do these tasks. Our 11 month Gap Year Odyssey program and 3-month MasterClass program will teach you all these skills and hundreds more through hands-on workshops. These essential skills will be invaluable for the rest of your life. You will be left with confidence in your ability to make a plan and not have to rely on someone else. Join us for one of the following programs starting January 2021: Gap Year Odyssey – 11 Months Expand your career development through hands-on experience in a range of different fields, all in one practical program. The Gap Year Odyssey is our flagship program and runs for 11 months. The program incorporates the foundation training from the MasterClass adding a wealth of additional information and practical experience. Get Fit. Get Sweaty. Be Challenged. Work hard. Play harder. This wilderness year will be like no other. Leave the academy with certifications, networking contacts, and a better idea as to what you want to do in life. Exclusively to the Gap Year Odyssey program, you will receive R10 000 seed capital after completion of the course to help you kickstart your career. During term breaks, you will have the option to earn money working as a counselor at Sugar Bay. You are also free to use these off times to travel and explore the beautiful and culturally rich South Africa. The shorter MasterClass can be extended into the Gap Year Odyssey program for an in-depth and enriching global gap year. Some of the certifications we offer: EFR First Aid Qualification, Surf Lifesaving Qualification, SAMSA Skipper Qualification and PADI Scuba Qualification. MasterClass – 3 Months A condensed version of our flagship program, Gap Year Odessey. Expand your career development through hands-on experience in a range of different fields, all in one practical program. Under the guidance of professional mentors, you will gain a new perspective on life and learn how to create a future filled with excitement, adventure, and purpose. This course serves as a solid platform for future success, both personally and professionally. Travel, explore, and go on the ultimate adventure. It is freeing and exhilarating, and at the end of your journey, your most important discoveries may be about yourself and how to interact with the world around you. Indigo Warrior Course – 1 Week The Indigo Warrior Course (previously known as our CIT course) is a unique certification program specifically designed for teenagers who want to spend one-week learning new life skills and challenging themselves. They need to be mentally mature, physically capable and personally committed to completing the 7-day course and examinations. This is a one-week course that is currently scheduled to run four times a year, one per holiday season. If the participant shows exceptional promise during the Indigo Warrior Course they may be invited to attend the Counselor Teacher Training Course in that subsequent week. Visit www.sugarbay.worldor email us [email protected] for more information.

December 15, 2020

GIVE THE GIFT OF STORIES THIS FESTIVE SEASON WITH NAL’IBALI

“Reading and sharing stories with children is one of the most powerful gifts you can give them. Not only does it help to develop children’s literacy skills, but it also fires up those parts of the brain concerned with imagination, emotion and movement. Ultimately, it helps to create the neural circuits that enable sophisticated thinking and reasoning, helping children to do well at school.” – Yandiswa Xhakaza, Nal’ibali CEO. This festive season, Nal’ibali, the national reading-for-enjoyment campaign, has teamed up with CNA stores to bring the much-loved children stories they are well-known for to the retail market in a limited-edition box set. This exciting set features four volumes, each containing five stories like Sisanda’s Gift by Gcina Mhlophe and The Farmer and his Family by Shasha Seakamela. It will be available in all 11 official languages of South Africa for the low price of R90,95 per set in select CNA stores from December. Nal’ibali believes in the power of stories to not only entertain but to stir up dreams and hope for children. Every child deserves the chance to have regular access to inspiring stories. When children are regularly exposed to great and well-told stories in languages they understand, they are motivated to learn to read and write themselves. And children who regularly read for pleasure perform better in the classroom, across all subjects, regardless of their socio-economic standing. Unfortunately, many children miss out on this opportunity to fall in love with books and reading. Inaccessibility, affordability and availability of books and stories are the key barriers. Nal’ibali strives to overcome these through the provision of free stories on wide-reaching platforms like radio and its popular bilingual newspaper supplement which it distributes to its network of reading club and literacy partners nationwide and the public through its partnership with popular newspapers. This partnership with CNA stores will enable Nal’ibali to continue providing access to free stories for fun reading, as all the proceeds from the purchases will go back into the organisation to create more much-needed multilingual children’s stories. “We are inviting caregivers to support us on this venture by giving the gift of stories this festive season, through purchasing the limited-edition box set. On the one hand, families will be able to enjoy affordable stories from well-sourced South African authors and illustrators. While at the same time children across the country will have the opportunity to access free stories through the money raised from the proceeds,” says Yandiswa Xhakaza, Nal’ibali CEO. For more information about the Nal’ibali campaign and its limited-edition book boxset, or to see a list of participating CNA stores, visit www.nalibali.org.

December 11, 2020

How to foster resilience in children

Our children have been through a very tough year having to deal with unforeseen circumstances and having to adapt to many changes in their daily lives – without any preparation for it. In this final article for the year, we will be looking at how to build resilience in our children as 2021 is bound to bring another set of changes and unforeseen circumstances. Also read: Homeschooling in 2021? Here’s how to prepare What is resilience? Psychologists define resilience as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress. Ourselves and our children have certainly experienced much stress, and possibly adversity, this year. Simultaneously, it has also been an excellent opportunity to teach resilience. How to teach resilience But how do we start teaching our children to develop this vital characteristic? Teaching resilience begins from a young age when our children are toddlers, and the feeling of frustration can become a common one for them. From learning to walk to wanting to be able to express themselves and do things that they struggle with, the early experiences of resilience-building are already being laid down. Imagine if every time our toddler was trying to walk and fell and could not get up again, we picked him up and carried him? Eventually, we would have a child who would have delayed motor development. The first steps of teaching resilience come with our ability, as parents, to withstand our children’s frustration and not dive in to help them when they are struggling with something. We can give gentle cues and advice, but one of the core building blocks of developing resilience is for our children to feel a sense of competence and mastery. This ranges from the physical experience of being able to do things to the most important – the mental and emotional aspects of dealing with frustration, delayed gratification and the complicated emotions of disappointment, anxiety, and anger. Real-life resilience Two of the clearest examples of resilience I have experienced was with my daughter’s friend. She did gymnastics with my daughter, and in gymnastics, one does not automatically graduate to the next class but gets invited to it depending on the child’s performance level. This little girl did not get the invitation/promotion. Instead of complaining and moaning about the teachers and throwing a tantrum, she just said that she would have to practise her cartwheels and somersaults to be invited next time. That is emotional resilience. The following year, this same little girl was put into a different class from her friends with a teacher she did not particularly like and again her response was that it was an opportunity to make new friends and see if she could find aspects of the teacher that she did like. What a stunning example of resilience and emotional maturity. Also read: There’s more to life than academic achievement Resilience vs emotional regulation It is clear to see that resilience and emotional regulation go hand in hand. We have all spotted the following children on the playground: the one who has a meltdown if he does not win in a game, the child who cries non-stop before having to be on stage in a concert, and the child who has a tantrum if his needs are not immediately met. None of these behaviours is appropriate and results in negative social consequences. Therefore, it is clear to see that emotional regulation is a skill that goes hand in hand with resilience. Emotional regulation is a term generally used to describe a person’s ability to manage and respond to an emotional experience effectively. It refers to the ability to control the difficult and unwelcome feelings of frustration, anxiety, anger, and so on in an appropriate way. Resilience role models As parents, we need to be aware of how we model resilience and emotional regulation to our children. If we are calm and contained when a problem situation arises, this is an excellent example for our children. Similarly, when our children are experiencing frustration or difficult emotions, teaching them resilience skills puts them in a position of ‘can do’ versus the feeling of being overwhelmed and powerless. Resilience skills can include: deep breathing to calm down, calmly talking about the situation to gain some detachment and perspective on it, breaking the problem down into manageable pieces, and coaching them through the steps they can take to deal with the situation. This can apply to anything they are struggling with, e.g., an argument with a friend, a problem with homework, etc. It also vitally teaches problem-solving skills for the future. The business tool of SWOT analysis is useful here as resilience is all about turning a weakness into a strength and a threat into an opportunity – for growth, change and adopting a new approach. Power of resilience Resilience doesn’t mean that a person won’t ever experience difficulty or distress. People who have suffered significant adversity or trauma in their lives naturally experience emotional pain and stress. However, resilience involves behaviours, thoughts, and actions that can be learned and developed. This is the power of resilience. So, whenever our children complain and are heading for a meltdown, we can always point out the resilience-building tools they have at their disposal. The year has already been an excellent lesson in resilience – our children never thought they would have to do online schooling, experience lockdown, wear masks whenever they were out, be isolated from social activity, and so on. Yet they have all adapted and managed mostly very well. Another core resilience builder is accepting that change is a part of life and as Charles Darwin famously said, “It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change”. If we don’t adapt, we die. So, the next time our children (and ourselves) are complaining, struggling with frustration, remember to breathe and think about what we can do instead of surrendering

December 11, 2020

Game for some danger pay? Here are SA’s most dangerous jobs

You’d think that some of SA’s most dangerous jobs would be along the lines of healthcare workers and pretty much anything requiring you to work with crowds thanks to the global COVID19 panic. Perhaps the current viral situation does make jobs in healthcare a little riskier, but today, we’re not focusing on the healthcare sector For some brave souls in the county, fear is part of the job description. Some South Africans go to great heights, crawl through tight spaces, and even see imminent death as a normal day-to-day thing. Adzuna recently hunted down the bravest of the brave and took a more in-depth look at just what makes their jobs so scary SA’s most dangerous job countdown Construction workers Occupational Care South Africa states that two construction workers are killed every week. They also say that anecdotal evidence points to the fact that workers don’t adhere to safety standards, and that is the cause of 80% of all accidents in the sector. Wind turbine technicians We can’t imagine how scaling crazy high structures daily could ever be compared to an office job. South Africa is always striving to clean up its carbon footprint, which means we have a lot more wind turbines in place compared to 5 years ago. Obviously, this also increases the demand for brave souls willing to maintain those structures. Jobs in adventure tourism Any kind of job in the adventure tourism sector ensures a continual adrenaline rush, but they’re also absolutely terrifying. From bungy jumping to skydiving (can we mention pothole dodging?) and even ostrich racing, SA’s adventure tourism sector is growing. Paramedics and Policemen Paramedics and emergency response personnel put their lives at risk by entering hazardous areas and situations, all for the sake of saving the lives of others. You probably heard about the number of incidents that took place in the Western Cape involving criminal attacks on paramedics not too long ago. Members of SAPS are also in constant danger, whether they realise it or not. In 2017, SAPS released a statement saying: “The fact that our members are attacked in the line of duty, serves as a harsh reminder of the challenges our officers are faced with daily to ensure that South Africans are, and feel, safe.” Mining South Africa is well known for its rich mineral resources like diamonds, gold, platinum and chromium. Our country is also very reliant on those natural resources, and yes, the people that mine them. Mining is, and probably always will be, one of SA’s most dangerous jobs. The workplace is scary, to say the least, and yet, there are thousands of people employed in the sector. Maybe it’s an exciting thing, but we’re glad we’re not at risk of entrapment, inhalation of toxic gasses, or even vessels exploding under pressure.

December 10, 2020

Money-free and off-screen; Play Sense is taking families on a Playcation

Parents have had a rough year. National lockdown left moms and dads without the support of childcare or play schools, leaving parents to find ways to keep their toddlers stimulated and learning. Now with holidays fast approaching and localised lockdown on the cards for a number of regions throughout the country, families are once again advised to practice more rigorous physical distancing. We’ll be on the look-out for great ideas to keep our children engaged that enable us to also relax and have some fun, especially when it comes to our busy toddlers. Early Childhood Development innovator, Meg Faure, who is a best-selling author and co-founder of Play Sense, reminds us parents that play is the intense work that toddlers do. “It’s through their daily play that they are moving forward to tick those developmental milestones such as the gross and fine motor skills, and attaining language, while also making progress in developing vital ‘super sensory’ capacities such as creativity and imagination, problem-solving, emotional intelligence and collaboration, amongst others,” she says. Activities and games that ignite these ‘super senses’ are deeply absorbing for 2 to 4-year olds, and Meg recommends four fun, money-free ways that parents can keep their little ones not just occupied over the holidays, but actively developing and learning in the best ways: Get outdoors into nature – the summer holiday is the ideal time for being outdoors and physically active every day. Playing in gardens, walking on beaches, in mountains and forests, at your child’s comfortable pace, allows plenty of stimulating time to stop, look, discover and explore Build and construct activities – from playing with blocks to putting up tents and creating forts, these sorts of projects engage little ones in solving problems and collaborating in a team or partnership Make believe games – a box of pretend play items such as feeding bottles, spoons and sippy cups, as well as clothing items such as hats and socks or old handbags, phones and glasses can be a treasure trove that enables your child to test out their understanding of roles, interactions and life through play Join the four-week online Play Sense Playcation – access a wide range of easy-to-use, fun activities across four different themes. Registration is free and the program, which runs from 10 December 2020 to 11 January 2021, has been developed by occupational therapists to nurture essential skills in 2 to 4-year olds. You’ll be part of a holiday community with opportunities to upload videos of your activities to the website and chances to win prizes Head of Curriculum and co-founder of Play Sense, Lara Schoenfeld, says: “We know parents have had a hard year trying to work and keep their little ones busy, this is a way to spend quality time with your toddler where all the ideas and planning is done for you. Children learn best through play and our Playcation gives moms and dads the reassurance that while it’s lots of fun, it’s also stimulating your little one’s development. We’re excited to offer this Playcation as much needed support for parents at the end of a challenging year.” Interested parents are invited to sign up for the Playcation here: www.playsense.org/playcation Registration is free and closes on 22 December.

December 10, 2020

Your 2020 beauty and grooming festive gift guide

It’s been a challenging year, and for most of us, December could not come soon enough. Swimming, hiking, braai’ng and beach days after a long year of work and stress is just what’s needed to recharge one’s batteries. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that South Africans are resourceful. For many people, the nationwide lockdown and shopping restrictions meant coming to the realisation that we actually need far less than we think we do. And with that in mind, we’re rethinking the way we buy gifts this festive season. Have you ever bought someone a gift out of desperation after trawling aisle after aisle, unable to find anything suitable? Or maybe you (like so many others!) have a drawer in the house filled with unused gifts? This year, we should all be thinking practically. Instead of the ornament your mom may or may not like, or the powertool you’ve never heard your husband say he needs, why not select practical gifts that you know your loved ones will use? While we may be celebrating a little differently this year, one thing is certain: it’s possible to spoil your friends and family with some well-deserved pampering and grooming products, without breaking the bank. Here’s our guide to finding the perfect beauty or grooming gift this festive season. Women Many of us have been working from home this year, and socialising took a back seat. For some of us this meant taking a break from wearing makeup, doing our hair and dressing up. But now, as we approach the festive season, it’s the perfect opportunity to get back into our usual beauty routines. Why not treat a special lady in your life to some beautiful new makeup, beauty tools or hair care? We recommend: Eco Tools 5 Piece Starter Kit (R255.00) – the perfect all-in-one makeup brush kit. wet n wild Hello Halo Blushlighter (R99.00) for a luminous glow; wet n wild Megalast Matte and Shine Finish Lipsticks (R99.00) for long-lasting lip colour (these make fabulous stocking fillers, by the way!) and wet n wild Prime Focus Primer Serum (R99.00) for a flawless canvas. Pretty By Flormar Nail Enamels (R29.95) are fun and affordable, and make great gifts! For eye-catching lashes, we recommend Pretty By Flormar Waterproof Lengthening Mascara (R99.00). Their Baked Blushes (R149.95) are gorgeous and also make a stunning gift. Kiss Impress Nails are the answer to a beautiful, long-lasting manicure when you don’t get to a salon. With so many different designs to choose from, it’s easy to find something for everyone. Real Techniques Miracle Makeup Sponge (R140.00) is the number one sponge for smooth foundation application. Available as a single sponge or a set of 4 mini sponges, they can be used with liquid or cream foundation. The 3-in-1 multifunctional Mini Miracle Complexion Sponges (R159.95) leaves skin with a smooth and natural-looking finish and is perfect for travel or on-the-go touch-ups. For the lady who loves a glowy tan, how about a spoil from new self-tan brand St Moriz? The St Moriz Gradual Tanning Lotion (R119.95) and St Moriz Golden Glow Tanning Moisturiser (R119.95) are easy to use and offer a beautiful sun-kissed glow without the sun! Australian Gold’s Bronzing Intensifier Dry Oil Spray (R259.95) fragranced with the signature Cocoa Dreams scent contains immediate bronzers designed to provide dark colour and smooth skin. If you’re looking for an instant glow but want to ensure that your skin is protected from skin aging and sunburn, a broad spectrum sunscreen is perfect as it protects you from both harmful UVA and UVB rays. We recommend Australian Gold’s SPF 15 Sunscreen Lotion with Instant Bronzer (R249.95). Men If you want to give the man in your life something you know he will use and enjoy, grooming products are the perfect solution. Clubman grooming products make it possible to have a barber-quality shaving experience at home. For the man who rocks a beard or moustache, we recommend Clubman 3 Piece Beard Gift Set (R399.95). The set contains a Clubman 2-in-1 Beard Conditioner and Face Moisturizer, Beard Oil and Beard Balm. For men who shave, we recommend Clubman Shave Oil (R149.95) and Clubman After Shave Lotion (R199.95). Did you know that Cantu has a fantastic men’s grooming range? Cantu Men’s Cleansing Scrub (R129.99) and Cantu Men’s Soothing Serum (R129.99) make great gifts for the festive season. They also have hair care products specifically designed for men, such as the Cantu Men Styling Pomade (R129.99) and Cantu Men Deep Treatment Masque (R59.99). Teens Teenagers are notoriously difficult to shop for, because their definition of what’s trendy and cool, may very well differ from ours. One thing that never goes out of fashion, and that teenage girls can never get enough of, is fun and quirky beauty products. For trendy and affordable makeup she’ll love, we recommend the new wet n wild Megalast Stained Glass Lip Glosses (R99.95) – available in a variety of summery shades, these glosses leave lips with a stained look. wet n wild Single Glitter Eyeshadows (R99.00) are on-trend and make great stocking fillers, while the wet n wild’s Bretman Rock limited edition makeup collection has teens all over the world enthralled. Dare to live the life you’ve dreamed with COLAB’s Dreamer Dry Shampoo (R79.95). Give hair an instant heavenly fix while softly scenting tresses with delicate notes of cotton and musk. Now doesn’t this sound dreamy? Time to let your hair gets it glam on with COLAB’s Glam Dry Shampoo (R79.95). This dry shampoo brings a touch of luxury to your daily routine. It’s also perfect for adding texture and grip to hair you want to braid or style. Glam Dry Shampoo leaves hair fragranced with sensual Sandalwood and Cassis for a totally luxe vibe. Glide through tangles without pain, split ends and breakage with the Wet Brush Go Green Detangler (R300.00), an innovative, biodegradable brush with exclusive, pain-free bristles that lets you do good for both your hair and the planet. This revolutionary, eco-friendly brush boasts a unique design that is unrivalled in flexibility. OmniFlex™ technology contours to the shape of your scalp for superior comfort, which makes for a truly personal brushing experience. The whole family Still stuck on finding someone the perfect gift? Why not get them some great quality skincare, sun care

December 10, 2020

South African skincare brand for little humans | Nunuki

With the holidays around the corner and many of us planning to spend more time outdoors, South African skincare brand, Nunuki® for little humans, is a must. The Nunuki® skincare range is made up of six skincare products formulated specially for babies and children in South Africa’s climate, dermatologically tested and approved, and CANSA endorsed. From Lello’s Protecting SPF30 Sunscreen that protects against the harsh South African sun to Maxi’s Pesky Bug Cream with Citronella and Lemongrass to safely keep the mozzies at bay while hydrating and moisturising young skin, the Nunuki range is made with love, and backed by science. Get your Lello’s Protecting Sunscreen 30SPF 150ml and Maxi’s Pesky Bug Cream 150ml as a summer bundle for just R190 online atNunuki®

December 9, 2020

Early Childhood Development: Building Blocks for Lifelong Learning

South Africa has the goal of universal access to a full range of early childhood development (ECD) services in ten years’ time. To meet this target, we will need more than 100 000 additional early learning teachers and 40 000 new venues for three- to five -year-olds alone, say education experts. South African children are surviving rather than thriving, it was agreed at the recent Trialogue Business in Society Virtual Conference. ‘Breaking Barriers to Quality Education’ was a key theme, with these sessions presented in partnership with Old Mutual on 13 October. Panellists Nicole Biondi (Strategic Head of marketing and communications at Innovation Edge), Justine Jowell (Programme Design Lead at SmartStart) and Megan Blair (CEO Earlybird Educare@Work) discussed how to accelerate access to, and drive the enrichment of, ECD. Moderated by Kanyisa Diamond, senior project manager at the Old Mutual Foundation, the session unpacked different early learning models. Participants considered which ECD interventions are most effective, and what needs to be done differently to achieve the goal of the National Development Plan (NDP): universal access to a full range of ECD services for all children aged 0-8 by 2030. The South African Early Childhood Review 2019 shows that we have made some progress in terms of ECD. Maternal and child mortality rates are on a downward trend, but we still struggle with nutrition (27% of children under five suffer from stunting), support for primary caregivers, and the stimulation of early learning. Models for social impact Justine Jowell of SmartStart said systems intervention is needed to close the provisioning gap. Some 1.2 million children aged three to four years are not attending an early learning programme, 900 000 of them from poor households. “To achieve universal access to quality early learning for all three- to five -year-olds, we need more than 100 000 additional early learning practitioners and 40 000 new venues. To reach these high numbers of excluded children, system capacity must be expanded. This needs to happen fast to bring children in sooner.” SmartStart is an example of a national early learning delivery platform that operates under a social franchise model. SmartStart currently includes 13 organisations (independent, locally based NPOs) across nine provinces in the country that form part of the SmartStart delivery platform (as franchisors), enabling SmartStart’s rapid acceleration of reach of new children in a locally relevant and responsive way. This model helps to create direct employment and support microenterprise development, especially for women. In the five years since set-up, this model has allowed SmartStart to reach more than 75 000 children, with nearly 4 000 active early learning social enterprises (franchisees) supported to run quality early learning programmes. Earlybird, a social enterprise, provides on-site educare services to companies that want to attract and retain top talent, particularly women. “There is a good deal of evidence that employer-sponsored educare improves productivity, reducing single-day leave-taking and enabling greater female labour force participation and progression,” said Blair. A portion of net income from the for-profit side of the business cross-subsidises the non-profit side, which funds young black women to set up Blue Door Educare Centres as entrepreneurs. These high-quality educare centres serve low-income environments and also partner with social housing developers, with a goal to bring quality learning to all young children. Innovation Edge, an innovation catalyst and social impact investor, believes in supporting early learning programmes and ensuring that caregivers get support to equip children for lifelong success. In one of their projects, they work with design and manufacturing company Barrows to print and distribute early learning materials to under-resourced communities, using blank production space available on existing client print runs. The posters and flash cards they create at minimal cost are distributed at their nine business hubs in each province of the country – and they provide more than 50 000 pieces of educational material to children in under-resourced areas each month. They have also partnered with Out There Media on the 3 Little Minutes mobile SMS campaign, which provides caregivers with data-free access to roughly three minutes of songs and stories located on a mobi-site. The campaign is delivered via the Mobucks™ platform, which links the mobile operator with businesses wanting to advertise to specific audience (thus content is sponsored). “The pilot was in English, but the next stage will include more languages,” said Biondi. “Content on the system is provided by Book Dash and Nal’ibali, and they do have content in various South African languages, in the form of songs and stories.” Biondi said that Innovation Edge is working with government on compiling data sets of national early child assessments to understand how literate, numerate and school-ready children may be. “We really want to get South Africa excited about how children enter school, because if we can shift the way they enter schools we can surely shift the way they are leaving school.” Effective interventions A snap poll during the session asked delegates which ECD interventions they think are the most effective. The majority (62%) said training teachers works best, followed by providing nutrition (12%) and providing equipment (12%). A further 6% listed helping with registration and 6% said building infrastructure was most effective. Blair pointed out that preventing exposure to violence is also an important factor, as toxic stress has a huge effect on development. Assuming nutrition and infrastructure are in place, training is the most effective way to improve child outcomes, she said. “There is broad agreement that in-service training is crucial – just-in-time pedagogical support – that involves meeting a teacher on a weekly or monthly basis and finding out what they are battling with.” She said this type of intervention is exponentially more effective than pre-service training. Biondi suggested that companies think about subsidising their employees’ children so they can receive quality educare, as well as considering parental leave. “Don’t just support external ECD providers. Look inside as well as outside,” she recommended.

December 9, 2020

The Perfect Hair Grow on the Go: Why your hair will benefit from basil root oil

Hair loss and hair growth are two of the biggest hair care concerns among South African women. Healthy hair growth is imperative to a healthy, full head of hair, but for many women, it’s a continuous battle. Hair growth is affected by so many different factors: from genetics, to lifestyle and diet, to the effects of wearing your hair in high tension hairstyles like tight braids and ponytails. If your hair isn’t growing as well as you’d like it to, you need to take a look at all the different factors that may be contributing to poor hair growth, determine what the cause is, and then take action to improve the condition. One of the ways you can improve healthy hair growth is by using hair care products that stimulate hair growth. One of the ingredients you can turn to for this is basil root extract / oil. Most popular in India, basil root and basil leaves have been used throughout the world for centuries. It is available in various forms, and can be purchased as a powder, herbal tea or an oil. Basil root oil has been called the “royal oil”, having positive effects on the body, the mind and the heart. Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and filled with antioxidants, basil root oil is a real powerhouse ingredient. In addition to being healthy for the mind and body, it also offers major benefits to the skin and hair. When it comes to skincare, basil root oil’s anti-inflammatory properties makes it a great remedy for minor skin injuries and irritations. It contains vitamin C which assist skin cell renewal, thus aiding the healing process. When it comes to hair care, basil root oil has shown fantastic results in minimising hair loss and promoting healthy hair growth. Massaging basil root oil into your scalp improves blood circulation, which aids hair growth (circulation leads to stimulation of hair follicles). It has also shown to soothe the scalp, ease itchiness and even assist in reducing dandruff. Local hair care brand The Perfect Hair recognised the various benefits of basil root oil, and incorporated it into their Treatment Hair Growth Oil: Grow on the Go Hairline Repair Serum RSP R129.99 The Perfect Hair The Perfect Hairline Repair 100ml is a nourishing growth serum that promotes hair growth and a healthy scalp. This hairline repair spray contains coconut and grapeseed oils, which deliver moisture to your scalp and hair. Available at Clicks. Grow on the Go Treatment Hair Growth Oil RSP R149.99 This oil contains rich Abyssinia and jojoba oils that provide intense treatment for a dry scalp while a basil root extract stimulates hair growth. You can use this oil treatment anywhere, anytime, on-the-go to keep your scalp moisturised and healthy. Available at Clicks. For more info on The Perfect Hair, visit: http://www.theperfecthair.co.za/ Follow The Perfect Hair on social media: @theperfecthairofficial

December 8, 2020

Tips for keeping kids’ skin healthy and happy this summer

For little ones, summer spells loads of fun outdoors, but it also means being exposed to the sun’s harmful rays and other negative factors that warmer weather welcomes. We’ve come up with a few ways you can keep your little humans safe and healthy this summer: Load up on child-friendly sunscreen Apply a child appropriate sunscreen generously all over his/her body and remember to re-apply every two hours as well as after hopping out of the pool. For babies younger than six months, you can dab a tiny bit onto exposed skin. Look for sunscreens with a UVA symbol on the packaging, like Nunuki Lello’s Protecting SPF30 Sunscreen that specially formulated for young skin and endorsed by CANSA. Get into the right gear Did you know that melanin (the pigment in our skin that gives us our unique colour and helps to protect us from the sun) only starts to develop in our skin from the age of six months? Wide-brim hats that shade the face and the back of their necks, swimsuits and light shirts with long sleeves, and long pants or leggings. Choose light cotton fabrics to avoid overheating and perspiration that could cause heat rashes. Keep the mozzies and miggies at bay The sun isn’t the only bad guy to worry about, as insects also come out to play more when the weather gets a little warmer. Apply a thick layer of insect repellent cream to your little one’s skin in the daytime, and more to exposed areas at bedtime. Maxi’s Mosquito & Bug Repellent from the Nunuki range has a special blend of citronella oil and lemongrass that will help keep mosquitoes and other bugs away, as well as avocado and grape seed oil for soft, moisturised skin. If your little one does get bitten, here are some remedies to reduce swelling and itching: Place a washcloth with ice blocks inside of it on the bite for 10-15 minutes. Apply used green tea bags from the fridge and dab it over the bite (coldness soothes, and green tea has natural healing effect on insect bites). Slice a lemon and rub on the affected area. Dissolve a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda in water to make a paste and apply to affected areas (the alkaline neutralises the pH levels of the affected area and helps in relieving itchiness. Leave it on for 10-20 minutes and then wash with lukewarm water. Keep your little one’s skin healthy and bite-free by keeping these tips in mind as we head into the summer holidays. Find out more about the Nunuki range of skincare products specially designed for babies and children, which are all dermatologically tested and approved, CANSA endorsed, and Proudly South African, at www.nunuki.co.za.

December 7, 2020

End your work year off on a high note

It’s time to start planning how to end off your work year. We’re officially approaching the last dying breaths of 2020, and with this, most of us experience fatigue, accomplishment, exhaustion, and of course, relief. But before you take 2021 by the horns, you deserve to say your farewells to the year gone by, properly. Adzuna, an online job aggregator, shared some of their best tips and tricks for ending of your work year in the best way possible. Tips to end off your work year in style Give yourself a high-five (or a pat on the back if possible) You made it through 2020, alive and sane, at least for the most part. You’ve done all you could; now it’s time to celebrate a year in remembrance. This year has been one wild ride, and if you made it through with all your marbles in check, it’s well worth celebrating. Recycle the clutter Not only is recycling environmentally beneficial, but it can also be very therapeutic. Make sure you’re recycling all the documents or study notes you collected during 2020. You can gather all of your paperwork (the ones you won’t be needing any more) and drop them off at your nearest recycling centre. Symbolically, you’ll be relieving yourself of a lot of stress, and you’ll also be doing something great for the earth. Reflect Reflection is a super important thing to do, whether you triumphed or tripped this year. If you feel like you had a great year, why not make a scrapbook – or Facebook album – highlighting some of the best moments you had in the year gone by? If you had a mishap of a year, you’d need to process those unfortunate events, understand them, and learn from them so that you can move on and not make the same mistakes again. Re-center Whether you need a day or a week to get this done, you need to sit down and visualise your best self. Think about who you are now, and who you’d like to become. Where are you now in your career, and where do you want to be in a year from now? What are you working on? What are your dreams, and more importantly, how are you going to work on them and make them your reality? Prioritise change In order to align yourself with the vision you have in mind for your future, some things will inevitably need to change. This could be in the form of personal change or even career changes; perhaps it’s both. At the end of the year, you need to analyse what those changes are, what they’ll entail, and then put them down so that you can start working on them as soon as possible. Plan Setting goals for yourself for the year to come – with a realistic time frame as its backbone – is vital for success. You may want to focus on developing your skills or learning a few new ones. If you want to earn a promotion next year, work on a plan for achieving your goals. To secure your desired personal progress, career-wise or otherwise, you need a solid, realistic plan for obtaining those goals. With that being said, at the end of the day, we all need to commit to leading the best lives possible. Whatever that means to you, just remember that the setbacks of 2020 are not predestined to become your future. 2021 is but a bloom, and with the right mindset, it can become the most beautiful flower. We wish you all a safe and happy holiday, followed by the onset of a prosperous 2021!

December 4, 2020

goIT CHALLENGES SCHOOLS TO SOLVE WORLD PROBLEMS

South African learners, especially those attending under-resourced schools have precious little opportunity to engage with 21st Century tech learning. While their counterparts in many other countries are engaged with coding and robotics from primary school years, South Africa is still currently battling with launching a curriculum. In essence, this lack means that a generation of our children haven’t had the chance to develop the skills most needed by our changing 4IR world. However, learners from twelve schools in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces entered the country’s first goIT Challenge to come up with app ideas that could change the world for the better. A technology awareness programme of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the goIT Challenge has been designed to inspire the workforce of the future. Over more than a decade, the TCS goIT challenge has been rolled out in North and South America, Asia, Australia, the UK and Europe. Partnering with STEM education specialist, Sakhikamva Foundation, TCS brought the innovative 21st Century learning programme to South Africa. 393 learners, from nine high schools and three primary schools engaged in the programme which involved teams coming up with ideas for apps that can help solve real-life problems. Set in the context of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the learners, who are from disadvantaged communities, grappled with the question of how science and technology could help to solve challenges that have real impacts on their lives. The TCS goIT Challenge, ran from October into November, culminating in a virtual judging event which took place last week. The winning high school team was made up of Grade 9 – 11 learners from Goodwood College in Cape Town. The team of four took top honours with their app called ‘Tech-U-cation’, under the SDG theme of Quality Education. Their app provides free textbooks, mathematics tutorials and career advice for those not sure which paths they’d like to pursue after school. A team of four Grade 7 learners, from De Wavaren Primary in Ruyterwacht, won first place in the Primary School category, with their app called ‘Baunk It’. As part of the SDG theme of No Poverty, they created an app to help provide shelter to those in need, either who are about to be evicted from their homes or to assist the homeless. Anyone in need of a place to stay, can register on the app and Baunk It will provide shelter options, relevant to the user’s GPS location. Nikhil Dabhole, HR Head of TCS South Africa says, “As an IT service provider, the goIT Challenge is close to our hearts. It’s an opportunity for these schools, which traditionally have had few resources to build 4IR skills, to get their learners, educators, parents and their community at large involved in an exciting, relatable and relevant tech education programme. The goIT Challenge will strengthen their communities today, by empowering their own digital innovators of tomorrow.” Past goIT Challenges have resulted in the development of remarkable apps by students who see the challenges in their communities and grapple with how situations can be improved. Examples include a helping hands location app that connects vulnerable people such as seniors to young people who can help them with shopping and chores; and a sustainable living app that enables a community to buy and sell more responsibly, rating the carbon footprints, ethical production values and resource use of a wide range of products. This was an opportunity for South African learners to unleash their creativity and ingenuity in the country’s first TCS goIT Challenge. Twelve teams of learners got to present their app ideas to a team of judges, who choose the top three in each category.The challenge included four in-depth training sessions and ongoing mentoring, which led up to a shark-tank-style entrepreneurial pitch event which was held via ZOOM. As they progressed through the programme, learners developed prototypes of their ideas on paper and used the MIT App Inventor in a hands-on experience of how science, technology, engineering and mathematics intersect with our daily lives. Founder of Sakhikamva Foundation, Fatima Jakoet says, “Children and young people are all natural-born scientists, full of curiosity and problem-solving abilities. All they need is the chance; knowledge and resources to come up with world-changing solutions. We are delighted that TCS has brought the goIT Challenge to South Africa, and we are thrilled to partner with them to launch the first programme in the schools where we work with fantastic educators and principals dedicated to 4IR learning. If we want our South African communities to achieve the milestones of sustainable living, we must engage our school children now in the development goals, and let them be change agents while they are building their 21st Century skills.”

December 4, 2020

Start 2021 Smart with Smart Nutrition and a Great Education

Stand a chance to win a year’s worth of school fees FUTURELIFE®, in partnership with Pick n Pay Smart Shopper, are thrilled to launch their Start Smart Campaign, an opportunity for one lucky child to win a year worth of school fees for 2021. “FUTURELIFE® was built on the vision to improve the lives of South African families through Smart Nutrition, and this exciting initiative is merely an extension of that commitment so that we can help future leaders start smart,” says Mark Bunn, FUTURELIFE®’s Managing Director. He adds that education is key to unlocking future success, “Education empowers our youth with the knowledge, skills and values they need to build a better society, and it all starts with the foundation built during pre-, primary- and high-school. Much like Smart Nutrition, which also is fundamental for good health and development during the early years.” How Start Smart will work: 1. Buy any 2 FUTURELIFE® bread and/or FUTURELIFE® cereal bars at any Pick n Pay across South Africa between 16 November 2020 – 10 January 2021 and swipe your Smart Shopper card. 2. You will then automatically be entered into a draw to stand a chance to win school fees for your child in 2021. 3. Winner will be drawn within four weeks of the competition closure date and will be contacted directly. FUTURELIFE® has been using and leveraging the knowledge, expertise and experience, of a multi-disciplinary team of science and nutritional experts for over 13 years. This together with a proprietary manufacturing process, and a unique combination of essential nutrients and ingredients, in a specially formulated recipe, is of nutritionally superior smart food products. “Our vision all those years ago has made a real impact. We have witnessed how far a little can go and appreciate how even the smallest action can make a huge difference. So, purchase your two participating products today and help your child to start 2021 smart with Smart Nutrition and a great education!” Bunn concludes. Buy any two of the following participating products: Futurelife High Protein Low GI Brown Bread Futurelife High Protein Honey and Oats Bread Futurelife High Protein Ancient Grains Brown Bread Futurelife High Protein Bar 50 g Futurelife High Protein Lite Bar 40g Futurelife High Energy Bar 40g Futurelife High Protein Crunch Bar 40g Futurelife Granola Bar 40g Products are available from all leading Pick n Pay Retail Outlets. For more information on the Start Smart Campaign, please go to www.futurelife.co.za or https://www.pnp.co.za/campaign/win-with-futurelife

December 4, 2020

Holiday safety tips

MCSA works closely with the South African Police Service and other government bodies as well as other NGO’s and private initiatives, to assist in the recovery and safe return of any missing person. Missing Children South Africa first tier is that of an emergency response service and they have a national helpline for incident reports and callers are advised on which immediate steps to take in logging the incident officially so as to ensure efficient and timeous action. Secondly, by activating a vast national social and media network MCSA distributes flyers of missing children, create mass awareness of the individual which maximises the chances of that child being recovered. MCSA’s Emergency Number is 072 647 7464 and is operational 24/7 every day of the week. DO NOT WAIT 24 HOURS BEFORE REPORTING YOUR CHILD MISSING: Parents must NOT wait for 24 hours to report a child that has gone missing. This is a myth, and if a child is reported missing immediately, our chances of recovering that child in the first ‘golden 2 – 3 hours’ is far more successful. There is no waiting period to report a person as missing. Go to your local SAPS (South African Police Station) and insist that they open up a ‘Missing Child’ case. It is very important to get the case number, as well as the Warrant Officer who will be dealing with the case. Then get hold of Missing Children South Africa immediately, so that we can create a ‘Missing’ flyer, and post it across our social media platforms. Teach your children these important numbers: SAPS|POLICE: 10111 MISSING CHILDREN SOUTH AFRICA: 072 647 7464 CELL PHONE HELP: 112 SAPS CRIMESTOP: 086 001 0111 CHILDLINE SOUTH AFRICA: 080 005 5555 GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE: 080 042 8428 HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE: 080 022 2777 Our website www.missingchildren.org.za acts as an emergency report facility, as well as being MCSA’s platform for informational and educational material with regards to Child Safety. The service MCSA offers to the community and government is invaluable and as you can imagine we certainly have our work cut out for us. We provide our services free of charge to anyone who needs us. Sadly we don’t necessarily enjoy the same privilege for our needs and our financial requirements quite often outweigh our resources! We rely solely on the goodwill of individuals and corporations for financial support – funding remains MCSA’s biggest challenge. You can assist us now by clicking here https://missingchildren.org.za/donate/ and donating – this will be deeply appreciated and is much needed. Education plays an incredibly vital role in the life of Missing Children South Africa, and all funds received is utilised to further MCSA’s educational program; ‘Tips for Children’ and ‘Tips for Parents’ which promotes Child Safety. The education is targeted to all the vulnerable and orphaned children, and also children with disabilities. The education is also shared with parents, guardians and the families who take care of these children. The education focuses on not only the dangers, but also the solutions with regards to what to do to keep children safe, and especially what not do. HOLIDAY SAFETY TIPS Before embarking on your holiday, take the time to teach your children their own names, as well as their parent’s names and mobile numbers. DO NOT share your holiday plans with anyone on social networks such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Teach your children the ‘BUDDY SYSTEM’, which is always to take a friend with them – don’t go anywhere alone. This way, they can help each other when they are in trouble. Create an exclusive family holiday password, and always ensure you pick your own children up. If for any reason you have to send someone to pick them up, the person should know the password, otherwise your children should not go with them as they then know that you have not sent the person to pick them up. Make sure you know where the police station and hospital is for emergencies, and that your child also knows in case of an emergency. Make an effort to also ask locals which areas to avoid. Always keep a recent photograph of your child with you, especially if you are in an unfamiliar place like a holiday destination. Should you have an emergency situation you have the photograph ready. If you suspect a child or person is missing, please report it immediately to the nearest police station, so action can be taken. There is NO waiting period to report a missing person. DO NOT WAIT 24 HOURS to report your child missing, especially during the holiday season. Even though the holidays are a time for relaxing, make an effort to familiarise yourself with your surroundings and know where your child is at all times, and whom they are with. Teach them to not respond or take anything from a person they do not know. Be wary of ‘new’ friends – often Human Trafficking recruitment is done by other Human Trafficked victims coerced into trapping new victims. Children should never play alone in the streets, on the beach or alone in the front yard without adult supervision – it is simply just too dangerous Teach your children that they should never go with people they do not trust or accept lifts from strangers, even if it’s a harmless lift to the local beach, the movies or to a shopping centre. Going to shopping malls over the holiday period can be a nightmare. Dress your child in brightly coloured clothes to make it easier to spot them, and be sure to remember what they are wearing. ALWAYS accompany your children to the bathrooms, and never let them go alone. Talk to your kids before a family outing. Make a rule that you must always be able to see them and they must always be able to see you. With older children, agree on a designated ‘meeting place’ ahead of time, in case you become separated for any reason – this is then where they must meet you. Before heading

December 4, 2020

New year’s resolutions & back to school/work

How are you planning on ringing in the new year? I never really celebrate new years and new year’s resolutions, but this year I am so ready to say goodbye to 2020 and welcome 2021 in her all her glory! 2020 has taught me so much about myself and made me so much stronger. I really want to start 2021 on a great foot; set some goals, manifest, and set new year’s resolutions. So, maybe you plan on ringing in the new year with a goal to eat healthier, exercise more, quit smoking, stress less. Maybe these resolutions are the same ones you make every year, but don’t stick to. So how can you ensure that you make these resolutions stick past Valentine’s Day? Creating new habits takes time & energy. A habit is formed only after 21 days of doing it continuously. Here are some tips to create long lasting change with 6 easy steps: Get ready for change. Do not just go headfirst into it. Your resolutions will always be focused in areas where you lack progress. I suggest starting to mentally prepare for it. Understand why you want to make the change and hype yourself up for it. Even if you need to stick up motivational quotes or posters of encouragement or set daily affirmation reminders on your phone. It will only help you get to the next step. Do not set yourself up for disaster. Set small goals to ultimately get to the big goal. Celebrate small victories. There’s going to be moments when you fall off the wagon and that is ok, if you get back on quickly. Keep your resolution list short and sweet. The last thing you want is to have too many resolutions and then you lose focus because you have spread yourself too thin. Make your resolutions known. If your family, friends or partner know about your resolutions; then they will also remind you of them which makes it harder for you to forget or ignore them. Maybe some of them may even share a resolution with you which means you can also keep each other motivated to keep on going. Reward yourself along the way. If you reach a certain point on your way to your goal then reward yourself with a pair of shoes you have been eyeing or a book you have been wanting to buy. This will only motivate you to keep on keeping on until you reach that goal. You have got this!!!! Preparing for back to school/work Preparing for back to school/work means settling into a familiar routine again which is completely the opposite of what has been happening in your household during the December holidays. Therefore, I like to start forming a routine right after new years to help the kids and myself get back on track. Next year, going back to school/work will be slightly different as we will still be living in Covid times. It is important to reiterate this to kids who tend to forget and need constant reminders. It is also important to ease anxiety about the upcoming year – new classmates, new teachers, new classroom, and new schoolwork. It can become very overwhelming especially for little kids. All transitions take a while to get used to so it is important to set expectations and let the kids know it may take a month or two to get used to all the newness. Here are some easy ways: I always like to start with the school shopping early so we are not left running around at the last minute. I like to take the kids along so they can pick out what they want which makes them excited about going back to school. Stock up on school supplies. If your kids are anything like mine, chances are they will be coming home with less and less stationery as the days go by. Create a planner; especially if you have more than one child. This will help you stay on track with various school activities, uniforms, and homework for each child. Create a message centre. I have a family WhatsApp group, so all school information is shared on there. That way if I forget something, my partner won’t. It also creates a sense of responsibility in the older kids; making them accountable for their own schedule. Create a school bag station, coat station and now a mask station too. This should be at the entrance of the house so everything can be grabbed on the way out without delay. Prepare for the hectic school mornings the night before. I like to leave their uniform out, decide what is for lunch, sign all homework and pack all school bags the night before to help ease hectic mornings. Also make sure sanitizer is topped up and in the bags. Lastly, go over all “covid rules” so it is always at the back of their mind. Goodluck to all the kids for 2021 especially the grade 1’s & grade 8 kids who will be embarking on a whole new chapter in their schooling career. All the best to the parents who make this possible and who work tirelessly behind the scenes. May 2021 bring us growth, health, and prosperity!

December 3, 2020

Discovering the delight of different

How do you take the next step when you suddenly discover that something you thought was abnormal is perfect for you? How can you properly evaluate the explosion of schooling options, especially in the online and homeschooling space? These are two of the questions I am going to try and answer for you in this article. I will attempt to give you some guidelines to use when trying to make sense of an education opportunity that you may have thought was only for unconventional families. Still, you may have discovered it seems perfect for your children. Remote learning has taken the limelight and has been a topic of discussion on television, radio, and online media since the Covid pandemic took hold of the world. With schools having to shut down and go online many children (and their parents) have had an experience of homeschooling and online schooling forced on them when they may not have tried to learn this way by choice. There has been a very mixed experience of this. Some children have discovered that online learning meets their needs in ways that traditional education cannot. They can work at their own pace and spend more time on things that they find difficult. They are not faced with constant interruptions caused by having to change from class to class. Children are not distracted by the behaviour of other children or the lack of comfort of the classroom. Children also like to make more choices about what they learn and when they learn it, which means that they are more engaged with their learning. They are also not held back to the pace of the rest of the class when they find the work easy. On the other hand, children can lose focus, be tempted to play games or waste time and can find themselves falling behind without the teacher being able to notice or keep them on track. The concept of ‘Zoom’ fatigue has also become an issue. People working from home and children learning remotely have found the challenge of being in online meetings for protracted periods mentally exhausting. Concentration slips and attention wanders. Teachers have had an immense struggle to keep their students engaged and often have no way of knowing if they are paying attention. Schools that pivoted to an online model during the lockdown made the mistake of trying to run a synchronous timetable. That is, they tried to follow the same schedule they would have if the students had been attending live lessons. Proper online schooling does not work this way. Being an online learner is like homeschooling with one significant difference: The student becomes more and more capable of learning without any adult assistance at home. It is a feature of an excellent online school that we provide a process for children to learn the skills they need to be independent learners. This process includes self-pacing, time management and the ability to schedule their day. It also includes teaching children to work collaboratively with peers in remote locations. No parent should choose online learning for their children without expecting the learning process to be delightfully different. So, with what should you be delighted? The school should engage with your child as an individual and tailor their learning to suit their needs and interest. Your child should be able to advance at a faster rate in areas where they have an aptitude and intense curiosity. They should be able to take their time and work deliberately when they need to. Testing and assessment should also be significantly different from a traditional experience. Online systems offer the opportunity to use machine learning and data analysis to make learning specific to a child’s needs. Online learner management systems should collect data on everything a child is doing and learning and start to offer suggestions for improving their understanding and mastery. There is a story about a father with three young daughters. One is two years old, the second is four, and the oldest is seven. He sits down to tell them a story. “Mapule climbs up the stairs and opens the door; there is the Dragon!” The seven-year-old says, oooh! “Mapule climbs up the stairs and opens the door.” The four-year-old says, oooh! “Mapule climbs up the stairs.” The two-year-old says, oooh! Because climbing up the stairs is wonderful to a two-year-old. As our children grow, they lose their sense of wonder and curiosity. Online schooling executed well, offers children an ongoingly engaging experience. Using, video, games, simulations, discussion platforms and immediate feedback in a way that traditional school models are unable to. It keeps children in the ‘Goldilocks’ zone, where the work they do is neither too easy nor too difficult. When you are deciding if you want to enrol your child with an online school, ask yourself; how often will they start a lesson and say “oooh!” By: Colin Northmore, Principal of Evolve Online School, a brand of ADvTECH, Africa’s largest private education provider. Visit www.evolveonline.co.za

December 2, 2020

Here’s the reason why you didn’t get the job

Finding out that you had your job application rejected can be a bitter pill to swallow. But rejection is all part of the process and does not equate to failure. Keep in mind that on average, 4 candidates are invited to in-person interviews. That means you have a 25% chance of actually landing the role. Not sure why you got rejected after the interview? Here are some potential reasons your application just didn’t cut it: You’re overqualified It’s not uncommon for over-qualified professionals to apply for more junior roles. Especially in uncertain times like these. But employers have issues with this because it means you might be moving on to a better position in the near future. They might also worry about the fact that you are more qualified than your would-be manager. Plus, better qualifications demand higher salaries. And someone more junior can get the job done at a lower rate. Or you’re a victim of discrimination This is one of the ugliest reasons why job applications get rejected. It shouldn’t exist, and it’s unlawful, but still, it does happen. Gender bias makes it harder for women (and sometimes men) to land jobs they are qualified to do. It might be small comfort, but if you’re a victim of discrimination, you may have dodged a bullet. You didn’t ace the interview The interviewing process can be nerve-wracking. You might be the best candidate on paper but lack confidence when things go off-script. Always prepare and practice before an interview. There are a lot of great resources out there to help you improve your interviewing skills. They found someone cheaper Perhaps you can do a fantastic job, but the company came across someone who can do “an acceptable” job at a lower rate. That’s just how business works, and there isn’t much you can do about it. Don’t be tempted to sell yourself short. You know what you are worth. Research average salaries for the position you want and make sure you’re asking the same kind of compensation. Someone else was better This happens a lot. But if you made it through to the in-person interview stage, pat yourself on the back. The position probably had more than 200 applicants, and you were top of the crops. Take it as a boost that you got this far in the process. It’s a good sign you’re on your way to success. Final thoughts Jobs applications get rejected every day. It’s a given. And it’s inevitable for everyone at some point in their career. But it’s essential not to take it personally. There are a lot of reasons for rejection, and not all of them are in your hands. When rejection happens, get as much as possible feedback, and use it as a guide for your next interview. Ready to find that next interview? Start browsing Adzuna’s listings today. The job of your dreams might be just one click away!

November 30, 2020

Refreshing, clean beauty-inspired skincare sets the pace for little ones

Modern, ingredient-conscious moms only want the best for their little ones when it comes to skincare. Products that contain natural ingredients that aren’t harmful to sensitive skin are at the top of the list – especially those that are geared towards clean beauty principles. One such brand that recently launched a unique 10 product range specially formulated to treat the body from head to toe is JOMAR, a clean beauty brand with over 22 years’ experience in the skincare industry. Using clever combinations of active ingredients sourced from nature in its products is what truly sets the brand apart from other baby and toddler products on the market. Free from synthetic perfumes, colourants, parabens, lead, petroleum and sulphates, all products contain only plant derived ingredients that are designed to provide your baby with the best care products on the market. Parents will find everything they need for their little ones in the JOMAR range, including bum products and body washes, as well as signature products such as a Calming Rescue Gel, Decongesting Bath Oil, Conditioning Scalp Oil and Repairing Balm-Oil, just to name a few. Thanks to careful development, these products are proven to be effective and help parents to treat conditions such as dry to sensitive skin, eczema and cradle cap – common baby and toddler ailments that can be alleviated using products with the right ingredients. JOMAR’s main ingredients include essential oils, antioxidants, botanical oils and butters and natural moisturisers. Essential oils are known especially for their healing, protecting, soothing and nourishing properties, which is great for babies’ skin. Devoted to being kind to the environment, JOMAR’s products are not tested on animals, are vegan-friendly and bio-degradable. With fresh, natural fragrances and beautiful packaging, each product is a joy from purchase to use, but most importantly, it provides the best skincare for babies and toddlers. The JOMAR range for babies and toddlers can now be shopped conveniently online at https://jomarbaby.com/. Be sure to follow the JOMAR social channels on Facebook and Instagram for weekly inspiration and tips for parents.

November 30, 2020

Homeschooling in 2021? Here’s how to prepare

As the year is ending off, many of us are letting out a long sigh of relief. There is, however, no time like the present to get a head start on your planning and prepping for the new year. Our school year has officially ended, but I am busy getting a head start on the plan for next year so that we can start up again in the new year when we are ready. There are a few things you can do now to help you start the year strong and organised. Create a dedicated study space If you have been homeschooling, clear your study space, leaving it nice and clean. If it is your first year of homeschooling, create a dedicated study space for next year. Make sure everyone has their own little space. We have a table dedicated to homeschooling, and the teens have their own tables separate from the rest of us because they need a quieter study spot. If space is limited, assign everyone a seat around the table, put their name at their seat so that they feel like the space really is theirs. Register for 2021 Register with your curriculum provider as soon as they open for the new year. This way you will get all the admin stuff out of the way early on. This will also ensure that your books arrive on time to start when you want to. Signing up early also means you can familiarise yourself with the system. Impaq sends very cool yearly planners for each subject that allows us to plan the year out, so we stay on track. Get clear on your schedule This is going to look very different for everyone. I work from home, so we have to work out our schedule around that. If you are new to homeschooling, you might find you have to make some adjustments. You might find you need more or less time than you planned for, be flexible about this. It took us a whole term to really find our rhythm, but now that we have it, it works really well. Set some rules It will take some time for everyone to get back into it so set some homeschooling rules, even if your kids are little. Knowing their boundaries before you start will help everyone to stay on the same page. Write them down, print them out and stick them on the wall where the kids can always see them. Try to make the rules fun so that your kids don’t feel like they are at school. Take it slow It is going to take everyone a little time to adjust, especially after the year we had in 2020. Allow yourself and your kids some time to adjust. Don’t rush them or force them; this is the beauty of homeschooling; you can work with your child and their pace. There will be enough time! Homeschooling tips for 2021 We have also learned a few lessons the hard way over the last two years. Here are some top homeschooling tips for 2021: Pro tip: Don’t buy too much stationery! Seriously. We haven’t bought much new stationery in the last two years. Stock up on the basics and then buy as and if you need it. Pro tip: Figure out your kids’ learning style before you buy books, games, educational computer programs, etc. I have one child who loves working through workbooks and another one who hates it. It can be so tempting to buy all the activity books you can find, but if your child is not into that it is not going to work, and it will be a struggle to get them to use the books or games. Pro tip: It is okay to take a few days off if it is just too much. I was so focused on homeschooling every single day for the time I had scheduled, but some days the kids were just not feeling it. So now we take a day off when we need it, and it makes life so much easier. Pro tip: Look for free resources before you buy. If you are signed up with a curriculum provider, like Impaq, you will get all the books and resources you will need but if you are looking for additional activities for your child, search the internet for free resources before buying additional books or online resources. Pro tip: Invest in a printer. Having a printer in your home can come in very handy. There is always something that needs to be printed and having a printer on hand means you can print when you need to, without having to leave the house in search of a PostNet. Preparing for the new homeschooling year can be so much fun. If you have older children get them involved in the process. Ask them what additional things they would like to learn about so you can find information on those topics before the year starts. Let them help you set up the homeschooling space so that they feel like they are a part of the process. The best part about homeschooling is that it is a journey you are on with your child so involve them as much as you can. by Laura-kim Laura is a wife, business owner and homeschooling mom to four children. When she is not teaching kids about tree frogs and long division, she writes for Impaq Education, a curriculum provider for home education.

November 27, 2020

Skincare Expert Jomar Launches Premium, Clean Beauty-Inspired Skincare Range for Little One’s

JOMAR, a brand-new natural skincare range backed by passion and extensive research, has just launched its exciting baby and toddler skincare range. Inspired by modern, ingredient-conscious moms, the range includes 10 unique products that are specially formulated to treat delicate skin from head to toe. With over 22 years’ experience in the skincare industry, JOMAR’s dedication to promote clean beauty and to use active, natural ingredients in its products is what truly sets the brand apart from other baby and toddler products on the market. Although the products only contain ingredients sourced from nature it by no means compromise on the aesthetic experience. The objective of each formula is to soothe, protect, nourish and normalise skin. Founder Felicia Kotze explains: “When it comes to the skincare of our little ones, we only want the best! That is why JOMAR’sproducts are 99 – 100% natural and free from synthetic perfumes, colourants, parabens, lead, petroleum and sulphates. We believe in the importance of clean beauty – not just for ourselves but for our little ones too! “This is why you will never find ‘empty ingredients in our products – only active ingredients that are designed to provide your baby with the best care products on the market!” Parents will find everything they need for their little ones in the JOMAR range, including bum products and body washes, as well as signature products such as a Calming Rescue Gel, Decongesting Bath Oil, Conditioning Scalp Oil and Repairing Balm-Oil, just to name a few. “Thanks to careful development, our products are proven to be effective and help parents to treat conditions such as dry to sensitive skin, eczema and cradle cap – common baby and toddler ailments that can be alleviated using products with the right ingredients. Therefore our main ingredients include essential oils, antioxidants, vitamins, botanical oils and butters and natural moisturisers. Essential oils are known especially for their healing, protecting, soothing and nourishing properties, which is great for babies’ skin!” adds Kotze. Devoted to being kind to the environment, JOMAR’s products are not tested on animals, are vegan-friendly and bio-degradable. With fresh, natural fragrances and beautiful packaging, each product is a joy from purchase to use, but most importantly, it provides the best skincare for babies and toddlers. The luxurious JOMAR range for babies and toddlers can now be shopped conveniently online at https://jomarbaby.com/. Be sure to follow the JOMAR social channels on Facebook and Instagram for weekly inspiration and tips for parents.

November 27, 2020

New look and updates for award-winning Thule Urban Glide 2 stroller

With a modern design and slim profile the Thule Urban Glide 2 Jogging stroller is the perfect stroller for running and everyday use. The new updated versions of this popular and award-winning three-wheel stroller are now available and include a ‘black-on-black’ colour edition (black fabric combined with a black frame for a sleek look) as well as new colour canopies in Majorca Blue and Cypress Green. New features also include a hand brake that provides deceleration, an automatic lock for folding, an extendable sunshade with UPF 50+ protection and extra ventilation, reflective rims for improved visibility and new car seat adapters for a customised fit. Featuring a sleek design and a slim profile, the Thule Urban Glide 2 is an all-round sport stroller that is perfect for everyday life and jogging. It folds easily with a one-handed motion and the air-filled tires and suspension, ensure a smooth ride that handles rough terrain like a pro. Lock the front wheel for added stability during a jog or hike, or leave it swiveling for better maneuverability while walking. Julia Downey, brand manager for the Thule Active with Kids category offers these tips to consider when buying a pram: Think about your lifestyle and what type of pram will suit this best. If you are very active and want to bring baby along while you exercise, or simply if your family loves to fill your day with outings and activities, make sure that you buy an all-terrain pram, which is sturdy with good suspension. Understand the dimensions of how big the pram is when it is folded and unfolded. Make sure that it will fit into your boot and double check that you can fold and unfold it easily (preferably one handed) when you have a baby and a nappy bag that you are carrying too. Always check with the capacity of the pram is. Check that baby is comfortable, particularly if you are buying a pram for a newborn.This means opting for a pram that is well-cushioned with lots of padding, preferably with a reclining seat and sun canopy so that baby can sleep anywhere if needed. Find out if there is extra storage such as hidden pouches. This will limit the amount of stuff that you need to take with you, particularly if you are exercising with your baby. At minimum, a pram should have space for essentials such as keys, phone, a clean nappy and baby bottle. Look at it as an investment, especially if you plan on having more than one child. A good pram will not only last through your baby’s first few years, but onto your next baby too. From there, it could be passed down to younger cousins. Also check what the warranty on the stroller.

November 27, 2020

Sparking student curiosity through real-world experiences

The value of education is centred on making a significant and lasting difference in the way learners are grown, nurtured and prepared for both the present and the future. Sometimes the key to that difference is found in the classroom experience and sometimes it is found elsewhere. For some, this could be on the sports field among teammates, for others, alongside fellow speakers in a combative debating tournament, on the stage, during a particular assembly, in corridor conversations or at break time. While student engagement is most-often teacher facilitated, it is sometimes the special occurrences where children are exposed to people that they admire, are inspired by, or even challenged by that can leave a lasting impression. Great inspiration is often sparked when we are taken out of our comfort zones, and this is exactly why it is so important that students are given opportunities to learn in other ways, through exposure to people other than their teachers. Take TED Talks for example, their platforms exist because they believe in the power of sharing knowledge and ideas to insight creativity and curiosity and ultimately to fuel the fire of the inquisitive to make a better world. Billion-dollar companies like Google are no longer asking for prospective employee degrees, but are rather offering internships and apprenticeships where students can “earn while they learn” and contribute to making a valuable difference by practicing real-world skills. At HeronBridge College, our aim is to expose learners to experts who can fuel their fires, and is why each year we host events like HEARTists and our annual Grade 11 Cook-Off. This year’s HEARTists event saw students upload videos to renowned local and international talent like performer Jonathan Roxmouth, choreographer Bradley Shelver and actor Carl Beukes. The Cook-Off, in collaboration with Hirsch’s the Guvon Academy and the Custom Content Collective requires students to submit entries to top local chefs, the top ten of which are then selected to compete in the finals at the Hirsch’s Home store in Fourways. Local Chefs Leon Koch and Karen Blanche, as well as Margaret Hirsch are among the few experts to have provided unique Masterclass lessons to the students, andrenowned culinary Olympian Chef JP Ziegentaler will be sharing his skills at the final this Saturday. The top three contestants will win prizes to by Hirsch’s and co-sponsors, as well as internationally accredited food and hospitality workshops at the Guvon Academy. An additional Varsity hamper valued at R8,000.00 is also up for grabs to all HeronBridge Grade 11 students, helping them to get started and settled in the next phase of their learning journey. Imparting skills as part of the broader curriculum is invaluable in a well-rounded educational offering. Learning isn’t confined to a classroom, and education isn’t only about being taught in a formal structure. Real-life engagement and a breadth of experience is what augments the bedrock of a first-class academic offering. The HeronBridge Cook-Off is only one example of what needs to be happening more often outside of the classroom, where students are exposed to challenging tasks, real-world presentation techniques, and placed in simulation environments as part of their preparation for future careers.

November 27, 2020

How your online reputation affects your job hunt

You might not have considered this before, but did you know that your online reputation can have a significant impact on your job search? As more and more recruiters start vetting candidates via search engines, it’s essential to see your social media presence as more than just a way of connecting with friends and family. From Facebook to LinkedIn and Instagram, there are thousands of ways to share your views online. But without the proper privacy settings in place, you might be putting potential employers off. Here are a few tips and tricks to ensure your credibility can be conserved! A note on why you need an online presence According to a 2018 survey on HR managers, job seekers that don’t have online visibility are handicapped in their job search! 66% of employers use search engines to perform background checks on potential candidates 47% of employers are less likely to consider a possible candidate for an interview if the individual doesn’t have an online presence 20% of employers ignore applicants that have no online proof of their information If you’re invisible online, employers will assume you’re behind the times or hiding something. Without a solid online reputation, your application will likely get lost in the masses. How to ramp up your professional online reputation Be considerate about what you share Search engines dig deeper into Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn than ever before. This means that your personal information can easily be found in places you might not expect it to show up. Just like your personal details, don’t post or share anything that you wouldn’t want prospective employers to see. Restrict your Facebook content and only allow invited people to view your tweets. Google yourself Before applying for that new job, do yourself a favour and have a look at what dirt Google has on you. Turn off personalised results so you’ll see the same results a general member of the public will see. This will give you an objective view of the results. Optimise your LinkedIn profile LinkedIn is particularly important for job seekers, and sadly, a lot of people don’t fully optimise their profiles. When composing your profile, don’t write in the first person. Using the third person sounds more professional. By using your name in your profile, you reinforce to Google that your LinkedIn page is highly relevant to a search about you. Use your full name at least twice in your profile, especially at the beginning. Use keywords throughout your profile to describe what you currently do and the types of jobs you’re keen on doing. Professionalise your images Image searches on Google are becoming increasingly popular, especially among hiring managers. You want to make sure the images you post online are optimised with your name. Put your name in the image caption, the “alt text” HTML tag, and even in the image file name. Need more help? Adzuna not only lists thousands of live vacancies in one place, but they also dish out some of the most useful and inspiring pieces of career advice for South Africans looking to boost their chances of success during the job search!

November 26, 2020

Not Just A Family Portrait – How Family Photos Help Boost Your Child’s Self-Esteem

As a parent, you’ve probably asked yourself on more than one occasion how you can help your child with their sense of identity in the world. In all the research and brainstorming you may have done, almost certainly, photography wasn’t on your list. In today’s modern world, our children are faced with all types of pressure. With different media influences and peer pressure – they always feel a need to look and act a certain way to validate their place in society. With academics, discovering themselves and creating a life routine, they can use a little help from mom and dad. So how does family photography help with boosting your child’s self-esteem? Here are 3 hidden but powerful aspects of family photography that help with your child’s self-esteem. It provides a sense of belonging. A family photoshoot tells your child that they are loved and cared for – it makes them feel important and the bonding time reiterates your love for them. They feel like they are part of something special and they’re contributors to it. They formulate an idea of love. During aphotoshoot, physical touch is the name of the game. From parents posing like it’s their matric dance, to moms giving their teenagers embarrassing kisses on the cheek – children see and feed off the love and affection shown during the shoot. Memories for adulthood According to Dr David Krauss, psychologist, PHD, Ohio, it is important for children to see a family portrait every day as they grow into their teenage years and eventually adulthood. Children need to see their family as a family unit, how they’re a valued and and how they’re an important part of that unit. This helps with their external relationships as it creates a benchmark for how they should be loved and treated. Not only will you be getting amazing family images to put up around the house, but you’ll also be moulding your child into an emotionally independent human being from your family photoshoot.

November 26, 2020

Embracing colour

Colour makes up the beauty of our world, but why is colouring in so good for children? We’ve taken a look at some of the reasons why embracing colour and art is just so good for your little ones. An understanding of the world Children are born in a greyscale world, seeing colour only as their eyes develop. At the age of 18 months, a child starts to identify colours. At two years and older, they start to name them. We don’t always see how much we link colour to the world around us. Knowing that the sky is blue and the grass is green may seem obvious to us, but to a child learning everything from the start, these are crucial discoveries. Colouring in helps your child to link colours to the world around them, and their understanding and mental growth will grow and grow. Developing their creative identity By colouring in, children develop their hand strength and motor skills, including colouring in between the lines. Their focus and ability will continue to grow and strengthen too. We’re most interested in helping your child develop their individuality. Through using colours to bring pages before them to life, their self-expression will burst into life! You will see them understand colour, size and shapes like never before – and they’ll be having fun the whole time too. Taking time for them In today’s world, we have a greater understanding of stress and how it can affect our healthy minds and bodies. Taking time for yourself is a vital skill that can be learnt from a very young age. And while your child might not want to meditate or self-reflect, colouring in has been proven as a great way to reflect, relax and de-stress. By focusing on the task of colouring, using one pencil at a time, they will find this time away from their busy lives to be healthy and healing, making sure they’re in the best place to tackle their adventures ahead. Hanging out with all the family Colouring in also helps you create quiet time with all the family together. You can sit with your child as they colour in their adventures, or get on with your own relaxation while still being together. It creates a great opportunity for social time without requiring high energy playtime, and you get to watch your child discover the thrill of creativity. Just be ready to be the proudest parent as your child rushes to show you their work, full of pride – whether it’s a modernist masterpiece, or a cheerful scribble! At Characterful, we believe in the power of colour to inspire our readers’ imagination. Pick up any of our books and you’ll step into a world of vibrant backdrops, exciting characters and an immersive atmosphere. And now we want your children to have the chance to colour in our books too, by releasing a colouring in version of our epic story The Door in the Garden Wall. Thanks to our personalisation, your child will now be both the hero of the story and the illustrator.

November 25, 2020

Asking for an increase: When and how to do it

The art of asking for an increase is a skill that every skilled employee has to develop during their career. Today, we’ll be taking a look at how to negotiate a pay raise, so you earn the salary you deserve! Tips for asking for an increase It’s all about the right timing Asking for more money can be awkward and disruptive at times. This means you need to focus on getting the timing right when it comes to asking for an increase. If you haven’t proved your worth yet, the timing isn’t right, and you’ll just annoy management and HR. Your annual performance review is the right time to do this. Management might actually already be reviewing your salary by this time. And if they’re not considering an increase, it’s a good time to bring up the subject. Compare apples with apples What are your skills worth to your company? Do some research into what individuals in similar roles are being paid because this is an important negotiation tool. You can also search Adzuna’s listings for jobs similar to yours and then hit the “See More Stats” button on the right-hand side of the screen. That gives you an idea of average salaries people are earning. Don’t bark up the wrong tree It’s essential to address the right person when asking for an increase. The receptionist might agree with your argument, but she can’t do anything to help get you that increase you deserve! Your manager also has a say in the matter, so the way your department is structured might influence the outcome. If you report to a manager, enquire with them before knocking on the HR department’s door. Don’t show up empty-handed When you ask for a salary increase, it’s important to have some backup with you. Your most impressive achievements and merits need to be on record, and those records can help make your case stronger. If you can prove that you’ve been going the extra mile, it’ll be evident that you’re a reliable asset to the company. Be flexible An increase isn’t something that you can demand, so you need to be prepared to negotiate. What are you willing to settle for? Is more cash in your account the most important thing? Are you ready to accept a few trade-offs like company benefits and work-life balance? Once the offer is on the table, take some time to consider it. Don’t sell out too early. Make sure you’re settling for a package that works for you. Asking for an increase in writing Sometimes, asking for a pay rise might be best done via email. At the very least, a friendly request in writing can help lay down the groundwork for an in-person meeting. If you are unsure about how to structure your email, just use the email sample below as a guide to get your foot in the door to hopefully getting the increase you deserve. Please remember to customise your email. DO NOT copy and paste the template as is. Your letter needs to reflect your position, and depending on how formal or casual your relationship with your manager is, you can also change the tone of the message. Email Template Asking for an Increase Subject: Request for salary appraisal The subject isn’t as important as the content of the email, but you need to sum up the contents of your email in the subject line. Keep it short and straightforward. Good day (manager name), I have enjoyed working here over the past ____ years. Although I have learned a tremendous amount from my time with the organisation, I also feel that I have become part of the team’s and company’s ongoing success story. Over the past year, I have (write about your achievements here) and have taken on responsibilities including (focus on the new responsibilities you’ve been tasked with here and how they’re helping the company). As you know, my salary has remained the same since I was hired in ____ (add your date of initial employment here or change it to your last pay increase). I believe that my increasing contributions to the company, along with my qualifications, justify a salary increase. I would love the opportunity to meet with you to discuss a possible pay rise that would bring my current salary into line with the industry average and kindly ask that we meet at a time most convenient for you. Once again, I would like to express my thanks for the support I have received from you and look forward to contributing and continuing to serve the department and the company as a whole. Kind regards, Your Name Here Final thoughts Asking for an increase isn’t the easiest of tasks, but it’s something we all do during the course of our careers. Whether you get what you were looking for or not, it’s essential to always keep things professional and not push your limits. If your employer can’t meet you somewhere in the middle, perhaps it’s time to look elsewhere or wait it out another year. The choice is yours!

November 24, 2020

Bennetts – The story behind the brand

Babies are a spark of heaven that we are entrusted to kindle, protect, love and nurture. But any parent who has had a colicky baby will know how quickly parents can feel that they have failed themselves and their baby. Which is exactly what inspired our father, Basil Bennett, an exceptional South African chemist, to formulate his baby colic mixture, more than after half a century ago. So effective was the Bennetts Colic Mixture that word about it soon spread like wildfire. Our father often opened up his pharmacy to assist parents in distress in the middle of the night.As boys, we spent most of our weekends helping him compound the mixture in our home-based lab, to meet the demand. In the process, we grew up learning a valuable lesson from our caring dad – that our fingerprints don’t fade, from the lives we touch. So we set out to establish a business in the Bennetts name, which is built on those same values we learnt from our father. Today, almost 30 years later, all our products have been developed with the utmost care, infused with that same passion and attention to detail, as our father’s very first colic mixture. As we grew into parenthood, our own fears and anxieties compelled us to learn more about the baby industry and the need for problem solving products. Whether it was Bennetts Bum Crème, aqueous cream, nose drops, wet wipes or easy changing solutions, Bennetts became a household name. As we expanded our product range, we began to expand our brand locally and internationally. Despite our growth into a large, established company whose products now compete with big international brands, we are still a family owned business. We have retained some of the original staff members of Bennetts Chemist and their families, creating an atmosphere of an inclusive community. We believe that this personal touch enhances the quality of our products and invites our customers to share in our community of parenting. The Bennett Brothers

November 24, 2020

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