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Confidence Starts in the Body: How Physical Skills Help Children Believe “I Can”

There is a special little moment that parents and teachers know well. A child stands in front of something they are not quite sure they can do. Perhaps it is walking across a balance beam. Catching a ball. Jumping from one spot to another. Climbing a little higher than before. Or attempting a forward roll for the first time. Their face says, I’m not sure about this. Then they try. Perhaps they wobble. Perhaps they miss the ball. Perhaps they stop halfway and climb down. And then they try again. Eventually, something clicks. They make it across the beam. The ball lands in their hands. Both feet leave the ground and land safely. They complete the roll. And suddenly their whole expression changes. I did it! That moment may look like a simple physical achievement, but something much bigger has happened. The child has collected a small but powerful piece of evidence about themselves: I can learn. I can improve. I can do difficult things. Confidence is built through experience We often think of confidence as something children either have or do not have. But confidence is not simply a personality trait. It develops through experience. Young children build self-belief when they are given opportunities to attempt manageable challenges, practise new skills and experience progress for themselves. Encouragement from adults matters enormously, but there is a difference between hearing, “You can do it!” and discovering, “I actually did it.” That discovery belongs to the child. Physical activity creates countless opportunities for these small successes. Learning to balance requires concentration. Catching requires timing and coordination. Jumping requires courage and body control. Climbing asks a child to judge distance and trust their own strength. Each new skill begins with something the child cannot yet do. That little word — yet — matters. The wobble before the win Adults naturally want children to succeed. Sometimes we are so eager to protect them from disappointment that we rush in to help. But wobbling is part of learning. Missing the ball is part of catching it. Losing balance is part of learning to balance. Children need safe opportunities to experience the space between I can’t do this and I can do this now. That is where persistence grows. Imagine a child trying to walk across a low balance beam. On the first attempt, they step off almost immediately. The next time, they make it halfway. A few attempts later, they reach the end. The achievement is not only reaching the other side. The child has also learnt something about perseverance. When something is difficult, I can keep trying. That belief travels far beyond the playground or activity class. Physical confidence can become everyday confidence When children become more comfortable with what their bodies can do, they often become more willing to participate. The child who once stood at the back watching may eventually step forward and join the game. The child who was afraid to climb may decide to try the playground equipment. The child who avoided catching games may begin putting up their hands and calling, “Throw it to me!” These may seem like small changes, but for a young child they can feel enormous. Physical competence can give children the courage to participate rather than simply observe. And every time they participate, they gain another opportunity to learn, interact, cooperate and succeed. Not every child needs to be first Building confidence does not mean producing the fastest runner, the highest jumper or the most talented gymnast. It is not about comparison. In fact, constant comparison can quickly take the joy out of learning. The meaningful question is not: “Can my child do this better than everyone else?” It is: “Can my child do something today that felt difficult yesterday?” One child may confidently jump from a raised surface while another is celebrating jumping with both feet together for the first time. Both achievements matter. Children develop at different speeds, and confidence grows best when progress is measured against their own starting point. Praise the courage, not only the result Adults can help children develop healthy confidence by noticing the process as much as the outcome. Instead of only saying, “Well done, you caught it!”, we can also say: “I saw how you kept watching the ball.” “You tried again even when that was tricky.” “You were nervous, but you gave it a go.” “You kept practising and look how much easier it became.” This helps children understand that success is not magic and ability is not fixed. Effort, practice, patience and persistence all play a part. And sometimes the bravest achievement is simply being willing to try. Give children things they can conquer Young children need opportunities to move their bodies in many different ways — running, jumping, balancing, crawling, throwing, catching, rolling, climbing, pushing and pulling. These experiences build physical skills, but they also give children something equally valuable: a growing collection of moments in which they surprised themselves. The first successful catch. The first independent jump. The first time they crossed without holding someone’s hand. The first time they said, “Let me try again.” Those moments quietly accumulate. Eventually, I can’t starts becoming maybe I can. And maybe I can become I’ll try. That may be one of the greatest gifts movements can give a child. At Catrobatkidz, we believe physical development is about far more than teaching children how to move. Every new skill mastered gives a child another reason to trust their body, trust their abilities and approach the next challenge with a little more courage. Because sometimes confidence begins with something as simple as one small child, one wobbly balance beam and the wonderful realisation: “I did it!”

September 7, 2026

Regular Show: The Lost Tapes premieres exclusively on Cartoon Network

Mordecai and Rigby are back. Regular Show: The Lost Tapes premieres exclusively on Cartoon Network (channel 301) on Monday, 7 September at 17:10 CAT, airing every weekday. The best-friend duo work — and live — at a local park, where their mundane jobs always spiral into surreal chaos, much to the frustration of their boss and coworkers. From crashing a friend’s luau to hunting for the perfect napping spot, even the simplest attempts to avoid work quickly turn into thwarting outrageous disasters. Regular Show has long been a fan favourite for its offbeat humour and surreal storylines, and these newly unearthed episodes promise more of the hilarious, entertaining chaos fans love. It’s a must-watch for anyone who enjoys comedy that takes the everyday and turns it delightfully upside down. Catch Mordecai and Rigby’s latest antics every weekday at 17:10 CAT on Cartoon Network.

September 4, 2026

What the BELA Act changed for homeschooling families, and what it left alone

Ask ten South African parents what the BELA Act did to homeschooling and you will get ten answers, most of them wrong. Some believe home education was banned. Others were told officials can now inspect their living rooms. Neither is true, and the confusion has real cost, because families are making decisions about their children’s schooling based on WhatsApp forwards rather than the text of the law. Here is the position as it stands. The Act is in force President Ramaphosa signed the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act on 13 September 2024. At the signing he held back sections 4 and 5, the contested provisions on admissions and language policy, for three months of further consultation with parties in the Government of National Unity. When those talks concluded, he proclaimed the commencement date as 24 December 2024, published in Government Gazette 51836. The Act now operates in full. None of that changed the legal status of home education. Homeschooling has been lawful in South Africa since section 51 of the South African Schools Act in 1996, and BELA amends that Act rather than repealing the provision. Your right to educate your child at home survived intact. Grade R became compulsory This is the change most likely to affect a family in practice. Compulsory schooling used to begin at Grade 1, around age seven. Under BELA it begins at Grade R, so children aged five and six are now inside the compulsory band. If you plan to home educate, your obligation to register begins a year earlier than it did for the family who started in 2023. Registration works in phases, with a 60-day clock Parents apply to the Head of Department at their provincial education department. Registration is organised by phase rather than by grade: Foundation covers Grades 1 to 3, Intermediate covers Grades 4 to 6, and Senior covers Grades 7 to 9. You reapply at the start of each new phase. The application asks for your identity document, your child’s birth certificate, a description of the curriculum you intend to follow, a weekly timetable and a letter explaining your reasons. The provision worth knowing is the deadline that runs against the department rather than against you. If the Head of Department does not respond within 60 days, your registration is deemed successful. You are not required to sit and wait for a letter before you begin teaching. Assessment happens at the end of each phase The curriculum you choose must meet minimum standards equivalent to the national Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement. At the end of Grades 3, 6 and 9, your child’s attainment must be assessed by a competent assessor, and that report goes to the department. Parents often read this and assume they need a teaching qualification. They do not. South African law has never required one. The assessor must be competent; the parent does not have to be the assessor. Families who enrol with a registered online school hand the teaching, marking and phase assessments to qualified staff and keep the reporting obligation off their own desk. Home visits came out Earlier drafts of the Bill allowed departmental officials to visit a family’s home. That provision did not survive into the final Act. A Head of Department may request a meeting before registration, and that meeting can take place in a public setting. Nobody has a right to walk through your house. What is still unresolved The Pestalozzi Trust, the legal defence fund that has represented home educators since 1998, has filed a constitutional court application arguing that the legislative process was rushed and that public participation was inadequate. The outcome may affect how the homeschooling provisions are applied. Membership of the Trust is not a legal requirement, though many families join for the legal backing if a provincial office starts asking for things the law does not require. There is also a gap between the law on paper and the law in practice. SAHomeschoolers.org estimates that more than 95 per cent of South African homeschooling families are not registered with any provincial department, out of a home-educated population commonly put at around 300,000 children. Some parents object to the curriculum requirements. Many more have run into provincial offices demanding documents the Act does not ask for, and concluded the process is not worth it. That is a decision each family has to weigh with proper information, ideally with legal advice, rather than on the strength of a forwarded voice note. Choosing a curriculum is the decision that follows Registration asks you to name a curriculum, which forces the question most parents want to postpone. The choice determines which qualification your child finishes with and which university doors open afterwards. CAPS through SACAI or the IEB produces a National Senior Certificate, which every South African university accepts without further paperwork. The International British Curriculum and Pearson Edexcel lead to International GCSE and A Level qualifications recognised across 160 and 80 countries respectively, and reach South African universities through an exemption certificate issued by Universities South Africa. A United States K to 12 diploma follows the same exemption route and opens NCAA pathways for sportspeople. Families who want the national qualification without running the teaching themselves can enrol with a school registered to administer it. CambriLearn, which has taught more than 80,000 students across 100 countries, is registered with SACAI and the IEB and offers the CAPS curriculum with live timetabled lessons taught by subject specialists. The school’s guide to homeschooling in South Africa sets out the registration steps, curriculum comparisons and cost ranges in one place.

September 4, 2026

Simple Environments Can Build Preschool STEM Thinking

Dibber International Preschools says early science and maths learning can begin with ordinary materials already found in South African homes and classrooms. Simple changes to the spaces where young children play can encourage early scientific thinking without expensive equipment or formal lessons, according to Dibber International Preschools South Africa. By giving preschoolers access to open-ended materials such as blocks, containers, water, stones, and bottle caps, and allowing them to predict, test, and try again, parents and educators can turn ordinary play into meaningful STEM exploration during a vital period of early development. STEM, which brings together science, technology, engineering and mathematics, can sound far removed from preschool life. For a young child, however, it is already happening when a tower collapses, and they rebuild it, when they sort objects by size or colour, or when they wonder why one object floats while another sinks. “STEM in the early years begins with curiosity,” says Ursula Assis, Managing Director of Dibber International Preschools South Africa. “A preschooler asking, ‘What will happen if I do this?’ is already thinking like a scientist. The adult’s role is often to give that question somewhere to go rather than rushing in with the answer.” The environment matters because young children learn through direct experience. A shelf containing loose, open-ended materials can give a child far more opportunity to experiment than an activity designed around a single correct result. A container of water and a few household objects can become an investigation into sinking and floating. Blocks or empty boxes invite children to explore height, balance and stability. Buttons, seeds or bottle caps introduce sorting, counting and pattern recognition through play. “What matters is that the child gets to predict, test, observe and change something,” says Assis. “If a tower falls, the learning is in wondering why and deciding what to do differently next time. That willingness to keep testing an idea is something children can carry into later learning.” This approach is notably relevant in South Africa, where access to formal educational resources differs widely between communities. Meaningful STEM activities for preschoolers do not have to depend on specialised kits, screens or costly classroom equipment. Many of the strongest opportunities begin with what is already available. An adult can deepen the experience by asking a simple question. “Which one do you think will float?” or “What could make your tower stronger?” gives the child a reason to think without turning the activity into a lesson with a prescribed answer. That distinction matters. Preschoolers are naturally curious, and their frequent questions are part of how they make sense of the world around them. Environments that leave room for experimentation help children build confidence in their own thinking. The aim is also bigger than completing a particular STEM activity. It is about developing a habit of inquiry. A child who becomes comfortable asking why something happened, trying another approach and noticing what changes is practising skills that will remain useful long after the blocks or water basin have been packed away. At Dibber, this kind of exploration is built into early learning environments where children are encouraged to investigate, build, test ideas and follow their own questions. “Children do not need adults to turn every moment into a formal lesson,” says Assis. “Sometimes the most valuable thing an adult can do is provide interesting materials, ask one thoughtful question and give the child enough time to work something out.” For parents, that means early STEM learning can begin on a regular afternoon. A few objects, some space to experiment and a child asking “what happens if?” may be all that is needed.

September 4, 2026

Why the September School Holidays Could Be the Confidence Reset Your Child Needs

Why the September School Holidays Could Be the Confidence Reset Your Child Needs By the time the September school holidays arrive, many children are ready for a change. It has been a long year of classrooms, homework, sport, tests, deadlines and routines. Even children who love school can reach the point where they need some space to switch off, have fun and remember that there is more to being a kid than how they performed in their last test or whether they made the team. A good school holiday can provide that break. For some children, a week away at camp can offer something else as well: the chance to discover where they fit. And that can do a surprising amount for confidence. Confidence does not always look confident We tend to recognise confidence when it is easy to see. It is the child who volunteers first, walks into a room talking to everyone, takes centre stage or puts their hand up without worrying about getting the answer wrong. But plenty of confident children are quieter than that. For one child, confidence might be joining a game without knowing anyone. For another, it could be getting on stage with the rest of the group instead of standing at the back. It might be trying an activity they have never done before, speaking to someone new at breakfast or discovering that they are actually quite good at something unexpected. Those moments can seem small to an adult. To a child, they can matter enormously. Confidence often grows when children stop worrying so much about whether they are good enough and start feeling that they have a place in the group. Children need somewhere to belong Belonging is especially important when children are surrounded by new people. Think back to walking into a new school, sports team, university residence or workplace. The hardest part is often the beginning, when everyone else appears to know what they are doing and you are still trying to work out where you fit. Children experience the same thing. This is one reason shared activities can make meeting people easier. Instead of expecting children to sit down and manufacture a friendship, give them something to do together. They can practise a dance. Join a team. Work out the rules of a strange game. Paint something. Learn a cheer. Sing badly at karaoke. Laugh when the plan goes completely wrong and try again. Somewhere along the way, the children who arrived as strangers start becoming the people they sit next to at lunch. There should be more than one way to take part This idea sits at the heart of Disney Zombies Week at Sugar Bay Camp, a seven-day school holiday camp taking place from 27 September to 4 October 2026 in Zinkwazi Beach on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast. Sugar Bay is a kids-only sleepover camp for children and teenagers aged 7 to 17, situated north of Ballito and Durban. The week takes inspiration from the colourful Disney Zombies world of music, cheer, performance, sport and team spirit, but the part that stands out from a parenting perspective is how many different ways there are for a child to get involved. Campers are divided into Pink and Green teams, with different roles that include players, performers and cheerleaders. They practise and take part in activities during the week before coming together for a final event featuring sport, cheerleading and performances. That matters because children are not all going to find their confidence in the same place. The child who loves football might come alive on the field. Someone else might find their place in a dance routine. Another child may enjoy helping their group practise without ever wanting to be the loudest person in it. There is room for all of them. Being part of something changes the experience Children do not need to be excellent dancers, athletes or performers to enjoy a themed camp like this. In fact, being a beginner can be part of the point. The week’s programme includes team games, karaoke, sports-inspired challenges, conversations, campfires, lip-sync battles, dancing and creative activities. The live programme also includes an optional excursion to uShaka Marine in Durban, while campers who remain at Sugar Bay have their own stay-in activities. There is enough variety for children to move between being good at something, completely new at something and occasionally ridiculous at something. That last one deserves more credit than it gets. Children spend so much of the school year in environments where the outcome matters. There are marks, scores, selections and results attached to much of what they do. Camp can give them permission to do something simply because it is fun. Nobody needs a certificate for winning a lip-sync battle with their cabin. The value is in having been brave enough to join them. Sometimes the group gives a child courage Parents naturally want their children to become independent, but independence does not have to mean doing everything alone. Often children become braver because they are surrounded by other children doing the same thing. It is easier to try the dance when the whole group looks slightly unsure. It is easier to join a match when your teammates are calling you over. It is easier to walk into an evening activity when the people from your cabin are walking in with you. The group provides a little borrowed courage until the child begins finding some of their own. That is why belonging and confidence are so closely connected. A child who feels included is more likely to participate. Participation gives them experience. Experience makes the unfamiliar feel less intimidating the next time. There does not need to be a dramatic transformation. Sometimes the change is simply that the child who said, “I don’t know anyone,” on the first day is talking about “my friends” a few days later. A useful reset before the final stretch of the year The September holidays arrive at an interesting point

September 3, 2026

Could your baby’s nappy be doing more for their skin?

There’s a lot to learn when you have a baby. You learn their hungry cry, the exact amount of rocking it takes to get them to sleep and, eventually, the warning signs that a nappy change needs to happen right now. Nappy changes quickly become part of the rhythm of everyday life. Morning, bedtime, trips out and somewhere between feeds and naps. At first, you check everything carefully: before long you can change a nappy one-handed while reaching for the wipes with the other. And while your little one might not give much thought to what they’re wearing, you do. Because a nappy spends a lot of time close to their skin. When you’re choosing one for your baby, keeping them dry and comfortable is naturally going to be high on the list. But there’s another part of the picture worth thinking about, too: how you’re caring for their delicate skin throughout all those everyday nappy changes. When softness means something more We tend to think of softness as something we can feel. And when it comes to your baby, that matters. There’s something reassuring about knowing that the things closest to their skin have been designed with comfort in mind. But softness can also tell you something about the care that has gone into a product. Huggies Gold Skin Soft is madewith natural Shea butter and features an anti-rash barrier. It’s part of a considered approach to caring for delicate skin, bringing together the softness Huggies is known for with protection caregivers can trust. Why natural Shea Butter? You might know Shea Butter from skincare. Known for its moisturising and skin-nourishing properties, it’s a natural ingredient that can help keep skin feeling soft and cared for. That same natural nourishment can also belong in a nappy. A nappy is with your baby through sleepy mornings, busy playtimes, feeds, naps and trips out. Choosing one that’s been thoughtfully designed for delicate skin is a simple way to bring extra care into an everyday essential. The details that matter Caring for baby’s skin is about more than one product. Regular changes, gentle cleaning and watching what your baby’s skin responds to are all part of what works for your family. Every baby is different, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, but when something will be part of your baby’s daily life, it’s reassuring to know thoughtful details have gone into it. Huggies Gold Skin Soft brings together natural Shea butter, an anti-rash barrier, ultra-soft layers and long-lasting absorbency to offer skin-focused care alongside the protection a nappy needs to provide. Because every day is made of little moments. Through it all, the instinct to keep your baby comfortable and cared for remains. That’s why the small things count. Not to overthink every choice, but to choose products that have been thoughtfully made with your baby in mind. Softness you can feel. Protection you can trust. That’s the thinking behind Huggies Gold Skin Soft: cloud-soft comfort that cares for your baby’s delicate skin. Discover Huggies Gold Skin Soft and find the right fit for your baby.

September 3, 2026

A Fresh Start This September: Helping Your Child Find Their Confidence in Learning

September is more than the start of spring — it can also be the perfect time for a fresh start in your child’s education. For many families, the year may not have gone exactly as planned. Perhaps your child has struggled to keep up, lost interest in learning, found traditional schooling challenging, or simply needs a learning environment that works better for them. The good news is that it is never too late to make a positive change. At Educ8 SA, we believe that every child deserves an opportunity to learn in an environment that supports their individual needs, pace and goals. Our online learning platform gives families the flexibility to create an education routine that fits their lifestyle. Whether your child is being homeschooled, needs additional learning support, or simply thrives better outside the traditional classroom, online education can provide a different way forward. Learning at a Pace That Works One of the biggest challenges children face in traditional education is feeling like they are either falling behind or being pushed ahead before they are ready. Online learning can give students more control over their learning experience. They can revisit concepts they don’t understand, spend additional time on challenging areas and work towards completing their education with greater confidence. Parents Are Part of the Journey Education isn’t only about completing lessons and passing assessments. It is about helping young people develop confidence, independence and a positive attitude towards learning. That is why we encourage parents to remain involved in their child’s educational journey, celebrate progress and provide encouragement along the way. This September, Start Fresh A new season can bring new motivation. If your child has been struggling with their current learning environment, September could be the perfect opportunity to explore a different approach. At Educ8 SA, we are here to help families discover a flexible online education pathway that can work for them. Because sometimes, your child doesn’t need to try harder. They simply need to learn differently. Educ8 SA — Education that fits your journey.

September 3, 2026

Saddle Up for a Roarsome Adventure! Dino Ranch: Island Explorers Premieres on Cartoonito Africa this September

The ranch gates are opening onto something wilder, brighter and bigger than ever before as Cartoonito launches Dino Ranch: Island Explorers, a vibrant new preschool adventure. Premiering 14 September 2026 on Cartoonito Africa, available on DStv channel 302, the spin-off follows the Cassidy siblings and their dino pals to Dino Island, a dazzling world of mysterious creatures, daring discoveries and roarsome new challenges. Building on the phenomenal success of Dino Ranch, on air since 2021, which captured the hearts of preschoolers globally, Dino Ranch: Island Explorers continues this legacy, adding fresh challenges and new dinosaur friends. The original series follows Bo and Jo Cassidy and their three children, Jon, Min and Miguel, as they navigate life in a ‘pre-westoric’ world where dinosaurs still roam. It has sold internationally in more than 170 countries and in 15 languages worldwide. In this new spin-off series, the Cassidy kids are saddling up for the adventure of a lifetime, setting their sights on the legendary Dino Island – a world brimming with undiscovered dinosaurs, mysterious locales, and non-stop excitement. Together they join their Uncle Jack at Dino Explorer’s Headquarters, where they help protect the island, face daring missions and outwit cunning villains. The series aligns with Cartoonito’s promise of playful, positive storytelling, combining humour, teamwork and adventure for young kids and families. In an exclusive interview for South Africa, executive story editor and writer Alan Gregg said the new setting was designed to expand the Dino Ranch world without losing what fans love most: “We were conscious not to completely reinvent the show, but we wanted to create assets that would engage viewers even more.” He adds that Dino Island gives the Cassidy kids “more agency and control over their own destiny”, allowing the young heroes to take on challenges for themselves while bringing warmth, energy and humour to every adventure. Dino Ranch: Island Explorers will air across Africa with 52 x 11-minute episodes, ready to take families on this whirlwind adventure. Combining colourful 3D animation with imaginative storytelling, the series takes young audiences beyond the ranch as the Cassidy siblings uncover new worlds, new dinosaurs and plenty of laughs along the way. Tune in for daily adventures. Keep your eyes peeled for the Cassidy siblings and their new dino buddies when Dino Ranch: Island Explorers launches on Monday, 14 September at 16:45 on Cartoonito Africa (DStv channel 302), bringing families a fun after-school adventure to look forward to together.

September 2, 2026

Are We Teaching Teenagers How To Think?

How do we raise teenagers who become ethical and responsible citizens, leaders in their fields, critical thinkers, resilient change-makers, effective problem solvers and happy, independent adults? These are questions worth sitting with, and cognitive education offers some compelling answers. What is Cognitive Education? Cognitive education is an intentional approach that focuses on developing howto think, rather than what to think. At its core is the work of Professor Reuven Feuerstein, who believed deeply in the learning propensity of every person. “People can modify,” he said. “This requires no miracle, only hard work.” His theory of Structural Cognitive Modifiability holds that intelligence is not fixed and that meaningful changes in thinking and cognitive function are possible at any age, regardless of limitations or past experiences. Why is this relevant for teenagers? The teenage years are a time of emotional change and neurological reorganisation. During this stage, adolescents are expected to draw on cognitive functions including self-regulation, planning, problem-solving, comparison, decision-making, critical thinking and social judgement – skills required not only for academic learning, but for navigating everyday life. Cognitive education develops these skills intentionally and explicitly, encouraging curiosity, metacognition, flexibility and adaptability. When taught well, it fosters agency, resilience, independence and confidence in young people. What does this look like in practice? In a typical Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment lesson, teenagers are not simply absorbing content, they are asking questions, debating, hypothesising and seeking logical evidence, all while learning to listen to differing viewpoints with respect and curiosity. The cognitive tasks may appear straightforward, but the thinking they require is anything but. Learners develop habits of mind that transfer well beyond the classroom. Who might benefit from cognitive education? Cognitive education is relevant for a wide range of young people – those who find school demanding and need support with focus, organisation, planning, memory, reasoning or critical thinking; those who are managing well but would benefit from enrichment and extension; and those who simply value self-development and want to strengthen the way they think and learn. Finding out more Cognitive education programmes such as CEA (Cognitive Enrichment Advantage) and FIE (Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment) are available in various settings. Bellavista iThemba’s Centre for Cognitive Education offers these programmes to teenagers and adults outside of a traditional school environment. More information is available at bellavista.org.za. By Lauren Davis, Deputy Principal and Director for Cognitive Education at Bellavista School

September 2, 2026

When tiny teeth cause big trouble

Baby teeth may be tiny, but they can cause some very big feelings. One little tooth pushing through the gum can be painful.1 But teething is not the only thing that can make those tiny teeth hurt. Here are the baby tooth problems parents can easily miss, why those temporary chompers matter, and what can help with mild to moderate pain while you arrange the right dental care. The importance of baby teeth Baby teeth may be temporary, but they have a pretty important to-do list. They hold space for the permanent teeth waiting underneath,help the jaw grow and develop properly,and arrive just as babies are learning to chew solid food. They also earn their keep when little ones start talking. Teeth help the tongue find the right position for certain sounds, especially harder sounds such as “t”.2 So, while those tiny teeth will eventually make way for the grown-up set, they are busy helping your child eat, speak and make room for what comes next. Common milk teeth problems Most babies start teething between six and 10 months, with the lower front teeth often first to appear. Some barely notice, while others get sore gums, extra drooling, and a sudden urge to chew absolutely everything. Diarrhoea and nappy rash, however, are not typical teething symptoms.3 Once those little teeth are through, the next thing to watch for is tooth decay (cavities). Tooth decay is one of the most common dental problems in children. It starts when bacteria in the mouth produce acids that wear away the enamel, eventually creating cavities. Other issues can include gum disease (gingivitis), sensitive teeth, dental trauma (chipped, cracked, or knocked out teeth), teeth misalignment, and early tooth loss.4 How to care for baby teeth Good oral habits from the start can make a big difference to the health of your child’s teeth. Regular brushing, a balanced diet and routine dental check-ups all help protect little teeth and catch problems before they become bigger ones.4 The power to fight pain and fever Panado®’s Paediatric Range deliver the trusted5 pain relief South African families have relied on for generations. The range includes Infant Drops,6 named Product of the Year 2025 in the Child – Health category following a Kantar survey of 2,000 South African consumers,7 as well asPeppermint Syrup8 with improved taste9 and Strawberry Syrup,10 which is also available in handy single-use 5 ml sachets10 for families on the go. Panado® products are available from Baby City, Pick n Pay, Checkers including Hypers, Shoprite, Clicks, Dis-Chem and independent pharmacies. For more information, visit: https://panado.co.za/ and join the conversations on Facebook and Instagram. For references and legal disclaimers, visit https://panado.co.za/references. Approval ticket #11.08.20261000006177. August 2026.

September 2, 2026

From Pregnancy to Menopause: A Woman’s Hearing and Balance Journey

Women go through extraordinary changes over the course of their lives. These hormonal changes most commonly occur during menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding, return of menstrual cycles, use of contraception, fertility changes, perimenopause, and menopause. Most women will experience at least a few of these events which affect their hormones. However, there is one part of women’s health that is rarely included in the conversation: hearing and balance. We tend to think of hearing as something that changes with age, while balance problems are often dismissed as something unrelated or temporary. Yet the auditory and vestibular systems, the systems involved in hearing and balance, are influenced by complex interactions between the inner ear, nervous system, circulation, and broader health. Pregnancy: When the Body Changes, So Can the Inner Ear For some women, pregnancy may coincide with changes in hearing, tinnitus, or balance. Others may notice that existing symptoms become more noticeable. This may be related to the inner ear’s sensitivity to changes in fluid balance and circulation. However, some women may experience dizziness during pregnancy for reasons unrelated to the inner ear, such as changes in blood pressure, blood sugar, anaemia, dehydration, or fatigue. The important message is this: Dizziness during pregnancy should not automatically be assumed to be “just pregnancy.” If dizziness is persistent, recurring, severe, or affecting daily life, it is worth discussing with a healthcare professional. After Pregnancy: The Listening Load of Motherhood The postpartum period brings a different kind of change. With a new baby to care for, broken sleep, breastfeeding, and emotional adjustments, concentration, listening and communication can become more difficult. You may find yourself thinking: “Why am I struggling to concentrate?” “Why do conversations feel so exhausting?” “Why do I keep asking people to repeat themselves?” Sometimes the answer may simply be exhaustion. However, if hearing difficulties persist, it is worth considering whether there may be more to it. Audiologists understand that hearing is not only about detecting sound. It is also about processing information, understanding speech, and making sense of what is happening around you. When you are already tired, stressed, and mentally overloaded, even a subtle hearing difficulty can make communication feel much harder. The Years In Between: Protecting Your Hearing Between pregnancy and menopause, women may move through many different stages of life, including career development, family responsibility, and other lifestyle changes. Through these changes, the constant is exposure to the everyday sounds of modern life. Common activities may include use of headphones, attending fitness classes, loud playgrounds, traffic, and social events. Some of these activities may involve exposure to loud sounds that may contribute to hearing difficulties, regardless of age or gender. This is why hearing protection should be part of every woman’s long-term health habits. Such health habits may include the following: When Hormones Begin to Shift: Perimenopause Perimenopause is the transition towards menopause, and it can begin earlier than many women expect. Fluctuating hormone levels related to perimenopause may result in changes in menstrual cycles and sleep patterns. Some women may also notice changes in their hearing or experience tinnitus or dizziness around the same time. This connection between hormonal changes and hearing is complex and still being studied. Hormones such as oestrogen affect many parts of the body, including the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Because the inner ear relies on these systems, hormonal changes may influence hearing, tinnitus, or balance for some women. However, there is no single explanation for every symptom. Therefore, new or ongoing symptoms should not simply be dismissed as “part of menopause.” Instead, ask yourself: Could there be more than one reason for how I am feeling? Menopause and Hearing: A Conversation Worth Having By the time women reach menopause, usually between the ages of 45 and 55, hearing changes can become more common for many reasons. Some women report experiencing tinnitus or noticing changes in their hearing during this stage of life. Others may find that conversations become more difficult, particularly in restaurants, family gatherings, or other noisy environments. You may experience the following: These are all reasons to consider having your hearing checked. And Then There Is Balance Hearing and balance are closely connected through the inner ear, and as women move through different hormonal stages, they may experience dizziness or changes in balance for many different reasons. You may notice: These symptoms can have many causes. The important thing is not to assume. Balance problems deserve to be understood, not simply endured. An audiologist with expertise in vestibular assessment can evaluate aspects of the balance system and help determine whether the inner ear may be contributing to your symptoms. The Question We Should Be Asking More Often Women’s health is often divided into separate conversations. Pregnancy belongs to one conversation, while menopause belongs to another. Hearing is seldom mentioned, and balance is discussed only when someone is already struggling. However, the body does not work in separate compartments. The systems that support hearing and balance are connected to the rest of the body, and women’s health changes throughout life. When Should You Have Your Hearing or Balance Checked? Consider speaking to an audiologist if you notice: An assessment can help establish what is happening and whether further investigation or support is needed. Your Health, Your Hearing, and Your Balance. Women spend so much of their lives listening to others, that perhaps it is time to listen to themselves and their own health needs. From the first hormonal changes of pregnancy to the transition through perimenopause and menopause, your body is constantly communicating with you. Sometimes, it may be telling you that you need more rest, and sometimes, it may be asking you to slow down. Generally, however, a change in hearing, or onset of tinnitus, dizziness, or imbalance are worth investigating. Your hearing and balance are part of your health story at every stage of life. The next time you notice something feels different, do not automatically write it off as hormones, stress, ageing, or “just one of those things.”

September 1, 2026

Why some children seem to get one sore throat after another

Sore throats are part and parcel of childhood, especially during flu season or when the weather changes.1 But when your child has only just got over one and another arrives, it is fair to start wondering what is going on. Sometimes the cause is not always obvious, so it helps to notice what other symptoms pop up and how often that sore and scratchy throat comes back. Why does my child keep getting a sore throat? Most sore throats in children come courtesy of a virus, although bacterial infections can also cause throat infections.2 The symptoms that come with the sore throat (aside from painful swallowing) can give you a few clues as to what may be behind it. With a bacterial infection, your child’s tonsils may look red and swollen, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus. Fever can happen with either type of infection, but bacterial infections may bring a higher temperature. Viral sore throats often arrive with the rest of the cold gang, including coughing,a runny nose,and a hoarse voice.3 Does my child need antibiotics? Not every sore throat needs an antibiotic. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, so they can be important for illnesses such as strep throat, which is caused by bacteria. But many of the bugs children bring home, including colds, flu and many ear infections, are caused by viruses, and antibiotics simply don’t work against them.The same goes for sore throats. Lots of viruses can leave a child with a throat that’s red, scratchy and sore, so seeing an angry-looking throat doesn’t automatically mean strep is to blame.4 When in doubt, let your child’s doctor do the detective work and decide whether an antibiotic is actually needed. Red flags to watch out for Most sore throats in children are nothing to worry about, but a few warning signs are worth knowing. Get urgent medical help if your child is struggling to breathe or swallow, is drooling because swallowing is difficult, has a high fever that will not settle, seems unusually sleepy or is in severe, constant pain.5 The power to fight pain and fever Panado®’s Paediatric Range deliver the trusted6 pain relief South African families have relied on for generations. The range includes Infant Drops,7 named Product of the Year 2025 in the Child – Health category following a Kantar survey of 2,000 South African consumers,8 as well asPeppermint Syrup9,10 with improved taste11 and Strawberry Syrup,12 which is also available in handy single-use 5 ml sachets12 for families on the go. Panado® products are available from Baby City, Pick n Pay, Checkers including Hypers, Shoprite, Clicks, Dis-Chem and independent pharmacies. For more information, visit: https://panado.co.za/ and join the conversations on Facebook and Instagram. For references and legal disclaimers, visit https://panado.co.za/references. Approval ticket #11.08.2026.1000006179. August 2026

September 1, 2026

The bra that keeps on giving

Do you have a bra at the back of your cupboard that you never wear? Don’t bin it, donate it to the ILoveBoobies ‘bring a bra campaign’ … it could have a second life and provide some much-needed support to another woman. What began as a once-off suggestion from an ILoveBoobies supporter has grown into an unexpectedly successful initiative. Now in its third year, the organisation’s ‘Gently Used Bra Campaign’ has collected over 20 000 bras, giving thousands of pre-loved bras a new purpose, while helping women access breast health screening. That message is at the heart of ILoveBoobies’ work. The organisation provides free clinical breast health examinations to South African women who face financial, geographic or social barriers to accessing healthcare, while also educating communities about breast health and the importance of early detection. To date, ILoveBoobies has screened more than 16 700 women, with 925 lives changed through early detection. For women who require further investigation, following their examination, SCP Radiology provides mammograms or ultrasounds. SCP contributes these imaging services free of charge as part of a wider circle of care for patients referred by ILoveBoobies. The ‘Gently Used Bra Collection’ campaign runs from Women’s Month (August) through to the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Collection boxes are available at SCP Radiology branches across the Western Cape, where women are invited to donate clean, gently used bras in good condition. The bras are then washed, sized, repackaged and given to women who attend ILoveBoobies breast health screenings. Each woman receives two bras as a practical gift and, in the words of ILoveBoobies, ‘a garment of dignity’. This year the bra packs gifts have been extended to high school learners who participate in ILoveBoobies’ early detection education programme, run at several Cape Town high schools in collaboration with District 6 Clinic. ‘It is something we never expected to grow to this extent,” says Philippa Brinkmann of ILoveBoobies. ‘But as the number of our redistribution points has increased, we are actually starting to run low on bras. So, we are encouraging women to donate the bras they no longer use.’ Call to action: Bra stocks are running low. If you have a seldom-used bra sitting in the back of your cupboard, ILoveBoobies needs it. Please donate now… The campaign taps into the growing interest in reuse and thrifting – but with a purpose. Rather than ending up in landfill, a bra that is still perfectly wearable can be passed on to someone who needs it, while being part of a much bigger message about women’s health. ‘Breast health is about much more than what happens inside a mammography room,’ says Madelein de Wet of SCP Radiology. ‘Our partnership with ILoveBoobies allows us to be part of a support initiative for women at different points along that journey, from education and screening to providing the imaging they may need. The bra campaign is another simple but tangible way of supporting women.’ There is also a practical reminder behind every screening. ILoveBoobies gives every woman who is screened a pair of socks as a reminder to regularly check her breasts – a small gift designed to keep the message of early detection going long after the screening is over. The organisation’s message is simple: Early detection saves lives. And this October, women can help spread that message by doing something equally simple: Checking their underwear drawer or cupboard and donating a gently used bra that they no longer wear to ILoveBoobies. Collection boxes are available at SCP Radiology Panorama, Louis Leipoldt, Durbanville, Cape Gate, Tygervalley Mammography Centre, Vredenburg, Malmesbury, Paarl and Worcester until the end of October. For address details go to www.scp.co.za For more information on ILoveBoobies and its breast health initiatives visit www.iloveboobies.org.za.

September 1, 2026

Building a Family Culture That Feels Like “Us”

Every family, whether deliberately or by accident, develops a culture — a set of shared rituals, values, and ways of relating to one another that make it feel distinctly like your family and not anyone else’s. Building that culture intentionally, rather than leaving it entirely to chance, can create a strong sense of identity and belonging that children carry with them well into adulthood. What “Family Culture” Actually Means Family culture isn’t about big, elaborate traditions (though those can be part of it). It’s the accumulation of small, repeated patterns: how you greet each other after school, what you do on Sunday mornings, the inside jokes only your family understands, how conflict gets handled, what values get talked about at the dinner table. Over time, these small patterns become the backdrop of “how our family does things.” Why It Matters for Kids Children with a strong sense of family identity — a clear sense of “this is who we are, this is what we do” — tend to show greater resilience during difficult times, a stronger sense of belonging, and better overall emotional stability. Family stories and rituals, in particular, have been linked in research to a child’s sense of identity and self-worth, since they provide a narrative bigger than any single individual to feel part of. Building Family Culture, Piece by Piece 1. Establish a few consistent rituals. These don’t need to be elaborate — a specific pancake breakfast on Saturdays, a particular way of celebrating birthdays, a phrase you say at bedtime every night. Repetition, not scale, is what makes a ritual meaningful. 2. Tell your family stories. Sharing stories about how parents met, funny family history, or stories about grandparents and relatives gives children a sense of belonging to something that extends beyond just the present household. 3. Create shared language. Inside jokes, family nicknames, or specific phrases unique to your household (“pyjama day,” a particular name for a family tradition) build a sense of belonging that’s genuinely unique to your family. 4. Decide on your core values together, and revisit them. Simple, explicit conversations about what matters to your family — kindness, honesty, effort, humor — give children a clear reference point, especially during decisions or conflicts (“In our family, we…”). 5. Build in regular connection time. Whether it’s a weekly game night, a Sunday walk, or simply a consistent unstructured hour together, protected time (even briefly) reinforces that the family unit is a priority worth protecting from the pull of everyone’s individual schedules. 6. Involve kids in shaping the culture, not just receiving it. As children get older, inviting their input into family traditions, rules, or new rituals gives them a sense of ownership over the family’s identity, rather than it being something purely handed down. Culture Doesn’t Require Uniformity A strong family culture doesn’t mean everyone has identical interests or personalities — it means there’s a shared thread of belonging and values that holds individual differences together. Room for each person’s individuality, within a broader sense of “us,” tends to build a healthier, more durable family identity than rigid sameness. Adapting as the Family Changes Family culture isn’t static — it evolves as children grow, as family composition changes, and as circumstances shift. Revisiting rituals and traditions periodically, rather than holding onto ones that no longer fit, keeps family culture feeling authentic rather than like an obligation. The Long-Term Value Children grow up and eventually leave the daily rhythm of family life, but the sense of identity and belonging built through family culture tends to stay with them — showing up later in how they build their own families, the traditions they choose to carry forward, and the stories they tell their own children about where they came from. A strong “us” in childhood becomes a lasting anchor well into adulthood.

August 31, 2026

The Power of Personalised Learning

Every child learns differently. Some learners grasp new concepts quickly, while others benefit from additional time, different teaching approaches or opportunities to revisit lessons. Recognising these differences is one of the greatest strengths of modern online education. Personalised learning allows students to progress with confidence while receiving the support they need to succeed. Rather than expecting every learner to follow the same path, it creates opportunities for individual growth, greater engagement and improved academic outcomes. Leading online schools have embraced this learner-centred approach because they understand that education should adapt to the student—not the other way around. At Wingu Academy, personalised learning is at the heart of everything we do. Through live lessons, dedicated teachers and ongoing academic support, we help every learner build confidence, develop resilience and discover a genuine love for learning. When education is designed around the individual, every learner has the opportunity to thrive.

August 31, 2026

Helping Kids Navigate Friendship Changes

“She doesn’t want to be my friend anymore.” “He plays with someone else at break now.” Few things sting quite like a child’s first experiences of shifting or ending friendships. For a parent, it can be hard to watch and hard to know how much to step in. Friendship changes, while painful, are also a normal, expected part of growing up — and how a child learns to navigate them shapes their broader social resilience for years to come. Why Friendships Shift So Much in Childhood Unlike adult friendships, which often form around shared interests deliberately chosen, childhood friendships are frequently built on proximity — who’s assigned to sit nearby, who’s in the same class, who lives on the same street. As children grow and their interests, personalities, and social circles develop, it’s entirely normal for some of these proximity-based friendships to naturally shift or fade, even without any specific conflict. Understanding this can help parents avoid over-reading every friendship change as a crisis, while still taking a child’s genuine feelings about it seriously. Validating Without Overreacting A child’s distress over a changing friendship is real, even if the shift itself is developmentally normal. The instinct to either minimize (“you’ll make new friends”) or over-escalate (contacting other parents, intervening directly in the social situation) can both miss what a child actually needs in the moment: to feel heard. Start with listening, not fixing. “That sounds really hard, tell me more about what happened” gives space for the feeling before jumping to solutions or reassurance. Resist the urge to badmouth the other child. Even if a friend’s behavior contributed to the situation, criticizing them can complicate things if the friendship later repairs itself (which childhood friendships often do) and can also model an unhelpful way of processing hurt. Helping Kids Build Skills From the Experience Teach the difference between a conflict and a true ending. Many friendship “breakups” in childhood are actually temporary conflicts that resolve within days. Helping a child understand this distinction (without promising an outcome you can’t guarantee) can ease some of the panic of an in-the-moment falling out. Coach, rather than script, next steps. Asking “What do you think you could do or say?” rather than telling a child exactly what to do builds their own social problem-solving skills for future situations. Normalize that friendships naturally evolve. Sharing (in an age-appropriate way) that friendships changing over time is normal — even for adults — helps a child understand this as a common life experience rather than a personal failure. Encourage a broad friendship base, rather than one best friend. Children with several friendships across different contexts (school, activities, neighborhood) tend to feel less destabilized when one particular friendship shifts, since their social world doesn’t hinge entirely on it. Watch for patterns that need more support. Occasional friendship shifts are normal. Persistent exclusion, a pattern of being targeted, or ongoing distress may point to something needing more direct support — a conversation with a teacher, or in some cases, a school counselor. When to Step In Directly Most friendship fluctuations are best navigated with coaching rather than direct parental intervention. However, situations involving genuine bullying, repeated exclusion, or safety concerns warrant more direct involvement, including looping in teachers or school staff. What This Builds Long-Term Children who learn to navigate the ordinary ups and downs of friendship — with support, but without a parent solving every social problem for them — build resilience and social skill that carries forward into more complex relationships later in life. Friendship changes, while painful in the moment, are often one of childhood’s most valuable (if bittersweet) teachers of empathy, adaptability, and the understanding that relationships, like most things, aren’t static.

August 28, 2026

Co-Parenting Communication That Actually Works

Whether co-parenting happens across two households after a separation or between two parents navigating different working styles under one roof, one thing consistently determines how smoothly it goes: communication. Children pick up on tension between the adults raising them, even when no one intends for them to. Building communication habits that keep the focus on the child — rather than on old conflicts — makes a measurable difference to how kids experience co-parenting. Why Communication Breaks Down Co-parenting communication often struggles for reasons that have little to do with the logistics being discussed: Principles for Effective Co-Parenting Communication Keep it business-like. Framing co-parenting communication similarly to a professional working relationship — focused, factual, and unemotional — can help reduce the temptation to relitigate old grievances in the middle of a scheduling conversation. Communicate directly, not through the child. Even simple messages (“tell your dad I need to change pickup time”) put children in a role they shouldn’t have to hold. Direct parent-to-parent communication, even briefly, protects children from that burden. Choose the right medium for the message. Logistics (schedules, appointments, school updates) often work better over text or a shared app, since they create a written record and reduce the chance of miscommunication. More sensitive topics may need a phone call or in-person conversation, since tone is harder to read in text. Assume good faith where possible. A short, blunt message is often just that — short and blunt — rather than a hidden criticism. Giving the benefit of the doubt reduces the number of conflicts that spiral from a misread tone. Present a united front on major decisions where possible. Children benefit from consistency between households or co-parents. Working out disagreements privately, away from the child, and presenting agreed-upon decisions together supports a child’s sense of stability. Use tools designed for the purpose. Shared co-parenting calendar apps, designed specifically to track schedules, expenses, and important updates, can reduce the friction of managing logistics purely through personal messaging. When Conflict Is Ongoing For co-parents navigating high conflict, particularly after a difficult separation, structured approaches can help: What Children Actually Need Research on children’s outcomes after separation consistently points to one of the strongest protective factors: the level of ongoing conflict they’re exposed to, more so than the family structure itself. Children whose parents manage to communicate calmly and cooperatively — even if the relationship between the parents themselves remains distant — tend to fare significantly better than children exposed to frequent, visible conflict. The Long-Term Investment Effective co-parenting communication takes deliberate effort, especially in the early stages of a new arrangement or after a difficult history. But the investment pays off directly in a child’s sense of security — knowing that, whatever else has changed, the adults responsible for them can still work together on their behalf.

August 27, 2026

5 things every parent should know about the HPV vaccine

Cancer prevention may seem like an adult conversation, but when it comes to HPV, some of the most important protection can start in childhood. Here’s what parents and caregivers need to know. When your child is offered a vaccine at school, it is natural to have questions. What does it protect against? Why is it being given at this age? And, perhaps most importantly, why does my child need it now? The HPV vaccine can be an important opportunity to protect your child against certain cancers later in life. Here are five things every parent should know. The HPV vaccine is about cancer prevention – not sexual activity One of the biggest misconceptions about the HPV vaccine is that giving it to a child somehow assumes they are or will soon become sexually active. That isn’t the purpose of the vaccine. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is extremely common and can be passed through intimate skin-to-skin contact. Most HPV infections cause no symptoms and clear naturally, but persistent infection with certain high-risk HPV types can lead to cancer. “Parents may understandably wonder why a vaccine linked to a sexually transmitted virus is being offered to their child at such a young age. The answer is prevention. We want to provide protection before exposure to HPV occurs, giving children the best opportunity to benefit from the vaccine when they are older. This is why we offer 2 doses of the HPV vaccine for female beneficiaries between ages 9 and 14,” says Dr Themba Hadebe, Clinical Executive at Bonitas. HPV is common, and you may never know you have it HPV isn’t something that only affects people who are unhealthy or have made poor choices. It is one of the most common viral infections globally, and most people will encounter HPV at some point in their lives. The challenge is that an HPV infection often has no symptoms. While most infections resolve on their own, persistent infection with high-risk HPV can cause abnormal cell changes that may eventually develop into cancer. Almost all cervical cancer cases are linked to HPV infection, making vaccination an important tool in cancer prevention. Why vaccinate so young? Because timing matters The HPV vaccine is most effective when given before exposure to the virus. This is why HPV vaccination is recommended during early adolescence, rather than waiting until adulthood. South Africa’s national school-based programme provides an opportunity to vaccinate eligible girls while they are still young and before potential exposure. And there has been encouraging progress. South Africa achieved 88% HPV vaccination coverage among eligible Grade 5 girls in 2024/25, according to the National Department of Health. But every child who misses that opportunity represents a gap in prevention. If your child missed a vaccination at school, speak to a healthcare professional about whether catch-up vaccination is appropriate. The HPV vaccine doesn’t mean you can forget about prevention later Getting vaccinated is an important step, but it doesn’t replace other preventative healthcare. The HPV vaccine significantly strengthens protection against HPV-related disease, but women should still follow recommended cervical cancer screening guidelines as they get older. Vaccination reduces risk, but it doesn’t eliminate the need for cervical cancer screening later in life. The World Health Organization’s cervical cancer elimination strategy aims for 90% of girls to be fully vaccinated against HPV by age 15 – alongside increased screening and timely treatment for women who need it. In other words, prevention is a journey, not a once-off appointment. Questions are encouraged – misinformation isn’t It is completely reasonable for parents to have questions before consenting to a child’s vaccination. If you’re unsure about the HPV vaccine, its safety, timing or whether your child needs a catch-up dose, speak to a healthcare professional who can provide advice based on your child’s circumstances. With so much information online, make sure your questions are answered by a qualified healthcare professional or a trusted health source. The bigger message is that preventative healthcare works best when we act early – before disease has an opportunity to develop. For parents and caregivers, the HPV vaccine is one small decision that can form part of a much bigger goal: protecting your child’s health today, so that they have a healthier tomorrow.

August 26, 2026

The Bedtime Stalling Games (and How to End Them)

One more story. One more glass of water. A sudden, urgent need to discuss something entirely unrelated to sleep. If bedtime in your house involves a predictable parade of stalling tactics, you’re far from alone — bedtime resistance is one of the most universal parenting battles, and it’s rarely about the actual requests being made. Why Kids Stall at Bedtime Bedtime often represents the end of connection and stimulation for the day, and the start of separation — being alone in a dark room, away from parents, for many hours. For many children, especially younger ones, that transition triggers a real, if hard to articulate, low-level anxiety. Stalling tactics are frequently an attempt to extend connection and delay that separation, more than genuine defiance. There’s also a practical piece: children, especially as they get a little older, can become genuinely wired at bedtime due to overtiredness (which paradoxically increases alertness) or a room environment that isn’t conducive to winding down. Common Stalling Tactics and What’s Behind Them Building a Routine That Reduces Stalling 1. Start the wind-down earlier than you think you need to. A rushed bedtime routine tends to produce more resistance, not less. Building in enough time for a calm bath, book, and lights-out sequence reduces the pressure that often fuels stalling. <br> 2. Address needs before the “goodnight” moment, not after. Offering water, a last bathroom trip, and a check-in (“Is there anything on your mind?”) as a built-in part of the routine — before you say goodnight — reduces the likelihood of these being used as stalling tools afterward. 3. Give a consistent, predictable ending cue. A specific phrase, song, or action that reliably signals “this is truly the end” (dimming the light, a specific goodnight phrase) helps a child’s brain register that negotiation time is over. 4. Offer a small, defined amount of control. Letting a child choose between two books, or pick their pajamas, can satisfy the desire for some agency within the routine, reducing the need to create control through stalling. 5. Address anxiety directly, if that’s the root cause. A nightlight, a comfort object, or a brief conversation about what feels worrying about being alone can address the underlying issue, rather than just the surface-level stalling behavior. 6. Hold the boundary calmly and consistently. When a request for “one more thing” comes after the routine has ended, a calm, consistent response (“We’ve done our books and songs, it’s time for sleep now”) — repeated without frustration, night after night — tends to reduce stalling over time far more effectively than an inconsistent response that sometimes gives in. When It’s More Than Stalling Occasional stalling is developmentally normal. If bedtime resistance is severe, involves genuine distress, or is accompanied by other signs of anxiety, it may be worth discussing with a pediatrician, since some children experience separation anxiety or sleep-related fears that benefit from more targeted support. The Realistic Goal Bedtime may never be entirely stall-free — a request for water here, a stray question there is normal, even in a well-established routine. The goal isn’t perfection, but a routine predictable and calm enough that most nights end with less negotiation and more genuine, easy connection before lights out.

August 26, 2026

Teaching Kids to Handle Disappointment and Losing

The board game flipped over in frustration. The tears after losing a race. The refusal to play again after coming second. Learning to lose gracefully and handle disappointment is one of the harder emotional skills for children to develop — and one of the most valuable, since disappointment is a guaranteed, recurring part of life well beyond childhood games. Why Losing Feels So Big to Kids Young children in particular often have an underdeveloped sense of proportion when it comes to setbacks. A lost game can feel, in the moment, catastrophic — not because the child is being dramatic, but because their brain hasn’t yet built the perspective that comes with experience: that this loss is small, temporary, and survivable. That perspective is exactly what repeated practice with disappointment helps build. What Not to Do Letting kids win constantly. It’s tempting to let a child win every game to avoid tears, but this removes the very practice opportunity they need. A child who never experiences losing in low-stakes settings (a board game) is less prepared for higher-stakes disappointment later (not making a team, a friendship ending). Dismissing the feeling. “It’s just a game, don’t be upset” minimizes a genuine, if disproportionate, emotional experience. The disappointment is real to the child, even if the loss is small in adult terms. Over-explaining in the moment. Trying to reason with a child mid-meltdown about “good sportsmanship” rarely lands, since their capacity for reasoning is limited while they’re emotionally flooded. A More Effective Approach 1. Let natural losses happen in low-stakes settings. Board games, casual sports, and everyday competitions are ideal, low-risk opportunities to practice losing — the stakes are genuinely small, even if it doesn’t feel that way to the child in the moment. 2. Validate before correcting. “You really wanted to win that one, it’s disappointing” acknowledges the feeling without agreeing that a meltdown or unsportsmanlike behavior is the right response. 3. Model losing yourself. Playing games with your child and losing occasionally, genuinely, and handling it visibly well (“Well, you got me this time — good game!”) gives a live example of graceful loss that’s more powerful than any lecture. 4. Separate the outcome from self-worth. Helping children understand that losing a game (or not making a team, or getting a lower grade than hoped) doesn’t reflect their overall value or ability reduces the intensity of the emotional reaction over time. 5. Debrief after the emotion has passed, not during. Once calm, a short conversation — “What do you think made that hard? What might help next time?” — turns the experience into a learning moment rather than just something to get through. 6. Praise gracious behavior specifically when you see it. “I noticed you said ‘good game’ even though you were disappointed — that was really mature” reinforces the behavior you want to see more of. What This Builds Over Time Children who get consistent, low-stakes practice handling disappointment tend to develop stronger frustration tolerance and a more resilient sense of self — one that isn’t shaken by every setback. This matters well beyond games: the skill of losing gracefully, processing disappointment, and trying again is directly transferable to academic setbacks, social rejection, and the countless disappointments adult life inevitably brings. A Realistic Timeline Graceful losing isn’t mastered overnight, and even older children will have occasional rough moments after a genuinely disappointing loss. What matters is the trend over time: fewer meltdowns, quicker recovery, and a growing ability to say, even through gritted teeth, “good game” — evidence that the skill is taking root.

August 26, 2026

Heritage Is Simmered, Sung, and Said Long Before It Is Taught

South Africa has 12 official languages and no shortage of opinions about the right way to make pap. It is a country where heritage lives in ordinary things: a familiar dish, a song heard in the car, or a family story told often enough to become part of a child’s own memory. Ahead of Heritage Day, Dibber International Preschools South Africa is encouraging families to look beyond once-a-year celebrations and consider how children come to understand where they belong. According to the preschool group, young children do not learn heritage through formal explanations alone. They absorb it through repetition, relationships and the life happening around them. Long before they can define culture or identity, they notice what their family eats, the languages spoken at home, and the music adults return to. The stories considered important enough to keep telling. “Children begin forming a sense of who they are much earlier than many adults realise,” says Ursula Assis, Country Director of Dibber International Preschools South Africa. “Heritage gives them a point of connection. It tells them something about where they come from, who came before them and why certain things matter in their family.” That grounding can shape how children encounter the wider world. A child who feels secure in their own identity is often better placed to approach someone else’s background with curiosity and respect. This matters in a country where children grow up alongside people whose languages, traditions and family histories may be very different from their own. For families carrying more than one cultural tradition, heritage does not have to be reduced to a choice between them. Children can inherit several stories. What matters is that those stories are present, spoken about and treated with value. Food is often the easiest place to begin because it is already part of family life. A traditional dish does not need to be saved for a public holiday. It can appear on an ordinary weeknight, with a child helping to stir, roll, knead or taste. Cooking together allows adults to explain where a recipe came from, who taught it to them and how it may have changed throughout generations. Children often ask their best questions while their hands are busy. Why do we make this? Did Gogo cook it the same way? What did you eat when you were little? These conversations rarely feel like lessons, which is precisely why they tend to stay with children. Music carries heritage differently. A child may not understand every word of a song sung in isiXhosa, Afrikaans, Sesotho or another family language, but they still absorb its sound and rhythm. Over time, certain songs become attached to people, places and feelings of familiarity. Parents do not need polished singing voices or a carefully prepared playlist. The music their own parents loved is often enough. Songs sung casually while driving, cooking or getting ready in the morning can become some of a child’s strongest early associations with family and belonging. Stories hold the rest together. Every family has them: how grandparents met, where they grew up. What work they did. The hard period they survived, or the small family incident which has been retold so many times that everyone knows when to laugh. These stories do not need to be perfectly remembered. They need to be shared. “Children learn a great deal about themselves through the stories adults choose to preserve,” says Assis. “A family story gives history a face and a voice. It helps a child understand that they are part of something that began before them and will continue after them.” Bedtime offers a natural opportunity. Parents can occasionally set aside the storybook and tell something real from their own childhood or family history. Young children are often remarkably attentive to these accounts and may repeat them years later, sometimes accurately and sometimes with additions of their own. The aim is not to turn every meal into a cultural lecture or every car journey into a language class. Children quickly sense when something has become forced. A lighter, more consistent approach usually works better—a familiar dish on a Wednesday. A family song played because someone remembered it. A bedtime story told because the moment feels right. Early learning environments also have a role to play. Children benefit when their languages, family structures and cultural backgrounds are reflected respectfully in the spaces where they spend their days. Heritage should be visible in books, music, conversations and everyday learning, rather than appearing only as a special event once a year. “A child should not have to wait for Heritage Day to see their family and culture treated as meaningful,” says Assis. “When children recognise something of themselves in a learning environment, it strengthens their sense of belonging. It also creates natural opportunities for other children to listen, ask questions and learn with respect.” Heritage Day may bring the conversation into sharper focus, but the deeper work happens throughout the year. Heritage is not a lesson to finish. It is something adults keep alive, one meal, one song and one remembered story at a time.

August 26, 2026

ADHD and School: When the Environment Is the Problem

There is a pattern many parents of children with ADHD will recognise instantly. A bright, curious child who can spend three hours building something intricate at the kitchen table, yet comes home with notes about incomplete classwork. Homework that takes four times longer than it should. A school file that grows thicker every year while the child’s confidence grows thinner. The instinct, encouraged by years of those notes, is to treat this as an effort problem or a discipline problem. For many children with ADHD it is neither. It is an environment problem, and environments can be changed. A necessary line before anything else: ADHD is diagnosed and managed by professionals. If you suspect it, or your child has a diagnosis, your paediatrician, psychologist or occupational therapist leads that work, and nothing about school choice replaces it. What this article covers is the separate, practical question those professionals cannot answer for you: which learning environment gives your particular child the best shot. Why the conventional classroom is hard Picture the environment we ask these children to focus in. Thirty pupils, one teacher, constant ambient noise, movement in every peripheral sightline, long stretches of required stillness, and a dozen transitions a day, each one an opportunity for attention to scatter and not return. A teacher managing a room of thirty can redirect a drifting child a handful of times a lesson at best, usually minutes after the drift began. None of this is anyone’s fault. Teachers work heroically within the format. The format itself, though, was designed a long time ago for the efficient instruction of large groups, and it happens to combine almost everything that makes sustained attention difficult for a child with ADHD. The child gets the blame for the mismatch, in red pen, term after term. What actually helps these children focus The features that support attention are well documented and refreshingly unmysterious. A predictable routine, so the child’s energy goes into the work rather than into decoding what happens next. Shorter, clearly structured lessons with defined starts and ends. Fewer competing stimuli in the room where the learning happens. Movement built between sessions rather than punished during them. Feedback that arrives the same day, not three weeks later on a marked script. And an adult who notices drift early, while a nudge still works. Read that list twice and something becomes obvious: almost none of it is about the child trying harder. All of it is about the environment being arranged differently. Where online school fits, honestly An accredited online school with live, teacher-led lessons rearranges the environment in most of the ways that list describes. The child works in a space you control: their desk, their noise level, their sightlines. Live lessons are shorter and more structured than a traditional period, and they are recorded, so a lapse in concentration costs a rewind rather than a lost topic. Class groups are smaller, which means a teacher can actually see when a particular student has gone quiet. Between lessons, a child can move, stretch or bounce a ball without a detention slip. Parents also report a subtler change: the daily social static of a big school, the noise a distractible child spends enormous energy filtering, simply is not there. For many children, an online high school day leaves them less exhausted at three in the afternoon than a traditional day did, and the difference shows up in homework, mood and sleep. Where online school does not fit Honesty cuts both ways, so here is the other side. Online school moves the learning environment into your home, which means someone has to hold that environment steady. A child who needs frequent in-person redirection will need an adult nearby during the school day, especially in the first months. A household where no adult can be present and engaged during school hours will struggle, and a child for whom the structure of a physical campus is itself the support may do better staying in one. Moving a child online without a plan for structure at home does not remove the environment problem. It relocates it. If you do move: what the first term looks like Families who make the change successfully tend to do the same few things. They set up a dedicated workspace before day one, away from the television and the kitchen traffic, because for a distractible child the room is half the intervention. They keep the school-day boundary firm from the first morning: dressed, at the desk, on time, exactly as if the campus were down the road. And they expect a settling-in period of several weeks, during which the child is not only learning content but learning a new way to attend, which is its own skill. It also helps to keep the child’s support team in the loop. Tell the psychologist or occupational therapist about the change of environment; the strategies they recommend often land better in a quieter setting, and they can help you judge, a term in, whether the move is doing what you hoped. Environment and professional support work best as a pair, not as rivals. Questions to ask any school you are considering Whether you are looking at a mainstream school, a smaller private school or an online one, the same questions expose whether the environment will work. How long is a lesson, and what does it look like minute to minute? How many children does each teacher actually watch at once? What happens, specifically, when a child’s attention drifts: who notices, how fast, and what do they do? How is movement handled across the day? And how quickly would I, the parent, find out that this week went badly? Schools that have thought hard about attention answer these questions with specifics. Schools that have not will answer with brochure language, which tells you what you need to know. If you want to talk through whether a structured online environment suits your child’s particular profile, you can book a free

August 25, 2026

When to Step In and When to Step Back: The Overparenting Trap

Loving, attentive parents face a quiet, constant question dozens of times a day: do I help, or do I let them struggle? Step in too often, and children can miss the chance to build real competence and confidence. Step back too much, and a child may feel unsupported at moments they genuinely needed help. Finding that balance — recognizing the overparenting trap without swinging to the opposite extreme — is one of the more nuanced skills of raising an independent, capable child. What Overparenting Actually Looks Like Overparenting (sometimes called helicopter or lawnmower parenting) isn’t about caring too much — it’s about intervening in ways that remove a child’s opportunity to build their own skills. It often looks like: Why It Happens Overparenting usually comes from a place of genuine love and, often, anxiety — a fear that a child will be hurt, fail, or fall behind if not carefully managed. In a world that can feel more competitive and less safe than it used to (or is perceived to be), the instinct to protect and manage every outcome is understandable, even when it isn’t ultimately helpful. The Cost of Over-Intervention Children who have most obstacles removed for them by well-meaning adults often struggle later with: A Framework for Deciding When to Step In Ask: is this a safety issue, or a struggle issue? Physical danger or serious emotional harm warrants intervention. A hard math problem, a disagreement with a friend, or a lost game does not. Ask: can they do this with support, rather than for them? Often the middle ground between stepping in and stepping back is coaching — asking questions, offering encouragement, and staying present, without taking over the task itself. Consider the long-term skill being built. If completing this task or resolving this conflict independently builds a skill your child will need repeatedly (self-advocacy, problem-solving, resilience), that’s a strong signal to step back, even if it’s slower or messier. Notice your own anxiety versus your child’s actual need. Sometimes the urge to step in says more about a parent’s discomfort watching a child struggle than about what the child actually needs in that moment. What Stepping Back Looks Like in Practice The Balance to Aim For The goal isn’t to step back entirely and let a child fend for themselves — a warm, involved, responsive relationship remains foundational to healthy development. The goal is discernment: knowing which moments call for protection and support, and which moments call for space to struggle, try, and sometimes fail. Children build genuine competence not despite difficulty, but through it — and a parent’s job is often simply to stay close by while they do.

August 25, 2026

Building Confidence Without Overpraising

Every parent wants a confident child — one who believes in their own abilities, takes on challenges, and doesn’t crumble at the first setback. The instinct is often to praise constantly: “You’re amazing,” “You’re so smart,” “You’re the best.” But research on child development points to something counterintuitive: excessive, inflated praise can actually undermine the very confidence it’s meant to build. Why Overpraising Backfires When praise is constant and disconnected from real effort or achievement, children can become highly sensitive to it — needing more and more affirmation to feel good, and becoming fragile in the face of any criticism or failure, since they haven’t built an internal sense of their own competence. There’s also a subtler issue: children are perceptive. If praise (“You’re so smart!”) doesn’t match a child’s own sense of how something actually went (a test they found genuinely hard, a picture they don’t think turned out well), it can create confusion or even mistrust of the parent’s feedback altogether. The Difference Between Real Confidence and Inflated Self-Esteem Genuine confidence comes from a track record of having handled real challenges — not from being told repeatedly that you’re great. A child who has struggled through a hard puzzle and eventually solved it has evidence, from their own experience, that they’re capable. A child who is simply told “you’re brilliant” regardless of effort has no internal evidence to draw on when things get hard. What to Do Instead Praise effort and process, not fixed traits. “You worked really hard on that and kept trying different approaches” builds a growth mindset — the belief that ability develops through effort. “You’re so smart” implies a fixed trait, which can make children afraid to attempt things where they might not immediately succeed (since failure would threaten the “smart” label). Be specific and honest. Vague, blanket praise (“Great job!”) is less useful than specific observations (“I noticed you double-checked your work before turning it in — that’s a great habit”). Specificity also means praise feels earned rather than automatic. Let children evaluate their own work first. Asking “How do you feel about how that went?” before offering your own assessment builds internal evaluation skills, rather than making a child dependent on external validation to know if something was good. Allow struggle and failure to happen. Confidence isn’t built by avoiding difficulty — it’s built by facing it and discovering you can handle it, even when the outcome isn’t perfect. Protecting children from all struggle removes the very experiences that build genuine self-belief. Model realistic self-talk. Children absorb how parents talk about their own abilities and mistakes. Modeling phrases like “That didn’t go how I wanted, but I learned something for next time” teaches resilience in the face of imperfect outcomes, rather than an all-or-nothing view of success and failure. A Practical Shift Instead of: “You’re the best artist in the class!” Try: “You added so much detail to the background — I can tell you really thought about it.” Instead of: “You’re a natural at soccer!” Try: “I saw how much you practiced that pass — it’s really paying off.” The shift is subtle but significant: moving praise away from fixed identity statements and toward specific, effort-based observations that a child can actually build on. The Long-Term Payoff Children raised with this kind of grounded, honest feedback tend to develop more durable confidence — the kind that survives a bad grade, a lost game, or genuine criticism, because it isn’t built on a fragile foundation of constant affirmation. Real confidence comes from evidence, not applause, and it’s built one honest, effort-focused moment at a time.

August 25, 2026

Positive Reinforcement: Why “Catching Them Being Good” Works

t’s easy to fall into a pattern where most of the attention a child gets is in response to misbehavior — a reminder, a correction, a raised voice. Good behavior, meanwhile, often passes silently, simply because it isn’t causing a problem. Flipping that pattern — deliberately noticing and reinforcing the behavior you want to see more of — is one of the simplest, most evidence-backed shifts a parent can make. The Psychology Behind It Behavior that gets attention tends to repeat, regardless of whether that attention is positive or negative. This is why a child who rarely gets noticed for quiet, cooperative play but gets an immediate reaction for acting out may unconsciously learn that misbehavior is a reliable way to get engagement. Positive reinforcement works by making sure the behaviors you want to see are the ones that reliably get noticed. What “Catching Them Being Good” Actually Looks Like Be specific, not generic. “Good job” is vague and easy to tune out. “I noticed you shared your toy with your sister without being asked — that was really kind” tells a child exactly what behavior earned the recognition, making it far more likely to repeat. Catch small, everyday moments. You don’t need a big achievement to reinforce. Sitting through a meal without complaint, waiting patiently in a queue, or putting shoes away without a reminder are all worth noticing. Keep the ratio in mind. If most of your interactions with your child are corrective, adding a handful of genuine, specific positive observations throughout the day can meaningfully shift the overall tone of your relationship, even without changing anything else. Positive Reinforcement Isn’t Empty Praise There’s an important distinction between genuine positive reinforcement and constant, inflated praise. Praising every single action, regardless of effort or outcome, can dilute the value of praise altogether and, in some cases, make children praise-dependent rather than internally motivated. Effective reinforcement tends to: Using It Alongside, Not Instead of, Boundaries Positive reinforcement doesn’t replace the need for limits and consequences — it works alongside them. A child still needs to learn that some behaviors aren’t acceptable. But pairing consistent boundaries with genuine recognition of good choices tends to be far more effective than relying on correction alone, because it gives a child a model of what to do, not just what not to do. A Simple Daily Practice Some parents find it useful to consciously look for three specific things to acknowledge each day — a kind action, an effort at something hard, or a moment of self-control. Over time, this becomes a habit that shifts the overall emotional climate of the household, often more than any single big intervention could. The Long-Term Effect Children who consistently receive specific, genuine recognition for good choices tend to develop stronger internal motivation — they begin to associate kindness, effort, and cooperation with a positive feeling, rather than needing external reward every time. In a world where it’s easy to notice what goes wrong, deliberately catching what goes right may be one of the most quietly powerful tools available to parents.

August 24, 2026

The Backseat Battles: Making Car Rides Bearable

Few spaces concentrate sibling squabbles, whining, and “are we there yet” quite like the backseat of a car. Confined, buckled in, and unable to physically separate, kids often turn small irritations into full-blown conflict — and parents, focused on driving, have limited ability to intervene in the moment. A little preparation and a few structural changes can turn car time from a dreaded battle into, if not peaceful, at least manageable. Why Cars Bring Out the Worst Several factors combine to make cars a hotspot for conflict: Setting Up for Success Before You Even Start Driving Establish a physical buffer where possible. If car seat configuration allows, creating a little physical space (an empty seat, a bag between them) can reduce the incidental contact that often sparks conflict. Prep entertainment in advance. Waiting until boredom hits to scramble for a solution rarely works well. Having a small rotation of car-only toys, audiobooks, or simple games ready before you leave prevents the mid-drive scramble. Set expectations before departure, not mid-drive. A quick, calm conversation before setting off (“We’re going to be in the car for an hour, here’s what we’re going to do”) primes children better than trying to negotiate rules once conflict has already started. In-the-Moment Strategies Use audio, not just screens. Audiobooks, podcasts for kids, or music playlists give a shared, engaging activity without the overstimulation some screens can bring — and they don’t require looking at a device, which matters for longer trips and motion sensitivity. Games that don’t need materials. I-spy, twenty questions, story-building games (each person adds a sentence), or license plate/color spotting games can occupy young minds without any prep. A “calm-down kit” within reach. Small fidget toys, a sensory item, or a favorite small comfort object kept in a seat pocket can help a child self-soothe without needing you to turn around. Address conflict briefly, then return focus to driving. When squabbling starts, a short, calm intervention — “I need everyone to have hands to themselves, we’ll stop in ten minutes” — is often more effective and safer than a prolonged conversation while driving. Build in stops for longer trips. Regular breaks to get out, stretch, and reset — every couple of hours on a long drive — reduce the cumulative boredom and physical restlessness that often drives conflict. When Screens Are the Right Call For long trips especially, screens can be a genuinely useful tool rather than something to feel guilty about. The car is a context where safety (a calm, undistracted driver) legitimately takes priority, and a screen that keeps kids settled and quiet supports that. Balancing screen use with audio options and games, rather than defaulting to screens exclusively, keeps some variety in the routine. Lowering the Bar for “Successful” Car Rides Not every trip will be peaceful, and that’s fine. The goal isn’t a silent, conflict-free car — it’s making the ride manageable enough that everyone, including the driver, arrives in one piece and reasonably good spirits. A little preparation goes a long way toward getting there.

August 24, 2026

Raising Money-Smart Kids from a Young Age

Financial literacy is rarely taught in a structured way at school, which means most of what children learn about money comes from watching how the adults around them handle it. Raising money-smart kids doesn’t require complex spreadsheets or early investment lessons — it starts with small, age-appropriate concepts introduced consistently over time. Why Early Money Lessons Matter Research on financial behavior suggests that many money habits and attitudes are formed remarkably early — some studies point to habits beginning to solidify by around age seven. This doesn’t mean young children need to understand compound interest, but it does mean early, simple exposure to concepts like saving, spending choices, and patience has a real, lasting influence. Age-Appropriate Money Concepts Ages 3-5: Basic concept of money as an exchange Ages 6-8: Earning, saving, and spending Ages 9-12: Budgeting and delayed gratification Teenagers: Real-world application Practical Ways to Teach Money Skills Let them make small mistakes. If a child spends all their allowance on something they later regret, resist the urge to bail them out immediately. That natural consequence teaches more about budgeting than any lecture. Talk about money openly, in age-appropriate ways. Many households treat money as a taboo topic. Simple, honest conversations — “We’re choosing not to buy that today because we’re saving for the holiday” — model real financial reasoning without requiring detailed disclosure of family finances. Use delayed gratification exercises. Saving toward a goal, rather than getting an item immediately, builds patience and the experience of working toward something over time — a skill that extends well beyond money. Model your own decisions out loud. Narrating your own financial choices (“I’m comparing prices here because I want to make sure we’re getting good value”) gives children a live example of financial reasoning in action. Avoid tying all self-worth to money. While teaching financial responsibility, it’s worth being mindful not to conflate money with worth — some of the most valuable things (time, kindness, relationships) aren’t things money can buy, and keeping that balance matters for a child’s broader values. The Long-Term Goal Money-smart kids aren’t necessarily the ones who save every cent — they’re the ones who grow into adults with a healthy, confident relationship with money: able to budget, delay gratification when needed, and make informed choices rather than operating on anxiety or avoidance. That foundation starts small, built through years of simple, consistent lessons rather than one big financial literacy lecture.

August 24, 2026

Due soon? What to include in your hospital bag

With your due date fast approaching, this is a very exciting, yet stressful time for most moms to be. Here is a great list of what to pack for the big day! Ideally, you should have your bag ready to go by 36 to 37weeks, apart from the last minute grabs such as your tooth brush and phone charger. Please see our extensive list of the essential items and also items to make you feel more comfortable for mom and baby (and dad, of course!) Baby Car seat – Many hospitals won’t let you leave without one. Please make sure you know how to strap baby properly into the seat and the seat is secure in the car. Safety first! A going home outfit: It’s important to keep baby skin to skin (this means no clothes on baby; only a nappy) for as long as possible, as this promotes growth, bonding and a calming period for you and your baby. When it’s time to go home, pack different outfits in different sizes as you don’t know how big or small baby will be. Aim for an outfit in Newborn sizes, and 0-3 months. Don’t forget a beanie or socks if the weather is cold. Blankets or Muslin wrap to keep baby nice and cosy. Bottles – If you are going into the hospital knowing you are going to bottle feed, take your bottles with. The hospital usually supplies the formula, but if you have a preferred brand, take some along. If breastfeeding doesn’t work for you, don’t stress! The nurses will provide the bottles and formula. Nappies and wipes to keep baby clean and dry. The nurses in the hospital will show you how to change baby if you are a first time mom. Mom Your medical aid information, your pre authorization/ doctors forms, your ID card and all other important documents you may need. Keep this safely in a folder all together to avoid any stress. A robe or dressing gown – This is such a handy item to have to cover up and make you feel comfortable Pyjama’s that button down at the front – If you are breastfeeding it’s a lot easier to undo the buttons than lift your top continuously. Comfortable, soft and loose pants such as lights weight shorts, stretchy leggings or sleep pants are ideal. Maternity pads and disposable breast pads. Nursing bras are also wonderful and offers great support for breastfeeding moms. Slippers or slip in shoes. Your feet may be a little swollen after delivery, so don’t feel bad leaving the hospital in the snuggest and easiest pair of shoes you can slip into. Slipper socks also work great. Cotton underwear, preferably in a dark or black colour. One that fits you well but rises above the uterus. This is good for moms who have a caesarean section and natural birth as it offers support and doesn’t cause pain along the wound site. Nipple cream – If you’re planning on breastfeeding, your nipples will be happy you are being so proactive. Toiletries – You will want to brush your hair and have a shower after baby has arrived. Take your shampoo, face cream, lotion and body wash, as well as your toothbrush and toothpaste. Deodorant, lip balm and extra hair ties are also a great items to have on hand. Cell phone charger – Because your phone will be full of photos of your new addition to your family. Water bottle and snacks. Take a reusable water bottle as its very important to keep hydrated during and post-delivery. Snack on dried fruit and wine gums to keep your sugar up and to give you energy (with permission from your midwife or doctor of course) A magazine or book, your laptop or some music. Labour may sometimes become a little long. It’s good to keep busy. Most hospitals and birthing clinics supply towels, pillows and blankets. If you have a favourite, take yours along to the hospital. A set of clothes to go home in. Your make up bag and straightener or curling iron. While you won’t be focused on looking great during labour, you may want to take some photos after the birth of your little one. Get someone to help you and make you feel good about yourself (and the great work you’ve just done!) Dad/Birthing partner Camera – Take photos! Lots of them. This is a great job for dad to do during birth. It will make them feel a lot more involved. Snacks: Another great job for dad. Full his bag with plenty of snacks and treats that you can both enjoy during your stay. Comfortable clothes – As he may be sitting with you for quite some time, let him pack some tracksuit pants, t shirts, slippers and hoodies. Extra underwear is also a winner if he is staying overnight. Chargers – For phones, laptops and cameras. The longer the wire, the better, as most plug outlets are likely to be far from you. Toiletries – He may want to freshen up during the course of your stay. Many private hospitals offer you a baby bag when you are admitted for delivery. This is a great item and will contain most, if not all baby’s toiletries such as soap and creams. If you forget something, it’s not the end of the world. The nurses may be able to help or someone can go to the shop for you. All baby ideally needs is a clean nappy, milk, and most importantly, you.

August 24, 2026

Why more South African families are rethinking traditional schooling

Home is more than where you live. For a growing number of South African families, it is also becoming a place where meaningful learning can happen – particularly for children whose talents, sporting commitments and ambitions do not always fit neatly into a conventional school timetable. The traditional school day has long been built around a fairly fixed rhythm: early mornings, set classroom hours, homework in the afternoon and extracurricular activities squeezed into whatever time remains. For many families, that model still works well. But for others, particularly those raising young athletes, performers and children with demanding extracurricular commitments, the daily balancing act can become increasingly difficult. A swimmer may need to be in the pool before sunrise and again in the afternoon. A young golfer or equestrian may travel frequently for competitions. Sport players can face demanding training schedules, while dancers, actors and musicians often need hours of practice during the day. For these families, the issue is not a lack of commitment to education. It is finding an education model that can work alongside the child’s broader development. Impaq is South Africa’s largest provider of home and online schooling. “Families are increasingly looking at education in a more holistic way,” says Louise Schoonwinkel, Chief Commercial Officer at Optimi, of which Impaq is a registered trademark. “They are asking whether their child’s education supports the life they are actually living, their individual talents and the opportunities available to them. For some learners, having an adaptable education can make it easier to pursue both academic and personal goals without constantly feeling that one has to come at the expense of the other.” This is one of the reasons more families are exploring alternatives to traditional schooling. For some, the attraction lies in the ability to structure learning around the child’s needs. For others, it is the opportunity to create a calmer, more focused learning environment at home. And for families whose children are serious about sport or the performing arts, adaptability can be the difference between constantly falling behind and being able to manage both commitments sustainably. When the school timetable and the child’s ambitions clash Talented young athletes and performers often face a challenge that is not always visible from the outside. Success in sport or the arts requires far more than attending a weekly practice session. As children progress, training becomes more intensive, competition schedules expand and travel becomes a regular part of family life. Trying to fit all of this around a rigid academic timetable can leave children exhausted and parents overwhelmed. The pressure can also affect academic progress. Missing several days of school for a competition may mean returning to a full classroom schedule while also trying to catch up on work covered in their absence. An alternative way of learning allows families to plan ahead. However, with home schooling, learners may be able to complete academic work before travelling, continue with selected subjects while away, or adjust the learning day around training and competition schedules. The result is not necessarily less structure, but a different kind of structure, one designed around the learner’s circumstances. “Flexibility should never be confused with a lack of discipline,” says Schoonwinkel. “In many cases, home schooling learners are exceptionally disciplined because they are managing academics alongside demanding training or performance schedules.” Learning at home does not mean learning alone One of the common misconceptions about home education is that parents must do everything themselves. For many families considering a move away from traditional schooling, this can be one of their biggest concerns. Parents may worry about whether they are qualified to teach, how they will keep their child on track, or whether the learner will receive enough academic support. This is where structured home education and online schooling options can play an important role. Impaq supports families with structured academic programmes and access to educational support, helping learners continue with their studies while allowing families to adapt their approach to their learner’s education based on their needs. For a child with a demanding sporting or performance schedule, this can be valuable. Academic work can be planned around training, travel and competitions, while learners can continue working towards their educational goals. Creating space for balance The conversation around alternative education is not simply about convenience. For many families, it is about wellbeing. Children who are constantly rushing from school to training, completing homework late at night and waking early to repeat the cycle can quickly become physically and mentally exhausted. An alternative learning schedule can create room for rest and recovery, both of which are important for young athletes and performers. It can also give families greater control over the pace of the day. “Parents often tell us that what they are looking for is balance,” says Schoonwinkel. “They do not want their child to give up academic goals, but they also do not want a talented young athlete, artist or performer to lose an important opportunity simply because the traditional timetable cannot accommodate it. The right education model can help families create space for both.” For some learners, that may mean training during the day when facilities and coaches are available. For others, it may mean travelling to competitions without the same anxiety about missed classroom time. The key is recognising that education does not have to look identical for every child. A different definition of the school day As South African families become more aware of the various education options available to them, the traditional definition of a school day is beginning to shift. For families raising children with big sporting, artistic or performance ambitions, this can be significant. Home is already where children rest, prepare, dream and spend time with the people who know them best. For a growing number of families, it can also be a place where great learning happens, giving children the freedom to pursue their talents while continuing to build a strong academic foundation.

August 21, 2026

Raising Kind Kids in a Competitive World

From school rankings to sports leagues to social media comparison, children today grow up steeped in competition from an early age. None of that is inherently bad — healthy competition can build resilience and drive. But in a world that often rewards winning above all else, raising a genuinely kind child takes deliberate, ongoing effort. The encouraging news is that kindness, much like any other skill, can be actively taught and reinforced. Kindness Is Learned, Not Just Innate While young children show early signs of empathy — comforting a crying peer, for instance — the ability to consistently act with kindness, especially when it costs them something (sharing a favorite toy, including someone left out, admitting fault) develops gradually and depends heavily on what children observe and are taught. It’s not simply a trait some children have and others don’t; it’s a set of skills shaped by repeated modeling and practice. What Actually Builds Kindness 1. Model it visibly. Children absorb far more from watching how parents treat others — a frustrated cashier, a struggling stranger, a family member during a disagreement — than from being told to “be kind.” Narrating kind choices out loud (“I’m going to let this car merge, they seem stuck”) makes the invisible reasoning behind kindness visible. 2. Praise character over achievement — sometimes. Constant praise focused only on winning, being the best, or outperforming others can inadvertently teach children that their worth is tied to comparison with peers. Balancing achievement-focused praise with recognition of kindness (“I noticed you included your friend who was sitting alone”) reinforces that kind actions matter and are noticed. 3. Build empathy through perspective-taking. Asking questions like “How do you think she felt when that happened?” or “What would you want if you were in his position?” strengthens a child’s ability to consider others’ experiences — a foundational skill behind genuine kindness. 4. Give kindness a place in daily routine. Small, regular practices — a family gratitude moment, checking in on how a sibling’s day went, a simple family volunteering activity — normalize kindness as a habit rather than an occasional, special event. 5. Address unkind behavior without shame. When a child excludes, teases, or acts unkindly, framing the conversation around impact (“How do you think that made him feel?”) rather than character (“You’re so mean”) keeps the door open for genuine reflection rather than defensiveness. 6. Reframe competition itself. Healthy competition and kindness aren’t opposites. Teaching children to congratulate a winning opponent, encourage a struggling teammate, or celebrate someone else’s success models that competition doesn’t have to come at the cost of kindness. Navigating the Comparison Trap As children get older, especially with social media entering the picture, comparison culture intensifies. Helping kids build an internal sense of self-worth — separate from external metrics like grades, followers, or wins — is one of the strongest protective factors against both unkindness toward others and harsh self-judgment. Kids who feel secure in themselves tend to have less need to put others down to feel good. The Long-Term Payoff Kindness isn’t a soft skill that competes with success — research increasingly links strong social-emotional skills, including empathy and kindness, to better long-term relationship quality, mental health, and even career outcomes. In a competitive world, raising a kind child isn’t about opting out of competition. It’s about making sure that however your child measures success, kindness remains part of the definition.

August 21, 2026

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

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

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