Moms love it when their little ones come home from school buzzing with knowledge. Sometimes though, the activity isn’t inside their heads but on top! Head lice populations rise in summer, and girls with longer hair pick them up easier than boys.
You reluctantly open your eyes. It’s still dark outside, but something very familiar called you out of dreamland – it’s your little one’s voice calling for his Mommy. You glance over at the clock just to realize that, yet again, your child has woken up way too early for you to start your day.
The weather is getting warmer and it’s time to get outdoors. One of the most exciting outings is to gather the family for a picnic. You can picnic in your own garden or venture to some of the great picnic spots around South Africa. Here are some tips to have a fuss free picnic: 1. Pack light Make sure you pack smart and light. You never know how far you are going to need to walk to find the perfect spot. Picnic Baskets are great but can be clumsy if you are balancing a toddler on your hip as well. Backpacks make the best picnic bags. Don’t forget a good lightweight foldable picnic blanket try not weigh yourself down with heavy blankets that get damp and dirty. 2. Stay Hydrated Keep a bottle of frozen water in your bag in summer, this will slowly melt and keep the water cold. For something sweeter for the kids the new Miracle 360° Fruit infuser cup from Munchkin makes for a healthy choice. Add your child’s favourite fruit like strawberries, oranges, or blueberries into the fruit basket, twist it into the bottom, then fill the cup with water. The twist-on fruit extractor breaks up the fruit allowing it to infuse into the water and make a fun flavourful drink! Bye, bye juice and unhealthy cooldrinks! Hello, healthy flavoured water! Plus, your kids stay hydrated and clean (or at least cleaner!) while playing at parks and scenic areas. 3. Keep the hunger at bay When packing for a picnic, it seems like there are never enough bowls to accommodate all the different snacks everyone wants. Once again Munchkin have an answer Munchkin Love-a-Bowl comes in a set of four bowls with interchangeable lids, these come in handy when your little ones have not finished all the snacks and want to eat later. With all the tossing around in your picnic bag the lids need to be leak proof. Munchkin Love-a-Bowl are 100% guaranteed to be spill proof, leak proof and break- proof. Now that’s the kind of bowl I need on a picnic. 4. Keep the Insects away Flies and bees can be a pest on a picnic! Our top tip for this is take along your Camp Cot Mozzi net. It can come in handy if baby falls asleep in a pram or for just keeping those bugs off the food. 5. Snacks on the go If your kids enjoy food on the run, consider the Munchkin Deluxe Snack Catcher. It is designed to keep up with your toddler’s active lifestyle. This cleaver little bowl teaches self-feeding with a bit more dexterity and a lot less mess. It’s a multitasking bowl with soft flaps that are gentle enough for fingers to get through but sturdy enough to keep messes at bay (and insects out.) 6. No Stress Picnics with kids need not be a challenge so stick to what you know your kids like to eat and drink and don’t forget something special for Mom and Dad Picnics can be a cost-effective outing, so go out and enjoy a bonding time with your family. Don’t forget to enter the picnic hamper competition on the competition page. Thank you to Munchkin for generously donating our favourite products for the prize.
The smaller your baby, the more sleep he or she would need during the day and it is suggested that newborns should for between 6 and 9 hours per day. As your baby grows older, the need for daytime sleep gradually becomes less and it is only at the age of 2.5 years that a select few toddlers are ready to drop their daytime sleep (and even then, some quiet time is recommended). Naturally, children differ, and some toddlers may even have to take naps until they are 5 years old.
Music has been made and enjoyed throughout history, it is a powerful and effective way to spread a message, tell a story or express your feelings.
The moment I found out I was pregnant with my second child I was in tears. These were tears of a combination of emotions: joy, happiness, fulfilment and panic. My husband and I always wanted two children, but we didn’t expect them to be 18 months apart. I knew it was going to be tough and that nothing can fully prepare you for a new human in your life, but being thrown into the deep end, for me, was the best preparation.
Have you noticed that we may be bringing up a generation of young people who feel so entitled to gifts, devices and whatever they desire, that gratitude is becoming a lost art? How often do you feel uncomfortable in choosing gifts for yours or other’s children because you know that the more affordable, ‘little’ things may result in a forced ‘thank-you’, or worse, a temper tantrum?
Happy Family Organics, makers of ready-to-eat, nutritious and delicious organic meals, is not only changing the way babies and children are nourished in South Africa and around the world, but they are also changing the lives of young orphans in Tanzania through their Happy Family Children’s Village (HFCV).
parents have come to (unconsciously) rely on the buying of material gifts to let their children know that they love them while not fully understanding the negative implications of these well-meaning gestures.” She adds that joy in receiving material gifts and especially if the gifts are guilt-driven is most often short-lived and children are all too frequently left feeling confused, alone, miserable and frustrated and, in some cases, even a bit depressed. You see, it is not the receiving of many material gifts that they seek!
Often breastfeeding and sleep are thought to be part of two different worlds. Many people will tell you that your child won’t be able to sleep through the night until you stop breastfeeding. Tell that to my daughter who was breastfed until she was 12 months old, and slept through from when she was 4 months old!
Our favourite Tom-e doll is now available as a comforter for your little one. This product is ideal for the younger baby.
To be a strong reader has multiple benefits for your child. One of the most important things parents can do to ready their pre-schoolers for their academic careers, is to encourage a love for reading and stories. Proficient readers cope better at school, even in this digital age. In a recent household survey by Statistics SA (http://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=1854&PPN=P0318 Page 10), it was found that a third of South African parents have not told stories to their children and that 50% have never read a book to their children. Those little ones that have missed out and are at a distinct disadvantage when starting their school careers.
Multi-cloth toys are a great way to get a very young child using their sensory skills. A soft, easy-to-hold cloth with different textures, colours and shapes attached, they are available in 3 adorable characters – Molly Cuddly Turtle, Arthur Funny Dino and Daisy Cuddly Butterfly. All unisex and completely safe for even the youngest of children, Chicco’s Baby Senses multi-cloths are available across South Africa now at Takealot, Babies R Us, Loot, Kids Emporium and selected Pick and Pays.
When your child turns 6 it usually means that it’s their last year in preschool. In a year, your child will need to start primary school, but how do you know that your child will cope with the formal demands of school? Or be able to function to his/her full potential? As a parent, you may have lots of questions about this new phase in your child’s life. You would want to know that your child is ready to start their learning journey. If your child is not ready, it could influence his/her academic performance.
Chicco’s Baby Senses range of toy is a developmentally engaging range of colourful toys that range from simple multi-cloths to rattles, teethers, puzzles and much, much more. All designed with early development in mind, the range is bright and stimulating and offers a toy for every stage of your child’s first year.
PLAY! This may seem obvious, but it is essential to a child’s development. Sometimes we focus so much on what we should or shouldn’t be doing and look at everything as work, but play is a child’s work. This is how they explore their world. Play teaches them important physical skills such as coordination, balance and muscle control. These set the foundation for more complicated physical skills such as kicking a ball while running, skipping and doing cartwheels. Again these may seem like trivial skills but they are essential to a child’s development and set the stage for academic success.
Baby Senses Vibrating Monkey Rattle and Giraffe Rattle are two of the cutest and most entertaining baby rattles on the market right now. Baby Senses is a developmental range of colourful toys that engage and stimulate children from as young as three months and the two rattles are both engaging with features such as teething rings, crinkly textures and a vibration on the Vibrating Monkeys leg. Soft enough to even cuddle, the two rattles are ideal to stimulate curiosity and bright enough to engage baby’s vision.
Sometimes. Moms and Dads get so bogged down with the routines of the day that they forget to have fun with their children.
Winter is coming and those little feet need to be kept warm. Our toddler slippers are made from cotton denim with a soft polar fleece inner lining to keep little feet toasty warm. All our slippers have grip soles to keep your little one safe when running around. Available in an array of sizes
From the moment your baby is born, she starts to learn about her environment. She does this by using her senses. Hearing, seeing, smelling, touching and tasting, gets her senses working and this in turn, gets her brain learning.
Youniverse is the cars eat that starts at 9kgs and follows your child up to 36kgs – that’s almost 12 years of age! With car seat laws becoming stricter all the time, young or light children need the protection that only a solid shell can give against impact. The Youniverse is a sturdy, ever-growing car seat that can be adjusted with every inch of your child’s growth. Reclining with simple movements, comfortable with extra padding and Italian style and quality make it a favourite amongst parents globally. Installed with Isofix and seat belts.
Many parents make the mistake of assuming that a reward system involves extravagant items. There are rewards that are effective and will cost you nothing.
My husband and I travelled with our two-year-old on a long-haul flight to London. Having bought a seat for our restless bundle of energy was, in our case, the best thing ever. Eleven hours plus on our laps would have been too much to handle. We very quickly learnt what to do and what NOT to do.
There are numerous benefits linked to having a family dogas a pet and teaching kids how to take care of dogs. Young children can learn valuable life lessons when they are taught from an early age how to take care of an animal: 1. Responsibility Younger children can help by participating in feeding, exercise, playing, grooming and showing affection. 2. Trust Pets make trusted companions for children and this could be the first step towards teaching your child how to build relationships. 3. Compassion Caring for an animal entails showing understanding, compassion and empathy, all valuable lessons on how to take care of others’ and their basic needs. 4. Bereavement When a family pet passes away your child will experience the pain of losing a beloved pet, but it also teaches them how to cope during the bereavement phase. 5. Respect Children learn how to have respectfor others by learning how to touch a pet gently, learning not to disturb them while eating or sleeping and tending to their daily needs. 6. Self-esteem Dogs love you unconditionally and this can have an immense effect on a child’s self-esteem accompanied with the satisfaction of sharing responsibility of taking care of an animal’s needs. 7. Loyalty There is no match for a pet’s loyalty and in turn the child learns how to have loyalty towards their furry friend 8. Physical activity Taking the dog out for a walk and playing with themenables a child to be more physically active than a child without a dog. 9. Patience It takes time to bond with a new pet and through this the child learns to have patience. 10. Social skills Taking a dog out for a walk and interacting with other pet-lovers can be a wonderful ice-breaker and improve your child’s social skills. How do you know the time is right for teaching kids about dogs? Younger children can not be expected to take care of a family pet without assistance, especially children under the age of five years old. They can help of course, but most of the caring will be done by you. Young children are often too rough and doesn’t really understand yet how to handle a pet gently and they may end up injuring the dog and become injured themselves when the pet reacts. Children from the age of 3-4 years old must be monitored when spending time with a pet and even children under the age of ten must not be expected to take care of a pet on their own. When an older child expresses the need for a pet, it is the perfect opportunity to discuss the responsibility of taking care of a pet as well as setting up expectations before the time about what their pet-care responsibilities is going to be. When you do decide to get a pet, make sure you include your child in the process of getting a dog and let them help with choosing the right pet for your household. Tips on how to teach your child to interact responsibly and safely with their dog companions: Introducing the puppy to the child When a new puppy is brought into the home it is essential to teach a child about the rule of “no touch, no talk, no eye contact”. The introduction between the child and the puppy must be suspended until the child’s excitement has blown over and he is in a calm state of mind and capable of focusing on adult instruction. Avoid allowing the child to make the first move. Ensure that your child’s energy levels are stable and keep an eye on the puppy’s reactions. Once you are happy that the situation is under control and safe, you can teach your child how to show affection. Playtime Ground rules must be set for off-limits playing for example, the child must understand that its not ok to pull the puppy’s tail or ears. Be vigilant for signs of rough play and immediately correct the child or redirect his energy when the need calls for it. Always keep an eye on the body language of the puppy and step in when you think the puppy had enough playtime. Never leave a young child without supervision with a puppy. Cleanliness and health issues Children are more susceptible to pet-related illnesses than us grown-ups. Here are a few tips that can help keep your child healthy: Make sure the puppy has regular visits to the Vet. Teach your child to wash his hands thoroughly before and after playing with the puppy. Avoid playtime near areas where the puppy relieves himself. Dog excrement must be picked up and disposed of regularly. Other safety tips relating to dog interaction Children should never approach unfamiliar dogs. Not all dogs are used to young children, therefore it’s better to practice caution beforehand. Dogs that are restrained or behind fences are often more likely to attack. Children should be taught that it’s never ok to tease or reach for a dog that seems harmless because they are “out of reach”. Children should not approach a stray dog without adult supervision. The right way is to call an adult to assist with a dog that looks injured or lost. Teach your child the right body-language for child-dog interaction: Teach them how to be calm, allowing the dog to approach first. They should never back a dog into a corner. When they are touching the dog, they must stroke under the chin or on the cheek. Discourage young children from trying to hold a dog. An innocent hug may be perceived as a threat. Dogs have sensitive hearing and an unexpected squeal from your little one may overwhelm them or startle them. A soothing voice will make the dog feel at ease and allow you child to have a calm mindset. Be on the look-out for signals that the dog is displaying that his had enough of play. Look for pacing, flattening of the ears, tucking their tails, retreating, bearing teeth, growling
It occurred to me the day I went back to work after my maternity leave that I didn’t know any other emergency number besides 10111. Thankfully I have never had to use this but I couldn’t risk leaving my daughter at home with her caregiver without leaving a more comprehensive list of important numbers by the phone. The last thing you want to do in an emergency is dial the wrong number. In the US, the UK and Europe there is only one toll-free number to call from any landline or mobile phone. In South Africa, things are not as simple. Unfortunately there isn’t one single number for an emergency. I spent a really long time searching the web and making a couple of phone calls but I finally managed to put together this simple list. It is vital that you as parents and/or caregivers know what number to dial when and it is perhaps even more important that your little ones know this too. USING YOUR CELL PHONE: Any emergency nationwide – 112 (this number will still work even if you have no airtime) USING YOUR LANDLINE OR CELL PHONE: Police/Fire – 10111 Nationwide ambulance (public EMS) – 10177 Netcare 911 (private EMS) – 082 911 ER 24 (private EMS) – 084 124 Poison Information Centre – 0861 555 777 Remember, before making that emergency call, try to stay calm. You also need to have important information ready such as, the type of emergency, details of any injuries and the exact location of the emergency needing attention. A list of Emergency Numbers can be downloaded for free from my resources page. It may be a good idea to stick this on your fridge or somewhere nearby the phone.
Independence is defined as freedom from the control, influence, support and aid of others. This is something that we all strive for, having the independence to live our lives free from being dependent on others. It is the knowledge that wherever we go and whoever we are with, we are capable and competent. We can trust our ability to make our own choices and plan our actions accordingly. The more successfully we negotiate challenges and succeed at tasks, the more self-confident we feel and the greater our self-esteem becomes.
There have been many studies that focus on the importance of infant stimulation. It is a well-known fact that impoverished environments, under stimulation and the lack of rich and varied experiences can impair children’s development in all areas. Thus, there are many projects that focus on helping these communities and giving them the tools through training and equipping them to be able to change the cycle. But what about over stimulation? It has been shown that environments that overwhelm children with stimulation beyond their current capacities interfere with the brain’s potential, much in the same way that under stimulation does. Our society has become increasingly focused on stimulation. Expensive early learning programs, competitiveness and early achieving have become the norm. We have so over scheduled our children with activities that they do not have time to simply be kids and play. We do not expect a 5 month old to walk or run, why do we then expect a 5 year old to read and write? Many children have not developed or practiced their creativity one should through boredom, as they have not had the chance to be bored. There is actually no evidence that any of this has yielded smarter, better, super babies. In fact, priming infants with stimulation that they are not ready for may cause them to withdraw, thereby threatening their interest in learning and creating conditions much like stimulus deprivation. In addition to this parents may become disappointed when despite the excessive stimulation, their children do not become little geniuses. This creates the danger that parents may view their children as failures at an early age. This in turn could result in infants being robbed of a healthy psychological start while also depriving parents of pleasurable and relaxing interactions with and participation in their children early years. The question this leaves us with is, what would the best conditions be? Let kids be kids. Do not put too much pressure on them or expect them to do things that are not age appropriate. The ideal is to provide age-appropriate moderate stimulation in a loving environment with lots of social interactions. This has proven to be much more beneficial than expensive toys and gadgets. The Skidz Clever Activity boxes provides a program focusing on this exact finding. Each set contains all the equipment needed to complete over 100 activities in each box. The age ranges are as follows: 0-6 months 6-12 months 12-18 months 18-24 months 2-5 years. For more info or to purchase your box go to www.skidz.co.za or follow us on facebook at www.facebook.com/skidzsa
Fold & Go is the brand new car seat that folds up into a compact unit and can be stored in the boot of the car when not in use. An Isofix-installed car seat, the new iSize regulation no longer categorizes children according to weight but rather to height now, and puts significant new safety demands on high back booster seats, making the Fold & Go one of the safest car seats on the market.
The number of children presenting with Sensory Integration Difficulties is increasing significantly. It is important that these difficulties are identified early and dealt with timeously as they have a large impact on a child’s functioning in the classroom, at home and in social settings.
As you watch your baby develop into a toddler and their personality starts to take shape, you might want to change a few things in their room. Changing a baby’s room to a toddler’s room can be easier than starting afresh. Let your toddler’s personality guide you in choosing a theme and then decorate accordingly.
