Toddler - Parenting Hub

Advice from the experts

Tactile Defensiveness

Ben’s* mom describes her child as “temperamental and anxious”. “He doesn’t like to go anywhere without me, even getting him to school has been a challenge. “ Ben* is tactile defensive. He does not like to be hugged and cuddled, and if his mom wants to hold his hand, he will only allow her to hold onto his little finger. He is very particular about the clothes that he wears, and will not tolerate having his nails cut. He hates getting dirty and will not play with glue or paints. He is an extremely fussy eater and is limited to very bland foods with certain textures. He gets very stressed in busy environments, and is happiest playing on his own. Tactile defensiveness is the tendency to react negatively and emotionally to touch sensations that other people may hardly feel or notice. It’s a result of poor processing of this type of sensation and thus the brain is over-sensitive to touch and views many typical touch sensations as being harmful thus resulting in the flight-fright-fight response. Signs to look out for: Dislikes having face or hair washed. Dislikes having teeth cleaned and resists tooth-brushing. Overly distressed when having hair/ finger-nails/ toe-nails cut. Dislikes being touched and pulls away from hugs and cuddles. Displays negative reactions to certain types of clothing. Dislikes putting hands in sand, paint, play-dough etc. Avoids going barefoot – especially on sand or grass. Seems overly fussy about the temperature or texture of food. If your child has more than two or three of these signs, it may be helpful to consult an Occupational Therapist trained in Sensory Integration, to see if your child presents with Tactile Defensiveness. Tips on stimulating the tactile system: Provide your baby with lots of touch input – swaddling with a blanket; cuddles, kisses, tickles and massage. Let your toddler crawl over different textures – grass, sand, carpets, floors, cushions, blankets etc. Let them play outside without their clothes and shoes so that they can experience the feel of different textures on their skin. Engage in creative tactile tasks like finger painting, paper-mache, using glue, playing with glitter, modelling with clay or dough or using tissue paper. Hide objects to be found in bowls of jelly, rice, pasta, sand or shaving cream. Allow your child to help with baking and cooking i.e. kneading bread dough or handling soggy spaghetti. Play dress up games where your child can feel different textures of clothes on their skin, clips in their hair, jewellery etc. Most importantly allow your child to get dirty and messy and to enjoy the freedom and joy that comes from exploring new sensations of touch, texture and temperature. This will allow their sensory system to learn to process this information in a way that is healthy and optimises their response to touch!

May 2, 2018

Bring meal times to life with JJ’s Animal Snackers: A friend in a bowl

Stir your child’s imagination, excite their mind and stimulate their sensory ability with JJ’s Animal Snacker bowls, now available in SA through Prima Baby. When every spoonful activates an animal sound, what baby wouldn’t want to laugh with the roar of the hippo or the meow of the cat whilst eating? The animal sounds of the snacker teaches babies to accept new ideas and interact with challenging concepts – literally with every spoonful of food! The magic spoon is activated by moving within the bowl and in turn lets out an accompanying sound that is either friendly dinosaur, cat, doggie or pig. Despite being loads of fun and laughter for child and parents, the bowls are also microwavable and dishwasher safe too. A strong suction cup keeps base secure to table or highchair to avoid spills. Try an Animal Snacker bowl today to bring some new fun to meal times. Ages: 10 months and up. Available at: Hamleys Toy Stores, selected Kids Emporium stores, www.loot.co.za, www.thebabyzone.co.za, www.purplepepperz.com, www.takealot.com& www.sosobabies.com

May 2, 2018

HOW DOES PLAY PROMOTE HEALTHY SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Play is a child’s language, his work, his relaxation and the way he builds relationships. Forming a healthy relationship with parents help children to feel secure. This sets the stage for a child’s social and emotional development for the rest of his life. Social development is how we interact with others, the ability to form secure relationships. Emotional development is the ability to regulate and express our emotions. Strong social-emotional development is the basis for all later social, emotional and academic success. According to the National Academy of Sciences there are three qualities children need to have to be ready for school. Intellectual skills, motivation to learn and strong social and emotional capacity. How do we as parents create the opportunities needed to develop these skills? It is simple, children need to play. Children use play to release emotions, work through feelings and understand their world better by play-acting in situations they can control. The give and take patterns of play allow children the opportunity to practice the skills necessary for healthy emotional development. Here are some practical ways to help: Suggest ways for children to interact and play together. If you see a child struggling to build a tower, suggest that one helps by holding it while other one builds. Help children learn to take turns, or share what they have. “Ethan wants to play too but he has no play-dough. Let’s give him some of ours so we can all play together.” Help your child build empathy and sympathy for others. If someone got hurt let him give a hug or a special toy to help him feel better. Teach him to help someone up if they fell. Build your child’s vocabulary regarding feelings. Being able to express his feelings adequately will result in less frustration and aggression. For example, disappointment, nervous, frustrated, curious, amazed and astonished. Acknowledge your child’s feelings. Help him to talk about how he is feeling. Comfort and hold him and speak to him softly and calmly. Love your child and show affection towards him. Give him lots of hugs and cuddles. Tell him that you are proud of him. Role play and pretend play are lovely ways to teach children about feelings. Tell a story about how the bear got hurt, or how someone said something ugly to him. Explain how he is feeling and give your child a chance to explain what feelings the bear could be having because of what has happened. Let him help the bear with suggestions of how he can make him feel better.

April 19, 2018

The end of day naps

Much to my horror my 3 year old daughter recently declared that she does not have day naps any more. I have tried my best to change her mind and for a good few weeks still attempted to get her to sleep but it has become clear that no matter what I try this girl has made up her mind. We have battled and once again I have lost! As much as I love my daughter I loved the short break during the afternoon when I can relax a bit, she is incredibly busy and always demands a huge amount of attention from me which can be incredibly tiring. As with any change in routine and new milestones this time is exceptionally tough. I thought the change from 2 day naps to 1 day nap was hard, this is much worse. By 3pm in the afternoon she is tired and gets progressively more difficult as the day goes on. It is hard to try and discipline her in any constructive way as she is overtired: self-control has gone out the window. She cannot listen, she gets rude and cheeky and rough. It is like trying to deal with a person drunk or high on drugs! I need to be patient and remember that she is just a little person, that is tired and going through a major change in her life. At times this is almost impossible as it feels like my child was stolen and a gremlin put in her place! The last few days have been slightly better, but to be honest I don’t think it has anything to do with her, it all comes down to the decision I made recently to stay calm, not get upset and to be more loving towards my child no matter what she does. What age did your child stop sleeping during the day?

April 11, 2018

The angry toddler

Suddenly I have an angry toddler on my hands. I always thought the Terrible Two’s started at 2 years old. Much to my horror my daughter started with tantrums at about 1 year old and they have just been building in ferocity ever since and she is nearly 3 years old now. I came to the conclusion that firstly as a busy mom with my own business and a new baby she is looking for attention. As much as I try my best to be an attentive, loving mommy at all times the truth is that there is just not enough time or energy to devote to this! The attention she of course does get on a regular occasion is when she acts out and I lose my temper too. All the small little achievements go unnoticed and the naughty things get the kind of airtime she craves. The second thing that I believe very much adds to this difficult stage is she was not able to understand her feelings properly and certainly not able to voice them appropriately. I decided a little while ago to try and focus intensely on this “little” problem. I tackled it from the two areas I felt needed to be addressed. The first thing I did was start talking to her about feelings. If she threw a tantrum for any reason I would ask her if she is feeling angry, hurt, sad or scared. Very soon she caught on to this and now very often instead of throwing herself on the floor she will voice her feelings in the correct way. She will tell me “I am ANGRY with mommy” or the one that really gets my heart strings tugging is when she tells me “Calista is very, very sad now”. The next step in this process was to ignore as much of her bad behaviour as humanly possible (no easy feat!) and to try and acknowledge each and every good thing she did in the day and applaud and congratulate her. To be honest in the beginning it was not easy because we were all (the entire family) stuck in a rut with her bad behaviour and when I asked my hubby to come on board with my plan he said he is struggling to find anything that works. My heart went out to my daughter at this moment, mainly because he was spot on. I started with little things (because that is all I could find) and made a huge fuss about it. It did not take long at all for her to bask in the glory of Mommy’s praise. It made me realise how I had been dealing with things incorrectly for so long. I then decided that it might be good to give her specific “chores” every daythat she knows will make us proud. Her list of daily duties includes setting the table (minus anything breakable which really just means putting the salt & pepper and cutlery on the table), taking her plate to the kitchen when she is finished eating, taking her empty milk bottle to the kitchen sink every morning and making her own bed. She has now been completing her daily chores every day with great pride. We also try and pack away her toys at the end of the day together. To be honest sometimes I don’t have the energy and just leave everything lying all over the floor! A very successful tool that I added in here is a rewards chart. I just bought pretty cardboard, kokis and a whole stack of stickers. We sit down together and make her chart. She chooses the stickers she wants to decorate it with and stick it on the wall. Every time she does something good I put a gold star on the chart until she has 10 stars and then she gets a reward, something small like Jelly Tots or a bowl of ice cream. We also used this chart for potty training; every time she used the toilet she got a star too. The difficulty with this method is that she caught on very quickly and each time she hit 7 stars she would stand in front of the chart thinking and then run to the toilet and make a wee. Then she tells me “Wee in toilet, want a star” and I put a star up. Then she stands in front of the chart again and I can see this little mind ticking away and off she runs to the toilet to try and squeeze another one out. Even though she never actually produced anything she tells me again she needs a star. The clever little manipulator was at work again. I stuck to my boundaries each time and told her it is only if she makes a wee or poop on the toilet, not for sitting on the toilet and producing nothing. Of course she would then cause a fuss. My daughter still has tantrums but nothing like before. Some days we have no episodes at all which is a complete turnaround considering a few months back it felt like all day every day was a continuous tantrum to get through. Her first reward chart was on the 28th March, nearly 3 months ago and the change in my child has been tremendous. It took patience, understanding and a bit of effort to make a change but well worth it. Good luck to all the mommies that are still struggling with this phase, I hope something here can help you get through the day! Update 01/07/2016: I just reviewed some awesome products for Jitterbugs which included lovely reward charts and reward stickers! How do you handle toddler tantrums?

March 30, 2018

10 Development differences between girls and boys

While every child develops at his or her own pace there are certain developmental differences between girls and boys that do stand out. 1. Physical growth Girls and boys actually grow at a similar rate until elementary school. Girls start growing at a fast pace in late elementary school and the boys then catch up and overtake growing taller than girls. 2. Onset of Puberty Girls hit puberty at an earlier age than boys. Some girls begin puberty as young as eight years old, but others as late as twelve years old. Boys usually start hitting puberty at the earliest only around the nine year old mark. 3. Verbal Skills Girls usually start talking much earlier than boys do. They also have a higher vocabulary and much more complex understanding of language than boys. This extends right to school years where in general girls have better spelling, writing, reading and overall language skills than boys. 4. Gross Motor Skills Boys are known to be more active than girls in general and they show more advanced gross motor skills such as running, jumping and balancing. 5. Fine Motor Skills Girls show more skill than boys with fine motor skills such as writing and holding a pen. 6. Spatial Skills This is one of the major differences between the developmental differences in girls and boys. Boys have a much better grasp of spatial skills. Girls seem to struggle more with boys excelling in this from the age of nine years on. 7. Hand eye coordination Boys generally have a better grasp of hand eye coordination skills probably due to the fact that their gross motor skills and spatial skills are more advanced than girls. 8. Handling and understanding emotions Girls tend to learn how to understand and handle their emotions faster than boys. This could be a result of girls being able to communicate easier than boys. Girls tend to express their emotions verbally while boys express themselves physically. 9. Sensory and Cognitive Development Before the age of three years old girls tend to have more advanced skills in memory, touch, hearing, smell and vision. After the age of three years old this gap gets narrowed when the boys skills advance with hand eye coordination and spatial skills. 10. Potty Training When it comes to potty training girls vs boys the girls tend to take the lead here, starting potty training much earlier than boys. They not only start earlier but they tend to master the skill in less time with fewer accidents than boys. When children grow up into adults there are often differences between them as men and women. Some of these are because often men and women do have aptitudes for different things. However, a lot of differences in adults come about from gender stereotyping while the child is growing up. It is interesting to note how men and women very often seem to gravitate towards certain careers. This is true not only in the workplace, but also in education. For example some statistics from the team at DevelopIntelligence highlight the large gap between male and female students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields at school. What developmental differences between girls and boys have you noticed?

March 28, 2018

How long should my baby be awake for between naps?

When my babies were young I was concerned so much how long my baby should sleep and how many naps he or she should have. Things got a lot easier with routine when I realised that the length of time in between naps is really important too! Time Awake in between Naps is vital to your baby’s routine How long baby is awake in between naps is very important, if you try and put your baby down to sleep before he is ready he won’t sleep and if you wait until he is overtired you might struggle to get him to sleep. Watch out for signs of tiredness and use the following guidelines for how much awake time your baby needs: AGE AWAKE TIME LENGTH Birth – 6 weeks 45 – 60 mins 6 weeks – 3 months 1 – 2 hrs 3 – 6 months6 – 9 months 2 – 2 1/2 hrs 6 – 9 months 2 1/2 – 3 hrs 9 – 12 months 3 – 4 hrs Here are 5 Steps to get your baby into a routine that you might find very helpful. How long is your baby awake in between naps?

March 23, 2018

Should you be giving your child fish oil?

Fish oil is one of the most studied nutritional and health products. The main components of interest in it are the omega 3 fatty acids. The human body cannot synthesize omega 3 and so it has to be sourced from the diet. Fish is one of the best sources of omega 3. The two main biologically active ingredients in omega 3 are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Sources of fish oil include the processing of oily fish such as salmon, sardines, tuna and cod. Fish oil also contains some small amounts of vitamin A. In view of all this; it is now easier to tackle the question of whether fish oil should be given routinely to children. The first question every parent should consider is whether they are giving their children adequate fish oil through the diet. This can be answered easily by assessing the number of times in a week the children eat any of the oily fishes. This has to be several times week. In the U.S, the American Heart Association recommends more than 3.5 oz. of oily fish two times per week. Since many children’s diet is a reflection of what the adults are taking, it is likely that they also get inadequate fish oil from the diet and hence supplementation is necessary. Everything in proportion The typical western world diet consists of high omega 6 fatty acids intake. These are mainly vegetable oils. High consumption of these oils has been linked with a high incidence of degenerative disorders. In an ideal situation the ratio of omega 6 and omega 3 should be about 1:1. This helps to counteract the undesirable effects of omega 6. In some cases the consumption ratio is disproportionate with omega 6 being up to 10 times more than omega 3. To bring the ratio to near normal fish oil should be given to the majority of children. The benefits of fish oil for children There are many documented benefits to giving your children Omega 3, including: Healthy brain development Improved cognitive ability Health bones and joints Good eye health Reduced hyperactivity disorders symptoms Healthy skin How much fish oil should children be given? The amount of fish oil supplementation depends on the amount of omega 3 it contains. Therefore the dosage for children is given in terms of omega 3 amounts (total DHA and EPA) and it is age dependent. Different countries also have slightly different recommendations. Below is a suggested dosage regime. 0-12 months about 0.5 grams per day 1-3 years about 0.7 grams per day 4-8 years 0.9 grams every day 9-13 years 1.2 grams each day for boys. Girls can do with 0.2 less grams than boys 14-18 years 1.6 grams daily with girls in the same age bracket needing about 1.1 per day Some countries recommend dosages in terms of mg per kg of body weight. Ascertain your country’s guideline before giving fish oil to your children. Side effects of fish oil Fish oil is generally well tolerated. However, children with known allergies to the oil or certain sea-foods should better avoid it unless your doctor says it is okay. Cod liver oil is a type of fish oil sourced from the liver of cod. It contains a lot of vitamin A and D. These vitamins are fat soluble and if taken in excess have accumulating effects in the body and they can cause serious health effects. Never exceed manufacturers’ recommended fish oil dosage. Jane Hutton is a nutritionist and health enthusiast. She also enjoys rock climbing and sailing in her free time. She’s passionate about animal rights and works for an Omega 3 brand called NothingFishy. Facebook: NothingFishy Omega3 Twitter : @nothingfishyco

March 23, 2018

Fisher Price – The best possible start

Prima Baby is thrilled to announce we are now proud distributors of the world-famous baby products brand, Fisher Price. Known globally as one of the leading developmental toy companies from America, Fisher Price was established in 1930 and has grown from strength to strength, now including line of baby products that will give your child ‘the best possible start’. Fisher Price has always been notorious for toys for older children until recently, and we are excited to be taking the first step into the world of ‘baby’ with them. From feeding products to gifting, décor, clothing and toys, the Fisher Price range is an exciting new development for South African moms, allowing access to products that are quality guaranteed for newborns to toddler, all not previously available in SA. The Fisher Price baby ranges will be available instore from April 2018 through Prima Baby.

March 14, 2018

Toddlers tandrums to cheekiness & manipulation

My now 3 year old has moved on from the Toddler Tantrum phase and has started working on her next goals: how to manipulate mommy into getting what she wants and being cheeky. I am now starting to (sort of) enjoy these new phases and her development. Her latest ploy in manipulation goes like this: C: Mommy I love you! (with the sweetest smile) Me: I love you too C: Mommy you are my good friend (another angelic smile) Me: Thank you C: Mommy can I have a lollipop Me: No C: You are NOT my friend (screamed at me angrily with an accusing finger in my face) Me: That’s right, I am your mom, not your friend C: Papa… you are my good friend. Can I have a lollipop? Papa: No C: You are NOT my friend (screamed at Papa angrily with an accusing finger in his face) I can see clearly how she is trying to work things in her favour and I am sure at some stage she will work out how to be a little more subtle. She is also working out how to play mommy and papa against each other too. Now that I am not such a new mommy anymore I am able to be more calm and detached in these situations and handle them better which I can see has a better impact on her behaviour. One of her favourite things to say right now is “I don’t want to” or “I don’t feel like it” when I ask her to do something. I have found a great remedy for this which seems to be working with great effect. When she responds like that I just say ok and carry on. I wait until she asks me for something like going for a walk and I tell her that I don’t feel like it so we are not going. I explain to her that sometimes we don’t feel like doing something but because we love each other and we are family we can do it anyway. But if she doesn’t feel like picking up her toys I won’t take her for a walk if I don’t feel like it. She seems to be catching on nicely now. She still has her cheeky responses but she does do what I ask of her so I ignore the cheekiness like I ignored her tantrums. Strangely enough my 1 year old has started making those rasping, spitting noises at me every time I tell him no, it is like he is pulling his tongue out at me and being cheeky too! He can only say Mama, Eina and Daar but his non-verbal skills are definitely on the go! What stage is your child at and how do you manage?

March 7, 2018

6 Tips on how to potty train your autistic child

Parenting children with autism can be very difficult because it involves dealing with many problems that wouldn’t generally come up if you had a normally developing child. One of such problems can be toilet training which can take some autistic kids longer than their siblings or friends to learn how to use the lavatory. Many parents of children with Autism become frustrated when trying to teach their toddlers to use the toilet. In general practice, the autistic child just sits in the toilet and does nothing. Diapers often get bulky and really irritating to change; and of course a child has to be potty trained in order to be able to go to school. Fortunately, there are many research studies that reveal numerous strategies that can be handy in potty training an autistic child. Remove Your Child’s Fear Around Toilet When training your child to use the toilet, it is important that you break everything in small parts. Many autistic children have lots of fear around a lavatory.This could be because they feel they might fall in the commode or it’s very loud. Therefore, it is very important to remove this fear. Give your child the understanding of what a toilet is used for, introduce its different parts in a comparatively low-pressure environment. Don’t Force Your Child When you buy a potty chair and pull-up, you want your child to start using it right away. However, this cannot be the case even with a typically developing kid. If your autistic child doesn’t feel like doing it, let it go. Give them a break and try again after one week or so. Once your child is willing to do it, you shouldn’t make them sit on the toilet for more than 10 minutes as it will cause them to get tired and lose their interest to learn using the toilet. Encourage Your Child with Physical Rewards Find some rewards that your child may like the most such as their favorite cookies, food or toy. Pick anything that is small and can be kept in the bathroom in order to be accessible easily. Use these rewards to encourage your child to do their job successfully. Patience Is The Key While working on how to potty train an autistic child can be irritating, you need to have patience in order to get success. You will need to stay in the washroom for some while every time you take your autistic child there. It’s a good idea to praise your child if they are willing to stay in the washroom and sit on the commode even if they aren’t doing anything but sitting. Acknowledge Each Step Accomplished Successfully If your child accidently does something in the toilet, it’s the best time to show them where the waste is supposed to end up. After they get the idea, let them flush the toilet and use water to clean. Remember, every step accomplished gradually gets your child closer to the finish line which should be praised even if it is not accomplished in order. Train With A Routine Children with Autism tend to make a routine and stick to it for whatever tasks they do. This can help you teach your autistic child how to use the toilet. Keep a record of time and duration your toddler gets wet and take them to the toilet at those times.You can get them used to a regular routine; for example, take them to the washroom every 30 minutes. Parenting a child with Autism can feel like learning to walk upside down and backwards. Perhaps, you have been perplexed by your little one and wondered how to communicate with them well enough to help them use the toilet. Figure out what motivates your autistic child and how they learn the best and then incorporate both aspects in your approach.

March 6, 2018

Toddler chores

Giving your toddler chores around the house from an early age will make it easier for them to complete tasks in future. Here are some ideas for age appropriate chores for toddlers: Packing away toys Putting clothes in wash basket Sweeping the floor Setting the table for meals Clearing the table after meals Wiping surfaces Folding laundry Feeding pets Washing the car My 3 year old has set chores and she loves doing them every day! If I try and set the table there is a huge commotion. She also loves doing things for her baby brother like putting his milk bottle next to our bed, getting out nappies and wet wipes when it is time to change his nappy, choosing his clothes for the day and packing her and her brother’s creche bags away in the cupboard every afternoon. Her absolute favourite thing to do is feed her brother snacks, and it is very helpful as I can get the dishes done or start cooking a meal. It is very cute to see how dedicated she is to her tasks. Of course it took a lot of time to teach her some things and very often she still makes more of a mess than cleaning up, like when she sweeps the floor there is more dirt all over the house than before. The point is she will learn how to do it properly in time and then it will be a great help to have someone else help with the household tasks. Does your child do chores and what is he/ she responsible for?

March 5, 2018

What can be done about night terrors

Night terrors can be very stressful and frightening. When a child has a night terror he/ she is so deep into the dream, he cannot hear the person trying to wake him, even though the child may look at you and seem to be awake. Often a child may cry out, ask for help, thrash, kick, and scream — but cannot be comforted. Make your child’s room safe to try to prevent him from being injured during an episode. Eliminate all sources of sleep disturbance, such as caffeine, sugar, and high-energy activities before bed. Maintain a consistent bedtime routine and wake-up time. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to help your child during the actual episode except to make sure he is safe. Just take comfort in the fact that the night terror is short-lived. If your child has night terrors, you can try to interrupt his/her sleep in order to prevent one. Here is how to do it: First, note how many minutes the night terror occurs from your child’s bedtime. Then, awaken your child 15 minutes before the expected night terror, and keep her awake and out of bed for five minutes. You may want to take your child to the bathroom to see if he/ she will urinate. Continue this routine for a week. Have you had any experience with night terrors? What helped?

March 3, 2018

The Importance of tummy time

Why is tummy time important? For strengthening the back muscles to assist later on with sitting. To strengthen the neck muscles. It is essential for the development of proper head control, as well as for the development of good postural control of the rest of the body. Helps babies learn to push up, roll over, sit up, crawl, and pull to a stand. Tummy time lays the foundation for the development of appropriate gross and fine motor coordination in childhood. When to start: You can start tummy time from birth – with your newborn lying skin to skin on your chest. From about one month old they can be placed in this position on their own and they will slowly start developing more head and neck control as well as back and shoulder stability which will eventually allow for reaching. Care should be taken when they are still young and battle with head control. No pillows should be used. It is wise to be with your baby when you place him on his tummy so that you can ensure that he does not smother. Always do this during the day when you can keep an eye on them. As his back and shoulder muscles continue to strengthen, he will begin to push up with his forearms resting on this floor. This position continues to strengthen shoulder muscles in preparation for crawling. How to do it: Let your baby lie on a firm, but soft surface, such as a soft carpet or a mattress. Generally, babies tend not to like being on their tummies, and need to have you around to distract them a little. If they fuss and cry when on their tummies, help them get used to it by putting them on your stomach either on the floor or on a reclining chair. The best distraction you have is yourself – get on the floor with them – babies love it when you are on their level. Sing them nursery rhymes, play peek-a-boo or move their favourite toy in front of them to get their eyes to track it or to get them to reach for it. Place a mirror in front of them so that they can look at themselves. Swish your baby through the air to music, supporting him with your arms and hands under his body and chest. Lie baby across a beach ball or exercise ball, or a rolled up sleeping-bag, and rock him gently to and fro and sideways: this will also stimulate his vestibular (balance) system and help him get used to being in different positions. Just remember to start with short, frequent periods in this position and your baby will slowly develop endurance and tolerance for being on their tummies.

March 2, 2018

Playing with Purpose

Children need to play. Do you ever wonder whether your child plays too much, or maybe not enough? When your child plays is it even educational or beneficial? As experts in Early Childhood Development, we at Skidz can tell you that children learn through play and that playing is extremely beneficial for your child. According to the American Academy of Paediatrics play contributes to the physical, emotional, cognitive and social skills of your child. It also gives the parent or caregiver the time to be fully engaged with the child. There are two types of play namely structured play and unstructured play. Structured play also known as play with purpose, combines a learning objective with an enjoyable activity. This is the foundation of learning. So, if you want your child to learn some life skills, numbers and letters, sitting down with crayons, workbooks and flashcards is not going to cut it. To really engage in learning these skills should be taught through structured play. The benefits of structured play are endless, so let’s look at a few. It introduces young children to physical activity. Starting a pattern of being active and teaching body awareness. It develops motor skills and coordination. Reinforces the bond between a child and caregiver. Sharpens listening skills as they learn new vocabulary and to follow instructions. There is a whole new world to discover. Boosts self-esteem as they get praised for attempting and mastering new skills. Unstructured play, also known as free play, is not led by an adult but gives the child the freedom to decide what to do. This is beneficial for the child as they get a chance to be creative and use their imagination. It also gives them freedom to explore. At Skidz we are passionate about play as means of early childhood development. That is why we have set up the Skidz Clever Activity Boxes. Each box comes with over 100 activities as well as the equipment for each activity. Here you are given the tools needed to engage your child in structured play, with a daily curriculum. This curriculum makes it easy for a working parent or full time caregiver to spend quality time with their child while playing and having fun, without having to do a lot of preparation. The boxes start from birth up to 5 years and is not a subscription service. For more information or to order your box of fun go to http://skidz.co.za or follow us on facebook for some awesome ideas of what to do at home www.facebook.com/skidzsa

February 23, 2018

Words can make or break

What you say, and how you say it Your words, (and how you say them), are being absorbed by your kids all the time. Neuroscientist, Louis Cozolino, tells us that the amygdala (that part of our brain that is activated in fear situations) pays special attention to anger signals, while positive, warm encouragement increases serotonin (a feel-good hormone). This means that simply through words (and how we say them), we literally have the power to change everything! Words can build your child up, or break him down. It takes much more effort to undo the negative effects of our words, than it does to start speaking positively. So why not give positivity a go. Remember : young children take words literally – their logic and reasoning isn’t well developed yet kids take things personally and misinterpret – often making wrong assumptions they believe what we tell them – adults are powerful, be careful of sarcasm they remember negative comments easily – in comparison to praise children become what you tell them – be encouraging and speak “as if” they’re already co-operating (e.g. “nice listening”) “yes” motivates – “no” makes kids defensive (e.g. “Yes, you can have that after supper”) Speaking consciously is an ongoing learning in self-awareness. Yet words can change lives, so be patient with yourself and watch how your new way of talking easily wins their co-operation and starts to change how they view themselves.

February 21, 2018

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND YOUR CHILD’S EMOTIONS?

Emotions… we all have them and there is no denying them as we are all born with them. Emotions are wonderful things to have, that is when they make us feel good. But, when they make us feel bad, they can potentially send us into a flat spin. Especially if it is your child who is feeling yukky and you have no idea what to do about it. So what are emotions and what does it mean when your child is throwing a tantrum, sulking, hitting other children, feeling sad or distressed. Emotions are the energy of feelings and feelings are based on what we think, especially about what we think about ourselves and the situations we are in. Let me explain, if you think there is something wrong with you, you will feel bad about yourself. Your actions will demonstrate how you are feeling and will be expressed from a place of anger or sadness or even depression. Another example is, if your child thinks they are not important, that you are too busy to spend any time with them. This may lead them to feel neglected or isolated which will come across again as sadness or resentment or any other kind of ‘negative’ type of emotion. The behaviour from this can manifest in a few ways. Tantrums, being ‘naughty’, ill-behaved or any kind of behaviour that is displayed to seek attention. The reason for this ‘bad behaviour’ is that children would rather get any attention, including being punished than have no attention at all. Emotions need to be viewed as a guidance system, your very own inbuilt GPS as emotion is what brings our attention to what is going on on a deeper level. A child does not have the ability or emotional literacy to express that they feeling are neglected, especially younger children, hence the reason that they demonstrate it with their emotions. However, this does not only apply to young children, but to older children and adults as well. Our emotions also cause a chemical reaction in the body. When we feel love, endorphins like serotonin and oxytocin are released into the body. These chemicals make us feel content and peaceful and happy. When we feel frustrated, resentful or fearful, cortisol and adrenaline are released into the body which makes us feel stressed, angry and aggressive. However, not only are our emotions affected by how we feel or think, they are also affected by our environment. What we eat, what is going on at school, what is going on at home, all has an affect on our emotions and ultimately our behaviour. When we eat processed food or food that contains chemicals like preservatives, colourants and artificial sweeteners, the body sees these as toxic or as poisons and tries to rid itself of it as quickly as possible. The behaviour that results from this is hyper activity, over activity or anxiety. Too much sugar has the same affect. In some cases sugar actually causes people to feel tired and lethargic. Especially when a person’s diet is not balanced and you are not getting enough protein, veg and healthy fats to balance it all out. Other chemicals that affect emotions and behaviour are the chemicals we inhale, like smoke, fumes, perfumes and household chemicals. All of these have an affect on the body’s chemical reaction which then affects emotions and energy. Other factors that affect a child’s emotions, are other people’s emotions. Emotions are incredibly contagious. If parents are stressed, worried, anxious or if they bicker and fight a lot, this will be transferred to your child and they will feel what you are feeling. This can be incredibly stressful for a child because they will have no idea what to do with it and often their behaviour once again will be affected. The same thing will happen if their teacher if stressed out or if the children in your child’s class are stressed and more so if there is bullying going on at school. I’m sure you can now appreciate why it’s so important to understand emotions so that you can help your child, and yourself, to deal with them. Unresolved emotions can cause incredible distress, anxiety and stress and the quicker you learn how to identify and ope with them, the better it is for everyone. If you want some help understanding emotions, then do join our free support group for parents and teachers on Facebook which you can find here

February 14, 2018

SA Children more at risk from sunburn at school

Copious amounts of sunscreen are sold each summer holiday in an effort to protect, in particular, children’s skin from both the damaging ultra-violet (UVA and UVB) rays of the harsh South African sun, but when kids go back to school, this dogged persistence seems to wane. Millions of school learners have gone back to schools around the country – many of which have inadequate or no sun protection policies in place, leaving children exposed to sunburn. Even though there is more public awareness around sun protection, it doesn’t appear to be a top priority at the majority of SA schools since other pressing issues such as nutrition and violence seems to have taken precedence. However, interventions at school level are critical in curtailing SA’s high incidence rates of skin cancer and should receive more attention. Local research studies have shown that sunburn in children significantly increases the risk of developing skin cancer and melanomas – the deadliest form of skin cancer – later in life. It is therefore vital that children are protected from the sun not only when at the beach or the swimming pool, but at school as well. In South Africa, skin cancer remains the most common cancer with about 20 000 reported cases and 700 deaths a year, making it a significant health problem. According to CANSA, the most of a person’s lifetime exposure to the sun occurs before the age of 18, which makes sun-safe policies an absolute must at pre-schools, primary schools and high schools. As in Australia – where skin cancer rates are amongst the highest in the world – SA schools across the board should adopt similar sun-smart policies. Some of these interventions include learners having to wear a broadbrimmed hat as part of their school uniform. If no hat is worn, learners may not play outside; plenty of shade is also provided on the playground via trees or structures; the use of sunscreen is encouraged and time is allowed for application, and during outdoor athletic or sporting events, ample provision is made for shade to avoid sunburn. In addition to these measures, scientific studies have validated the health properties of Rooibos on skin, which may assist with various skin ailments including the prevention of the development of cancer. Thus, parents whose children have been badly sunburnt may be able to turn to Rooibos for help. Dr Tandeka Magcwebeba, a post-doctoral fellow at Stellenbosch University, who has done extensive research on the anti-cancer properties of Rooibos on the skin, says the topical application of Rooibos may offer protection against the early stages of cancer development in the skin. Dr Magcwebeba says, once the anti-cancer properties of Rooibos has been fully characterised, this herbal tea may be one of the agents that could protect children’s skin from some of the damage caused by the sun’s harmful rays. “Once the skin has been exposed to the sun’s UV rays, Rooibos extracts have the ability to remove precancerous damaged cells and also block the onset of inflammation. It does so by stopping the multiplication of cancerous cells and removing these cells through programmed cell death – in other words, prompting the cells to commit suicide. “It’s the abundance of polyphenols (antioxidants) – natural compounds found in Rooibos – which gives its restorative power,” explains Dr Magcwebeba. “These compounds are linked to the prevention of various chronic disorders, including skin cancer. However, it is important to note that preliminary findings show that Rooibos extracts are more effective during the early stages of skin cancer development as they are able to facilitate the removal of UVB damaged cells thereby delaying their progression into a tumour.” If your child does end up with nasty sunburn, anecdotal evidence indicates that soaking him/her in a lukewarm bath of rooibos tea two to three times a day, could help reduce inflammation, which is likely due to the tea’s anti-inflammatory properties. This, in combination with the abundance of antioxidants present in Rooibos tea will help to naturally accelerate the healing of the skin. It is still uncertain how much rooibos extract is needed to prevent the development of skin cancer, but according to science, children (and adults) who spend a lot of time in the sun may benefit from using cosmetics, sunscreen and after-sun skincare products containing Rooibos extract. For more information on rooibos’ healing potential, visit www.sarooibos.co.za

February 12, 2018

Back to school – here’s how to deal with 1st term jitters

Dissolve those first term jitters fast and ensure your child is emotionally ready for school and adapts well to his/her new routine with top tips by creative parenting expert in partnership with Toy Kingdom, Nikki Bush. The first bell of 2018 academic year has rung and first term jitters are still a real thing for some kids, especially those who have entered the classroom for the very first time. Bush says the change in a child’s usual environment; in this case a new school – pre-primary, primary and high school, and even moving onto the next grade mean kids find it daunting and stressful to adapt. “And parents the world over agree, when kids are fretful and uneasy, mom and dad are too,” she says. Here’s what Bush advises to help kids cope better. A movement matter: Bush says activities that involve movement are highly beneficial, it raises endorphins and puts kids in a better move. She suggests the following fun, interactive movement games: Rough and tumble Hide and seek Family time is fun time: Quality time with mom, dad also eliminate stress and is ‘”extremely important” to help kids relax. Bush says there are a few entertaining games fit for the whole family. Cricket Soccer Hopscotch “Parent-child interaction has a calming effect on kids and helps to minimise stress. It means bonding as a family, which also acts as a channel of support for children, they feel safe and secure and are reminded that mom and dad are there for them every step of the way,” Bush says. Say play: Since play is a universal language, Bush says “play your sillies away”, it has a calming effect on kids and helps to minimise stress. A few of the games she recommends. Board games Bikes and scooters Lego “Mom and dad, haul out all sorts of games and toys and let them play to their heart’s content. It does wonders,” she says. Drop-off deal: If children are more anxious with one parent than with the other, simply swap drop-off roles and “don’t feel guilty about it”. Bush advises parents to be: Flexible Adaptable

February 8, 2018

5 Tips for coping with a newborn and a toddler

I (Kit) gave birth to my son Noah on the 24th August and at the time of his birth my daughter, Sarah, was just over 18 months old. The months since have passed in a flash and whilst I’m still new at this mommying 2 thing; below I share 5 tips of what’s worked for me so far as a mom of 2. Be intentional with your 1st born during your 3rd Trimester 3rd trimester is hard, hands down…but with a toddler in-tow its SUPER hard. I found my last few weeks of pregnancy particularly trying but in saying that, I made it my mission to be present with Sarah and invest in quality time with her. I was fortunate enough to have a planned (day before) induction of natural labour and thus had a full day that I got to dedicate to just Se Bear and me. It was the most phenomenal way to end my pregnancy and to feel that I had given her my all, before Noah arrived. PS: I totally sobbed putting her down that night, knowing it was her last night as an only child. Eeek and now the tears come again! Embrace your time in hospital I realize that not everyone chooses to have their babe in a hospital, and I totally respect that, but this tip is for those who do. For me, my time in hospital is what I’ll always remember as bliss for both Noah and me. YES you’re emotional, and sore, and bleeding…but the truth is that while in hospital, you’re expected to do little more than lie in bed and love your little one. First time round, these early days were a blur for me but with my second, I treasured every moment that I got with him in hospital, before the chaos of heading home to a busy toddler began. Involve your toddler where possible While I definitely paid 90% of my attention to Noah in his first few days at home, as I got the hang of things (and trust me, it comes back so quickly second time around), I slowly started including Se in our daily activities. I do have a fulltime nanny but Se loves staying with Noah and I. She watches me feed him (she plays at my feet) and my mum bought her a baby bath to bath her doll, whilst I bath Noah – too sweet for words. Slow down One kid is hectic.. two is just that little bit more hectic. I laugh as I write that, thinking of me stopping on the side of the road in 5pm traffic, after a play date for Sarah, to tend to a screaming 2-week-old Noah..while Se too screamed at the top of her lungs, not understanding why Noah could get out of his car seat and she couldn’t. But that was just one day…for the most part; I’ve actually been blown away by how easily we’ve sailed through these first few months. The one thing I have taken to heart though, is how important it is to slow down. I’m quick to put the kids in the car and head out and about, but the truth is, that I’m a happier mom (with more breast milk) with happier kids when we take the day slowly! Be kind to yourself This is probably my biggest tip for this post. Beautiful, you are totally capable and whilst balancing two seems impossible at times, you’ve got this!!! Trust your mommy instinct and speak kindly to yourself; as just as your kids adjust to the changes they’re experiencing, you too are journeying in your role as mom. <3

February 8, 2018

Lighting Up the Dark Issue

Almost all children become afraid of the dark at some point – usually around the age of 2-6 years old. At that time their imaginations are running wild and they also become more aware of the greater world and the dangers that lurk within it. I always think about how much safer I feel with my husband sleeping next to me before I judge kids on being afraid of sleeping alone! There are two ways to handle this, based on your own preference… You can let your child sleep in your room. It may take some time to get her out again though – possibly years depending on personality – but I guarantee that you will not have a 16 year-old who is still sleeping in your room. The other option is to brainstorm with your child. It goes like this: Acknowledge her feelings and give her a chance to explore them deeper. Let her know that you understand it can be scary being in the dark. Speak less and listen more. Let her tell you just how afraid she is. Often, if the bad feelings are given a chance to be heard they go away on their own. Never, ever dismiss the feeling by telling her not to be scared. Let her know (briefly) how you feel – that you don’t sleep as well when she’s in your room, that you also need time with the other parent, that being woken up at night makes you tired and grumpy, etc. Brainstorm ways to sort out the problem. Write down ALL ideas without evaluating them at all. Let her start and give more answers than you. ALL ideas are accepted at this point (even if she says she wants to sleep in your room and you are not ok with that). Evaluate the things you’ve written down and come up with workable solutions. Let her start by rejecting one or two of your ideas first. If she has some ideas that are unacceptable to you (e.g. sleeping with all the lights in the house on) then let her know why it wouldn’t work (it would cost too much) and then see if you can modify the idea into a workable solution (e.g. Having automatic lights with sensors that turn on if she walks to the bathroom). There are many ideas that you can add to the list (but, again, let her come up with some ideas before you contribute)… Having a baby monitor so you can hear her if there’s an issue. Letting her snuggle with something of yours that smells like you (e.g. your dressing gown) Drawing a picture of the thing in the dark that is scaring her and burning it Getting a dream catcher or special teddy to protect her Having a monster hunt before bed Have a “dark survival” kit next to her bed (include a torch, magic wand, music box, etc.) But most important is to acknowledge her fear as real for her. She is not trying to be difficult. I would add to this by playing games in the dark (like making shadow puppets with a torch) or doing fun activities such as marshmallow braais so that she starts enjoying the dark. You can also read books about how other kids have overcome the dark. My favourite is “The Dark” by Lemony Snicket http://www.takealot.com/the-dark-lemony-snicket-and-jon-klassen/PLID35350525 And definitely avoid scary movies / books / etc. particularly before bed Sleep tight!

January 25, 2018

Creating a Calming Bedtime Environment for your Toddler 

By Jolandi Becker – Good Night Consultant Busy toddlers can often eat less and sleep less because they are too busy and active. They just don’t seem to have the time for it. But they still require 11 – 12 hours of sleep at night and 1.5 – 3 hours of sleep during the day. A calming bedtime routine helps signal the brain that sleep is coming and helps with the production of melatonin (the hormone that makes us sleepy). Think Spa-environment when thinking of your bedtime routine: it should be winding down time and not winding up time. Here are a few tips to help your toddler to switch off after a busy day playing and moving: The bedtime routine is important time to spend one on one time with our toddlers. Especially when we are working all day or when new baby has been added to the family. This is a time that should be uninterrupted without cell phones, babies or life to distract. Each parent should have some time during the bedtime routine to focus on their toddler. Kids crave time with us and after long day the bedtime is a wonderful bonding time. A common mistake parents make once babies become toddlers is to move the bedtime later. Up until the age of 5 years children still require 11 – 12 hours of sleep at night and more often than not tend to wake early in the morning. It is thus important to keep aiming for 19h00 bed time. Stalling tactics often happes when toddlers are overtired and over stimulated. “I want something to eat” “I want to say good night to the dogs.” “I want to go pee.” “I want something to drink.” These are easily avoidable when rather aiming for earlier bedtime than a later one. A bath as part of the bedtime is a great starting point. The warmth from the water helps with the production of Melatonin. It is impossible to keep a toddler calm in a bath but if they do get too excited rather keep the bath shorter. If they enjoy playing in water, water play should be an activity during playtime not bedtime. Add some Magnesium Bath Salts to the bath water. Magnesium has proved benefits which include improved oxygen use and absorption of nutrients. It also helps with inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps. It helps to calm the toddler’s body and also assists with growing pains. Once you are done with bath include calming and breathing activities. As you put cream on your toddler massage their body while they are lying down on the floor. Indicate to them their different body parts while you massage talking slowly and calmly. “Feel your head. Feel your neck. Feel your shoulders. Feel your belly. Feel your legs. Feel your feet.” Most toddlers love cuddle time and enjoy massages. This is a great tool to make them focus and switch off. TV, cell phones, tablets and computer screens have what we call blue light. Blue light inhibits the production of melatonin. Thus 2 hours before bedtime try to avoid television. New studies also suggest that too early screen viewing has negative effects on language development, reading skills and short term memory. With screen time is also not just about what they are doing/watching but also about what they are not doing. For gross motor development it is important for kids to move around and play. Reading stories is a wonderful habit to include as part of the bedtime routine. Of course there is endless benefits for this including increase in vocabulary, better understanding of words but one of the main benefits is that it gives parents time to spend with their children doing something constructive. For toddlers it is a good idea to set boundaries with these kind of activities from the start. Read only 2 stories (not 2 books, some books have more than one story). Your toddler can choose the stories but keep a healthy boundary to avoid them wanting to read more and more. Also have healthy expectations with their attention. Most 18 month olds should not be expected to listen to an entire story, with them they will mostly want to hold book and turn pages themselves and mostly just look at pictures. Once your toddler is closer to 3 years of age they should be able to listen to a short story. Keep all lights dim and off once they sleep. Set the stage for sleep. So only keep on a bedside lamp during the reading and massage part of your routine. Once you put your little one in the cot make sure to put all lights off. Darkness helps with the production of melatonin. A night light should only be introduced if your little one asks for one insistently. More often than not parents also link toddlerhood with moving them to a big bed. Avoid moving your toddler to a bid bed to soon. The main reason is safety. You do not want your two year old to be able to roam your house when you are sleeping. A good time to move them is around 2 and half to 3 years of age. References https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/Why-to-Avoid-TV-Before-Age-2.aspx https://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/tv-violence-and-impact-on-children#1 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2016/11/09/how-to-bond-with-your-child-through-reading/

January 24, 2018

Avoiding the Morning Rush

Written By: Nigel Sloane (Headmaster at Pecanwood College: Preparatory) We have all experienced it before. As you are getting into the car to go to school, your six year child reminds you that she needs something for “show and tell” that begins with the letter “Y”. You are already late for school and now spend the next twenty minutes looking for a yo-yo or a toy Yak! The result of this sort of thing is a stressed and worried youngster arriving at school, who will not give of her best at school for the day. Not only that, but you as a parent are probably also stressed and up-tight knowing that you are going to be late for your eight thirty appointment. The secret is to do as much as you can the afternoon/evening before and look at the various aspects of a school day. To do this you need to have a school calendar, fixture list and make sure that you are up to date with school happenings. Reading the school newsletter and keeping up to date with the homework diary will give you a head start. As with all things, planning and preparation are the key. A well placed white board with all the week’s happenings is also a very good idea. Preparation is the key: Time needs to be spent every afternoon or evening listening to reading, helping with whatever homework that there is and generally ensuring that your child is up to date. Make sure that you have read the homework diary and that everything needed is in the bag for the next day. This includes stationary, library books and any items such as a toy for “show and tell”. Do all of this in conjunction with your child so that they can learn about planning and independence. Check the diary or fixture list and see if any sports clothing is required. In summer there may be days when swimming takes place and it is essential that the costume is in the bag. Throw in a towel and warm clothing if needed. If there are regular item such as hats or sunscreen, make sure that these are in the bag. Leave the bag in an easily accessible place near the front door. Once again, involve your child in the process. Get that lunch box and juice ready. Either have it in the fridge if there is something perishable, or actually put it in the school bag. Set out the clothes and shoes for the next day on a chair in the bedroom to ensure a speedy get up and go session in the morning. This will avoid the shock of discovering in the morning that all her socks are still in the washing machine. Other tips to avoid problems include making sure that all clothes, sporting items and all personal possessions are labeled. Hopefully this will cut down on items going missing and causing more stress in your preparation. Plan the breakfast and set it out if possible the night before. If you can encourage your child to get started on their breakfast without supervision, this in itself will save you precious time. With time, hopefully you will be able pass on many of these responsibilities to your child so as to create an independent and responsible youngster who can do things for themselves. As parents it is vital that we teach children how to look after themselves; however they do need to learn these processes. These are not skills that children will just acquire, but rather that they need to be taught.

January 22, 2018

Play is crucial for early child development

Only 29 percent of South African children have access to safe, child-appropriate play areas in their communities, this according UNICEF, but a local organisation – Play Africa is championing for this change countrywide. Gretchen Wilson-Prangley, CEO of Play Africa – a social enterprise organisation driving inclusive public learning for the country’s most vulnerable says play is “exceedingly important” for children of all ages and an integral part of early learning and healthy social development. “Neuroscience has confirmed that the first few years of a child’s life is crucial for early learning. And play forms part of early learning and is far more valuable than we realise,” she says. Wilson-Prangley says play sparks imagination, enhances creativity and problem solving capacities, promotes teamwork and helps to instil empathy and compassion for others. “I believe in the importance of helping to advance children’s basic rights and this includes the right to play,” she says. And since many South African children lack toys and other learning materials that can help stimulate a range of child-initiated, open-ended activities which bolster cognitive, physical, social and emotional development, Wilson-Prangley explains that her organisation seeks to promote one single message – there is no cost to play. Their workshops encourage parents and children to make use of everyday materials when playing. “We demonstrate just how to transform everyday items into play materials using the imagination. Few people know that you’re able to make a robot or a rocket ship using clean milk containers, or a car out of empty loo paper rolls. What’s important is the process and the imagination and creativity it stimulates,” she says. Further, she says play is a “good way to engage” and helps children make use of their imagination; she also describes it as “pleasurable and enjoyable”. “Playing overall gives children an opportunity to stretch their thinking and imagination, it also invites repeated active engagement which is highly beneficial for children of all ages,” Wilson-Prangley says.

January 19, 2018

Why it’s important to monitor the climate in your baby’s room

With peak summer months peaking at early 30˚C or even early 40˚C in some places across the country, parents should constantly monitor their baby’s temperature to ensure their little ones are comfortable, even in the heat. In fact, t baby monitors aren’t just for sneak peeks – they can support your baby’s development too. It’s important to understand how climate can affect your baby’s health, what the ideal room climate is, and how your baby monitor can help. While a room that’s a little too warm or humid is no big deal for most of us, babies tend to be more sensitive to temperature and humidity. Too low humidity, for example, can cause the eyes and throat to dry out. And when it’s a little too cold or warm, babies aren’t yet able to regulate their body temperature the way an adult can. So what’s the ideal room climate? Think of the ideal room climate as a range rather than a specific temperature or humidity level. The healthiest room temperature for your little one is somewhere between 16-20˚, and humidity levels should ideally be kept between 40 – 60%. How your baby monitor can help If you’re wondering when all of this monitoring is going to happen in between feeding and comforting and the general business of being a parent, fear not. A smart baby monitor has your back: it continuously tracks the temperature and humidity of a room for you. By setting thresholds for temperature and humidity on the smart baby monitor, you receive notifications when the climate readings exceed these thresholds so you’ll always know whether the climate is healthy for your baby -or needs a little tweaking. Depending on the reading, you can then make adjustments to help keep your baby comfortable. Is the humidity a little on the high side? You might like to open a window to let in some fresh air. Worried about your little one overheating? Make sure your little one isn’t overdressed and consider using an air conditioner to bring the room to a more comfortable temperature. You can then also understand how your baby’s room climate affects their sleep as you’ll be able to see at a glance what kind of room temperature helps your baby sleep best. So you see, your baby monitor really isn’t just for sneak peeks. It’s a simple way to help your baby feel comfortable day and night. So make sure you choose the right baby monitor for you and your little one! Philips Mother and Child Division

January 18, 2018

Oops Stacking Block Sets

The Oops Stacking Black Sets, promote creativity, imagination and learning in your child with the latest range of Oops Stacking Block Sets. Available in gorgeous and entertaining themed ranges such as the Forest and the City, these collections of easy-grip blocks provide your little one with all the tools needed to satisfy curiosity, whilst having the most possible fun learning new skills. From counting to learning the alphabet, to more advanced tasks like telling the time, Oops have a range of stacking blocks suited to your child’s learning age and development. As fore-runners in child developmental toys, Oops is one of Europe’s leading brands and offers only the best quality products at affordable prices. Some of our personal favourite stacking sets include: 0 – Clock! Telling the Time. 30 Piece Set Forest ABC! – Learn The Alphabet With Me. 30 Piece Set City 123! – Learn To Count With Me. 30 Piece Set Guaranteed for hours of fun and all available now at Hamleys (Eastgate, Menlyn, Sandton, Mall of Africa, V&A Waterfront, Greenstone), selected Kids Emporium stores, Me, Mom and Dad (Greenstone), www.takealot.co.za, www.loot.co.za, www.thebabyzone.co.za, www.purplepepperz.com

January 11, 2018

How drawing develops in a toddler

There are very definite developmental stages in drawing. Every child is different, however when it comes to their art there is a very clear developmental line that can be seen. Keep samples of your child’s artwork at the different stages. Often at our workshops the scribbles done by toddlers are left behind and not seen to have any value. Before your child can draw anything you will recognise that he has to be exposed to different items to draw and paint with. Experience is key to development. Did you know that one of the recognised “tests” that they ask a pre-schooler to do, is to draw a stick figure? Scribbling is typical of a 1.5 year old. This is not about the result but about the process and enjoyment. The more they scribble, the more fun they have and the more they learn to control the medium they are using. This scribbling is more a kinaesthetic activity. You will notice that after 6 months of scribbling the marks start to become more orderly. Scribbling helps develop hand eye coordination, fine and gross muscle development and hand manipulation. Drawing circular shapes is typical of a 2 – 3 year old. They will spend many a happy time making circles. Once circles have started emerging you will find the very typical stick figure drawing of a 3+ year old. The big head, legs and arms that come from there. As they develop, more of a body image starts to appear, the body, the legs etc. At this stage they start to think about what they are actually drawing and are learning to problem solve. Enjoy these first drawings of your child’s and appreciate them for what they are – just stages in your child’s development. Remember that drawing plays a very important role in your child’s emotional, cognitive and physical development. With drawing he will learn to express his emotions and build up his self-esteem. Provide your child with a variety of mediums to draw with. Don’t tell him what to draw, rather let him explore and experiment and do it on his own. Praise his work and hang it up in your home – this will encourage him to create even more beautiful works of art for you. Sharing our content with parents you know will go a long way to making us smile for the day

January 10, 2018

The importance of play

The intelligence of play occurs way beyond the naked eye. The world of ‘pretend’ is a necessary means of intellectual and emotional development for young children who are absorbing new experiences all the time. This safe space provides the opportunity to explore emotions and situations that are relevant for the child at a particular time. Different stages of childhood mean different types of play. Creativity and curiosity are the basis of play, no matter what the age. For example, babies and toddlers explore and express their curiosity through body movement. This prepares the brain for the next development phase. While younger children generally play for no reason other than pleasure, older children enjoy working towards a specific outcome. Joseph Chilton Pearce states in his book ‘Evolution’s End’, “Play develops intelligence, integrates our triune nature; prepares us for higher education, creative thought and helps us prepare for becoming an effective parent when that time comes”. If you are tempted to cut your child’s playtime, remember that oxytocin, a hormone and brain chemical described as the “love molecule”, is released through play. In effect, playing, is like having a boost of goodness injected into your body improving mood and the immune system. Children learn first and foremost how to play from parents and siblings. Added to this is free-play where the child plays alone, making his/her own decision about what to do. Social and solo play is an essential ingredient for the daily life of children of all ages. Author: Helen Hansen is a kinesiologist with extensive experience in early childhood development and developmental psychology. You can read more about play in Helen’s recently released book, ‘150 inspiring educational activities for 2 to 7 year olds’. Helen offers therapy sessions for children and adults to balance imbalances in the body, mind and emotions. You can contact Helen: [email protected] https://www.amazon.com/Inspiring-Educational-Activities-year-olds/dp/1504370996 Sharing our content with parents you know will go a long way to making us smile for the day

December 20, 2017

Help your Child Play (right) to lay the Foundation for Future Academic Success

Giving their children a head start is something parents want to do. Unfortunately, the way this is done in our hyper-competitive, over structured world may in fact be working against exactly these intentions. More and more research is showing that the most critical activity for the development of little children’s brains and their social and cognitive skills, before they go to school, is good old-fashioned play. Far less is gained when little children have full schedules of structured activities, from basic maths classes to early reading, gymnastics, kiddy music and mini-soccer. “When it comes to brain development, time spent in the classroom and at other structured activities is less important than time on the playground,” says Barbara Eaton, Academic Development Advisor for the Pre-Primary Schools Division at ADvTECH, Africa’s largest private education provider. She says that research by Sergio Pellis, from the University of Lethbridge in Canada, showed that the experience of play changed the connections of the neurons in the pre-frontal section of a child’s brain, and that without play experience, those neurons remained unchanged. “Pellis found that it was those changes in the prefrontal cortex during childhood that helped wire up the brain’s executive control centre, which has a critical role in regulating emotions, making plans and solving problems. In other words, play prepares a young brain for life, love and even schoolwork,” Eaton says. But she warns parents whose children’s rooms look like toyshops that they need to get things back to basics, because the kind of play that is beneficial is primarily the kind of play that requires creativity, imagination and problem-solving. “In the pre-school phase children need basic toys, not those with roles defined by the media, as the latter limits imagination and the opportunities to plan and create. Provide the child with a good set of plain wooden bricks, a few non-battery-operated cars, a soft doll or two, a teddy, some plastic plates and cups and a big ball. “Old blankets or sheets for making houses and tents, and some boxes and crates will provide the basics for endless creative and imaginative play. Playdough, some crayons and big sheets of paper – not colouring books – as well as some paint will amply provide for creativity,” says Eaton. She says that parents need to appreciate that in allowing their children plenty of opportunities to play, with others and alone, they are laying the foundations for academic success. “Young children work hard at play, and it is not for nothing that play is considered a child’s work. They invent scenes and stories, solve problems and negotiate their way through social roadblocks. They know what they want to do and they work and plan to do it. “We as adults must not be too quick to interfere in this process, but allow them to work things out for themselves.” Parents who want to ensure their children are exposed to the right kind of free play (which ironically is also the least expensive kind) should ensure that they provide, from an early age, access to materials that will stimulate their sensory systems. These include water, sand, things that make a noise, books with pictures they can relate to and toys of different textures. “The contents of your saucepan and plastics cupboard will give hours of creative play while teaching concepts of matching, size, shape, texture and sound. Things that bounce, roll and change shape when pressed or pulled help develop spatial skills and visual acuity,” says Eaton. “Children must be free to move around once they are mobile, obviously with safety in mind, but do not fear the odd mouthful of grass or your child being dirty. Allow them to dig in the garden, pick flowers and when they are older, make mud cakes and grass ‘soup’ for their fantasy games.” The Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky found that children are able to rise above their average behaviour through play, notes Eaton. “It is through fantasy play that children make sense of their world. They must pretend and take on roles in order to understand. The more time children spend in dramatic play, the more they advance in terms of intellectual development and their ability to concentrate. “As a parent, it is best to curb the growing fashionable trend of extra murals for little children and allow uninterrupted time and space for fantasy play. Choose a pre-school that believes passionately in play based learning. This allows children to work through emotions such as anger, fear and jealousy, to become more self-disciplined, and to develop resilience. All these skills are essential to the development of individuals who can in future master academic challenges and live comfortably in their society.”

December 15, 2017

Deciding whether to keep a child back at school

Imagine that you are observing from the side of a swimming pool and are watching children learn how to swim. As you watch, you notice the different variety of abilities, confidence levels and fears that they display in the water. Some children seem to grasp these new skills with ease while others seem to struggle and need a bit of extra assistance and encouragement along the way. With a swimming gala looming ahead, the decision has to be made as to who is competent enough to compete at the next level, and who may need extra practice in mastering the skills that are needed. “In a scenario such as this one, it is without a doubt that any child who has not sufficiently mastered the skills at this level will become more fearful, less confident and progress slower if they were forced on to a more challenging level. They may even risk drowning in the process!” says Cindy Glass, Director and Co-founder of Step Up Education Centres. She adds that while learning to swim is not quite the same as learning to read, write and progress academically, the principal of learning any new skill is the same. “It is best to achieve sufficient mastery of each level of study before progressing to more challenging levels of learning.” Sadly, for generations, the need to repeat a school grade has been classified as a failure, leaving scores of parents and learners struggling to embrace the idea of repeating a grade to better master the necessary skills needed for the next level! “Yet, forcing a child, who is not ready, into the next grade could have a significantly negative impact on the child’s self- esteem and, worse, it could slow the learning process or even stop it altogether as the child’s struggles worsen with the pressures of the new grade!” Cindy explains. Cindy gives the following advice to parents facing the decision of whether to allow their child to repeat a grade or not: Repeating a grade is NOT a failure. It is an opportunity for a struggling learner to better master the skills he needs! If you speak of failure, your child will feel like he has, indeed, failed! Your approach to a child repeating the grade will determine your child’s reaction toward it! Discuss all available options with your child’s teachers before making a final decision. Have an open mind – remember that this is about what is best for your child. Discuss any concerns that you may have openly and honestly. Consider your child’s level of competency in the current grade. If your child is struggling significantly, he is most likely going to struggle even more so in the next grade. Consider your child’s age and physical development. Remember, always, that YOU need to decide what is BEST for your child. A child who is significantly taller or older than his upcoming classmates may feel too embarrassed for a repeat to be of any help! Make a list of all the pros and cons of your child repeating the grade or going on. Ask yourself: What is best for my child? What are the long-term benefits or harms? What would happen if I do/do not allow the repeat? “There is no denying that the decision to repeat a struggling learner is an emotionally tough one to make. Take your time and do what you feel is best for your child. Remember, how you react to the situation will set the tone for how your child responds to it!” Cindy concludes.

November 29, 2017

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement	1 year	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	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 "Analytics".
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.