Spending time in the kitchen and baking using new recipes helps children to develop a positive connection to all different types of foods. Children will also learn basic cooking skills that they can use for the rest of their lives.
our children face many challenges and obstacles as they grow and are faced with what life has to offer. She adds, “Children who have been taught the skill of resilience, are able to bounce back from stress, challenges, tragedy, trauma and adversity in more effective ways than children who do not know how to be resilient. Resilient children are more adaptable, have greater courage and are more curious when facing the world around them.”
Have you ever gazed upon a giant oak tree? These majestic trees can grow as high as 21m and as wide as 3m! In fact, the tallest oak tree ever recorded was a whopping 44m high! Their branches extend for many metres, shading the earth from the hot sun in Summer and shedding their colourful leaves in the Autumn. It is interesting to note that the grandiose oak tree started life on earth as a tiny seed. The giant tap root system was the first part of the tree to emerge at germination – tiny at first, but continually expanding. It is from this giant tap root system that the magnificent oak tree receives all the water and nutrients that it needs to grow and develop to its full potential!
What a rollercoaster of emotions the past 12 months have been! On so many levels! As a country, we’ve experienced the highs and lows that this LOADSHEDDING season has thrown at us. And it really has been up and down! An emotional rollercoaster We don’t have to think for long to see that there have been unusual levels of anxiety and stress. Even if our homes aren’t feeling particularly stressful, we’re living in a fog of global stress. This stress affects us as parents, and in so doing, rubs off onto our children. And, it’s no use denying the stress. As much as I’m a very positive person, real comfort can’t be found in empty statements with no substance – “don’t worry, everything will be okay” doesn’t really help me. Maybe I am worried and what certainty can you give me that everything will be okay? So, how do we (and in helping ourselves, help our children to) acknowledge our emotions, manage our stress and regulate our responses? Emotional intelligence I think one of the keys here is building EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE. Here’s a definition: “Emotional intelligence (otherwise known as emotional quotient or EQ) is the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict. I can only imagine Imagine a world where we all are able to use that kind of EQ effectively in managing our day-to-day lives and interactions with others. Imagine a world where our connections were defined by effective EQ. Whether in line at the grocery store, or driving in the traffic, or responding to an assertive colleague, or wrestling out differences in our family life. The positive and functional relationships that would result would be amazing! Breaking it down If the keys to developing EQ are UNDERSTANDING, USING and MANAGING emotions, then we’re going to need to learn to identify and communicate how we’re feeling. We’re then going to need to pause and reflect on how our emotions are affecting the situation / interaction that we’re in. Then, we’re going to need tools to help us respond in a helpful way. A practical example where music can help In young children, emotions often ride high in struggling to compromise or share. This causes them to feel sad or angry, and can lead to an aggressive or anti-social response. In our Wriggle and Rhyme Pre-Schools programme, we introduce our very own ROCKY the RHINO to the children. ROCKY uses his horn to charge at other animals when he’s feeling cross or threatened. We encourage the children to communicate how they’re feeling but also to think of other ways to respond to these emotions. These ways will become habits and equip them to deal with their emotions. Positive dealings won’t cause damage in their relationships or allow them to lash out in aggression. If you want to introduce your child/ren to ROCKY, you can meet him on our MUSICAL ADVENTURE, BUSH BABIES. This can be streamed on your favourite streaming service – iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify etc. More info can be found here – http://www.wriggleandrhyme.co.za/our-music Musical resources Wriggle and Rhyme has a range of musical stories which you can access on your favourite streaming service (Apple music, Spotify, iTunes, etc.) or take a look at www.wriggleandrhyme.co.za/our-music . We also have fun, musical episodes on our YOUTUBE channel “Wriggle & Rhyme SA”. Our baby and toddler music classes are available in Cape Town – RONDEBOSCH, CLAREMONT, MELKBOSSTRAND and MEADOWRIDGE. Our pre-school music classes take place at partner pre-schools across Cape Town too. Find us at www.wriggleandrhyme.co.za or on Facebook and Instagram @wrigglerhyme #wrigglerhyme
In this antenatal class, Sr Talia, explains how to treat block noses in Babies and Toddlers. Knowing when to go to the doctor and what to do at home.
Every 3 days a child is treated for serious dog bites. In 2020, 107 children were treated for dog bites and these children were between the ages of 5 and 12 years. During this month of April ChildSafe is encouraging all parents and dog owners to be aware of the risks involved with dog bites and to learn about ways they can protect children and their families from dog bite incidents. “Dog bites often happen during everyday activities among children and seniors,” says Yolande Baker, Executive Director, ChildSafe. “Certain situations can be more conducive to the risk of a dog bite. Protect your family and yourself by being familiar with preventive measures that will minimize the risk of a dog bite.” How can you protect your family Be cautious around strange dogs. Treat your own dog with respect. Because children are the most common victims of dog bites, parents and caregivers should: NEVER leave a baby or small child alone with a dog. Be alert for potentially dangerous situations. Teach children – including toddlers – to be careful around pets. Children must learn not to approach strange dogs or try to pet dogs through fences. Teach children to ask permission from the dog’s owner before petting the dog. What’s a dog owner to do? Carefully select your pet. Puppies should not be obtained on impulse. Make sure your pet is socialized as a young puppy, so it feels at ease around people and other animals. Do not put your dog in a position where it feels threatened or teased. Be calm. Always talk in a quiet voice or whisper, no shouting. Train your dog. Basic commands help dogs understand what is expected of them and help build a bond of trust between pets and people. Walk and exercise your dog regularly to keep it healthy and provide mental stimulation. Avoid highly excitable games like wrestling or tug of war. Use a leash in public to ensure you can control your dog. Keep your dog healthy. Have your dog vaccinated against rabies and other preventable infectious diseases. Parasite control and other health care are important because how your dog feels affect how it behaves. If you have a fenced yard, make sure your gates are secure. Neuter your pet. Approximately 92% of fatal dog attacks involved male dogs, 94 percent of which were not neutered. Dog bite emergencies If you are bitten, here is a checklist of things you should do: If the dog’s owner is present, request proof of rabies vaccination, and get the owner’s name and contact information. Clean the bite wound with soap and water as soon as possible. Consult your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room if it is after office hours. Contact the dog’s veterinarian to check vaccination records. For more information on prevention of dog bites, call ChildSafe at 021 685 5208 or please visit www.childsafe.org.za
Learning to count from one to ten, and later to a hundred, is an important milestone in early math development. However, it is equally important for young children to learn to understand the “how many-ness” or the value that every number represents. Teachers and therapists refer to this important school readiness skill as number concept. Grade R’s typically count to a hundred, but few truly understand the quantities that different numbers describe. In other words, many children freeze when you ask: “If you have six balls and your friend has eight balls, who has more?” Children who don’t understand the value of numbers will naturally not be able to conjure up a mental image of two sets of objects (in this case, a set of six balls and a set of eight balls) and then compare the sets against each other to determine which one of the two is bigger or smaller. And, as a result, they won’t be able to add and subtract with understanding. It’s important to play games with your child on three levels if you want him to develop a clear understanding of the value of different numbers. Firstly, use body movements to demonstrate numbers. Secondly, provide many opportunities for him to use his hands to handle and count off certain numbers of objects. And thirdly, make sure to include games that encourage your child to visualize different numbers of objects in his mind’s eye. You can, for instance, teach a three-year old to do the following: To include body movements, ask him to move (e.g. clap, jump or twirl) one, two or three times. To incorporate the handling of objects using his hands, you can ask him to hand you one, two or three of something whenever the opportunity pops up. To involve the mind’s eye, you can place a pile of single Lego blocks, 2-block-towers and 3-block-towers in a bag and then take turns with your child to use your sense of touch to find one of each number without looking. Then arrange your towers from one to three. Games should naturally become more challenging as a child grows older. However, the basic prerequisite for success remains unchanged throughout the first seven years: the more concrete (hands-on and tangible) the experience, the easier it is to learn. Children progress from concrete functioning to abstract reasoning as they enter primary school. Children function on a concrete level up to Grade R (where they still need to touch and handle tangible objects to discover and understand ideas about those objects) before moving on to being able to fully grasp unseen ideas on an abstract level in Grade 1. Most importantly, they need time and playful practice or else they won’t grow into being comfortable in the world of representations and symbols. It’s crucial for every Grade R learner to reach the point (by the end of the year) where he or she is able to picture an image in the mind’s eye of a number line. After throwing two dice, he should be able to name the number shown on any one of them at first glance (without counting), before shifting his attention to the second dice to “count on”. In other words, if the dice landed on three and four, he could look at one and say, three”, before pointing to each of the dots on the second dice as he counts on: “four – five – six – seven … it’s seven!” (Alternatively, he could choose to start with four, and then continue with “five – six – seven” on the second dice.) He should be able to arrange the numbers 1 to 10 in order, with each of them in its proper place, based on the value that it represents. When you point to any number from 1 to 9 on the number line, he should be able to name the number that is “one bigger” or “one smaller”. As he enters Grade 1, he can learn to do this without looking. What can I expect from my child at every age along the way? Toddlers discover the meaning of “one and many” during the second year of life. Two-year olds usually learn to rote count to three and you can teach them to hand you either one or two toys. Three-year olds can be expected to count to five and they understand the concepts of one, two and three well enough to be able to hand you that many of an object. Well-developing four-year olds can be expected to rote count to 10 and count off any number of objects from 1 to 5. Most five-year olds can count to 20 and have a real understanding of numbers up to 10. Finally, a six-year old should be able to count to 100 (also in tens), count off any number of objects between 1 and 20 and arrange the numbers from 1 to 10 in order to build a number line. Learning to work with numbers is much like learning to speak a special kind of language. Learning the language of mathematics is largely about getting better at understanding the properties of numbers and recognizing relationships and patterns ever more quickly. Naturally, acquiring these skills takes time simply because learning a new language always involves building new brain wiring. Ultimately, you want your child to reach a point where navigating around in the world of numbers will become second nature to him – like a golfer’s swing. Any kind of math play is better than none, but if you want your child to benefit optimally, you’ll need to play as many age-appropriate games as possible at home from toddler stage, and repeat them often. This article is written by: The Practica Programme is a comprehensive research- and play-based home programme. This unique system has stood the test of time since 1993, and it comprises of a wooden box with specialized apparatus, parents’ guides, an advisory service and educational newsletters. From birth to 23 months of age, parents choose from a balanced selection of more than 1000 activities to develop the 14 fundamental skills age-appropriately. For children between 2 and 7 years, the 50 school readiness skills are divided into 6 groups and tackled systematically, year by year, with 10- to 20-minute games that can be adapted to a child’s level of functioning.
Young children can be burnt very quickly, and this often happens when an adult is present, so it is important to be alert. An electrical burn happens when a child touches or comes into contact with an electric current. The current passes through the child’s body and can damage organs and tissues. Damage can be mild or severe – and it can even cause death. Last year, the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital alone, treated 880 children for burns, the most common (733 children) was caused by hot liquids (such as hot water, drinks and food). A large number of the cases were treated for electrical burns. During the period between January and February in 2020 there were 5 cases treated for electrical burns. In 2021, this number has doubled to 10 cases. “Recently, we have been seeing far more electrical injuries than usual. This may be related to children spending more time at home due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. These injuries often involve the hands, resulting in severe injuries with permanent loss of function. Care givers need to remain vigilant at all times”, said Gary Dos Passos, Head of Burns Unit, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. “Most burn injuries can be avoided. Most of the burns happen in the home, specifically the kitchen. A first step to preventing burns is to make sure that the home environment is safe. Children are not always able to know when something is dangerous, so parents can start by checking every room in the house for possible burn risks to children. Electric shocks from appliances and electrical outlets and cords can burn the skin and cause tissue and nerve damage”, said Yolande Baker, Executive Director of ChildSafe. Electricity can cause different types of skin burns, depending on which skin layers are affected. The terms doctors use to describe different types of burns are: Superficial – A superficial burn affects only the top layer of the skin. The skin is red, dry, and painful. When you press on the burn, it turns white. Partial-thickness – A partial-thickness burn affects the top 2 layers of the skin. The skin is red and can leak fluid or form blisters. Full-thickness – A full-thickness burn affects all the layers of the skin. The burn does not usually hurt, because the burned skin cannot feel anything. The skin can be white, grey, or black. Here are a few safety tips for parents and caregivers to keep all children safe from electrical burns. ALWAYS: Cover unused electrical outlets with safety covers. Unplug electrical cords that are not in use, keeping electrical cords, power plugs and electrical equipment away from children. Keep electrical appliances away from sinks and bathtubs. Turn off electrical equipment that is not being used. Teach children to stay away from electrical sub-stations, electrical wires ate ground level and electrical fencing. NEVER: Overload power points or run electrical wires under carpets. Use unsafe or illegal electrical connections. Allow children to play with power points or electrical equipment. Repair faulty plugs and frayed cords immediately. For more information on injury prevention, call ChildSafe at 021 685 5208 or please visit www.childsafe.org.za
As sleep consultants we come across many instances of parents medicating their children to aid sleep. Parents are often faced with this decision, desperate for the entire family to get some much-needed sleep. There are special medical cases where medication may be needed and will be prescribed by your doctor, but for the most part healthy sleep routines and habits are NOT something that should be achieved by medicating. Sleep is essentially a learned behaviour that we can teach our babies and children. What does normal sleep look like? It is important to understand what normal sleep looks like for babies and children as it gives us a better indication of what to expect and why they wake so often, even after they are no longer feeding at night. We all sleep in cycles. We move through stages of light sleep (also referred to as Rapid Eye Movement or REM) and deep sleep. For a baby, sleep cycles are around 45 minutes and it gradually gets longer as they get older. They therefore naturally have a lot more REM sleep than we do. An adult has a sleep cycle that lasts up to 1.5 hours in length. During the newborn phase babies wake in the night for nutritional purposes. Between the age of 4 – 5 months, babies can usually manage one longer sleep period at night and the need to feed gradually reduces. Unfortunately, the night waking’s do not always end when the need to feed does. Even though sleep is a natural process and is a necessity to our wellbeing, linking sleep cycles and sleeping through the night is an essential skill that babies need to be taught. Some babies manage to do so naturally, but more often they need some help to get there. Children require 11 to 12 hours of sleep a night, with age-appropriate naps during the day. There are endless health and wellness benefits of getting the sleep we need. Growing children are at a disadvantage if they do not sleep well. It has a direct influence on their health, mood, weight, concentration, stamina and learning. What influences sleep? We need to look at sleep holistically and not in isolation. Sleep is a complex function as there are so many influencing factors in our daily life. NutritionWhen Nutrition Can Influence Sleep – Good Night (goodnightbaby.co.za) EnvironmentSetting the stage for a good night’s sleep – Good Night (goodnightbaby.co.za) RoutineYour 7- to 11-month-old baby’s sleep routine – Good Night (goodnightbaby.co.za) Sleep associationsUnderstanding the sleep training Process – Good Night (goodnightbaby.co.za) Stimulation IllnessMy great sleeper is sick – Now what? – Good Night (goodnightbaby.co.za) Trying to ‘cure’ sleepless nights by looking at sleep in isolation is treating the symptoms and not the cause. By – Dr Carla Jardine – Paediatrician All parents (including Paediatricians!) have struggled through sleepless nights with their kids. Trying to get your child to sleep through the night is one of the most exhausting phases of parenting. Many parents are tempted to try medication after endless sleep deprived nights. Unfortunately, this is never a real solution. These medications may provide a brief sense of relief when your child drifts off to sleep more easily at bedtime, but prolonged use can cause side effects and do not address the core problem…only a good routine with healthy sleep habits and sleep associations can encourage children to sleep through the night! The Common Culprits Melatonin: This is a natural hormone that is produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It controls our circadian rhythm-the natural sleep-wake cycle in our brain. When it is dark, melatonin increases, and the effect is that you feel progressively more sleepy. When it is light, melatonin decreases with the opposite effect. Some insomniacs have been found to have naturally low levels of melatonin. There are also instances when the circadian rhythm (and melatonin secretion) become disturbed, such as in shift workers, long haul flights (jet lag) and in people living in countries with extremes of either daylight hours or night hours. In these instances, a melatonin supplement is appropriate. Melatonin is a synthetic hormone and has side effects such as: headache, feelings of depression, daytime sleepiness, dizziness, stomach cramps and irritability. Melatonin has not been approved for use in children but there are certain instances where it can been used “off-label”. This is mainly in children who have ADHD or Autism. In these conditions there is often a disturbance in the sleep-wake cycle and melatonin has been of benefit. Anti-Histamines: These are medications that decrease the levels of histamine in the body. They are usually used to treat allergic conditions. The first generation of anti-histamines were found to be very sedating as a side effect. This resulted in these drugs being marketed as over the counter sleep aides. This is not however the appropriate use of these drugs, and they also have many side effects: dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, restlessness, headaches, moodiness, blurred vision and confusion. Codeine: This is usually the ingredient in pain medication that causes sedation. Codeine is a weak opioid. It can be a useful pain medication and is also sometimes used in cough mixtures as it also causes cough suppression. Some of the side effects of codeine are: lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, sedation, allergic reactions, constipation, abdominal pain or rashes. All of these common “sleep aides” have many side effects and their long term use is ill advised. Some are not tested in children at all and others should not be given to children under 2 years of age. The safest thing to do is to use medications only as prescribed by a doctor and not to improvise their use according to their sedative properties. If in doubt, always get your doctors advice! How do you teach your child to sleep? Just as we help our children master the skills of walking, talking, using manners, sharing, brushing teeth, we can teach them how to sleep well by putting down good
Getting children to do their chores is not about making our lives easier but it is about encouraging cooperation and responsibility. Our children were given tasks to do from when they were little. It started off with putting their toys away after playing and taking their plates and cups to the kitchen. They now make the beds, keep their rooms tidy and ensure that their clothes and bags are ready for school the next day. How do you get your children to do their part though, without putting up a fight? Here are some tips for getting your kids involved: Start early. Parents should try giving their children household responsibilities when they are young. They can begin to help you with small chores like keeping their books tidy on the shelf or putting their dirty clothes in the laundry basket. Most toddlers love to help their parents. Parents should take advantage of this desire and give their children small and simple tasks. As children get older they should then be given more challenging tasks. Demonstrate. Children need to know exactly what’s expected of them. Therefore, it is a good idea for parents to make sure their children know exactly what their chores are. Whenever you’re introducing a new task, make sure you teach your kids how to do it. Make sure you demonstrate the skills you want your children to learn from packing the dishwasher to making their beds. Set up a reward chart. If parents have trouble getting their children to do their chores, a reward system can be set up to encourage cooperation. A chart can be placed in a prominent location in the home. Parents can then put a sticker on the chart for each completed chore. You can then both decide what reward they will get for doing the chores properly over a set period. Don’t repeatedly remind or nag. Parents should try to avoid falling into the trap of continually reminding and/or nagging their children to complete their chores. Instead, parents should make sure that their children are given the sole responsibility for the completion of their chores. If a child forgets or refuses to do a chore, parents should say nothing and simply apply the consequences. Don’t do the chore for your child. If parents get frustrated and give in and do their children’s chores, children learn a number of things. First of all, children learn that their parents don’t mean what they say and will not follow through. Secondly, children learn that if they hold out long enough someone will do their chores for them. Parents should simply apply whatever consequences you have decided on until the child learns to complete the task. Provide lots of praise. Parents should always provide lots of praise and encouragement when their children make an effort to do their chores. Parents should keep praising, even after their children have been consistently doing a chore well. Offer choices. Allow your kids to have a say in the tasks they’ll be responsible for. One way to do this is to make a list all of the jobs that need to be completed, and allow each child to choose two or three age-appropriate tasks. Then, on “chore day,” you can each pick one or two cards and complete those jobs. Working together, you’ll have these tasks done in no time! Don’t expect perfection. Each job should be done to the best of the child’s abilities. That doesn’t mean it will be done the way mom would do it. Remember, the goal is to get them to participate. Help them feel good about their efforts. Gradually Increase Your Kids’ Responsibilities. As your children become more skilled in completing chores around the house, mix it up by introducing new tasks. For example, once your preteen has mastered packing the dishwasher, consider whether they are ready to unpack the dishes once washed and put them away. Teaching kids about chores not only helps them in their home life, but it will also bring about positive aspects in school as well. The skills and values learned by doing chores will benefit children throughout their lives. The results may not initially be perfect but over time, you’ll begin to see that your kids are getting better and better at the skills you’re teaching them.
Play skills, similar to other developmental skills, progress in complexity with time and practice. Caregiver support and their role in nurturing a child’s free play skills changes and evolves throughout the play stages. Free play allows for the development of various physical, cognitive, language and socio-emotional skills, but also contributes greatly to children’s health and well-being. Free play, with minimal adult interference, will provide them with the opportunity to work on various skills including: problem solving, creative thinking, flexible thinking, initiative and grit, self-regulation skills, working memory, sustained focus, physicality and can provide them with an opportunity to have some quiet time to soothe and calm themselves. Free play with a playmate can further see them developing various socio-emotional skills including: self-expression, negotiation, compromise, perspective taking and empathy. Important skills for the future, wouldn’t you say…? Some children are natural players, skilled at independent free play and can shift easily between free play, screens and other home activities and tasks. Other children, however, may need more support and guidance to help them to play more independently and become captains of their own play adventures. During free play a child can create, direct and adapt the play activity and play script as they engage in their play adventure. Free play is intrinsically motivated, spontaneous, not limited by a certain set of rules or directives and not necessarily reality bound. If you have a little one that requires support in developing their free play skills, have a look at some of my top tips for free play: Make free play part of your daily routine. Create a safe and calm play space, preferably screen free, that won’t interfere with the flow of their play. Don’t overwhelm with too many toys and objects. Rotate items in boxes and containers, keep a few favourites close and include open ended toys and objects, such as wooden blocks or empty boxes. After your child chooses a play prompt (or you have provided them with a few choices), allow them time and space for their idea to form. Don’t be too quick to offer your own ideas and try to limit the “adult agenda” when it comes to free play. Offer encouragement and support, but try not to ask too many questions at the start while their idea is developing. Children need a longer time to process information and for their ideas to take shape. Asking too many questions too early on may discourage them. For more tips, information and demonstrations on developing and supporting play throughout the play stages as well as other areas of child development, come join our online PlayMore platform. Visit: www.playmoreot.com or our social media platforms @playmoreot on Instagram and Playmoreot on Facebook for more information. Let’s PlayMore! Anandé from PlayMore
Choosing a baby sitter for your children can be a very daunting task. You need to find someone trustworthy, who is the right fit for your children.
When the new baby comes home, the joy and excitement can lead to the first born child (or even just older children) feeling somewhat “dethroned” and ignored. When this occurs, it is common to see changes in that child’s behaviour; they may begin to feel jealousy toward the new arrival and in some cases, may even strike out to hurt them. Others may simulate being a baby once again by crying, talking ‘baby talk,’ and even having wetting accidents. Your challenge is to find creative ways for oldest children to feel different from their siblings and to develop a sense of value to the family by implementing the following ideas: The first tip is the BIG BROTHER or BIG SISTER buttons available at most party supply stores. They were intended to make the first born child feel special when the new baby comes home, but I love the idea so much I encourage parents to use it beyond just that one special time. Find creative ways for the oldest child to assist with the new sibling, but never leave them alone with the baby. They may be able to sing to the baby, help with the bath, or be helpful in collecting items needed for the baby’s care at the moment. Carve out time to have one-on-one time alone with the other child(ren). Set up visual schedules or timers so the older child can have something to watch for to know when their special time is approaching. You may even want to consider having special toys that only come out when mom must attend to the baby. Explore holding family meetings once a week, especially if you have school age children or older. It will promote a sense of importance among all the children and will help them feel a greater sense of respect from the parent(s). The meetings can be held on the same night of the week and everyone should be included. If one person leaves the meeting, it’s over until the next meeting. Other tips for the family meeting include keeping them brief, making them fun, and being consistent, especially if some of your children are younger. It is helpful to have everyone sitting in a circle and do your best to avoid answering the door or telephone. Doing so sends a message that the family is more important than anything else. If the oldest child can write, I suggest introducing the role of THE SCRIBE, the person who serves as the meeting secretary and takes the notes of what was decided and what was said. Preserved in a tin box in my closet is a folder of meeting minutes that were taken by my oldest child throughout the years of our family meetings. The lists of rules and decisions are presented in perfect penmanship in red crayon on white-lined paper. These documents are more valuable to me than any historical parchment paper documents I could ever own. The next time you’re facing challenging behaviour, check to see if it happens to be your oldest child. Perhaps they are trying to tell you that they don’t feel so special anymore and just need some encouragement that they still matter to you.
Many people are unaware that there is a difference between a tantrum and a meltdown. While both may involve screaming, kicking, shouting, biting and even swearing, there are some fundamental differences. Tantrums involve a child who has been frustrated in their attempt to do or have something, they usually only occur with an audience and they’ll usually abate once the child has what they want. Meltdowns on the other hand are a reaction to feeling overloaded or overwhelmed and there is no end goal or need for an audience. Meltdowns are the most common complaint of parents who have children with sensory processing issues and can result from trips to the supermarket, parties, classrooms or even just a bumpy sock. Most often, these children have trouble transitioning from one activity to another and may meltdown every day when they have to move from playing to school or from bath-time to bedtime. Their brains are continuously receiving jumbled messages from their senses and just getting through the day can be incredibly frustrating and overwhelming. Because they are often not getting enough proprioception, they seek ways to stimulate their muscles and joints (which can be very calming for them) and so may seem to be in perpetual motion. They tend to be both under and over stimulated at the same time! Here are some tips both for avoiding the meltdowns in the first place, and for calming a child who is becoming over stimulated and ready to crack. Firstly, predictability is very important for these children. They need to know what is happening and what will happen next and need lots of warning if there will be changes in their routine and/or if they need to transition to a new activity or environment. Making a picture chart of their daily routine can be helpful with the little ones so that they know what to expect next. Consistency is important too. Being very consistent with rules and consequences and with your own reactions to things. Never ever restrict movement time as a punishment. I’m not a fan of punishment at all, as “bad behaviour” is really just a communication from a child that something is not right, but these children do need predictable and clear boundaries in order to feel safe. It is essential to keep their blood sugar levels stable. Low blood sugar levels can exacerbate the symptoms and meltdowns. High protein, high fat and low carb diets are ideal. Sugar is a no-go area. Having a sensory retreat can be very helpful for recovering from a meltdown. Have a quiet, dark area like a tent with lots of pillows, some soft music, a chew toy and maybe even a weighted blanket. When you’re out and about, make sure you have a bottle with ice cold water and a straw for them to drink from, keep a pack of chewy snacks like biltong, raisins etc, have a stress ball or Prestick or a strip of Velcro for them to play with, get them to carry a heavy backpack, and consider purchasing some soundproof headphones to block out excess noise. At home, useful aids include an indoor or outdoor trampoline, a weighted blanket, a pilates ball, a rocking chair or swing. They need safe ways to jump, kick, run, push, pull and punch. This could involve jungle gyms or pull up bars, or even just pushing a heavy bag around the house or pulling a heavy wagon on a walk (or even pushing the trolley or carrying heavy groceries at the shops). Bath time can be improved by scrubbing them with a rough brush or sponge or giving them a deep massage after the bath, having a massage jet spray in the bath, and buying them an electric toothbrush instead of the ordinary ones. At cooking time, give your sensory child something to do like heavy mixing, rolling of dough, carrying heavy pots or tenderising meat with a mallet. Helping around the house can also be very calming for them – get them to vacuum or move furniture so you can clean or to do the heavy digging in the garden. Playtime on rainy days can be supplemented with indoor obstacle courses or creating an indoor sandpit with beans or popcorn instead of sand and the usual cups, shovels, cars etc. Other calming tips can include using a special video or song to transition between two activities, placing a heating pad on the back of their neck, using lavender or chamomile essential oils dropped behind their ears, drinking chamomile tea, and even sandwiching them between two pillows and squashing them. There is some research now to suggest that kids with sensory processing issues have inflammation in the brain, which can be relieved by supplementing high doses of Omega 3’s and curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric). A regular probiotic can also help. It is also hugely beneficial if you are calm. Doing some deep breathing when your child is losing it will ensure that you can think clearly and come up with solutions to pull them out of their meltdown instead of joining them in it! Remember that your child is not trying to be naughty or difficult, they are genuinely struggling to keep it together in the world and to feel ok in their own skin. A bit of patience, a lot of creativity, and some forethought can go a long way towards helping these kids to get through a day without a meltdown.
Getting your toddler to go to bed can be a struggle and in some cases an all out war. Your toddler on the one hand, is learning to assert themselves and their newfound independence and control of the world around them. On the other hand, they do need routine and sleep so as parents its up to us to ensure this happens, sometimes this in no easy feat! Here are some tips to help nip these bedtime battles in the bud! Early bedtime – as your toddler get older we are often tempted to move bedtime later assuming your toddler is just not tired enough for bed, however this can actually exacerbate the problem. If your child is overtired they are more likely to fight going to sleep. Remember up until the age of 5 they still need 11-12 hours of night time sleep! Concept of Time – your child has no concept of time this is why routines are so important as they give the day structure and also help your child feel secure by knowing what is coming next. Give them pre-warning of what is going to happen. For example “we have 10 min of playtime left and then we will be going to bath” help them conceptualise the time by using a timer with an alarm, so they know when it goes off its time to get ready for the bath. Emotions – toddlers are emotional little people not logical little people and we cannot expect them to follow rules or just lay down in bed if their emotional needs are not met during the day! Find out what you little ones love language is to help fill their emotional cup and get that quality one on one time! Make it fun! – often bedtime signals the end of play time which is why your little one might be showing so much resistance. A good idea is to make a sticker chart of the steps in your bedtime routine, hang it beside your child’s bed that outlines each step of the bedtime routine. As you go through the routine, let your toddler put a sticker or a check mark beside the completed steps. All the toddlers I’ve met love this and it helps them develop a sense of independence and control over their bedtime routines and it makes it FUN. Offer choices to add to the sense of fun and independence, for example “do you want bubbles or bath salts?” or “choose two stories we are going to read tonight.” Make sure all bedtime needs are met – make sure that all your little ones bedtime needs have been met before you put her in bed for the night. Ensure that everyone who needs to be kissed goodnight has been kissed, they have had their water or sleep comforter, or whatever it is that makes your toddler feel comfortable, safe, and secure. This way, they won’t be able to use these things as excuses to call you back into the bedroom or to get out of the room! These are just small things you can do, but remember all children are different so sometimes we need to think a bit out of the box or take a different approach. Sometimes the smallest changes can make the biggest difference in their journey to better sleep. By O’hara Kydd – Good Night Consultant
Toddlers can be strong-willed, especially when it comes to sitting down and eating, which can turn mealtimes into a battle of wills. These tips will help make things a little calmer. 1. Understand your limits To minimise mealtime stress, it is important to have a clear understanding of who is responsible for deciding what – and some things, unfortunately, are beyond your control! As the parent of a toddler, you get to decide what food is prepared, when it is served, and where it is served. Your child gets to decide whether they will eat it and how much they will eat, and no amount of fighting and arguing is going to change that. There are, however, some things you can do to encourage them along the way… 2. Watch how you react The methods you use to encourage a reluctant toddler to eat their food plays an important role in their mealtime behaviour. If your child decides they don’t want to eat, do not tickle them, make them laugh, sing or dance to get them to take a bite. If you do this, it might stop them from eating next time, so that they get a little ‘entertainment’ from you. Save your praise for when they do eat – that’s when you can do a happy dance! 3. Stick to their favourites If your toddler is going through a tricky eating phase, hold off on introducing new foods. Instead, save your energy – and minimise waste – by rather serving some of their tried and tested favourites. Our Squish 100% Fruit and Veg Purees come in a variety of naturally delicious flavours, including Apple + Guava, Pear + Prune, Mango + Banana, Butternut + Carrot and Sweet Potato, Apple + Cinnamon. And our Squish Yogi range contains a mix of fruit, veg and double cream yoghurt. All Squish pouches have a convenient resealable lid, so you can just use what you need and save the rest for tomorrow. 4. Step back and see the big picture As parents it is our natural instinct to want our child to enjoy a nutritious, balanced diet, so it is natural that we feel concerned – and frustrated – when they don’t. Force yourself to stop and look at the big picture. Does it really matter if your child skips one meal? If your child is really hungry, they will eat the food that is offered to them. If your child won’t eat breakfast or lunch, make sure you have healthy snacks on hand to offer them later if they decide they are hungry. You’ll find a whole host of naturally delicious snack ideas under the Quick + Easy Recipe tab on the Squish website, all containing Squish 100% Fruit and Veg Puree as a key ingredient. Try these Mini Banana Muffins or Chocolate Popsicles, which are packed full of fruit and yoghurt. Squish 100% Fruit and Veg Purees contain no added colourants, flavouring, and preservatives, and have no added starch or cane sugar. They’re made using quality fresh fruit and veg, which means they’re as good as homemade, but without you having to lift a finger! 5. Ask for their help By getting your little one involved in mealtime prep they might feel more invested in the meal and be keen to taste their culinary creations. Prepare this Cream Cheese Dip and Crudites recipe and get them to mix the dip together, or help them cut cute shapes from their toast with a cookie cutter for this Cheesy Mixed Vegetable Egg Scramble. Even if your child still shuns the meal they helped you prepare, be sure to give plenty of praise for being such awesome kitchen helpers.
The truth is, mealtimes aren’t always fun with toddlers. Sometimes as parents we unwittingly make mistakes that can exacerbate mealtime stress. Take a read through this list and see if you recognise yourself in any of these examples – then take steps to change things. 1. XL portion sizes It’s easy to forget that our little ones need much smaller portions of food than adults. When a child sees a plate piled high with food, they can feel intimidated – and it might even result in them eating even less than they normally would. Serve your child appropriate-sized meals on a smaller plate – if they finish it all up and are still hungry, they can have seconds. Squish 100% Fruit and Veg Purees allcome with a resealable lid. This means you can just use a small amount at a time, and put the rest back in the fridge for the next meal. This saves on food waste and means you can always serve up seconds if needed. 2. Losing patience when serving new foods Toddlers are creatures of habit, and getting them to try new flavours and textures can be tricky. But don’t give up too soon – and don’t fall into the trap of simply serving your child their favourite food over and over again because it is easier than getting them to eat a varied diet. Experts say children might need to be exposed to a new food up to 10 times before they will eat and enjoy it – so try, try and try again! 3. Forcing your child to eat everything on their plate Eating should be an enjoyable activity and forcing your child to eat – or using bribery and coercion – can lead to unhealthy eating habits that your child could carry through to adulthood. Usually, if your toddler stops eating, it means their tummy is full. Rather than forcing your child to have any more, rather remove their plate and ensure you have a healthy snack to offer later when they feel hungry again. You’ll find a whole range of healthy snack recipes – all containing Squish 100% Fruit and Veg Puree – under the Quick + Easy Recipes tab on the Squish website, like these Chocolate Popsicles made using natural yoghurt, and these fruit-filled Crunchies. 4. Offering too many sugar-laden foods and snacks. Experts say that over the years there has been an increased intake of sugar by both children and adults. This led to the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommending the limit of free sugar intake in children. This does not include the sugar that occurs naturally in fruit and vegetables, but rather foods and drinks that have sugar added to them. Squish 100% Fruit and Veg Purees and Squish 100% Pressed Fruit Juices have no added sugar or starch and are free of preservatives, colourants and flavouring, so you can rest easy knowing you are making a smart choice for your little one. Setting a bad example Toddlers are expert mimics and love copying the people around them – it is also how they test and learn what is acceptable behaviour and what is not.This applies to their eating habits too. If you overindulge in sweet treats or turn up your nose at healthy food choices, it’s likely your child will follow suit. So, if you want your child to adopt healthy eating habits, make sure you are being a good role model for them.
While most parents prefer not to think of their children in potentially life-threatening situations, being prepared and knowing how to respond appropriately in the event of an accident, injury or illness is crucial for the well-being of children. These unexpected events can also place huge financial burdens on families if they are not dealt with quickly, decisively and correctly. For this reason, Bestmed Medical Scheme has introduced Best Care, a life-saving first aid series that offers insights on how parents and caregivers can better care for their families. In this article the brand offers tips on first aid kits, CPR and Wound care in collaboration with some of SA’s best paediatricians. First aid A fully stocked first aid kit is an essential item in every home, but it’s also a good idea to create a mini first aid kit that can be carried in a handbag, diaper bag or in the car for use during an emergency while out and about or on the road to your next holiday destination. According to paediatrician, Dr Enrico Maraschin, having medical tools and medication that can be used to measure and control a temperature is vital. High fevers can be dangerous to the health and wellbeing of little ones if left unattended or not properly treated. It can result in convulsions, which is a stressful event for parents to witness and support their child through. Rehydration solutions, over-the-counter medicines to bind a runny tummy and even probiotics are good items to include in your home first aid kit for children, in case your child is exposed to a virus or bacteria that can cause diarrhoea and sometimes vomiting. Antiseptic creams, bandages to wrap wounds and a small pair of scissors to cut bandages may also come in handy in case of a fall or injury, and keep safety pins, an eye patch and adhesive dressings packed too. CPR Knowing how to resuscitate a child who is choking or having difficulty breathing is a necessary first aid skill that every parent and caregiver should possess, as it could help keep them alive until emergency services arrive. Resuscitation is necessary when a child appears unresponsive, has collapsed or is gasping for air and struggling to breathe. It’s always best, of course, to intercede and assist a child as early on as possible – always take signs of breathing difficulty seriously and don’t wait for the child to collapse before taking action. The first abbreviation to keep in mind is SSS – Safety, Shout and Stimulate. Safety: Look at the immediate environment around you and ascertain whether it’s safe to attend to the child here or if they need to be moved to safety. It might seem simple enough, but in a moment of panic it’s easy to lose sight of this very important step. Shout: Call for help from people nearby, phone the emergency services or get someone to call an ambulance for you. Stimulate: Check if the child is responsive by gently tapping their arm, stroking their face or speaking to them. If the child does not groan or move and is unresponsive, quickly move on to the ABC. ABC is a CPR abbreviation that stands for Airway, Breathe, and Circulation. Airway: Make sure the child’s head and neck are aligned and that their body is positioned in a straight position – don’t let the neck flex as this prevents air from reaching the lungs. Breathe: In the case of infants and babies, place your mouth over their nose and mouth to create a seal. For bigger babies and children, pinch the nose and place the mouth over just their mouth. Circulation: There are three steps involved in this section: Step one: Take a breath and breathe into the mouth, making sure that the chest rises. Step two: Wait for the chest to deflate to normal position Step three: Repeat the first step. You can continue this cycle five times. If the child is still not responsive, move on to chest compressions. While the technique varies between younger and older children, the gist remains the same. For infants, use two fingers or a hand circling technique to apply compressions. For older children who are above the age of one, use one or two hands curled around the other to press on to the breastbone (the same would apply for an adult). Use quick compressions, positioning yourself directly over the chest and keeping the elbows straight. “You need to do the compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 seconds. Singing a song like ‘Staying Alive’ in your head and compressing to the beat will help you to do this,” says paediatrician, Dr Kevanya Coopoo. Alternate between compressions and administering rescue breaths, and continue this until help arrives, the child is responsive, or you are too fatigued. “I always recommend that families go for basic life support courses. Have a look at the Resuscitation Council of South Africa’s website for a range of courses to choose from,” says Dr Coopoo. She adds that this ensures all members of the family are aware of safety practices and are able to help one another in a crisis. For younger children, teach them the phone numbers of emergency services so that they can call for help in an emergency. Wound care Accidents happen, and when they do, they may result in wounds that require proper care and treatment to ensure they heal well. A wound is any break in the skin or injury to the tissue. It can be open (in the case of the skin being penetrated or cut) or closed (if there’s damage to underlying tissue). “If there’s bleeding, compress the wound with a clean cloth or gauze for a few minutes until the bleeding stops. Then rinse off with clean running tap water for a few minutes. Now, clean the wound by using an alcohol-sterilised pair of tweezers to pick out any debris,” says Dr Coopoo. Dr Coopoo adds that the wound would most likely be moist at
As first-time parents, as you get into the groove of caring for your gurgling bundle of joy, you will need to prepare ahead of time for your next baby milestone, that of teething, which usually occurs around six months of age. While the appearance of those first red bumps on their lower gum is a sign your little one is growing and developing, it also brings with it a slew of symptoms as your infant experiences pain for their very first time. Be aware that teething usually coincides with the start of separation anxiety as baby’s emotional needs start to develop too. Knowing the signs, planning for the symptoms, and soothing responses required from mom and dad by their side, will ensure teething is a natural growth spurt handled with love, care, and knowledge-based safety. Baby’s First Experience of Teething Pain Baby’s first signs of early-stage teething include irritability, disrupted sleep, swelling and sore inflamed gums, drooling, reduced appetite, mild temperature, increased biting, gum-rubbing and sometimes ear-rubbing. Teething does not cause fevers and diarrhoea. If your baby has a temperature above 38 degrees Celsius and has diarrhoea, you need to speak to a medical professional. Not all babies’ teeth to a timeline however and teething can start as early as 4 months or as late as 13 months of age in some children. The bottom incisors or two lower front teeth usually appear first, followed by the top incisors. Next to appear are the canines, also known as eye teeth. Then, anywhere between baby’s first and third birthday, eight molars will appear, as the biggest teeth, this is said to be the most challenging and painful stage of infant teething. Teething & Infant Tooth Decay Many parents are not aware that children’s baby teeth are at risk of decay and tooth cavities can start as early as 6 months, with cavities forming faster in baby teeth than in adult teeth. Putting a child to bed with a bottle each night can cause more severe, rapid tooth decay as milk, formula or juice soak the thin enamel of the baby teeth in sugar for many hours. The same is true for breastfeeding infants who fall asleep while nursing with unswallowed milk remaining in their mouth. Start cleaning your baby’s teeth as soon as their first tooth appears. Early signs of decay include white spots which begin to form on the teeth in affected areas which means the enamel is starting to break down. An early cavity is light brown in colour, turning a darker shade of brown to black. Cavities are infectious and can spread, sometimes causing infections in the adult teeth growing beneath then. If left untreated, cavities in baby teeth can cause more significant infections such as dental infections and cause long-term issues for your child’s oral future. Use a soft infant toothbrush and toothpaste made for children to clean their teeth regularly. If your baby does not like a toothbrush in their mouth, use a clean, damp face cloth or gauze to wipe the front and back of each tooth. How to Safely Soothe Teething Pain Away: #LoveMeDo Extra comforting or one-on-one play time with your baby can distract them from the pain in their gums and help them to feel loved and safe. #TrustedTeethingTools Invest in a choice of superior quality teething rings. Paediatrician-approved teething remedies include chewing on something cold. Not all teething rings are created equal however and you will need to consider if it is made from safe materials, is easy to clean and mould is prevented from growing inside. BPA free and suitable for children from 0+, the Infantino Chew and Play Ring Teether R104.95 (main picture) is an all-around activity teether which is soft and flexible with an easy-to-grab shape, soothing textures and spinning rings and covered soft teeth able areas. Babies are drawn to bold colours, playful prints, and soft fabrics and the cute and friendly Infantino Cuddly Teether Penguin R169.95 features unique textures and crinkle sounds baby will love exploring. It encourages sensory development, and along with mobiles and overhead gyms can be helpful in encouraging eye tracking. The 3-stage Infantino Crystal Clear Teether Set R198.95 is a lovely gift set for first time parents as they tackle the three stages of teething with a BPA, PVC, dye, and phthalate-free teether full of textures and shapes needed to meet all stages of teething. This 100 % pure teether cools in the refrigerator providing extra comfort and is easy for small hands to grasp with interesting textures which relieve sore gums. Most importantly, they are also easy to keep clean. #TastyTeetherTreats When no help is at hand, you can massage baby’s gums with a clean finger to relieve the pressure of the tooth pushing through. You can also warm a face cloth or dip it in chamomile tea and give it to your baby to chew on. Freeze breast milk into ice cubes to distract baby and calm sore gums. You can also give them cool or frozen foods such as carrots, bananas, or apples which are safe for your baby to gnaw or gum on. Happy Family Organics provides delicious safe snacks and a teether with their Happy Baby Teether Sweet Potato and Banana R157.40 with 12 x 2 packs per box made with jasmine rice flour and a touch of organic fruits and veggies, which dissolve easily, making them a perfect first snack for baby’s developing gums. The Happy Baby Teether Crackers R157.40 with Strawberry & Beet with Amaranthus an easily dissolving cracker made with ancient grains and organic fruits and veggies, which is not only tasty for baby, but easy on their gums and encourages self-feeding. All the Happy Family Organics baby products are gluten-free, Kosher, certified organic, contain no GMO or high fructose corn syrup, artificial food colourants or flavourings. #DroolersDelight Keep baby comfortable by keeping them dry. Drool creates constant moisture around their hands and face which can cause a wet rash around their mouth,
Children are increasingly suffering from low muscle tone, low memory, poor speech, poor vocabulary, poor motor planning, and lack of proprioception or spatial awareness. Mostly because many children spend hours in front of computers, IPads, or television instead of playing. Most people are unaware of is the impact playing has on a child’s development. A child’s motor skills develop from the outside in. When babies lie on the ground and kick and punch the air, their muscles are becoming stronger. According to a recent article by Pamela Li, MS, MBA (Importance of play in Early Childhood), “an infant’s brain is equipped with an abundance of brain cell connections (synapses). Synapse overproduction allows information captured from the early years to build a foundation for the brain.” A study showed that a child’s language skills improved when a mother interacted with her baby when they started playing with toys. She would tell the child what the toy was and what it did. When the child was tested 3 months later, they had better language skills. (Newland LA, Roggman LA, Boyce LK. The development of social toy play and language in infancy.) When adults talk to them, read to them, and play with them babies’ brains are stimulated. Children need to run, climb, push, pull, cycle and jump before they can draw. This helps with Gross motor development. Children need to have strong gross motor skills before they can do small motor tasks such as drawing, cutting, and writing. They also need to play with materials like play dough, blocks, bean bags, skipping rope, monkey bars, push bikes, water, sand, and foam, to name a few. Play develops: Brain growth. Improves intelligence. Sparks creative thinking. Improves communication, vocabulary, and Language. Promotes impulse control and emotion regulation. Grow social competence and empathy. Better physical and mental health. Teach life lessons. Strengthen relationships with caretakers and peers. Play, takes so many forms, physical play (dancing, ball games, movement activities), Social play (playing with other children or adults), Constructive play (drawing, music, crafts, and building), Fantasy play (imagination, dress-up, dramatization), Games with rules (board games, Simon says, musical chairs, dominoes, etc.) Courtesy – HSE LIVE – We’re here to help. We could write and talk about this topic forever as I feel very strongly about it. Even more so being an online teacher. I try to incorporate as many games and movement activities as I can in my lessons. This also helps with children’s concentration. According to https://publications.aap.org a pediatrics article – “Playing allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity and physical, cognitive and emotional strength. Play is important to healthy brain development. It is through play that children at a very early age engage and interact in the world around them.” So, Moms and Dads, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, the washing, and cleaning can wait for a while. Rather play with your precious little ones. They grow up too quickly. Tracey Binge – A teacher at Evolve Online School
As parents, we all want our children to grow up with a lifelong love for learning and fun. One of the best ways to foster this is to encourage a child’s natural curiosity by learning through play. Science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (S.T.E.A.M) toys have been proven to simultaneously strengthen these skills while providing a unique opportunity to understand how all the disciplines interact and instilling a love of learning that aids in skill development, creativity and problem-solving. Child psychologists and experts agree that early childhood is the best time for children to be exposed to these concepts and that strengthening learning through play in early childhood is vital to activate their interest in these subjects by introducing these concepts from a young age. “It’s never too soon to expose young kids to S.T.E.A.M-related concepts through play,” says Catherine Jacoby, Marketing Manager at Toys R Us. “S.T.E.A.M toys are excellent tools to introduce your little one to the fundamental concepts of science, technology, engineering, art and maths and provide a variety of opportunities for hands-on learning.” She says that playing with S.T.E.A.M toys can be a great way to encourage your child’s natural curiosity. “During the formative years, the development of cognitive skills, emotional well-being, social competence and sound physical and mental health builds a strong foundation for success well into the adult years.” According to UNICEF, play is an essential strategy for learning, the early formative years really matter. “Scientific research over the past 30 years has taught us that the most important period of human development is from birth to eight years old,” comments Jacoby. “While learning takes place throughout life, early childhood learning through play is one of the most important ways in which young children gain essential knowledge and skills,” she explains. “It’s for this reason that learning opportunities that promote play, exploration, hands-on learning is at the core of a young child’s development.” Jacoby adds that S.T.E.A.M toys are designed to encourage active and interactive engagement. “They inspire children to discover more about the world and themselves about active play, which means children interact with the toys in a whole new way.” S.T.E.A.M. toys are not only fun, but they also help in four key developmental areas such as confidence, critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. “These focused activities provide children with plenty of opportunities for creative thinking, which helps them develop skills in the areas of problem-solving, spatial reasoning, engineering concepts, and more,” she adds. She says that popular S.T.E.A.M. toys include those that allow children to: explore space, learning cause and effect, discovering the body, experiencing how nature grows and visualising complicated physics concepts.” In addition to these concepts, some of our most popular S.T.E.A.M toys include: Science: Orboot Dinos AR Globe by PlayShifu: Technology: Educational and Bilingual Laptop French/English: Engineering: Alexander Constructor Vehicles and Robots: Art: Re-Cycle-Me S.T.E.A.M Collection Science: Maths: Monopoly: For more information visit: www.toysrus.co.za
Planning a birthday party for your little one is special – it’s a chance to gather family and friends to celebrate their important milestone. Add these fruit and veggie filled snacks to the birthday spread – your little guests will love them. APPLE, GUAVA AND YOGHURT POPS These refreshing treats are perfect for a summer party. All you need is Squish 100% Pressed Fruit Juice and Squish 100% Fruit Puree. Squish juices are pressed from 100% fruit and veg, and are preservative free, making them the smart choice for your little one – and their friends! Ingredients 65 ml (¼ C) Squish 100% Pressed Apple Juice 110 ml Squish 100% Apple, Guava + Yoghurt Puree Method Mix together the juice and puree until well blended. Pour the mixture into popsicle moulds. Freeze until firm. TIP: For variety, try this combo – Squish 100% Pressed Summer Berries Juice and Squish 100% Banana + Strawberry Puree CHEESY VEG BALLS These moreish snacks are packed with veg – make sure you double the recipe, because the grownups will love them too. You can use any Squish 100% Veg Puree in the recipe – or make up the amount mixing the various Squish purees you have left in the fridge. Squish 100% Fruit and Veg Purees are free from nasties like preservatives, colourants and flavourants – plus they have no added sugar – making them the smart choice for parents. Ingredients 1 cup cheese 1 Squish 100% Veg Puree of choice, the Mixed Veg one works really well ¼ small onion, finely grated 2 cups breadcrumbs (simply put several slices of bread into your processor and blitz) ½ cup wholewheat flour 2-3 large courgettes, finely grated 2 large carrots, finely grated ½ clove garlic, grated 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil 1 teaspoon dried herbs Method Combine all the ingredients and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Roll into small balls. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 20-25 minutes. You can make a quick dip by combining smooth cottage cheese and Squish 100% Veg Puree. TIP: These can be cooked in an air-fryer – they’ll need 8 minutes. SQUISH CHOCOLATE BROWNIES Here’s a fun idea for an easy birthday ‘cake’: create a tower of brownies, dust with icing sugar and edible glitter, then pop a candle on top! Ingredients ½ cup melted coconut oil ¾ cup wholewheat flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ cup of granulated sugar (You could also use honey or maple syrup) 2 large eggs ¾ cup of cocoa powder 1 Squish 100% Fruit Puree of your choice 2 large courgettes, finely grated chocolate chips Method Mix the eggs, vanilla essence and puree. Add the melted oil (at room temp) then mix in your sugar or honey. Add the grated courgettes. Give the mixture a good stir before adding the flour, cocoa and baking powder. Mix well then spread into a baking pan lined with baking paper. Sprinkle with choc chips before placing into a preheated oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 180 °C. Less is usually best! TIP: No courgettes? Use grated carrot instead. For more party snack recipes packed full of goodness, visit squish.co.za.
Why do you always hear Sensory play so much in Pre-school? Sensory play forms part of playing. It plays a big role in a child’s development from an early age. That is why we, as teachers, always say that children learn through play. It helps children to develop neuropathways and better comprehend classroom subject matter such as language and motor skills Throughout the world, there are four different ways to learn things, which is also called the VARK method. 1. V for Visual learner (eyes/sight), 2. A for Auditory learner (ears/hearing), 3. R for Reading and Writing learner (eyes/hands) and 4. K for Kinesthetic learners (whole body/physical/hands-on) or a combination of these Our five senses are used when we take part in sensory play, which stimulates the neuro system. This is very important because having different senses stimulated allows children to learn and figure out through which sense they learn best. How can you, as a parent, make a sensory bin at home? You will need a large container where children can explore space, measurement, and textures (www.himama.com) and use their five senses. You don’t always need to add all five senses at once. Fun, interactive, and messy are a must. The messier, the better (sorry, Moms!). You can include the following items in your sensory bin: beads, cotton, cups, feathers, flour, flowers,measuring tools, play dough, raw and cooked spaghetti/pasta, rice, wool, etc. What does a sensory bin look like? https://i.pinimg.com/236x/5f/3d/d2/5f3dd2c9fb56d0fcf60b7a1465a3330c.jpg
Picture walking along with your toddler – he stumbles and your first reaction is to pull him up by his arm to prevent any grazed knees. However you may have caused more damage by that simple reaction. Dislocation of the elbow joint is commonly referred to as Pulled Elbow. A baby’s bones, ligaments and joints are not formed properly and when pulling them up by the arm, a partial dislocation of the elbow can occur. The two lower bones of the arm – the radius and ulna are held together with ligaments and the younger the child, the looser the ligaments. When a young child is pulled up by his arm, this loose ligament moves up over the radius causing the radial bone to shift out of place becoming partially dislocated. This commonly occurs in children aged 1 to 4 years of age but can also happen to younger babies. Whilst this injury most commonly causes injury to the elbow you can also cause neck injuries. Babies initially have weak neck control and big heads compared to the size of their bodies and by pulling him up by the arms, his neck may fall backwards causing injury to the neck muscles. Support baby’s head and neck when picking him up until he is old enough to hold his head steady by himself. A pulled elbow will hurt with movement and you will notice that your child won’t move his arm but rather let it slump slightly at his side. If you suspect your child has a pulled elbow, then he needs to be taken to a doctor who will manoeuvre it back into place. A pulled elbow will not cause any long term damage if treated quickly. Recovery is fast but your child may need to take some pain medication for a couple of days. To stop this from happening make sure that you do not pick up your child by the lower arms or wrists. It is best to lift them up by their armpits. Show grandparents or caregivers the correct way to pick up your child. As the child gets older, the ligaments start to tighten and this type of injury rarely occurs after the age of 5 years. Here are some guidelines for parents and care givers on how to prevent a pulled elbow: Never pick a child up by pulling on one arm or wrist. Don’t swing a toddler around by holding onto his hands or arms. When lifting a child up, grasp them under the arms, never lift them up by pulling or jerking on their arms.
At Good Night, the basis of our methods and processes are the building blocks of good quality sleep. The reality is that even though sleep is quite natural, it is also quite complex. Getting your baby to sleep better, is often not just one thing but a combination of things that need to be in place. These ‘things’ we refer to as the building blocks of sleep. Over many years and many clients, we have also realised that not only do the building blocks matter, the sequence of how they are implemented also matters. Some building blocks might be easier to implement, but it does not make them less important. In fact, these easier building blocks, are the blocks that hold it all up! Just like a house you will start with the foundation and build your house from the ground up! This is the most responsible way to do it, as you can cause unnecessary crying or protest. You can’t implement a bedtime routine, without having a sleep space (environment) in place. You can’t expect your baby to have a ‘normal’ routine and schedule during the day if they are ill (other). You cannot sleep train your baby (creating sustainable sleep associations), if you give them Coca-cola before they go to sleep (nutrition). Other Factors: these are factors that can influence sleep and cause wake ups but are beyond our control as parents. Such as if your baby is ill or has allergies. It is always advised to first get the all clear from your paediatrician before making any major changes for your baby/toddler. Environment: The most important part about environment is safety! Keep in mind the ABC’s of safe sleep: Your baby should be alone, on their back and in a safe cot. Nutrition: the classic chicken-egg-scenario. If your baby is hungry, they will be waking up at night, but if your baby is not sleeping well, it could have an impact on their feeding during the day. Bedtime routine: The single most important thing to implement for your baby/toddler, a bedtime routine that is not too long and not too late. Routine and schedule: sleep begets sleep, your baby/toddler needs enough sleep during the day to ensure that they are not over tired at bedtime, causing them to struggle to fall asleep and to stay asleep. Creating sustainable sleep associations: Aka sleep training, the methods we use to teach babies/toddlers to fall asleep on their own. It is possible to implement all of these at the same time, in fact in some cases it is advisable, but whether you do sleep training or NOT, implementing the building blocks in the right way can BETTER your families sleep. By Jolandi Becker – MD of Good Night
This is one of the most common questions posed to a speech therapist. As a parent, if this questions has come to your mind – this indicates a certain level of concern for your child which is a great start. An open minded parent, who shows keen interest in their child’s developmental milestones, is the beginning of a child’s progress. Being in denial about any delay in your child’s milestones is more detrimental to your child than the actual delay itself. For any concern, assistance is always available. Trust your gut feeling – motherly instincts are there for a very good reason, listen to it. At the end of this article we share a fun activity to encourage your child to make verbal requests in various lengths with the final aim being – “Mommy, may I have more chocolate pizza please” The standards that we have for our children differ according to various factors. Two parents, who may have had a rough childhood financially, could have opposing views regarding money when it comes to their own children. One parent may feel that their children need to value money in the same way hence they limit their spending and have a set amount of allowance they receive. The other parent may feel that they do not want their child to be ‘deprived’ the way they were hence they have no limits regarding how much money their child receives. Both parties need to have a common ground to avoid conflict in their relationship and the relationship they have with their child. You might be wondering – what does this have to do with my child’s speech development? In the same way 2 parents can have different opinions regarding finances, 2 parents can also have different opinions whether a child’s speech is delayed “just like so and so’s son” or a visit to a speech therapist is compulsory. Depending on who you ask, the stage of “talking” is interpreted differently. For some, it may be when a child starts using vocalisations such as /nana/ whilst others it could be when a child uses a two-word utterance such as /baba gone/. The former is known as babbling which begins around the age of 4 months and the latter is achieved by 18 months. Before we discuss these milestones in greater detail, let’s understand the difference between speech and language. As elaborated in our May edition, All You Need to Know About Speech Therapists, “speech” is the actual sounds that emanate from the mouth. Disorders of speech can include stuttering, a lisp, apraxia, dysarthria. “Language” is a system of communication made up of written text and sounds. Language is further broken down into receptive and expressive language. A child who can follow age appropriate verbal instructions but is unable to express himself verbally is said to have delayed expressive language development. At birth, your new-born’s sole method of communicating hunger, pain and discomfort is by crying (see Dunstan baby language by Priscilla Dunstan as featured on the Oprah Winfrey show). Cooing and laughter are 2 reflexes that a baby can’t control i.e. it happens naturally. Playing the game peek-a-boo is an ideal way to stimulate these reflexes in children 4 – 12 months. They would laugh (sometimes uncontrollably!) at almost any silly sound that you make. Just as walking is preceded by crawling, so too is talking preceded by babbling. For some babbling are the non-sense sounds which babies make that have the ability to melt anyone’s heart. Ironically, we can’t wait for babies to start talking, however once they are older and the questions don’t stop – we wish they would keep quiet. 4 – 5 months Simple babbling Ba – na – da Your child discovers s/he has a “voice” and will experiment with pitch, volume, tone etc 6 – 7 months: Reduplicated babbling (repeated the same sound) Baba – nana – mama – dada A string of the same sound may be repeated e.g. mamamamama 8 – 9 months: Variegated babbling (repeating different sounds) Maba – daba – bana 10 – 11 months: Jargon 12 month: First meaning word By the age of 12 months, your child will understand more words than they can say i.e. their receptive language will be greater than their expressive language. As parents, it is tempting for us to respond to our children’s non-verbal cues as compared to prompting them for a verbal response. Let’s explain further using a practical example Scenario 1 Ten-month old Ben was playing with a soft ball which has rolled under the bed. His mother noticed that the ball has disappeared. Without saying a word, she reaches under the bed to get the ball and pass it to Ben. Ben’s mother could have used verbal and non – verbal communication which requires minimal effort but has a profound impact on Ben’s development. Scenario 2 Ten-month old Tom’s mother, Sarah, noticed that his favourite toy fell off the table. She turned to Tom and asked, “Where is your toy” while using exaggerated facial expression, a questioning tone of voice and arms in the air. Sarah then puts her hand over her mouth and says “Oh-o!” with her other hand on her hip. By now Tom is carefully examining his mothers body language and taking cues from her tone of voice that something is wrong. Sarah then repeats the words “Gone!” in a stern tone a few times. Tom is making association between his mothers body language, tone of voice and choice of words. Sarah decides to let Tom crawl on the floor and look for his toy. He finds his toy and exclaims by saying ‘bababa’. Sarah then takes the toy away from him and places it behind her back, out of Tom’s sight. She asks Tom again, “Where is your toy”. Only once his facial expression changes does she repeat the words “Gone!” using the same tone of voice and facial expression as before. Sarah has used the opportunity to expand her child’s
My kids are 2, 4 and 6 years old and I wanted to help moms out with an idea of what your evenings could look like with a consistent routine that your children can know and become used to. By knowing what to expect, as each night is more or less the same, my kids don’t argue or negotiate what to do or not do, as we have done the routine since they were babies. We have dinner when dad gets home from work around 5:00/5:30 p.m. After dinner, we do some sort of activity, which usually lasts for 15−20 minutes. We either go outside and play, throw the ball for our dog, swing or jump on the trampoline (the kids, not us adults!). Or, on long summer days, we go for a walk around the block. After this, we go inside and all three kids jump into the bath at around 18:00/18:15 p.m. While they bath, I get their clothing ready – nappy for little one and PJs. I set up their essential-oil owl diffusers (I find this is super helpful with snotty noses and change of season as well as dry air) and take the towels back to the bathroom, while dad stands in the doorway watching them. They play and the splashing often gets a little out of hand; we wash them and then wrangle them out the bath by 18:30 p.m. We apply cream, do meds and get dressed. We then all read a story or two (sometimes three, if they get their way) on one bed. After the story, it is lights out. We all say good night and my husband often sits with the older two for a few minutes (my 4- and 6-year olds share a room, each with their own bed) and I take our 2-year old to bed. I tuck her in with her bunny and also sit with her or stand by the door for a few minutes. Most nights, all the kids are asleep by 7:00 p.m. In summer, we put the fans are on, which helps with a bit of white noise, and in winter, we have wall heaters to take the chill off the air. I dress my kids in warm fleece onesies in winter because they generally do not sleep under their blankets, and before I go to bed myself each night, I check on them and put a blanket over them, as being cold can cause early wakings with babies and children. When they were smaller they still had sleeping bags. We try keep our bedtime routine, from bath to lights out, within 30 minutes. Research shows that our body’s melatonin is at its highest point within 30 minutes of having had warm water on our bodies, and I have seen that this really does help my kids calm down and get sleepy. With only one child, you can really create a SPA type of environment with dimmed lights and calming music. But as they grow and are more mobile or when you start to have more kids in the bath-time routine, it is quite unrealistic to expect your kids to not splash and be loud at bath time. Having a consistent routine allows my children to know what is coming next and that bedtime with lights off is at the end of the routine. To summarise: WHY a bedtime routine is needed: A consistent bedtime routine is vital for good sleep health, for both children and adults. The consistency of a bedtime routine helps your baby or child prepare for sleep and to know that sleep is coming. It also helps with melatonin production. WHEN a bedtime routine should be done: If you aim for bedtime to be between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., you need to aim for 30 minutes before that. HOW a bedtime routine should be done: I love reading that “a bedtime routine should be relaxing and a SPA-like environment should be created” (at Good Night, we even used to advocate this). And yes, that is a lovely idea and would help with prepping the brain for sleep and allow your baby to feel super relaxed and calm. It could also be achievable when you have only one child, but throw three children in the bath together and the noise and atmosphere will be more like varsity-locker-room vibes than a SPA. Load shedding added to the mix can spice up your night, especially as it is getting darker earlier as winter approaches. I use a lamp to have light in the bathroom. I also need to be a little more prepared with turning our geyser on earlier so our water is warm and making sure the clothing is out so I don’t need to use my cell phone flashlight to find the PJs in the dark. But my kids are so used to load shedding that it doesn’t cause too many issues; they just know that we need to then tell and not read a story in the dark. Below are just the basic points of what a bedtime routine can look like. Bedtime routine: Bath Dress in PJs Read a story Hugs and kisses Lights off Being able to have all three of our children bath and do their bedtime routine together was what we wanted as a family, firstly to create a time of bonding and secondly for practical reasons. When my husband works late, I need to be able to independently bath and put to bed all three of my kids together and bathing and dressing them one by one is way too exhausting and drawn out. Having all three of our kids bath together works for us, even though that creates lots of noise, wet floors and chaos. We embrace the chaos and noise and allow the warm water temperature to do its work on the brain (temperature change signals the brain to release melatonin) regardless of the splashing and loud fun being had by all three children. By Megan
Nutrition is one of the most important things to get right when your child starts eating.
These one bowl meals will be gobbled up by your toddler and are packed full of natural goodness. As busy parents we don’t always have time to prepare an elaborate meal at the end of a non-stop day, but we do want to make sure that our little ones are getting all the goodness they need to grow big and strong. These one bowl meals are a simple solution and freeze well, so you can make ahead and freeze in portion sizes for grab-and-heat meals. Serve with a box of Squish 100% Pressed Fruit Juice – they are preservative free and have no added sugar – and that’s it, supper sorted! BUTTERNUT AND CARROT MASHED POTATO This is hearty enough as a meal all on its own, but if you have leftover chicken or tuna in the fridge you can add it into the mix for added flavour and protein. Ingredients 1 cup mashed potato 1 x 110 ml Squish 100% Butternut + Carrot Puree Optional: Steamed tenderstem broccoli for dipping Method Heat mash in microwave and stir through Squish Puree. Steam broccoli and serve alongside mash as dippers. CHICKEN AND SWEET POTATO RISOTTO This tasty risotto includes Squish 100% Pear + Sweet Potato Puree. Sweet potato contains beta carotene and vitamin C which helps keep the immune system strong. Squish 100% Fruit and Veg Purees are a smart choice for your growing child – they are made with fresh fruit and vegetables and are free of nasties like colourants, flavourants and preservatives, and have no added sugar. This recipe makes 4-6 portions which means you can freeze the leftovers for super-easy suppers when time is short. Ingredients 2.5 ml (½ tsp) butter 65 ml (¼ cup) risotto rice 375 ml (1½ cup) vegetable stock, warmed 1 chicken breast, steamed and shredded 1 x 110 ml pouch Squish 100% Pear + Sweet Potato Puree Method Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add the risotto rice and stir to coat all the grains. Add 65 ml (¼ cup) of stock and stir gently until the liquid is absorbed by the rice. Continue cooking and stirring, adding one measure of stock at a time until the rice is tender. Stir in the shredded chicken and Squish Puree then remove from heat. Veggie Mac and Cheese Everyone loves mac and cheese! We’ve sneaked in a healthy dose of veg making it even more delicious and packed full of natural goodness. This recipe includes Squish 100% Butternut + Carrot Puree, but you can switch it up by trying a different flavour like Mixed Vegetable or Apple, Sweet Potato + Sweetcorn. Ingredients 1 x 110 ml Squish 100% Butternut + Carrot Puree 250 ml (1 cup) milk Salt and freshly cracked black pepper 250 ml (1 cup) cooked macaroni pasta, drained 125 ml (½ cup) cheddar cheese 65 ml (¼ cup) cream cheese 1 ml (¼ tsp) ground nutmeg 65 ml (¼ cup) breadcrumbs 15 ml (1 Tbsp) butter Method Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Mix the Squish Puree and milk together, then add the drained pasta. Add the cheddar and cream cheeses and stir well to combine. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Spoon into ramekins, top with breadcrumbs and a dot of butter. Bake in an oven pre-heated to 180°C for 20 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Weighted blankets and toys are designed to help children and adults with difficulties such as anxiety, hyperactivity and sleeplessness to attain a calm and relaxed state. The added weight provides deep pressure input, which is interpreted by the proprioceptive system. Our proprioceptors are sensory receptors located in our muscles and joints. This system helps us feel the position of our bodies in space. Proprioceptive or ‘deep pressure’ input is calming and organising to our bodies. For the same reason, we like firm hugs when we are in distress, bite our nails or chew gum when we are anxious, and why babies suck dummies and fingers. All of these activities are using the proprioceptive system for calming. Deep pressure is also an essential part of child development. It is present for the entire period in utero and helps keep baby content in the womb. When the baby is born, they are no longer held within the tight cocoon of the womb space. Providing the same kind of pressure to their bodies helps them feel comforted and secure. It also helps to carry them over during sleep cycles, meaning they won’t need to wake up for comfort when moving from one sleep cycle to the next. Weighted blankets also provide what is called a ‘grounding effect’. They help children and adults to feel safe and secure at night, by helping them feel more grounded. There is also less chance of rolling over and the blanket slipping off, or your child kicking it off at night and then crying to be recovered. For toddlers and children, the extra weight when carrying the toy or blanket stimulates the proprioceptors, giving them more opportunity to learn about their body position in space. Heavy muscle work by carrying these items is also calming and organising. Weighted items also provide input to the tactile system-our sense of touch. While light, unexpected touch is alerting and can be irritating, deep, constant touch is calming and comforting. Children often need this constant deep touch to remain calm, and stay asleep. Weighted items can also be very effective within the school environment. Weighted lap pads are designed to be worn over the lap in class by the restless, fidgety or anxious child. The weight helps the child remain seated for longer periods, and can benefit concentration.
