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Recently my daughter and I have been on a bit of a Roald Dahl binge. It started with ‘The Giraffe, The Pelly and Me’ and slowly we have worked our way through a large array of them with more to come shortly:
- The BFG
- The Witches
- Matilda
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Fantastic Mr Fox ( one of my daughter’s favorites)
Since my daughter was very little (in fact from the time she was born) I have been reading to her. Its amazing how reading to your child at such a young age, even is he or she does not understand the wording at the time, extends their vocabulary at a rapid rate. I will never forget the day she came to me and said her first proper full sentence, it was “Mommy, the flower is beautiful” she was just over a year old at the time and it was one of the proudest moments of my life and it just keeps getting better. Why just yesterday, my daughter’s teacher came to me and remarked on her fantastic behaviour in the middle of the mayhem that transpired (I don’t have the exact details on this but it sounded pretty raucous). She got up, removed herself from the situation, quietly sat down and read a book until things calmed down with the other kids. I don’t know if I have mentioned it, but we don’t have DSTV or even normal free stations on our TV set. In fact the last time I watched TV was in March of this year. So we keep a large array of movies instead. Perhaps that is helping the interest in books along?
Besides Roald Dahl though, we have managed to sneak in a few lovely illustrated books which my daughter truly loves including:
Winnie the Witch who goes on the most absurd adventures and has the two of us shouting abracadabra every time we turn the page.
My Granny was a frightful bore( but she isn’t anymore) , one of my all time favorite story books, on finding this book in my local exclusive books I felt a sense of nostalgia creep over me, and it was as if my heart jumped. An absolute classic and a must have! If one day I am able to do even one of the things this granny gets up to at age 82, it would be amazing. The book has a bit of a rhyme to it and is a lot of fun to read together.
The Gruffalo’s Child , every bit as good as the Gruffalo itself, ‘The Gruffalo’s Child’ takes you on a journey through sights and sounds and descriptive words that your child will pick up easily due its rhythm and easy to read style of writing.
Now that she is getting older, and to encourage her to read on her own more, another little idea that recently spawned in my head was to buy her several colourful and illustrated encyclopaedia’s. Every evening now instead of her catching half a movie, I ask her to find out about something new, yesterday it was about Inca’s and today’s topic was Ancient Egyptians, she does this while I make supper and then we discuss it at dinner. It then becomes a family discussion and the resulting conversation brings us closer together as well.
A love and passion for reading and literature is a wonderful gift to give your child and something alot of kids are missing out on to easily these days due to being exposed to, too much electronic media, too young.
We are always looking for new books to read though, so my question is, what are you reading to your kids at the moment? What are theirs, and your, favorite children’s books and why? Sharing is caring after all, so please leave a comment for us to share with other mom’s ( and me too).
Just an email we received recently that I thought too lovely to not share with you:
Hi Nicole, I just want to say thanks for the interview yesterday. I found your agency much more interested and helpful than previous agencies I have been to. You guys are really great. I look forward to joining your team. Have a great weekend. Siann
Thank you Siann, Welcome to the team and have a fantastic weekend!
I am ecstatic! Finally, months of work, sleepless nights and barely any social activity finally bears fruit…I am watching as I am typing this, our new website go live. Features include forms for every service, navigation that ensures you know where you are always, and some other wonderful features on our Content Management. Over 200 pages all neatly tucked into their individual spaces and all fully, easily navigable!
Like I said I am ecstatic. Check it out www.sitters4u.co.za
This weekend we will be hosting the Pediatric First Aid course in Midrand, we still have space available, so if you are keen to join sign up by clicking here now.
This weekend I was reminded of why we are so lucky to be staying in South Africa! Not only do we have so many National treasures in the terrain,wild life and people, but our cities are also definitely something to be proud of! South Africa really is the most beautiful countries in the world! I was lucky enough to be reminded of this, over the weekend and thought its a trip to share with all of you…
This last Saturday my family and I decided it was definitely time for a visit to the top, the top of table mountain that is, Cape Town is gorgeous! It was just such a beautiful day and I couldn’t resist. It was my daughters first trip up.
We arrived at the cable car and thanks to the J&B MET and with so many people taking the opportunity to visit the beach instead, we found parking near the cable car station quite easily, which generally never happens..
We made our way to the cable car station ( the pricing by the way is made for tourists, they should seriously think about providing a discount to South African citizens) and my daughter was amazed with not only the speed at which we elevated and the view but above all else, the rotating floor.
On reaching the top of the mountain we took a trip to the self serve restaurant, they offer a variety of options, from warm cooked food to a full salad bar and everything from coffee to a full selection of wine and beer. It was definitely a unique experience.
After enjoying a relaxing meal our adventure began, my daughter couldn’t stop asking questions and we took more than one go at the binoculars provided by the National Park ( at R 5 a shot, if you are planning a trip up there be sure to take a few R 5 coins with you, its a big help). We walked around admiring the view, reading the interesting informational boards ( that covered every subject from Dassies to Robben island history and the weather 6 million years ago) for a further 2 hours. We also had a few very interesting chats about Fynbos which my daughter found hard to understand, “How can Fynbos only grow in the Western Cape and no where else in the world?”, was the question of the day, a very difficult question to answer to a 7 year old (particularly considering she doesn’t understand weather patterns and climate at this stage). We spent the rest of the afternoon checking out the flowers and searching for fairies and Dassies (Did you know they are related to the elephant?)( I think they were hiding from the heat) and then we ran into a lizard or two. They were actually quite funny to watch, part of the pleasure of having children is that you can remember and even partake in activities such as simply watching little creatures with fascination for up to 10 minutes at a time.
Going down was almost as much fun as going up! What an awesome day! It really allowed me to appreciate the uniqueness of the Mother City and gave me some much needed “out time” with the people I love most in the world!
Water safety is of extreme importance at this time of the year. More children die from drowning in South Africa than vehicle accidents, statistics report approximately 3 children die daily from drowning and more than 2 per week in pools at home. So this should make it severely obvious as to how important water safety is. Water is the silent killer and it can happen in front of your eyes in as little as 30 seconds, children playing underwater games in the pool, or running around the pool, swimming in a river or ocean after lunch, a strong current, that’s as little as it can take, I personally drowned at age 2 and had to be given CPR by my mother ( this is one of the reasons I am so vigilant about first aid) So what can you do to protect your child?
Well to start off with no child under the age of 14 should be alone or even with peers in and around a pool, river, ocean or any body of water for that matter, not even children who are thoroughly competent swimmers. A small child can drown in only 4 cms of water so even the bathroom or a bucket can be fatal for our little ones. I urge parents, make sure that your child knows the dangers and never goes near water without you.
At home ensure to limit access to the pool and bathrooms, install a pool net and make sure that you have a pool alarm ( visit www.kindersafe.co.za or www.4akid.co.za , both pages are also accessible from our moms link directory on Sitters4U.co.za). Another thing one should be aware of , which a lot of parents do not think about, is warm water, I call it “warn water” and it is the most dangerous, drowning area, a jacuzzi, a bath, anywhere with hot water. Think about it, the hotter the water, the faster your heart rate and the greater the need for oxygen to the brain. In warm water it is easy to pass out, and drowning is far more damaging, you will be less likely to perform a successful Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR ( even if you are able to do CPR, the child will have irreparable brain trama and damage not to mention the rest of body). So always be with your children near water. Don’t swim after eating, and teach your children the dangers, talking to your child could save his or her life, even if they are the strongest swimmers they are not safe if you are not watching them.
Have a happy, safe, water fun filled summer folks! Till next time..
Bianca
Its been a long holiday and finally the big day has arrived! Across the Western Cape learners returned to school and many are now enjoying their first day!
For my daughter it was a momentous occasion. Looking adorable in her uniform, dress hanging way below the knees I have never seen anything so cute! Having finished Gr.1 at a Montessori environment last year and in fact having always been in that environment, we finally took a leap of faith to mainstream! I have always been a great fan of the Montessori system and it has done my daughter the world of good! The way they are allowed to decide what to learn and the mixed age group of her last class ( Gr.1, 2 and 3) has allowed her to develop to a point where she is the one reading me the bedtime stories, not bad for a 7 year old.However there comes a time when you really need to take a look at your child’s needs and how they are developing in order to decide what type of school system is going to work for them. The options vary from Public to Private, from Montessori to Waldorf, so knowing what the school offers is of the utmost importance!
With my daughter, although she progressed rapidly academically speaking, she is fiercely independent, social and loves sport and while her acedmic and independence needs were being met with Montessori, the rest of her her needs were just not being met by the 18 children in her class and lack of sport… it was time to move on!
The point I am trying to make here is that different schools and learning systems suit different children. Some children like my daughter need the discipline, large numbers of children and sport to thrive, whilst others may well prefer the small social circle and artistic and creative approach. So when you see that a school isn’t working for your child, ask yourself why, from your child’s perspective, what needs are not being met? If you find the answer to be the style of teaching or the classroom set up or the activities offered, look around for a school that will suit your child’s needs a bit more. Each child is an individual and not all systems work will work for your child. So take your time, make an informed decision and reap the benefits!I wish all the new and old learners the best for 2009!
PS. If you are looking for information on the different schools and teaching styles available in SA take a look at these websites:
http://www.privateschooling.co.za/
http://www.saprivateschools.co.za/
The sun is shining, the bells are ringing, everyone is on holiday and now is a time for family, fun, games , outings ,giving and recieving.
If you happen to be in the Western Cape at this wonderful time of year there are so many things to do!Besides the beaches, forests and wonderful places like the aquarium, monkey town in Somerset West, Spiers cheetah farm, family friendly picnic areas and birds of Prey Sanctuary in Stellenbosch, the Zoo in Tygerberg or a visit to Ratunga Junction, a day at the gorgeous Kirstenbosch Gardens, The World of Birds in Hout Bay, the wonderful child orientated plays and ballets happening at the Baxter and Artscape ( My daughter and I recently checked out High School Musical at the Artscape! Wow, what a production, totally worth the price tag!) Bugz World in Tygerberg, the museums full of discoveries waiting to happen and so much more, Cape Town has an action packed day for every day ahead and for most of us this is great, but take a moment to spare some time and thought for those less fortunate than ourselves. You may think whats a thought, you may think what can I do to make a difference, well we can all make a difference in our own little way..
Over the past weekend my daughter was lucky enough to meet Santa and bring light to the life of an underprivileged child at the same time in Marina Da Gama.What fun! Santa arrived on a boat along with Mrs Clause and presents in tow. The price to take part in this fantastic experience, we brought a present for my daughter and a present for an underprivileged child! What an inititive.I was proud to be able to take part. The children were called by name and given their gifts. It was smiles and joy all round, a wonderful vibe to say the least!
Something we can all do to make a difference without having to make a dent in our already stretched wallets, while impacting positively on a number of peoples lives, is to go through your closet, your toy boxes and even your house. If you havent seen or used an item in over 6 months, you probably wont be using it anytime soon, so why not donate. In our family the thing we do at this time of year is clear our wardrobes and house of things we no longer need to donate either to Red Cross or Orphanages in the area. This year was the first time my daughter also got to take part in this long held family tradition ( as far back as I remember we have always done this) . Surprisingly she had no qualms with letting go of her old unused clothes and toys, knowing that she would be adding a little light to the lives of children less fortunate than herself. It has definately given her something to be proud of and the letter she recieved ( which was addressed to her) put a big proud smile on her face and mine!
So share the love this festive season and light up the life of not only those less fortunate than you but also your own and that of your childrens, count your blessings, teach your children the true meaning of sharing and spirit and what christmas is really all about, sharing, good will and peace to all. Happy Holidays!
So it’s that time of the year, Christmas is less than 20 days away!
In reflection, 2008 has been an amazing, trying and yet progress packed year for most of us including myself. Every challenge considered and so many lessons learned, it has all lead to progress in our lives and yet now it’s the time of the year that everyone needs a little quality family time. School holidays are going into full stride this week, and many are enjoying their annual leave. Summer has arrived and the sun is shining!
Now its unfortunate but true, its not very often where one has the opportunity to take exclusive quality time out with the ones we love, whether your children, parents, family or friends. Sure, all year round we have weekends and afternoons, bedtime stories, braais, picnics, walks, dinners and so much more fun time with those closest to our hearts on a day to day basis. All too often though, we end up spending this time with our thoughts a million miles away, distracted and wrapped up in work, technology, daily chores, bills, what we are having for dinner, and the many other aspects of life we need to worry about. This diminishes the value of these precious moments and after the last 4 days I have now come to the conclusion, that it needs to be reiterated that spending time out, time in the sun and time with the people you love most in the world is sometimes worth more than doing or thinking about anything else.
I must say thank you to all our clients and staff that bore with us for the last 4 days while we closed for the first time since we opened for business almost 2 years ago. I have honestly not taken a single day without checking, or at least having the ability to check email or receive phone calls, so much so that any and all time out, when we have gone away for a weekend was planned almost entirely around cell phone reception.
This year we decided on visiting Wilderness Nature Reserve, which is one of the most breath taking, captivating and somewhat magical places I have seen or had the pleasure of seeing in my life. I will admit, I was extremely uneasy about not having access to reception, I worried, perhaps I would let someone down, in hindsight I am so grateful for that time.The peace of knowing I could not check an email and that I could not receive calls, the clarity and silence in my mind suddenly felt like a dream, like being a child in a way, able to have a small and yet infinite amount of time without worrying about anything. What bliss, 4 days later I feel entirely reconnected to all of those in my life whom I love and cherish most.
We went canoeing, hiking, swimming in the waterfalls (surprisingly child friendly waterfalls) and the fresh water river, braaied and chilled. We went to visit Sedgefield (a tiny town just past Wilderness) on the Friday where I found the most stunning dress for my daughter and on our way back we stopped in at the fairy Sanctuary in Swellendam. If you ever are in the area, this is Swellendam’s claim to fame, and well worth a visit especially if you have a daughter with you.
While we were there I found 2 amazing books in their fairy shop, written by Dr Wayne Dyers:
• Incredible You! 10 Ways to let your greatness shine through
• Unstoppable Me!: 10 Ways to Soar Through Life
These books are brilliant, absolutely brilliant, books for children, teaching so much more than any other children’s books I know of currently, for children of any age. The pages and illustrations speak to you and your child, and the book end questions in the last pages, encourages your child to really thoroughly grip the messages being sent through these books.
Two exerts from Dr Wayne Dyers website describes both books perfectly ( click to visit site):
Unstoppable Me:
If you intend buying your child a book this year, even if it is only one book, I highly recommend both of these books for your shopping list.
All in all , being back home now, re-energized and ready for the new year was worth every second, so go on, take time out, leave your work alone for just a few days, don’t give yourself a choice in the matter and enjoy the time out to concentrate purely on the yourself and the ones you love! Happy Holidays!
All to often I find time slipping past me at the rate of a year per second or is it a second per year?
We all feel tired from time to time and yesterday was one of those days, my daughter arrived home and she was so excited, its the second time she will be in a play in her life and she brought her costume home and jumped straight into it, she gets home at 3 every day and at that time I am generally swamped with queries and questions from clients, I always make time for her after 5 but this was the cutest thing you have ever seen! Dressed as a Rhinoceros, she started dancing and playing and I soon forgot all about work, dancing and playing with her. What a beautiful indescribable feeling. I felt revitalized in a way I haven’t in a long time. They grow so fast, our little cherubs, and if we don’t take time out, forget our inhibitions and play with our children ,read to them, grow with them, then what is all the hard work for anyway?
Yesterday reminded me of my secret to a feeling of eternal happiness. My Daughter! and I am sure most moms will agree, your children are your most precious asset, we do as much as we can for them to give them the best start in life, we nuture them, care for them, love them with every little piece of ourselves, nothing and no one could replace them, they, more so than anything including money, need your time to be the best they can be, so read them a story when its time for bed, tell them you love them everyday and always make sure you have at least 30 mins of uninterrupted fun with them each day! The payout is worth more than anything in the world!
