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I seem to have induced an insatiable need to write tonight and perhaps a little self induced insomnia? You have probably noticed, I have been a little quiet lately.
This tends to happen in Winter for just about every year, as far back as I can remember. We are just so busy, even though its been quiet season there have been a thousand things going on and every little job we do, requires the same top treatment and energy from me and the team to be placed, whether its simply a babysitting booking or an au pair placement, from an hours work to 30 or more per job, what to do? What to do! I am always amazed what sitting behind a computer screen does to me when its cold and raining! I just cant, and don’t want to move. I tend to get lethargic about exercising ( when you work behind a PC screen all day this can happen to easily) and my diet goes on a binge for all things scrumptious. From red wine and pasta dishes to really anything that’s loaded with carbs.
Now that Spring is finally in the air though, and I am waking up early again without needing 3 alarms and a cup of coffee. To top it off, today we also started our annual detox. That means; no wheat, no red meat, no refined sugars, no alcohol and worst of all no dairy ( okay, I always end up cheating a little when it comes to dairy, but at least I try) for the next 10 to 14 days. I know it will be worth it though ( hopefully so will the sudden need to clean everything until it shines).
I have been preparing for this annual migration to my favourite ‘food time’ of the year, spring+ summer= fresh fruit and veg= alot more energy. It may sound weird but about a month ago I started my Multibionta onslaught of multivitamins in preparation for today ( I found their 30 day challenge really useful with the free daily sms reminder, take the challenge on www.30daychallenge.co.za). Finally my daughter and I went shopping with a list as long as my arm. We had so much fun browsing for anything fresh from strawberries to baby carrots and making up recipes for the week as we shopped. For tonight I put together a fantastic rye pasta dish with mushrooms, chicken , spinach, tonnes of fresh herbs and ( oh dear I have been naughty already) a dash of cream.
It was surprisingly lovely and we all enjoyed it. Even my hubby did and he doesn’t take well to rye or fresh anything. Usually he gets through detox on roasted nuts, bananas,white meat and as few greens as possible.
I wonder how many other people out there also go through a similar phase at this time of the year?If you happen to know of any good recipes that I should try to make our detox time a little more exciting ,please let me know. I love cooking and would love to hear your favourites dishes ( links welcome).
Anyway seeing as it is back to school tomorrow, I guess its time for a good night’s rest, honestly if I don’t get to sleep soon I might need a midnight snack, and if I have a snack now, its another 30 mins on the treadmill tomorrow.
Hope you all have a fantastic week that puts spring back into your step!
Over the last week , I am sure everyone noticed, I have been a little quieter than usual. I have one sentence, ” As long as there is modern medicine, never say die.” South African’s reading this may think, ‘That sounds like an odd ever-ready battery advert. For the first time in 3 years I was struck down by a kidney issue and, boy it did put the usual day to day schedule into a tizz, everything I normally juggle easily, the mad morning school rush (mom’s and dad’s out there, you know what I am referring to), making what I do seem effortless to the outsider, while behind the scenes working until crazy late hours to orchestrate a business run and inter-dependent on people, which is usually is a feat in itself, nevermind the people. Operating and remembering what is happening with over 400 people everyday, and which client needs what ,when and still tracking progress, marketing and assisting to make a difference everyday in the lives the people we work with.
Then returning to the late afternoon and switching, as if on autopilot, back to mom mode, getting dinner ready , making sure chores are done, bags are packed for school the next day, and spending time with your family. The bed time story and lights out. But not for you ( Gosh, being a child was always healthier when it came to sleeping patterns). Then its some time out, for you, for your partner, for silence, whichever works. Its at about this point I usually end up working late, really late. Its been a problem since I was young, I have this irratating habit of burning the midnight creativity. I think clearly and the silence, well its golden…Sounds well managed , well run and easy enough right?
Well, last week it all came to a crashing halt as I started to take stock and was reminded ,as one often one is, of how, when in pain things can change, drastically, immediately, and you can go into a bit of a disorientated state.
However I find looking for the good in the bad a rule of thumb, until proven otherwise.
I was reminded of how amazingly supportive family can be at a time when you think the walls are tumbling down around you, I know for many this is not the case though, it wasn’t for me at one time. However I am blessed with the world’s most amazing guy, and a daughter,angels must have been watching from the word go! So that was the first highlight of the entire situation and that was the first found happy thought.
Then there is modern medicine, what a joy. How lucky are we to be alive at such an amazing time in history where new developments and new cures are occurring on a daily basis across the globe? Without the invention of antibiotics or at least painkillers, life could be a truly different experience. We have a headache, we take a panado; our child has a fall, we apply antiseptics; we now even have the option of prebiotic foods, we don’t even have to think about it! Isn’t Modern medicine a wonder. Well after the last week I can truly say how wonderfully grateful I am for not having to endure the stone age.
The funny thing is that its been helping other people, that got me through, seeing the best in everything and ensuring I persevered in the last week. Today that thought was what got me back on top, and has been since I have been back home.Well that thought, and the people to think it of, of course. Everyone, including our clients and staff have been amazingly understanding and that has driven me to explore new found enthusiasm for what Sitters4U does and how we do it! Thank you for the support and let’s make this an amazing month ahead, together!
You know today I was very happy to receive a letter of gratitude from one of our newest annual babysitting club members; it reminded me of why Sitters4U started and what keeps me going. As a mom in this new age of fast paced life styles, and thrive to survive attitude, as woman we are expected to achieve and be incredible, always, not just right now or today but every day and in every way. From the corporate world, to our jobs, with our kids, our family and often we end up loosing sight of ourselves, spending no time on ourselves at all or with our partners and friends. It can often make life become dull and mundane and a never ending cycle of the expectations of others.
Without the family support of the past I believe that this lack of quality time out occasionally is one of the leading cause of divorce, when you are not communicating, you are loosing touch even though this may be for yourself. Honestly that’s exactly how I felt a few years back, disjointed and not in touch with who I am, yet everything to everyone in my life and it was that feeling that encouraged me to send out my hand, dig deep and find a solution not only for myself but also for other professional moms (and dads) sitting in my shoes, sometimes we just need a break, 3 years later I am proud to be able to provide this service to so many moms and dads who really know what it means to appreciate a little time for one self and having a professional babysitting service available to assist, doesnt hurt!
Thank you for the wonderful compliment Bev! I am glad we could be of service!
Hi there Bianca,
Just to let you know that all went really well with Glynis on Sunday thanks. She was great with Dane and I got along well with her too. Sure we will be making use of her for daytime sitting more often.
Thanks again – I feel like I am starting to get my life back!!
Kind Regards
Beverley
Moms Gig guide for June 2009 was sent out 1 June 2009. Click here to view the online version.
Its your guide to what is hot and happening in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town for the month of June!
So fight off those” mom I’m bored” blues compliments of Sitters4U.
So you have probably been wondering, why so quiet lately? Well I have been extremely busy on our updates for Sitters4U’s major website update coming to your PC in what will evidently be no time at all ( seeing how fast the year has moved).
So much has happened, I have spent extensive hours working out all the kinks with our current system and finding what works for our clients. Well apparently what everyone has been loving the most is our application forms and request forms being online, no need for faxing or emailing, unfortunately this is a very expensive update which we will be applying to all of our services soon with new forms online for every service we offer. However this means an increase or a slight change in a number of our policies, the number one being our registration fee for services. It is sad how so many clients have taken advantage of this system over the last year, filling in the form, we find the candidates we have available who are appropriate and interested in the position and we never hear from them again or if we do its months later when all of those staff have already been placed and we need to start from scratch! We need the clients interest as much as they need ours, if they do need it that is. So the saying is true, a few bad apples spoil the lot.. and we will now be requesting an administration fee instead of a registration fee before a client is assisted, how else are we going to afford the convenience our clients crave?
On a lighter note though, its been an amazing hard month for many especially my family and I, we moved homes and our offices all in one go, my daughter finally started swimming (which makes me want to jump up and down and shout “Hooray!!”), we welcomed a number of new staff to our listings and they are working well, and 2 close friends of mine welcomed their new bundles of joy into the world ( a boy and a girl), most of the written updates for the website have been completed (well, now its just the technical side, which apparently could take until the end of March or longer) and even with all this I can say I feel good giving myself a pat on the back for sticking to the Taebo Kick boxing!
Bring on March 2009! Im ready to make this month the best yet! Having stuck to almost all of my New years resolutions thus far is definitely leaving with the sense of accomplishment I have been craving!
Potty Training,those two words tend to conjure up visions of mess and nightmares for many moms and child carers alike. Admittedly tough and taking into account that each child learns at different speeds, there really is no need for fuss and it can actually a very rewarding process for both the child and you! A personal friend of mine was asking for advice on potty training, I had much to say on the matter, and decided I had to put together an article for everyone who is little stuck on it. So here are some tips and tricks to make the de-nappy process easier for all involved.
The first question is how do you know when a child is ready for potty training?
The first step is to ensure the child’s eating and sleeping patterns are regular. This means, an established healthy meal pattern and sleeping pattern (now that’s another 2 articles that will be coming out of the woodwork later this year)
Second thing, and as you go along you will understand why it is important, if a child can say yes and no and understand basic language, he or she is probably ready to start training. Children over the age of 1 ½ years old may start training already.
Another factor to watch for is that naturally a child will start to have a dry nappy for longer periods as they get older.
Tips for Training
- Start by ensuring the child knows where everybody else goes to the toilet. For 2 weeks this is all you will be doing in preparation of toilet training. Using positive reinforcement ask, “where does mommy go potty?” “Does daddy use the potty?”. Take them to the toilet with you so they understand you are never wearing a nappy. Make connection to everyone the child knows and cares for ie mommy, daddy, granny, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, etc. Give praise to the right answers and gently correct any wrong answers. Then ask where the child goes to the toilet. The point here is to subtlety coax the child to discover for him or herself that wearing a nappy is not the norm. The child will soon realise that the potty is something he/she is missing out on.
- A good trick to enlist is to purchase of a doll that can drink water, wears a nappy and can pee. Sounds strange, I know but this works. Play with the doll, make the doll the child’s baby to look after. Children love to role play and this is a great game. She/He must help the baby remember to go to the potty cause otherwise it will make the baby feel uncomfortable. The child needs to give the doll the bottle to drink and then get the nappy off and help the baby pee on the doll’s potty. This will assist the child to famaliarise him/herself with the routine of going to the potty.
- Take the child on a shopping trip to buy the child’s first sets of proper underwear and potty. It should be a big thing. Choose at least 20 ordinary pairs and then find a pack of 3 that has the child’s favorite characters on them. Tell the child that those pairs are for when he/ she can make it to the potty for 3 days in a row with out any mistakes to make this fair in the child’s mind, tell the child that you would like to help her make sure that these beautiful ones don’t get ruined. This will help motivate her positively to get to the potty as much as possible.
- The next thing to incorporate, is regular visits to the potty or a toilet with a child safety mechanism and step in place (visit www.4akid.co.za to see their product line). At least once, 10 minutes after every liquid consumption of 100ml or more and at least once every 30 minutes take a trip to the potty or child safe toilet and have the child sit on it even if he or she doesn’t feel the need to pee. At this age children don’t have a lot of muscle control over the bladder and you are teaching the child a skill and control over something new, which if pointed out in a subtle and careful way will encourage the child to want to go to the toilet and develop better muscle control .
- Do not use training nappies, except at bedtimes and nap times, let the child wear normal underwear as much as possible.
- Expect mistakes! This is part of the learning process, and that process may carry on for sometime. Even a long time after he or she has been trained, mistakes will happen.
- Always take a trip to the potty or child safe toilet before bedtimes and nap times this is imperative.
- Keep a potty close to the child’s bed so should she wake up and need to go she does not need to worry about going a distance to find the potty. This will give a sense of achievement if the child manages to wake up and reach the potty in time.
- When no mishaps have happened for three days the child will be day trained and when the sleeping nappy( training nappy) has been dry for three days the child can be considered sleep trained.
- Praise should be given when the child gets it right assisted or by herself. When he or she makes a mistake let them know it is ok, run a small bath wash her and distract the child with toys. Then a little later ask again “where do I go to the toilet?” “ Where does mom go?” etc. Positive reinforcement is key to get this right.
These routines should be continued until the potty is no longer an issue for the child and it appears as a natural pattern without too much encouragement.
For Other fun potty training tips visit www.babiesonline.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!
Why would you want or need an au pair? Its a good question! Personally speaking I want to know that my daughter always has the care love and attention she deserves, but we understand that with the hectic schedules of modern day life, as a parent one cannot always be by their side 24 hours a day. Parents play the important role of primary provider and an au pair can play a vital supportive role in our children’s lives, making the time we spend with our children, quality time.
In the traditional sense, an au pair, is defined as a young person living with a family abroad caring for the family’s children and doing light house work.
However in South Africa, today, an au pair is much more than this. An au pair in South Africa, is a professional, responsible, experienced and even trained person who cares for the child’s entire welfare whilst in his or her care. An au pair is expected to do a lot more than just supervise the children.
It should be remembered that the parents should always be the primary care providers and role models for their children and au pairs can support the parents in achieving this goal by contributing to the childrens vital support network. An au pair helps with daily activities related to the child’s needs, from lifting to helping with homework, preparing healthy snacks and filling the children’s days with fun, age appropriate activities. This leaves time for mom and dad to relax with their children and enjoy a healthy relationship which ultimately will provide the basis to develop the communication and trust needed between children and parents as they get older.
We know it takes lots of love, care and personal attention to develop a child to his or her full potential and every child deserves that chance. As children grow, so do the influences they are susceptible to outside the home. Having an au pair ensures that your children are cared for in the comfort of your home. The au pair will provide fun and learning opportunities in an environment safe for your children. What’s more, is that you will have more control over your child’s situation, you will get regular report backs on progress and activities, behavior patterns and this means that you will have a better chance of helping your children reach their full potential. Hiring an au pair provides you with the ability to spend your evenings/time with your children uninterrupted by homework, cooking and other child related chores. An au pair helps with the development of your child by balancing schoolwork, sport (extra-mural activities) and other activities of daily life.
Choosing an au pair is one the best things you can do for your child/children no matter how old they are. Children are influenced by friends, the media, teachers and other influential adults. Having some control over who these influences are, can only have a positive effect on your children’s lifestyle and over-all development.
I believe in this concept and would recommend an au pair for children of any age as long as you have thoroughly established your needs and done research to ensure that these needs can be met by a person capable of doing so.
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!
So there I was! Working up a storm as usual, the clock had just struck midnight. I thought, why am I working this late?
Today reminded me of what makes Sitters4U different. We started because I could never find the reliable help I needed, when I needed it for my daughter… We started so that when a mother needs to go to her graduation she doesn’t need to worry about whether or not her child will be in safe reliable hands( this happened today, she sounded so nervous yet ecstatic and thanked me for the service). We started because there are 1000’s of candidates out there! Some are people you would never want in your home, some are so over qualified they deserve to have work on a regular basis and can bring the help needed by so many moms and dads out there, we started because this is our Country, our Beautiful country and I believe that any positive contribution to that, whether it is in the form of jobs or growth of other kinds is something we should all be doing!
So today I look at the delicate balance I have created between my daughter, my partner, my clients and the candidates I have met and helped, and I am grateful for the late hours, I am happy to have the luxury so many parents do not, time with their child, I am happy to be able to help other parents get the most out of time they have with their children and I am happy to be helping so many wonderful people find work and jobs they deserve to have and are dedicated to having…Helping feels good! I know I wont always work these long hours but i also know that by putting these values and time into this business that it will flourish….
I firmly believe it, you should do too….Help those that will help themselves and you help so many more!
