Child Magazine | Cape Town April 2012

C a p e

To w n ’ s

b e s t

g u i d e

f o r

pa r e n t s

health &

wellness

do try

this at home fun family games

boost their immunity why we need to vaccinate

decoding your health practitioners

www.childmag.co.za

April 2012

free

health

education

entertainment

80% percent of the calls and emails we receive from you, our readers, relate directly to your children’s health.

As parents, we understand that this is your primary concern. So in this issue, we have tried to assist you by covering a wide range of the more popular healthrelated topics. These include issues that come up time and time again: “what’s best for baby”, nutrition, HIV and the often-contentious discussion about vaccinations, to name but few.

Our job at Child magazine is to bring you the latest research and debates on matters related to growing, healthy children. We trust that you will use our articles as a starting point for your own discussions and ultimately, to seek solutions to your children’s health-related needs. We are hugely grateful to the many professionals we consult each month when researching articles, and who also respond to readers’ letters and blogs.

Ultimately, as parents, we make our own choices, but it is helpful to know who to turn to when the going gets a little tough.

As a bonus this month, we also bring you a resource of health care practitioners (page 29). Sometimes it’s knowing who to call that makes all the difference.

Have a happy, healthy April.

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If you love the magazine, you’ll love our website. Visit us at childmag.co.za

Supachews

Hunter House PUB L IS H ING

Publisher Lisa Mc Namara • lisa@childmag.co.za

Editorial

monthly circulation Cape Town’s Child magazineTM 45 129 40 257 Durban’s Child magazineTM 52 845 Joburg’s Child magazineTM

Managing Editor Marina Zietsman • marina@childmag.co.za Features Editor Anél Lewis • features@childmag.co.za Resource Editor

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Lucille Kemp • lucille@childmag.co.za Copy Editor Debbie Hathway

Art Designers Nikki-leigh Piper • nikki@childmag.co.za Alys Suter • studio2@childmag.co.za Mariette Barkhuizen • studio@childmag.co.za

Advertising PUBLISHER’S PHOTOGRAPH: Brooke Fasani

Lisa Mc Namara • lisa@childmag.co.za

Client Relations Lisa Waterloo • capetown@childmag.co.za

Subscriptions and Circulation Helen Xavier • subs@childmag.co.za

Accounts Nicolene Baldy • admin@childmag.co.za Tel: 021 465 6093 • Fax: 021 462 2680

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Free requested Oct 11 – Dec 11

Cape Town’s Child magazineTM is published monthly by Hunter House Publishing, PO Box 12002, Mill Street, 8010.

Office address: Unit 7, Canterbury Studios, 35 Wesley Street, Gardens, Cape Town. Tel: 021 465 6093, fax: 021 462 2680, email: capetown@childmag.co.za. Annual subscriptions (for 11 issues) cost R165, including VAT and postage inside SA. Printed by Paarl Web. Copyright subsists in all work published in Cape Town’s Child magazineTM. We welcome submissions but retain the unrestricted right to change any received copy. We are under no obligation to return unsolicited copy.

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April 2012

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contents

april 2012

18

upfront 3

a note from lisa

6 over to you

readers respond

7 blog

Cindy Perry learns that it’s never too late to learn how to surf the waves

features 14 plate up, the right way

regulars

ere is a breakdown of how much h of which foods should be on your child’s plate. By Vanessa Papas

8 wins

16 give them a shot

deciding whether to vaccinate is

a controversial issue, but Vanessa Papas points out the benefits

10 best for baby – cut to the chase

18 easter celebrations

11 upfront with paul

Paul Kerton reminds us that smoking is a bad habit at any age

Anél Lewis looks at what the law says about circumcision

get inspiration with these recipes from Allison Brand and Debbie O’Flaherty’s book Let’s Celebrate

12 dealing with difference

22 think before you let them drink

guest columnist Gary Koen looks at the danger of teenagers drinking alcohol

is your child just naughty or is his

disruptive behaviour reason for concern? Sameerah Karolia finds out

26 home entertainment

29 resource – who to call?

Anél Lewis gives you great ideas for tried and tested outdoor fun

Child magazine brings you a list of health care practitioners, explaining what they do

28 beautiful bulungula

Lisa Mc Namara found a rural school in the Eastern Cape that has overcome adversity

16

32 a good read

new books for the whole family

34 what’s on in april 46 anél’s finishing touch

Anél Lewis, our new back page columnist, shares her parenting issues with you

classified ads 40 family marketplace 43 let’s party

this month’s cover images are supplied by:

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April 2012

Cape Town

Durban

Johannesburg

shutterstock.com

Calamity’s Closet www.calamityscloset.co.za

shutterstock.com

magazine cape town

magazine cape town

April 2012

5

letters

over to you

my gripe with the bikini

holidays without the children

During the holidays I saw a little girl of about five years old on the beach wearing a pink string bikini. Her parent was putting sunscreen all over the uncovered parts of her body; which was basically everywhere. Little string bikinis just don’t cover it. Firstly, they don’t offer any sun protection. Secondly, they’re audacious – women these days are parading around in what is essentially another version of ladies underwear.

Michele Engelberg

I’m a mother with two boys, am married and have a full-time job. I too have holidayed alone – for my mother’s 60th birthday. Although I missed my family terribly, it was an amazing trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. There are so many dimensions to being a woman, and I believe we owe it to ourselves to have a break and some time-out from everything. Not only do you appreciate your family more when you return home, but your family appreciates you more.

Anonymous

facts on sunscreen In response to a reader’s letter that sunscreen causes skin cancer (March 2012); it does not cause skin cancer.

I am a public health scientist who has been working in the field of skin cancer prevention and sun awareness in South Africa for more than a decade and people simply don’t put enough of it on, or re-apply often enough.

Using a sunscreen with a higher SPF does not allow you to spend longer in the sun. It just means that the higher SPF sunscreen is giving you better protection for the same time. Look for a Cansa-endorsed sunscreen in your local shop that protects against UVA and UVB rays.

I found a SPF 40 that does the job.

Caradee Wright

do you vaccinate your child?

How you responded on childmag.co.za

79% yes

21% no

the odd ones out When my daughter-in-law contacted a number of playschools for my little granddaughter, and fees were quoted, it was stated that an additional fee would be charged for an optional weekly visit from a music and movement teacher and a ball-skill tutor.

When I accompanied her to register the little one, we were taken on a tour of the school, and the movement lesson was in progress. I thought it most insensitive and unfair when I saw a few children, whose parents had obviously not been able to afford this extra cost, outside while the others were having fun singing and dancing.

What happened to nursery school teachers conducting the music rings as they used to, and should, do? School fees are already hugely expensive and as these activities take place during school time they are not actually an “extramural”. I should have asked the teacher what difference 17 rather than 15 little people bobbing around to the music would have made?

Granny

bravo to breast-feeding In response to the column “no substitutes”, I agree with our Minister of Health, Mr Motsoaledi, that breast-feeding is the best way to nourish babies and that there is no substitute for it. I am still breast-feeding my nine month old and tried to find a milk bank to donate breast-milk, as I have plenty and felt that I could make a difference to a sick or premature baby. To my disappointment, nurses advised me to breast-feed and express less to produce less milk. To add to this, whenever I breast-feed in public, even covered with a blanket, people’s expressions show: “Shouldn’t you be doing that in the loo?” My response: “No, do you eat in the toilet?” Mr Motsoaledi, I really hope that this initiative takes flight.

Risanti Saris

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April 2012

ritalin debate continues In response to Liz’s letter “don’t contaminate our children with drugs” (February 2012) I can understand the frustration voiced by this mother whose child was assessed by “one of the top child psychologists” in the country. However, allow me to correct a few misperceptions about ADHD. It is very much a biological and genetic illness that is a pervasive and persistent disorder, and needs to be present in more than one setting; not simply “bad behaviour” in a classroom. It is associated with a variety of behavioural and temperamental difficulties, with a neurotransmitter abnormality. Therefore ADHD should be diagnosed not only by a psychologist, but by a trained professional with experience in childhood disruptive behaviours. Medication is never the first solution, and if it is recommended, then it is legally only allowed to be prescribed by a child psychiatrist, a paediatrician or a general practitioner in consultation with a specialist.

American Paediatric Association guidelines, the gold standard of practice, suggest a holistic approach before treating a child with medication. If the diagnosis is ADHD, and not simply a “naughty or oppositional and defiant child”, and if medication is recommended, then Methylphenidate, such as Ritalin, is the first choice. The writer is correct in listing the side-effects, and these are more pronounced if Ritalin is not used for the correct diagnosis. It is never recommended that Ritalin be the only treatment, but rather be used with dietary and disciplinary modifications.

My recommendation to Liz would be to seek out the opinion of a qualified child psychiatrist or paediatrician before dismissing any diagnoses, while your readers should consult a medical practitioner and question the pharmacological and the non-pharmacological treatment of behavioural disorders in children, before subscribing to unsolicited and often dangerous information.

Dr A Lachman, child psychiatrist

I am sorry that Liz felt mistreated by a medical professional who is supposed to be an expert in her field. However, I have to clarify that only a person who has studied medicine is able to write up scripts. Hence, the “psychologist” in question could only have been a psychiatrist. Psychiatrists specialise in the assessment and diagnosis of psychiatric difficulties, followed by treatment with medicine, which is carefully monitored.

Lana Levin, clinical psychologist Ritalin has improved my family’s life a hundredfold and hasn’t changed my son’s personality, but rather improved his confidence. Before placing your child on Ritalin, my suggestion is to first get as much information as possible from credited professionals. Ritalin works for about four hours in your system then it no longer has any effects. There are some side-effects, but these need to be monitored when the drug is being used. It is in no way dangerous. I also recommend you speak to professionals at a school such as SNAP, who work with these wonderful children.

Johan Ritalin is the most researched drug in the world. I was diagnosed with ADHD at 51 and I deeply regret having not known about the complexities of this neurological condition while I was growing up, bringing up my children, and having a roller-coaster life of 12 careers, with great successes and traumatic failures. ADHD medication is but one component of managing ADHD, but for most people with the condition it is a vital one, along with a loving and supportive family, diet, exercise, occupational and other therapy. Unfortunately, four out of five children who have ADHD have at least one parent with the condition, and this is often undiagnosed, so the whole family struggles. This is why the family, school and environment must become part of the treatment.

Only when families understand that ADHD is a neurological condition that it is hereditary and requires the whole family’s cooperation, do things come right.

Dr Madeleine Portwood, who conducted the only peerreviewed trials of omega-3 supplements, often used to reduce ADHD symptoms, emphasised that they could never reach the levels of success that ADHD medication does. As with any medication, there will be some side-effects.

Pat Pughe-Parry

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blog

swell, baby

Illustration: shutterstock.com

i

am a 41-year-old mom with two children and one of the many things on my bucket list was to try surfing. We live a 10-minute drive from the beach and while I often sit there, watching my children having fun in the waves on their boogie boards, I hadn’t tried it myself. So, after some soul-searching, I decided to give it a shot. I found a local surf shop that hires out surfboards for 24 hours, and three days later we were back to hire the biggest board we could fit into our car. Apparently the bigger the board the easier it is. My 12-year-old daughter proudly carried the surfboard under her arm, feeling like a real surfer chick before we had even wet our feet in the cold Atlantic. The board was so long

magazine cape town

Novice surfer chick CINDY PERRY is stoked to learn that it’s never too late to ride that wave.

it stretched from the back windscreen of my hatchback right to the front. We have no roof racks… yet!

The day had finally arrived. I walked into the ocean with my surfboard, feeling excited that I was no longer an onlooker – I was finally one of them, and scared that the waves might tumble me around like a rag in a washing machine. But I had support. My eight-year-old son and my boyfriend were with me on their boogie boards, encouraging me and giving advice. A few big waves left me wobbly on my feet and my son, concerned for my safety, suggested I swap my surfboard for his boogie board. But I was determined. I had come this far and I wasn’t giving up.

Lying on that surfboard, with the swell rising and falling underneath me, looking across the sea, I began to understand how this sport could become addictive.

There’s something special about being out there, just you and your board and all that water. Although I have to admit,

I was aware of every dark shadow around me. But my legs and hands were soon numb from the cold water, so even if a shark did happen to bite me I figured I probably wouldn’t feel it anyway. I paddled closer to where all the surfers were huddled together.

It must have been obvious that I was new in the water because they happily offered advice.

I “boogie-boarded” in on a couple of waves until I felt brave enough to attempt to stand. The dude from the surf shop had advised me to pop up in one quick motion from lying to standing. Yeah, right! You try and pop up when you are trying to balance on a moving wave. It was a challenge, but then again, I thrive on those. So on the next wave, I pulled myself up and tried to pop to a standing position. I got as far as my knees and fell off. I tried again on the next wave. Same thing. And again, each time only getting as far as my knees.

Even though I didn’t manage to stand and ride a wave, the experience was exhilarating. It was about more than just being on a surfboard in the ocean. I felt as if I was 21 again – I felt alive and satisfied, and it was a liberating experience. And to be honest, I was proud that I had taken on the challenge to do something that I have always wanted to do, and enjoyed it.

So much so, that I am considering investing in a second-hand surfboard with my next commission cheque. I’ll be back and next time I will stand and ride my first wave like a real surfer.

Readers, this is your column – it’s a space to air your views, share a valuable parenting lesson, vent your frustrations or celebrate your joys. Send your writing to features@childmag.co.za

April 2012

7

wins

giveaways in april room makeover Coral Moon stocks a range of items that makes it easy to refresh the décor of your child’s room. Krooom products are eco-friendly, reinforced cardboard furniture for children. Wallies are pre-pasted murals and cutouts that are easy to apply and remove. For info about the products Coral Moon distributes, contact: 083 304 4440, lee@coralmoon.co.za or visit coralmoon.co.za or facebook.com/walliessa Two readers stand a chance to win a girl’s or boy’s hamper, including a Krooom bookcase and a large mural and alphabet cutouts from Wallies, valued at R1 500. Simply enter via childmag.co.za/wins-ct and use the code “Coral Moon CT”. Your details are made available to Coral Moon.

country escape Lekkerwijn Historic Country Guest House combines history and entertainment with play areas, a pool and miniature farmyard animals.

Neighbouring wineries offer picnics and wine tasting. Also available are trained child and babysitters, and a driver to take you to restaurants at a reasonable rate. Contact: 021 874 1122, 076 036 0736 or visit lekkerwijn.com One reader stands a chance to win a twonight stay for a family of two adults and up to three children valued at R3 840. Simply enter via childmag.co.za/wins-ct and use the code “Lekkerwijn CT”.

nanny know-how Sugar and Spice Nanny Training gives domestic workers the knowledge and practical skills to confidently

smart furniture The Bloc works as an ottoman and converts to a full-size single bed. Add the BlocTop and you have a coffee table.

It is covered in upholstery-grade, washable fabric. To order online or to find a retailer, contact: 0861 999 122 or visit blocshop.co.za One reader stands a chance to win a large Bloc Stor and BlocTop valued at R2 680. Simply enter via childmag.co.za/wins-ct and use the code “Bloc CT”.

Your details are made available to Bloc.

to enter simply visit childmag.co.za

care for children in a loving and safe environment.

Courses include first aid, time management, hygiene, nutrition and age-appropriate activities. Contact: kirsten@nannytraining.co.za or visit nannytraining.co.za One reader stands a chance to win a comprehensive nanny childcare course, as well as a first-aid kit and nanny notebook, valued at R2 100. Simply enter via childmag.co.za/wins-ct and use the code “Sugar and Spice CT”.

congratulations to our February winners Juliet Kent who wins Mural Maniac creation on wallpaper; Tracey du Toit who wins a sterling silver Pandora bracelet; Debbie Bastos who wins Huggies Little Swimmers along with swimming lessons for a baby, a blow-up swimming pool and a branded towel and Gail

or post your entry to PO Box 12002, Mill Street, 8010. Entries close 30 April 2012. Only one entry per reader.

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April 2012

Imrie who wins a desk from The Room.

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magazine cape town

April 2012

9

best for baby

cut to the chase

c

at Stevens certainly wasn’t thinking about circumcision when he sang “The first cut is the deepest” in the 60s, but for many in the medical fraternity, the removal of a baby’s foreskin is considered one of the most painful procedures in neonatal medicine.

Put simply, circumcision is the removal of the foreskin to expose the tip of the penis. A rite of passage in some cultures, many baby boys are circumcised because it is what their parents want. It may be that the father himself is circumcised, or the parents believe a circumcised penis is more hygienic. But this so-called routine or elective circumcision has become less common as medical authorities worldwide believe there is no medical reason for the procedure.

The South African Medical Association says there is “no justification” for routine circumcision and the law is even more explicit. According to the Children’s Act of 2010, the circumcision of male children under the age of 16, unless it is done for medical or religious reasons, is illegal and anyone found performing a prohibited circumcision risks a fine and/or 10 years in prison. In a country where young initiates die monthly from botched circumcisions, one can understand the need to protect them from unhygienic and uncontrolled procedures.

But does this mean elective circumcision in a safe, hospital environment is prohibited? Brian Honermann,

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April 2012

When it comes to circumcision, the decision to snip is anything but cut and dried. ANÉL LEWIS looks at what the law says.

a former researcher with Section27, a public interest law centre, says the act does allow for circumcision if recommended by a medical practitioner. As medical circumcision could lower the risk of HIV infections and other sexually transmitted diseases, a doctor is “well within the law” to recommend the procedure for your baby,” he says.

“At present there is no legal limitation, beyond standard informed consent requirements, that prohibits the provision of elective neonatal male circumcision.” The doctor must, as with any medical procedure, explain the risks and potential benefits, and may only operate with a parent’s consent.

It is an unnecessary surgery that could have been done later with the man’s informed consent.

However, many medical associations and interest groups contend that routine circumcision is unethical and unnecessary, and that the Children’s Act protects “vulnerable” infants and children from being cut without their consent. Professor Daniel Sidler, of the Department of Paediatric Surgery at Tygerberg Children’s Hospital, says the contentious issue is what would be considered a valid medical reason for an elective circumcision. It should

1/3

of men worldwide are circumcised – World Health Organisation

only be considered as such if there’s an “immediate health benefit” and if there is no other less invasive alternative.

Many problems, such as phimosis, or tightness of the foreskin, do not need medical interference and “water and soap will do” if there are hygiene concerns. He adds that paediatric surgeons do not consider neonatal circumcision to have fewer complications than adult circumcision. “It is an unnecessary surgery that could have been done later with the man’s informed consent.”

It is up to you, as the parent, to decide whether the benefits outweigh the risks and ethical concerns. As elective circumcision is deemed a cosmetic procedure, it will not be covered by most medical aids. You can expect to pay up to about R3 000, depending on the doctor and the hospital. It should be performed shortly after birth under local or general anaesthesia, and will take only a few minutes. Risks include bleeding and infection, and the procedure should not be performed on a baby born prematurely or with congenital abnormalities.

magazine cape town

upfront with paul

thanks for not smoking Nip their smoking habit in the butt early, says PAUL KERTON.

PHOTOGRAPH: MARIETTE BARKHUIZEN

s

Saskia, Paul and Sabina

ir Walter Raleigh brought tobacco back from the South American Indians around 1560 and the habit spread like wildfire (sorry) despite early proof that burning leaves in your mouth destroyed your lungs. And that was before cigarette companies started adding “addiction accelerators” into the “filter” tips. But it took an awful lot longer for greedy governments to work out that the long-term health costs outweighed the benefits of short-term taxation on a pack of twenties.

It’s encouraging how, over the past five years, smoking has actively receded from consciousness as most civilised societies have tried to ban the habit by simply restricting the places that smokers can legally smoke. Just look at the huddled groups of lunchtime smokers in office and shop doorways.

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I don’t know what I would do if I found that my children had started smoking and were hiding behind the garage and hurriedly brushing their teeth before supper. I would be really disappointed as we have preached a no-smoking mantra since day one, as did my parents. Children start mostly because of peer pressure or because an older sibling or parent smokes.

I never smoked because a) I couldn’t be bothered carrying cigarette packets and lighters, b) I couldn’t stand the smell on my hair and clothes and c) I have always been sporty so it wasn’t an option. My elder sister, who lives in London, didn’t heed my parents’ warning and started at the age of 15 when it was still considered very cool. According to Cancer Research UK, a massive 160 000 children under 15 start smoking every year, a number that would fill about 5 200 classrooms.

Children are three times more likely to smoke if their parents do. The warnings on packets don’t seem to do much good once a smoker is hooked, as the risk is all part of the allure, they claim. They know that smoking can kill, but light up regardless. It always amazes me how many doctors and school teachers used to smoke although, luckily, they now seem to be getting the message.

The banning of advertising and the banning of smoking in public places, especially on trains and planes, has worked wonders. It is less than 20 years since they banned smoking on planes globally. How dumb was that? You may as well douse yourself in lighter fuel and touch an electric fire.

Despite clever under-the-radar branding and underground invite-only events, the trend has now moved away from smoking,

but BAT (British Allied Tobacco) has just posted a three percent rise in profits.

Initially marketers ingeniously tried to match cigarette brands to a colour: Benson & Hedges was gold, John Player Special was black, Dunhill was red and Silk Cut was purple. At one stage the idea of owning a colour, and its association, was so powerful, that one ad for Silk Cut consisted only of a shot of purple silk with a cut in it. Many countries are now moving towards plain packets, which authorities “are hoping” will further remove the cachet of smoking and any sense of loyalty, by removing branding itself.

Fingers crossed. While we are in a new era of sensibility concerning the habit, it’s frightening that children under 15 remain the most susceptible to its temptation.

Paul Kerton is the author of Fab Dad 2: From Walking to Talking... and Beyond.

April 2012

11

dealing with difference

handling children who act up There may be more to your child’s disruptive behaviour than just naughtiness. SAMEERAH KAROLIA looks at the other possible causes.

what to look out for The question is not “why does the child behave in a certain way if they don’t get what they want?” but rather, “when the child does not get what is wanted, how does the child express their displeasure?”, says Jann Watlington, a social worker at the Parent Centre in Cape Town. In nursery and preschool children, disruptive behaviour may manifest as fighting with other children, not cooperating with or listening to the teacher, hitting and biting, an unwillingness to share with others or withdrawal from and a lack of interest in activities.

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April 2012

Scolari says junior primary school children will struggle to listen or pay attention in class, they won’t follow instructions or complete tasks in the allotted time and usually fall behind in their reading and writing. Older primary school children will develop a negative attitude towards school and their teachers. They may become disrespectful and could start misbehaving by running away, swearing, bullying or being truant from school.

possible causes Some children become easily bored without the correct stimulation, so they may seek other stimulation by talking to their peers or behaving in a way that

dealing with a disruptive child at home • A cknowledge the child’s feelings and try to understand why he’s behaving in a certain way.

• S et limits and boundaries.

When we set limits for children we provide them with a sense of security and containment.

• Poor behaviour is often a cry for help – make sure the child’s needs for security, love and attention, and containment are met.

• M ake sure that there are only a few rules and that these are clear, simple and consistently enforced.

• Give positive attention.

magazine cape town

PHOTOGRAPHs: shutterstock.com

i

have two wonderful sons, aged one and two, but there are moments when they are particularly challenging. All children will misbehave at some point, but sometimes their behaviour can go beyond what is considered “children simply being children”. When it becomes disruptive, in the classroom or in the home, it may be time for a closer examination of the possible triggers or causes. Johannesburg-based clinical psychologist Christine Scolari says that disruptive behaviour refers to actions that interfere with daily activities and that are more disorderly than what can usually be expected of children of that specific age.

Faaizah Essack, a foundation phase teacher from Johannesburg, describes the disruptive child as one who would act out by complaining and crying for no reason, disrupting the class and learning time by distracting others, throwing tantrums, bullying other pupils and, on rare occasions, portraying outrageous behaviour.

will be deemed disruptive by teachers.

Learners also work at different paces.

A child who is more advanced and completes their work quicker may talk, play or disrupt those around them. The teacher needs to have extra activities on hand for these children. Conversely, a child who is lagging behind the rest of the class, because of an age difference or cognitive problems, will also struggle and may act out. Sight and hearing problems could affect your child’s ability to hear instructions or see the board, making school work difficult. Your child may feel confused and overwhelmed, which can lead to disruptive behaviour.

New research has confirmed the impact hay fever can have on learners. Dr Michael Levin, an allergy advisor to a pharmaceutical company, says, “Children attending school while suffering from hay fever symptoms are often described as absent-minded and uninterested in educational or social activities. Sleep disturbances and therefore over tiredness is common, and this leads to impaired concentration, poor school performance and even general depression.”

Children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be considered disruptive. The diagnosis of these disorders, however, is a fairly long process and there should be two evaluations by mental professionals, including a psychologist, to avoid a misdiagnosis.

Children on the autism spectrum may have difficulty coping in a mainstream school environment. A child with autism or Asperger syndrome will not be able to socialise with other learners and may find it difficult to complete tasks which have to be done in groups.

Disruptive children may also be experiencing problems at home. They may be grappling with the use of harsh punishment, a lack of positive discipline or unrealistic parental expectations. Their parents may be going through a divorce or separation, there could be a new baby in the home or they could be the victims of abuse.

Sometimes, a disruptive child may just be in the wrong class or school environment.

There could be a personality clash with the teacher, or the class may be too big for the teacher to manage effectively.

dealing with a disruptive child in the classroom

The younger child • Help younger children express their feelings appropriately.

• Teachers should talk about their own feelings and help children to identify and talk about theirs.

• H elp children understand the consequences and effects of their behaviour.

• Find constructive ways for children to release strong feelings of anger and frustration, such as hitting pillows, hitting or boxing a punching bag, tearing paper and newspaper or playing with a stress ball.

• P lan soothing activities that involve the senses, such as water play, sand play, playdough, finger painting, breathing deeply and blowing bubbles.

• Find positive outlets for intense emotions through music, dance, athletics or exercise.

• Encourage imaginative play as a means of self-expression.

• If necessary, stop disruptive behaviour by taking the child outside or doing something different.

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The older child • In a disruptive situation, Jann Watlington, a social worker at The Parent Centre, suggests the ECA method of Empathy, Content (or Consequence) and Action. Tell the child that while you understand that he is enjoying himself, it has disruptive consequences and should stop. Remove the child from the situation, wait until he says he’s ready to join the others and help the child return by making sure he can do so without being disruptive.

• Rather than time-out, make use of time-in, by taking the child to a quiet spot and standing with them while they calm down to allow the child to regain control.

• The teacher must talk to the parent about the child’s behaviour.

• Make sure the child is centrally placed in the classroom, to avoid distractions from windows, the door or classmates.

• Teachers should make sure they have the child’s undivided attention before giving instructions.

• Check the child’s comprehension by asking for a brief summary of the lesson afterwards.

• Praise good behaviour.

April 2012

13

fyi

plate up, the right way Super-sized meals and too much fast food means your child is eating wrong.

VANESSA PAPAS finds out how much of which foods should be on their plates.

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April 2012

no need to eat up While it’s important that parents encourage their children to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly, one should never “pressurise” a child to the point where they develop a power struggle over food.

“One of the most common mistakes parents make is forcing their children to ‘clean their plates’,” says Paula Lawson, a Durban dietician who specialises in the dietary requirements of children from the age of six. “If your child won’t eat their vegetables, for example, and so can’t complete their balanced meal, that’s fine, but then don’t offer them anything else to eat as a substitute. Should they ask for something else, reply by saying: ‘if your tummy is full for healthy foods, that is fine, but then your tummy is full for all food, and there is no more to eat’.

Moms often feel guilty that their child is not eating all their food, so they offer a myriad of unhealthy alternatives after the meal. There should never be emotions attached when it comes to food. Don’t use food as a reward and don’t use it to comfort your child.”

Lawson encourages parents to set realistic nutritional goals for their children.

“Just by changing a few things in your child’s diet, you can make a big difference.

Give your child water to drink instead of juice, don’t stock the fridge and pantry with junk food, ensure that veggies and fruits are available at all times, and lead by example by following a healthy lifestyle yourself.” magazine cape town

PHOTOGRAPHS: shutterstock.com

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outh Africa is climbing the list of the most obese nations in the world.

According to the International Obesity Taskforce, 26 percent of children and adults in South Africa are obese. “An overweight child is more likely to become an overweight adult and is at higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, orthopaedic problems, sleeping problems and depression,” explains Gauteng paediatric dietician Deborah Jacobson. So it’s vital that good eating habits are taught from a young age and children are encouraged to be active.

It starts with knowing how much to feed, and what portion sizes to give. “The food pyramid has been the food guide we all adhered to, but now there is a move towards the ‘food plate’ as the new nutritional guide,” says Jacobson. “The concept of the ‘food plate’ is to teach us practically, and visually, how to divide and choose foods from the different food groups on our plate for meals. Although there are five food groups – dairy, meat (protein), vegetables and fruit, starch and fat – we like to simplify things when it comes to children. Starch and fats are considered ‘energy foods’ or ‘go foods’ and protein and dairy are grouped as ‘protein’ or ‘grow foods’. The food plate is for meal times only. Generally, dairy products are taken as snacks, or with cereal, so these are not included on the plate. The plate is divided into three sections: half is assigned for vegetables (cooked or raw) and fruits, and the remaining two quarters for proteins and starches (preferably wholegrain varieties).”

menu guidelines It’s difficult to generalise how many servings of each food group are recommended for the various age groups, as children have different needs based on their activity level, age and sex, but there are basic guidelines for children between the ages of two and 13. The Nutrition Information Centre at Stellenbosch University says a portion of meat, grains, fruit or veg is equivalent to one tablespoon for each year, until the age of 12. So a six-year-old would have six tablespoons of meat. Jacobson says, “as a rule of thumb”, children should eat:

milk or dairy products Two to three servings a day – one portion is 250ml of milk, 175ml yoghurt, or one matchbox-size piece of yellow cheese

vegetables and fruits Five servings a day – half a cup cooked or one cup of raw veggies and one fist-sized fruit: one apple, peach, orange, etc, or half a cup of fruit salad

protein foods Two servings a day – one portion of meat or chicken is the size of a child’s palm or a handsize of fish, or one egg

starch Six to 10 servings a day – one portion is one slice of bread, three crackers, a fist of pasta, potato, corn, mash or rice

unsaturated fats Not more than three servings a day, or 30 percent of their daily calorie intake – (a portion is one teaspoon of canola or olive oil, two tablespoons of avocado or a handful of nuts – only for children older than three) Two portions of fish a week, of which one can be a child’s palm size of fatty fish such as tuna or salmon

tips from the dieticians • I f you suspect your child is overweight, take them for a professional assessment by a doctor or dietician. In many cases, it is not necessary to lose weight; only to maintain the weight. As the child grows taller, the weight should normalise. It is important to ensure that a child still receives all their nutritional requirements as they grow.

• Incorporate exercise and physical activity into your child’s daily routine.

• Encourage your children to play outside during the day and keep “couch activities” for evenings.

• Enrol your children in extramural sports at school.

• Cook nutritious home-made meals and steer clear of takeaways. for babies aged one to two • Breast-feed your baby as long as possible.

• Opt for home-made puréed food over commercially sold baby food as a healthier option and don’t add salt, sugar and “bad fats”.

• Full-cream milk is recommended over low-fat and skim milk for babies under the age of two. for children aged two to six • Use your child’s palm and fist size as a guide to portion sizes.

• Use child-size plates for meals.

• Choose a diet that provides enough calcium (dairy) and iron (protein) to meet your growing child’s needs.

• Do not force your child to clean his plate.

• Do not “reward” your child with food. for children aged six to 13 • Your child should be eating three meals and two nutritious snacks a day.

• Food should be fresh and unprocessed and they should be offered healthy snacks, such as plain pretzels, home-made popcorn, water crackers, a variety of fruits and vegetables, yoghurt and nutritious home-made smoothies, if they are hungry between meals.

• Set boundaries on time spent on the computer or watching TV. • Get your child involved in sport extramurals.

• Ensure your child eats a healthy breakfast every day.

magazine cape town

April 2012

15

health

give them a shot Vaccinations protect your child against infectious and sometimes life-threatening diseases.

By VANESSA PAPAS

16

April 2012

early protection Your child gets their first set of vaccinations when they’re just a few days old. “The BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin), and OPV (oral polio vaccine) are given in the first two weeks after birth,” says Dr Guest. “The BCG vaccinates against tuberculosis, a highly contagious infection that usually attacks the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body, including the bones, kidneys and brain. Polio is a crippling disease that can lead to permanent lameness, deformity and even death.”

The benefits of a well-thoughtout vaccination programme will far outweigh the dangers for any individual, and ultimately for society at large.

Paediatrician Dr Paul Sinclair, of Vincent Pallotti Hospital in Cape Town, says most vaccines require a course of injections with appropriately spaced boosters to ensure longevity of protection. If a course is interrupted or incomplete, protection will fail or wane, making the initial vaccines a waste of time, and putting your child at risk of acquiring these diseases when they’re older.

“If there is a break or delay in vaccines, it’s important to consult with your doctor or local clinic as to what

± 400 000 South African children are not fully immunised each year

2,5 million child deaths worldwide are prevented annually by vaccines

adjustments are necessary to ‘catch up’ effectively,” explains Dr Sinclair.

“If the cost of the vaccine is concerning, you can opt to have your child vaccinated at state clinics, which provide vaccines free of charge. However, there are some benefits to the private option. A private clinic can provide the Infanrix Hexa six-in-one vaccine as an alternative to the five-in-one Pentaxim vaccine and separate Heberbiovac.

This means your child will only have to have one injection with a delayed start at eight weeks. While mercurybased chemicals are being done away with for human consumption and exposure, there is no clear evidence of any harm caused by thimerosal in the small quantities found in vaccines like Heberbiovac. Private clinics also offer other ‘optional’ immunisations, such as the measlesmumps-rubella (MMR) and chicken pox vaccines.”

magazine cape town

PHOTOGRAPH: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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everal serious diseases, including polio and measles, have become less prevalent and the individual impact far less severe because of effective ongoing vaccination programmes around the world. This makes the development of vaccines arguably one of the greatest advances in world health. However, there are still concerns about the need for these injections, and the possible sideeffects they may have. Janey Naidoo, of Durban, says, “At first I was very concerned about having my newborn son, Ravi, vaccinated, as I’d heard horror stories of children who developed serious side-effects from certain vaccines.

But after speaking to the nurse at our local clinic, I now understand that you shouldn’t believe everything you hear through the grapevine. If you have concerns, speak to a professional.”

Gauteng general practitioner Dr Sylvia Guest, says the concept behind vaccinating is simple, yet effective.

“Each virus and bacteria has a specific ‘marker’ on its cell membrane and it is to that marker that the body makes an antibody or antidote when our body is exposed to it.

Vaccines are inactive or live, harmless replicas of the virus or bacteria we want to develop antibodies towards. In other words, they mimic the original disease. Our bodies recognise the bug and make an antibody against it. While the vaccine is a mild, far more harmless version of the original bug, the antibody we make towards the bug is effective against the original bug. That’s why vaccines protect us when we are exposed to the original bug many years after receiving the vaccine. Some vaccines even provide a lifetime of protection against the disease.”

are there risks?

While generally safe to use, some children may develop a reaction to certain vaccines, the most common side-effect being fever, body aches and headaches. “The use of topical anaesthesia, in the form of a cream or a patch, can assist in reducing the local pain, while breast-feeding some infants may also help in minimising the discomfort,” adds Dr Guest.

“Recent studies, however, suggest pre-vaccine paracetamol is not advisable and may, in a minor way, affect the vaccine’s efficacy, but it is fine to use paracetamol or alternate antiinflammatories post-vaccination if a fever occurs or there is discomfort. Expect your child to be a little miserable for 24 to 48 hours post-vaccination and treat them with even more care than usual.”

Certain vaccinations can leave a scar. If your baby has had a BCG injection in their upper arm, in the first six to eight weeks you will probably see a “pimple” appear at the injection site. This may develop into a larger sore and may even look septic. It’s a normal reaction and there is nothing you need to do, aside from keeping the sore clean with cool boiled water. Although rare, seek medical help immediately if your child develops a severe allergic reaction after an immunisation. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, a rapid heart beat or dizziness. “Should your child not be well prior to having a vaccination, your doctor may suggest postponing

allay the autism fear Vaccinations generally get a bad rap, but the most controversial is the MMR vaccine, with its supposed links to autism. British doctor Andrew Wakefield claimed in 1998 that the vaccine could cause autism spectrum disorders. His alleged findings led to a drop in vaccination levels, causing an outbreak of measles in that country. The study was later refuted.

“The link between MMR and autism has been safely excluded for the last 15 to 20 years,” explains paediatrician Dr Paul Sinclair. “In fact, the doctor who made these initial claims has been removed from his country’s register of practising doctors.

There is absolutely no link between the MMR vaccine and autism and there never was one. As with all things in life, any action may result in a reaction, but the benefits of a well-thought-out vaccination programme will far outweigh the dangers for any individual, and ultimately for society at large.”

magazine cape town

until your child is better,” says Dr Guest. “Generally it is best to wait a few days if your child has a fever.”

planning to fall pregnant?

If you are planning to fall pregnant, make sure your vaccinations are up to date. Rubella, or German measles, may cause birth defects such as blindness and hearing loss, if contracted during the first trimester. Other diseases that can cause congenital abnormalities are the STORCH group – syphilis, toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, chicken pox, hepatitis and herpes.

Women who had vaccinations as a child are less likely to contract preventable diseases during their pregnancy.

Speak to your doctor about the vaccines you may need before conceiving.

• S outh Africa is burdened by one of the worst tuberculosis epidemics in the world, despite the fact that the disease can be prevented by vaccinating.

• Most nursery and primary schools insist on seeing your child’s vaccination chart when you apply.

• In almost 50 nations, 60 percent of the children are not immunised.

• A child in a developing country is 10 times more likely to die of a vaccine-preventable disease than a child in an industrialised nation.

EPI Schedule The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) Schedule is a list of recommended routine vaccinations your child should have. The vaccines protect against invasive bacterial diseases, such as meningitis, rotavirus, tuberculosis, polio, tetanus, hepatitis A and B, measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox and influenza.

(This EPI Schedule appears on the Department of Health’s website: visit doh.gov.za) at birth

BCG (injection to right upper arm), oral polio vaccine

6 weeks

Oral polio vaccine, RV (liquid by mouth), DTaP-IPV/Hib (intramascular injection to left thigh), Hep B (intramuscular to right thigh), PCV7 (intramuscular to right thigh)

10 weeks

DTap-IPV/Hib (intramuscular to left thigh), Hep B (intramuscular to right thigh)

14 weeks

RV (liquid by mouth), DTap-IPV/Hib (intramuscular to left thigh), Hep B (intramuscular to right thigh), PCV7 (intramuscular to right thigh)

9 months

Measles vaccine (intramuscular to left thigh), PCV7 (intramuscular to right thigh)

18 months

DTap-IPV/Hib (intramuscular to left arm), measles vaccine (intramuscular to right arm)

6 years

Td Vaccine (intramuscular to left arm)

12 years

Td Vaccine (intramuscular to left arm)

Note: Not all state clinics in South Africa provide all the routine vaccinations reflected on the EPI. Additional vaccinations available over the above include MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), Varilrix (chicken pox), Havrix (hepatitis A), Synflorix (streptococcus pneumonia and non typeable Haemophilus) and Cervarix and Gardasil (human papillomavirus). To guarantee maximum protection, your child will need booster shots of certain vaccines.

For more about vaccination against cervical cancer, visit childmag.co.za/content/cervical-cancer

April 2012

17

book extract

Get friends and family together for a decadent brunch with these inspirational ideas from ALLISON BRAND and DEBBIE O’FLAHERTY.

Method

Beat together the eggs, seasoning, parsley, cream and butter in a large glass bowl.

Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water and place the pot lid on top of the egg mixture.

Allow the egg to cook, stirring with a whisk from time to time, until the egg has just cooked but is not dry.

Slice the ciabatta breadsticks down the middle three quarters of the way through. Fill each breadstick with half the scrambled egg mixture.

Slice each breadstick into nine portions.

Top with a ribbon of smoked salmon and a sprig of fresh dill.

Serve immediately.

Makes 18 portions.

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April 2012

Ingredients • 1½ cups Rice Krispies breakfast cereal • 1½ cups cooking chocolate discs • ⅓ cup desiccated coconut • 80 mini chocolate eggs Method Place the Rice Krispies in a large mixing bowl.

Melt the chocolate discs in the microwave for ± one minute on high (900W).

Mix the chocolate into the Rice Krispies.

Add the coconut and mix well until everything is coated in the chocolate.

Spray mini muffin-pan hollows with non-stick spray.

Spoon a generous tablespoon of the mixture into the muffin-pan hollows, pressing down with the back of a teaspoon or your fingers to create a nest shape. You do need to work quite quickly before the chocolate starts to set.

Place three mini eggs in each nest as you go, so they stick to the nests.

Refrigerate until set and then gently lever each nest out using the back of a butter knife.

Makes 25-27 nests.

PHOTOGRAPHS: kate miller / illustrations: shutterstock.com

Ingredients • 10 eggs • ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped • ¾ cup cream • 10g butter • 2 ciabatta sticks (thin ciabatta breads) • 200g packet smoked salmon or smoked trout • dill to garnish • salt and pepper to taste

magazine cape town

Ingredients cake • 1 cup cake flour • 1¼ tsp baking powder • 1 cup desiccated coconut • ¾ cup poppy seeds • 3 large eggs • 1½ cups caster sugar • 2 x 175ml tubs plain yoghurt • ½ cup oil • zest of 1 lemon lemon curd filling • 2 large eggs • ⅓ cup caster sugar • zest and juice of 1 lemon • 50g butter, cubed icing • 360g (2 bars) white chocolate, broken into pieces • ¼ cup icing sugar • 10g butter • 2 tbsp milk • 1 tsp vanilla essence Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Stir

Grease and line a 20cm round cake pan.

Sift the flour and baking powder together.

Mix in the coconut and poppy seeds.

Beat the eggs and caster sugar together.

Add the yoghurt, oil, lemon zest and mix together.

Mix the flour mixture into the egg mixture and mix until well combined.

Pour the mixture into the cake pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean from the centre of the cake.

Allow

the cake to cool for five minutes in the

pan before turning it out to cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the lemon curd filling, break the eggs into a heat-proof glass bowl.

Add the caster sugar, lemon and butter.

Place the bowl over a pot of boiling

water.

Alternatively, use a double boiler if you have one.

magazine cape town

the mixture from time to time as it thickens.

Remove from the heat when it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Leave to cool.

Slice the cake in half and sandwich the two halves together with the lemon curd filling.

For the icing, melt the chocolate, sugar, butter and milk in the microwave for about 50 seconds on high (900W).

Stir until everything has melted completely and is well combined.

Mix in the vanilla essence.

Allow to cool slightly before pouring over the top of the cake.

Decorate the top with an assortment of chocolate Easter eggs, bunnies, flowers, poppy seeds or anything else you fancy to give it a festive, fun look.

about the book In this coffee-table book, Let’s Celebrate (Logogog Press), Allison Brand and Debbie O’Flaherty share their inspirational ideas for 16 different occasions – from a one-year-old’s birthday party to an elegant high tea.

They recommend a menu for each event, offer décor ideas and even suggest invite and gift options. The beauty is in the detail and care that the authors have put into every menu and table setting. The recipes are easy to follow with helpful tips for even the novice entertainer. Photographer Kate Miller brings the ideas to life with her beautiful images. This book is guaranteed to have you reaching for the calendar so that you can plan your own unforgettable event. It can be ordered from lets-celebrate.co.za or Kalahari, and is available at In Good Company in Parkhurst, Macaroon in Greenside, and the Baker’s Warehouse in Johannesburg.

April 2012

19

advertorial

straight talk

think before you let them drink Columnist GARY KOEN cautions parents against shrugging

m

any parents dread the thought of their children becoming teenagers. They don’t know what lies in store for them and many, either secretly or openly, wish there was some way they could stop their children from growing up. This is particularly true for the seven to 12 year olds who are in the most golden of their childhood years. The thought of that youthful innocence being swept away by the teenage maelstrom that awaits them around the next developmental bend can be devastating for most parents.

There is the misunderstanding that being a teenager must include a range of dangerous and destructive behaviour.

Parents tend to accept, with sad resignation, that this is true and inevitable, that as parents they are powerless to do anything about it and they therefore have to accept this as “normal teenage behaviour”.

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April 2012

But nothing could be further from the truth. The very idea that our teenagers have to harm themselves to find themselves is absurd. However, when parents start operating cash bars at their 16 year old’s birthday party and 14 and 15 year olds start to believe that going out must include drinking, as well as maybe smoking marijuana, then unfortunately, we really have betrayed our children. If all of this is considered normal teenage behaviour, it is no wonder that parents and teenagers are anxious about these years.

the norm This is not to say that the teenage years will not be difficult.

In all likelihood, they will be filled with conflict, turmoil, drama and stress. There will be confusion, unpredictability, volatility and unrest. They will place a serious strain on your household, your time, your freedom, your budget and your

patience. You will probably question your understanding of the world, your relationships, your habits, your lifestyle, your attitudes and your overall outlook on life. However, at no point does it ever become normal or natural for these adolescent years to become dangerous and destructive.

But as our teenagers slowly move away from the safety of our homes, they will encounter the outside world with all its temptations, and one of the first and most beguiling of these will be alcohol. What makes alcohol so dangerous for teenagers is that the line between what’s normal and what’s destructive becomes rather blurred. This is because alcohol is so easily accessible and available, and also, in South African society, so acceptable. It’s considered very much a normal part of our lives, and therefore, like everything else that is coming our way, is an issue that parents and teenagers need to acknowledge and deal with.

magazine cape town

PHOTOGRAPHS: shutterstock.com

off underage drinking as “normal teenage behaviour”.

a dangerous drug It is very important to make our children aware of the fact that alcohol is a drug. This alone is worth reflecting upon, because we cannot hide the reality that in essence, by introducing our children to alcohol, we are basically introducing them to drugs. If alcohol was discovered and released on the streets today, it would apparently receive a grade A drug rating; the classification given to the most harmful and most dangerous of drugs. In a recent British study, alcohol came fifth on the list of all-time harmful drugs, way ahead of LSD and cannabis, and just behind cocaine and heroin.

It makes the war on drugs a bit difficult when the fifth most dangerous one is in fact a powerful, influential, respected and most importantly, legal member of our society. To complicate matters, there are few events

magazine cape town

in our lives at which alcohol is not present. From the celebrations that follow the birth of a child, to the commiserations when mourning the loss of a loved one, it

What makes alcohol so dangerous for teenagers is that the line between what’s normal and what’s destructive becomes rather blurred. does not take much for us to find a reason to have a drink.

Alcohol is so prevalent one may be forgiven for believing it’s the very thing that makes these occasions memorable.

The entire alcohol industry relies on this myth and almost

every advertisement would like you to believe that their product will make your life special and meaningful. So it is hardly surprising then that our teenagers are captivated by these untrue and blatantly misleading notions. Alcohol has played its hand in so many avoidable tragedies – from date rape and unwanted pregnancy to a head-on collision or a hapless mugging – that the value it brings to any occasion has to be questioned. Very few people can actually claim to have done something of which they are permanently proud in a moment of drunken splendour.

The truth is that alcohol’s actual value and genuine ability to add meaning to anybody’s life is, in fact, seriously limited. While we can blame the advertising industry for perpetuating this illusion, the bulk of the responsibility when it comes to teenagers and alcohol must still lie with the parents.

April 2012

23

straight talk

when should they drink?

Of all the factors that will influence your teenager’s attitude towards alcohol, your attitude, as parents, will be the most important. Some parents may drink alcohol only on weekends; some may include it as part of their daily lives and others may abstain. Regardless of what your family does, the responsibility of teaching your child about alcohol remains the same. But the decision to introduce your teenager to alcohol must be a sober one. It cannot be done in an impulsive moment, fuelled by your urge to share your good time with your child. Parents need to be sober and in control themselves when teaching their teenager about alcohol.

behaviour already seems wild and out of control, if they present you with arguments saying that as teenagers it is their right to start drinking alcohol or if you offer them a sip and they down the beer in one go.

Alcohol is far too dangerous a drug for anyone to be casual about it.

who’s to blame?

Parents need to remember that the decision of whether your teenager can drink rests with you, not them. They do not have the power or authority to decide when they can start drinking. Therefore, if it has become normal for teenagers to drink, it is the adults who, through ignorance, neglect, or indifference, have allowed this

By introducing our children to alcohol, we are basically introducing them to drugs.

The occasion at which you choose to do this is also important. A wedding, a family celebration or a traditional meal could all be appropriate times to allow your teenager to join in the celebration. However, even at these times, keep a careful eye on how much they want to participate. I would say they should preferably be 17, about to turn 18, before being allowed to join in. Many parents have decided that 15 is an appropriate age to introduce their children to alcohol and allow them to have two or three drinks, be it beers or cider, on weekends. I believe these parents are inviting trouble, and would advocate a far stricter approach. The longer you delay your teenager’s drinking, the better it will be for them and for you. This will naturally vary from one teenager to another and, in fact, there are some who shouldn’t start drinking at all. (See a future issue for the dangers of teenage drinking.) There are signs that your teenager is not yet mature enough to begin their relationship with alcohol: if their

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April 2012

to take place. I am afraid you cannot blame the teenagers here. Adults and parents have tacitly allowed this situation to develop, and I believe that they are the only ones who can reverse this trend.

However, it will require a collective effort as well as a collective recognition that it is fundamentally destructive – and not normal – for teenagers to drink alcohol.

Of course it’s one thing to just blame the parents and excuse the teenager when it comes to teenage drinking. Your teenager may very well put up a strong argument as they beg, plead and demand to know what’s wrong with a couple of beers with their mates over the weekend, or a few ciders around the pool on a Sunday afternoon.

I recall a discussion with a 17-year-old girl who argued that one or two drinks were not a problem. I said, “Okay, you can have two ciders a month.” Her face fell and she wanted to protest, but then could see that she had caught herself out.

Why do they want more? If every teenager magazine cape town

was happy with just two drinks a month, would we really be having this discussion?

Unfortunately, in our culture, I am not sure that there is such a thing as normal teenage drinking. Teenagers do not sip serenely from a wine glass or go out and have one beer. They do not get tipsy. Teenagers get legless – horribly and incoherently drunk – and it happens quickly and easily.

binge drinking Unfortunately we come from a culture of excess, where alcohol is invariably imbibed in extreme amounts. Going out and getting drunk is considered a normal part of life in our country. This distortion of what constitutes a good night out extends well beyond what is conventionally known as adolescence. The older our children get, the more they drink, and for longer. Parties can start at lunch time and finish the following morning. As their boundaries blur, the more chaotic and out of control the night becomes. After nearly 12 hours of drinking, it’s easier to think about scoring cocaine, ecstasy or Tik, or anything else that will fuel the desperate, headlong flight into oblivion.

The “big night out” everyone keeps talking about often ends with a violent hangover and feelings of regret and resentment that it was all supposed to turn out so differently.

For me, the worst part is that what I consider binge drinking is now simply regarded as a regular night out. I am seeing supposedly high-functioning, intelligent and talented individuals – not only adolescents, but also supposed role models such as doctors, lawyers and professional people – getting consistently and severely drunk. The actual phenomenon of binge drinking has become an institutionalised epidemic, as it has become more difficult to distinguish between normal and binge drinking. Guys don’t bat an eyelid telling me they had 12 beers and several shooters in one session. When confronted about this sheer volume of alcohol, they quickly point out that it was just a bit of normal fun and that it only happens occasionally, maybe two or three times a week. Oh, and they never drink alone, so that kind of makes it okay. Someone at some point obviously

counselled them that the sure sign of an alcoholic is drinking alone. As long as they always get hammered with friends, they are off the hook. They are unaware of the other 12 criteria for alcoholism that they do meet.

what about that after-work tipple?

Of course none of these dilemmas would exist if drinking alcohol was not enjoyable.

Many parents treasure that cold beer at the end of a day’s work or that chilled Sauvignon Blanc as the sun starts to dip, but you have to be careful this does not turn into a debilitating and unwelcome habit where one beer becomes six, or a glass of wine turns into the whole bottle.

You may find that, on any given evening in the average household, the teenager is more sober than their parents. While parents will vigorously defend their right to an evening tipple, be careful that it does not topple you later on. Irrespective of how well you hold your liquor, no-one is immune to its effects and if your teenager hasn’t been drinking, but you have, you may be the one that reaches breaking point first if there’s an argument. Your teenager may push your buttons, but you will be the one whose judgement is compromised and who may end up saying something destructive and hurtful.

Furthermore, your teenager won’t let you off lightly if it was your “habit” that made you the one without control.

set the pace I would advise parents of teenagers to curb their partying. As far as your teenager is concerned, you remain their role model and they are watching you. Do not think that your teenager won’t notice if you start falling around in a drunken state. Do not expect them to be impressed by your feverish, alcohol-fuelled Dirty Dancing routine or Madonna impersonation. You may think you have the moves like Jagger on the dance floor, but even the teenage daughter of the legendary Rolling Stone thinks he looks like an idiot when he struts his stuff. An innocent party can come back to haunt you if you let yourself get out of control. Think carefully about the example you want to set.

Gary Koen is a clinical psychologist in private practice with over 20 years’ experience, working mainly with adults and adolescents. He also does presentations at schools on a range of teenage-related topics. These include all the general aspects of normal adolescent development. He developed and successfully runs a course, “An introduction to adolescence”, aimed at parents. He is also working on a book that deals with the challenges facing parents and teenagers and, as a father of three, he is heavily invested in everything he says.

For more information, visit garykoen.co.za

magazine cape town

April 2012

25

how to

home entertainment Turn off the TV and the computer and let your children rediscover the joy of play. By ANÉL LEWIS

i

t can be somewhat of a challenge to keep children entertained over long weekends or during the holidays. But, with just a few props and plenty of imagination, you can turn your home or garden into a veritable playground for children of all ages. Make sure they are wearing sunscreen and hats if they play outdoors.

1

hide out

Make a fort or teepee out of tablecloths or sheets. Children of all ages will love building a secret hideaway in the garden. You can use a variety of materials to make a fort, such as a large cardboard box or a sheet draped over some chairs.

Let your child decorate the fort with non-toxic paint, fabric or stickers. Intrepid adventurers may want to camouflage their forts with leaves and branches.

You can also use trees and shrubs as part of your fort’s walls.

2

hold a teddy bear’s picnic

3

camp out

Invite your children’s furry friends, and arrange them under some trees. Use plastic crockery and serve real juice and snacks for the human guests. For older children, turn this into a midnight feast and include hot chocolate in thermo flasks. Illuminate the meal with lanterns they’ve decorated, but make sure they are placed safely out of reach. Or recreate the magic of the Arabian Nights in your lounge by erecting a Bedouin tent, made of sheets or coloured fabric.

Children love the thrill of spending a night under the stars. Pack the sleeping bags and camping gear and head for a spot in the garden where you can perhaps build a small fire, or use a gas burner. Toast marshmallows and sausages and sing camp fire songs. Use the opportunity to teach older children about the stars and the Milky Way.

With it being the month of Easter, this is good training if you are planning an egg hunt and it’s also an excellent way to keep energetic children entertained outside. You can use all sorts of objects to hide in interesting places in the garden, including sweets (just make sure you remember where these are, in case they don’t get found), small toys and other items. Hide these treasures under stones, in flower pots or between plants.

With young children, keep the hunt short and simple. For older children, include clues to direct them to the hiding spots. This can be played with children from the age of three.

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magazine cape town

ILLUSTRATIONS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

4

scavenger hunt

5

hopscotch or pavement art

6

turn the garden into a magical outdoor theatre or cinema

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art in the garden

8

backyard bowling

9

amazing race or an obstacle course

Take some chalk and draw a hopscotch course onto paving. You can also use plastic hoops to mark the course. It usually has seven or eight sections and each child is given a marker, such as a stone or a bean bag, to throw onto the course. The first player throws the marker onto the first square and then has to hop over it to get to the second square, before hopping to the end of the course and back again.

If the player lands on the square with the marker, or stands on the line, they are out. Children from the age of three will enjoy this game. You can also use the chalk to play noughts and crosses.

Transform the humble washing line into a stage backdrop by draping it with a sheet that can be decorated. Use two sheets to create a working stage curtain. If it’s a balmy evening, what about watching a movie outdoors? A clean white sheet can double as a big screen. Hook your laptop or DVD player to a projector to show the film on the sheet. Set up deck chairs or lay out comfy cushions and serve popcorn for an unforgettable, outdoor cinematic experience.

Give children some coloured chalk and let them do murals on paving in the garden. You can also create a canvas for an outdoor mural by hanging an old sheet on the washing line. Let the children explore their creativity and unleash their inner Jackson Pollock with some non-toxic paints. Just make sure they stick to the sheet and don’t extend their artworks to any walls or garden furniture.

Create skittles with household items, such as empty cold drink bottles or cereal boxes. Let younger children use a large ball and give the older children smaller balls to test their bowling skills.

This is a great way to let older children burn off some excess energy. Get a group together and make an obstacle course in the garden.

Use chairs, boxes, cushions, the laundry basket and bits of rope to make challenging obstacles for children to climb over and under, or through. A novel idea is to tie strawberries or apples to the washing line on long pieces of string, then get the children to eat them without using their hands.

This can be one of the tasks on the obstacle course.

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10

water games

Nothing beats good old H2O for outdoor fun. Fill balloons with water to make water bombs. Invest in a water slide that can also be set up in the garden.

This will keep children of all ages entertained for hours. Toddlers will enjoy a splash pool, or playing with water placed in differentsized containers around the garden. Just make sure they are supervised at all times. Use a hose pipe for a limbo game for older children. While you are watering the garden, get them to move their bodies under the stream of water, each time lowering the height of the hose pipe.

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community project

Bulungula

t

owards the end of last year, as I sat at my desk paging through the newspaper, I was overwhelmed by all the “bad news” stories. There were articles about the appalling state of our education system and more on how little we seem to care for the millions of children growing up in a country seemingly unable to provide the basic requirements for a semi-decent childhood. But where were the “good news” stories?

Surely these are as important?

I left the newspaper to open my email and there it was – a good news story, in the heart of the Eastern Cape of all provinces. The email was from Annette Champion, who after retiring as deputy head of Herschel Preparatory School in Cape Town, headed for the hills of the Transkei to join an NGO as the education programme’s manager, and most remarkably, establish the Jujurha Preschool.

In the remote village of Nqileni, there is a truly inspiring story of children being offered a world-class education, of teachers who are passionate and committed, and of eager children as young as three donning gumboots to brave the rain and slippery hills to get to school on time.

Prof Jonathan Jansen, rector and vice-chancellor of Free State University, will tell you that it’s the human resources that make for successful schools and nowhere is this more apparent than in the village of Nqileni, located in one of the poorest districts in South Africa.

MySchool.co.za Sign up and make Bulungula Incubator the beneficiary or add the BI as an additional beneficiary.

Sponsor a child Twenty percent of South African children live in the Eastern Cape, with 80 percent receiving an inferior education. Your donation could ensure that one child goes to a decent primary school, paving the way for others to follow. Pledge as little as R100 a month or leave a legacy by signing a codicil to include a bequest in your will. You can also visit the website to see what resources are urgently needed. Forms and banking details are available on bulungulaincubator.org. Go to bulungula.com for directions and accommodation details.

Jujurha Preschool and the community library

The pupils at Jujurha Preschool

Annette has been instrumental in setting up the Jujurha Education Centre, which includes the preschool and community library, and forms the education part of the Bulungula Incubator (BI), a not-for-profit association. The village has no basic services and until last year, the road stopped 3km from the village. Not surprisingly, almost all its adult residents are illiterate and very few completed their schooling. But despite its remoteness, the BI is a

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collection of success stories, with the little preschool on the hill being the gem. When Annette mailed me about the school, and her life in the hills, I had to see it for myself.

Here was someone living my dream.

After convincing my husband and children that three days of no electricity, running water and, most horrifying for my daughters, no flushing loos, would be a small price to pay for paradise, we made the long journey to Bulungula.

We settled into sea-facing tents and were impressed with our meals, made with only gas and in a communal cooking pot on a large fire outside. The food was delicious and my husband and I opted for beer as it was served chilled; impressive for a lodge that runs on solar power.

Even more impressive were the rocket showers, which delivered eight minutes of super-hot water to beautiful mosaiced cubicles. They did, however, require some precision to fire up, but after a scary start for my shywhen-naked youngest, which involved a local woman running into Robyn’s shower with large yellow gloves to avert an explosion, we all mastered the art of wrapping toilet paper three times around our hands, sticking it in to the bottom of the rocket shower, pouring paraffin out of

an old enamel teapot onto the paper and setting it alight.

The compost loos also required a level of skill. No need for detail, suffice to say they were spotless and odourless.

The BI story began with Annette’s son, David, who decided to create an eco-friendly backpackers lodge as a community development project. The Nqileni community owns 40 percent of the Bulungula Lodge and is an integral part of its daily life. The Jujurha Education Centre opened in July 2009 and this year the preschool will provide an early childhood development programme to 64 children.

What’s remarkable is that these children will graduate from this rural facility, school-ready, with many capable of excellent scholastic performance if given the opportunity.

With no quality primary school close by, Annette and her team are working hard to secure scholarships for many of the children to continue their quality education at a decent primary school in Mthatha. “The Vulindlela (Open the Road) scholarships are the only way that these children can secure a better life. They are otherwise doomed to the impoverished life of so many rural communities because the state is unable to provide functional schools in rural areas such as these,” says Annette.

On our second day, we walked through the hills, marvelling at the views and wondering how we could help the children and parents of Nqileni Village. The BI team have extended their projects into the surrounding communities, and what they have achieved without electricity, roads and limited resources is life-changing. They could do so much more with a little help from those of us with access to resources, and a willingness to be part of what has to be one of South Africa’s most wonderful “good news” stories.

Robyn, Lisa, Julian and Ayanda

MySchool who donated Woolworths vouchers to assist the first scholarship recipients with school uniforms.

Plastic Land for storage crates filled with educational posters, puzzles and toys for Jujurha Preschool.

magazine cape town

PHOTOGRAPHS: BULUNGULA INCUBATOR/CHRIS MC NAMARA/LISA MC NAMARA

A remote rural village has managed to turn adversity into success; providing quality education for its children.

LISA MC NAMARA visits this hidden gem in the hills of the Transkei.

resource

who to call?

When your child is sick, or needs medical attention, it helps to know which health care practitioner to consult. By CHILD MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPHS AND ILLUSTRATIONS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

audiologist An audiologist evaluates and treats hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and auditory processing disorders by conducting a wide variety of tests. They also perform hearing-aid assessments and fittings, provide access to the latest hearing-aid technology and offer unbiased advice. An audiologist will assess hearing and identify hearing loss in children of any age, including newborns and infants, and will do hearing screening and diagnostic hearing tests with young children. They provide hearing therapy and fit hearing aids on babies and young children, where necessary.

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The audiologist provides an assessment of balance to evaluate dizziness, and offers rehabilitation training. They also provide advice on how to protect your sense of hearing in noisy environments. It’s important for your older child in that the audiologist will be able to provide custom-fit moulds for swimming or sleeping, and earphones for sound devices and cellphones. When the hearing problem needs medical or surgical intervention, audiologists will refer patients to a medical doctor or an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist.

For the South African Association of Audiologists: visit audiologysa.co.za

chiropractor A chiropractor treats and manages backache, headaches (including neck pain, migraines, whiplash), sprains and strains, arthritis, joint pain and pregnancyrelated back pain by using manipulation, soft tissue therapy and other techniques such as ice, ultrasound and exercise. The term chiropractic literally means “done by hand” and incorporates a drug-free, surgery-free approach. The treatment involves safe, gentle and specific manipulation of the spine and other areas of your body to unlock joints that are not moving correctly, to ensure greater and improved movement and

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resource

to relieve pain in adults and children. For the Chiropractic Association of South Africa, contact: 058 303 4571 or visit chiropractic.co.za

whole family. Your GP might direct you to a specialist if they are unable to help you. For the South African Medical Association: visit sama.co.za

dentist

occupational therapist (OT)

They provide preventive and restorative treatments for problems that affect the mouth and teeth. Paediatric dentistry focuses on childhood or adolescent growth and development, as well as the causes and prevention of disease. Some paediatric dentists also specialise in the care of “special needs” patients, such as those children with cerebral palsy, mental retardation and autism. Paediatric dentistry emphasises the need to establish

OTs help people with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities to carry out everyday activities, such as brushing their teeth or putting on shoes, so that they may lead as normal a life as possible. OTs help people who have conditions such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, autism or other sensory processing disorders.

OTs will conduct assessments of your child’s abilities, comparing them to children of the same age. They will often come to your home to observe how routine tasks are handled or meet you at the hospital. OTs will also help you get hold of aids, slings and splints, or other devices you may need. For the Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa, contact: 012 362 5457 or visit otasa.org.za

optometrist

a trusting relationship with their young patients, so one of the main components of paediatric training is child psychology.

This manifests in special office designs, different communication styles and an emphasis on teaching preventive dental habits to children to make dental visits more enjoyable. For the South African Dental Association, contact: 011 484 5288 or visit sada.co.za

Optometrists deal with conditions and diseases that affect the eyes. They conduct eye exams to assess your vision and are able to provide corrective eye wear. If you or your children experience blurred vision, lack of visual clarity, pain in your eyes, or if you have an eye injury, you would see an optometrist. If you require surgery or medication for eye diseases, an optometrist would refer you to a ophthalmologist. For the South African Optometric Association, contact: 011 805 4517 or visit saoa.co.za

dietician A dietician promotes good health through proper, balanced eating, and interprets and communicates the science of nutrition to help people make informed and practical choices about food and lifestyle. Nutrition, a branch of dietetics, is the study of nutrients in food, how they are used by the body, and the relationship between diet, health and disease. Dieticians may also work in the food industry, in education and research or on a freelance basis. Professional advice from a doctor or dietician can help an older child who is overweight or has eating problems. For the Association of Dietetics in South Africa, contact: 011 789 6621 or visit adsa.org.za

general practitioner (GP) Your family GP is generally the first medical professional to contact if you or your children are feeling ill. GPs assist with yearly checkups, coughs, colds and flu, pulled muscles, allergic reactions, ulcers, asthma and many other ailments.

They keep a record of your health, taking notice of any trends or tendencies in your condition. They treat a wide range of health issues, either acute or chronic, and provide health education for the

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otolaryngologist or ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist ENTs specialise in problems with your ears, nose and throat and related areas of your head and neck. Consult one if you or your child experience hearing impairments, tonsil or adenoid infections, ear infections, irritated sinuses, breathing problems or respiratory allergies, throat problems that may cause speech and voice disorders or swallowing problems, or problems with smell or dizziness. They also do cosmetic surgery of the neck or head region.

Many ENTs specialise in paediatric otolaryngology or sleep medicine.

magazine cape town

For the South African Society of Otorhinolaryngology, contact: 011 340 9000 or visit entsociety.co.za

evaluations or neuroimaging, and then prescribe treatment. For the South African Society of Psychiatrists: visit sasop.co.za

paediatrician Paediatricians deal with the physical, emotional and social wellbeing of babies, children and adolescents, from birth to 21 years. If your children need inoculations, their monthly checkups to monitor growth and development, or if they are suffering from ear infections and behavioural problems at school, a paediatrician will be able to assist you. There are specialist branches within paediatrics dealing with heart disease and cancer in children.

For the South African Paediatrics Association, contact: 011 340 9000 or visit paediatrician.co.za

physiotherapist Specialists in physical therapy use various techniques to help with problems of movement and mobility. They treat people of all ages, starting from birth.

Diagnosis is usually by looking for healthrelated problems, such as illnesses or injuries, which affect the ability to move or function. Some of the methods used include massage, manipulating or moving muscles, hot and cold therapies, exercises, electrotherapy and relaxation techniques. Children who have suffered an injury or who experience difficulty or pain when moving would need to see a physiotherapist. Physiotherapy is also used to prevent injuries from recurring or getting worse. For The South African Society of Physiotherapy, contact: 011 615 3170 or visit physiosa.org.za

psychologist Psychology is concerned with studying, assessing and treating mental health disorders. There are different types of psychologists, including clinical psychologists and counsellors. These specialists work with people to understand how they think and behave in certain situations so that they can address any potential issues. These may include behavioural, emotional, functioning or even personality disorders.

Psychologists use therapy to work with their patients. They are not medical doctors and cannot prescribe medicine.

However, if a psychologist feels that a patient requires medication, they will refer you to a psychiatrist. People who have difficulty dealing with stressful events, such as divorce or trauma, may want to see a psychologist to help them cope.

For the Psychological Association of South Africa, contact: 011 486 3322 or visit psyssa.com

play therapist In this therapy, play is used to help children deal with emotional and other issues. This is beneficial for children from about three to eight years old, who may struggle to understand or express their emotions. The therapist encourages the child to play with toys, games, clay or other mediums. Through this play, the child is able to express herself and come to terms with feelings, fears, wishes or needs in a safe environment. This therapy therefore helps children to learn about their emotions, develop ways of dealing with problems and improve communication. For South African Play Therapy, contact: 012 667 5199 or visit playtherapysa.co.za

psychiatrist This is a specialist who works with and treats mental disorders that may be behavioural, cognitive or emotional such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Psychiatrists can also treat less severe mental disorders such as anxiety. As they are medical doctors, psychiatrists can prescribe medicine. Patients are usually referred to them when doctors or psychologists feel that they would benefit from medication. A psychiatrist would examine the patient, possibly performing tests such as psychological

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speech therapist This therapist is concerned with how people communicate and associated disorders. They assess the physical production of sounds as well as the ability to understand and use language. In children, speech therapy usually involves meeting any developmental milestones that may have been delayed. Therapists accomplish this by using various exercises such as language interaction, sound production exercises or oral exercises to train facial and oral muscles.

Children who may need speech therapy include those with hearing impairments, developmental delays, physical birth defects such as a cleft palate, breathing or swallowing disorders or weak oral muscles. Children show more progress when speech therapy is started early, or before they are five years old. For the South African Speech-LanguageHearing Association, contact: 0861 113 297 or visit saslha.co.za For health practitioners in your area, visit childmag.co.za/resources/ healthcare-practitioners

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books

a good read for toddlers Rod Campbell’s Nursery Book

By Rod Campbell (Published by Macmillan Children’s Books, R81)

for preschoolers essentia l for ever y nursery

The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories

By Dr Seuss

This book is filled with rhymes and games to share with your toddler. It has traditional verses such as Incy Wincy Spider and Pat-a-Cake, as well as brand new rhymes. The book has over 25 flaps to lift, so your toddler can interact with the rhymes while you read. Appealing illustrations and an easy-to-read text make this a must-have book. The author has been involved in children’s books since 1980, and he was one of the first authors to create innovative books for children under five with liftable flaps and other elements.

This Book belongs to Aye-Aye

By Richard Byrne (Published by Oxford University Press, R136) Miss Deer is holding a competition to find the most helpful animal in her class. There’s a prize for the winner, but someone isn’t playing fair. In this story of the Good, the Bad, and the Fluffy, it will be Aye-Aye who wins your heart. Previously confined to the pages of natural history books, the ayeaye (a type of lemur that hails from Madagascar) makes its debut in a picture book. Richard Byrne’s Aye-Aye will melt your heart with his big eyes and ready smile. This is an entertaining story with a “whodunit?” twist for the youngest reader. It also delivers the important message that kindness and helpfulness will always prevail.

My Fold Out Words

By Roger Priddy (Published by Priddy Books, R33) Babies and toddlers will love to learn first words with this bright, bold board book. It features one long, concertina page, printed on both sides, which is perfect for unfolding on the floor for little ones to look at. With full-colour photographs of fun and familiar things, such as a ball, dog, shoes, apple, cat, train, duck, baby and a car, you can get your toddler to point out the correct pictures as you name them. This board book is also very sturdy, making it easy for little fingers to handle, and it can be wiped clean.

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Who’s Afraid of the Dark

By Dianne Stewart (Published by Jacana Media, R44) This book brings together two of South Africa’s most gifted children’s story telling talents – Joan Rankin and Dianne Stewart.

Stewart has worked extensively in the field of oral tradition. This inspired many of her children’s books including The Dove and The Gift of the Sun, with the latter also being translated into Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, French, Spanish, Xhosa, Zulu, Afrikaans and South Korean. In this offering, Sanele is afraid of the dark. She hears strange noises and can’t sleep. She thinks there are monsters under her bed and a lion in the house. What will help Sanele sleep at night?

(Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, R48) This is a collection of lost stories featuring tales about a scheming feline; a rabbit who is saved from a hungry bear; a goldfish who grows as big as a whale; a set of twins who don’t always agree; an Ikka, a Gritch, a Grickle, a Nupper and a pair of Wild Wheef in search of a tasty dinner; a small spot that becomes a gigantic splotch of a problem and a boy with wacky career fantasies. Originally published in magazines in the 1950s, these stories are highly entertaining, beautifully written and fascinating.

book shelf must-have

for early graders My Little Book of Life Cycles

By Camilla de la Bédoyère (Published by Don Nelson, South Africa, R130) Packed with fascinating facts about life cycles, with amazing photographs of every stage and labelled diagrams to explain growth and development, this book reveals everything about beginnings. It comes with important notes to parents and teachers on how to use the book interactively, how science can be tackled as a subject at home, which places to visit to see nature in action, how to observe nature and how to teach your child respect for wild life. There are activities, as well as a glossary where certain difficult words are explained.

magazine cape town

for teenagers Time Twisters: Cape of Slaves

By Sam Roth

for us Good in a Crisis: A Memoir

By Margaret Overton

(Published by Puffin Books, R100) Sarah is a normal 12-year-old girl, but things change when she is transported back to the time of witchhunts through a library book picture.

Knowing she needs to meet other time twisters, she finds cool dude, Toby, and science geek, Bones.

Together they decide to risk their lives to rescue a missing girl, last seen in front of a painting at the Cape of Slaves Exhibition. It is an adventure that will leave them all changed forever. Will they find her in the past? And will the portal in the painting stay open long enough for them to get back to the present?

dly prou h Sout an c i Afr

Kidnap in the Caribbean

By Lauren St John (Published by Orion Children’s Books, R135) From Cornwall to the Caribbean, 11-yearold ace detective Laura Marlin comes face to face with pirates, sharks, criminal masterminds and an erupting volcano in her second mystery adventure, which follows the Blue Peter award-winning first book Dead Man’s Cove. Laura cannot contain her excitement when she wins a trip to the Caribbean for herself and her uncle, Calvin Redfern, especially when her best friend, Tariq, and her three-legged husky, Skye, accidentally find themselves on board too. As soon as they board mysteries begin to pile up and when they dock at Antigua, they discover that Calvin has vanished, and Laura and Tariq are about to be kidnapped by the fearsome Straight A gang.

You, Me and Thing: The Curse of the Jelly Babies and The Dreaded Noodle-Doodles

By Karen McCombie (Published by Faber Children’s Books, R75 and R80) This is a funny series about friendship, secrets and an adorable Thing. Neighbours Ruby and Jackson get the surprise of their lives when they discover Thing living at the bottom of their gardens. And when Thing places a curse on the inhabitants of the new house that’s been built over his old home, Ruby and Jackson find themselves up to their eyeballs in trouble. In the second book, Thing comes to their school, and they are mixed up in a terrible tangle of noodle-doodles.

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special mention

(Published by Bloomsbury Publishing, R176) During the four years of physician Margaret Overton’s acrimonious divorce, she dated widely and sometimes indiscriminately, determined to find her soul mate and live happily ever after. But then she discovered she had a brain aneurysm. She realised it at a particularly awkward moment on a date with a Mr Wrong. Overton had been so busy looking after the needs of others that she had forgotten to look after herself. So she set out on a course to take control of her future and finally become independent of men. Good in a Crisis is Overton’s laugh-out-loud account of dealing with the most serious of life’s problems: loss of life, loss of love and loss of innocence.

Be Your Own Personal Trainer

By Eddie Lambert (Published by Metz Press, R176) This book gives you all the advantages of having your own personal trainer without the challenges of scheduling, possible personality clashes and being tied to a specific gym or venue. It demonstrates more than 250 graded exercises using body weight and widely accessible basic equipment, highlighting the muscle groups used for every exercise and explaining pitfalls and injury risks. These are then combined in 26 user-friendly programmes. The individual exercises in the routines are interchangeable, giving you even wider scope, and many of the exercises have interesting variations, as well as more difficult levels for progression. Special training programmes for pregnancy have also been included.

parenting book Alcohol Nation

By Dr Aric Sigman

reality check

(Published by Penguin Books, R215) We are a nation that loves to drink and we’re passing the habit on to our children. But a growing body of compelling new evidence will force us to reconsider the entire way we view alcohol and young people. It suggests that early exposure to alcohol in particular has a direct effect on brain cells, brain size, intellectual ability and school performance, future fertility and the way our genes function. It also warns that binge drinking may actually cause depression, and is linked to early and risky sex, and being a victim of accidents and crime.

In this essential book, Dr Aric Sigman ties up the latest medical research and puts the findings into context.

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calendar

what’s on in april

You can also access the calendar online at

childmag.co.za

Here’s your guide for what to do, where to go and who to see. Compiled by LUCILLE KEMP.

27 fri

special events

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FUN for children

36

only for parents

40

bump, baby & tot in tow

42

how to help

42

SPECIAL EVENTS

FUN FOR CHILDREN

Tales of Little Grey Rabbit Take the children to this Artscape show about a hare, a squirrel and a Little Grey Rabbit.

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ONLY FOR PARENTS

bump, baby & tot in tow

how to help

Arno Plus This is Arno Carstens’s debut art exhibition, which incorporates a music event, the Blind Tiger Sessions.

Motherhood Matters baby massage classes The group covers the benefits of massage, and the moms also find support in each other.

Fisantekraal Animal Welfare yearly fundraiser Join this charity fundraiser for an evening full of singing, dancing and fabulous music.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Prince Albert Olive Festival Two days of foodie fun seasoned with a liberal helping of arts, crafts, history and culture.

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calendar young theatre-goers to the Bard. Ends 21 April. Time: 8:15pm. Venue: Artscape Theatre. Cost: R40. Book through Artscape Dial-a-Seat: 021 421 7695

14 saturday

8

The Parlotones sun at the Old Mutual Kirstenbosch Centenary Fundraising Concert The Parlotones take to the stage and end the summer season on a high note. Time: 3:30pm.

Venue: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Cost: adults R125, children 6–21 years R95.

Book through Webtickets: visit webtickets.co.za

SPECIAL EVENTS 10 tuesday A Midsummer Night’s Dream A feast of magic, humour and spectacle, this is one of Shakespeare’s most popular and accessible plays and is the perfect introduction for

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Proms with a Bang The Wynberg Rotary Club hosts their 27th annual Last Night of the Proms. This year’s theme incorporates a touch of military. Proceeds go to St Luke’s Hospice, which provides palliative care to patients suffering with life-threatening illnesses and support to their families. Also 15 April. Time: 8pm, Saturday; 7pm, Sunday. Venue: Cape Town City Hall. Cost: R170 and R210. Book through Computicket: 0861 915 8000 or visit computicket.com and for more info, contact Graham: 021 712 4070, 083 414 0462 or gtodd@intekom.co.za

18 wednesday Camps Bay Primary School’s open day Time: 8:30am–10:30am. Venue: Dunkeld Rd, Camps Bay. Cost: free entry. Contact Vivienne: 082 466 8261

21 saturday Bot River Barrels & Beards Harvest Celebration A sumptuous, homegrown feast with a Luddite pig on a spit, baked artisan breads, and a working water mill that provides stoneground flour; Anysbos goat’s cheese and hearty side dishes. The local boereorkes, Die Stoepsitters, keeps the vibe

going with live music to end your Saturday evening on a high. Time: 5pm. Venue: The Old Shed, Anysbos Farm, Swartrivier Rd, Bot River. Cost: R150, which includes a complimentary wine tasting, a souvenir wine glass and dinner. Contact Nicolene: nicolene@botriverwines.co.za

22 sunday One Day on Earth motion picture screening You are invited to a unique film created from over 3 000 hours of footage shot by people all over the world on 10 October 2010. Together they have created a picture of interconnected humanity never before possible. For more info on screening time and venue: visit onedayonearth.org

26 thursday Decorex Cape Town Expect energetic splashes of tangerine, trends from across the globe and a new wave of “hectic eclectic” interiors, workshops, fabric and wallpaper installations, dream rooms and designer kitchens. Ends 29 April. Time: 10am–7pm, Thursday–Saturday; 10am–6pm, Sunday.

Venue: CTICC. Cost: adults R65, students and pensioners R55, children under 12 R10.

For more info: visit decorex.co.za

27 friday Prince Albert Olive Festival Two days of foodie fun seasoned with a liberal helping of arts, crafts, history and culture. Whether you want to be the olive pip spitting

champion or you just want to savour the taste of organic olive paste on home-made bread, this festival is for you. Also 28 April.

Time: starts at 8am. Venue: throughout Prince Albert. Cost: varies. Contact: 023 541 1366, princealberttourism@intekom. co.za or visit patourism.co.za

FUN FOR CHILDREN art, culture and science Free two-hour introductory fabric painting workshop This class is suited to adults and children. 21 April. Time: 8:45am–10:45am. Venue: Pinelands.

Cost: R30 per kit. Holiday classes are offered as well as weekday classes for adults at Frank Joubert Art Centre. Contact Wendy: 021 531 8076, 082 391 4954 or wendyadriaan@telkomsa.net Sue Nepgen’s children’s art classes Children attend classes once a week, where the emphasis is on fostering creativity, selfesteem and enjoyment of art, while learning techniques and a sense of aesthetics. This includes environmental art. Second term’s programme includes 3D sculpture, clay relief work, textured collage, etching and printing, as well as more drawing and painting techniques. Ideal for 4–13 year olds. Term starts 13 April (Friday class), 14 April (Saturday class) and 19 April (Thursday class). Time: held in the afternoons and every Saturday morning. Venue: Michael

magazine cape town

Tots n Pots healthy cooking and baking workshop

Oak Waldorf School, Kenilworth or 28 Klaasenbosch Drive, Constantia. Cost: R550 per term, including materials and firing.

Contact Sue: 021 794 6609, 083 237 7242 or snepgen@xsinet.co.za

classes, talks and workshops Constantia Tots n Pots cooking and baking workshop Join them in cooking a variety of healthy snacks, meals and yummy treats such as olive and rosemary bread, pear crumble and pizza wheels.

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Term starts 16 April. Time: 3pm–4pm, every Wednesday and Thursday for 2–6 year olds; 10am–11am, every Saturday for 2–10 year olds. Venue: Constantia. Cost: R720 per term or R90 per class if space available. Contact: 082 569 8666, constantia@totsnpots.com or visit totsnpots.com Eight-week Zeal for Life extramural programme Build your child’s emotional intelligence and self-esteem so they can cope with the demands and challenges of today’s modern world. Grades R–11.

4 and 11 April. Time: call to enquire. Venue: Helderberg Life Studio for Kids (opposite Somerset Mall). Cost: R880. Contact Lize: 084 226 2040, lize@equalzeal.com or visit equalzeal.com Kindermusik Early childhood music therapy and movement classes for ages 0–7 years. Enjoy a free preview class.

Classes are age dependent, different days of the week. Second term is 16 April– 15 June. Time: age dependent, call to enquire. Venue: Bergsig Church, Boland Way, Vierlanden. Cost: R380–R400 per term. Contact Louise: 074 102 5617 or lsteenkamp0@gmail.com Mural art workshops for children Inspire your natural creativity and learn how to create your own mural and then take it home with you. Three-hour workshops on a theme for the day presented by Mural Maniac. For ages 10–16 years. Time: 9am–12pm, every Saturday. Venue: 1 General Schalk Burger Close, Welgelegen. Cost: R550 per person,

which includes paints, materials, mural board and light refreshments. Contact Theo: 021 559 6090, muralmaniac@telkomsa.net or visit muralmaniac.co.za Weekly drumming workshop They get children drumming and singing to stories, songs and loads of exciting drumming games in an action-packed, high-energy workshop. For ages 3–10 years. Time: 1:30pm and 2:30pm for two sessions, every Thursday during school term. Venue: Church of Christ, cnr Irene Ave and Lourensford Rd, Somerset West. Cost: R45 for 30 minutes or R140 for four 30-minute classes over consecutive weeks. Contact Lana: 071 871 5839 or lana@drumkidz.co.za

family outings Final concert of the Old Mutual Summer Sunset Concert season Hot Water and Wrestlerish bring two distinct sounds to

the stage. Hot Water’s music incorporates elements of traditional African music with folk, blues and indie-pop rock; Wrestlerish recently received two Sama nominations.

1 April. Time: gates open 4pm, show is 5pm–7pm. Venue: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Rhodes Ave, Newlands.

Cost: adults R80, children 6–21 years R55 (please take ID for the older children). Book through Webtickets: visit webtickets.co.za

finding nature and outdoor play Waddling for a Week This campaign is raising awareness of the plight of the African penguin, which has recently been declared endangered. To spread the Penguin Promises message and inspire change, a group is waddling 150km down the east coast of South Africa from Dyer Island in Gansbaai to Boulders Beach in Simonstown from

1 April – Hot Water perform at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens

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24 tue

Chasms ceramics holiday special You get to make two items, paint them and enjoy a snack and drink. 24 March–9 April. Time: 9am–5pm. Venue: Clay Café, Main Rd, Hout Bay (near Oakhurst Spar).

Cost: R85. Contact: 021 790 3318

16–21 April. A dedicated portal has been created where the entire event can be followed live and promises to help the penguins can be made. They would like you to visit the Penguin Promises Facebook or Twitter page and choose a promise, or create your own, and pledge it by texting 34008 with the keyword “Penguin”, followed by your pledge. An SMS costs R2.

For more info: visit penguinpromises.com

holiday activities Aunty K’s Holiday School The programme includes art and crafts, storytelling, drama, modelling and a party on the last day. Ideal for children 5–13 years. 2–5 April. Time: 10am–12pm.

Venue: OIS Centre, Old Strandfontein Rd, Ottery. Cost: R25 per day or R80 per week.

Contact: 021 704 1462, 074 106 0713 or stages@polka.co.za Autumn fun factory holiday club A semi-structured morning of art and crafts, baking, face painting, dress up, play in a fairy garden, clambering, water fun, dancing and story time. For 3–8 year olds. 2–5 April.

Time: 9:30am–12:30pm, Monday–Friday.

Venue: Kidz Discovery, The Drive, Camps Bay. Cost: R120, which includes a snack and materials per morning. Contact Kathy: 083 654 2494, info@kidzdiscovery.co.za or visit kidzdiscovery.co.za Bugz Easter Egg Hunt Ideal for ages 5–10 years. 8 April. Time: 11:30am and 2:30pm.

Venue: Bugz Playpark, 56 Tarentaal St, Joostenbergvlakte, Kraaifontein. Cost: R25– R65. For more info: visit bugzplaypark.co.za Easter art competition Artwork is on display at the mall and pupils can win lots of prizes. The competition is open to pupils aged 6–14 years in the Willowbridge area.

23 March–9 April. Time: 9am–7pm. Venue: Willowbridge Mall. Cost: free entry. Contact Cheryl: 021 914 2851, cheryl@cwe.co.za or visit willowbridge.co.za Kronendal aftercare holiday club Activities include art and crafts, drumming, baking, mountain hiking, a walk to the beach and swimming. 26 March–5 April.

Time: 7:30am–1pm or until 3pm or 6pm.

Venue: 10 Andrews Rd, Hout Bay. Cost: half-day R60 (bring own snack); threequarter day R90 (includes lunch and snack); full-day R120 (includes lunch and snack). Contact Joanne: 076 402 2333 or joannefrost.s.a@gmail.com

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Lindt gold bunny fun Easter egg hunts take place every hour and 70 cents of each gold bunny sold are donated to the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Riverine Rabbit Programme. Ideal for children 10 years and younger. 30 March–8 April. Time: 11am–7pm. Venue: Barrow Court, V&A Waterfront. Cost: free. For more info: visit facebook.com/LindtChocolateSouthAfrica New Easter Show at S.A.N Circus Take the whole family to this circus extravaganza inside the beautiful Big Top Circus Tent. Be entertained by acrobats, trapeze artists, the amazing man in the bottle and the hilarious clowns. 6–9 April. Time: 7pm, 6 April; thereafter 3pm. Venue: Liesbeek Parkway, Observatory. Cost: adults R50, children R30. Contact: 021 692 4287 Sporting Academy Easter holiday clinics Camps in soccer, swimming, hiphop and horse riding for boys and girls aged 5–13 years old. 2–5 April. Time: 9am–12:30pm, daily. Venue: Meadowridge FC, Claremont and the False Bay regions.

Cost: R120 per day; R390 for four days.

Contact: 084 777 1212 Sporting Chance Easter holiday clinic The clinics cover cricket, rugby, soccer or hockey. 2–5 April. Time: 9am.

Venues: Constantia Sports Complex; Kelvin Grove, Newlands; Fairmont High School, Durbanville; Beaumont Primary, Somerset West; Astro Hockey, Belville. Cost: R150–

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Learn to Swim holiday clinic 2–5 April. Time: 9am–3pm.

Venue: Flippers Swim School, Observatory. Cost: R240. Contact Nikki: 083 747 9196 or info@ flippersswimschool.co.za

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R200 per day and R380–R550 per week.

Contact Marike: 021 683 7299 or visit sportingchance.co.za Tots holiday programme Innovative crafts, structured activities and lots of playing. Ideal for ages 18 months–5 years.

26 March–13 April (closed 6 and 9 April).

Time: 9am–12pm, 9am–2pm or 9am–5pm.

Venue: Me-Time Centre, Green Point. Cost: R115–R180. Contact: 021 418 1573, info@ me-time.co or visit me-time.co

markets Alphen Antiques and Collectables Market Find antiques and collectables such as silver, jewellery, glass, porcelain, watches and medals. 8 and 22 April. Time: 10am–4pm. Venue: Alphen Centre Hall, Constantia. Cost: free entry. Contact: 084 626 7499 or visit antiqueking.co.za Blue Bird Garage Market A vibrant market featuring a variety of locally made items including artisan breads as well as jewellery, vintage clothing and wooden surfboards. 6, 13, 20 and 27 April. Time: 4pm–10pm. Venue: 39 Albertyn Rd (off Main Rd), Muizenberg.

Cost: free entry. Contact Dylan: 082 493 9055, bluebirdgarage@gmail.com or visit bluebirdgarage.blogspot.com Bothasig Holistic Fayre A market selling natural products and hosting healers, readers and massage therapists. At most fayres you’ll find belly dancers, fire dancers, drummers and Hula-Hooping. They do face painting for the children. 14 April. Time: 10am–4pm. Venue: Bothasig Hall, Link Rd, (behind Super Plants), Bothasig. Cost: R5 entry. Contact: 021 558 5913, 082 637 7416, info@aboutholistic.co.za or visit aboutholistic.co.za Century City Natural Goods Market A distinctive market, under Bedouin stretch tents where you can buy fresh and organic produce and support the creative artists, crafters and clothing designers. 1 April.

Time: 9am–2pm. Venue: Central Park, Park Lane, Century City; on the village green.

Cost: free entry. Contact: 021 531 2173 or visit centurycity.co.za Nitida Farmers’ Market Enjoy coffee with home-made rusks from Bea, hummus

by Zoe and homemade chilli jams and fresh veggies. 28 April. Time: 8am–12:30pm.

Venue: Cassia, Nitida Cellars, M13/Old Tygervalley Rd, Durbanville. Cost: free entry. Contact Getha: 083 651 0699, getha@nitida.co.za or visit nitida.co.za

on stage and screen Cooked This show is a two-hander physical theatre comedy for all ages revolving around a live cooking show crammed into 45-minutes of mess and mayhem.

Richard Lothian and Alex Tops display their renowned family entertainment skills keeping the young ones captivated and the parents rolling with laughter. Ends 9 April.

Time: 11am. Venue: Kalk Bay Theatre. Cost: R55. For more info: visit kbt.co.za Tales of Little Grey Rabbit The hare was a conceited fellow, the squirrel was proud, but Little Grey Rabbit was kind and thoughtful and took good care of them both. One day a weasel moved into the forest and captured the squirrel magazine cape town

28 April – Pick up your fresh veggies at Nitida Farmers’ Market

and the hare. Children need to help Little Grey Rabbit rescue her friends. An Easter egg hunt is involved. 23 March–5 April. Time: 10:30am, excluding Sundays.

Venue: Artscape Theatre Foyer. Cost: R50 per person. Book through Artscape Dial-a-Seat: 021 421 7695 or Computicket: 0861 915 8000 The Ugly Duckling and Other Stories The King’s New Clothes, The Princess and the Swineherd and The Ugly Duckling are three magical stories by Hans Christian Andersen. Filled with colourful characters, this stage adaptation sticks closely to the original fairy tales performed by the Lilliput Players. All three stories have wonderful lessons to be learnt. 2–7 April. Time: 10:30am. Venue: Baxter Theatre, Main Rd, Rondebosch. Cost: R40. Book through Computicket: 0861 915 8000 or contact Elton: 021 558 2650, 083 364 8284 or elton@lilliputplayers.co.za

playtime and story time Brackenfell Library A garden at the back of this award-winning library hosts story hours and game days for children, a tea garden under the trees, market days, a reading circle and holiday programmes. There is also free internet access for library members and story time for preschoolers. Time: 10:30am, every Wednesday. Venue: Paradys Rd. Cost: free.

Contact: 021 980 1261 or brackenfell. library@capetown.gov.za Claremont Library A toddler story time, which incorporates singing and movement is held throughout the year. Time: 10am, every Wednesday. Venue: Library Square, Wilderness Rd. Cost: free. Contact: 021 674 4195/6 or claremont.library@ capetown.gov.za Fish Hoek Library Story times with related handcraft sessions takes place on Friday. Other activities include films on Tuesday, and special events, such as a pyjama party or a reptile petting zoo are often planned. Confirmed details are available from the library. Time: story time 11am, every Friday; other activities 2pm, every Tuesday. Venue: Fish Hoek Main Rd. Cost: free. Contact: 021 784 2030/1 or fishhoek.library@capetown.gov.za Hout Bay Library Children can enjoy story time, colouring in and watching a movie. Time: 10am, every Friday. Venue: Melkhout Crescent. Cost: free. Contact: 021 790 2150 or houtbay.library@ capetown.gov.za April 2012

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sport and physical activities

2–7 April – The Ugly Duckling and Other Stories at the Baxter Theatre

Meadowridge Library They have a separate children’s section and a beautiful courtyard, ideal for ages 3–6 years. Time: story times 10:15am, every Wednesday during school term. Venue: Howard Dr. Cost: free. Contact: 021 712 9360 or meadowridge.library@capetown.gov.za Me-time play day There are children’s books, paint, clothes, cupcakes, tea and coffee on sale. Chat to the Me-Time team about the School Readiness Playgroup.

14 April. Time: 10am–12pm. Venue: 8 Somerset Lane, Somerset Square, Green Point. Cost: R80 per child, which includes a craft activity, a puppet show at 11am and lots of playing on the jumping castle and ball pond. Contact: 021 418 1573, info@ me-time.co or visit me-time.co Muizenberg Library Story time for 2–7 years olds. Time: 3pm, every Tuesday. Venue: cnr Atlantic Rd and Alexander Rd. Cost: free.

Contact: 021 788 5263 or muizenberg. library@capetown.gov.za

Observatory Library Craft activities are held regularly during the school holidays. Time: regular story time sessions with babies and toddlers, 11am, every Wednesday. Venue: Station Rd. Cost: free.

Contact: 021 447 9017 or observatory. library@capetown.gov.za Plumstead Library Time: stories 10:30am, every Thursday. Venue: Yudelman’s Lane.

Cost: free. Contact: 021 797 7240 or plumstead.library@capetown.gov.za Table View Library They arrange holiday programmes and occasionally host visiting authors. Time: storytelling and an activity for children 2–3 years old, 10:15am, every Tuesday. Venue: Birkenhead Rd. Cost: free.

Contact: 021 557 8995/2086 or tableview. library@capetown.gov.za Wynberg Library They have special storytelling sessions for local crèches on request. Venue: Maynard Rd. Cost: free.

Contact: 021 797 6492 or wynberg. library@capetown.gov.za

Delta Draf Organised by the Dwars River Valley Athletics Club this off-road race has a 10km and 5km fun run. It follows a route through working vineyards and along the banks of the Dwars River. The estate’s red hint-of-sweet sparkler, Cape Jazz Shiraz, is on offer at most water stops and live Cape rural music from the farm bands play the runners on their way to add to the country atmosphere. 28 April. Time: 8am for 10km road race and 8:15am for 5km fun run. Venue: Solms-Delta Wine Estate, Franschhoek. Cost: 10km is R35 for licensed athletes and R55 for unlicensed athletes, and for the fun run, R15. For more info: visit solms-delta.co.za or to enter: visit enteronline.co.za

only for parents classes, talks and workshops Ladies’ craft classes Crafts include fabric painting, decoupage, mosaic and jewellery beading. 9, 16, 23 and 30 April. Time: 10am–1pm, every Monday for four weeks.

Venue: Ottery. Cost: R100 per day; R350 per course. Contact: 021 704 1462, 074 106 0713 or stages@polka.co.za Ladies’ course on personal portfolio management 11 and 18 April. Time: 10am–12:30pm. Venue: Ottery. Cost: R150 per person for both days. Contact: 021 704 1462, 074 106 0713 or stages@polka.co.za

27 fri

Dirtopia MTB Festival Dirtopia Festival is South Africa’s original and only true mountain bike festival that attracts outdoor enthusiasts from across the board.

Activities include night rides, trail riding, gravity events (downhill, dual and dirt jumping), crosscountry fun rides, a trail run and lots of children’s activities.

Children need to be at least 6 years old to participate. 27–29 April.

Time: 8am. Venue: Tarentaalkraal campsite, near Greyton. Cost: free for children 9 years and younger, adults can buy a weekend or day pass (including camping and all events) from between R150 to R200 per day. Contact: 021 884 4752, theteam@dirtopia.co.za or visit dirtopia.co.za

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Life coaching workshop for adults Access your inner world and your potential through discussion, reflection, drawing, painting and the making of collages. Time: 9am–2pm, Monday–Thursday. Venue: 1 General Schalk Burger Close, Welgelegen.

Cost: R3 200 for a four-day workshop, which includes expert facilitation by a qualified facilitator and coach, workbook, art materials and light refreshments.

Contact Lisa: 072 972 5568 or lisa.leroux@ telkomsa.net Mural art workshops for adults Inspire your natural creativity and learn how to create your own mural to take home with you. Three-hour workshops on a theme for the day are presented by Mural Maniac.

7, 14, 21 and 28 April. Time: 9am–12pm.

Venue: 1 General Schalk Burger Close, Welgelegen. Cost: R550 per person, which includes paints, materials, mural board and light refreshments. Contact Theo: 021 559 6090, muralmaniac@telkomsa.net or visit muralmaniac.co.za Parent centre moms-to-be and momsand-babies group Time: 10am–12pm, every Thursday. Venue: Kingsbury Hospital, maternity section, 2nd floor, Wilderness Rd, Claremont. Cost: R40, including refreshments. Contact: 021 762 0116 or zaiboe@theparentcentre.org.za The Building Blocks of Resilience This model of Maggie Dent outlines 10 essential building blocks for children 0–12 year old that build healthy self-

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esteem and strengthen a child’s ability to be resilient and bounce back from life’s challenges. The building blocks highlight the areas that schools, parents and communities can focus on in order to build resilience for life. This workshop introduces you to her work and provides your family with a strong platform on which to build further skills. 20 April.

Time: 10am–12pm or 7:30pm–9:30pm.

Venue: Roodenburg House, Rondebosch.

Cost: R150 per parent, R270 per couple.

Contact Stephanie: 083 567 5572, steph@ familywellnessconsulting.co.za or visit familywellnessconsulting.co.za Toastmasters Breakfast Club They provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills.

This, in turn, fosters self-confidence and personal growth. 4, 11, 18 and 25 April.

Time: 7:15am–9am, every Wednesday.

Venue: The Mugg & Bean Coffee Shop, Cavendish Square, Claremont. Cost: R50, which includes bottomless coffee and a choice of selected breakfasts to be ordered before 7:30am. Contact Marion: 076 236 4326, marion.toastmasters@gmail.com or visit toastmasters74.org Understanding your ADHD Child: a practical, solution-based workshop This workshop is for any parent whose child may be or has been diagnosed with ADHD/ADD. If you are concerned about your child’s behaviour; finding it difficult to cope and not sure what to do, then this workshop is for you. They are not pro- or anti-medication; they give you the facts, look at the challenges and find the best solutions so you can create a healthy, happy space for your family. 12, 21 and 28 April. Time: 9am–3pm. Venue: Novalis Institute, 39 Rosmead Ave, Wynberg. Cost: R950 for two people, R650 for one person.

Contact: 078 090 4829, myadhdchildren@ gmail.com or visit myadhdchildren.com

on stage and screen

From 9 April – Ladies’ craft classes

I Don’t Work on Sundays with Marc Lottering His latest stand-up show features brand new material and his unique views on topics that tickle his fancy. Lottering explains exactly why he refuses to work on Sundays. 3–21 April. Time: 8:15pm.

Venue: Baxter Theatre. Cost: R80–R100.

Book through Computicket: 0861 915 8000 or visit computicket.com

25 wed

One&Only Wine & Dine Evening Diners are joined by Arco Laarman, winemaker from Glen Carlou, who shows off the versatility of their signature Chardonnay grape as he gives fascinating insights into the use of huge concrete eggs in their winemaking. 25 April.

Venue:

Reuben’s

One&Only.

Cost: R325. Contact: 021 431 4511 or restaurant.reservations@ oneandonlycapetown.com

out and about Arno Plus This is Arno Carstens’s debut art exhibition of oil paintings from years of work, including some interesting collaborations with Beezy Bailey, Jack Mantis, Marinda Swartz and Barend de Wet. The Arno Plus exhibition includes a music event, the

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3–21 April – I Don’t Work on Sundays with Marc Lottering

Blind Tiger Sessions, which runs upstairs at the gallery. The Blind Tiger Sessions line-up is as follows: 5 April Taxi Violence; 13 April to be announced. Ends 13 April. Time: 10am–6pm, Tuesday–Friday; 10am–2pm, Saturday. Special extended hours on Friday evenings, 8:30pm. Venue: The Lovell Gallery, 139 Albert Rd, Woodstock. Cost: entry into the lower level of the gallery is free, R150 for Blind Tiger Sessions. Contact: 021 820 5505, info@lovellgallery.co.za or visit lovellgallery.co.za Avondale Eco Tours Visitors go on a journey through the beautiful, 300-yearold farm and learn about the insight and inspiration behind Avondale’s organic and biodynamic approach to winemaking.

The tour includes a visit to Avondale’s Tasting Gallery, a vineyard tour and a visit to the state-of-the-art gravity flow cellar.

Each tour is catered for individually and is by appointment only. Time: 10am–4pm, Wednesday–Friday. Venue: Avondale Estate, Drakenstein, South Paarl. Cost: R200. Contact: wine@avondalewine.co.za Edgemead Library Friends of the Edgemead Library host monthly car boot sales, two annual craft markets and art exhibitions, and themed Friday coffee mornings with speakers. They also run story times on request. Contact: 021 558 2842 The Language Of Miracles workshops Discover what your animal wants, needs, feels, and really thinks. The workshop is facilitated by Amelia Kinkade, an international speaker and the author of Straight From the Horse’s Mouth. 28 and 29 April. Time: 9:30am–5pm. Venue: 38 Carriage Lane, Firlands Park Equestrian Estate, near Gordon’s Bay. Cost: both days R1 600, Saturday only R900. Contact Sandy: 082 372 3388 or sandy@deltaenviro.org.za Toffie Pop Festival Cape Town This three-day festival and conference focuses on contemporary popular culture, design, music, magazine publishing and art. 30 March–1 April. Time: 9am–10pm. Venue: Cape Town City Hall, cnr Darling St and Parade St. Cost: R500–R750 per person for three days. Contact: 021 462 6092, toffie@ thepresident.co.za or visit pop.toffie.co.za

support groups Autism South Africa Contact: 021 557 3573, info@autismsouthfrica.org or visit autismsouthafrica.org Cancer Care support group 3 April, and thereafter the first Tuesday of every month. Time: 5:30pm. Venue: Panorama Medi-Clinic. Cost: free. Contact Emerentia: 021 930 4245 or Emerentia.Esterhuyse@ cancercare.co.za

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Childhood Cancer Foundation of South Africa (Choc) Support for parents and survivors. For more info: visit choc.org.za Face Loss and Finding Hope support group For moms who have had stillbirth. 18 April, and thereafter every third Wednesday of the month. Time: 11am–12pm. Venue: Mowbray Maternity Hospital. Cost: free.

Contact Marily: 072 305 2216 LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) parents support group There are regular meetings for gay and lesbian parents and parents-to-be. Contact the Triangle Project: 021 448 3812, 021 712 6699 or visit triangle.org.za Sadag support groups The support groups deal with depression, bipolar disorder, trauma, panic or suicide. Contact: 011 262 6396, SMS 31393 or visit sadag.org Safe Schools call centre Teachers, learners and parents can call the toll-free number to report violence, sexual abuse, alcohol and drug abuse, vandalism and/ or to report corruption in schools. The call centre also provides information on HIV/Aids, racism and pregnancy. Time: 8am–7:30pm, Monday–Friday. Contact: 0800 454 647 Selective Mutism support group Contact: supportgroup@selectivemutism.co.za Speak Easy Stuttering support groups.

Contact Heather: heatherw50@telkomsa.net or visit speakeasy.org.za

bump, baby & Tot in tow

classes, talks and workshops Flippers Swim School baby swimming class A once-off trial for your baby in a heated pool. The group class consists of 30-minutes of singing and games to develop water awareness and safety.

3 April. Time: 8:30am. Venue: Observatory.

Cost: 30 minutes for R55. Contact Nikki: info@flippersswimschool.co.za Moms and Babes Claremont Join these mom and baby stimulation classes. Ideal for ages 2–12 months. Time: 10am and 3pm, Monday–Thursday. Venue: 36 Water St, Claremont. Cost: call to enquire. Contact Di: 021 671 8690 or 082 746 3223 Motherhood Matters baby massage classes The course is run over four weeks in small groups of around six moms and babies. The group covers the benefits of massage, and moms can get ongoing advice on breast-feeding from Lynn. Time: 10am–11:30am, every Wednesday. Venue: Kirstenhof. Cost: R500. Contact Megan: 071 875 2668 or visit motherhoodmatters.co.za

playtime and story time Bellville Library They run a “Born to Read” programme for babies and toddlers to instil an early love for reading through stories, finger rhymes and songs on Wednesday mornings. Venue: Carel van Aswegen St. Cost: free. Contact: 021 918 2300 or bellville.library@capetown.gov.za Bizzy Bodies Children under 15 months enter free if parents use the coffee shop.

Time: 10am–5pm. Venue: Bizzy Bodies, 23 Bell Crescent, Westlake Business Park, Tokai.

Cost: varies. Contact: 021 702 0505, info@ bizzybodies.co.za or visit bizzybodies.co.za

Lucky Wednesday at The Playshed Win special prizes every Wednesday when you come and play at The Playshed. They are open on Easter weekend except for Easter Friday and Monday. Time: 9am–5pm, Tuesday–Sunday; 9am–5pm, Monday–Sunday during the school holidays. Venue: The Playshed, Oude Molen Village, Pinelands. Cost: R15–R30 per hour age depending. Contact Jeanne or Kirstin: 021 801 0141/2 or playshed@gmail.com

Clamber Club These toddler groups are divided into three age groups for children between 9 months–3 years. The baby group is for babies between 2–12 months. Activities focus on movement. Venue: branches in the City Bowl, Somerset West, Blouberg and Paarl. For more info: visit clamberclub.com Claremont Library Weekly story time including singing and movement. Time: 10am–10:30am, every Wednesday. Venue: Library Square, Wilderness Rd, Claremont.

Cost: free. Contact Kathy: 021 674 4195 or claremont.library@capetown.gov.za Jimmy Jungles Secure facilities for toddlers and children from 6 months of age. Venue: branches in Claremont and Tyger Valley. Contact head office: 021 914 1705 or info@jimmyjungles.co.za Kloof Street Library toddler story time WIth a little Afrikaans. For 0–2 year olds. Time: 9:30am–10am, every Tuesday.

Venue: Kloof St. Contact: 021 424 3308 Observatory Library Craft activities are held regularly during the school holidays.

They hold regular Wednesday story times for babies and toddlers. 4, 11, 18 and 25 April. Time: 11am. Venue: Station Rd. Cost: free. Contact: 021 447 9017 or observatory. library@capetown.gov.za Sea Point Library story time For preschool and younger. Time: 10am–11am, every Wednesday. Contact: 021 439 7440/1

support groups Adoption Support Contact Jean: 084 685 4839 or ct.adoption.support@gmail.com Cleft lip and palate support For advice and referral from a speech therapist with years of experience in cleft lip and palate therapy. Contact Ros: 021 404 6459 Hi Hopes Programme Offers families of deaf babies home-based and family-centred support. Contact: 021 938 6066, 076 891 8188 or devilliers.renee@gmail.com

Little Miracles New support group for parents of premature babies (previously SA Preemies). Contact: 0861 548 853, 012 333 5359, info@lmps.co.za or visit lmps.co.za Postnatal Depression Support Association You can also join the chat group. Contact the national helpline: SMS “help” and your name to 082 882 0072 for them to contact you, or help@pndsa.org.za.

For further info, contact head office: 021 797 4498 or visit pndsa.org.za

how to help Fisantekraal Animal Welfare yearly fundraiser Enjoy an evening of singing, dancing and fabulous music in a show called Dancing in the Street. 14 April.

Time: 6:30pm. Venue: Barnyard Theatre, Willowbridge. Cost: R120; payable before 5 April. Contact Winette: 084 519 0380 or wklopper@bisaf.co.za SPCA Bag-a-Bargain book sale Purchase a carrier bag for R50 and fill it with books from their sales tables. As an added bonus shoppers may buy good quality secondhand books from the SPCA book shop at a five percent discount. 14 April. Time: 9am–12pm. Venue: cnr First Ave and First Rd, Grassy Park. Cost: free entry. Contact Natasha: 021 700 4155 or awareness@ spca-ct.co.za

SPCA Bag-a-Bargain book sale

don’t miss out!

For a free listing, email your event to lucille@childmag.co.za or fax it to 021 462 2680. Information must be received by 30 March for the May issue, and must include all relevant details. No guarantee can be given that it will be published. To post an event online, visit childmag.co.za

magazine cape town

it’s party time For more help planning your child’s party visit

childmag.co.za/resources/birthday-parties

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it’s party time

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anél’s finishing touch

ANÉL LEWIS comes clean about some of her parenting mishaps.

i

am a terrible mother. There, I’ve confessed. You see, last night Erin rolled off the bed and onto the uncarpeted floor – face-first. I usually hold her in a vice-like grip when she sleeps with me. But this time she was particularly restless, tossing and turning all over the bed. At about 3am, she decided it would be fun to communicate via Morse code with her unborn brother by kicking me in the stomach. Clearly eager for some nocturnal company, her brother responded with gusto. Desperate for some shut-eye, I turned over and that’s when I felt her roll away from me. I reached out to grab her, but there was just empty space, and a split-second later, a heart-stopping thud as she hit the floor. I catapulted over to her

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April 2012

and checked for bleeding and bruising, but she was, thankfully, unscathed. However, I lay awake for the rest of the night, berating myself for my poor parenting skills.

This mom business is clearly not for sissies, and I have to admit that there are a few other parental faux pas’ of which I am guilty. I have on the odd occasion replaced a couple of Erin’s meals with a packet of bright orange chips. I soothe my conscience by going for the “baked, not fried” variety, but we all know that at the end of the day, they’re still chips and not really one of the recommended food groups. Fortunately she takes after her dad, and will happily drop the offending snack for a piece of fruit if it is offered.

I also give her my husband’s wallet to

play with if she gets restless while I am watching the news, and then tell him that she found it herself on his bedside table when I wasn’t looking. I have even, very rarely mind you, allowed her to go straight to sleep after a particularly busy day, in her clothes and without a bath.

But then I spotted a post on a parenting site where a mother expressed concern about her toddler’s penchant for drawing with only a black crayon. Um, am I missing something here? Is a love for darker-hued art materials an early sign of something more sinister? Erin loves the pack of crayons I bought her. Not much drawing is happening yet, but she particularly loves chewing on the yellow one. Should I be worried?

There I was stressing about the potential toxicity of the crayons, without even considering the psychology behind their colours. I did an internet search, and found, to my relief, that yellow is considered to be the happiest colour in the spectrum. Phew!

So while she may develop a fear of heights after her recent plummet and perhaps an allergic reaction to the monosodium glutamate in the chips she’s been forcefed, I know now that she will be a relatively happy child – as long as she sticks to munching on the yellow crayon.

But, just for good measure, I’ve put pillows on the floor next to the bed, stocked up on dried fruit snacks and thrown the black crayon into the bin.

Anél is Child magazine’s features editor.

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PHOTOGRAPH: SUSIE LEBLOND

Anél and Erin