Child magazine | DBN August 2014

D U R B A N ’ S

b e s t

g u i d e

f o r

p a r e n t s

wi-fi

how safe is it for your child’s health?

falling in love with maths & science

school marks

are they really necessary?

the cheek of it

raising confident children who know their limits

the education issue plus www.childmag.co.za

August 2014

free

helping children concentrate in class brilliant books to learn from at home inspiring storybook destinations

health

education

entertainment

education noun

the act or process of acquiring knowledge, especially during childhood and adolescence Health, education and entertainment are the foundations we’ve built the Child magazine story on as we journey with you through the trials and joys of parenthood.

Health is our primary concern, but I often wonder if education should come first. As parents we may feel that our children’s future happiness, confidence and longterm success are indelibly linked to “the right school”. It is, but it isn’t. Your children’s school will play a vital role in their education, but so much of what they learn is home-grown. That’s why I love our August issue so much. This month, we fall in love with maths and science, explore schools that focus on learning and not marks, and take a look at the potential

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

hazards of Wi-Fi. We’ve also filled this education issue with inspiring books to line your shelves, but we’ve taken it a step further... Having read the wonderful tales of Dr Seuss and Roald Dahl, have you ever dreamt of taking your child to see where their stories originated? In “live the story” (pg 24), we bring you getaway ideas inspired by some of our favourite authors.

Our children learn to love learning at home. We hope you’ll get great ideas from Child magazine to fuel this passion.

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Hunter House P U B L I S H I N G

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

Editorial Managing Editor Marina Zietsman • marina@childmag.co.za Features Editor Marc de Chazal • features@childmag.co.za Resource Editor Tamlyn Vincent • durban@childmag.co.za Editorial Assistant

Durban’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: info@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 Durban’s Child magazineTM. We welcome submissions but retain the unrestricted right to change any received copy.

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August 2014

3

contents august 2014

20 upfront

regulars

3 a note from lisa

6 upfront with paul more than

5 over to you readers respond

anything else, school is about the learner, says Paul Kerton

8 best for baby – head space

features 12 on your marks Caryn Edwards questions the relevance of the school grading system

14 confident or cheeky? how to raise a child with the right amount of confidence. By Gary Koen

16 a model for the future Lucille Kemp finds out how we can nurture a love for maths and science

18 food made fun Debbie Wareham and Kim Jurgens share recipes that the whole family can enjoy

20 wireless hazards is Wi-Fi problematic to our children’s health? Glynis Horning investigates

24 live the story Marina Zietsman brings you getaway ideas inspired by classic literature

Marina Zietsman discusses causes and preventative measures to avoid so-called flat head syndrome

9 pregnancy news – living with loss Glynis Horning considers the devastating psychological effects of a miscarriage

10 dealing with difference – wandering minds there may be a number of underlying reasons that can cause your child to lose concentration. By Marc de Chazal

22 resource – bring the teacher home Marina Zietsman and Simone Jeffery compile a list of educational resources to aid learning at home

25 a good read for the whole family 26 what’s on in august 30 finishing touch Cassandra Shaw and her son get busy in the kitchen

classified ads

health 7 get the bite right Marina Zietsman looks at the importance of braces

29 let’s party 30 family marketplace

this month’s cover images are supplied by:

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August 2014

Joburg

Cape Town

Durban

Pretoria

St Mary’s School, Waverley grahamdelacy.com

Lizelle Potgieter limelightphotography.co.za

Cotton On Kids cottonon.co.za

St Mary’s School, Waverley grahamdelacy.com

magazine durban

letters

reflexology for pregnant women

online responses

As a practising reflexologist and massage therapist I find Izelle’s [Louw, from Mommy Wellness Day Spa in Cape Town] comments absolutely ludicrous (“a healthy glow”, July 2014). The role of reflexology throughout pregnancy and even during childbirth is highly beneficial and fantastic for all moms. In my experience, a qualified reflexologist can even assist in turning babies ready for birthing.

Debi Martin-McKay Childmag says The purpose of our article was to advise pregnant women about potential beauty treatment hazards and we chose to err on the side of caution. If you intend using reflexology during pregnancy, we advise that you chat to your doctor first as it can reportedly induce labour.

in response to the article “20 birthday traditions” I really liked the birthday ideas you have mentioned here.

These are joyful and very useful ideas for a child that will make the day memorable for years.

Shorya

giving is better than receiving My daughter Keira has decided that for her 13th birthday party she would like to ask folks to donate money to Tears (The Emma Animal Rescue Society). We have arranged for her and some friends to do shadowwaitressing at a restaurant that will donate 10% of their earnings that night to Tears. She really is a determined young lady. [Keira’s letter to follow.]

Liz Moran (Keira’s Mom)

Thank you for these awesome party ideas, which I found very interesting.

Viona m Tears , which she adopted fro Keira with her cat Lily

to whom it may concern My name is Keira and I am turning 13 on 8 October 2014.

What I would like to do is to raise money for Tears for my birthday, instead of having presents and a birthday party.

My goal is to raise R13 000, as it is my 13th birthday, but I wouldn’t mind getting more. Please could you help me raise money; if money is tight you can even give donations of boxed biscuits, tinned dog/cat food, chews and dog or cat toys. I have already raised R7 000 and I am extremely happy and can’t wait for more. Thank you in advance for all of your wonderful donations.

Keira

over to you

PHOTOGRAPH: mike moran

new regulations for travelling with children We are looking at travelling to Europe with our family this December. It’s both my husband and my second marriage, and we want to take the children (six of them!), but apparently the laws and regulations for travelling overseas with children have changed quite drastically.

Can anyone explain this to me?

Karen Childmag says The Department of Home Affairs encourages parents and guardians to apply for an unabridged birth certificate for their children at their nearest home affairs office. This was announced on 10 June 2014, though the department has realised that this new law can have an effect on families that have already booked flights and accommodation, so the implementation of the law has been postponed to 1 October 2014, when it will be strictly implemented. An unabridged birth certificate carries the particulars of both parents. Provision has been made for one parent travelling with a child where one parent is deceased or the child is travelling with a relative or another person. Details are listed in the Immigration Regulations, 2014 (visit dha.gov.za). Certified copies of unabridged birth certificates and parental consent where applicable will be accepted when travelling with minors under the age of 18 years old. The unabridged certificate is more secure and reliable with added information as it contains particulars of both parents, where possible, and their ID numbers. The aim of this new regulation is to safeguard children from trafficking, abduction and kidnapping. For children born

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magazine durban

in response to the article “understanding tourette’s syndrome” I am a 33-year-old female with Tourette’s syndrome (TS). While my tics have become less severe and more manageable with age, my childhood and teen years were not that easy. My parents were not really aware of TS, so nothing was ever really done about it. I commend you for doing all the research. Unfortunately I have found TS awareness in South Africa to be lacking and I want to change that. I have contacted The Parkinson’s Association of South Africa, as they deal with other movement disorders, to see what they are doing regarding awareness. They do have support groups: visit parkinsons.co.za/support-help.

Catherine Versfeld

Let us know what’s on your mind. Send your letters or comments to marina@childmag.co.za or PO Box 12002, Mill Street, 8010.

before March 2013, parents need to apply for unabridged birth certificates to replace the old abridged certificate.

This application costs R75 and the process takes about six weeks. For more info: contact David Hlabane 071 527 9463 or Thabo Mokgola 071 712 9710.

manners maketh the child I would like to comment on manners, or lack thereof, in children these days: children that whine and demand, push and shove, have never heard of “please” and “thank you”, and children who don’t know how to address adults. I am even more shocked that parents see this happening and either don’t say anything to their children, or make a half-hearted attempt to correct the child. Even worse are the stay-at-home moms who don’t bother to firmly discipline their children, and I am not talking about corporal punishment here. I am talking about taking your child aside and giving them a firm talking to, or taking away a privilege until the behaviour is corrected, or at the very least, demanding an apology from the child. Stay-at-home moms are in the best position to teach their children manners, values and morals, but many don’t bother. I work from home, but still spend a lot of time ensuring that my four year old learns proper manners, and it annoys me to no end when she is exposed to the bad habits of children whose parents just couldn’t care less, and I end up having to make sure she “unlearns” the bad manners she picks up. I have been complimented on numerous occasions

for how well-mannered and pleasant my child is, and it just takes a bit of effort... anyone can do it.

I have read that children often model their parents’ behaviour (which is scary), or, if left to their own devices, mostly due to lazy parenting, end up raising themselves and are even more at the mercy of the way their peers act.

I apologise if my letter sounds very negative, especially to the many parents who do take the time to effectively discipline their children. Your children are a pleasure to be around. Those who are not taught the correct manners are being set up for a hard time later in life, and it’s not their fault.

Manners are the backbone of a decent society, and will prevent moral decay, which is extremely prevalent these days. It is not something to take lightly. We have one shot, and it needs to start at a young age.

Anonymous

thank you Your magazine is amazing and the parents can’t wait to get their hands on the next issue. Thank you for all your hard work and for making a difference.

Claire, Play Buddies, Norscot, Fourways subscribe to our newsletter and win Our wins have moved online. Please subscribe to our newsletter and enter our weekly competitions.

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We reserve the right to edit and shorten submitted letters.

The opinions reflected here are those of our readers and are not necessarily held by Hunter House Publishing.

Post a comment online at childmag.co.za

August 2014

5

upfront with paul

we all need good

educashun

School should be a fun place of learning and social interaction,

chool is such a massive part of everyone’s life that it’s important to try and get the mix right if your children are going to get the maximum out of it and actually learn something. If all goes according to plan, they should develop into upstanding adults and become productive members of society while pursuing personal goals that are achievable and fulfilling.

A teacher can either make or break the learner’s ability to excel at any given subject. A bad teacher can completely kill off any interest in a subject, while a good teacher can inspire and motivate even the most uninterested to thrive. A great teacher will do the same, but teach twice the material in half the time.

As parents we tend to think of school and the education process the way we

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August 2014

remember it, which is a huge mistake as schooling has changed radically since “our day”. You only have to walk into a modern classroom awash with audiovisual teaching aids, computers and iPads flying about, to see how schools have embraced the digital age.

Most teachers are excellent, model professionals who take their pastoral and nurturing responsibilities seriously, taking note of early signs of “trouble”, whether it be a sudden drop in a child’s standards or appearance, the friends they mix with, or any drastic changes in mood or personality. Authorities have also woken up to the fact that children learn differently and at different rates and there are now processes in place to ensure that each child gets adequate

support and a curriculum that suits their learning profile.

School is about the learner more than anything else. You can tell immediately when something is wrong at school. First, your child doesn’t want to get dressed in the morning and their enthusiasm for normal school-day routine dissolves.

Some children suddenly develop a “sore tummy” in the car, which gets increasingly worse as you approach the school.

Invariably the problem is not really about school work. They may have fallen out with their BFF, who is now being spiteful.

However, lurking in the darker school corridors may be far worse problems, such as teasing, cyberbullying, being left out, drugs and sexual blackmail, which we need to be aware of.

It’s easy to think that a child’s problems are minor compared to our own, but for a seven year old who is being teased or left out, walking into the classroom is an enormous problem they have to face every day that overrides and subverts the learning process.

Luckily with the right amount of subtle observation you can monitor your child’s progress and be aware of any radical ups and downs. School should be fun, although this isn’t to say it shouldn’t be hard work too. I think the hardest thing for a child to grasp is the importance of doing well and why they have to. The world is getting increasingly competitive and any edge you can give your child to thrive is going to make their lives easier in the long run.

Follow Paul on Twitter: @fabdad1

magazine durban

ILLUSTRATION: MARK VINCER

s

but it can be hell for some children, says PAUL KERTON.

health

get the bite right Braces are a fact of life for many children.

o

MARINA ZIETSMAN looks at why you should consider them.

PHOTOGRAPH: shutterstock.com

rthodontic treatment done at a young age is often less costly than having to treat serious dental problems later in life. Here are seven reasons braces may be advisable early on:

Braces can ensure an attractive smile. “Aesthetics is usually the main reason why parents take their children to an orthodontist,” says Dr Antoinette Ackerman, an orthodontist in Craighall Park, Joburg.

When teeth are crooked or crowded, keeping them clean becomes difficult. Braces move the teeth into the correct position, allowing for toothbrushes and floss to reach everywhere properly.

Braces can also prevent and fix an over-, cross- or underbite. If these are not fixed, it can cause wear on the teeth, lead to gum problems and a painful jaw and joints.

It can also interfere with the proper chewing of food.

Braces can help the prevention of gum-related problems. If it’s difficult to clean your teeth, it’s more likely to enhance plaque and tartar formation. The more plaque and tartar you have, the greater your chance of developing gum disease.

magazine durban

“Orthodontic treatment improves function, such as the way you bite down,” says Ackerman. “Braces can help to establish better occluding teeth (the way our lower and upper teeth come together). The more normal the occlusion, the less wear and tear occurs,” says Ackerman.

Teeth are a key element in speech. Having crooked teeth can influence pronunciation.

Ackerman says braces can also help to fix protruding teeth, which are more prone to accidental trauma.

when is the right time?

“Around the age of seven years old, children should get an x-ray done to establish whether or not all their teeth are present and developing,” advises Ackerman. Treatment is usually only recommended later when most permanent teeth are out and the child is still growing. “Between the ages of 10 and 12 years old for girls and 12 to 14 years old for boys,” says Ackerman. However, children may need treatment sooner, for instance to correct a crossbite. Treatment lasts between one and two years. People undergoing orthodontic treatment need to be even more dedicated to oral hygiene.

Ask your dentist to suggest the best treatment plan.

types of braces available Fitting braces is like fitting shoes, and depending on the problem area, your orthodontist will recommend the most effective treatment.

• Plates: a simple, removable clear plate can be sufficient to correct minor orthodontic issues, such as gaps between the front teeth.

• Stainless-steel braces: today you can personalise metal braces with different colours and shapes.

• Tooth-coloured aesthetic braces or ceramic braces: with these braces, the brackets are transparent or tooth-coloured, though there’s still a metal wire that runs across the teeth, which is held in place with elastic bands.

• Lingual braces: these are placed out of site on the backside of the teeth.

• Invisible aligner trays: the aligners consist of a sequence of clear, removable trays that fit over the teeth. These are only recommended for moderate to minor orthodontic problems.

August 2014

7

best for baby

head space Flat head syndrome, the layman’s term for a skull deformity, is on the increase. MARINA ZIETSMAN looks at possible causes.

what causes it?

The bones in your baby’s skull are loosely held together and as your baby grows, these bones gradually join. However, at birth and for the first few months, the skull is soft and the shape can change if pressure is applied.

Krige says these “pressures” can happen in the mother’s womb with a multiple pregnancy or a lack of amniotic fluid to cushion the baby. Congenital torticollis, which literally means “twisted neck”, where the baby keeps its neck in one position for extended periods, can also lead to a flat head. Other causes are a premature birth (the baby’s skull is even softer) and when the baby passes through the birth canal. The prevention of Sids (sudden infant death syndrome) is another culprit, because parents are urged to let their baby sleep on their back, which in turn has contributed to the increase in flatter heads.

Research also shows that more and more babies spend extended periods of time in car seats, bouncers, baby carriers and other reclining equipment. The combination of this and babies sleeping more on their backs has increased the risk of flat head syndrome.

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August 2014

counter measures Back sleep is still the safest option for a baby, but rotate your child’s head during sleep to make sure the pressure alternates. You can even move your baby to different parts of the cot, which may encourage your baby to sleep on different sides of the head. To prevent your baby from spending too much awake time on his back, give enough supervised “tummy-time”. Experts suggest about 30 minutes a day. Apart from tummy-time helping the development of fine and gross motor skills, it also strengthens the neck muscles and gives the back of the head a break. Basic tummy-time exercises include placing your baby on her stomach on your lap for short periods of time and when your baby gets older, on a flat surface with age-appropriate toys in sight to keep them occupied. Ask your paediatrician for guidance on other exercises. Also, avoid leaving your baby for too long in car seats, infant seats or baby carriers.

treatment In the majority of cases, if you stick to the recommendations to treat a skull deformity, the head will assume a more natural shape. If the flat spot gets bigger or does not disappear at six months, other measures might have to be taken. “Positional plagiocephaly can take a few months to resolve,” says Krige. “Premature fusion of one or more skull sutures (the strong tissue that connect the plates of bones in the skull) can cause permanent damage, and may need surgery. You need to consult your paediatrician, though, who will evaluate the deformity and refer you to a neurosurgeon if surgery is needed,” Krige concludes.

magazine durban

PHOTOGRAPH: shutterstock.com

f

lat head syndrome appears in approximately 48% of babies. Dr Kathy Krige, a paediatrician at the Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town, explains the syndrome (also known as plagiocephaly and brachycephaly): “Plagiocephaly is when a baby’s head is flattened on one side. The head no longer looks symmetrical and often the baby’s ears do not align. Brachycephaly is when the back part of the baby’s head is flattened and may cause the rest of the head to widen and the front part of the head to bulge out.”

pregnancy news

living with loss Although 50% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, it’s rarely talked about and society tends to

PHOTOGRAPH: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

a

neglect the devastating psychological effects it has on both partners, writes GLYNIS HORNING.

fter an easy first pregnancy that produced a perfect son, I was breezing through my second until a 12-week checkup. “I’m sorry,” said the gynae softly, after a pause in our usual banter, “I can’t detect a heartbeat.”

A scan confirmed I had miscarried. In a trance, I heard the nurse book a D and C (dilation and curettage) for the following day. Driving home to tell my husband, anguish poured from me in wracking sobs.

Miscarriage is a complicated kind of loss. It’s easy for those who haven’t experienced it to underestimate it, especially in the first trimester, when the being you are carrying is barely bigger than a plum, and losing it is common. But with today’s advanced detection of pregnancy, an unborn baby can become part of our consciousness soon after conception, and the repository of our love, hopes and dreams. “With technology we can see ultrasound pictures and hear the baby’s heartbeat very early, so attachment to the unborn baby begins early,” says Joburg psychologist and bereavement counsellor Illeana Cocotos.

Our bodies feed into this. As Rochelle Friedman and Bonnie Gradstein explain in Surviving Pregnancy Loss (Little, Brown & Co), the physiological and psychological processes of pregnancy start soon after conception. The levels of reproductive hormones in our system rise dramatically, our uterine lining thickens to sustain the new life, our breasts swell in preparation for feeding and our emotions change gear.

A sense of attachment and “oneness” with the foetus can form even when the pregnancy is unplanned. Unless we’re set against the pregnancy, and considering abortion or adoption, we can be left feeling empty and incomplete when a miscarriage ends it.

“You need time to grieve your lost dreams, the psychological impact of miscarriage and the physical trauma of it,” says Cocotos. “It’s been found that even women whose pregnancies were unwanted were shocked by the physical process of miscarriage.” Coping with miscarriage, she concludes, may be one of the most difficult processes a woman ever has to face. Yet levels of grief can range widely. “All loss follows the stages of denial, shock, bargaining, anger and depression, which you can cycle in and out of before acceptance begins and you can move on,” says Dr Colinda Linde, another Joburg psychologist and author of Get the Balance Right (Metz Press).

Cape Town teacher Nicole Masureik, 35, went into labour at 37 weeks, but was not worried as her firstborn, Janel, had arrived at 33 weeks. Besides, a scan the previous day had shown the baby was fine. By the following morning, however, labour had stopped and the baby was not moving. An ultrasound showed no heartbeat. “I was in such shock and denial that I couldn’t accept that this meant she was dead until they brought in a paediatric specialist who confirmed it.”

Nicole was induced the following day. Afterwards, she and Graeme were encouraged to hold their daughter, take a lock of her hair, ink a footprint, and hold a brief naming ceremony. They called her Zoe, and the grief counsellor advised Graeme to bring in Janel, who was 18 months old, to see her sister. “They said to tell her straight that Zoe was dead, or she’d see how upset we were and think she was the cause. Janel gave Zoe a teddy, and when they wheeled her away she started crying. She knew Zoe was not going home with us. She completely got it. Children understand death in a way we don’t.” magazine durban

An autopsy and a battery of blood tests showed Nicole had a rare autoimmune blood disorder, APS, which produced too many clotting factors, and had blocked blood flow in the placenta. In the weeks that followed, Nicole retreated to her bed. “I fell apart – I couldn’t make a decision about anything, even if I wanted a cup of tea. Graeme was forced to put his grief aside to cope with work, care for me, and get Janel to preschool each day. I couldn’t bear to be with people, especially her, it was too painful.”

Next came anger and frustration. “I knew the medical staff had done what they should, but I was frustrated my APS wasn’t picked up earlier.” A major help in getting there has been the birth of a third child, Nathan. “I got pregnant within 18 months of losing Zoe, but I was convinced we’d lose this baby too, even though doctors had me injecting myself daily to counter the APS and reduce the chances of

We should not prescribe how a mother should mourn based on which stage of pregnancy she lost the baby, but rather allow her to mourn in the manner she feels is right for her. another stillbirth. We bought our own foetal heart monitor and I used it constantly. I kept telling myself not to bond with the new baby. Poor Graeme just disconnected.” It was only when a healthy Nathan was born, that they realised how stressed they had been. “Graeme burst into tears. The instant he’d assured me Nathan was breathing and had all his fingers and toes, I passed out.”

ways to cope The effects of miscarriage or stillbirth (when you lose a baby in the third trimester) are individual and most women would benefit from counselling, says Cocotos. “It can help you identify feelings and reduce the risk of emotional problems months, even years, later.”

acknowledge your loss “The usual social rites of death are normally absent after a miscarriage, and this often prevents parents accepting the reality of the loss,” says Cocotos. Holding a small ceremony (lighting a candle, planting a tree) can help bring closure, however early the miscarriage, and if the pregnancy is advanced, naming your baby, holding it and having a burial ceremony. “We should not prescribe how a mother should mourn based on which stage of pregnancy she lost the baby, but rather allow her to mourn in the manner she feels is right for her,” she adds. Talk through your loss with your doctor, to establish the reason for the miscarriage. “In most cases the cause is a chromosomal defect in the foetus,” says Cocotos.

“Knowing this may help you realise you could have done nothing to prevent the miscarriage.” let yourself grieve Be aware of, and identify, the well-known stages as you experience them, says Linde. “Tell your story as much as you need to,” she says. “Scream or punch a pillow. The point is to feel the emotion enough to be able to process what happened, but not be overwhelmed that you cannot move on. Sometimes the only way out is through.”

If you don’t feel like talking, keep a journal or express your feelings by painting, making music, and when you’re ready for it, by getting physical, which also releases feelgood hormones. Don’t be tempted to escape with alcohol or drugs, or rush into another pregnancy before you are ready. And don’t be hurried by well-meaning people who tell you to “get over it – you can always have another baby.”

Everyone takes a different amount of time to heal, and you will get there. Should you seem stuck, get counselling. consider your partner In the initial shock it may be all you can do to keep yourself together, but spare a thought for your man. “Men and women grieve differently,” says Nicole. Friedman and Gradstein report a study showing women are more likely to see miscarriage as the loss of a person, while men often see it as a sad event, but not death. In general, men talk about feelings less, and feel they must take care of women by staying strong, so they delay their grieving. Women can interpret this as not caring about the miscarriage. “As men tend to get caught in the double bind, the impact a miscarriage can have on a father tends to go unrecognised,” says Cocotos. If you struggle, get help. “Instead of blaming each other and harbouring resentment, use what has happened to bond through shared grieving,” advises Linde. offload with others Nicole found solace unburdening not just to family and friends, but with the online community she found in chatrooms, and with contacts she made through the British chapter of the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS). When she and Graeme could find no equivalent in SA, they started a local version, Born Sleeping (visit bornsleeping.wordpress.com). adjust to your new reality “Give yourself time to change your perception that you were a mom, and now you are not,” says Linde. Understand that you have changed, even grown, through your grief. “Reinvest emotional energy in new relationships, as women recover and benefit from nourishing existing relationships and building new ties,” says Cocotos. Finally, keep reminding yourself that most women who have miscarriages go on to have healthy babies. “As someone said to us, it’s almost like joining a secret club. It’s painful, but you are not alone. Reach out and you will find others happy to help,” says Nicole.

August 2014

9

dealing with difference

wandering

minds

If your child is struggling to concentrate at school, there may be a number of underlying causes.

t

By MARC DE CHAZAL

he ability to concentrate long and hard enough in class so that what is being taught truly sinks in comes easier to some children than others. In any classroom there will be a range of levels of concentration, and there may also be numerous underlying reasons why children battle to concentrate. If your child struggles in class to such an extent that his work progress suffers noticeably, you should obviously address it. But before you jump the gun and pin the blame to ADD/ ADHD, the scapegoat of concentration problems, there may be any number of other root causes, from a noisy classroom to sensory integration problems and even epilepsy.

is a plethora of things that may cause concentration problems. “There may be too many visual distractions in the classroom, the child may have auditory discrimination or visual perception problems, a learning disability or have high levels of anxiety that cause the brain to be in overactive mode,” she explains. “Different therapies work for specific problems, but one should never just ignore them.”

shooting in the light If the problem lies deeper than the child simply being bored with a dull learning activity, they may need professional help.

But when do you make that call? “The golden rule for me,” says Skea, “is if it is

Some are relatively easy problems to fix, but others can be complex and require a battery of tests to get to the bottom of them.

Nutrition and sleep are two of the simplest, yet most common factors that can affect concentration, claims Justin Skea, head of St Cyprian’s Preparatory School in Cape Town. “In my experience, the fact that a child does not sleep enough or has a diet that is lacking in essential nutrients such as iron, is often overlooked, yet it plays a huge role in how a child concentrates.”

Skea points out other issues in a teaching environment that may be relatively easy to resolve: a fidgety child’s desk and chair may be incorrectly sized, and a child may be a kinaesthetic or tactile learner, which means he is able to concentrate best when he can move, stand or touch something rather than be forced to “sit and be quiet”. Children who have slightly slower processing skills or poor working memory may also struggle to concentrate.

According to Andrea Kellerman, a Durban-based educational psychologist and neurofeedback practitioner, there

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August 2014

affecting two or more aspects of a child’s life. School performance should never be the sole yardstick.”

Cape Town-based educational psychologist Sharon Aitken advises a good psycho-educational assessment before choosing a therapeutic route for your child.

“If you don’t know what’s really wrong you may end up wasting an awful lot of money on interventions that won’t make a difference,” she says. Aitken explains that the four- to five-hour-long assessment should provide a clear understanding of the child’s intelligence level and cognitive skills, as well as scholastic, emotional, physical and sensory functioning.

Depending on the outcome of the tests, your child’s psychologist may refer you to other specialists, such as a behavioural optometrist, audiologist or paediatrician to check for an underlying illness. “Once all the findings are in, the supervising psychologist will then create an intervention, ensuring the child is not overloaded with therapies,” explains Aitken.

If your child cannot concentrate due to anxiety, professionals such as Kellerman magazine durban

PHOTOGRAPH: shutterstock.com

If you don’t know what’s really wrong you may end up wasting an awful lot of money on interventions that won’t make a difference.

may formulate a brain training programme involving sensors that will stimulate the brain with the correct brainwave frequency. “The stimulation trains the brain to change and to create new, desirable neural pathways,” says Kellerman. “Other techniques that may help with anxiety include relaxation and guided visualisation to help them gain more control of their mind and emotions.

The exciting thing is that the brain can be trained and can change.”

focal point When Melissa Smith’s* daughter was in Grade 0000, the school recommended that she start occupational therapy. “They also wanted to do an assessment, because they believed she had sensory issues,” explains Melissa, a Joburg mom. “The assessment threw up a few red flags that I hadn’t identified at home – she wasn’t finishing what she started and would get bored quickly with tasks.”

The Smiths were soon facing a therapeutic mountain. Each grade their daughter went into, the teacher had the same thing to say – she needed OT. After her first term in Grade 0, the teacher recommended audio therapy, as she was struggling to sound out words and recall sentences, with auditory processing and with instructions.

Therapy did help to a point, explains Melissa, but by Grade 1 her daughter’s problems had escalated. “Her teacher recommended that we see a neurologist to have an electroencephalogram (EEG) as well as a full educational assessment to pinpoint the problem areas,” says Melissa.

“Her teacher was concerned with her particularly short attention span and that, despite being happy and well-adjusted, she was falling behind her classmates.

She was also concerned that she may have petit mal epilepsy, which is a brief disturbance of brain function due to abnormal electrical activity.”

Fortunately the hour-long EEG was normal, but because of her low score for concentration, the neurologist suggested giving medication a try. “We went through various options and eventually settled on Concerta 18mg,” says Melissa. They will magazine durban

reassess her daughter in six months, but the medication has already made a huge difference to her ability to focus.

home help You will discover any number of programmes that claim to assist with developing concentration, but Aitken advises caution.

“Unfortunately, many of them don’t have clinical trials or studies to support their claims,” she points out. Consultation with a psychologist or another professional is highly recommended before implementing home programmes.

Having said this, there are things you can do at home to help your child improve her concentration. Skea recommends the following: • routine A structured routine at home and at school gives every child the foundation they need for emotional wellbeing. Routine includes ensuring that your child gets sufficient and proper sleep each night. Exercise should also form part of this daily routine.

• homework If your child is overwhelmed by the end product, help him break the task into bite-size chunks. In this way he will be able to work steadily and systematically through a task that may seem insurmountable at the outset.

• concentration challenge An egg timer or countdown clock is a fun way to get a child to focus on the task at hand.

Challenge him to complete a task in a set time. For the kinaesthetic learner, you could add a fun element by getting him to run outside and back in before being set the next time challenge.

• study area Create an area in the home or classroom, which allows the child to work or read quietly without disruptions and distractions. For the highly sensory child, you could even create a “mock” cave or tent for a quiet place to “escape”.

• limit exposure to TV and other electronic devices.

• quiet time Avoid filling your child’s day with endless activities. Allow time for them to be quiet and still. *Name changed for privacy.

August 2014

11

education

on your marks Is grading an archaic practice or a necessary tool used to reveal how well our children

a

are learning the content taught to them at school? CARYN EDWARDS investigates.

popular cartoon by Daryl Cagle has been doing the social media rounds, featuring a set of parents in 1960 yelling at their child for his poor school grades. The next frame skips ahead 50 years and shows similarly irate parents and the child lambasting the teacher for the child’s abysmal academic achievements. It’s a humorous look at what has, unfortunately, become a common response to an unacceptable school report.

Now, skip ahead a few more years… what if a system in South Africa could be developed in which grading and marks are done away with almost entirely, a system in which assessment results are gathered in a more holistic manner?

To most people who have passed through the South African education system, this may seem like a far-fetched goal, but there are schools that are already implementing alternative methods of assessment.

“The learner’s atmosphere is very important to us,” explains Karen Wood, the school’s principal. Entirely aware of the pressure that grades and published results can put on a learner, the school conducts weekly assessments, but the marks are not revealed in class. “We want our learners to be free from the burden of competing for ranks, grades or prizes, free to learn for the joy of learning – the pursuit of, and love for, knowledge.”

with learning. The classes are small, and learners are taught a method of self-managing their learning through narration.

This is a far cry from the “jug-and-mug” philosophy that dominated South African education 30 years ago – the belief that the educator held the facts and that these facts could be poured into the minds of learners through repetition.

Ultimately, test results separated the great from the weak.

But was this system all bad? Some would argue that competition in a classroom is necessary to extend the capable learners in the class and to encourage the weaker learners to try harder to achieve better grades. Grading learners also offers parents, learners and external facilitators, such as psychologists and occupational therapists, an insight into how learners are performing. Often, a drop in marks can reveal problems in a child’s life that may extend beyond the classroom.

the joy of learning Ambleside School of Hout Bay in Cape Town implements a method of teaching and assessment that takes the focus off marks, shifting it to a personal understanding and achievement in a subject.

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August 2014

Assessment is a necessary part of education, but philosophy trainer at Ambleside, Natalie Thomson, believes that cramming for tests is not the way to ensure that children learn. “This puts undue stress on primary school students and does not give a true reflection of what is being learnt in the classroom,” she says. Instead, learners at the school are called on constantly to narrate what they are currently learning, which ensures that no student is left to disengage

taking responsibility One way of enabling success and happiness is to allow children to be aware of their own mistakes so that they are able to learn and grow from them. “At The American International School there is a stronger focus on learners

magazine durban

PHOTOGRAPH: shutterstock.com

Often, a drop in marks can reveal problems in a child’s life that may extend beyond the classroom.

marking their own work, thus allowing them to reflect on the areas with which they require further assistance,” explains Candida Crawford, a Grade 5 teacher at the Cape Town school. “When we go through assessments together as a class, I am able to elicit answers from them, giving me a fuller understanding of how much each child truly understands – there is often a divide between what learners think they know, and what they actually know.”

Another benefit to learners marking their own work is that the focus is diverted from the marks and shifted towards identifying how much content is understood. “When a mark is not given for work, the focus swings to what is known and what is unknown, rather than who did best in class.

This encourages learners to take responsibility for their own learning, and to seek help in areas where they have not performed as well,” says Crawford.

healthy competition It can also be argued that schools that do not follow the mainstream method of grading are stunting the competitive streak in learners. Crawford feels differently. “Although a more traditional method of marking tests and examinations is encouraged, because our learners are trained to be critical

magazine durban

system. But a child who is naturally anxious may find the pressure of achieving grades difficult to handle, and a nonmarking school would suit this type of child a lot better.”

the future

of their own work and mark their own assessments through the year, when it comes to big tests the learners continue to produce work of a high standard – it is in their schooling DNA,” she says.

Catherine Blankfield, who attended a Waldorf school for much of her schooling, believes that a school without marks is very good for a child’s confidence. “Free thinking from an early age is encouraged, so children are equipped to solve their own problems – an invaluable life lesson. Building confidence is a key feature in the school’s philosophy.”

However, she feels that a school system such as Waldorf is not for everyone. “Children who are driven by competition with their classmates would not find a non-marking methodology beneficial. Unless the learners became driven to compete only with themselves, it would fail them as a

Will the eradication of a marks-driven education produce a more content, self-competitive generation of learners? Mark Marcon, a dad from Cape Town, believes it can. “Before I put my son into Ambleside School of Hout Bay, I spoke to some graduates and was impressed with the intellect, strength of character and the well-rounded nature of the young adults with whom I interacted,” he says. “A future generation of children who are not taught what to learn but how to learn is sure to be successful.”

While the benefits of a mark-free system are clear, it may not be the answer for all learners. Parents should gauge the nature of their child’s response to education and determine which system would best suit each individual – even if it means sending children within the same family to different schools. A child learns best when he or she is happy and feels secure – a child forced into a system of education that does not suit their personality and response to education cannot be expected to achieve well.

August 2014

13

parenting

confident or cheeky?

GARY KOEN gives helpful advice for raising

i

t’s a big, wide world out there and it takes a certain measure of confidence to face it head on. In order to nurture confident children, we need to realise that growing up is about getting to know who you are and being able to express yourself meaningfully to others. It’s our role as parents to do what we can to help our children achieve this.

express yourself Children are going to find out who they are through their emotions. It’s not too

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August 2014

complicated, because feelings are as natural as breathing. The challenge is for our children to learn to relate to their feelings, to understand them and be able to communicate them.

So, the first message we want our children to get is that all of their feelings are okay and that they need to learn how to identify and express all of them. There are no wrong or right feelings. But it’s just as important for them to learn how to contain their feelings. By “contain” I mean that in time our children will need to become aware

that they can’t simply say and do whatever they want, whenever they want.

Your role as a parent is to acknowledge and affirm your child’s feelings and then to begin establishing the appropriateness of these feelings. But try to avoid two relatively common mistakes that parents make at this point: common mistake #1 Parents sometimes get confused between their children feeling good as opposed to being good. While most parents want their

children to be happy and feel good about themselves, they sometimes overemphasise the importance of being well-behaved rather than being who they really are. The message they hear from their parents is that what they think and feel about themselves is less important than what other people think of them. The result is that children are taught not to trust their feelings, are discouraged from getting to know who they are, and end up being filled with self-doubt instead of self-confidence.

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PHOTOGRAPH: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

children with the right amount of confidence.

common mistake #2 Parents place far too much importance on how special they think their children are. Of course, we should think that our children are special, but this doesn’t mean that the rest of the world has to agree with us. It’s up to every child to earn respect from the rest of society; it’s not an automatic right.

Some parents, however, truly believe that the rest of the world will relate to their child in the same adoring, permissive way that they do. Every mood, whim, tantrum and outburst is seen as nothing more than a glorious expression of their child’s burgeoning sense of self.

too much to handle In some respects, children whose parents make “common mistake #2” do seem to be the epitome of emotional health – in touch with themselves, outspoken when it comes to their own needs, certainly not shy, always ready and willing to express an opinion or to take control of a situation.

So why is it that so few people can bear to spend time with them?

The short answer is that they are just “too much”. There is just too much of them, and not much space left for anyone else. These children don’t know when to stop, have no clue what “enough” means,

magazine durban

and to boot are highly sensitive and easily offended when anyone either refuses to give in to their demands or when they point out to them how they are behaving.

They are quick to speak, but slow to listen.

They are the type of child everyone claims to love, but almost no-one likes. They may be great to go to a party with, but they are almost impossible to just spend time with.

Their main problem is that they have no limits, and as such, they don’t really know who they are.

ultimately they don’t really know what they want. While the good news is that they have all the ingredients to grow into truly confident individuals, the difficult part is that they still have to go through the very painful process of discovering their limits, which should have been set by their parents.

Children need limits, otherwise they simply expand in an aimless and outof-control way. But this is not to say that parents should impose limits that are stifling, constrictive and lifeless, concerned

are blended with your deep feelings of love for your growing child.

The type of confidence you are trying to instil in your child is not that of someone who always gets everything right and always gets what they want. Rather, it is the type of confidence which comes from knowing and liking who they are – despite their flaws and difficulties.

about the author Gary Koen is a clinical psychologist

Proper limits are like a jungle gym, which is there to support your child and help them climb.

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

While a lot of their behaviour can masquerade as confidence, deep down they are basically extremely insecure individuals, uncertain about who their true friends are, unsure about who to trust and often overwhelmed by a painful loneliness that prevents them from being able to spend any time by themselves.

know your limits Unfortunately for these children, their confidence doesn’t work for them because

only with behaviour and appearance – the type of limits where children “should be seen and not heard”. Parents need to realise that the purpose of limits is not to cage, confine and restrict children. Proper limits are more like a jungle gym, which is there to support your child and help them climb. They are limits with substance and come from an authentic place of love, care and concern and genuine responsibility.

They come from your knowledge and understanding of the outside world, and

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

August 2014

15

education

a model for the future LUCILLE KEMP finds out what the experts believe will make for

s

crolling through my Facebook newsfeed, I come across a piece on a 15-year-old Canadian girl, Ann Makosinski, receiving top honours at the Google Science Fair for inventing a hollow flashlight that is powered by the holder’s body heat. I also read about a 16-year-old Turkish girl, Elif Bilgin, who receives an award for finding a way to use banana peels to produce bio-plastic in place of the traditional petroleum-based plastic. Reading more about Elif, I find it interesting that her journey to greatness started in Grade 4 when she was placed in a school for gifted students,

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August 2014

to encourage her already advanced skills – a school funded by the Turkish government. I rush to the TEDtalk website for more on amazing young people with maths and science prowess and I find 12-year-old Amy O’Toole from England, and her neuroscientist mentor talking impassionedly about the beauty of science and discovery.

Closer to home, I’m slowly deflated by the news of South Africa’s recent dismal ranking by the World Economic Forum (WEF), which placed the quality of our maths and science education dead last out of 148 countries.

A ministerial team tasked with investigating teaching of maths and science revealed an “education system that needs urgent intervention,” thanks to an “out-ofdate national strategy, a shortage of qualified teachers and curriculum changes over the last 10 years that had negatively affected teaching”. The WEF’s ranking therefore does not reflect the potential of South Africa’s school pupils, which means that, unlike Ann, Amy and Elif, the talent of many South African children to really achieve in maths and science is going to waste.

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PHOTOGRAPH: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

fertile learning ground for the maths and science disciplines.

a new age International education advisor Sir Kenneth Robinson brings the culture of education down to the basics in his April 2013 TEDtalk, “How to Escape Education’s Death Valley”, saying that we need to remember when we’re talking about education, we’re talking about learning.

As we know, learning is constant for a child and takes place way before they have their first teacher. Guy Lynton, science teacher and education manager of the Cape Town Science Centre, explains that parents can make the world of science and maths come alive for a child by “following a recipe, using percentages on food labels, taking medicine, counting money, showing how weather forecasting uses probability and explaining how area and geometry is used when builders or painters are at work,” he says. For parents not adept at this type of thinking there are many online resources that can help with activities at home.

When looking to the education experts for answers to “the crisis in the classroom,” each one of them places teachers at the heart of the solution and calls for transformation.

In his talk, Robinson looks to countries that are performing well in education and notices an approach to learning that is very different to the one we know. The Finnish are regularly top in the world for maths, science and reading. For Robinson, the reason is because their education system emphasises “individualised teaching and learning, where the student is the focus, a high status for the teaching profession, a focus more on teaching to learn and less on teaching to test, and school level, not state, empowerment and support, to get the job done.”

Renowned physicist Neil Turok – who was born in South Africa, has worked closely with Stephen Hawking and has stated that the next Einstein will be African – believes good teaching also means “avoiding droning at a chalkboard and chasing grades, and rather working in groups and emphasising problem-solving”.

the modern age,” says Turok. For the love of maths and science to flourish and translate into professional skills in our country, we have to make a good job of unlocking this world to children from a young age.

Robinson’s TEDtalk is incredibly compelling because he recognises that the Finnish system is successful because it embraces three principles that drive human life to flourish. The first is that we are naturally diverse – children have different learning styles that need to be considered. The second is curiosity. If you can spark a child’s curiosity they will learn without any further assistance. Third, we are all inherently creative and are designed to imagine alternatives and possibilities. Turok, as a 17-year-old volunteer teacher based in Lesotho, experienced this firsthand: “I used to take the children outside as often as possible, to connect the academic stuff with the real world. I took them outside one day and

For the love of maths and science to flourish and translate into skills in our country, we have to make a good job of unlocking this world to children from a young age.

I said, ‘I want you to estimate the height of the building.’

And I expected them to put a ruler next to the wall, size it up with a finger, and make an estimate of the height, but there was one little boy, very small for his age, the son of one of the poorest families in the village, who wasn’t doing that. He was scribbling with chalk on the pavement.

So, I said, ‘What are you doing? I want you to estimate the height of the building.’ He said, ‘Okay. I measured the height of a brick. I counted the number of bricks and now I’m multiplying.’ I hadn’t thought of that one.”

a human system Most of us can understand the repercussions of having a waning number of maths and science electives at school: fewer matriculants will study engineering and the like at university, which will see a slowdown in economic growth.

In fact, we’re seeing this already. “The ability to make and test models has become essential, not only to every single area of science today, but also to modern society itself. As a society, if you don’t have maths, you’re not going to enter

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arriving at the “aha!” moment Experts propose a few key points to help facilitate a more creative approach to teaching: innovate Teaching is a creative profession that, “when properly conceived is not a delivery system, there just to pass on received information. Great teachers do that, but what great teachers also do is mentor, stimulate, provoke and engage,” says Robinson. A fine show of great

teaching is the new SAL integrated learning programme currently offered to the Grade 8s and 9s at Cedar House School in Cape Town. Through various subjects, students produce the ultimate project. Accounting teacher Melissa Jedeikin outlines it: “Students will be asked to create a new product such as yoghurt. So they’ll use physical science (how to make the product), life sciences (nutrition and flavourants), maths (break-even analysis), business studies (mission statement and marketing mix), history (globalisation and the company’s constitution), design (packaging and trademark), English (writing advertising copy) and Computer Applications Technology (how to use iMovie to make an advert).” be hands-on Melodie de Jager, educator and founder of the Mind Moves Institute, recently spoke to some of South Africa’s principals at a SAPA conference on “taking the sting out of maths and science”. She says: “To quote Gavin Keller, principal and CEO of Sun Valley Group of Schools in Cape Town, ‘if the bum is numb, the brain is dumb’. Children shouldn’t be expected to sit still and concentrate for longer than the age-appropriate period of time. Maths and science is found in life, not on paper.

Children learn hands-on and need to use as many senses as possible while being actively involved in measuring, calculating, comparing and finding patterns.” make it mean something Good teachers draw children in by starting with the big picture of why they are learning a particular topic, relating it to everyday life and quickly incorporating hands-on activities to demonstrate the topic as well as create investigations where the children discover the answers for themselves, says Lynton.

De Jager suggests teachers use the resources available to them. Children can be challenged using their cellphones, data and IT savvy, and given marks for finding relevance.

“Relevance improves concentration, motivating and aiding the transference of information to memory. Nothing will motivate as much as showing what’s in it for me?” says De Jager.

Dave Ryan, of the Royal Bafokeng Institute, who is responsible for overseeing maths in 43 schools, recommends bringing mathematical and scientific thinking into practice in the home using “apps, chess, battleships, tangrams, soma cubes, building shapes, origami and the abacus”.

For help with familiarising your child with maths and science in a dynamic, fun way, visit childmag. co.za/resources/extramurals

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17

book extract

food

made fun If you’re looking for healthy and delicious meals that babies, toddlers and the rest of the family can enjoy, you’ll find loads in Mealtimes Made Fun by DEBBIE WAREHAM and KIM JURGENS.

isistambu makes 4 baby portions

• 250ml (1 cup) samp, soaked overnight and rinsed • 375ml (1½ cups) sugar beans, soaked overnight and rinsed

in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover the saucepan and cook for approximately 3 hours, checking every

• ½ onion, peeled

30 minutes that the water hasn’t cooked

and chopped

away (add more water if it has). When

• 1 potato, peeled and diced

the samp and beans are soft there must

• 1 tomato, diced

be about 1 cup of water left in the

• 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil

saucepan (add or drain accordingly).

stock powder

Add the remaining ingredients and cook for a further 20 minutes

• 5ml (1 tsp) salt

until the vegetables are soft. This is a

• 5ml (1 tsp) mild curry

lovely late afternoon or early evening

powder (optional)

August 2014

Place the samp, beans and water

• 750ml (3 cups) water

• 15ml (1 tbsp) vegetable

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method

winter meal.

magazine durban

PHOTOGRAPHS: sEAN CALITZ

ingredients

cheesy biltong wheels serves 4 ingredients • 50ml salted butter • 4 slices white bread, crusts removed • 100ml Marmite or Bovril • 160ml ( cup) grated cheddar cheese • 125ml (½ cup) biltong shavings method Spread the butter over both sides of each slice of bread. Spread

Marmite or Bovril over one side of each slice of bread and sprinkle with the cheese.

Roll each slice up tightly over the cheese filling to resemble a Swiss roll. Cut into 2cm wheels.

Roll the wheels in the biltong shavings and serve (the biltong should stick to the butter).

Hint: This is an easy and healthy snack to serve at children’s parties.

• 1 bay leaf • 500ml (2 cups) chicken stock • 250ml (1 cup) uncooked white rice • 15ml (1 tbsp) chopped chives method Heat a bit of cooking oil in a frying pan and fry the bacon until done but not crispy. Set aside for later use.

Steam the tuna for 5 minutes until

fresh tuna kedgeree makes 6 baby portions ingredients

cooked through. Using a fork, flake the tuna and set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the onion until translucent. Stir in

• cooking oil

the turmeric and bay leaf and cook for 1

• 2 rashers bacon diced

minute, allowing the flavours to infuse.

(to give the kedgeree

Add the stock and the rice. Bring to the

its smoky flavour)

boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20

• 325g fresh tuna fillet

minutes. Stir intermittently to stop the

• 15ml (1 tbsp) salted butter

rice from catching.

• onion, peeled

Stir in the fish and bacon and cook

and chopped

for 2–3 minutes until heated

• 1ml (¼ tsp) turmeric

through. Mix in the chives and serve.

about the book Mealtimes Made Fun (Random House Struik) contains over 120 healthy, delicious and easyto-prepare recipes that use only South African ingredients. The book is jam-packed with everything you need to cook for your family, as the authors are well aware of how demanding life can be for working parents. Mealtimes Made Fun is available at all good bookstores for R240.

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August 2014

19

health

wireless hazards Today children are increasingly connecting to the internet at school as well as at

ore and more South African schools are following the international trend to “chalkless classrooms”, adopting smart and mobile technologies to give children the advantages of access to the internet, cheaper ebooks and “having the curriculum move and live instead of being static in a textbook”, as one enthusiastic science teacher put it at Northwood School, one of the first Durban government schools to go this route.

Like most schools, Northwood is using Wi-Fi (wireless technology), which allows children to move freely between classes with their tablets or laptops, and costs considerably less than wired systems. But a small, yet vocal, international group of parents is rallying against the use of Wi-Fi in schools. Through organisations such as Powerwatch UK and the Electromagnetic Radiation Research Foundation of South Africa (EMRRFSA), they argue that studies show it emits electromagnetic (EM) radiation, which may pose health risks, particularly to young people. Children’s nervous systems and brains are still developing, they say, and their thinner, smaller skulls allow radiation to penetrate deeper.

In 2011 the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organisation classified radiofrequency (RF) EM radiation emitted by wireless

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August 2014

that his health improved when he left, but he missed his old school so much that she reluctantly allowed him to return.

“He has rashes and is tired again. Another child has just been diagnosed with a brain tumour.”

Although no link has been proved to Wi-Fi, Dorny is rallying parents to replace it with an ADSL wired system.

“No one’s arguing about the educational benefits of accessing the internet, but Wi-Fi should never have been allowed into schools, which are supposed to be safe places for children,” she says.

on the wire communication devises as Type 2B: “Possible carcinogen to humans.” In children, it noted, “RF energy may be two times higher in the brain and up to 10 times higher in the bone marrow of the skull than in adult users.” It concluded that more research was needed, and advised that steps be taken to reduce exposure, especially for children.

Last year the founder of EMRRFSA, Joburg communications company head Tracey-Lee Dorny, removed her 14-year-old son from a Wi-Fi-enabled school. “He had rashes on his arms and feet, headaches and concentration problems, and was irritable and tired,” she says. She reports

Dorny launched EMRRFSA some four years ago with a group of medical, legal and business professionals after studying the impacts following personal experience.

She says radiation from a nearby cell tower caused her headaches, nausea and itching, and she eventually moved home. Putting a Wi-Fi router in a classroom, she adds, “is like putting up a cell mast in there – exposing children to highly pulsed RF radiation.” She quotes the American Academy of Pediatrics, which has described Wi-Fi in schools as “an unprecedented exposure with unknown outcome on the health and reproductive potential of a generation.”

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PHOTOGRAPH: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

m

home, mostly with Wi-Fi. How safe is this for their health? By GLYNIS HORNING

Many disagree. Dr Wimpie Beeken, IT capacity development manager at the University of Pretoria, sees no reason for parents to worry. “Wi-Fi equipment and installations are vetted by the Health and Safety Act, and the SABS is strict on manufacturers complying with regulations,” he says.

Grantham Daniels, information and communication technologies specialist at the SABS, agrees: “Everything is tested. There are numerous standards with respect to Wi-Fi emissions and the effects of RF on humans, and we look at international specifications. The band frequency we adhere to is in line with EU band frequency allocated through the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA).”

Kobus Engels, a support engineer at a leading South African Wi-Fi company, says he wouldn’t work with Wi-Fi if it wasn’t safe. “Besides, even if you turn it off, children will still be exposed to signals from cellphone towers, which are far stronger.”

Dorny is not satisfied. “Other countries have reassessed their radiation levels independently, and the Swiss and German governments and others are advocating wired over wireless networks, and warning of possible dangers of Wi-Fi. In Switzerland optic fibre has been rolled out by Swisscom to all their schools. The South African Department of Health just says they adhere to the guidelines devised by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), and sits back.

But these guidelines are based on thermal exposure and effects, not non-thermal biological ones that can affect the way body cells work and interfere with natural biological processes, as recent studies are showing.”

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Dorny cites a 2012 study published in Fertility and Sterility, which showed the use of Wi-Fi-operated laptops decreased human sperm motility and increased sperm DNA fragmentation. She also points to factors such as “the massive increase in ADD in South Africa in correlation to the roll out of wireless communication,” although the exact causes of ADD remain uncertain. She quotes Frank Clegg, former CEO of Microsoft Canada, who left to form Citizens 4 Safe Technology and warned last year about the dangers of Wi-Fi in schools: “This is a real hazard and we shouldn’t wait for the government to catch up to technology.”

the jury is out Bodies such as Public Health England, an agency of the UK Department of Health, concluded last December that “There is no consistent evidence to date that exposure to radio signals from Wi-Fi and WLANS adversely affects the health of the general population. The signals are very low power…

Based on current knowledge and experience, RF exposures from Wi-Fi are likely to be lower than those from cellphones.”

Northwood parents have expressed no qualms, says Jenny van Niekerk, head of marketing for the school.

“Boys are all using laptops and cellphones out of school anyway,” she says. Parents are more concerned that they will use social media or “play games instead of working, but they don’t. Marks are going up in everything from maths and science to the arts, and no one has complained of headaches or anything.”

The controversy seems set to continue until more definitive studies have been carried out. In the meantime, there are steps concerned parents can take that may help minimise exposure to EM radiation.

precautions for parents • If possible, rather use wired ADSL lines instead of Wi-Fi. • Turn on routers and the Wi-Fi/3G functions of computers, laptops or tablets only when needed.

• Don’t let children use laptops on their laps.

• Encourage them to use tablets and laptops in flight mode.

• Don’t let children sleep near a router or a wall near a neighbour’s Wi-Fi (radiation penetrates walls and floors), and turn off the power at night.

• Minimise time in Wi-Fi hotspots.

• E ncourage

children

to

use

cellphones

only when necessary, to switch sides of the head when a call is long, and to sms or email rather than talk, or to put the phone on loudspeaker, so it’s as far from their heads as possible.

• Don’t let them use cellphones in enclosed metal spaces such as cars, trains or lifts (when the signal is poor, devices need more power to communicate with base stations, so radiowave emissions are higher).

• Don’t let them sleep with cellphones in their bedrooms, or switch them off at night.

• Don’t agree to a cell mast on or near your property or your child’s school.

• Don’t let children stand or sit near microwave ovens while these are in use.

August 2014

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resource

bring the teacher home MARINA ZIETSMAN and SIMONE JEFFERY compiled a list of educational resources to assist you and your schoolgoing child at home.

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August 2014

magazine durban

First Fact Finder by Helen Lewis (Metz Press) – Based on the National Curriculum (CAPS) for children from Grades 1 to 3, it covers the following areas of learning: life skills, maths, home language and the first additional language. Also invest in the book, Fact Finder, for Grades 4 to 6.

All About South Africa by various contributors (Random House Struik) – This is a comprehensive reference book for South African school children looking for information about the country.

Children’s World Atlas for South Africans (Map Studio) – The book has interactive map activities, a South Africa overview map, maps of the country’s provinces, a world political map, a physical world map and more.

Multilingual Illustrated Dictionary by John Bennett and Nthuseng Tsoeu (Pharos) – This is a seven-language glossary, fully illustrated with colour pictures and photographs.

The English-Afrikaans-Xhosa-Zulu Aid by Isabel Uys (Pharos) – A compact guide for children who are learning a new language, this book lists words alphabetically, covering 51 topics, as well as often-needed phrases.

Oxford School Dictionary and Thesaurus (Oxford University Press) – This publication combines a comprehensive dictionary at the top of the page with a companion thesaurus at the bottom, for the upper primary student moving into secondary school.

Early Learning Resource Unit – They publish a series of books that deal with everyday situations, including references to maths, nature and social sciences that are written in English and two other official languages. The reading level of the books is for early graders and preschoolers, but any second-language student can use them to practise words and sentences.

Be Bright Level 2 by Anita Potgieter (Human & Rousseau) – This educational activity book is aimed at children aged seven to nine years old. It is designed to help children sharpen their maths and language skills, while challenging them to be bright and creative.

Be Bright Level 1 for six to eight year olds is also available.

Oxford Primary Atlas for South Africa For Grades 4–7 (Oxford University Press) – This atlas is based on the most up-to-date maps and data and is fully revised for the CAPS curriculum, which equips learners with all the content and skills needed to excel at map work. The Oxford Secondary Atlas for South Africa For Grades 8–10 is also available.

My First Book of Southern African… (Random House Struik) – This fully illustrated series introduces young children (from the age of four years old) to various subjects through simple, informative text in English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa and isiZulu. Themes covered are the seashore, wildlife, mammals and more.

Preparing for High School Maths (Cambridge University Press) – The book consolidates key CAPS skills and has been written for students in their final year of primary school who want to make sure that they are fully prepared to begin secondary school maths.

other helpful resources • A SP Schoolprojects Download digital products or buy CDs with study material for exam preparation based on the CAPS syllabus for Grades 1–7. Visit asp-schoolprojects.co.za • Bubblegum This tablet is preloaded with educational games and parental control software. Choose from arithmetic, storybooks and memory games.

• E-Classroom This website was created for educators and parents to access support material to use in the classroom and at home. Visit e-classroom.co.za • Getahead.co.za and click2learn.co.za Shop for English and Afrikaans educational worksheets and software.

• Indigo Learning They focus on building the cognitive skills required for learning (working memory, attention and concentration, processing rate and sequencing), and address language convention, fluency and comprehension skills.

• Leap Frog They create games, books, e-books, writing activities and more to help children overcome obstacles and master new skills.

• My Maths Buddy This maths dictionary is available in several formats, including an app.

• Puo The Lula and Lebo series is aimed at children from the age of four years old and is written in English and isiZulu, English and isiXhosa, English and Sesotho, and English and Afrikaans. Visit puo.co.za • Readers are Leaders They have a wide range of exercises to help improve many aspects of reading, which will also help in learning and understanding various subjects. Visit readersareleaders.co.za • Smart Kids The series from Pearson Education is written by experienced South African teachers. It was developed to support a child’s learning at home and the workbooks contain worksheets designed for South African children.

• Stimulearn An app with three different games based on memory, learning time and making stories that stimulate your child’s learning.

• The Toddler Playbook An app created for android phones with a platform for affordable, educational play ideas all in one place. Search for Toddler Playbook in the Google Play store.

• Umfundi Books They offer a Zulu Workbook series with activities to help learners in Grades 1–3 with isiZulu. The series is aided by the Picture Dictionary, which is available in English and other indigenous languages. Visit umfundibooks.co.za

magazine durban

August 2014

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getaway

live the story Ever read a story and wish you could be magically whisked away to its setting? Well, you can.

MARINA ZIETSMAN brings you great getaway ideas with classic stories as inspiration.

The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre

the chocolate factory Roald Dahl once said in an interview: “I go down to my little hut, where it’s tight and dark and warm, and within minutes I can go back to being six or seven or eight again.”

Wouldn’t it be great to see that hut where one of the best storytellers of our time conjured up his “mischief and mayhem”? Born to Norwegian parents in Llandaff, Wales, Dahl’s dad and older sister died when he was very young, and his mom was left to raise two of her own children and four stepchildren. It was expected that she would move back to Norway, but she wanted her children to go to British schools, as these were believed to be the best in the world. This is where Dahl’s boarding school years, which he despised (“it’s just filled with rules, rules and more rules”) began. After finishing school and a bout as a fighter pilot in World War II (he was shot down by German planes, but thankfully rescued), Dahl made “Gipsy House” in Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire his home.

Today, the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre is based here. Aimed at children six to 12 years old, the museum houses two fun, fact-packed galleries, including Dahl’s

original Writing Hut and an interactive story centre, which tell the fascinating story of Dahl’s life, looking at how his experiences shaped him as a writer. In Boy Gallery, find out about Dahl’s childhood, his love of chocolate and his schoolboy pranks. Here you can explore the archive on the touch screen monitors, rummage through the Dahl photo album and smell the giant chocolate doors. The centrepiece of their display in the Solo Gallery is Roald’s Writing Hut, complete with all its original contents and furnishings.

Visitors can see the “little nest”, as Dahl called it, exactly as he had it set up, with all the extraordinary and fascinating objects he kept at hand for contemplation and inspiration.

The Story Centre puts the imagination of the visitor centre stage, and encourages everyone (young and old) to dress up, make up stories, words and poems or get arty in the craft room.

If you visit on a sunny day, why not take the Village Trail? Great Missenden is the village where Dahl lived and wrote for over 30 years and he often found inspiration in places and things you will see on the High Street.

For more info: visit roalddahlmuseum.org

Alnwick Castle

battle-axe to broomsticks Best known for its “starring role” as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the first two Harry Potter films, Alnwick Castle has made many appearances in film and television over the years. Costumed guides regale you with behind-thescenes anecdotes from the filming days, take you on a guided tour of the various film locations within the castle’s grounds, and share tales of more than 700 years of the castle’s turbulent history. You can take a tour of the State Rooms or dress up in medieval finery at Knight’s Quest, and meet the characters of the castle as you join the hustle and bustle of medieval life. Become an artisan apprentice in their marketplace, play traditional games in the square, practise your knightly skills and take your place upon the throne. Also try your hand at various medieval crafts, taught by the resident costumed artisans. With a different craft each day you could have a go at anything, from the traditional art of creating an illuminated manuscript to making a witch pot or a medieval tile. Broomstick training is also on offer by the resident wizard professors. Alnwick Castle is in Northumberland, the northernmost county of the UK. It is closed from end October and reopens late in March.

For more info: visit alnwickcastle.com

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August 2014

Tour Pooh Country – Hartfield in East Sussex in the southeast of England was the inspiration and setting of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, originally written by A.A. Milne and illustrated by E.H. Shepard. There’s a Pooh country tour and Piglet’s Tearoom, among other things. For more info: visit pooh-country.co.uk Sherwood Forest – In the late 13th century it is said that Robin Hood called this Royal Forest, in Nottinghamshire, England, home. You can go on walks, cycle or horse ride. Every summer the Robin Hood Festival takes place and the forest turns the clock back to medieval times. For more info: visit robinhoodfestival.org or sherwoodforest.org.uk Lord of the Rings – Relive Middle Earth with a choice of one of three tours through the Southern Lakes district, which is found in the Southern Alps of the lower South Island of New Zealand. They take you to the exact locations used in the trilogy, with weapons to handle and costumes to wear. Tours differ in length and diversity to accommodate all ages. For more info: visit lordoftheringstours.co.nz In the footsteps of Heidi – Maienfeld in the Bündner Herrschaft in Switzerland inspired the poetess, Johanna Spyri, to write her novels about Heidi. The hiking trail takes you through the vineyards to Heidi Land. You can experience life as Heidi would have lived it, and some walking tours are easy enough to take with strollers. For more info: visit myswitzerland.com Hats off to Dr Seuss – The Dr Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden is now open at the Springfield Museums in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where Theodor Seuss Geisel was born and which appears to have inspired much of his work. For more info: visit catinthehat.org Pooh Corner

magazine durban

PHOTOGRAPHS: the roald dahl museum and story centre / alnwick castle / tour pooh country

more inspiration

books

a good read for toddlers the ance import ship d of frien

for preschoolers

for early graders

All Kids Love Yoga

By Gabriele Petra Becker (Published by Rogue Works LLC, R259) This is a step-by-step guide to enjoying yoga with children of all ages with fun illustrations for parents, teachers or anyone working with children. The author is a yoga teacher and Ayurvedic practitioner. She teaches remedial yoga with a focus on stressrelated symptoms, including backache, insomnia and respiratory conditions, as well as lifestyle and nutrition management, based on Ayurvedic principles. The book provides children with invaluable tools to deal with their everyday pressures and changing moods, while their bodies release built-up tension and remain healthy. It is a user-friendly tool that gives warm-up exercises, as well as fun, colourful illustrations that explain the different postures and their benefits for the body.

Herman’s Letter

By Tom Percival (Published by Bloomsbury, R129) What do you do when your best friend has to move away? You promise to write to each other all the time. But it’s not always easy, especially when your friend seems to be having a lot of fun. Henry the Raccoon moves to a warmer climate and writes to his friend Herman the Bear about taking rides in a hot air balloon and making new friends. Herman’s jealousy threatens to turn him into a very unpleasant bear. Join Herman as he embarks on a journey to deliver a very special letter to Henry.

Keep the Beach Clean and I Love Turtles

By Marguerite Venter (Published by Two Oceans Aquarium, R55 each) Based on popular puppet shows at the aquarium, these interactive books, published in English and Afrikaans, include an important environmental message. The books are also part of the aquarium’s support for the Rethink the Bag Campaign, which encourages us to stop using plastic bags. The interactive storyline and activities are designed to encourage free and creative thinking. Both books have stories that deal with human waste and its dreadful impact on our marine life. Children from as young as two years old will enjoy the stories and illustrations, while older children can also take part in brain tickles and other educational activities.

for preteens and teens Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Over the Moon

By Frank Cottrell Boyce

Elves and Feathered Friends

By Isabel Eckleben (Published by Wordweaver Publishing House, R195) This is a beautifully painted children’s book, featuring elves and guinea fowls, in a Namibian landscape. Guinea Fowl Land is a place of magic and wonder. Here, guinea fowls and elves have lived side by side in harmony for a long time. Every day in Guinea Fowl Land, guinea fowls and elves face the same problems as we do in our world. But no problem has ever been serious enough to cause quarrels and disagreements. It is not like in our world where we squabble and argue, and this is why peace and trust exist here to this very day. Join the author as she introduces you to her friends with wings and feathers.

parenting book a classic reborn

(Published by Macmillan Children’s Books, R187) This is the third official sequel to James Bond author Ian Fleming’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, written by arguably one of England’s favourite writers. The Tootings are stuck in 1966. Someone has stolen Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and left them behind. But that’s not their biggest problem.

Their biggest problem is that Little Harry’s been kidnapped by whoever nicked their magical car. There’s only one solution: the Tootings must find the Potts – the family that originally built Chitty. Sharing their combined knowledge of how Chitty works, the families stand a chance of rescuing Little Harry and finding the most brilliant car in the world. But a fiendish criminal has different plans, ones that involve flying Chitty to the moon and putting an explosive scheme into action.

50 Things You Really Need to Know: Brilliantly Behaved Toddler

By Lorraine Thomas (Published by Quercus, R181) The 50 bite-sized chapters in this book cover the most trying situations that a parent and toddler are ever likely to face – including mealtimes, sleeping, toilet training and supermarket tantrums. Each idea features an activity box to help parents gauge their progress and see results as they move forward, while informative narrative and quotes from childcare experts guide and equip them with the techniques they need to feel happy and confident in their parenting skills. Whatever the challenge, experienced parenting coach Lorraine Thomas gives parents an instant practical strategy that really works. Chapters cover the do’s and don’ts of discipline, food fights, sibling rivalry, supermarket sanity, family holidays, biting and fighting and easy toilet training; as well as family challenges such as destressing yourself, blended families, managing your time and dealing with tension.

for us Woodworking for Everyone

By Peter Alkema (Published by Random House Struik, R250) Woodworking for Everyone will inspire you to create practical, stylish furniture for your home. This comprehensive and creative book contains projects that will turn your weekends into fun-filled family time as you learn the basics of woodworking to make something useful. Each chapter is packed with photographs and illustrations as well as the background to the project and a list of materials and tools needed. The instructions are clear and easy to follow with tips along the way to help you save time and get the job done. A “tools and techniques” section provides you with practical insight about working with wood. Make a toy box as your first project in just a couple of hours, or finish the nursery shelf before the baby arrives. magazine durban

Paradise

By Greg Lazarus

local ge m

(Published by Kwela Books, R165) Maja Jellema is in Cape Town to do what she does best – steal. Her new employer wants a certain item from a building in Long Street, and the only thing that stands in her way, is Hershel Bloch, the building manager. But what seems like an easy job for Maja is a lot more complicated.

Will she be able to save her no-good brother from large Dutch men? Can Hersh turn his topsy-turvy world around? Will Surita make peace with her father and stop using her judo skills on people who just want to hug her?

Time is of the essence in this spellbinding novel.

August 2014

25

calendar

what’s on in august

You can also access the calendar online at

childmag.co.za

Your guide for what to do, where to go and who to see.

Compiled by TAMLYN VINCENT

6

wed

special events

27

FUN for children

27

only for parents

28

bump, baby & tot in tow

28

how to help

29

SPECIAL EVENTS

FUN FOR CHILDREN

ONLY FOR PARENTS

bump, baby & tot in tow

how to help

The Play Market There is fun for the whole family at this monthly market.

ĂŠVoid Catch this 80s band when they return to South Africa and The Barnyard Theatre stage.

Baby Sense seminar Parenting experts offer advice for birth, newborns and babies.

Feed the Babies Fund Send an SMS and help them fight malnutrition in KwaZulu-Natal.

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August 2014

magazine durban

PHOTOGRAPHS: shutterstock.com

Stars of the Russian Ballet This programme of classical ballet highlights is now performing on South African stages.

SPECIAL EVENTS 1 friday Slipper Day Wear your slippers today and turn dreams into memories for children with life-threatening illnesses.

Stickers are available from any Wimpy and Hirsch’s stores, Broadway Pharmacy in Durban North and the Slipper Stand at Gateway. Cost: stickers R10. Contact: prkzn@reachforadream.org.za or visit reachforadream.org.za

Girls’ School

2 saturday

16 saturday

Fun day Enjoy the food fair, children’s rides, entertainment and stalls. Time: 8am–2pm. Venue: Gordon Road Girls’ School, 69 Gordon Rd, Morningside. Cost: free entry. Contact Paula: 031 303 2628, paula.noot@grgs.co.za or visit grgs.co.za Thomas More College Country Fair Visit the indoor/outdoor expo, craft markets, games alley, tea garden, food stalls and fun rides. Time: 9am–4pm.

Venue: 15 Sykes Rd, Kloof. Cost: parking R10. Contact: 031 764 8640

Johnson’s Baby Sense Seminar Get the latest parenting advice from baby experts Meg Faure, Sr Ann Richardson, midwife Tina Otte and paediatrician Dr Claudia Gray. Morning and afternoon seminars and massage workshop available.

Time: 8:30am–5pm. Venue: Three Cities Riverside Hotel, Durban North. Cost: morning or afternoon seminar R240, baby massage workshop R80. For more info: visit babysense.com/talks-and-workshops

5 tuesday

Maris Stella Junior Primary open day Parents and girls are invited. Time: 3pm–5pm. Venue: 558 Stephen Dlamini Rd, Essenwood. Cost: free. Contact: 031 209 9426 or ms@marisstella.co.za

Sunflower Fund golf day Monies raised are for tissue typing of potential bone marrow stem cell donors. Time: 10:30am; prizegiving 6:30pm. Venue: Mount Edgecombe Country Club. Cost: R2 200. Contact: 078 207 9041 or steph@sunflowerfund.org.za

6 wednesday Stars of the Russian Ballet This enchanting programme of classical ballet features acts from Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Paquita. Also 7 August. Time: 7:30pm. Venue: Playhouse Opera Theatre, Anton Lembede Rd, Durban. Cost: R150– R280. Book through Computicket: 0861 915 8000 or visit computicket.com

7 thursday Hats and Heels High Tea Ladies, grab your favourite heels and a fabulous hat for an afternoon of fun in celebration of extraordinary women. Proceeds go to Crow. Time: 2pm. Venue: Kloof Country Club, 26 Victory Rd. Cost: R250, table of 10 R2 000. Contact Paul: 031 462 1127, 071 350 6502 or info@crowkzn.co.za

8 friday Sweeney Todd This musical thriller tells the urban legend of Sweeney Todd, the barber who murdered his clients, and his partner, Mrs Lovett, who turned them into meat pies.

Ends 24 August. Time: 7:30pm Tuesday– Saturday, 2:30pm Saturday, 6pm Sunday.

Venue: Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, UKZN, Glenwood. Cost: R130–R200. Book through Computicket: visit computicket.com

9 saturday Penzance Primary School Rainbow Run This 5km fun run sees participants doused with colour. Fun rides, food and a craft market also available. Wear white.

Ends 9 August. Time: 8:30am. Venue: Penzance Primary School field, 10 Bartle Rd, Glenwood. Cost: R40. Contact Samantha: 031 205 2271 or visit penzance.co.za magazine durban

2 August – Fun day at Gordon Road

20 wednesday

23 saturday Cornerstone Market day With crafts, entertainment and a medieval tournament.

Time: 9am–2pm. Venue: Danville Park, Virginia. Cost: adults R15, children R10.

Contact: shannonneg@gmail.com The Tough-Man Trail Run Series Categories include a 2km children’s race, and an 8km or 16km timed trail run. Time: 7am. Venue: Freedom Trails, Hillcrest. Cost: children’s race R15, 8km R90, 16km R120.

For more info: visit bactive.com

26 tuesday éVoid The original band from the 80s returns. Time: 8pm. Venue: The Barnyard Theatre, Gateway. Cost: R180. Contact: 031 566 3045, gateway@barnyardtheatres. co.za or visit barnyardtheatres.co.za

Pavilion. Time: 11am. Venue: Cotswold Downs Golf Course, Inanda Rd, Hillcrest.

Cost: R1 500 per four-ball. Contact: alumni@hps.co.za MamaMagic – The Baby Expo Now in its tenth year, The Baby Expo brings parents of 0–5 year olds over 200 exhibitors, show specials, expert advice and competitions.

Ends 31 August. Time: 9am–6pm. Venue: Durban Exhibition Centre, Walnut Rd, Durban. Cost: R50, children under 10 free.

For more info: visit mamamagic.co.za Student Expo This is designed to guide, direct and open up a broad range of future possibilities for students. Ends 30 August. Time: 9am–6pm. Venue: Hillcrest Corner, Old Main Rd. Cost: free entry.

Contact: info@student-expo.com or visit student-expo.com

30 saturday Open Air School market day Visit the fundraising market for this school for the physically disabled. Time: 8am–2pm.

Venue: 241 Frere Rd, Glenwood. Cost: tbc. Contact: 031 205 1277 or visit openairschool.co.za The Kloof Wacky Adventure Families, corporates and friendly teams of four, ages 12 and up (with at least one licensed driver) complete various fun, exciting challenges designed to build their strengths individually and as a group. Time: 9am.

Venue: Kloof Civic Centre, Old Main Rd. Cost: R400 per team. Contact Justin: 078 456 5433, Justinf69@gmail.com or visit kloof190.co.za

31 sunday The TinMan Triathlon The TinMan Triathlon is a fast-paced triathlon (tri) and running event catering for athletes of all abilities. The events include a 10km beachfront fun run, the mini tri, the sprint tri, and the TinMan Challenge. Time: 7am.

Venue: Suncoast Casino, Beachfront. Cost: varies. For more info: visit bactive.com

23 sat

28 thursday Jomba!

Contemporary Dance Experience This 12-day programme includes nightly performances at the Sneddon Theatre, a special Jomba! City, Jomba! Fringe and Youth Fringe event plus free dance workshops. Ends 7 September.

Time: varies. Venue: varies. For costs and more info: visit Facebook.com/Jomba.Dance Spring fashion morning Catch this year’s latest spring and summer fashion trends at the Christmas Fair Fund’s showcase of local talent. A funky children’s range adds a fun element. Time: 9am. Venue: Simbithi Country Club, Ballito. Cost: R300. Contact Mariella: 083 268 3884 or mariella@ thechristmasfairfund.co.za

29 friday Highbury Old Boys’ golf day Highbury invites all old boys to their golf day followed by a casual get-together at Highbury Leap

FUN FOR CHILDREN art, culture and science Art lessons For children 8–18 years old.

Time: 9am–11am, every Saturday. Venue: 241 High Ridge Rd, Durban North. Cost: R125 per lesson. Contact: 074 178 9388 or sdyson@remax-panache.co.za Impart A design exhibition featuring Design School Southern Africa’s students’ and lecturers’ work from fashion, interior design and graphic design departments.

18–30 August. Time: 9am–5pm Monday– Friday, 9am–2pm Saturday. Venue: ArtSpace Durban, 3 Millar Rd, Stamford Hill. Cost: free entry. Contact: 031 312 0793 or visit artspace-durban.com

classes, talks and workshops Babes in the Wood Children 0–5 years old learn about and connect with nature. Time: 9am every Thursday.

Venue: Stainbank Nature Reserve, 90 Coedmore Ave, Yellowwood Park. Cost: R30. Contact Kathryn: 072 649 3618 or katambersaunders@hotmail.co.uk Children’s yoga Time: 3:15pm every Tuesday, 11am every Saturday. Venue: Centre of Wellbeing, 16 Canberra Ave, Durban North. Cost: R40. Contact Angela: 076 410 1410 or angela@rautenbach.co.za Computers 4 Kids Time: 10am–11am or 11am–12pm every Saturday. Venue: suite 125 Ridgeton Towers, 6 Aurora Dr, Umhlanga Ridge. Cost: R500 per month.

Contact: 031 566 1110 or umhlanga@ computers4kids.co.za Emotional Adventuring Workshops Children 7–18 years old explore their feelings using various tools, including body movement and creative play. Workshops run during the third term. Time: tbc.

Venue: Hillcrest Christian Academy, Inanda Rd. Cost: R800 per term. Contact Candice or Kate: 076 763 6433 or emotional. adventuring@gmail.com Kip McGrath Umhlanga Study skills offered for Grades 5–7 and Grades 8–12.

Essay writing geared for Grades 8–12. 2, 16, 23 and 30 August and 6 September.

Time: 9am–12pm. Venue: 125 Ridgeton Towers, 6 Aurora Dr, Umhlanga Ridge. Cost: R3 200. Contact: 031 566 1110, admin@ kipumhlanga.co.za or visit kipmcgrath.co.za

family outings

Children’s Theatre Day The Playhouse Company hosts a fun-filled day for children 6–12 years old, as part of the South African Women’s Arts Festival.

The festival runs from 22–31 August. Time: 10am. Venue: The Playhouse, Anton Lembede Rd, Durban CBD. Cost: R50. Book through Computicket: 0861 915 8000 or visit computicket.com

Books2You book fair Time: 10am–3pm 4 August, 7:30am–1pm 5 August. Venue: Doonheights Primary. Also at Northlands Primary 4 and 5 August, Kenmont 6–8 August; Highbury 7 and 8 August, and La Lucia Junior Primary 11 and 12 August.

Cost: free entry. Contact Charlotte: 031 705 7744 or orders@books2you.co.za Mr. Funtubbles Fabulous Family Funfair Enjoy fun rides and games for all ages. Open daily. Time: varies. Venue: shop E047, upper level, Gateway Theatre of Shopping. Cost: varies. Contact: 031 584 6645 or visit mrfuntubbles.co.za The Inchanga Choo Choo Travel by steam train from Kloof to Inchanga Station, where you’ll find a craft market, food and a picnic area. 31 August. Time: 8:30am and 12:30pm. Venue: departs from Kloof August 2014

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calendar

10 sun

The Play Market Find delicious goodies, designer crafts, children’s entertainment and live music.

Time: 9am. Venue: Giba Gorge Mountain Bike Park, 110 Stockville Rd. Cost: R10 entry to the park. Contact Derryn: 071 307 0823, gotoplaymarket@gmail.com or visit facebook.com/gotoplaymarket

sport and physical activities Busyballers A sports development programme for children 2,5 years and older. Time: from 3pm Monday–Thursday.

Venues: Morningside Sports Club, Westville Civic Centre and Mt Edgecombe. Cost: varies. Contact Lisa: 083 236 0059 or lisa@ busyballers.co.za Taekwondo Tornados Time and venue: from 3:30pm every Wednesday, Westville Library, from 2pm every Tuesday, Hillcrest Library. Cost: R130 per month. Contact: 082 876 0628 or tkdtornados@gmail.com

only for parents classes, talks and workshops

Station’s Stoker’s Arms. Cost: adults R180, children 2–12 years old R130. Contact: 087 808 7715, 082 353 6003 or visit umgenisteamrailway.co.za

finding nature and outdoor play Duck and Deck Animal Farm Children can see farmyard animals or ride a pony, while parents enjoy a cup of coffee. Time: 9:30am–4pm Tuesday–Sunday. Venue: 3 Willow Way, Assagay. Cost: R15. Contact: 031 768 1029 or visit duckanddeck.co.za Flag Animal Farm With rescued animals, a milking show, indoor play centre, coffee shop and more. Time: daily milking show 12pm and 3pm. Venue: Sheffield Beach.

Cost: entry R33. Contact: 032 947 2018 Winsome View Animal Farm Children make the most of a play area, see farm animals and enjoy pony rides. Time: 9am–3pm Tuesday–Sunday. Venue: Hamilton Way, Shongweni. Cost: varies. Contact: 082 892 1615 or visit winsomeview.co.za

holiday programmes Sugar Bay A holiday camp for children 7–17 years old. 10–17 August: Beacon Allsorts week, 17–24 August: Big Bang Theory week, 24 August–3 September: Wet ‘n Wild week. Time: 3pm. Venue: Sugar Bay Resort, Zinkwazi Beach, KwaZulu-Natal North Coast. Cost: R5 399. Contact Roma: 032 485 3778, holidays@sugarbay.co.za or visit sugarbay.co.za

markets Essenwood Market Fresh food and a range of stalls. Time: 9am–2pm, every Saturday. Venue: Essenwood Rd. Cost: free entry. Contact: 031 208 1264 or visit essenwoodmarket.com Golden Hours Family Market Fundraising initiative of Golden Hours Special School. Time: 10am–3:30pm every Sunday. Venue: Uitsig Rd, Durban North.

Cost: free entry. Contact Lyn: 083 262 3693 I Heart market Foodies and designers showcase their products. 2 August.

Time: 9am–2pm. Venue: Moses Mabhida Stadium. Cost: free entry. For more info: visit iheartmarket.blogspot.com Mariannhill Monastery flea market There are monastery tours, fun for children and crafts. Time: 9am–1pm every Saturday.

Venue: 5 Monastery Rd, Mariannhill. Cost: free entry. Contact Judy: 031 700 6066 or Mary: 074 994 1688

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August 2014

Open Sunday market Find charity shops, jungle gyms, a jumping castle, a barrel train, food and more. 31 August. Time: 9am–1pm.

Venue: Kloof and Highway SPCA, 29 Village Rd, Village Green. Cost: free entry. Contact: 031 764 1212/3 or visit kloofspca.co.za Shongweni Farmer’s and Craft Market Organic and local produce and crafts.

Time: 6:30am–10:30am, every Saturday.

Venue: cnr Kassier Rd and Alverstone Rd, Assagay. Cost: free entry. Contact: 083 777 1674 or visit shongwenimarket.co.za The Litchi Orchard Market A covered market with live music and a playground. 9 August. Time: 9am–2pm. Venue: Seaforth Ave, Foxhill. Cost: free entry. Contact: 032 525 5118 or visit litchiorchard.co.za

on stage and screen Children’s Theatre Day A movement workshop helps children find their boogie and a drumming workshop has them creating rhythm. 23 August. Time: 10am.

Venue: The Playhouse, Anton Lembede Rd, Durban CBD. Cost: R50. Book through Computicket: 0861 915 8000 or visit computicket.com Kidz Rock 26 July and 2, 9 and 16 August.

Time: 2pm. Venue: The Barnyard Theatre, Gateway. Cost: R80. Contact: 031 566 3045, gateway@barnyardtheatres.co.za or visit barnyardtheatres.co.za

playtime and story time Children’s story time For ages 3–8 years old. Time: 10am every Saturday.

Venue: The Book Boutique, 26 Rockview Rd, Amanzimtoti. Cost: free. Contact: 031 903 6692 or thebookboutique@gmail.com Jimmy Jungles An indoor playground.

Time: 9am–6pm Monday–Saturday, 9am–4pm Sunday. Venue: Perry Yamaha Building, Tetford Circle, Umhlanga. Cost: varies. Contact: 031 566 2000 or visit jimmyjungles.co.za Lucky Bean A children’s playground with an undercover playbarn and coffee shop.

Time: 9am–4pm Tuesday–Sunday. Venue: 10 Cadmoor Rd, Assagay. Cost: R20 for the first child, R15 for each additional child per family. Contact: 082 216 3892, info@ luckybean.co or visit luckybean.co (no .za) Steam train rides Ride a miniature steam engine at the Durban Society of Model Engineers. Second Sunday of each month.

Time 11am–4pm. Venue: 4 Hinton Grove, Virginia. Cost: R5 per ride. Contact Gerald: 082 569 1383 or visit dsme.co.za

Computer course An eight-week introductory course. Time: 9am–12pm, every Tuesday. Venue: suite 124 Ridgeton Towers, 6 Aurora Dr, Umhlanga Ridge. Cost: R3 270, exam fee R330. Contact: 074 113 8364 or umhlanga@computers4kids.co.za Concentration for the classroom Teachers, facilitators, school-based therapists and education support staff learn about creating focus and attention for optimum learning. 13 August. Time: 2pm–5pm. Venue: Thomas More College, 15 Sykes Rd, Kloof. Cost: R450, bookings of four or more R375 per person. Contact: sandra@sensoryintelligence.co.za or visit sensoryintelligence.co.za Contemporary parenting Four module courses help parents understand presence, negative behaviour, emotional intelligence and parenting awareness. A monthly meet lets parents share and connect. Dates vary.

Time: varies. Venues: 70 Old Mill Way, Durban North and Makaranga, Kloof. Cost: varies. Contact Candice: 076 763 6433 or hello@contemporaryparenting.co.za Stop Worrying, Start Living Learn positive ways of thinking and simple breathing meditation practices. 31 August. Time: 9:30am–12:30pm. Venue: Mahasiddha Centre, 6 Hamilton Crescent, Gillitts. Cost: R150. Contact: 031 764 6193 or info@meditateindurban.org Taekwondo for ladies Develop core strength, exercise and learn self-defence.

Time: 7pm–8pm every Thursday.

Venue: Westville Library. Cost: R130 per month. Contact Sam: 082 876 0628 or tkdtornados@gmail.com The Concentration Clinic This CPDaccredited course explores concentration difficulties in children. 31 August. Time:

8am–5pm. Venue: The Hilton, 12–14 Walnut Rd, Durban. Cost: R1 100, booking four or more R975 per person. Contact Haley: 084 581 7557 or Gabi: 083 700 3644 or bookings@professionalminds.co.za

on stage and screen éVoid A classic South African band of the 80s returns to the stage. 26 August.

Time: 8pm. Venue: The Barnyard Theatre, Gateway. Cost: R180. Contact: 031 566 3045, gateway@barnyardtheatres.co.za or visit barnyardtheatres.co.za Jomba! Contemporary Dance Experience 28 August–7 September. Time: varies.

Venue: varies. For more info: visit Facebook. com/Jomba.Dance Stars of the Russian Ballet 6–7 August.

Time: 7:30pm. Venue: Playhouse Opera Theatre, Anton Lembede Rd, Durban CBD. Cost: R150–R280. Book through Computicket: visit computicket.com Sweeney Todd A musical thriller about the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. 8–24 August. Time: varies. Venue: Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, UKZN, Glenwood. Cost: R130–R200. Book through Computicket: 0861 915 8000 or visit computicket.com

support groups ADDicted to Life They address the concerns of parents or guardians of children with ADD or ADHD. Venue: St Augustine’s Hospital, Glenwood. Contact Vaneshrie: 031 822 8573, 083 293 2145, addictedtolifeteam@gmail.com or visit Facebook: Addicted to life team Born Sleeping Parents bereaved by stillbirths, miscarriages or neonatal death share experiences. Contact: 084 524 1541/2, bornsleeping@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page: Born Sleeping Choc – Childhood Cancer Foundation KwaZulu-Natal Contact: 086 111 2182, dbn@choc.org.za or visit choc.org.za Famsa For family and relationship counselling. Contact: 031 202 8987 or visit 30 Bulwer Rd, Glenwood Hi Hopes Home-intervention programme for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Contact: 082 897 1632, dianne.goring@ hihopes.co.za or visit hihopes.co.za Overeaters Anonymous They aim to overcome compulsive overeating through meetings where they share experiences.

Contact: 083 409 8309 or visit oa.org.za Pierre Robin Sequence Foundation Established to support families and individuals affected by Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS) and its associated syndromes. Contact Leigh: 082 410 3197, info@pierrerobin.org.za or visit facebook. com/PRSFoundation Sadag For those suffering from depression or drug abuse or who may be suicidal. For more info or referral to a support group: visit sadag.org

bump, baby & Tot in tow

classes, talks and workshops

8–24 August – Sweeney Todd musical thriller

Baby massage classes Suitable for babies under 1 year. Time: varies. Venue: Sunningdale. Cost: five-session course R600. Contact Eleanor: 084 821 6668 magazine durban

it’s party time

Blissful Bellies Prenatal and postnatal yoga classes. Time: varies. Venue: Assagay and Hillcrest. Cost: R240 per month for one class per week. Contact Isabel: 083 560 5390 or visit blissfulbellies.co.za Busytots classes A developmental programme for children 1–3 years old that encourages creativity, exploration and learning through music, dance, art, ball skills and multisensory play. Busytots develops social and emotional skills, speech and language, early literacy, and motor skills.

Time: varies Wednesday–Friday. Venue: Musgrave. Cost: R900 per term. Contact: 083 236 0059 or lisa@busyballers.co.za Edubabe Childminder training, first aid workshops and cooking classes. Time: varies. Venue: Glenwood. Cost: varies.

Contact Kate: 071 968 1007 or durban@ edubabe.co.za HypnoBirthing – The Mongan Method This five-week course prepares expectant parents emotionally, mentally and physically for a calm, comfortable birth.

Saturday and weekday evening classes available. Venue: Cowies Hill, Westville.

Cost: varies. Contact Callen: 082 538 1173 or callen.gerrits@gmail.com Johnson’s Baby Sense Seminar Get the latest parenting advice from baby experts. 16 August. Time: 8:30am–5pm.

Venue: Three Cities Riverside Hotel, Durban North. Cost: seminars R240, baby massage workshop R80. For more info: visit babysense.com/talks-and-workshops Preggie Power A group prenatal yoga class. Time: 4:30pm–5:30pm every Friday, 7am–8am every Saturday. Venue: 8 Sunny Circle, Sunningdale. Cost: four classes R350, drop-in R100. Contact: 079 881 7199 or visit preggiepower.co.za Shongololo Shakers A music and movement class for children 0–5 years old. Time: varies. Venues: Durban North, Westville and Winston Park. Cost: varies.

Contact Corrine: 083 893 5155 or Beverley: 060 350 7323, info@shongololoshakers. co.za or visit shongololoshakers.co.za

playtime and story time Baby Bright Stars Interactive classes for moms and babies. Time: varies. Venue: Westville. Cost: R800. Contact Kelly: 083 777 4578, kelly@babybrightstars.co.za or visit babybrightstars.co.za Clamber Club Movement and stimulation classes for babies 8 weeks–12 months old and children 1–4 years old. Time: varies.

Venues: Ballito, Hillcrest and Kloof. Cost: varies. Contact Ballito: 076 222 2946, Hillcrest: 084 577 7630 or Kloof: 083 259 2746 or visit clamberclub.com Little Me Moms and Toddlers workshops Fun workshops for toddlers 1–3,5 years old and moms. Time: varies.

Venue: Sunningdale. Cost: R75. Contact Eleanor: 084 821 6668 or visit littleme. yolasite.com

For more help planning your child’s party visit

childmag.co.za/ resources/birthday-parties

Movement classes for babies at Clamber Club

Moms and Babes and Moms and Tots workshops Programmes stimulate, develop skills and promote bonding.

Venues: Amanzimtoti, Berea, Durban North, Umhlanga and the Highway area. Cost: varies. For more info: visit momsandbabes. co.za or momsandtots.co.za Toptots Children 8 weeks–4 years old learn and play. Time: varies. Venues: branches in Ballito, Durban North, Glenwood, Hillcrest, Westville and Hilton. Cost: varies. Contact: 031 266 4910, 082 876 7791, info@ toptots.co.za or visit toptots.co.za

support groups La Leche Worldwide breast-feeding support organisation. Contact Jane: 031 309 1801 or visit llli.org/southafrica Mothers 2 Baby For new and more experienced moms who are finding motherhood challenging. Moms and babies welcome. Time: 10am–11:30am every third Thursday every month. Venue: Hillcrest Private Hospital, Kassier Rd. Cost: free. Contact clinical psychologist Hayley: 061 453 3718

how to help Feed the Babies Fund They have been fighting malnutrition in KwaZulu-Natal for over 50 years and currently feed over 9 000 children a day. Join the fight and sms FEED to 49444 to donate R20. For more info: visit feedthebabiesfund.org.za Mommas over Matters They help disadvantaged families and families who have fallen on hard times by assisting with food parcels and clothing. They also aim to focus on fundraisers for different organisations and charities who need help.

They rely on monetary, food parcel and clothing donations as well as sponsorship for fundraisers. For more info: visit mommasovermatters.co.za Read Educational Trust This NGO is dedicated to increasing literacy in South Africa by launching Red Reading Boxes.

You can become part of their annual Readathon Campaign by sponsoring a box for a child, or buying one. For every Red Reading Box bought, Read will donate one to a needy child. For more info: visit read.org.za

don’t miss out!

For a free listing, email your event to durban@childmag.co.za. Information must be received by 1 August for the September 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 durban

August 2014

29

finishing touch

fashioning a foodie Cooking together with her son proved to be a big hit for

fter taking a cooking class recently I was inspired to teach my son how to cook. I thought it would be a fun activity for us to do together.

Cooking was always a big part of my childhood. I remember the first time I was given my very own recipe book, recipe box and apron. Having these items of my own made me feel so grown up. They were my prized possessions and I used to consistently look over them – taking note of the recipes I wanted to try next.

Looking back now, it was a great thing for my mom and grandmother to teach me. Not only did I learn how to cook, read a recipe, decipher measurements and prepare something yummy, but it also allowed us to spend memorable times together. As I entered my teens, my mother took it to the next level, and gave me and

Cassandra and her son

my friends group cooking classes. This way she was able to ensure an activity that we both could do together, and get to know my friends at the same time.

In the hopes of recreating this quality time with my son, I decided to follow my mother and grandmother’s lead. I bought him a fun children’s cookbook and what I thought would be a playful-looking apron.

Although he was very pleased with the book, he was extremely unimpressed with the look of the apron – it was covered with a number of multicoloured chickens. In hindsight, maybe it wasn’t the best choice for a four-year-old boy. He probably would have preferred something more “masculine” with cars, superheroes or ninjas on it.

He insisted that we get started straight away. So, we had a look through his book and tried to find a recipe that we had

ingredients for. Luckily for him, we decided on raspberry and meringue ice cream. I thought it would be fun to get my husband involved, so when he came home from work, we set up a cooking space in our kitchen, conducive to our son, and the two of them got started on the ice cream while I made us dinner just a few feet away.

I think he really enjoyed being part of the action in the kitchen – making a small mess, learning and creating something that he could contribute to our family meal. But I suppose the fact that he asked for seconds and thirds could indicate that his favourite part of the process was getting to eat a tasty treat at the end.

Whatever he enjoyed the most, he was very proud of himself and it was a wonderful family activity – one that we plan on continuing weekly.

a few tips • S et up a surface conducive to your child’s height.

• Use an apron so their clothes stay clean.

• Choose a simple recipe that your child can fully participate in.

• M easure out and prepare the ingredients needed ahead of time.

• Stay calm and have fun.

After her son’s reaction to his apron, Cassandra is thinking she should buy a few more garments with multicoloured chickens for her son. Maybe this way he’ll finally take the initiative to dress himself in the mornings.

family marketplace

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August 2014

magazine durban

PHOTOGRAPH: MENKE BONNEMA

a

CASSANDRA SHAW, but the apron she got him was a bit of a letdown.