Child Magazine | Joburg Dec 2010 / Jan 2011

J O H A N N E S B U R G ’ S b e s t gu i d e f o r p a r e n t s

birds & bees help, it’s time for that talk

stop the strop tantrum taming, from toddler to teen

what’s cooking? four lunch recipes to inspire the little chef in your life

happy

www.childmag.co.za

Dec 2010 / Jan 2011

free

holidays

151

health

exciting things to do this school break

education

+15

ideas for family fun

entertainment

For the first time in seven years we’ll be celebrating Christmas at home.

As family descends on us from all four corners of the earth, my instinct will be to go into a festive frenzy.

But the whole point of not going away is to give the children a good dose of family fun, without any of the rat-race routine.

One of my fondest childhood memories is of Christmas Eve, when we as a family celebrated together, leaving Christmas Day for the more serious, religious ceremonies.

I loved Christmas Eve. My brother and I would decorate the tree. I’d set the table, pick the flowers and personalise the crackers – all the while longing to unwrap the presents lying under the tree. My gran was always on top form; she had a way of spinning her spoon on the table so as to nominate one of us to tell the rest of the family a joke. Sometimes her spoon would catapult across the table. For a strict Presbyterian family, this was raucous behaviour – and we loved it. After dinner my dad would hand out the gifts. I remember every one being really happy and the food being amazing, yet no-one stressed about any of it – ever.

That is what I want this Christmas to be like. So, I am going to do my best not to stress about preparing or presenting things perfectly, but instead make sure I take time just to be. Let the children decorate the tree “badly”, let them set the table “incorrectly”, let them just be! And hopefully they too will look back and remember this Christmas with a smile that lingers…

Wishing you all a truly fun and peaceful festive season.

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 Elaine Eksteen • elaine@childmag.co.za Resource Editor Chareen Boake • joburg@childmag.co.za

monthly circulation Cape Town’s Child magazineTM 45 153 Joburg’s Child magazineTM 52 666 Durban’s Child magazineTM 40 792

to advertise Tel: 011 807 6449 • Fax: 011 234 4971 Email: jhbsales@childmag.co.za Website: childmag.co.za

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

Art Senior Designer Samantha Summerfield • sam@childmag.co.za Designers Mariette Barkhuizen • mariette@childmag.co.za Nikki-leigh Piper • nikki@childmag.co.za

Advertising Director Lisa Mc Namara • lisa@childmag.co.za

Client Relations

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PUBLISHER’S PHOTOGRAPH: Brooke Fasani

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magazine joburg

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

Office address: Unit 5, First Floor, Bentley Office Park, cnr. Rivonia and Wessel Rd, Rivonia. Tel: 011 807 6449, fax: 011 234 4971, email: joburg@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 Joburg’s Child magazineTM. We welcome submissions but retain the unrestricted right to change any received copy. We are under no obligation to return unsolicited copy. The magazine, or part thereof, may not be reproduced or adapted without the prior written permission of the publisher. We take care to ensure our articles are accurate and balanced but cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage that may arise from reading them.

December 2010 / January 2011

contents

december 2010 / january 2011 upfront 3

a note from lisa

6

ver to you o readers respond

12 r eader’s blog Samantha Summerfield on her baby girl’s taste-testing escapades

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features 16 t antrum taming Tracy Ellis gives tips on managing children’s strops 20 h oliday heaven Donna Cobban takes her toddler on an unforgettable trip to France 24 p et prep what to weigh up before buying the family a furry friend. By Lucille Kemp

health 13 s unshine blues Tamlyn Vincent on sun protection 15 t ooth-side seats Elaine Eksteen asks for ideas for upping the popularity of tooth-brushing time

regulars

24

10 wins 14 u pfront with paul Paul Kerton would love to know if being “normal” is an advantage 33 r esource your first-aid kit check list.

By Tamlyn Vincent

28 f un, fun, fun...

Elaine Eksteen gives ideas for memory-making holiday activities 30 precious cargo

uckle up your children! Marina b Zietsman explains why 34 l et’s talk about sex, baby Christina Castle gives advice on the time to have “that talk”

44 r esource five day trips close to your city.

By Chareen Boake

46 a good read new books for the whole family 52 w hat’s on in december and january 74 l ast laugh sometimes Sam Wilson’s sons are her conscience

36 what’s for lunch?

fun recipes children can make from

Katy Ashworth’s book I Can Cook 40 m xit for dummies Marc de Chazal explains teenagers’ favourite instant text messaging tool

classified ads 66 family marketplace 71 it’s party time

this month’s cover images are supplied by:

thinkstockphotos.com

December 2010 / January 2011

thinkstockphotos.com

thinkstockphotos.com

magazine joburg

magazine joburg

December 2010 / January 2011

letters

over to you

buddy stole our hearts

great magazine

Congratulations on the new addition to your household, Lisa [Mc Namara, publisher]. My husband is a dog-lover, and my six-year-old daughter has inherited this passion from him. We have been doing a lot of research to find the best dog for her – a dog that is good with children and has the right temperament. We have finally decided on a Beagle. She saw the picture of Buddy in your October issue and is very excited about getting one of her own.

Rajashree

Thank you for the best parent-help magazine around.

You cover everything from health to parties and add a bit of humour to keep it all together and sane. It is much appreciated. I cannot wait to receive my copy to see what is new or interesting each month – even though it’s sometimes difficult to find some magazine-me time.

Belinda

December 2010 / January 2011

I would like to say thank you for this wonderful magazine. It has a little of everything in it and I learn so much from reading the articles. The ladies at work remind me to bring the magazine to the office once I’m done with it.

S. Waggie

full of ideas I received a call from one of the Acres of

I am granny to five grandchildren and they are like jewels: the best gifts we have ever been given. Two of the little ones, who live in Portugal, both suffer from eczema. I was delighted when I saw your magazine for the first time and what a pleasure to read “the itch you can’t scratch”, the article on this skin disease in your August issue. I am sending this magazine to my daughter-in-law in Portugal.

I have been wanting to get involved in charities for a while, and then saw your September issue with its pages and pages of suggestions, with loads of information and a variety of places that need help.

I now look out for your magazine every month.

Lea Pitout

Love volunteers today to say how great Child magazine is. She takes one of our homes on an outing every weekend. The usual movies, zoo, ice cream options were becoming a bit boring and she is now excited about getting new ideas from your magazine.

At present, we have around 150 children in our care and are constantly on the lookout for things for the children to do. We will also be drafting the December holiday programme shortly and will definitely consult your magazine.

David Potter

magazine joburg

healthy eating

i’m a winner

Today I read an article on a well-known talk show host who has found novel ways of getting her children to eat their veggies. One of her tips involved pureeing them (the vegetables, not the children) and freezing the purée in little, neatly labelled plastic packets. The packages can then be defrosted as needed and combined with nursery favourites like macaroni and cheese or lasagne, and the little ones will not know that they are eating healthy veggies.

Interestingly, I have a child whose eyesight has remarkably improved due to all the hidden carrots she’s consumed. Gimlet-eyed, from as far away as the next room, she can spy any carrot-containing dish. As can she spot anything green or leafy or bean shaped. I have tried cutting up raw cucumber and cauliflower into attractive little strips with a central dip, making vegetable kebabs on mini cocktail sticks, arranging them in motifs, disguising them in soups and stews and sauces. Even these are greeted with: “I don’t like that!” or “Yuck, what’s that green stuff?” or even “Taryn’s mom doesn’t make her eat that!”, accompanied by a toss of the head and a look as if I had just offered her the contents of the compost bin. We do, however, fare better with fruit.

There is, of course, the option of ingesting our vitamins in the form of little tablets shaped like animals.

However, I recently read another article stating that some vitamin tablets pass directly from the shelf, through the wallet and the “plumbing system” without the decency to enrich our digestive systems on the way.

I suppose it’s back to the veggie disguises then. Either that or I have to stop reading articles on healthy eating.

Worried Mom

Thank you so much for a wonderful magazine, I really look forward to the recipes and activities or crafts to make with my toddler – we have great fun with the ideas.

Also a huge thank you for my Toddler Sense prize.

Olivia Schroeder

magazine joburg

I just received the October issue of Child magazine and see I am one of the winners in the My File About Me competition. Hooray! I’ve never won anything in my life,

and am very excited. I love your magazine so much – I don’t even share it with my husband until I’ve read it about three times, just to make sure I don’t miss anything.

Kavita Jana My husband, son and I have just spent a wonderful weekend at Aquila Private Game Reserve. I entered the Cape Town’s Child/Aquila competition earlier this year and was thrilled to win an overnight stay. I can highly recommend it. We saw buffalo, giraffe, elephant,

montessori schools explained We received a number of calls from people who felt our coverage of Montessori schools in the resource entitled “education matters” in our August issue was incorrect. In response to their comments we asked the South African Montessori Association to give us some insight into the two areas about which readers expressed concern. Here’s what they had to say…

Sometimes the word “holistic” is taken out of context when referring to Montessori schools. Our approach is to acknowledge the whole child and to provide an environment that meets the needs of the child on a physical, emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual level.

With regard to your point about children struggling when they leave a Montessori environment and enter a traditional school, I think that it is fair to say that some children do take time to adjust to their

new surroundings. This is also true for children coming into Montessori from traditional schools, and also applies to children moving between different traditional settings. Changes to children’s routine and the new personalities they encounter, in adults and their new peers, all play a role in the child’s adjustment process. Some children are more cautious and accept the challenges of change less easily than others. The Montessori approach of preparing children for life means that we strive to give children the ability to build self-confidence and self-worth alongside the academic learning that occurs on a daily basis. In my experience, most children who move from Montessori into traditional schools do so with little trauma and are often eager to rise to the new challenges presented to them.

Heidi van Staden President South African Montessori Association

December 2010 / January 2011

letters

cheetah, springbok, crocodile, zebra, warthog, wildebeest, eland, rhino, hippo, lion and a leopard. Our game ranger, Tammy, was brilliant.

I would like to say a big thank you to everyone at Aquila for making us feel so welcome and thank you for running the competition.

Jemima Madsen

praise for parents that adopt I have never been moved to write to a magazine before, but Donna Cobban’s article on cross-racial adoption in the October issue has changed that. How sad that some people cannot accept that those parents have done a wonderful thing. They have given their children a chance in life that they would not otherwise have had. Those children are truly wanted, and will most likely grow up far more broad-minded and accepting of others than most of us.

When we were trying to have children (we have been blessed with a son since then), we also considered adoption. Given our country’s demographics, chances are we also would have adopted a child from a different race. And we would have loved that child more than anything – as one of the parents in the article says: “Our children choose us.”

Thank you for a powerful, moving article. Who knows, perhaps we will also take that brave and wonderful step of adopting. And perhaps, by then, it will be viewed as the beautiful and natural thing it is: caring for and nurturing a child.

Lineke Haydock

December 2010 / January 2011

I’m writing in response to the article on adoption.

Though I did not adopt cross-racially, I face almost the same intrusions as those parents and have chosen to set limits.

I had just started my career and was in a rocky one-year-old relationship, when my boyfriend received a call to collect his three-month-old baby girl. His alcoholic ex-girlfriend had been arrested and had left the baby with friends.

My boyfriend did not want the responsibility of fatherhood and asked me to help him find a family who could raise the child. I decided to take the baby. My family and friends believed it was the worst mistake of my life. I did not budge and for two years the father visited us on occasion, and gave financial support.

During that time, when friends and family questioned me about the “real” mother’s whereabouts and on my relationship with the father, I refused to discuss the situation and only responded to normal questions about raising a daughter. Eventually, her dad decided to shape up and we got married – and had two more children.

When my youngest was eight months old, we adopted a baby boy. My sister-in-law had fallen pregnant and wanted to give the baby up for adoption.

My husband’s family wanted nothing to do with the child – they felt the mom would bring shame on the family. We took in the baby when he was four months old and have adopted him legally. Having two babies in the house, with no support from family, was not easy. Now, a mother of four, I cannot describe my

immense joy. My children are all under 10 and two of them still don’t know they are adopted. We will decide in time when to tell them.

People continue to try and quiz me about their birth mothers, and I find it offensive. My children only know me as their mother, and I think the questions undermine me as a mom. The birth moms have never shown any interest in their children and that is their loss.

People can be insensitive, asking me personal questions in front of my adoptive daughter, but I tell them straight away that the topic is not up for discussion.

Anonymous

write to us We would like to know what’s on your mind.

Send your letters to: marina@childmag.co.za or PO Box 12002, Mill Street, 8010. 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.

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December 2010 / January 2011

wins

giveaways

in december & january

toy time Smith & Olive is an old-fashioned toy store named after avid toy collector Edwin Smith and his wife, Olive Cook, who together brought toy theatre to mainstream London. Today, many of Edwin’s toys can be seen in London’s Pollock’s Toy Museum. All Smith & Olive toys are specifically chosen for their quality, durability and child-safety features, as well as their educational and early development capabilities. For more information call 087 940 3817.

One reader of Joburg’s Child stands a chance to win a collection of toys and décor (by Italian wooden toy manufacturer Sevi) from Smith & Olive, valued at more than R2 500. The contents include a wooden toy box, Pinocchio and animal letters to spell your child’s name. To enter, email your details to win@childmag.co.za with “Smith & Olive Win” in the subject line or post your entry to Smith & Olive Win, PO Box 12002, Mill Street, 8010 before 31 January 2011.

Only one entry per reader.

winning start Nestlé has introduced four new variants to its Nestum Infant Cereals range: Stage 2 Happy Dreams Chamomile and Happy Dreams Carrot & Orange Blossom, and Stage 3 Strawberry & Banana and Spinach & Carrot. The new Nestlé Nestum range contains probiotics plus iron, zinc, and vitamin A and C, for a strong immune system.

Two readers of Joburg’s Child stand a chance to win a Nestlé Nestum hamper valued at R1 200, which includes Stage 2 and 3 products, a Nestlé sing-along DVD, a digital thermometer and a children’s book. Simply name one new variant of Nestlé Nestum and email your answer and details to win@childmag.co.za with “Nestlé JHB Win” in the subject line or post your entry to Nestlé JHB Win, PO Box 12002, Mill Street, 8010 before 31 January 2011. Only one entry per reader.

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December 2010 / January 2011

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favourite flavours Ceres brings you 100 percent pure fruit juice that’s perfect for your whole family.

It’s a smart beverage option for children as it contains no preservatives, colourants or added sugar. Ceres Fruit Juices are packaged in low-carbon-footprint Tetra Pak cartons that protect the juice and its nutrients from light, oxygen and microorganisms, ensuring a longer shelf life.

Five readers of Joburg’s Child will each win a Ceres Fruit Juices hamper worth R400. Each hamper contains a Ceres picnic backpack and a variety of family-size fruit juices, including the 200ml packs, perfect for children’s lunch boxes. To enter, email your details to win@childmag.co.za with “Ceres JHB Win” in the subject line or post your entry to Ceres JHB Win, PO Box 12002, Mill Street, 8010 before 31 January 2011. Only one entry per reader.

sleepover solution Need an extra bed for sleepovers? Cleverly designed, the Bloc is an ottoman and bed – simply zip off the cover and it folds out to become a bed. In the daytime, zip the cover back on and the Bloc looks right at home in your living room. Use it as extra seating or add a Bloc top and it becomes a table. Blocs are light and easy to move from room to room and come in two sizes, Liten (children to teens) is the ultimate space saver and Stor (children to adults) folds out to a full size single bed. There are plenty of colour and texture options for the fabric cover, and the Vitafoam inner provides support for a comfortable night’s sleep. Blocs are for sale from R999. For more info, store locations or online shopping visit blocshop.co.za One reader of Joburg’s Child stands a chance to win a Bloc Liten covered in Hertex Accord, plus a 100 percent cotton fitted sheet, valued at R1 759. To enter, email info@blocshop.co.za with “JHB Child Win” in the subject line before 31 January 2011. Only one entry per reader.

holiday escape Follow the Yellow Brick Road and be magically transported with Dorothy and her beloved friends to the Land of Oz. This holiday they’re staging the musical The Wizard of Oz, until 23 December. You can book your tickets through Computicket (083 915 8000) or directly with the theatre (011 484 1584). Four times a year, the National Children’s Theatre presents plays based on well-known classics. To find out more about the theatre’s productions, visit jyt.co.za The first two Joburg’s Child readers to email the correct answer to the following question will win four tickets each to a performance of their choice, subject to availability. Question: At which theatre is The Wizard of Oz being staged? To enter, email your answer and details to win@ childmag.co.za with “Wizard of Oz Win” in the subject line before 10 December 2010.

Only one entry per reader.

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congratulations to our October winners Adrienne Marques da Silva, Claire Fok, Corinna Vennell, Fatima Lorgat, Margaux Needham, Melanie Pool, Niclerole Muller, Ross Havezov, Schaz Terblanche and Yasmina Baulackey who each win a Nazo hamper; Candice Mol, Thelmari Schorndorfer, Rachelle Inocco, Hayley Newton-Holroyd and Jaysheela Kanjee who each win a voucher from Annabella Maternity; Feroza Hendricks, Tracy Jericevich, Sharlene Fine and Janet Ginsberg who each win a Protect-A-Bed family pack; Fatima Thokan who wins a Spin Pram from Woolworths; Portia Mnisi who wins a maxi micro scooter.

December 2010 / January 2011

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blog

insects, yum!

A normally laid-back mom gets into a bit of a flap over one of her

have never experienced anything quite like my 10-month-old daughter’s dogmatic approach to tasting everything that her eyes can see and her hands can grasp.

I have found her with all sorts of tasty morsels in her mouth, from the foam letters of her play mat to the edge of the bedroom carpet. Most recently, she has absurdly taken to licking the washing machine door and jumping up and down when it spins!

I don’t worry too much about what she discovers, as I believe it is part of her learning and development. However, I do get down onto the floor with her to make sure she doesn’t find things that are unsafe. I’ll crawl behind her, sit with her and watch how intently she examines things. In doing so, I get the privilege of seeing the world through the eyes of a baby.

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December 2010 / January 2011

It astounds me how she is able to look at something as mundane as a piece of string as if it is the most exciting and intriguing object she has ever seen. You can almost hear her assessing her find: Do I eat it? Do I put it over my head? Do I shake it up and down? Wait, I’ll do what I always do – I’ll eat it.

It’s her incessant taste testing that managed to get the ordinarily laid-back me into a bit of a flap last night…

When I was younger I was fearless.

Except for my phobia of moths, that is.

Somewhere along the way I seem to have picked up a few more unwarranted fears – creepy crawlies, dust balls and creatures that go crunch when you stand on them can send me into a flat spin, but motherhood is forcing me to face some of these phobias.

On this occasion, the three of us were in the kitchen – Dad and I were preparing

dinner – when we realised she was quiet enough to have found something extremely fascinating. I bent down to take the object out of her mouth and, to my absolute horror, discovered the wing of a moth in her one hand, and the rest of the poor creature halfway out of her very pleased little mouth!

I fought off the nausea as I extracted the bits of dead insect from her mouth, while she protested about us taking away her grand find.

Even though there are moments that make me want to regurgitate last night’s dinner, I feel privileged to experience her journey of discovery. I look forward to watching her as she learns and grows in the months and years to come. As scary as it is that all this happens so fast, truth be told, I will be grateful for the time when the fishmoths that sometimes creep in the cupboard are no longer automatically placed in her mouth.

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

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ILLUSTRATION: SAMANTHA SUMMERFIELD

daughter’s recent taste tests. By SAMANTHA SUMMERFIELD

health

sunshine blues How can parents protect children from sunburn?

TAMLYN VINCENT investigates.

PHOTOGRAPH: THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.COM

ummer days are often about sitting outside at the pool, playing on the beach or enjoying a braai.

But spending too much time in the sun can be dangerous, particularly for babies and toddlers.

Sun damage to young children has a permanent carcinogenic effect, says Johannesburg-based GP Dr Paula Smart.

This usually manifests later on in life as skin cancer, she says. “If a baby burns badly that damage is done, you can’t undo it,” says Smart. Most sun exposure happens in the first 15 to 18 years of our lives, and several bad burns significantly increase the risk of skin cancer. Toddlers and babies are also at greater risk as they have more sensitive skin and burn more easily.

There are, however, a number of precautions parents can take. Dr Marc Röscher, medical director of the Skin Centre in Umhlanga, says a sunblock with zinc and titanium dioxide is ideal for babies and toddlers. “It provides excellent sun protection and, in addition, is safe if ingested. Furthermore, due to babies having a large skin-surface-to-mass ratio, systemic absorption is not an issue.”

Sunblock should be applied every two hours throughout the day, and more often if children are swimming as it comes off in water, or gets rubbed off by towel drying. If children are near water, sand or concrete, the reflection can also cause burning.

But don’t get complacent during winter or on cloudy days as the sun can be harmful then too. So, “put cream on straight away in the morning,” says Smart, who also suggests choosing a hypoallergenic sunblock with an SPF factor based on skin type and the environment. Experts recommend using an SPF of between 20 and 50, but no higher, as this offers only marginally more protection and creates a false sense of security in the sun. magazine joburg

“Physical protection from the sun with clothing remains necessary,” says Röscher. He points out that rash vests are a good swimwear choice as they have “excellent safety profiles” when it comes to swimming and playing in water.

Also recommended by Smart is swimwear with a high Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF), the protection offered by clothing against ultraviolet rays. Clothes that are darker and more tightly woven offer a higher UPF. Clothes that are wet or tightly stretched over the body, offer a lower UPF. Swimming in an ordinary white T-shirt, for example, provides very little protection.

Children should be wearing swimsuits that cover the top and the bottom, and that have a UPF of at least 50. When not swimming children should also be wearing hats with broad brims; peaks may cover the face but leave the neck and ears exposed.

tips for sun safety • Keep children hydrated by getting them to drink lots of water.

• Keep sunblock and a hat in children’s school bags, for when they play outside at school.

• Keep out of the sun between 10am and 3pm, when the sun is at its hottest.

• Sunblock should not be used on babies younger than six months old, who should be kept out of direct sun altogether.

• Keep in the shade as much as possible. If you’re at the beach or on the lawn next to a pool, sit in the shade of a sun umbrella or beach cabana.

• Track moles and freckles by photographing them regularly. If they change shape, size or colour have them checked by a doctor.

December 2010 / January 2011

13

upfront with paul

t

here is one word that figures in many conversations and observations about our children that, I feel, is completely overused when describing their development or behaviour, and that word is “normal”.

“Normal” literally trips off the tongues of parents, educators, specialists, nurses and sundry child experts. As in: “normal” development, “normal” eating habits, “normal” growth, “normal” behaviour. But what is normal? Normal usually pertains to an average. So, does that mean above normal is above average and below normal, below average? Who wants to be average?

I never wanted to be normal and I’ve always thought that was a good thing. While the defined opposite of normal is “abnormal”, which sounds negative and derogatory, you can also define the opposite as “special”, which is very positive. And who doesn’t want to feel special?

It begins with the percentile chart you are given as a parent when your baby

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December 2010 / January 2011

overused when talking about our offspring.

first goes to the clinic to be weighed. Woe betide any baby that veers to the left or right of that curve. An errant deviation either way and the nurse sucks air rapidly through her teeth before making her expert assessment: this is not normal. “Baby’s not getting enough milk. Maybe the dairy has dried up”, she squeaks, or, if baby has chubby chops: “Baby’s getting far too much milk.”

Every school has its own “norm” and one school’s A-plus is another school’s C-minus. “Normal” at highly academic schools is way above real normal, so be careful what you wish for. A child struggling at one school could feasibly be a complete hero at another.

When I was at school we even had a phrase: “act normal” that we would hurriedly whisper to each other when a teacher entered a room, parents arrived, or a policeman walked by, and, in severe circumstances, when a group of skinheads

in bovver boots rounded the corner. We’d shout “act normal” to each other, which, in effect, was the signal to stop being our usual lunatic selves, and start behaving in the measured way that was expected of us, that is “normal”.

There is a stage in everybody’s lives when the clamour to rebel against being normal is intense, and outward signs smack of abnormality, but these are passing phases dismissed unceremoniously as an ego thing, attention seeking or wanting to cut away from the herd. It’s at about age 15 or 16 years and onwards when this really kicks in – the age of individualism – and your darling, wouldn’t-say-boo daughter dyes her hair blue, starts dressing like a Goth, gets a huge ring through her nose and comes home with a hideous vampire tattoo across her buttocks. Parents cringe and secretly ask: “Where did we go wrong?”, before drowning themselves in G&T, when a better response would be: “Wow darling,

Paul, Sabina and Saskia

you look fabulous. Great tattoo. Shall we get Daddy one for his birthday?”

Just relax and stop beating yourself up over it. This is just normal.

Paul Kerton is the author of Fab Dad: A Man’s Guide to Fathering.

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PHOTOGRAPH: JILL BADER

act normal

PAUL KERTON on a word he feels is entirely

straight up

tooth-side seats ELAINE EKSTEEN hopes to find a way to reduce the caterwauling at tooth-brushing time.

f anybody has an answer to making the brushing of teeth a fun and favoured activity, I’d pay money for the secret.

My son started brushing his teeth before he really had any. I use the word brushing very loosely; I should rather say sucking the bubble gum-flavoured toothpaste off his tiny toothbrush, and then handing it back for another blob of the pink goo.

much prefers chewing his toothbrush to poking out my tonsils with mine.

Stories of the need for general anaesthetic to sort out dentistry issues in the milk teeth of six-year-olds and the associated medical bills are quite a motivator. But, practically, how does one banish the caterwauling, get the toothbrush between those tightly clamped lips, and give those not-so-pearly whites a decent clean?

teeth preservation tactics • Start brushing your baby’s teeth at least once a day as soon as they get their first tooth; clean a toddler’s teeth twice a day.

• Try to make the brushing of teeth (a fun) part of the daily routine from as early on as possible.

• Use an age-appropriate toothbrush: a baby’s first toothbrush should have a small head and

PHOTOGRAPH: THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.COM

He much prefers chewing his toothbrush to poking out my tonsils with mine.

Perhaps that’s the problem – he’s eating the toothpaste not cleaning his teeth. Who can blame him, I guess, since it’s the closest he gets to anything tasting like sweets.

We’ve tried all sorts of tactics to take the battle out of the exercise but we haven’t won yet. Granted some strategies have worked for a while: like a toothbrushing rhyme (from DJ Opperman’s Groot Verseboek); or letting him brush my teeth while I whizz the brush across his – a tactic that had a record three-week popularity run.

But for the last months he has had a few more teeth than can be suitably polished in three seconds, and he

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My husband came up with a brilliant solution yesterday morning: a tooth-brushing demo. The strategy works as long as you’ve got visitors and a child keen to impress them. “Look what a clever boy he is – opening his mouth nice and wide so that Daddy can get to all his teeth and brush off the little men [aka plaque] trying to chop holes in them,” crooned Dad, sounding very impressed.

The resulting performance was fantastic – long may it last…

Anyone keen for an early morning coffee at our place?

With your cuppa you get a free ticket to the tooth-brushing demo at 8:30am.

soft bristles.

• Use only a tiny blob of low-fluoride toothpaste until adult teeth appear, and teach your child to spit out the toothpaste.

• Don’t rush to introduce your baby to fruit juice.

If you are giving your older baby or toddler fruit juice, rather dilute it.

• Avoid fizzy, sugary or acidic drinks.

• Give syrupy medication using a medicine

syringe instead of a spoon – this way you limit

the contact between the sugary syrup and your

baby’s teeth.

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15

parenting

tantrum taming

a

dmit it. Before you were a parent, you’d see someone else’s toddler having a tantrum and swear your child would never get away with behaviour like that! Fast forward a couple of years and it’s you in the cereal aisle, cringing with embarrassment as your own child thrashes around like a Great White in a feeding frenzy, complete with screaming and flailing of limbs, because you said no to the frosted cornflakes. And you wonder just how you got into this predicament – while other future parents stare on in horror making their own silent vows.

I’ll admit it: that was me. I knew exactly how to handle a tantrum until the day I actually had to deal with one. My

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December 2010 / January 2011

reaction was rather cowardly: I picked up my toddler and bolted out of the store before I could hear the first tsk-tsk.

I don’t think I shopped there for the next six months.

perfectly normal While tantrums, especially public ones, can cause embarrassment for parents, experts agree that they are a normal part of childhood development and, while the behaviour associated with tantrums is negative, children who throw tantrums should not be labelled as “bad” or “naughty”.

Durban-based counselling psychologist Deborah Hulme explains, “Tantrums are largely a result of children testing the limits parents set for them. As children mature, starting

around the age of two, they begin to develop a sense of self that is distinct from, or separate to, that of their parents.

The toddler, equipped with increasingly well-developed skills begins to explore his world and assert his will. This frequently clashes with the parent’s will and so the stage is set for conflict, which often escalates into tantrum behaviour.”

Tantrums appear to be more common in the early years when toddlers have trouble communicating their feelings and frustrations. When coupled with their emerging sense of self, this may be all that is needed to produce a mini meltdown. A simple exercise for a toddler, like putting on her socks or brushing her hair, can end up in a full-blown tantrum when she becomes overwhelmed by the task at

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PHOTOGRAPHS: THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.COM

TRACY ELLIS gives tips for managing the strops and toy-out-of-cot episodes of our children.

It’s you in the cereal aisle, cringing with embarrassment as your own child thrashes around like a Great White in a feeding frenzy. hand and doesn’t know how to express her frustration or ask for help. A parent attempting to intervene or trying to hurry her easily aggravates the situation, and before you know it, you are caught in an emotional storm.

easier going Experts agree that tantrums should diminish between the ages of five and seven, when children have learnt

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better communication and coping skills, understand their boundaries and have a grasp of what behaviour is acceptable and appropriate for their age. Johannesburgbased educational psychologist Simona Maraschin believes that healthy peer pressure at this age can assist in discouraging tantrums. “At this age children start to use their peers as a ‘social campus’. They generally become more competitive and are using their peers as benchmarks

for their own abilities, social interactions and relationships.

Very often children are not tolerant of their peers who throw tantrums and, as a result, children who are very demanding or who do throw tantrums often struggle to make or maintain friends.”

A few years ago Vicks First Defence Nasal Spray produced a clever TV ad that appealed to every parent who has been caught off guard by a tantrum. It features a mother in a grocery store pre-empting her son’s tantrum by throwing herself on the floor and having a mommy tantrum of her own. Her son is shocked back to his senses and the advert wraps up with “attack is the best form of defence”.

They say desperate times call for desperate measures.

Laughs aside, pre-emption is a great strategy for tackling tantrums. Some experts suggest keeping a tantrum diary if your child is prone to frequent tantrums.

Making notes of the details such as when and where the tantrums occur, with whom they occur and what happens directly before and after each episode can give you clues as to why they are happening and can help you find the best way to prevent or deal with the next one.

learning to exhale Tantrums range from incessant whining, crying and shouting to kicking, screaming, stamping feet, thrashing and

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parenting

If the tantrum always happens when he is fighting with his shoelaces, maybe you should invest in shoes with Velcro straps?

even breath holding. A full-blown tantrum can be an incredibly scary experience.

Stephanie Smith, a mother of two, remembers when her 18-month-old daughter, Lily, held her breath during a tantrum. “She was sucking in huge breaths and screaming on the exhale. I think she forgot to breathe because the next thing her mouth was wide open but there was no sound coming out and she started to turn purple. Her face was frozen in mid scream, all wrinkled up, but there was no air going in or out. I was shouting ‘Lily breathe’ but she didn’t take a breath. I blew a quick sharp breath in her face and it seemed to shock her back to reality and she sucked some air. She kept crying but I think by that stage she had exhausted herself, so she calmed down to a sniffling sob. The whole episode only lasted a minute but I was really frightened.

Afterwards I did some research and found out that it’s quite common for toddlers to hold their breath during a tantrum and that they can’t really harm themselves by doing it unless they pass out and fall onto something.”

While many tantrums can be avoided (see our section on steps for avoiding tantrums), knowing how to handle a fullblown tantrum in the moment can alleviate some of the embarrassment you may naturally feel and help you regain control of the situation.

Maraschin says staying calm and ignoring the negative behaviour during the tantrum is key. She feels it’s important not to get angry, shout or attempt to discipline a child during a tantrum. She instead recommends stressing in a calm, firm voice that once they calm down, you are prepared to listen and talk to them to

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December 2010 / January 2011

determine what is frustrating them. Allow the tantrum to run its course and never give in to their demands. Hulme agrees, “Giving in to a child who is throwing a tantrum will reinforce the negative behaviour and send the message to the child that he might have to keep up with his tantrum behaviour for a long time but, eventually, he will get what he wants.” She urges parents not to bargain or reason with a child during a tantrum.

Experts agree that for toddlers, there is usually no need for discipline following a tantrum. Refusing to give in to the child’s demands is often consequence enough and toddlers generally respond well when positive behaviour is rewarded and negative behaviour is ignored. Hulme suggests: “If standing your ground is not working, the next step would be a logical consequence connected to the behaviour.

You might say: ‘No, you may not come to the shops with Mom today as you behaved badly when we went shopping yesterday.’

Thereafter an opportunity for positive behaviour can be offered on the next shopping trip when the child is allowed to accompany her again. The overriding message to the child needs to be: ‘When you act out and behave badly, I do not want to be in your company. When you behave in a positive manner, I enjoy your company and will give you attention, listen to you and attend to your needs, but I will not give in to the issue you are having a tantrum about’.”

steps for avoiding tantrums • set firm, consistent boundaries Maraschin says, “Boundaries must be placed with a loving intent, not a punitive intent, and should never be set in anger as you will inevitably end up removing the boundary later, which defeats the purpose.” Hulme adds, “Tantrums will diminish as the child begins to recognise that the parent consistently adheres to the limits that they have set. It is therefore possible that if parents are inconsistent with their limit setting they will find themselves with a child who is continually trying to test these limits and is therefore more prone to tantrums.”

• identify triggers Keeping a tantrum diary will help to identify triggers such as exhaustion, hunger or hyperactivity. If the tantrum always happens when he is fighting with his shoelaces, maybe you should invest in shoes with Velcro straps?

• offer some choices and remove others Choices empower toddlers and help them to feel in control. But be savvy.

Asking “Do you want to wear shoes today?” magazine joburg

will set you up for a battle of wills. Rather say: “Time to put your shoes on, please.

Are you going to wear your sandals or your slops?”

• pick your battles Your three-year-old daughter wants to wear her big brother’s underpants to school. Worth fighting about? Chances are she’ll wear them for two weeks straight and then move on to the next thing.

• avoid temptation Don’t wander down the sweets and chips aisle in the supermarket if you know it is bound to end up with your toddler in tears. Keep off-limit objects, such as the TV remote, out of reach.

• stick to routines Hulme says, “Clear routines and predictable environments can assist in curbing tantrums. Tired children are unreasonable children, so don’t take your young child shopping at 4pm because the chances of a tantrum are a great deal higher in this context.”

• encourage words over actions Encouraging verbal communication in everyday situations will teach your toddler to express herself when she is frustrated and offers an alternative to throwing a fit.

“Teaching your children to negotiate their needs will serve them well, especially in their teenage years,” says Maraschin.

• practise distraction Toddlers are easily distracted. If you need to take your cellphone away from your toddler, replace it with a book or toy. “If your child is starting to get agitated, distract him before the tantrum begins,” says Hulme.

• give fair warning Letting them know they have five minutes left to play before they need to pack away, prepares them for the announcement and lessens potential conflict.

• seek help If the frequency of tantrums becomes unmanageable even after boundaries have been put in place, or if the intensity of tantrums is more than you can cope with, seek advice from a medical professional.

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teenager in a strop “While tantrums are associated predominantly with younger children there may be a resurgence during adolescence when boundaries and limits are renegotiated,” says Durban-based counselling psychologist Deborah Hulme. A teenage tantrum may include pouting, sulking, whining, ignoring parents, slamming doors, shouting, saying hurtful things such as “I hate you”, using bad language and emotional manipulation by refusing to eat or threatening to run away.

Dealing with tantrums in teenagers, says Johannesburg-based educational psychologist Simona Maraschin, should be handled in a similar way to toddlers. Do not react to the tantrum, stay calm and let them know you are prepared to communicate and negotiate in an adult manner once they stop acting out. Be consistent with boundaries but savvy to emotional manipulation.

Unlike toddlers, tantrums in teenagers call for discipline and consequence. Experts suggest that privilege removal in addition to not giving in to the tantrum should suffice in curbing teenage tantrums, however, they stress that open communication is vital in this phase. Hulme says, “Adolescents have a strong need to be heard and parents should be careful not to be too dictatorial or dogmatic during this stage. They have to learn to adjust their parenting style as the child enters their teenage years. It is guaranteed that parents are going to have to discuss, consider and entertain requests that they would like to dismiss instinctively. The teenage mind is a great deal more advanced cognitively than that of the toddler’s, but teenagers are often quite unable to apply the logical reasoning they use for calculating mathematical problems to the emotional realm.”

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19

getaway

DONNA COBBAN takes her toddler across the seas for lazy summer days in the French countryside.

whole month in the South of France where my mother lives, and somewhere in the middle I would fly to the North of France to visit my son’s father’s family... The fact that all the grandparents live in France is pure luck but somewhat handy given the cost of international travel. I planned and plotted for months but as the time drew closer I wished more than anything that both the grannies lived in Potch or Polokwane, and that I would not have to undertake what seemed like a voyage of Iliadlike proportions. I had 25 kilograms of luggage and 19,9 kilograms of an often willing, sometimes not, two-year-old to coordinate. It was the first holiday ever where I started to look forward to coming home before we had even left.

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December 2010 / January 2011

I had begun explanatory preparation tales a month in advance, explaining that we would one day spend the night sleeping on an aeroplane in order to visit the grannies. He seemed delighted; charmed almost at the idea, until that day dawned and we reached the check-in counter at Cape Town International where he announced that he wanted to go home. We weren’t even an hour into our two-day journey. I reeled.

But then, thankfully, he laid eyes on the plane and he jumped and jumped for joy. He ran on board as if he were charging into the ocean on a warm summer’s day.

We were momentarily blessed; he ate, drank, played a bit and then fell asleep – stretched out in idyllic slumber

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PHOTOGRAPHS: THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.COM, ILLUSTRATIONS: SAMANTHA SUMMERFIELD

holiday heaven

across his seat and mine, with his legs resting on mine. I closed one eye and kept watch with the other.

All was well, until around 2am when he awoke with a blood-curdling scream. Eye patches were thrown aside, passengers leapt up as he screamed louder still. I picked him up, his little body heavy with the weight of sleep, and fled to the back of the plane. The area was well lit, two weary cabin crew skulked about looking less than charmed to see a traumatised toddler in their midst, but it was a better environment than the eerie darkness punctuated with the flickering lights of a few laptops in which he had awoken.

He woke slowly, drank some juice, returned to his seat and nodded off again till daybreak. Sleep for me never came.

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living off the land A barely bearable day’s layover in Heathrow passed and then we touched down in France. Holiday heaven had arrived – rural summer life, no matter where, means no shoes, no nappies, much sunshine, paddling pools, butterflies and, in this case, fruit to pick from every passing tree or bush. We took baskets and barrows and descended upon hazelnut, plum, peach, fig and apple trees, we feasted on grapes from the nearby vines and ate blackberries from the side of the road.

Granny picked sunflowers, lavender and roses on her early morning walks, filling the house with their colour and scent.

Then, thankfully, he laid eyes on the plane and he jumped and jumped for joy. He ran on board as if he were charging into the ocean on a warm summer’s day.

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21

getaway

Granny picked sunflowers, lavender and roses on her early morning walks, filling the house with their colour and scent.

pillow talk Visit some of these websites for self-catering houses in rural France. Take along friends or get family to join you. When you all pitch in, the cost of accommodation becomes really reasonable. holiday-rentals.co.uk frenchconnections.co.uk gite.com

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December 2010 / January 2011

France, and large parts of Europe are “summer family countries”. When summer descends, families often pack up and head out of the larger cities to, if they are lucky enough, a country home. Here many remain for the summer, with a working parent commuting back to work during the week. Failing this you will see grandparents with grandchildren in tow – everywhere. Fresh-produce markets are packed as families move through the heat, gathering locally grown fruit and vegetables. We’d leave “our” market each week carrying baskets laden with prunes, cranberries, strawberries, cheeses, and melons so sweet the fragrance made you swoon. Summers like this seem a just reward for the punishing winters locals have to endure.

One of our favoured activities became visiting the nearby night market (common occurrences in summer in many villages). Trestle tables covered in cotton cloth

were lined up across the village square and all around, in various shapes and sizes, were stalls selling food, wine, cold beer and good bread. We went every Wednesday and sampled things like the tomato salad – 15 variations of tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and consumed with heavenly chunks of torn up baguette, and washed down with good red wine (or water if you are a small person).

On another occasion we tried tartlettes. The amateur chef’s young daughter was sent to sit next to us to get some honest feedback – she was devastated when we spoke in English and then insisted we tell her in French what we really thought of her father’s fare. The market was filled with families, where teens, tots, parents and grandparents all sat together. My son, when he did get underfoot, was always treated with delight and on occasion lifted up, introduced to new faces and passed around – he loved every minute.

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We took baskets and descended upon hazelnut, plum, peach, fig and apple trees, and ate blackberries from the side of the road.

Whenever we could we loaded up the car and took baskets brimming with cheeses, bread, chilled wine and strawberries, and headed for the hills. Summer picnics in France are a popular pastime. Look for rivers, boating areas, canals and you’ll be sure to find tables, swings, shade and other families all doing the same.

Recreational biking (sans lycra) is big in France. Getting from A to B on a bike often involves stopovers at patisseries for a pain au raisin and a strong espresso – both of which I consumed along the way, as I bicycled one morning to our chosen picnic spot on the edge of the Garonne River, 40 kilometres away. There I met my parents and son, the latter had already joined forces with other children in a game of ball kicking, and my mother had a chilled glass of Rosé waiting for me. Holidays could not get better than this. So I’ve started plotting a cycling holiday for as soon as my son is old enough.

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air miles a few things learnt along the way • Nappies and wet wipes can be much cheaper in

• Keep children hydrated – help yourself to small

the EU and UK (chain-store brands are very good

boxed fruit juices at the back of the plane and/or

quality), so don’t take up your precious luggage

add water or juice to their water bottles from the

allocations with supplies.

passing drinks trolley.

• Take dried fruit and water to consume as the

• Baby changing tables in the toilets are only big

plane ascends and descends, as toddlers often don’t

enough for babies. If you have a toddler try

understand how to open a blocked ear with a yawn.

standing him up on the lid of the closed toilet to

• The days of quality airline entertainment packs

change his nappy.

for children seem to be over – take some pencil

• Change into pyjamas once in the departure area

crayons and age-appropriate activity books as

– not having buttons and zips when curled up in

well as a few bedtime story options and a stuffed

a ball trying to sleep makes a difference and helps

creature to love.

them tune into the concept of impending sleep.

December 2010 / January 2011

23

spotlight

pet prep Before you rush out and buy a furry friend for the family, here are some things to

o

ne of my most treasured pet memories was when boisterous Buster was still a pup. He was a soft ball of black and white fluff that loved to be loved – perfect for a home that enjoys family hugs. Mind you, having a bit of terrier in him, the best times for cuddling were only when he was completely exhausted.

If, on these occasions, you happened to be lying on the couch, he’d climb up and curl himself around the back of your neck, his head cosily tucked next to your face – bliss! Pets have a way of worming their

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December 2010 / January 2011

way into our affections, and it’s these warm, fuzzy memories that often have parents of toddlers dashing off to the pet shop to find them a furry friend.

But before nostalgia grips you and you’re already in the store just about to scoop up the animal friend that tugs hardest at your, or your children’s, heart strings, you’ll need to ask yourself a few questions about your home and your family’s lifestyle.

How much space do you have inside and outside the home? If you go for

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PHOTOGRAPHS: THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.COM

think about. By LUCILLE KEMP

an indoor pet, will you be able to live with possible pet hair, a litter box, a chewed shoe or torn upholstery? Think hard about this one – if you have cat inclinations you probably need to budget for an indoor cat (they generally live longer and are healthier). On indoor dogs, Cape Town-based pet behaviourist Mike Wood points out, “Interestingly, there is a strong suggestion that dogs with the lowest incidence of behaviour problems are those kept in flats or apartments.”

Can you handle high maintenance?

Regular grooming is important to prevent excess shedding. Brushing your dog’s coat can take place daily (long-haired Cocker Spaniels), weekly (medium-haired Golden Retrievers) or monthly (short-haired Beagles). If you prefer an outdoor animal, do you have secure fencing and have you drafted a pick-up-the-doody roster?

Even if you’ve survived nappies, it’s worth remembering that the bigger the dog, the

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Not only will Jack Russell terriers gladly run circles around the house with your energetic son, but they will also dig – with or without him. bigger the poop – so it’s best if you’re not the easily offended type.

Can you live with the odd landscaping issue? Not only will Jack Russell terriers gladly run circles around the house with your energetic son, but they will also dig – with or without him. Rabbits may not be an option either, since they like to burrow.

Do you live in a flat with no outside area? A pet fish may be best as it is confined to its space or, if you love birds, perhaps parrots are an option, but then

you need to have a big enough area for them to spread and flap their wings.

Also, because parrots are intelligent, social creatures it’s recommended that you get two birds so they don’t get lonely. Surprisingly, Wood says that a Great Dane can do perfectly well in an apartment as long as he is given sufficient daily exercise and stimulation.

How much time do you have to spend with a pet? Wood cuts to the chase: “People who are very busy and will not have the time to care for their kitten or

take their puppy to socialisation classes, obedience training and for daily walks (rain or shine), provide ongoing veterinary care, environmental enrichment such as chews and daily play as well as direct attention (not just when they’re cute puppies), should rather consider getting a grown cat or a goldfish.”

Another important question is: are you active or sedentary? And, on this don’t be fooled by size – an oversized Newfoundland prefers lounging around and leisurely walks, whereas a small Jack Russell Terrier is rambunctious and best suited to farm life, according to Wood.

Do you have small children? They are entranced by animals from a very young age, and this could prompt you to want a pet that will grow up with them. But toddlers may get too rough with fragile puppies and kittens and, by the same token, adult animals may be too rough with them. If your child is younger

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25

spotlight

He’d climb up and curl himself around the back of your neck, his head cosily tucked next to your face – bliss! than four years, perhaps consider a lowmaintenance mini-pet protected by a cage, such as a guinea pig or hamster or a small bird like a budgie.

be in the know When it comes to South Africans and pets, dogs are by far the most popular choice, with this country in the top 10 of pet-dog populations in the world, according to the book, Top 10 of Everything 2011 (Hamlyn).

One of the most important things for families to consider when choosing a dog, however, is whether the breed has the right temperament for children. Many pet experts say there is no hard and fast rule about a dog breed’s child friendliness.

However, all dogs are divided into one of seven types of breeds and knowing your dog’s type will give you a clue as to its child friendliness. On this Wood says, “A great deal of a dog’s behaviour and temperament has to do with the original job dogs were bred to perform and the tendencies that these produce.” For example, “toy dogs” (such as Chihuahuas) are bred as very loyal companions to only one person, so out of possessiveness might snap at your toddler if she gets too close to him or the dog’s chosen family member.

There are various websites that offer great advice on the most child-friendly breeds, such as justdogbreeds.com and petsplace. co.za. For more information on the seven types of dog breeds visit helpguide.org.

Knowing the specific function for which your favoured dog was originally bred will also give you a good indication of how active they are, perhaps how noisy they are and what their favourite “hobbies” are.

If she’s a beagle, she falls into the hound category, so she likes to track (sniffing out mice, cats, other dogs, you). That means many games of hide-and-seek ahead for your child. Your spaniel is a sporting dog that loves to dash around all day, so best you too love a morning run or you’ll have a hyperactive dog on your hands.

Knowing the facts is important because a pet is a long-term commitment. Some birds such as parrots can live up to 50 years or more, a dog lives 10 to 16 years, cats can live up to 15 years or more and rabbits can live seven to 10 years.

Impulsively buying a pet as a Christmas gift is a bad idea – they’re in it for the long haul; so should you be.

where to go If you’re looking for a purebred or a “designer” mixed breed such as a Labradoodle your best bet is to go through a registered breeder. “A reputable breeder is registered with the Kennel Union of Southern Africa,” says Margie Ainscow, animal centre manager at the Cape of Good Hope SPCA. According to Ainscow, you should ensure that you meet the parents of the puppy, see their pedigree papers and the breeding facilities.

parenting a puppy Dog rearing is not what it used to be…

• Pets need attention and appropriate stimulation. Puppies and kittens need constant care. Interact and play with your pet. If they become bored they will become destructive. Buy toys. Ainscow suggests cow hooves (put peanut butter in them), or try chewing Kongs filled with food and pellets (out of their daily allowance) for keeping them out of mischief if you are out for the day.

There is debate about whether to train your pet not to dig, or whether to create a designated section of the garden or a special sandpit where they can dig – you decide.

• Don’t rub their nose in the pee. Train good habits from the start. Take them out every 45 minutes; in the mornings or after a meal. Praise what you like verbally and with treats; don’t punish.

• Don’t spank them, socialise them. From eight weeks old you can take your puppy to a puppy-training facility. Here your dog will learn how to act around other canines, and in the world around them in general.

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December 2010 / January 2011

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You can also adopt an animal from one of the welfare organisations. The SPCA, for one, looks to re-home not only neglected dogs but also well-behaved dogs that have been given to them because of immigration or divorce. “If you have a hectic life, adopt an adult animal,” says Ainscow. “Dogs live an average of 16 years so if you take a dog of about two they still have many happy years ahead of them.”

One of the downsides of an adult animal, however, is that she may take a while to bond with the family and other pets. If you aren’t able to screen her properly before adoption, you might discover she has undesirable behaviour traits or there may be an existing health condition. On the upside, as the dog has

mucking in A family pet doesn’t have to be solely the parents’ responsibility. Your children can benefit from age-appropriate involvement. Here are some suggestions for helping them get involved with the family dog – and learn some valuable life skills in the process. age four • Pet the dog every day.

• Brush the dog for a few minutes with your help.

• Give the dog a treat by dropping it on the floor for him to pick up. age five • Help walk the dog by holding onto the same leash you are holding – some leashes have an extra loop.

• Give a treat with your help. Put the treat in the child’s open palm and let the dog take it gently. age six • Brush the dog with you nearby.

• Practise simple tricks with the dog like “shake hands”.

• Play ball with the dog and you.

outgrown the puppy years he will not be so needy and will have learnt to be fine with being left alone. Also, most adult dogs will have already been neutered and house trained, and will probably be used to being around other animals and people.

For most young, growing families the plea for a pet is only a matter of time. When the call does come it’s difficult to resist because the love and companionship that a pet provides lifts everyone’s mood. Also, walking and playing with your pet means that you get exercise; having an animal will build up your child’s immune system, helping to prevent allergies, and owning a pet will teach your child the all-important life skills of care and responsibility (see “mucking in” for suggestions).

• Teach your child the commands that the dog knows like “sit” and “stay”, and get her to practise them with the dog. age nine • Play games like “fetch” and hideand-seek.

• Feed the dog every day.

• Help you bath the dog.

age 10 • Wash up the dog’s dishes.

• Put out fresh water for the dog. age 11 • Practise tricks with the dog.

• Teach the dog new tricks. age 12 • Take responsibility for brushing the dog.

• Give the dog a weekly checkup.

• Let your child attend and assist you at dog obedience classes. age 13 • Attend dog obedience classes, while you observe.

• Sweep up the dog hair.

• Brush your dog’s teeth with assistance, if needed.

age seven and eight • Take a small dog for a walk in the yard. If you have a big dog, let your child walk the dog with your help.

• Play ball with the dog or your child can throw a toy for him to retrieve.

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age 14 • Schedule vet appointments when asked to do so. age 15 • Pick up dog poop.

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parenting

fun, fun, fun…

1. cook your way round the world There are 195 countries in the world, which means that if you choose one a week you’d only run out of options in three and three-quarter years…

We think it would be fun to put up a world map in your home and select a country each fortnight.

Nominate someone in the family to collect a handful of interesting facts and a typical dish from the chosen land and plan an evening in the style of Cuba, Cambodia, Korea, Kenya or Croatia… Why not throw in a little regional music and practise greeting each other in the appropriate language? You could put little stickers on the map once

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December 2010 / January 2011

you’ve “visited” and see how far you get round the world. It might even spark a far-flung holiday or a string of language lessons, who knows?

2. make a couple of home movies The easiest would be just to capture the family doing what they like to do – playing with the dog, helping Mom bake brownies, bouncing on the sofa. Or you might like to come up with a list of questions and get everyone to answer them on film, as if on your very own chat show. The drama queen in the family can dress up and play the chat-show host. Questions could include: what’s the funniest thing that happened

this week? What food would you prefer to never have to eat again? If you had to spend a night in one of these places: up a ladder in a crocodile enclosure, in a bath full of cockroaches or in the shark tank at the aquarium, which would you pick – and why?

Or, if Grandpa lives in another city, you could make a special recording for his next birthday.

What does everybody love about Grandpa?

What are some of the funny or happy memories they have about doing things with him? Perhaps the children would enjoy coming up with a short variety concert especially for the birthday boy – Grandpa would certainly be tickled pink!

3. anyone for a water fight?

Next time you’re sitting inside bemoaning the fact you didn’t install aircon, why not haul out some balloons, fill them with water and have a water-bomb war in the garden? Or fetch the Slip ’n Slide from the garage and get everyone involved – no excuses Mom!

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PHOTOGRAPHS: THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.COM

ELAINE EKSTEEN gathers 10 ideas for memory-making family time this summer.

4. explore a museum The appeal of your city’s history might have worn off for you, but your offspring may just be enthralled by a tour of that museum down the road. Anyone keen on studying the skeleton of a dinosaur (Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, 021 481 3800, iziko.org.za)? Figuring out how a hot-air balloon stays aloft (Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, Johannesburg, 011 639 8400, sci-bono.co.za)?

Or journeying into maritime history aboard a naval vessel (Port Natal Maritime Museum, Durban, 031 311 2230)?

another family if you need a few more recruits and, if it’s a hit, you could make a monthly date of it.

in at a wine farm at harvest time (some will even allow you to get involved in the barefoot pressing of grapes). Make a weekend of it – visit farmstay.co.za for a few ideas.

7. hold a cook-up or cook-off

9. toast marshmallows over a fire

Cooking together can be great fun.

How about a monthly sushi night? Or a pizza-making evening? Everyone gets to create their own dinner or try their hand at concocting a pizza (with a clever name) for the rest of the family to taste.

Another option is to turn it into a competition. Give each team (Mom and Brother versus Dad and Sister, perhaps) the same ingredients and see what meals are invented. Invite the neighbours over for lunch to taste the spoils and choose a winning dish.

8. visit a working farm 5. take family snaps Pick a spot in your home or garden and take a family photograph there each year. Choose a day you’re likely to remember and then repeat the exercise annually. It’ll be fun to compare the snaps as the years go by.

6. get sporty How about a game of rounders, volleyball, touch rugby or frisbee at your neighbourhood park or a nearby beach? You don’t have to be a terribly athletic bunch, it’s more about getting outdoors and doing something together. Invite

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You probably have some fond (and a few not-so-fond) memories of being sent to outdoor school camps to learn about farm life. There’s something magical about helping milk Moo-Moo the cow, or collecting freshly laid eggs from the chicken coop. Sound too sedate?

Then visit a sheep farm in lambing season or drop

There’s nothing quite like the taste of a warm, gooey marshmallow as it dissolves in your mouth. But you don’t have to wait till you’re on a camping trip. Next time you have a braai, round up the family, hand out the kebab sticks and open a bag of marshmallows. Younger children will obviously need some supervising.

10. go strawberry or litchi picking Great news for strawberry addicts: some of the yummiest summer fruit can be picked by hand on the farms where it grows. You can gather baskets of cherries in Ficksburg in the Free State (Ionia Cherry Farm, 051 933 4302, or Ficksburg Cherry Festival, 18–20 November, cherryfestival.co.za) or Ceres (Klondyke, 023 312 1521, cherryfarm.co.za); handfuls of strawberries near Hartbeespoort (Tangaroa Strawberry Farm, 012 207 1116, tangaroa.co.za) or in Stellenbosch (Mooiberge Farm, 021 881 3222); and punnets of litchis near Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal (Cane Cutters Resort, 032 947 0851). Fruit salad anyone?

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spotlight

precious cargo We can’t afford to be blasé about our children’s safety in our cars, says MARINA ZIETSMAN.

ccidents are measured in statistics.

During and after every school holiday newsreaders share these figures with us, and we grimly compare the latest death toll to the previous years’ – is it up or down? If someone we love is not part of the statistics, the figures are soon forgotten.

the numbers But let’s break those stats down a bit, and bring them closer to the parental home: from 1 January to 31 December 2009,

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13 768 people died on our roads. Of these, 12,05 percent were child passengers 14 years and younger – that’s 1 659 children! In fact, according to the World Health Organisation’s 2007 data on roadaccident fatalities worldwide, only Brazil, China, India, Iran, Mexico, Russia and the USA had more deaths on their roads than we did. Staggering if you keep in mind that at the time these countries’ populations ranged from 71 million to 1,3 billion, compared to South Africa’s 48 million.

the causes Excessive speed and driving under the influence of alcohol are the two main causes of road accidents in South Africa.

However, fatalities and serious injuries among children are mostly caused by young ones not being appropriately restrained.

There are no statistics available for child restraint use, but Petro Kruger, director of The Road Safety Foundation says that according to internal research done by the foundation in 2008, less than two percent

of rear-seat occupants, including children, use a seat belt. Professor Sebastian van As, head of the Trauma Unit at Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town and president of The Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Southern Africa (CAPFSA), says approximately 200 to 300 children are admitted to the hospital each year due to injuries sustained in car accidents, “and of these, 87 percent were unrestrained.

Up to 71 percent of these children were passengers in the front seat. People

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PHOTOGRAPHS: THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.COM

a

While buckling up is the crux of it, there are a number of other important things to know.

don’t get it – a baby has a 70 percent better chance of surviving a motor-vehicle accident if restrained and a toddler up to 54 percent. Parents go to the supermarket and buy bottles of wine, which they tuck in safely so that the bottles don’t break during the journey, but what about their children?” asks Van As. A scientific study published by the World Health Organisation, the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile), the Global Road Safety Partnership and the World Bank shows that harmful injury is the result of “energy interchange”. During a collision, this kinetic energy exchange makes it physically impossible for any occupant to securely hold an unrestrained object, such as a child.

If you are involved in a collision while travelling at just 50 kilometres per hour, a child’s weight will effectively increase 20 times, turning a 10-kilogram baby into a 200-kilogram weight within a split second.

Kruger says Newton’s law applies: “Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion, unless an external force is applied to it. This means that if the car is travelling at 100 kilometres an hour, then any object or person in the car is also going that fast until a net force (child restraint) or object (windshield, dashboard) acts to slow them down.”

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Parents go to the supermarket and buy bottles of wine, which they safely tuck in so that the bottles don’t break during the journey, but what about their children?

strap them in!

The world’s leading role players on child safety are the US Department of Transportation as well as the National Safe Kids Campaign in America. Their basic safety tips are also advocated by Arrive Alive in South Africa. These include: • Buckle up every time, no matter how short the trip.

• Children 12 and younger should be properly restrained in the back seat. While air bags can save adults’ lives, children sitting in the front seat can be seriously injured or killed when an air bag deploys in a crash. Even with advanced air bags

or with air bags disabled or not fitted, the back seat is safer for children. The air bags built into your dashboard on the passenger side are designed to deploy at the chest height of an average adult, and do so at more than 200 kilometres per hour. Earlier this year, 10-year-old Emmanuel Bernardo from Namibia was permanently blinded by an air bag that kicked in during a minor accident. It exploded in his face while he was seated in the front passenger seat of a BMW. Doctors say that the boy’s eyes literally ruptured on impact and that Emmanuel will not be able to see again.

• “Researchers at the University of Buffalo studied all car collisions involving a fatality in the US between 2000 and 2003,” says Kruger. “They came to the conclusion that depending on the make of the vehicle, occupants in the back seat are 59 to 86 percent safer there than in the front seat. In fact, the rear middle seat was found to be 16 percent safer than any other seat in the vehicle.”

• Never put a rear-facing child in a car’s front seat.

• Choose the right child safety seat or safety belt for your child’s size and age.

• Infants should ride in rear-facing safety

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spotlight

seats, until they are at least 12 months old and weigh at least nine kilograms.

• Children who are at least one year old, and weigh nine to 18 kilograms, should ride in a forward-facing child-safety seat on the back seat.

• Children over 18 kilograms should be correctly secured in a belt-positioning booster seat. A booster must be used on the back seat of the car only. These seats are not installed in the same way as child car seats; they instead sit on the vehicle seat and are used to properly position the adult seat belt for an older child.

A baby has a 70 percent better chance of surviving a motor vehicle accident if restrained and a toddler up to 54 percent.

• Once the vehicle safety belt fits a child, both the lap and shoulder belts should be used correctly. Vehicle seat belts are designed to fit an average-sized adult. Many children will be 12 years old before they meet these height and weight requirements.

• Your child can be moved from a booster seat to a seat belt in the back seat if your

keeping children safe along the way • Keep the interior of the car clear of loose objects such as sports equipment or groceries. In a collision these objects become missiles that could seriously injure occupants.

• When driving, don’t give toddlers or babies anything that could be a choking hazard such as biscuits or fruit.

• If a child is unhappy or crying, do not lean back to attend to him. Pay attention to your driving and stop at a safe place.

• A parent’s lap is not a safe place for a child. In the case of an accident, the

child passes the Safety Belt Fit Test (visit safekids.org for details of this test).

• Install and use all restraints according to the manufacturer’s instructions and your vehicle owner’s manual. Ensure your child safety seat has not been recalled.

In South Africa, only SABS-approved seats must be used. Kruger says there are no seat belt fitment experts in South

Africa. “The instructions for fitting the child seats are sometimes inadequate and often confusing. Parents must make sure they understand the instructions.”

• It is not ideal to buy second-hand car or booster seats, except if you are 100 percent sure of the history. Car and booster seats that have been in accidents are not acceptable.

by law The National Road Traffic Act, Act 93 of 1996, is very confusing on car restraint and allows for too many exceptions. But according to Van As the problem is not the law, but its implementation. “The law exists, but is not enforced. The bottom line is: all motor-vehicle passengers must be strapped in, each child according to their age.” Van As continues that parents might complain about the cost of these seats, “but, if you have enough money to own a car, and to put petrol in that car and drive off with your child, you can afford to invest in the proper child restraint.”

child actually acts as an air bag for the passenger holding her.

• When travelling long distances, always ensure that you stop and rest and take the child out of the child seat for at least 10 minutes every two hours.

• Children are not cargo and should never be transported on the back of a bakkie, even with a canopy.

(Courtesy: The Road Safety Foundation)

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helpful websites arrivealive.co.za childsafe.org.za roadsafetyfoundation.co.za safekids.org

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resource

safe and sound TAMLYN VINCENT runs through the things that should be in your first-aid kit.

e

very home should have a first-aid kit – it’s a lot easier if all the important things are kept together rather than needing to be unearthed in a panic from various corners of the house. It’s also a good idea to make it portable, so you can take the kit along with you on weekends away.

You can buy a kit, but watch out for cheap ones as they may not include quality supplies, or you can make up your own. A small toolbox or cosmetic bag will work as a holdall. Here’s what you’ll need...

PHOTOGRAPH: THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.COM

the basics • first-aid manual Equally key to having a first-aid kit in an accessible spot is knowing how to use everything in the kit, and what to do if it’s not just a minor scrape you’re dealing with. All parents would benefit from doing a first-aid course (visit childmag.co.za to find a first-aid course close to you).

for emergencies • bandages and bandage rolls (assorted sizes) for binding wounds, making a sling,

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using as a compress or holding a splint in place • Burnshield, Burn-Eaz or other burn ointment or dressing • cotton wool or gauze to clean cuts or wounds, stop bleeding or apply antiseptic.

Do not use to clean burns as it may stick to the injury and make things worse.

• plasters for cuts and grazes • sterile wipes to clean wounds

equipment • instant cold packs for strains, sprains and injuries to muscles. Beware of using instant cold packs on small children as they are prone to develop hypothermia and too much exposure can damage the skin.

• latex gloves • CPR mouthpiece • medicine measures or disposable syringes for administering medication • safety pins and adhesive tape • space blanket or emergency blanket for warmth, when someone goes into shock or to prevent hypothermia.

• tweezers and a pair of scissors • thermometer

medication • antihistamine – apply cream to stings or bites, or keep tablets or syrup for allergic reactions. If somebody in the family has severe allergic reactions, ask your doctor about a prepared adrenaline injection and know how to use it.

• anti-inflammatory for aching muscles or any swelling • antiseptic cream or disinfectant for cleaning or disinfecting wounds, cuts and grazes • pain tablets or syrup for headaches, pain or fever • electrolyte solution or rehydration fluids to replenish the body after a bout of vomiting and diarrhoea.

useful tips • Include waterless hand sanitizer for when you cannot wash your hands.

• Sunscreen and after-sun lotion are good to include when travelling, especially in summer.

• Laminate a card listing important numbers, such as those of your GP and paediatrician, as well as hospitals and emergency numbers near your home (or the area you will be visiting while on holiday).

• Check the dosages and contraindications on the medicines to ensure you are using them correctly.

• If you do not have a splint, fold a magazine around the injured limb and apply the bandage around this to support the limb.

• Once you have used something, or if the medicine expires, replace those items.

December 2010 / January 2011

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parenting

Talking to our children about the birds and the bees can be daunting, but the more we are prepared for it, the easier it will be – for some.

CHRISTINA CASTLE explains.

i

’d been preparing for this conversation since the day my children were born. I knew it was going to happen, but just didn’t know when. I had rehearsed it and perfected it. My speech was clear, concise, mature, nurturing, friendly and factual. It was my hope that my

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sex,

children would one day talk of this experience as an example of how to talk to your children confidently about sex. How then, did I manage to blow it so badly?

So there we were, Dylan (age six), Alex (age three) and I, sitting in the health shop down the road sipping juice and discussing the afternoon’s plans, when Alex noticed a poster of a naked pregnant woman.

“Mommy,” he asked, “why is that mommy so fat?”

“She’s not fat, Alex. She’s pregnant. She’s got a baby in her tummy,” I said, not even registering where the conversation was going. He thought about it for a while and asked, “Mommy, why did that mommy eat the baby?”

“She didn’t eat the baby, Alex,” I chuckled – as did the waitress, who had just delivered our food.

“Then,” asked Alex, “how did the baby get in her tummy?”

baby At which point I turned the colour of the beetroot juice I was sipping, stuttered something about how much mommy and daddy love each other, knocked a toasted sandwich on the floor, paid the bill, and left.

It wasn’t supposed to be like that. It was the ideal opportunity for delivering my perfected sex monologue and I had blown it. Certainly no standing ovations deserved.

Just two confused boys, a mother in a flap and a waitress in hysterics.

So what’s the correct way to approach the subject of sex with your children? Here are a few tips…

start early Fortunately there are great books (see box) on the subject that can help you over this little hurdle – or should I say

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ILLUSTRATION: MARIETTE BARKHUIZEN

let’s talk about

through this obstacle course. There’s actually quite a lot to talk about. And there’s really no such thing as one big sex talk; it’s an ongoing process. My boys are now 10 and 13 and we’re certainly over the “how babies are made?” stage (thanks to my very calm-talking, practical husband) and well into all the juicy bits of sex and the facts of life.

I figure we’ll be chatting about this until they leave home.

Maybe not, but you get the gist.

However, as your child grows up you need to anticipate and prepare for the next stage of development. Remember it’s not just one conversation on sex; it’s many on the facts of life: how our bodies work, how they change as we grow older, and the like. It’s up to you to decide what is age appropriate and what your child is ready to hear.

You’ll just need to be prepared for it and try to respond naturally to it.

don’t mince your words Tell it like it is – simply, sensibly and naturally. When learning about body parts, include the penis and vagina as well, using their correct names. They are just as important as the “head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes. Eyes and ears, and mouth and nose. Head, shoulders, knees and toes.” I think somebody should come up with a new song…

look for the right moment Opportunities present themselves all the time. Be it a poster of a pregnant woman on the wall of a health-food shop or a pregnant aunty. Don’t be afraid to take the initiative if you believe your child is ready for this information. Perhaps try it like this: “Do you notice how Aunty Anna’s tummy is getting bigger? She’s going to have a baby and she’s carrying it inside her. Do you know how it got inside her?”

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That’s exactly how I should have handled the health shop debacle – but Alex noticed the poster before I did.

answer the question Younger children are more inclined to initiate a sex conversation. When they ask the question, they are looking for an answer to that question – not a flood of detailed information on other sex-related issues. It’s a lot for a little person to digest. Children are often satisfied with just that answer – that’s all they wanted to know. They may well ask another related question, but more often than not the next question will be: “What’s for lunch?.”

recommended reading For children aged 4–8 • A Kid’s First Book About Sex by Joani Blank (Down There Press) • How Babies Are Made by Andrew C. Andry and Steven Schepp (Little Brown & Company) • Let’s Talk About Sex by Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley (Walker Books) • Let’s Talk About Where Babies Come From by Robie H. Harris (Walker Books) • Mommy Laid An Egg or Where do Babies Come

added values It’s important to share your values and beliefs with your child. They are looking to you for guidance. While the biological facts are one side of the story, they also need to understand the emotional aspects of a sexual relationship such as caring, responsibility and respect. Perhaps that’s a little too much for a three-year-old to figure out, but it certainly needs to be considered and included in the sex talks in the years ahead.

the right person for the job You may feel uncomfortable discussing sex with your child of the opposite sex. But don’t let it be an excuse to not talk about it. If you are a single parent, consider other mentors with whom your children may be able to discuss sex. If you are a two-parent household it may feel less awkward to have Dad talk to the boys and Mom to the girls. Discussions in which you can draw from experience are honest and appreciated. Do what feels right for your family. Just keep the communication open.

From? by Babette Cole (Chronicle Books) • So That’s How I Was Born! by Robert Brooks and Susan Perl (Aladdin Paperbacks) • What’s The Big Secret?: Talking About Sex with Girls and Boys by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown (Little Brown & Co) • Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle (Lyle Stuart) For preteens or teens • Easy Answers to Awkward Questions by Ilze van der Merwe and Nikki Bush (Metz Press) • Have you started yet? by Ruth Thomson with Chloë Thomson (Macmillan Publishers) • Living With a Willy by Nick Fisher (MacMillan Children’s Books) • Zits, Glitz & Body Bits by Jeanne Willis and Lydia Monks (Walker Books)

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what’s for

lunch?

Serves 2

frittata

Serve the frittata with cherry tomatoes for a healthy lunch. ingredients • sunflower or vegetable oil for greasing • 100g cooked potatoes • 1 spring onion • 2 asparagus spears • 2 heaped tablespoons frozen peas • 5 fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces • 2 level tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese • 2 eggs • pinch of pepper

1

1B rush 2

3

4

5

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the inside of the ovenproof dish with the oil and put it on the baking tray.

P ut the potatoes in a greaseproof bag and use a rolling pin to bash them until they are crushed into small pieces. (If you don’t have a greaseproof bag, you can do this in a large bowl, using the end of a rolling pin to crush the potatoes.) Empty the crushed potatoes into the bowl.

T op and tail (this means snip off both ends) of the spring onion and cut it into small pieces using clean scissors. Chop up the asparagus with the scissors. Add the spring onion, asparagus, peas, mint leaves and grated Parmesan to the bowl, and stir it all together.

B reak the two eggs, one at a time, into the cup and beat lightly with a fork. Pour the beaten eggs into the mixing bowl and add a pinch of pepper. Stir until all of the ingredients are mixed together. Pour the mixture into the dish.

Y ou’ll need to ask an adult for help with this part. Place in a preheated oven at 200°C (or 180°C fan) for 15–20 minutes, or until completely set. Once the frittata has cooled down slightly, you can eat it.

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Need help in the kitchen? Let your little ones whip up a meal for the family. I Can Cook’s Katy Ashworth shares four lunch ideas to get you (and the children) inspired. Bon appetit!

magic mini fish cakes

Serves 2

These are nice to eat with some steamed French beans. ingredients • • • • • • •

2 stalks fresh curly parsley 105g tin pink or red salmon (boneless) 1 spring onion 1 slice day-old bread 1 rounded tablespoon tomato sauce olive oil, for brushing pinch of pepper

3

1 Line the baking tray with baking paper.

2 Put the parsley in the bowl and chop up with clean scissors.

3 Add the salmon to the parsley and mix it together with the fork.

4 Top and tail the spring onion and cut it into small pieces using clean scissors, then add it to the salmon.

5 Tear up the bread and carefully grate it into breadcrumbs. Add a tablespoon of the breadcrumbs to the salmon mixture, then a tablespoon of tomato sauce and a pinch of pepper. Divide the mixture into two parts and roll them into balls.

6 Roll

the balls in the remaining breadcrumbs until they are covered, put them on the baking tray and squash them slightly with your hands. Using the pastry brush, brush oil on top.

6

7 You’ll need to ask an adult for help with this part. Place in a preheated oven at 220°C (or 200°C fan) for 10–15 minutes. Once your magic mini fish cakes have cooled down a little, you can eat them.

Remember, when using scissors, “everyone knows, it’s best to point them at your toes”. magazine joburg

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book extract

Serves 4

boreks It’s good to eat these tasty bites with a mixed salad. ingredients • • • • • •

100g feta cheese 1 heaped teaspoon (5–10g) raisins or sultanas 20g fresh flat leaf parsley 4 sheets filo pastry 50g melted butter (ask an adult to melt it for you) pepper

3

1 Line the baking tray with baking paper.

2 Using your fingers, crumble the feta cheese into the bowl. Season with pepper. Add the raisins or sultanas and stir together with a spoon. Pinch all the long stalks off the parsley and chop the leaves with the scissors in the cup. Add the parsley to the bowl of cheese and raisins and mix them together.

3 Take one piece of filo pastry and brush some melted butter on one side and fold in half lengthways.

4

4 Put 2–3 heaped teaspoons of filling at

5

one end and start to fold in triangles (see the box), buttering the pastry as you go.

Place on the baking tray with the last fold at the bottom. Continue until all the filling is used – you should make four boreks.

Follow these steps to fold a borek

Step 1

Step 4

Step 2

Step 5

6 You’ll need to ask an adult for help with this part. Bake in a preheated oven at 200˚C (or 180˚C fan) for about 20 minutes or until crisp and golden. Once your boreks have cooled down a little, you can eat them.

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December 2010 / January 2011

Step 3

Step 6

Step 7

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Serves 1

cheesy chicken The filled pepper half goes very well with peas. ingredients • • • • • • • •

olive oil for greasing 2 cherry tomatoes 2 fresh basil leaves 1 fresh pepper 50g cooked chicken (ask an adult to do this for you) 25g mozzarella cheese 1 level tablespoon grated cheese, such as Cheddar or Parmesan pinch of pepper

1 Line 2

3

4 5

the baking tray with baking paper and brush it with oil.

Chop up the cherry tomatoes in a bowl using clean scissors. Add the pinch of pepper, then tear up the basil and mix it all together.

“Pop” the fresh pepper by pushing in the stalk with your thumbs until you push it inside. Tear it in half with your thumbs and remove the seeds.

Place half the pepper on the prepared baking tray with the open side up so it becomes a bowl.

Tear up the chicken and half fill the pepper. Put the cherry tomato mix on top, hiding the chicken.

Squash and break up the mozzarella cheese in a separate bowl with a fork. Put the squashed mozzarella cheese on top of the tomatoes, then sprinkle the pepper and grated cheese on top.

5

3

4

6 You’ll

need to ask an adult for help with this part. Place the baking tray in a preheated oven at 200°C (or 180°C fan), for about 20 minutes, or until completely cooked through. Once the cheesy chicken has cooled down a little, you can eat it.

about the book The Cbeebies series I can cook inspires junior chefs (between the ages of three and five) to get into the kitchen and have fun cooking. I can cook, the book by Kate Morris and Sally Brown (Octopus) that accompanies the series, offers 50 recipes with the same aim as the show: getting children “understanding food, trying new ingredients” and having “fabulous fun” in the kitchen. Tips from TV host Katy Ashworth and step-by-step instructions and pictures will guide children through the recipes. Available from all good booksellers nationwide.

Katy Ashworth will be at the Good Food & Wine Show in Durban from 25 to 28 November. For more information visit gourmetsa.com

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December 2010 / January 2011

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parenting

t i for X M

dummies

MARC DE CHAZAL guides parents through the online world of instant text messaging.

our teenager’s well-used cellphone is likely her preferred means of communication with friends. And the messages she types at lightning speed using a confounding abbreviated language are probably being exchanged on MXit. Like it or not, in this digital age our children will go online and they will use social media like MXit to communicate. As parents we need to understand this world because our children need help navigating it as much as they do the offline version.

But what is MXit all about, and how can we help our children use it wisely and safely?

what is MXit? MXit is an instant messaging (IM) application with over 20-million users. It was developed by a small gaming company in Stellenbosch, which experimented with a prototype in 2004 and launched MXit in 2005, letting the word spread organically.

Today you’ll be hard-pressed to find a young person with a cellphone who doesn’t use it.

MXit stands for “Message Xchange it” and is pronounced “mix it”. The application runs on cellphones allowing users to communicate cheaply in real time. This

is how it works: you connect to the MXit website and download the application free of charge onto your cellphone. With the free registration you give your date of birth and choose a username. Then you invite your friends on MXit to add you as a contact and off you go. Users need to be 13 years or older.

Its popularity lies in its interactive environment and the low costs. When chatting one on one, the service provider bills at normal GPRS/3G rates, which works out at less than one South African cent per message. By comparison, an MTN Pay As You Go cellular package will cost you about 50 cents per SMS any time of day.

MXit also has its own currency, moola, which users have to purchase in order to visit chat rooms. One moola equals one South African cent. With 200 moola (two rands) a user can send 100 messages in a chat room.

Chat rooms are designated public areas on a website where people with similar interests can chat in real time in an anonymous environment. MXit has various teen chat zones – not accessible to someone over the age of 18 unless they have fabricated their age when they

cheat sheet

PHOTOGRAPHS: THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.COM

• Get involved in your child’s social media experience early on.

• Every time users enter a chat zone they are reminded to keep all personal details private.

• Remind children to not include any information on MXit that could identify them, such as an email address, phone number, home or school address or pictures of themselves.

• MXit users can leave chat rooms at any time or simply type in the .ignore command to hide the comments of someone who is behaving inappropriately.

• Image files can only be sent one-to-one between known contacts – pictures cannot be sent in chat rooms.

• All chat zones contain profanity filters that replace swear words with the # symbol.

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registered (and birth dates can only be changed once). MXit users are able to create their own private chat room – and a user can create a topic for the room as well as set a password for entrance. Only those in possession of the password can enter the room.

Although MXit’s chat rooms are subjected to random monitoring and have clear guidelines about what not to do in them, every once in a while someone breaks the cardinal online rule – protect your identity.

Internet with your personal information is dangerous,” he adds.

In August 2010 a 15-year-old girl in Gauteng proved just how dangerous this can be. She allegedly met her rapist in a MXit chat room and then accepted his invitation to add him to her contact list.

Though she did not know the person, she agreed to meet him offline and attend a party. He secretly picked her up down the street from her house, but there was no party; only a traumatic rape ordeal, a horrific experience no-one should have to endure.

I don’t find it scary or bad... the only problem is that people may say things on MXit that they are too scared to say to your face. stranger danger MXit facilitates affordable communication, but like every other communication medium it can be used productively or abused. Jeremy Forsyth, marketing manager of Dial a Nerd, says the major downside is that potentially anyone can be speaking to your child in a MXit chat room.

“If your child shares his or her cell number or other personal details in a chat room, it can open the door to inappropriate content being sent via SMS or MMS. Trusting random people on the magazine joburg

Teenagers (and other users) who disregard MXit’s chat room guidelines and give their personal details to strangers are opening themselves up to those who have dodgy agendas. However, Gavin Marshall, MXit Lifestyle Innovator, believes that if MXit’s guidelines are adhered to the risks are minimised. “The stranger danger principle applies online as much as everywhere else,” he says. “Parents and educators need to figure out how MXit works and take a keen interest in how their children are using it.”

Marshall points out that parents are able to block a child’s access to chat rooms in December 2010 / January 2011

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parenting

the info settings of the application as a further precaution if they’d prefer.

Marshall encourages parents with children on MXit to download the application onto their own cellphones and to add their children as contacts. This will enable parents to see how much time their children spend on MXit. “You may just find it a fun way to communicate with your child or play a game of chess with her,” he adds. MXit has a number of entertaining games on its platform, including Tixi (a word game, which can help children with their spelling) and Moonbase (a multiplayer strategy game).

There are also commendable community initiatives using the MXit platform. In May 2009 Childline launched an online counselling service on MXit, enabling users to chat to a trained counsellor in one of the Childline chat rooms.

Abuse and psychological health, particularly suicidal feelings, have been the leading topics of conversation, according to a Childline report. The service is also hugely beneficial for hearing impaired children.

moderating MXit Aderyn Exley, a counselling psychologist in Johannesburg, advises parents to accept that social media is the way of the future, but not to abandon their children to navigate this often frightening world on their own.

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“Studies have shown that the decision-making cortex in the brain, which gives us the ability to thoroughly weigh up pros and cons in life situations, only fully develops between the ages of 18 and 24,” she points out. “Our children often miss ‘the obvious’ and need an alert, compassionate adult to assist in the navigation of the situation, even into their late teens and early twenties.”

Incidentally, the largest segment of MXit users is between the ages of 18 and 25.

“I suggest parents approach cellphone use as a bargaining tool based on trust. When a child proves trustworthy, a parent may slowly withdraw. But check in daily so you can stay on top of any weird stuff,” says Exley. “If inappropriate things do happen, such as spreading a nasty rumour, a parent’s job is to provide appropriate role modelling so your child can learn positive social skills. We are finding that young people today tend to have a low emotional intelligence. They often find it difficult to express their emotions and lack conflict resolution skills.” Exley agrees that the terse nature of online communication plays a big part.

The Internet and the evolving technologies built around it are here to stay. If we take an active interest in the MXit generation and keep traditional communication channels open, we’ll have a better chance of ensuring a safe online experience for our children.

why they like it “I like using MXit because it’s convenient and quick to talk to friends – and it’s cheap. I use it to chat to friends I know personally. I don’t find it scary or bad... the only problem is that people may say things on MXit that they are too scared to say to your face.” – Paige (15) “I like using MXit because I can talk to my friends wherever they are. I use MXit for chatting to my friends or playing games like Moonbase.

The only two things I find bad about MXit are that some people get addicted to it and some people give out too much information about themselves.”

– Jonathan (14) “I like it because I can talk to my friends and it is easy to use. It is also cheaper to message friends on MXit than to SMS. The thing that is bad about it for me is that you can also go onto chat zones and talk to random people you don’t know.” – Gary (13)

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magazine joburg

December 2010 / January 2011

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resource

day tripping Five great outings close to your city.

By CHAREEN BOAKE

broekie lace and diamonds The quaint little Victorian village of Cullinan, north of Pretoria, is lined with oak trees and broekie lace. This historical town, where the world’s largest diamond was discovered in 1905, bears witness to its rich mining history in its museums, tree-lined streets and architecture.

While you stroll through the town, pop in at several arts and antique stores and museums. You can also take your older children on an underground or above-ground tour through the mine.

There’s lots to choose from in the culinary department, from restaurants offering Greek, seafood and Italian menus, to charming little tea gardens. To make your trip to Cullinan even more fun, include a jaunt on a steam train in your day’s itinerary.

Friends of the Rail offer regular trips from their station in Pretoria to Cullinan.

route info Take the N1 through Pretoria, turn off at Zambezi Drive and follow the route markers to Cullinan. the Rail 012 548 4090

elephant kisses and monkey hugs

route info Take the R512 past Lanseria, cross over the open Hartbeespoort bridge and follow the route markers to The Elephant Sanctuary. useful contacts The Elephant Sanctuary 012 258 0423 or visit elephantsanctuary.co.za; Bush Babies Monkey Sanctuary 012 258 9908 or visit monkeysanctuary.co.za

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Ever walked trunk in hand with the biggest mammal on land? The Elephant Sanctuary is a hop, skip and a jump away from Johannesburg – just pop over the Hartbeespoort Dam Bridge, take the R512 and you’re there. You’ll learn fascinating elephant facts, get to feed and pat them, and receive the biggest, sloppiest kiss ever.

After your elephant visit, carry on to the neighbouring Bush Babies Monkey Sanctuary where you’ll exchange the bushveld for tropical forests. This sanctuary is one of only eight free-release primate sanctuaries in the world. The primates are mostly rescued and rehabilitated exotic pets such as squirrel monkeys, capuchin monkeys, various lemur species and bushbabies. There’s also a coffee shop that will pack a picnic basket for you so that you can relax under the trees while you enjoy your meal. You’ll need to prebook your tours at both sanctuaries as they have specified departure times. magazine joburg

PHOTOGRAPHS: THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.COM, FRIENDS OF THE RAIL, THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY, MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY PARK

useful contacts Cullinan Info 012 734 1111 or visit cullinaninfo.co.za; Friends of

jewel of the Vaal

route info Take either the N1 or N12 towards Vereeniging and turn off onto the R42. Follow the signs to Emerald Casino. useful contacts Emerald Resort & Casino 016 982 8000 or visit emeraldcasino.co.za

On the banks of the Vaal River lies Emerald Resort & Casino, a one-stop fun destination offering animal interaction, water fun, gaming and restaurants. Start the day with a visit to Animal World where children can interact with farm animals such as rabbits and tortoises. They will be itching to get to the Aquadome, an indoor wonderland with six heated pools and water slides.

Parents can relax, knowing that lifeguards are on duty to keep little bodies safe.

Once you’ve grown “duck feet” and feel like some dry land, you can head out to the tenpin bowling alleys, try your hand at adventure golf or climb a rock wall. You can also take your pick of several great restaurants where you can relax. Breeze is very child-friendly and has a fantastic outdoor section for children and you won’t want to miss the warm chocolate dessert parcels – phyllo pastry filled with praline chocolate and served with ice cream.

stop and smell the roses Head out of Johannesburg towards Pretoria, where a well-kept secret awaits you.

Ludwig’s Roses is not only home to the largest selection of rose varieties in the world, it’s also the home of the largest exhibition of free-flying butterflies in Gauteng.

Walking through the butterfly greenhouse and its hundreds of beautiful butterflies is like spending a day with Alice in Wonderland. Visit the coffee shop for delicious rose-shaped scones and rose-petal jam and a rose-flavoured smoothie. Don’t worry about the little ones getting bored – the outdoor playground, complete with merrygo-round, a doll’s house and jungle gyms, should keep them entertained.

Leaving the farm behind and venturing further out of Pretoria along the N1 towards The Carousel, you’ll find another gem, Mystic Monkeys & Feathers Wildlife Park, which is set in beautiful gardens with water features and koi ponds. Among the hundreds of different species that call this park home, you can see white lions and cheetahs, as well as exotic creatures such as tigers, macaws and sloths. route info The best route is to follow the N1 in and out of Johannesburg. useful contacts Ludwig’s Roses 012 544 0144 or visit ludwigsroses.co.za; Mystic Monkeys & Feathers Wildlife Park 012 723 7900 or 082 566 4929

when men and mountains meet Nestled in the Magaliesberg lies a hidden and unspoilt reminder of millions of years of the earth’s history. Mountain Sanctuary Park is just over an hour away from Johannesburg and Pretoria, but when you enter the gates you’ll feel as if you’re hundreds of kilometres away from the hustle and bustle of the city. You can enjoy scenic hikes through the imposing crags and crevices, and if you’re lucky you’ll spot duikers and tree agamas, a large and brightly coloured lizard. Not far from the main rest camp is a series of rock pools that the children will love splashing about in. Older children can join you for a walk to the natural rock pool and waterfall hidden between the crags, where you can watch the platanna frogs in the water. On a really hot day you can take a refreshing shower in the cave under the waterfall.

The reserve also has a swimming pool and deck with breathtaking views across the mountains. Take a picnic basket or braai meat and salads for a real South African meal in a mountain sanctuary.

route info Travel past Lanseria towards Hartbeespoort Dam and then head out towards Brits/Sun City.

Follow the directions towards Maanhaarrand, which will take you on tar roads and a few graded dirt roads. If you’ve got a 4x4 there’s a much quicker route over Breedt’s Nek Pass, which is very bumpy and the road is quite technical, but it’s lots of fun. Visit the reserve’s website for detailed directions for both routes. useful contacts Mountain Sanctuary Park 014 534 0114 or 082 707 5538 or visit mountain-sanctuary.co.za

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December 2010 / January 2011

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books

a good read for toddlers Stormy Weather

By Debi Gliori (Bloomsbury Publishing, R213) This is the perfect bedtime story for children aged two to five years old. Enter a world of warmth as you join the characters of this book, preparing for the night ahead.

Your toddler will be enchanted by the gentle rolling and rhyming text and the comforting artwork as, one by one, the animals cuddle up and fall asleep, safe under the watchful gaze of their adoring parents. The author gently addresses bedtime fears, which through this enchanting story, soon disappear.

Soft Felt Stories – Sleeping Beauty and Little Red Riding Hood

By Brenda Apsley and Jo-Anne Shilliam (Human & Rousseau, R102 each) These board books for four-year-olds bring a whole new dimension to two very popular fairy tales. Each book comes with 30 soft-felt picture stickers that can be used to fill scenes on the special felt backgrounds that accompany each page. With colourful illustrations by Jo-Anne Shilliam, the books will make great gifts and give children hours of creative fun.

Bear Flies High

By Michael Rosen and Adrian Reynolds

best e b dtime story

Milo’s Pet Egg

By Rebecca Elliott (Bloomsbury Publishing, R96) This is a story about the development of an unusual friendship. Milo finds an abandoned egg, which he calls Snappy, and they become the best of friends – swinging together, floating together, balancing, falling, rolling and climbing. Then one morning Milo wakes up and the egg is broken. He thinks he has lost his friend, but of course the egg has hatched and Milo’s “new” friend, Snappy the baby crocodile, is there to play with him. The story has a heart-warming ending, with Milo having aspirations to be a croc-sitter.

(Bloomsbury Publishing, R108 with audio CD) Children from the age of three will enjoy this story about Bear who wants to learn how to fly. Bear spends most of his time on the beach, singing, “Do be doo, Doo bee doo, Doo bee doodily doo”, when the seagulls distract him and his dream to fly is born. Luckily his four human friends come along, and they know just how to help Bear – off to the fairground they go. The roller coaster is a bit scary, but once high up in the air, Bear realises: “I’m a bear who can fly. You can fly? I can fly.” This is a story about friends helping each other to realise their dreams, and having great fun doing it.

The Littlest Dinosaur and the Naughty Rock

By Camilla Reid and Michael Foreman

great to read out loud

(Bloomsbury Publishing, R81) This is the perfect book to teach

Cave Baby

By Julia Donaldson and Emily Gravett (Macmillan Children’s Books, R99) A hairy mammoth takes a cheeky little baby on a thrilling ride through a moonlit landscape where they encounter a sabre-toothed tiger, a leaping hare, a laughing hyena and even (or is it maybe?) a big brown bear. The award-winners, author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Emily Gravett, have paired up for this new picture book. It is the first time that Gravett, who writes and illustrates her own books, has illustrated someone else’s work. They have created a story of rare quality: a visual feast and a joy to read out loud.

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children as young as four the importance of the simple words “please” and “thank you”. The Littlest Dinosaur has been in a bad mood all morning. First he’s rude to his dad, and then he shouts at his brothers and sisters. The final straw is when he throws a tantrum because Mom doesn’t serve him the lunch he wants. “Go and sit on the naughty rock until you’ve calmed down and can behave properly,” says Mom. The naughty rock turns out to be a wise old tortoise who shares his wisdom with the Littlest Dinosaur, with delightful and insightful consequences.

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magazine joburg

December 2010 / January 2011

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books

for preschoolers and early graders A Home for Dixie

By Emma Jackson and Bob Carey

Nelson Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom Abridged by Chris van Wyk, illustrated by Paddy Bouma (Macmillan Children’s Books, R126) Children from as young as Grade 2 can now own their own copy of the international bestseller Long Walk to Freedom. Endorsed

by Nelson Mandela and his foundation, Chris van Wyk tells the amazing story of this true hero of our time. Your child can discover how a little boy whose father called him “Troublemaker” grew up to fight apartheid, become South Africa’s first black president, and campaign for freedom and justice throughout the world. Complete with vivid illustrations and a timeline, this important book brings an inspirational man to life for the younger generation.

(Harper Collins Publishers, R86) Children aged four to eight will delight in this true tale of a rescued dog. A young girl named Emma desperately wants a puppy of her own to love. Eventually Emma’s parents give the go-ahead, and suggest they look for a puppy at a shelter.

Luckily for Dixie, Emma chooses the little brown puppy with the white paws and black nose, and in each other they find the companionship they’ve been looking for. With full-colour photographs by Bob Carey, children will most certainly fall in love with Dixie.

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(Puffin Books, R179) This version of the ever-popular Dahl story is perfect for children aged seven to nine. The story hasn’t changed: Charlie Bucket still loves chocolate, and Mr Willy Wonka, the most wondrous inventor in the world, again opens the gates of his amazing chocolate factory to Charlie and his friends. Quentin Blake, who has illustrated many of Dahl’s books, including Matilda, is responsible for the quirky and vivid illustrations, which make this hardcover book the perfect gift for young readers.

The Bloomsbury Nursery Treasure

By Patricia Borlenghi and Eleanor Taylor (Bloomsbury Publishing, R152) All children should have a selection of fairy tales on their book shelves. In this book, both familiar and lesser-known childhood favourites are brought to life. Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs and The Emperor’s New Clothes, along with seven other stories, will delight and entertain a modern young audience. Patricia Borlenghi has worked in children’s books for over 30 years and Eleanor Taylor won the English Award for the Best Children’s Illustrated Book for Run, Rabbit, Run.

Life-Size Zoo

By Teruyuki Komiya

ual a vis feast

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl, with illustrations by Quentin Blake

(Seven Footer Press, R190) This actual-size encyclopaedia has stunning photographs of more than 20 zoo animals – from tiny rodents to gigantic elephants – that fill its largeformat pages. The animals are featured in life-size photographs that were taken at Japan’s premier zoos, and include a tiger, panda, meerkat, sea lion, giraffe, camel, zebra, elephant and more. An extra bonus is the information on all the animals that accompanies the photographs.

Emily Brown and the Elephant Emergency

By Cressida Cowell and Neal Layton (Orchard Books, R120) Emily Brown, Stanley the bunny and Matilda the elephant love going on adventures, but every time they get to a particularly exciting part… “Ring! Ring!” goes the emergency telephone and it’s Matilda’s mom on the other end worrying that Matilda isn’t wearing her Wellies or eating properly or that she might be getting frostbite on her trunk. At first Emily Brown politely informs her that this telephone is strictly for emergencies and, anyway, elephants don’t wear Wellies, or clean socks for that matter. Eventually Matilda’s mom stops calling and Emily Brown, Stanley and Matilda set out on a new adventure – to save Mom.

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for preteens and teens

Marley and the Kittens

By John Grogan and Richard Cowdrey (HarperCollins Publishers, R68) Marley the dog became famous with the publication of John Grogan’s adult book Marley & Me and the film starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. In this book, Grogan writes about Marley especially for children five years and older. When a pair of adorable kittens joins the family, Marley is so excited to have new friends to play with he follows them everywhere. But he is not like the graceful kittens and he keeps getting into trouble. Marley is afraid he may lose his number-one status in the house, until the two kittens remind him, and the family, that nobody is perfect, and that we’re still all pretty special in our own way.

The Summer I Turned Pretty

By Jenny Han

Dead Man’s Cove

By Lauren St John

(Penguin Books, R102) The Summer I Turned Pretty turned Jenny Han into a celebrity overnight and there is even talk of a film based on the book. Every year Isabel, or Belly, spends the perfect summer at the beach house of family friend Susannah. Belly is used to being excluded by her older brother and Susannah’s two sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. Ordinarily she entertains herself and they all ignore each other. But this year, something is different: Conrad and Jeremiah seem to have noticed her for the first time. It’s going to be an amazing summer; one she’ll never forget. It will be difficult to find a better beach read for girls from the age of 12.

(Orion Children’s Books, R112) In a book world obsessed with vampires, Lauren St John has revived the good old detective story with a thoroughly modern and tenacious heroine. With a suitcase full of books that have long been her window on the world, Laura Marlin goes to live with her uncle in Cornwall, convinced that a life of adventure is hers at last. But everywhere she turns she’s confronted with mysteries. When Laura finds a message in a bottle, she embarks on a deadly quest – one that will test her detective skills to the limit and set her on a collision course with villains who will stop at nothing to get their own way.

Masterpiece

By Elise Broach

best preteen read

magazine joburg

good old mystery

(Walker Books, R85) Elise Broach received no less than 10 worthy awards in the US for Masterpiece.

The story: Marvin lives with his family under the kitchen sink in the Pompadays’ apartment. He is very much a beetle.

James lives with his family in New York City. He is very much an 11-year-old boy.

After James gets a pen-and-ink set for his birthday, Marvin surprises him by creating an elaborate miniature drawing. Then James ends up with all the credit, and is expected to do it again. Before long, the unlikely friends are caught up in an art heist that could lead them to a long-lost drawing by Albrecht Dürer.

Unhooking the Moon

By Gregory Hughes (Quercus Publishing, R92) When their father dies suddenly, Marie Claire (or the Rat, as she’s better known) and her older brother Bob are left all alone in the world, except for a mysterious uncle who they’ve never met and is said to be living somewhere in New York City. Afraid of being sent to a children’s home (Rat is a dancing, football-playing gangster-baiting 10-year-old, but she also has a long-term illness and is prone to fits), they set off on a journey to find him. Along the way they meet very interesting characters, end up in scary situations and have to endure all kinds of onslaughts. Unhooking the Moon is one of those rare books that grips you, leaves you bittersweet and then elated. The story and characters are hard to beat. Recommended for children aged 12 and older.

Top 10 of Everything 2011

By Russell Ash (Hamlyn, R217) This book is bursting with more than 7 000 facts that will intrigue, fascinate and amaze you. The Top 10 of Everything looks at the universe and earth, music, life on earth, entertainment, the human world, towns and countries, the commercial world, things that move, culture and sport. Did you know that the country that spends the most on toys and games is the UK? Or that Percy Montgomery is placed ninth (with Australia’s Stephen Larkham) in the top 10 most-capped players in international rugby? How about comparing the top record holders of the land-speed record (number one is the UK’s Andy Green, who in 1997 raced at the staggering speed of 1 227,99 km/h)! This is one of those books that will entertain the whole family.

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books

for us How to Land an A330 Airbus and other vital skills for the modern man

By James May

great gift for dad

(Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, R320) Here’s a great book for fans of Top Gear and other TV programmes starring James May. When May was given another pointless “man manual” that told him 50 ways to tie a bow tie in less than 30 seconds, he realised the desperate need for a proper “man’s manual”.

You never know when you might need to land an A330 Airbus, but just in case… read, learn and be prepared. As May puts it, here are the things your dad would have taught you if only he’d known how. It also shows you how to fight a duel, deliver twins, drive a steam locomotive, invade the Isle of Wight, defuse a World War II bomb and play the Moonlight Sonata. This is a must-have for all gadget-lovers – and for those with a sense of humour.

Conversations with Myself

By Nelson Mandela (Macmillan, R232) Nelson Mandela is one of the most inspiring and iconic figures of our age. Now, after a lifetime of taking pen to paper to record thoughts and events, hardships and victories, he has opened his personal archive, which offers insight into his remarkable life. Conversations With Myself gives readers access to the private man behind the public figure: from letters written in the darkest hours of his 27 years of imprisonment to the draft of an unfinished sequel to Long Walk to Freedom.

As US president Barack Obama writes in the foreword: This book does the world an extraordinary service in giving us that picture of Mandela, the man.”

Potjiekos – Best of Matie Brink

By Matie Brink (Human & Rosseau, R110) Matie Brink is known as the king of potjiekos and here the best recipes from his four previous books are conveniently collected in one volume. From easy to “grand”, economical to special – this book caters for every taste. Recipes include everyday favourites with a difference such as inflation pot, chicken with a kick, lasagne pot and oxtail with peaches. The book also includes recipes for breads, cakes and puddings. It’s a perfect companion for the long holidays when there are lots of visitors, or simply to try out while lazing with the family next to the pool.

Chef

By Jaspreet Singh (Bloomsbury, R162) Kirpal “Kip” Singh is back on the slow train from Delhi to Srinagar, summoned by his old boss. Fourteen years ago, in the middle of the bloody border war with Pakistan, he resigned as chef to India’s General Kumar. The latter is now the governor of Kashmir and his daughter Rubiya (whom Kip recalls as a highlystrung little girl) is getting married to her Pakistani fiancé. General Kumar wants Kip to prepare a wedding feast that will smooth the diplomatic hazard that such a wedding might cause. Shortlisted for the 2009 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best Book and Longlisted for the 2010 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, Chef is mournful and intensely lyrical – it’s about hope, love and memory, set against the beautiful, war-scarred backdrop of occupied Kashmir.

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Bad Things in the Night

By Beth Ellis (Ebury Press, R96) This is a highly moving memoir of a child’s suffering at the hands of her abusive stepfather within a closed and secretive religious community. As a child, the author was imprisoned within her father’s family, kept away from her mother, forbidden from wearing a school skirt above her knees by day and abused by her stepfather at night. Years later, when she summons the courage to report her stepfather to the police for the first time, she is forced to relive her childhood torment. Beth Ellis’s story is nothing short of courageous.

FAB – An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney

By Howard Sounes (HarperCollins Publishers, R156) Renowned for his comparable 2001 bestseller Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan, and an equally wellregarded The life of Charles Bukowski, author Howard Sounes spent more than two years investigating every aspect of Sir Paul McCartney’s life and work, which included interviewing more than 200 people.

The result is the richest, most detailed and most comprehensive life story of McCartney ever written.

The author pays equal attention to McCartney’s role in the Beatles as well as his post-Beatles career in this book, which spans the arc of the artist’s life. Included is McCartney’s calamitous second marriage to Heather Mills, details of which are fully revealed for the first time. This is an entertaining account of one of the most famous and richest men in the world today.

Atlantic – A Vast Ocean of a Million Stories

By Simon Winchester (HarperCollins Publishers, R210) The best-selling author of Krakatoa dramatises the life story of the Atlantic Ocean, from its birth in the recesses of geological time to its eventual extinction millions of years in the future. Travelling around its edges and across its huge expanses, Winchester reports from the places that encapsulate the Atlantic’s most fascinating stories – the age of exploration and the colonisation of the Americas; the rise and fall of the slave trade, and the flourishing of transatlantic commerce; extraordinary tales of seaborne emigration; and the great naval battles that have left an indelible imprint on Atlantic history.

The result is an enthralling mixture of history, science and reportage. You will never look at this magnificent body of water with the same eyes again.

How to Raise the Perfect Dog – through Puppyhood and Beyond

By Cesar Millan (Hodder & Stoughton, R118) In this book, the world-renowned dog-behaviour specialist shares his own experience in raising individual puppies from some of the most popular breeds. Cesar points out what to expect from each stage of your puppy’s development and gives quick and easy housebreaking tips. He also covers the essentials of proper nutrition and the ins and outs of vaccinating. He helps you with establishing perfect obedience from day one through rules, boundaries, limitations and calm-assertive leadership practices.

There are also tips on how to avoid the most common mistakes owners make when raising puppies and young dogs as well as how to correct any issue before it becomes a problem. Included in the book are unique exercises and play ideas to bring out the best in every breed. magazine joburg

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calendar

what’s on in december / january Things to do, places to go, ways to give back, talks and exhibitions plus loads of fun for the whole family. compiled by CHAREEN BOAKE

tues

FUN FOR CHILDREN

Holiday activities ‘Tis the season to be merry and with so many holiday programmes, the choices are a-plenty.

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December 2010 / January 2011

ONLY FOR PARENTS

Back to Kool Step over Justin Bieber… it’s time for ‘Ice Ice Baby’.

bump, baby & tot in tow

Preggi Bellies Toning and training for moms with tums.

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FUN for children

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only for parents

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bump, baby & tot in tow

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how to help

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SPECIAL EVENTS Lipizzaners by Candlelight Hail the festive season with graceful stallions and a chorus of carols.

how to help

Gifts4Good Even penguins enjoy Christmas presents.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.COM

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special events

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calendar

your remote control cars to race on the outdoor track during public access times. A limited number of remote control cars will be available for visitors to test drive. Ends 5 December. Time: Saturday 11:30am– 12pm, 1:30pm–2pm and 3:30pm–4pm, Sunday 11:30am–12pm and 1:30pm–2pm.

Venue: Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, Miriam Makeba St, Newtown. Cost: adults R20, children R10. Contact Refilwe: 011 639 8448, refilwep@sci-bono.co.za or visit scibono.co.za

SPECIAL EVENTS

december 1 wednesday Adopt an angel on World Aids Day So many children have lost parents and loved ones because of this disease. The Angel Wings initiative hopes to bring some joy to these children during the festive season. They have a wishing wall with handprints; choose an angel and buy them a gift for Christmas.

Ends 10 December. Time: 8:30am–5pm.

Venue: Bryanston Shopping Centre, Ballyclare Rd. Contact: 011 706 3519

5 sunday

3 friday Gizmos and Gadgets – the remote control and techno toy expo This is a three-day expo of interactive workshops, family competitions and demonstrations suitable for all ages. Play with the greatest of the old and the latest of the new toys, see the first ever remote control streetcar racing or build your own model airplane.

Ends 5 December. Time: Friday 12pm– 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am–4pm.

Venue: Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, Miriam Makeba St, Newtown. Cost: adults R20, children R10. Contact Refilwe: 011 639 8448, refilwep@sci-bono.co.za or visit sci-bono.co.za

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December 2010 / January 2011

8 December – Duran Duran – Live in South Africa

4 saturday Carols in the gardens Spread out your picnic blankets and spend an evening with friends and family singing Christmas carols in the beautiful surroundings of the Botanical Garden. Time: 6pm–9pm. Venue: Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, Malcolm Rd, Poortview. Cost: adults R50, children R15. Contact: 086 100 1278 or visit sanbi.org Future proof your child Join parenting expert Nikki Bush for a multimedia

presentation that explores what you need to know about tomorrow, today. The presentation explores the challenges that today’s parents face in an ever-changing world. Time: 10am. Venue: Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, Miriam Makeba St, Newtown. Cost: R50. Booking essential.

Contact Refilwe: 011 639 8448, refilwep@ sci-bono.co.za or visit sci-bono.co.za Jozi’s inaugural remote control streetcar race The first ever remote control streetcar race takes place in Newtown. Take

Santa’s steam train Join Santa for an adventure on an old steam train. The journey takes you from Pretoria to the quaint village of Cullinan where you can enjoy a lunch (at your own cost) at one of several venues under the old oak trees.

Also 12 December. Time: 8:30am–5:15pm.

Venue: Hermanstad Station, Pretoria. Cost: adults R175, children R100–R125. Booking essential. Contact: 012 548 4090, 082 098 6186 or visit friendsoftherail.com Carols on the square with Freshlyground Join these well-known performers alongside conductor Richard Cock, the Symphony Choir of Johannesburg and the Joburg Festival Orchestra as they ring in the Christmas season with an evening of carols. Time: 6pm.

Venue: Nelson Mandela Square at Sandton City. Cost: free entry but programmes cost R30 and funds will be donated to an old age

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8 December – The Frog, the Star and the Beaming Smile

several of their new songs. Arno Carstens is their special guest. Also 9 December.

Time: 8pm. Venue: The Big Top Arena, Carnival City, Brakpan. Cost: R350–R600.

Book through Computicket: 083 915 8000 or visit computicket.com The Frog, the Star and the Beaming Smile The poem of the frog and the star is enacted by the Ballet Bugs Dance Studio in dance, drama, music and song. Enter a children’s wonderland and find out how Cedric the frog reached his special star.

Ends 11 December. Time: Wednesday and Thursday 2:30pm and 7pm, Friday 1:30pm and 7:30pm, Saturday 10:30am, 2:30pm and 7:30pm. Venue: Wits Theatre, Station St (off Jorissen St), Braamfontein. Cost: adults R110, children R85. Book through Computicket: 083 915 8000 or visit computicket.com or artandballetbugs.co.za

The Beach Boys Endless Summer Get ready for some good vibrations as you rock to surfing hits such as California Girls with these iconic sixties rockers. Also 11 December. Time: Friday 8pm, Saturday 7pm. Venue: Sun City Superbowl, Sun City, Rustenburg. Cost: R220–R500. Book through Computicket: 083 915 8000 or visit computicket.com

11 saturday Wildlights See the zoo come alive at night with a spectacle of extraordinary lights. Enjoy a picnic on the lawns beside the Tree of Light. Ends 22 December. Time: 5pm–9pm. Venue: Johannesburg Zoo,

Upper Park Dr, Forest Town. Cost: adults R50, children R30. Contact: 011 646 2000 or visit jhbzoo.org.za

14 tuesday Lipizzaners by Candlelight White Lipizzaners perform the Ballet of the White Stallion accompanied by the Welsh Male Choir in an evening of Christmas Carols to ring in the festive season. The stables are open after the performance to feed the stars of the show. Also 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22 and 23 December. Time: 7pm. Venue: Lipizzaner Centre, 1 Dahlia Rd, Kyalami.

Cost: R130. Book through Computicket: 083 915 8000 or visit computicket.com

10 friday

home in Alexandra. Contact: 011 217 6000 or visit nelsonmandelasquare.co.za

8 wednesday Duran Duran – Live in South Africa This popular British band performs some of their well-known favourites as well as

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East Rand Summer Festival Enjoy a fun day out with the whole family. In addition to more than 150 stands and exhibitions, this festival showcases some of South Africa’s top talent, like Watershed. There is also a children’s area so the little ones will have lots to do. Ends 12 December. Time: 10am– 7pm. Venue: Sunward Park Sports Grounds, cnr Oberon and Kingfisher St, Sunward Park, Boksburg. Cost: adults R60, children R30. Contact: 0860 383 689, kelly@eventx. co.za or visit summerfestival.co.za

5 December – Santa’s steam train

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16 thursday Family fun day at the zoo Pack your picnic baskets and blankets and unwind to the relaxing sounds of jazz while your children are entertained. Time: 10am– 3pm. Venue: Johannesburg Zoo, Upper Park Dr, Forest Town. Cost: adults R50, children R30. Contact: 011 646 2000 or visit jhbzoo.org.za

january 25 tuesday Riverdance Watch this Irish dance troupe perform toe-tapping magic. Time: Tuesday–Friday 8pm. Saturday 3pm and 8pm, Sunday 2pm and 6pm. Venue: The Teatro at Montecasino. Fourways. Cost: R221–R399. Book through Computicket: 083 915 8000 or visit computicket.com

25 January – Riverdance

FUN FOR CHILDREN holiday activities 555 Equestrian Academy pony camp 8–10 December and 15–17 December.

Time: varies. Venue: Henley on Klip. Cost: R100 per day; includes lunch, snacks and drinks. Children can attend for one day or for the full three days. Booking essential.

Contact Kirby: 082 553 7136 Arabella’s Art Workshop A fun, arty four-day workshop encouraging children to be creative within a bright and spacious studio environment. This professional

artist keeps your children enthralled with amazing art techniques. 6, 8, 10 December are 13–15 December. Time: 10am–12pm.

Venue: Parktown North. Cost: R450. Booking essential. Contact Arabella: 082 822 1161 or arabella.artstudio@vodamail.co.za Art of play Christmas workshops Become one of Santa’s little helpers and create snow globes, gift boxes, Christmas cookies and many more North Pole treats.

6–15 December. Time: 10am–12pm. Venue: The Suite Life Centre, 3 Forssman Close, Barbeque Downs, Kyalami. Cost: R100.

Contact: 071 830 0918, info@artofplay. co.za or visit artofplay.co.za Beading workshops Children can learn to bead while creating earrings, cellphone charms, keyrings and watches.

6 December–12 January. Time: subject to booking. Venue: Elements, Blairgowrie Plaza, Conrad Dr, Blairgowrie. Cost: from R75 depending on items made. Contact Michelle: 082 492 0562 Bead or mosaic holiday crafts Children aged 5 years and older can spend a fun morning making a gift for Mom, Gran or their best friends. 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18 December. Time: Monday–Friday 1:30pm–4pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am– 12:30pm. Venue: Ngwenya Glass Village, off Beyers Naudé Dr, Muldersdrift. Cost: R110; includes materials. Booking essential.

Contact Norma: 083 655 3237 Be a ranger for a day Spend a day with zoo-keeping staff and assist with feeding, cleaning and interacting with some of the zoo animals. Every ranger receives a certificate at the end of the day. Suitable for children 8 years and older. 13 December–7 January. Time: 7:30am–4pm. Venue: Lory Park Zoo, 181 Kruger Rd, President Park, Midrand. Cost: R135; includes lunch.

Contact Marina: 011 315 7307, info@ lorypark.co.za or visit lorypark.co.za Brainybrix holiday fun Children aged 4–8 years can spend a fun-filled morning or afternoon working with imported educational Lego. Learn design and technology concepts and many more amazing skills. 6–10 December and 13–15 December. Time: 9am–12pm and 2pm– 5pm. Venue: Engenius Toys, Fourways Mall (cinema entrance). Cost: R120 per session; includes snack and juice. Booking essential.

Contact Dee-Ann: 074 141 4330 or dee@ brainybrix.co.za Buzy bodiez arts and crafts Your children can have creative fun in a safe and secure environment with qualified instructors. This programme also caters for special needs children. 6–15 December. Time: 9am–

13 December–7 January – Be a ranger for a day

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International Tennis Academy holiday clinic

12pm or 1pm–3:30pm. Venue: Sunninghill.

Cost: R150 per session. Booking essential.

Contact Inge or Justine: 079 679 2342, 082 796 7753 or visit buzybodiez.co.za Creative Kidz festive season programme Santa’s coming to town, join in the fun and bake cookies, paint pictures, make chocolate truffles, Christmas stockings, gift boxes and lots more. Suitable for children aged 5–13 years. 6–22 December and 4–7 January. Time: 8:30am–12:30pm.

Venue: 4 Kingsway St, Paulshof Ext 2.

Cost: R130 per day; includes materials and snacks. Booking essential. Contact Karen: 083 453 4621, karen@crystalessence.co.za or visit crystalessence.co.za Faraway Fun at the Faraway Tree A morning of fun-filled games, face-painting and creating gifts, decorations and special treats. Suitable for children aged 3–8 years.

6–10 December. Time: 8am–12pm. Venue: 7 Condor Rd, Douglasdale. Cost: R120 per day. Contact Melanie: 083 234 4120 or farawaytree@telkomsa.net Fastrackids holiday camp Hands-on, fun educational programme for children aged 2–8 years. Topics include Anatomy of Me and Young Scientists. 6–10 December.

Time: 9am–12pm. Venue: shop 7, Broadacres Shopping Centre, Cedar Rd, Broadacres. Cost: R855. Booking essential.

Contact Jolandi: 011 467 0230 or heloisefourways@fastrackids.com Fly-fishing Clinic for teens This programme introduces teens to fly-fishing through casting demonstrations, fly-tying clinics and water instruction while teaching the necessary skills and techniques. Other daily activities include tennis, shooting and fireball hockey. 4–8 December and 5–9 January. Venue: Watkins Farm, KwaZuluNatal Midlands. Cost: R1 650. Booking is essential. Contact Zena: 083 777 6173, zena@dreamcast.co.za or visit dreamcast.co.za Have a wild time at the zoo Children aged 3–13 years can enjoy interactive and age-appropriate activities including animal enrichment, games, crafts, talks and treasure hunts. Dates: tbc. Time: various sessions between 9:30am–4pm. Cost: from R65. Booking is essential. Contact: 011 646 2000, education@jhbzoo.org.za or visit jhbzoo.org.za Holiday Crafts Children aged 6–10 can kick off the holidays creating funky crafts.

13–15 December. Time: 9am–12pm.

Venue: Emmarentia. Cost: varies according to crafts. Contact Yasmine: 079 473 8901 magazine joburg

International Tennis Academy holiday clinic Mini, half-day and full-day clinics for the Sharapovas and Federers of the future.

Suitable for children 3–16 years. 6–10 December and one-day clinics on 9, 10, 13 and 14 December. Time: mini tennis 3–6 years, 8am–9am; half-day 6–16 years, 9am–2pm; full-day 6–16 years, 9am–4pm.

Venue: Craighall and Lonehill. Cost: mini tennis R200 or R50 per day; half-day R600 or R140 per day; full-day R1 200 or R150 per day (includes lunch and a drink). Booking essential. Contact Michele: 083 443 3391, michele@itatennis.co.za or visit itatennis.co.za Jungle Beat A bee that’s allergic to pollen?

A giraffe that’s afraid of heights? Get to meet these strange characters and lots of their friends in a series of animated films.

Meet the characters and participate in daily craft and creative workshops. 11– 23 December. Time: 10am–4pm. Venue: Junxion Court, Fourways Mall. Cost: free entry. Contact: 011 465 6095

Little Cook’s holiday programme Get ready for Santa’s big arrival. Your children can bake him cookies, make lemonade and lots of other delicious treats. The programme is suitable for children aged 2–15 years – mom can also join in the fun if they’re too young to cook on their own.

Each franchise has a unique and fun programme. Date and time: varies. Venue: Fourways/Alberton, E d e n v a l e / B e d f o r d v i e w, Rivonia, Fairlands/Cresta, Parkhurst/Houghton Mondeor, Dainfern, and Roodepoort. Cost: from R180 per class. Booking is essential. For more info on programmes: visit littlecooksclub.co.za

Kidz Café Theatre camp Children aged 5–11 can enjoy a fun-filled four-day programme of dancing, singing and acting.

The programme also involves producing a show for the final day to impress friends and family. 6–9 December. Time: 10am– 3pm. Venue: first floor, The Square, cnr Leeuwkop and Naivasha Rds, Sunninghill.

Cost: R1 000. Booking essential. Contact: 011 234 0448, info@dancecafe.co.za or visit dancecafe.co.za December 2010 / January 2011

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Polka Dot Christmas crafts

Kind Kids Club Interactive lessons, roleplay and songs teach children social graces in a fun way. Aimed at children aged 6–12 years, this course aims to equip them with the foundation and tools they need to grow, in line with their role in society.

6–10 December, 13–17 December and 3–7 January. Time: 9am–4pm. Venue: Norscot Manor Recreation Centre, 16B Penguin Dr, Norscot. Cost: R1 080; includes lunch and snacks. Booking essential. Contact: 072 724 8332 or visit myupperroom.co.za King’s Camps This camp is suitable for children aged 4–17 years and offers age-

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appropriate sporting activities and fun.

6–10 December. Time: varies according to package. Venue: Kingsmead College, 132 Oxford Rd, Rosebank (entrance on Tottenham Rd). Cost: R400–R750. Booking essential. Contact: 010 500 1011, 072 189 4288, info@sa.kingscamps.org or visit kingscamps.org Learn the music of Disney’s High School Musical, Hannah Montana and Camp Rock at this fun-filled performing arts workshop.

Suitable for children 6 years and older. 6– 10 December and 13–17 December. Time: 9am–12pm. Venue: Crawford College,

Benmore Rd, Benmore, Sandton. Cost: R650. Booking essential. Contact Vicky: 083 968 6779 or vicky@showiz.co.za Mamma Mia! holiday workshop Children aged 6 and older can spend a week acting, dancing and singing plus have the opportunity to meet the cast of the stage show, Mamma Mia! 6–10 December and 13–17 December. Time: 9am–12pm.

Venue: Beyond the Stage Door, 60 Rivonia Rd, Sandhurst. Cost: R700 per week.

Booking essential. Contact Rochelle: 084 290 0298 or info@btsd.co.za Polka Dot Christmas crafts Children can enjoy fun and play, themed holiday crafts, dress-up play and wholesome snacks. 4 December–15 January. Time: any two hours between 9am–4:30pm. Venue: 13 4th Ave, Parkhurst and Morningside Shopping Centre, Rivonia Rd, Morningside.

Cost: R180. Contact: 011 447 9892, info@polkadotartstudio.co.za or visit polkadotartstudio.co.za Rivonia Riding Club pony camp Children aged 4–13 years can join in the fun. Ride and groom beautiful ponies, play games and enjoy a creative workshop where they can make Christmas stockings, paint and graffiti on the wall or create animal stencils. 6–8 December. Time: 8:30am–5pm. Venue: Rivonia Riding Club, Achter Rd, Paulshof. Cost: R300 per day; includes rides, lunch and materials.

Booking essential. Contact Karen: 083 453 4621, karen@crystalessence.co.za or visit crystalessence.co.za Seedpod Creative crafts Half-day workshops for children aged 6 and older.

Create gifts with mosaic, decoupage and beadwork. 6–10 December and 3–7 January.

Time: 9am–12pm. Venue: inside Broadacres Garden Centre, Seedpod Studio, cnr Cedar and Valley Rds, Broadacres. Cost: R80– R260 depending on the craft; includes all materials. Contact: 011 465 0375 Serendipity holiday programme Fun days filled with free and organised play, arts and crafts, baking and story time. Suitable for children aged 2–10 years. Time: 8am– 12:30pm or 8am–5pm. Venue: 48 Keyes Ave, Rosebank. Cost: half-day R120, fullday R200; includes lunch, refreshments and activities. Booking essential. Contact: 011 447 7386 or visit serendipityplay.co.za Shepherd’s Fold pony camp Regardless of whether you can ride a horse or not, experienced teachers supervise a day of horseplay. Activities include riding lessons, outrides, hands-on care for horses, lectures and games. All meals and juice included.

8–10 December, 13–17 December, 5–7 January. Time: full-day 8am–5pm, half-day 8am–1pm (suitable for children 3–5 years).

Sleepovers are also available on request.

Venue: Shepherd’s Fold Stables, 55 Sunset Dr, Elandsdrift, Muldersdrift. Cost: R220

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full-day, R150 half-day. Contact Belinda: 084 220 2657, belinda.milsom@gmail.com or visit shepherdsfoldstables.co.za Sugar Bay Camps for children and teenagers, from 7–17 years, with a variety of themes and activities. Several camps run over 4 December–9 January. Time: arrivals from 3pm–4pm. Venue: 21 Nkwazi Drive, Zinkwazi Beach, KwaZulu-Natal. Cost: varies. Contact: 032 485 3778, holidays@ sugarbay.co.za or visit sugarbay.co.za Sun Valley Stables pony camps Funfilled pony camps where children learn to ride and care for a pony, play games and swim. 3–5 December and 2–14 December. Time: 9am–4pm. Venue: Plot 44, cnr Coach and Mane Rds, Sun Valley, Midrand. Cost: R950. Contact Kirsten: 082 571 0309, kitence@iburst.co.za or visit sunvalleystables.co.za Swirl holiday programme Children aged 4–10 years can enjoy a variety of fun art and crafts with a special Christmas theme. 3, 6, 10, 13 and 15 December.

Time: 9am–12pm. Venue: 6 Angus Close, Bedfordview. Cost: R150 per day, R400 for three mornings; includes materials and a snack. Contact Claire: 071 686 3839 or swirl@vodamail.co.za Terrific Toddlers holiday programme This one-week programme is suitable for toddlers aged 2 and older. Lessons involve singing, role-playing, rhymes and puppets

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Smudge holiday fun Weekly

and teach little ones the importance of manners, playground rules, hygiene and etiquette. 13–17 December. Time: 9am– 5pm. Venue: Crawford College Fourways, 16 Campbell Rd, Craigavon. Cost: R1 080, includes lunch and snacks. Booking essential as numbers are limited. Contact: 072 724 8332, enquiries@myupperroom. co.za or visit myupperroom.co.za The Hideout With baking, cooking, swimming and cycling, this holiday programme will keep children busy, healthy and fit. 13–15 and 17 December. Time: 9am– 4pm (drop off from 9am and pick-up until 4:30pm). Venue: 1/62 Pine Rd, Kyalami A/H.

holiday activities vary from painting reindeer ears, Christmas decorations and masks to balloon making, storytelling, Christmas sand-art card making and filling Christmas stockings with fun art activities. Moms can relax in the intimate restaurant while the little ones create Christmas masterpieces. 3–20 December. Time: Tuesday–­Friday 10am–5pm, Saturday 10am–4pm, Sunday 10am–1pm.

Venue: The Valley Shopping Centre, Jan Smuts Ave, Craighall. Cost: R110 for the first hour and R55 every hour thereafter. Cost is per child. Booking is not essential but call to confirm the venue is not closed for a private function. Contact: 011 501 0234 or visit smudgeart.co.za

Cost: R800; includes lunch and materials.

Booking essential. Contact Debbie: 072 193 3652, thehideout@netwave.co.za or visit thehideoutkyalami.co.za Tots n Pots holiday programme Cooking, baking and even craft making and music appreciation. This holiday programme has something for everybody.

Suitable for children aged 3–6 years and 7– 10 years. 13–21 December. Time: 10am–

12:30pm. Venue: Tots n Pots, Randburg.

Cost: R525 for three workshops of 2½ hours or R185 per workshop; includes a T-shirt. Contact Tilana: 082 304 4491 or tilana@totsnpots.com

arts, culture and science A journey into space Children aged 2–8 years can spend a morning learning about stars, the moon and space. Time: 10:30am, every Saturday. Venue: Johannesburg Planetarium, Empire Rd, Parktown. Cost: R18. Contact: 011 717 1390 or visit planetarium.co.za Artjamming Art studio for children and adults. Time: Monday–Friday 9am–5:30pm, Saturday 9am–4pm, Sunday 10am–3pm.

Venue: Artjamming, Blubird Shopping Centre, cnr Athol-Oaklands Rd and Fort St, Athol. Cost: dependent on canvas size and materials. Contact Kayla: 083 379 2069, blubird@artjamming.co.za or visit artjamming.co.za Build your own hydrogen car of the future Children aged 7 and older can build and test drive their own futuristic model cars using renewable energy from water and the sun. 3 and 4 December.

Time: noon, 1pm and 3pm. Venue: SciBono Discovery Centre, Miriam Makeba St, Newtown. Cost: adults R20, children R10.

Contact Refilwe: 011 639 8400 or visit scibono.co.za

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Color Café is a ceramic studio where you can paint mugs, plates, teapots or bowls.

Time: 9am–5pm. Venue: Shop 14, Hyde Square Shopping Centre, cnr North Rd and Jan Smuts Ave, Dunkeld. Cost: R95 per hour; includes paint, firing and glazing. Ceramic items are charged separately. Contact: 011 341 0734 or visit colorcafe.co.za Pottery Junxion Art studio where you choose and paint your own pottery.

Also offers regular workshops on drybrushing, paint techniques, antiquing and mosaics. Time: Monday–Friday 9am–4pm, Saturday 9am–2pm. Venue: 5 Glendower Place, 99 Linksfield Rd, Dowerglen.

Cost: varies. Contact: 011 453 2721, paint@potteryjunxion.co.za or visit potteryjunxion.co.za Sandart crafts and coffee Moms can relax and enjoy a cappuccino at the coffee shop while the children create sandart masterpieces. A climbing wall, trampolines and other fun activities also on offer.

1–8 December. Time: Monday–Friday 9am–5pm, Saturday 9am–1pm. Venue: I-Play, Kayburne Ave, Randpark Ridge.

Cost: R20 entry. Contact Annemarie: 083 704 2834 Scrapbook Emporium Scrapbooking lessons and craft workshops. Time: 9am– 5pm. Venue: Scrapbook Emporium, Shop 109, level 1, Design Quarter, Fourways.

Cost: free entry but workshops and materials are additional. Contact: 011 465 9349 or visit scrapbookemporium.co.za Solar energy workshop Teens aged 13–15 can have some fun with the African sun as they learn about solar energy and the gift of the sun. Suntoy and Young SESSA will demonstrate solar energy with a solar energy fan kit and the solar racing car. 4 and 5 December. Time: 11am–1pm.

Venue: Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, Miriam Makeba St, Newtown. Cost: adults R20, children R10. Contact Refilwe: 011 639 8400 or visit sci-bono.co.za

classes, talks and workshops Rise above the crowd This workshop focuses on life skills, interactive skills and social skills for teens aged 14–17 years. 13– 15 and 17 December. Time: 9am–12pm.

Venue: 3 Muirfield, Kingswood Crescent, Riverclub, Sandton. Cost: R950. Booking essential. Contact Yolanda: 082 468 4029, yolandb@icon.co.za or visit socialskills.co.za

eating out Angelo’s Kitchen An Italian restaurant where children can create their own pizzas.

Venue: Coachman’s Crossing, Peter Place, Bryanston. Contact: 011 463 5800 or 011 463 9498 Bambanani Restaurant offers a children’s play area with childminders. A variety of children’s entertainment every Wednesday.

Open Tuesday–­Sunday. Venue: 85 4th Ave, Melville. Contact: 011 482 2900 Café Flamingo overlooks the flamingo pool, where you can enjoy a light meal or coffee while visiting the Montecasino bird gardens. Open daily. Venue: Montecasino, cnr William Nicol Dr and Witkoppen Rd, Fourways. Contact: 011 511 1864 or visit montecasino.co.za Frog Terrace Bistro Family-friendly restaurant with outdoor play equipment as well as a range of children’s art and crafts.

Open Tuesday–Sunday. Venue: Leaping Frog Shopping Centre, cnr William Nicol Dr and Mulbarton Rd, Fourways. Contact: 011 465 7090 Goblin’s Cove Fantasy Restaurant is set in a forest with a lake, playground, jungle gyms, sandpit, an aviary as well as the Fairywinkle fairy and goblin shop.

Open Wednesday­–Sunday. Venue: R24 towards Magaliesburg/Hekpoort. Cost: free entry. Contact: 014 576 2143, goblins@ worldonline.co.za or visit goblins.co.za Moyo at Zoo Lake Fine African cuisine, crafts for children and the beautiful Zoo Lake surrounds make this restaurant a treat for the whole family. Open daily. Venue: 1 Prince of Wales Dr, Parkview. Contact: 011 646 0058 or visit moyo.com Papachinos Continental Café Moms and dads can relax in this country-like Tuscan setting while the little ones are entertained with a host of children’s activities. The diverse menu offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Venue: 40 Whisken Ave, Crowthorne. Contact: 011 702 1234 or visit papachinos.co.za Stonehaven on Vaal Situated on the banks of the Vaal River, the huge garden is the focus for several children’s activities and there is a swimming pool. The Sunday buffet lunch is diverse and well-priced and can be enjoyed on shore or on a river cruise.

Venue: next to Baddrift Bridge, Sylviavale AH, Vaal River, Vanderbijlpark. Contact: 016 982 2951 or visit stonehaven.co.za

Emerald Resort and Casino

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Maropeng

The Silver Birch Situated within a nursery, this venue offers lovely lunch and tea treats as well as wood-fired pizzas and freshly made sushi. The play area, mini train and petting zoo keep tots entertained for hours.

Venue: Lifestyle Home Garden, cnr Beyers Naudé Dr and Ysterhout Ave, Randpark Ridge. Contact: 011 792 5714 or visit thesilverbirch.co.za

family outings Emerald Resort and Casino Nestled on the banks of the Vaal River you can enjoy a world of water activities in the large Aquadome, games facilities with ten-pin bowling and Lego building, a small zoo and several restaurants. Venue: 777 Frikkie Meyer Boulevard, Vanderbijlpark. Contact: 016 982 8000 or visit emeraldcasino.co.za Flora Farm offers a garden centre, restaurant and children’s play area. Time: 8:30am–5:30pm. Venue: cnr North Rand Rd and Trichardt St, Boksburg. Cost: free entry. Contact: 011 894 2377 or visit florafarm.co.za Gold Reef City Adventure theme park with speciality rides for young and old, theme village and several eating places.

Time: Wednesday–Sunday 9:30am–5pm.

Venue: Northern Parkway, Ormonde. Cost: weekend R140, weekdays R100; toddlers R90. For more info: visit goldreefcity.co.za Irene Dairy You can see a fully functioning dairy, buy farm-fresh products or enjoy a meal at the country café. Children can play on the tractor and feed the cows.

Time: 8am–5pm. Venue: 100 Nellmapius Dr, Irene. Cost: free entry. Contact: 012 667 4012, shop@ireneestate.co.za or visit irenefarm.co.za Lifestyle Garden Centre Offers a play park and farmyard with free pony rides and a restaurant overlooking the play area.

Time: 8am–5pm, daily. Venue: cnr Beyers Naudé Dr and Ysterhout Ave, Randpark Ridge. Cost: free entry. For more info: visit lifestyle.co.za Maropeng This centre in the Cradle of Humankind pays homage to the discovery of early man. It features two restaurants, offers stargazing dinners on certain dates, Sunday buffet lunches and pensioner specials every Monday. Time: 9am–5pm.

Venue: R400, Magaliesburg. Cost: adults magazine joburg

R105, children R60. Contact: 014 577 9000, info@maropeng.co.za or visit maropeng.co.za Ngwenya Glass Village This village has a glass shop, several curio and craft shops, a brewery and restaurant. Puppet shows and sing-a-longs are held every Friday afternoon. Time: varies. Venue: off Beyers Naudé Dr, Muldersdrift. Cost: free entry. Contact: 084 607 4291 or visit shadesofngwenya.co.za Uncle Tim’s Centre Country village centre that boasts several antique and collectables stores, a book store, cheese deli, jewellery stores and a restaurant. Time: 9am–5pm.

Venue: 40 High Rd, Brentwood Park. Cost: free entry. Contact: 011 967 1816 or visit uncletimscentre.co.za

finding nature and outdoor play Bushbabies Monkey Sanctuary offers guided tours through indigenous forests where you can view a variety of exotic primates. Time: 9am–4pm. Venue: R512, Hartbeespoort. Cost: adults R250, children 3–14 years R125. Contact: 012 258 9908/9 or visit monkeysanctuary.co.za

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Rhino and Lion Park

Chameleon Village Reptile Park Anacondas, cobras and diamond-back rattlers are just a few of the venomous creatures you can see here. A host of activities for children on offer. Time: 8:30am­–5pm. Venue: N4, Hartbeespoort.

Cost: free entry. Contact: 012 253 1451 or visit chameleonvillage.co.za Cooper’s Cave Picnic Explore a 1,5million-year-old fossil site, featuring several

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animal fossils. Spend a day fossil-hunting and learn how to make tools like our ancestors did. 4, 15, 22, 29 December and 5 January. Time: 9am. Venue: Cooper’s Cave, near Sterkfontein Caves, Maropeng. Cost: R350, includes picnic lunch. Online booking essential. Contact: 014 577 9000, info@ maropeng.co.za or visit maropeng.co.za Creepy Crawly spider and scorpion course A spider and scorpion expert

takes you on a walk through the reserve.

Learn new information about spiders and scorpions. 16 January. Time: 9am–5pm.

Venue: Kloofendal Nature Reserve, Galena Ave, Helderkruin. Cost: adults R60, children R30. Booking essential. Contact Karin: 011 674 2980 Croc City Crocodile Farm View crocodiles and hatchlings at close range.

Time: 9am–4:30pm. Venue: Old Pretoria

Rd, Nietgedacht. Cost: adults R45, children R25. For more info: visit croccity.co.za Cubs and Scouts Children aged 7–18 years can learn practical life skills while enjoying wholesome outdoor fun such as camping, hiking, pioneering and cooking.

Time: varies. Cost: varies per term. Venue: several venues throughout Johannesburg.

For more info: visit scouting.org.za Elephant Sanctuary Guided tours give you the opportunity to touch and feed elephants in an indigenous environment.

Time: 8am–4pm.

Venue: R512, Hartbeespoort. Cost: adults R425–R525, children R215. Contact: 012 258 0423/ 0332 or visit elephantsanctuary.co.za Finding frogs at night Pack your gumboots, torches, headlamps and picnic baskets for this popular evening event.

Listen to a presentation about these interesting amphibians and then get ready for the fun and excitement of catching and releasing them. 3 December and 29 January. Time: 6pm. Venue: Kloofendal Nature Reserve, Galena Ave, Kloofendal.

Cost: adults R60, children R30. Booking essential. Contact Karin: 011 674 2980 or 072 595 6991 Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve Six hiking trails of varying difficulty offer the opportunity to enjoy this nature reserve inhabited by several antelope species. Time: 7am–6pm. Venue: Silent Pool, Frandaph

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Ave, Mondeor. Cost: free entry. Contact Tony: 082 454 6114 Lion Park Home to several carnivores, including white lions, it’s the place to go to play with cubs or enjoy a game ride.

There is also a restaurant. Time: Monday– Friday 8:30am–5pm, Saturday and Sunday 8:30am–6pm. Venue: cnr Malibongwe Dr and R114, Lanseria. Cost: adults R115, children R80. Contact: 011 691 9905, lionpark@cknet.co.za or visit lion-park.com Lory Park Zoo Sanctuary for a large variety of wildlife including Bengal tigers, ringtailed lemurs and several other endangered animals and birds. Time: 10am–4pm.

Venue: 180/1 Kruger Rd, President Park, Midrand. Cost: adults R50, children R30.

For more info: visit lorypark.co.za Melville Koppies family walks Discover more about the interesting archaeology, geology and ecology of this area. Walks take up to three hours and are suitable for families with children 5 years and older. Every Sunday. Time: varies between 8:30am and 3pm. Venue: meet at the park opposite the entrance to Marks Park Sports Club’s parking in Judith Rd, Emmarentia.

Cost: adults R30, children R10. Contact Wendy: 011 482 4797 or visit mk.org.za Montecasino Bird Gardens These gardens are home not only to birds but to mammals and reptiles too. Enjoy a meal at the Flamingo Café or be thrilled by the

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Flights of Fantasy bird show. Time: 8:30am­– 5pm. Venue: Montecasino, Fourways. Cost: adults and children over 10 years R38, children under 10 years R22,50. For more info: visit montecasino.co.za Mountain Sanctuary Park This reserve boasts crystal clear rock pools, a waterfall, hiking trails for young and old as well as camping, swimming and braai facilities.

Time: 8am–5pm. Venue: Magaliesburg.

Contact: 014 534 0114 or visit mountainsanctuary.co.za Rhino and Lion Park This park is home to several species of cats, rhinos and antelope.

Enjoy the freedom of a self-drive or arranged game viewing. Have lunch at the restaurant or make use of the braai and picnic facilities.

You’ll love the animal crèche where you have the opportunity to pet lion, tiger and cheetah cubs. Venue: off the R512, Kromdraai, Cradle of Humankind. Time: 8am–5pm weekdays, 8am–6pm weekends.

Cost: adults R100, children R70. Contact: 011 957 0349 or visit rhinolion.co.za Roxy Learn to Surf If you’re heading down to Durban you can learn to surf.

Group or individual lessons for ages 7 and older. All surfboards, rash vests and wetsuits provided. Every Tuesday. Time: 12pm–5pm.

Venue: Suncoast Beach, Durban. Cost: R150 per hour. Contact Alan: 076 877 5143 Scorpions and spiders by night Did you know that there are about 2 000 species of

scorpions? A well-known scorpion expert will teach you lots more about them before leading you on a nocturnal walk to look for these little critters. 14 January. Time: 6pm.

Venue: Kloofendal Nature Reserve, Galena Ave, Helderkruin. Cost: adults R60, children R30. Contact Karin: 011 674 2980 The Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre offers a three-hour guided wildlife tour so that you can view cheetah, African wild dog and other large cats, birds

and antelope. Not suitable for children under 6 years. Time: varies. Venue: De Wildt, Hartbeespoort area. Cost: R245– R345. Booking essential. Contact: 012 504 9906/7/8 or visit dewildt.co.za Trees Eco Fun Park Picnic venues, tunnels, obstacle course and outdoor games. Time: 10am–6pm. Sunday by arrangement.

Venue: 2 Totius Rd, Cloverdene, Benoni.

Cost: R20. Contact Nicolette: 082 458 1504 or 083 452 2104

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markets Blubird’s Christmas Fare “Angels made with love” have been created by squatter camp children; each angel tells a different story and by buying an angel, you help to support a good cause. 5, 12 and 19 December. Time: 9am–2pm. Venue: Blubird Wholefood Market, Blubird Shopping Centre, Athol-Oaklands Rd, Athol. Cost: free entry. Contact: 083 311 4768 or visit wholefoodmarketsa.com Bokkie Park Christmas Craft Market Stalls range from art and crafts to distinctive goodies. Enjoy tea in the tea garden, grab a snack from a food stall or pack a picnic basket. 4 December. Time: 9am–2:30pm.

Venue: Southvale Rd, Parkdene, Boksburg.

Cost: free entry. Contact: 011 896 3890 or 011 899 4361 Bryanston Moonlight Market and Christmas carols Stock up on Christmas crafts, delicious foods and quality gifts.

Children can enjoy the nativity parade at 7pm before everybody joins in the carol singing. 7, 14 and 21 December. Time: 5pm–9pm. Venue: Culross Rd, off Main Rd, Bryanston. Contact: 011 706 3671, jules@bryanstonorganicmarket.co.za or visit bryanstonorganicmarket.co.za Christmas market at the Health Emporium Stock up on last minute Christmas gifts and treats. 20–24 December.

Time: tbc. Venue: Health Emporium, cnr Church and Market St, Midrand. Cost: free entry. Contact Maria: 082 896 0182 or maria@wordsbookstore.co.za Craighall River Market Enjoy a wide variety of art and crafts and organic produce.

Children’s playground and pony rides available. Time: 8:30am–1pm, every second Saturday. Venue: Colourful Splendour Nursery (REEA), Craighall Park. Contact Roy: 011 465 3413 or jmsinek@mweb.co.za

Abracadabra This is a show of magical proportions. Catch this special festive season spin on magic.

12 December–9 January. Time: 9:30am–5pm. Venue: Northern Parkway, Ormonde. Cost: weekends R140, weekdays R100; toddlers R90.

For more info: 011 248 6800 or visit goldreefcity.co.za

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Gourmet Market Bread, nuts, organic vegetables, cheese, pickles and olives on sale. Time: Tuesday–Sunday 9am–5pm.

Venue: Lifestyle Garden Centre, Beyers Naudé and Ysterhout Dr, Randpark Ridge.

Cost: free entry. Contact: 011 792 5616 Irene Village Market and Picnics This market offers art and crafts, a delicatessen, antiques and collectibles and refreshments.

They also have a children’s play area with pony and camel rides. You can enjoy a picnic as you listen to live performances.

4, 11 and 16 December. Time: 9am–2pm.

Second and last Saturday of each month.

Venue: Smuts House Museum, Jan Smuts Ave, Irene. Contact: 012 667 1659 or visit irenemarket.co.za Jozi Food Market Christmas market In addition to the usual array of tasty delicacies and fun activities, you’ll find a host of Christmas foods and goodies. 4, 11 and 18 December. Time: 8:30am–1pm.

Venue: Parktown Corner, cnr 7th and 3rd Ave, Parktown North. Cost: free entry. For more info: visit jozifoodmarket.co.za Market in the Park This monthly market is filled with crafts, jewellery, games, tasty treats and more. Time: 9am–2pm, first Sunday of the month. Venue: River Café grounds, Field and Study Centre, Louise Ave, Parkmore. Contact Lorraine: 011 465 1281 or 083 655 8012 Oriental Plaza This is a shopping mecca filled with exotic fragrances, delicious food and everything from fabrics and clothes to suitcases and copperware. Time: Monday­– Friday 8:30am–5pm (closed 12pm–2pm on Friday), Saturday 8:30am–3pm. Venue: cnr Bree and Main St, Fordsburg. Cost: free entry. Contact: 011 838 6752 or visit orientalplaza.co.za Randburg Flea Market Tuesday–Friday 10am–5:30pm, weekends and public holidays 10am–6pm. Venue: Republic Rd, Randburg, Ferndale. Cost: free entry. For more info: 011 326 0662

on stage and on screen André the hilarious hypnotist Ends 9 January. Time: varies. Venue: Studio Theatre at Montecasino, Fourways. Cost: R95. Book through Computicket: 083 915 8000 or visit computicket.com

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Story time at the library

Angelo Rules premieres Angelo is an 11year-old boy with plenty of schemes and strategies that land him in some interesting fixes. Time: 10:30am on DStv channel 301 Mamma Mia Ends 12 December. Time: varies. Venue: Teatro at Montecasino. Cost: R115–R390. Book through Computicket: 083 915 8000 or visit computicket.com More Adventures of Noddy 1–24 December. Time: 10:30am and 2:30pm.

Venue: People’s Theatre at the Joburg Theatre Complex. Cost: members R60, accompanying a member R80, nonmembers R90. Contact Andrew or Lorraine: 011 403 1563/2340 or info@ peoplestheatre.co.za Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates Ends 11 January. Time: varies.

Venue: The Mandela at Joburg Theatre Complex, Loveday St, Braamfontein. Cost: R140–R227. Book through Computicket: 083 915 8000 or visit computicket.com Seussical Jnr is based on the ever popular Dr Seuss’s Cat in the Hat. 10–24 December.

Time: 11am and 2pm. Venue: 64 @ The Palace, Emperor’s Palace, 64 Jones Rd, Kempton Park. Cost: R95. Contact: 011 484 1584 or visit jyt.co.za The Nutcracker Ends 19 December. Time: varies. Venue: South African State Theatre, 320 Pretorius St, Pretoria. Cost: R40– R240. Book through Computicket: 083 915 8000 or visit computicket.com or saballettheatre.co.za The Wizard of Oz Time: Monday– Saturday 10:30am and 2:30pm. Venue: The National Children’s Theatre, 3 Junction Ave, Parktown. Ends 23 December. Cost: adults R80, children R70. Book through the theatre: 011 484 1584/5, admin@jyt.co.za or visit jyt.co.za

playtime and story time Build-a-Bear workshops Create your own teddy bear or stuffed animal. Daily.

Time: dependent on store. Venue: several in Johannesburg. For more info: visit buildabear.co.za Egoli Café and Kids play area Monitored indoor and outdoor play area, with a climbing wall, jumping castles and jungle gym. Time: Friday 12pm–5pm, Saturday­–Sunday 9am–5pm. Venue: 17A Terrace Rd, Eastleigh, Edenvale. Cost: free entry. Contact: 011 609 4755 or visit egolilodge.co.za magazine joburg

Grannies Garden Indoor and outdoor play venue with a coffee shop. Time: Monday–Friday 10am–5pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am–6pm. Venue: 138 Barkston Dr, Blairgowrie. Cost: R30 per hour. Contact: 011 326 4265 or visit granniesgarden.co.za Hedgehog Lane Outdoor fairground with a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round and miniature Hedgehog Express Train. There is also a creative studio and bakery. Time: 9am–5pm. Venue: Garden Shop, 278 Main Rd, Bryanston. Cost: adults free, children R18. For more info: visit hedgehoglane.co.za Lola Park A park with rides, aviaries, a fairy garden, water splash fountain and petting zoo. Time: Wednesday­–Sunday 10am–5pm.

Venue: Viewpoint Rd East, Bartlett AH, Boksburg. Cost: R50. Children under 2 years free. For more info: visit lolapark.com

Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates

Love Books Different storytellers relate everything from traditional African folk tales to fairy-tales, the classics and brand new stories. Suitable for children 4–8 years.

Time: 10am, every Saturday. Venue: Love Books, The Bamboo Centre, 53 Rustenburg Rd, Melville. Cost: free entry. Contact: 011 726 7408 or storytelling@lovebooks.co.za Oki Doki This play and party venue offers a “town” where children can play dress up and a coffee shop for parents. Time: Tuesday–Saturday 8:30am–4:30pm. Venue: 66 6th St, Linden. Cost: free entry for adults, children R20. Contact: 011 888 8940, info@ oki-doki.co.za or visit oki-doki.co.za December 2010 / January 2011

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Words Bookstore Enjoy a cup of coffee, read a book and let the children play in the play area. Story time can be arranged on Sundays. Time: 7am–6:30pm. Venue: Health Emporium, Church and Market St, Midrand. Contact: 011 315 3801 or maria@ wordsbookstore.co.za Yeesh! Fun for kids Supervised soft-play indoor playgrounds; with coffee bars for parents. Time: Tuesday–Sunday 9am–5pm.

Venue: Unit G6, Woodmead Commercial Park, Waterval Crescent, Woodmead and 5 Main Rd, Bryanston. Cost: R40 per hour. Contact Woodmead: 083 923 2306, Bryanston: 073 230 6531 or visit yeesh.co.za

sports and physical activities Abseiling and Caving Adventure Time: 11am, every Sunday. Venue: Wild Cave Adventures, Cradle of Humankind.

Cost: adults R220, children R180. Booking essential. Contact: 011 956 6197 or visit wildcaves.co.za Battlezone Outdoor paintball adventure park. Time: Monday–Saturday 8:30am– 11:30am, 11:30am–2:30pm and 2:30pm– 5:30pm; Sunday 11:30am–2:30pm and 2:30pm–5pm. Venue: cnr Sloane St and Main Rd, Bryanston. Cost: R100; includes gear. Booking essential. Contact: 082 818 0345 or visit battlezone.co.za Boogaloos Skateboard Park Fun parks for skaters and non-skaters alike. Time:

Boogaloos Skateboard Park

varies. Venue: Brightwater Commons, East Rand Mall, Montecasino, Festival Mall.

Cost: R30. Contact Quintin: 011 608 1101 or visit boogaloos.com Compu-Kart Raceway Indoor go-carting venue suitable for children 10 years and older. Time: 10am–9pm. Venue: Stoneridge Shopping Centre, cnr Modderfontein and Hereford Rd, Modderfontein. Cost: R50– R250, dependent on number of laps. Contact: 0861 465 278 or visit compu-kart.co.za Daytona Adventure Park Take your own bikes or hire quad bikes and spend a fun day getting dirty. Time: 9am–5pm. Venue: William Nicol Dr, Fourways (past Dainfern).

Cost: varies. Booking essential. Contact Greg or Vic: 083 625 1537 Jozi-X Extreme fun park suitable for children aged 4 years and older. Time: 10am–5pm seven days a week. Venue: cnr Main Rd and Sloane St, Bryanston. Cost: varies. Contact Marco: 082 456 2358 or visit jozix.co.za Orlando Towers Bungee jumping, power swinging, base jumping or rap jumping or view the fun from the platform below.

Time: subject to booking. Venue: Orlando Towers, Dynamo St, Soweto. Cost: R260– R480. Contact: 011 312 0450, 071 674 4343 or visit orlandotowers.co.za

family marketplace

Piccino’s Indoor soft-play area suitable for tiny tots to six year olds as well as a coffee shop for parents. Time: 9am–5pm. Venue: Norwood Mall, Hamlin Rd, Norwood. Cost: R40 per hour. Contact: 011 728 0928 Sibo Sizes Things Up Author, Ginny Stone, takes you on a journey with pint-sized explorer Sibo. She explains nanotechnology in a way that even the smallest of explorers can understand. 5 December. Time: 11am.

Venue: Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, Miriam Makeba St, Newtown. Cost: adults R20, children R10. Contact Refilwe: 011 639 8448 or visit sci-bono.co.za Smudge Creative Play Centre Sandart parties, balloon storytelling, puppet shows and music workshops. Time: Monday– Friday 10am–5pm, Saturday 10am–4pm, Sunday 10am–1pm. Venue: Valley Centre, 396 Jan Smuts Ave, Craighall Park. Cost: R110 per child for first hour, R55 for every hour thereafter. Contact: 011 501 0234, sandra@smudgeart.co.za or visit smudgeart.co.za Toys R Us launch of Playstation area Gaming guys and girls can enjoy a dedicated area for gaming. Sample the new Playstation Gran Turismo 5 simulator.

Throughout December. Time: 9am–5pm.

Venue: Toys R Us Sandton, Shop U103, level 6, cnr Rivonia Rd and Sandton Dr, Sandton City. Cost: free entry. For more info: visit toysrus.co.za

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Randburg Raceway Experience the adrenaline rush of indoor go-carting. Time: 11am–8pm. Venue: Samantha St, Strijdom Park, Randburg. Cost: R120 for a 10minute race. Contact: 011 792 2260 or visit randburgraceway.co.za Runnin Rebels Soccer Development soccer aimed at children 6–11 years. Time: varies. Venue: Bedfordview, Fairmount, Fourways, Parkmore, Zoo Lake. Cost: varies. Contact Alan: 011 646 5461 or visit runninrebels.co.za Sandboarding at Mount Mayhem Similar to snowboarding, but without the cold. Time: Saturday–Sunday 10:30am–

3:30pm. Venue: Mount Mayhem, Boksburg. Cost: R250; includes equipment and instruction. Booking essential. Contact Marco: 082 605 1150 or visit jozix.co.za Wonderwall Indoor climbing wall for beginners to advanced climbers. Time: Tuesday–Thursday 10am–10pm, Friday 10am–9pm, Saturday 9am–6pm. Venue: Unit 1, Kya Sands Industrial Village, 22 Elsecar St, Kya Sands. Cost: adults R60, children R40. Contact: 011 708 6467 or visit wonderwall.co.za Yoga4kids An age-appropriate yoga curriculum, which combines the exploration of the body and mind. Venue: Broadacres, Craighall Park, Atholl, Rivonia and Parkmore. Contact: 083 299 6555 or visit yoga4kids.co.za Zoo trot A 5km or 10km walk or jog around the zoo. Time: 7am. Second Sunday of every month. Venue: meet in car park at Johannesburg Zoo, Forest Town. Cost: R30. For more info: 011 646 2000 or visit jhbzoo.org.za

Beyers Naudé Dr, Muldersdrift. Cost: R195; includes materials. Booking essential.

Contact Norma: 083 655 3237 or visit shadesofngwenya.co.za Child development course for nannies and au pairs This course offers three separate modules: health, safety and hygiene, development through play, feeding and nutrition. Various dates between 12 January–16 February. Cost: varies according to module. Contact Yasmine: 079 473 8901 Christmas flower workshop Join an expert florist for this morning workshop offering creative ideas for Christmas table settings. 4 December. Time: 9:45am–1pm.

Venue: Ngwenya Glass Village, off Beyers Naudé Dr, Muldersdrift. Cost: R180;

includes refreshments. Booking essential.

Contact Kami: 082 817 1293 First aid and CPR course for nannies and au pairs This comprehensive course comes with a certificate from the Resuscitation Council of SA when completed. 18 January. Time: 12:30pm– 4:30pm. Venue: Emmarentia. Cost: R380.

Contact Yasmine: 079 473 8901 Photographic workshop Got a camera for Christmas and don’t know what to do with it? Improve your photography skills with a half-day private workshop. Date and time: subject to booking. Venue: Words Bookstore, Health Emporium, cnr Church and Market St, Midrand. Cost: R1 500; includes course and snacks. Contact: 082 896 0182 or maria@wordsbookstore.co.za

only for parents classes, talks and workshops Chain mail jewellery Spend a morning creating some amazing pieces of jewellery.

1, 11 and 15 December. Time: 9am– 12pm. Venue: Ngwenya Glass Village, off

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on stage and on screen Back to Kool Old school is cool! Get ready to bring out your scrunchies, coloured jeans, bomber jackets and platform sneakers as you prepare for a blast from the past with Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer and Snap! Practise your ’90s dance moves for classics like “Ice Ice Baby”, “Can’t Touch This” and “Rhythm is a Dancer”. 15 and 16 December. Time: 8pm. Venue: Big Top Arena at Carnival City, Brakpan. Cost: R250–R400. Book through Computicket: 083 915 8000 or visit computicket.com Last Laugh at the Lyric Side-splitting comedy with some of the country’s favourite comedians Barry Hilton, Mark Sampson, Soli Philander and Ndumiso Lindi. This is definitely no holds barred comedy. 10 and 11 December. Time: 8:30pm. Venue: The Lyric at Gold Reef City, Northern Parkway, Ormonde. Cost: R95–R125. Book through Computicket: 083 915 8000 or visit computicket.com Prime Circle and friends This ever popular South African rock group performs. 15 and 16 December. Time: 8:30pm. Venue: The Lyric at Gold Reef City, Northern Parkway, Ormonde. Cost: R95.

Book through Computicket: 083 915 8000 or visit computicket.com

support groups Anorexia and bulimia family support group Assists those with eating disorders as well as their families. Contact: 011 887 9966 or visit edsupport.co.za CHOC Provides advice and support for families affected by childhood cancer.

Contact: 086 111 3500 or visit choc.org.za Support Compassionate Friends group for bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents. Contact: 011 440 6322 or visit compassionatefriends.org.za Divorce support workshop For individuals going through a divorce or recently divorced. Scheduled subject to sufficient numbers. Time: 7pm–9pm.

Venue: 1 Cardigan Ave, Parkwood. Cost: R390. Contact: 011 788 4784/5 or visit familylife.co.za Hi Hopes Early intervention programme to empower parents of deaf or hearing

impaired children aged 0–3 years. Contact: 011 717 3750 or claudine.storbeck@ wits.ac.za Johannesburg Bipolar Support Association Contact Linda: 011 485 2406 or visit bipolar.co.za PACSEN – Parents for Children with Special Educational Needs Provides counselling, support and information for parents with special needs children. Contact: 012 333 0149 or visit pacsen.co.za Respect Me Support for children affected by bullying. Contact Kelly: info@respectme. co.za or visit respectme.co.za The Family Life Centre Offers marriage, divorce and couple counselling, single parent and step-parent support groups, family counselling as well as play therapy, grief counselling and trauma debriefing.

Venue: 1 Cardigan Rd, Parkwood. Contact: 011 788 4784/5, famlife@iafrica.com or visit familylife.co.za Tough Love A self-help programme and a support group for families affected by unacceptable adolescent behaviour be it drugs, alcohol or substance abuse. Contact: 0861 868 445 or visit toughlove.org.za Women and Men Against Child Abuse Medical, psychological and followup therapy and treatment for children who have been sexually, physically and emotionally abused and for their nonoffending family members or caregivers.

Contact: 011 789 8815 or visit wmaca.org

bump, baby & Tot in tow

classes, talks and workshops Be Sharp Beetles Music and Movement Programme develops children through drumming, percussion play and cultural musical stories. Suitable for children 6 weeks–8 years. Children are exposed to English, Afrikaans, Zulu and Sotho. Venue: Northcliff. Contact: 082 922 8161 or visit besharpbeetles.co.za Gnome’s Den open day Your opportunity to have a look at the facilities offered at this small, exclusive educational playgroup for children 2 years and over. Also meet the staff. 1 December. Time: from 8am. Venue:

I-Play educational play zone

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Time: 10am–10:30am. Venue: main reception area, Sandton Medi-Clinic, cnr Peter Place and Main Rd, Bryanston. Cost: free entry. Contact Liezl: 011 709 2206 or visit mediclinic.co.za Toddler time Little ones aged 2–4 years can spend a morning enjoying fun activities.

13–15 December. Time: 8:30am–12:30pm.

Venue: Emmarentia. Cost: R70 per morning.

Contact Yasmine: 079 473 8901 Top Tots Workshops aimed at child development from birth to preschool stage. Venue: several venues throughout Gauteng. Contact: 031 266 4910, 082 876 7791 or visit toptots.co.za

playtime and story time Photographic workshop

near Bryanston Organic Market. Contact Jean: 082 772 6469 Little Cooks Club programme Designed to encourage healthy eating habits in children, these interactive cooking classes allow moms and tots to create wholesome and delicious meals. Venue: Rivonia, Fourways, Fairland, Mondeor, Edenvale/ Bedfordview, Pretoria. Contact Christine: 083 556 3434, christine@littlecooksclub. co.za or visit littlecooksclub.co.za Moms and Babes Interactive workshops for parents with babies from 2–12 months.

Workshops include guided play with ageappropriate toys, movement to music and sensory stimulation. Venue: several venues throughout Gauteng. Contact: 011 469 1530 or visit momsandbabes.co.za Moms and Tots Interactive workshops for parents with tots from 1–3,5 years.

Workshops include free play with educational toys, music, stories and crafts as well as life skills, messy play and gross motor activities. Venue: several venues throughout Gauteng. Contact: 011 469 1530 or visit momsandtots.co.za Nanny and toddler workshops These Friday classes provide a morning of interactive play for toddlers aged 1–3 years.

Time: 9am–noon. Venue: Sandton Field and Study Recreation Centre, Parkmore.

Cost: R90. Booking essential. Contact Kerry: 083 391 4921 or kerry@toptots.co.za Preggi Bellies This one-hour cardio and weight-training programme is for expectant and post-natal moms and conforms to strict obstetric guidelines for exercising during pregnancy. Venue: Bedfordview, Craighall, Fourways, Melrose, Parkmore, Rivonia. Contact David: 011 440 6222 or visit preggibellies.co.za Pregnancy yoga Classes designed especially for expectant moms. Time: Monday 5:30pm–7pm, Tuesday 10am– 11:30am. Venue: Craighall and Athol.

Cost: R90 per class or R300 for four classes. Contact: theoni@consciousbirth. co.za or visit consciousbirth.co.za Sandton Medi-Clinic Maternity Ward

I-Play educational play zone and coffee shop Children can have fun in the play zone, which boasts a mini plane, trampoline and sandpits.

Moms can enjoy a coffee and can shop for decorations or school stationery. Time: Monday–Friday 9am–5pm, Saturday 9am– 1pm. Venue: Kayburne Ave, Randpark Ridge.

Cost: children R20. Contact Annemarie: 083 704 2834 Jelly Fish Secure indoor play area with coffee shop. Activities include gardening, art and crafts, dress up and free play. Time: 10am–4pm. Venue: lower level, Bedford Village Shopping Centre, cnr Van Buuren and Nicol Rds, Bedfordview. Cost: R100 for first hour; includes take-home art. R50 per hour thereafter. Contact: 011 024 2379 or visit jellyfishkids.co.za Jimmy Jungles Indoor adventure playground with supervised, secure facilities children from 6 months up to a height of 1,4m. Time: 9am–5pm. Venue: Shop 60, Stoneridge Centre, Modderfontein. Cost: R30 per hour. Contact: 011 452 2180 or visit jimmyjungles.co.za Jungle Rumble Indoor playground and party venue with an allocated baby area for babies from birth–3 years. Time: Tuesday– Saturday 9am–5pm, Sunday 10am–5pm.

Venue: Panorama Shop & Leisure Centre, cnr Kliprivier and Jordie Rd, Mulbarton. Cost: R15–R45. Babies under 10 months free. For more info: visit junglerumble.co.za Parkview Library story time Suitable for children under 3 years. Time: 10am,

tour Expectant parents are invited for a free tour of the maternity facilities every Wednesday. View the labour wards, water birth facilities, maternity units and suites. magazine joburg

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every Monday. Venue: Parkview Library, 51 Athlone Ave, Parkview. Cost: free entry.

Contact: 011 646 3375 Piccino’s Indoor soft-play area suitable for children aged 2–6 years and a coffee shop for moms. Time: 9am–5pm. Venue: Norwood Mall, Hamlin Rd, Norwood. Cost: R40 per hour. Contact: 011 728 0928 Yeesh! Fun for kids Supervised soft-play indoor playgrounds with coffee bars. Time: Tuesday–Sunday 9am–5pm. Venue: Unit G6, Woodmead Commercial Park, Waterval Crescent and 5 Main Rd, Bryanston.

Cost: R40 per hour. Contact Woodmead: 083 923 2306, Bryanston: 073 230 6531 or visit yeesh.co.za

support groups Adoption South Africa Offers support groups as well as extensive services in counselling and legal social work for parents wanting to adopt or who have adopted.

For more info: visit adoptionsa.co.za Bedwetting Support Group Contact: 083 289 6640, Monday–Friday 8am–5pm La Leche League Breast-feeding support group that offers information to moms. For more info: visit llli.org Post-natal depression support Assists mothers as well as other family members affected by post-natal depression. Contact: 011 786 8803, pndsagauteng@gmail.com or visit pndsa.co.za

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WWF is one of the largest environmental organisations in the world. It deals with a range of environmental issues ranging from flora and fauna to marine resource sustainability. Help them with their vision by participating in one of their fundraising initiatives, donate funds or simply change the way you live by recycling, conserving energy and re-using rain water. Find more tips at: visit wwf.org.za

SA Preemies Support group for parents and families of premature babies. Contact: 080 773 3643, support@sapreemies.za.org or visit preemiesforafrica.org South African Multiple Birth Association Provides moral and practical support to parents or guardians of multiple births. Contact: 0861 432 432 or visit samultiplebirth.co.za

how to help Angelic Hope is an Internet-based nonprofit organisation that assists various charities. They will be hosting Christmas parties for the Dolphin House in Pretoria, the destitute women at Faithful Care in Benoni and the children of Eden House.

They require Christmas trees, decorations and beverages. Clothing, toys and stationery are also needed. Contact: 082 784 0224, hope@angeliccreations.co.za or visit angelichope.yolasite.com Hospice Charity Shops A non-profit organisation that provides palliative care and support for terminally ill patients and their families. They do not receive state funding and raise funds through their shops. Contact Faheena or Amanda: 011 728 1052 or visit hospice.co.za Jungle Tots Mother Touch Academy provides preschool and educational facilities to the children in the impoverished Diepsloot area. They currently assist 90 children but the vision is to provide for more than 150. For their wishlist, contact: 078 500 6587, info@mothertouch.co.za or visit mothertouch.co.za

don’t miss out!

For a free listing, email your event to joburg@childmag.co.za or fax it to 011 234 4971.

Information must be received by 5 January 2011 for the February issue and must include all relevant details. No guarantee can be given that it will be published.

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last laugh

is your child your conscience?

Does it really matter who keeps who on the straight and narrow, asks SAM WILSON.

b

enj clattered into our bedroom one morning, after Andreas and I had been out clubbing for a sizeable portion of the night.

“Oh good grief,” he said crossly, as he plopped himself on the corner of the bed.

“Joe, come and look at this!”

Joe hurried in, took one look and started tut-tutting too. The foot of our bed was strewn with empty pie packets, and each of our bedside tables sported a giant can of Coke.

“Mommy and I were very hungry after a night of dancing and the garage shop was the only place open!” said Andreas defensively. “We know it was bad, but...”

(I was pretending to be asleep.)

Benjamin cut Andreas off with a dismissive wave.

“That’s not an excuse,” he said. “You could have made sandwiches when you got home. You were just too lazy. You wouldn’t let us eat midnight pies, would

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December 2010 / January 2011

you? And how is this different?” Nineyear-olds can have a very strong sense of injustice.

(Me? Still pretending to be asleep.)

“And Mom? That’s your fake snore,” said Joe, sternly. “No-one’s buying it.”

(Dammit.)

Now, this kind of thing has happened before in my home. But, I was telling one of my friends about it and she shook her head sternly at me.

“Sam, that’s terrible. We don’t want our children to be our consciences,” she said with a dismissive wave to my parenting skills.

I spent the requisite amount of time feeling appropriately chastened (read two days) before it occurred to me that I don’t actually agree with that sentiment.

Why shouldn’t my boys chip in on the collective conscience front? We try to be our sons’ consciences where appropriate, but both Dreas and I are pretty anti being

dictatorial – we’re bigger on discussion than declaration.

Just yesterday we had a rather vigorous debate as to whether we should continue ordering large pizzas for Pizza Party Night each Wednesday, enabling us all to have pizza for breakfast and lunch as well.

“But it saves on washing up! And cooking! And peanut butter!” argued Benj.

“And, and... we all really love pizza!”

“I know, I know. I thought those things too,” I conceded, “until I realised that we eat pizza for an entire day every week, which means we eat pizza nearly 15 percent of the time. That can’t be good.”

“In fact,” said Dreas,” I think it’s actively bad.”

“I see what you mean,” said Joe, glumly. “It’s more like Pizza Party Day, isn’t it?”

And there was reluctant agreement all round.

Now that the boys are big enough to have their own morals and opinions, I am not sure why they shouldn’t speak up when we, er, slip up. Because slipping up is part of human nature, we aren’t going to “parent” them out of that. But we can try to teach them to face up to stuff they may not be handling so well. (Read: eating all the pies.) And, surely, letting them draw attention to our own flaws and – this is the tricky bit – being seen to value their comments, is the best way to do that?

Sure, I have more experience than my children, but I don’t believe that makes me necessarily a better judge of right and wrong. I’m just old enough to take my own gut feelings more seriously.

And maybe that, in essence, is the core skill we should be trying to teach.

Sam Wilson is the Editor-in-Chief of Women24, Parent24 and Food24. She’s also genuinely distraught about this new pizza decision.

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PHOTOGRAPH: Andreas SpÄth

Joe, Sam and Benj