Essential toys for toddlers

Running a playgroup as well as having my own 2 year old little boy has brought about a new obsession. Toys! Especially the more expensive wooden variety. For our son's birthday we planned on getting him a scooter as he loves his plastic motorbike until we visited a shop in Constantia Village that stocks our favourite brand of wooden toys; Melissa and Doug. He sat playing with their wooden train set for 30 minutes and even though it was some what of an "investment piece" I knew my return would be very high. I have spent some time researching as well as observing the 7 children who attend my playgroup to see what toddlers really enjoy. The following list is applicable for the 2 to 3 year old age group mainly.

1. A plastic motor bike. They are on the bikes EVERY day. Our bike has attended all types of family functions as well as joined us on many road trips. The way he maneuvers himself up and down hills and around corners amazes me. He will move on to a scooter and mini bike shortly. The children also love pushing toys, our play trolley is a big hit!

2. A big round, plastic ball. As Barney says, "A ball is the favourite toy of all!" To hit, kick and throw, this is the second most popular toy at our playgroup. We do weekly Playball classes, which I can highly recommend, and the toddlers are drawn to those balls that come along as if it is some new toy they have never seen before.

3. Books. These are essential yet expensive. I get around this by visiting Reader's Warehouse often as well as going to the library.

4. Puzzles. I find that children need you to sit and do puzzles with them but it is quite time consuming which for a toddler is unheard of.

5. A toy kitchen. We love "cooking" chips, biscuits and raisins with the pots and pans.

6. Outdoor equipment. If you have the space; a sandpit, swing, slide, trampoline, climbing aparatus and see saw are all very popular with our bunch.

7. Creative supplies. Playdough, magic paint books (that have the paint printed on to the page so that you just need to apply water from Bargain Books and Reader's Warehouse), chunky crayons, rollerball paints (far less mess!) and stickers.

8. Toy cars, car garage and car mat.

9. Toy animals.

10. Baby doll, pram, blanket and play cot. These are a big hit with the boys and girls.

11. Dressing up clothes. We have collected things from our own wardrobes for the children to dress up with. They love it!

12. A small chair and table or art easel. Checkers have mini chalk boards for R50 that can be used as an easel. We often use our chair and table though.

13. Imitation adult toys. The children adore the toy vacuum, musical instruments, piano keyboard, keys, phones, etc as they remind them of mum and dad.

14. Sand and water play equipment. Essential for summers at the beach or playing outside, children love to get messy!

Anything else you can think of?

My Top List of iPad Apps

I received my very first apple product one year ago as a surprise from my husbud. It was love at first sight... For my toddler. He adores the iPad! We limit the time he spends on it but it has really come in handy in the early hours of the morning when we need some extra snoozing time. He has also learnt such a lot from it. I have been in two minds about technology with my toddler. On one hand I don't want him to miss out on reading a book in real life (although we read lots!) but I would be doing him a disservice by not teaching him about technology which will undoubtedly by a part of his future. We have had to find a balance. I am constantly looking for new apps for him to enjoy, I also get bored VERY easily so tend to update his game folders often.

We love anything by Toca Boca (Check out Train and Tea Party first) and Duck Duck Moose (start with Peek-a-Zoo), Pea Pod Labs also have some sweet educational things. The Alphabet app is a really good one too. There are many apps related to children's TV and book characters that we also enjoy. Noddy, Barney, Thomas as well as all the fairy tales are available. For interactive books the TT range in the Books image are great. We are really enjoying the Collins books too. Most of the apps in the Fun image I have got on promotion by following @smartapps4kids on twitter and following app producing companies directly as well as recommendations from friends. If I had to choose one from the list it would be Bizzy Farm, no Squiggles, no Pepi Bath... You will have to see for yourself.

The app I find most useful is the video downloader which allows you to save things off Youtube - hello late weekend mornings in bed while toddler catches up on new shows - Pinterest is my addiction and the games on the last row are all just for fun.

The gift of an ordinary day

This video makes me weep. I never want this season to end.

Love and disgust. But mainly disgust.

And as she handed their newborn son to her husband, her gaze did not leave the baby. Her protection for her child was shown through her loving touch and watchful eye as she gave her husband a much anticipated turn to hold their most loved blessing.

This could easily describe the exchange between Kate and William as they introduced their baby son, the future king of England, to the world a few weeks ago. Instead it describes something I witnessed at our church this past weekend. A couple were standing in front of me with their young newborn baby who they recently adopted. To watch them was to know their lives would never be the same.

To see this two weeks after our church experienced an armed robbery was just what I needed. I questioned going back. I fear something happening again. I have nightmares of not being able to protect my child in similar circumstances. I have had to have a serious conversation with my husbud about our security and our future in our country. I relive the running away, the fear, the screams from that morning so I desperately needed this vision of life moving on. Of love. I needed to hear the voices of our church singing in unison giving me goosebumps when we sing of God's love for us. I needed to live in the mundane. Unfortunately this is not normal for everyone. And that is what breaks my heart.

When I hear of a baby and her young brother being raped in our country it shocks me to my core. It makes me question life and how I live mine. It has made me question love. Love is not something automatically learnt but something we are taught. We are taught it by our parents who wake up patiently with us to comfort us at night, who feed us our favourite foods to warm our tummies, who read us our bed time stories for the umpteenth time and convince us we are important. That we are special. That we are loved. When I think of not being needed by my son one day during the middle of the night or to provide him with a meal I want to cry. I have to use this time I have been given by God to influence his life's decisions. I have to make sure that everything I do for him is from a place of deep love so that he can do the same. So that he can carry the baton of love to the next generation. I want him to think of me aware of my faults but able to say "That woman loved me every moment of my life" - in fact I loved him before he was knitted together in my womb.

We learn where to place our value from our parents . They provide, defend and protect us, asking us to do the same for our children, to their grandchildren, in return. We learn that our mother's have instincts stronger than any animal, that have been known to produce super human strength to protect their young. I know this feeling. I know it because my mother showed it to me and her mother showed her. I am teaching my son who I hope above most other things, goes on to show his children. You are loved.

“In society, women are referred to as the fairer sex. But in the wild, the female species can be far more ferocious than their male counterparts. Defending the nest is both our oldest and strongest instinct. And sometimes it can also be the most gratifying.”
Emily Thorne - Revenge

To these people that behave like animals, I am sorry. I am sorry that you didn't have someone to show you these things. I am sorry that you weren't taught love. Everyone deserves to experience love, to be protected and defended. To rob someone of their childhood and to destroy their experience of love is inexcusable. Your parents failed you and their parents failed them. You have failed us. I will live the rest of my life ensuring that the children God entrusts to me, grow up knowing that in the mundane, there is always love.

The end.

Birth story 20/05/2011

My experience of being a mother is exactly what I imagined minus about 2800 hours of sleep. Maybe more. My little boy is exactly how I imagined my child to be. He is adventurous, brave, confident, friendly, loving, cuddly, loud, fun and active. Mostly like his father but every now and then he does something which proves my gene pool was present in his genetic make up. We like the same foods, we have lots of fine, curly hair and he has my maternal grandfather's eyes. I love him. I will say it again, I LOVE HIM! He is such a joy and delight. There are many challenges, especially at the stage he is at; pushing boundaries, finding it difficult to share, answering everything with no... The list goes on. When I think about our challenges over the past 2 years nothing comes close to the day he was born.

My first visit to the gynae was to address my very irregular slash non existent menstrual cycle. She suggested we leave all birth control tablets alone and see how it went for the next year when Shaun and I would be ready to discuss children approaching 2 years of marriage, 8 and a half since we started dating. I plotted and graphed for 10 months. One day, on a whim, I decided to do a pregnancy test. I had just accepted a new job and one of the questions was about when I would be starting a family. I wanted to make sure I knew for certain before starting even though I had already accepted the post. Double line. I couldn't believe it. We did blood tests to confirm as I needed more proof and we told our parents. The 8 or 9 weeks I was pregnant I didn't feel at peace and when I started bleeding one Monday evening I knew that that was that. We went for a scan where there was no heart beat and the baby measured 3 weeks smaller than expected and we confirmed with a blood test which by this point I didn't need as I had start to pass blood clots and had terrible contractions for 2 days. I had a D & C which was actually a good experience. It is quick and painless and upon going under general anesthetic, my doctor rubbed my hand while we spoke about my baby being in heaven.

Shaun and I waited a cycle and then decided to wait until the new year until we tried to extend our family. Pah ha! The very next month I knew from the week of conception that I was pregnant. I did a pregnancy test and it was negative but I still wasn't convinced. I pushed the thought to the back of my head without discussing it with anyone even though a teacher at my school told me one of her 9 year old students had told her she thought I was pregnant! Two weeks went by and I did the test again. It was on a Tuesday, the day our housekeeper visited us (bless her) and Shaun happened to be in Durban with his dad. I had friends coming for dinner and I sat nibbling on my food, counting down the minutes until Shaun came home. A friend ended up staying over that night but that didn't stop me from telling Shaun our news. He was in shock and disbelief but his words to me were "We are going to have a son!" I had nausea until 21 weeks and felt kicks from about 16. I was in heaven. I always wanted to be pregnant and knew I was made to be a mother. My pregnancy was incredibly anxious for many reasons including being booked into hospital at 6 weeks with sever cramping but nothing to raise alarm bells for how it ended. We tried to find out what we were having but our little guy, being the feisty character he is, wouldn't show us so we decided to have a surprise which I don't regret.

At 30 weeks, 3 days before my 27th birthday I was admitted to hospital as I started having contractions. They were inconsistent but painful enough to leave me lying on the floor. That day, a Sunday, Shaun and I had taken friends dinner upon their return from hospital with their newborn little boy. She saw what I was experiencing and urged me to call my doctor. Instead I left it and had a rest. As I tend to do. Shaun watched a soccer game and I remember got quite irritated that I wanted to phone the hospital. I phoned anyway and they recommended I come in rather. We made the 30 minute journey, I was hooked up to the monitors and the midwife came to check up on us. My first tip to all parents to be is always go to antenatal classes at your hospital. It was so comforting knowing the staff and maternity ward already. My dear doctor arrived at 7:30pm to see what was going on for herself. She is a gem! On a Sunday evening she had gone for a run and turned around and bolted to the hospital as soon as she got the call. She is so dear to my heart and my main reason for having more children, I miss her! I ended up being released that evening after they were confident that the baby was okay. I was given antibiotics and a week of bed rest (which I didn't take...) to treat a bladder infection.

My bed rest was cut short due to the school I worked at at the time requiring me to come in and me not having learnt to say no yet. The following weekend Shaun and I went up to his family's farm in Still Bay for Easter and I just did not feel right. I didn't like the drive up, I didn't like being so far away from my doctor and I didn't like how I felt. I ended up spotting a little on the Sunday evening and immediately phoned the emergency number for my doctor. Dr Botha called right back (after hours on Easter Sunday night!!!) and as I had seen her on the Thursday she said she thought it may have been from my infection. The baby was still moving quite excitedly so that was also reassuring. We made plans for a check up the next week and we carried on as normal.

Three more weeks went by and it was pretty uneventful. My feet started swelling which I thought was normal and I started seeing a few spots in the sky, also normal, right? WRONG. On a Friday, when I was 33 weeks pregnant I lost my vision, my speech and any sense of calm I had been hanging on to until then. A perceptive little 6 year old girl in my class went and called another teacher who happened to be in her classroom. My colleagues all had frees but trust my luck that that day the timetable changed and I had to teach. I was taken home and a friend took me to have my blood pressure checked. It had been normal until then so I wasn't too sure what sparked this friend to think of that. It was astronomically high for me and I called my doctor. My mother in law arrived and drove me to the hospital where again baby was checked and I was sent home on strict bed rest. We had the discussion about keeping the baby in until 37 weeks and I was told that work was over with now. I stayed home the Monday and Tuesday (completely bored) and went to vote on the public holiday, 18 May 2011. I had a check up on the Thursday morning where everything seemed normal (which apparently does not mean return to work, Cara, who knew?) and she drew some blood to check on a few other things. At 2pm I let my girls out and I immediately got a call from my mum saying my gynae had been trying to get hold of me and was furious that I was at work. I was carted back off to hospital as my test results were bad and I had to have a 24 hour urine test. Lovely! I was very spoilt due to the fact that I knew the staff well after my 30 week visit and antenatal classes. Although writing this now I think maybe the fact that I got a private room right in front of the nurses station was probably due to my disobedience and my doctor wanting to make sure I didn't get up to any more tricks.

Further testing was done and when my doctor got the results she came to see me and told me she needed to speak to her partner about delivering either that day or the Monday. When I saw the urgency in her face I knew ‘this’ wasn't actually in my power. I had tried to control everything until this point but it just wasn't going to go my way any longer. I had planned to have a doula, delivery to be natural and preferably 4 days after my due date when our GAP cover would kick in for the birth. I was so emotional. I felt like I could be losing another child but actually all I lost was control over a completely uncontrollable situation. It has been the biggest lesson I have had to learn. My gynae assured me that nothing would happen to "our" (being hers, his and mine) baby on her watch and she called me an hour later saying her colleague agreed, delivery would be today, 20 May 2011. Exactly one month after my birthday and I love the number 20.

On a whim, the night before the birth I had told Shaun to charge the camera. He almost hadn't as we were both so deep in denial that we were becoming parents so suddenly. That Friday, he got his very first flat tyre and said his very first very rude word while driving to the hospital. My family arrived and we waited for things to start. Contractions had begun, signaling to me that physically my body was ready to deliver. I begged to be induced so I could have my natural labour but my doctor was in such a rush to get our baby out that she could only explain simply why this could not be done and that I needed surgery as soon as possible. The surgery was quiet, fairly quick and rather unemotional. He didn't cry, we couldn't cut the cord and shortly after delivery, the pediatrician, our new baby and Shaun bolted up to the NICU. I was sewn up while my doctor and her partner chatted and then I was wheeled into recovery. There I was told that I would not be going up to see my baby but instead would be spending the night in ICU. I tried to cry but I had nothing. I had various visitors, I took a sleeping tablet and I checked Facebook for photos my husband posted of our son. I had a son. A son that I had not held, fed or named. I cry as I write about this two years later and although I think I have healed there is still so much sadness.

At 5am the next morning the pediatrician on duty came to introduce himself and tell me that my little boy was being taken off CPAC and had received my milk which the amazing lactation consultant at the Kingsbury Hospital, Pauline had hand expressed. I started to worry that my little boy wouldn't recognise me, that we wouldn't bond and that I wouldn't love him. At midday I was wheeled back upstairs into a general ward as I didn't have my baby with me I didn't get first choice of room. The three other ladies in the ward all had their babies. They cried and fed and dirtied their nappies which their mothers got to change. I had none of that. I couldn't move as I was still in so much pain from the c-section and my baby lay down the hall away from me while my husband got to cuddle and touch. I was wheeled to see him and eventually put in a wheelchair for the staff to transport me back and forth. Due to the complications surrounding my condition, GPH, I was still very woozy and not able to walk. My blood pressure hadn't come down yet which was highly unusual so I felt like I was going to explode momentarily.

I had visitors, I tried ineffectively to eat and was in a lot of pain. I decided to get up and walk as soon as I was allowed even though I had never felt so much pain thanks to the emergency ceaser. I do wonder if my slow healing had to do with my attitude towards the surgery. I walked to and from the NICU, battling to stay calm, having panic attacks and feeling completely out of control. In the early hours of the Sunday morning, after the nursing staff eventually put me in my own room rather reluctantly I pulled myself towards myself. I had let the nurses tell me what was best for my child when I knew he needed to be with me. I removed him from his incubator and placed him skin to skin on my chest. I had been trying to express until this point with very little luck which had started to further stress me out. I had nurses barking in my ears about 4 hourly feeds, timing feeds and telling me to go sleep with the help of a sleeping tablet.

Deep breath in. Shut voices up. Baby on boob. Suck. Success. He has barely left that place since.

The one part of motherhood I could control was listening to my instincts and doing what I could for my child. It didn’t all go well from then on. We chose to have him circumcised which was a rather negative experience. My father rather inappropriately voiced his opinion and the doctor we had, Dr Barnard, was an utterly awful man and will not be allowed within ten feet of my next child, boy or girl. He also did not remove enough skin on the circumcision and removed too much on another boy born in our antenatal group. This little boy had to have a skin graft and further surgery. A few of the nurses gave me conflicting advice about breastfeeding but luckily I had Pauline and then my amazing clinic run by Lynne Heydenrech in Constantia. I also had a very big disagreement with the pediatrician the hospital assigned us despite her amazing photographing skills at the birth. In saying that, next time round I am still keen to deliver at the Kingsbury. It is like a hotel, it is familiar and it is the only hospital where my doctor delivers babies. The sisters are caring and loving and came as quick as I pressed the call button. I will have a different attitude though. I will go in with an open mind although I will prepare myself in every way to deliver naturally. I will not listen to others but instead my own heart and spend as much time as I feel is necessary with my child on my chest. I also know that it is not my birth story but my child’s and he has no memory of the 20 hours we spent a part. We couldn’t be closer or more in love and it is a great pity that I had to lose control in order to learn that you actually cannot control it all and sometimes, on the odd occasion, you have to let go and just trust because honestly you have no other option.

Slugs and snails and puppy dogs' tails

This may get ugly.

A few weeks ago I was introduced to a young, single woman at church who chose her first words to me to be "Is this your monster?" while pointing at my child. I, of course, corrected her by introducing her to my son and ended the conversation very quickly. This event was the cherry on top of almost 2 years of derogatory comments I have become aware of since having a son.

Listen up mothers of boys, we have a responsibility to stop the negative reputation our soon to be men are receiving. They are not terrors or monsters or made of slugs, snails and puppy dogs' tails. They are children of God, fruits of our womb and in my opinion, delights! Men have it hard enough.

I have no doubt that if we had had a girl we would be having different irks. When mothers, because it generally is always the mother, says she wants a girl to "dress up" I want to laugh out loud. Really? I adore dressing my son, choosing his outfits, shopping for his clothes, but it takes all of 3 minutes. What do you do with your pretty princess for the next 11 hours 57 minutes of the day? Is that all they are? In my opinion we are teaching little girls that they are above normal childhoods and must rather be show pieces of their mother's shallow desires.

I dislike generalisation of the sexes and am particularly sensitive towards this. Why, when my son is climbing or running or doing any other normal toddler activity, is he automatically a "typical boisterous boy". No, he is a toddler who has an abundance of energy that needs to be celebrated. I will not make excuses for him based on his sex nor will I change my expectations.

I went through 3 months of depression after the stash of clothing we had received as gifts ran out and I had to go out for the first time and buy his summer wardrobe. For every boys' item in the shops, there were 3 more for girls. It blows my mind that still to this day I have to order clothes from overseas stores in order to stock up his wardrobe, as unless I want a mini Spiderman or Ben 10 running around my house he won't have any clothes!

I have a friend that makes my mild tempered husband's blood boil. Everytime we see her, which is not too often thankfully, she comments on how happy she is to have a daughter rather than a son. Her daughter was the product of regimented sex on certain days, at certain times, in certain positions while eating certain foods. Come on. Really? Does she not realise that we have a son and may be offended by her comments? Or is she just so unhappy with her choice of partner that the thought of a child resembling him makes her panic?

What about my other friend's ballerina teaching sister who after 3 sons went on to have her husband's sperm washed to get rid of the male sperm in order to have a tutu clad princess? Guess what she just gave birth to? A boy, of course. I love it when God has a sense of humour.

A part of me can understand that when we have another child the desire to have a daughter. I would love my husband to have a daughter as he grew up with only boys. I also worry that having another son would take away from my relationship with my first born, that I wouldn't be able to love the new boy the same. Then I am reminded of the fact that in a male dominated Eachus family, each and every one of them are completely different. That my son is exactly the type of child I imagined and that the next baby will have his or her personality and we will have a completely different and unique relationship. Would I be disappointed if we had another boy? NEVER! I have loved every minute of having a son. Would I have enjoyed having a daughter less? NEVER! It would have been the same amount of love, dedication and similar yet different challenges based on our journey together.

The lesson to be learnt is that every child no matter there sex is a blessing and completely unique. Their temperament and upbringing will mould their personality, not what hangs, or doesn't hang, between their legs. If you go into parenthood with an expectation of either a son or daughter, you are setting yourself up for disappointment from the get go. It is completely out of your control. All you can offer is lots and lots of love.

Okay, that wasn't as ugly as I imagined. Exhale.

Oh how I love to make milkshakes!

Today my boy is 694 days old. I have been breatfeeding for 692 days. Soon, soon I will get the courage to write about the 2 day difference but for now I will concentrate on what is good, what is lovely and what is wonderful. I make the most amazing milkshakes. I have only had 100% good reviews. My little boy has thrived on the blessing that is breastfeeding. It makes me sad to think that I don't have 692 days left to breastfeed him and we are way past the mid way point but so glad to know that I have made it this far.

Setting out I had planned on breastfeeding for one year. That seemed like a good amount of time. Then I had a baby. After some talking to breastfeeding specialists, research and my own gut instinct I knew that for MY child the best thing would be to breastfeed him for 2 full years. We are 37 days away from my goal.

My precious little boy getting my milk which was hand expressed before going into theatre 20/05/2011

I have seen the benefits every day. He was born at 34 weeks 3 days yet was released from hospital with me at 4 days old. He reached his birth weight in 10 days and weighed over 9kg at 6 months old when I introduced solids. My decision to introduce solids was based on a lot of research too, as well as my gut instinct, but it came down to the fact that solids replace some of the milk and this wasn't what I wanted for MY child. He eats olives, devours sour things and helps himself to any of the other foods in the fridge. He has had one mild ear and chest infection in 2 years and continues to dodge nasty bugs all the time. His milestones have been advanced even though he has had very little sleep in those 2 years. He is happy, he is content, he is a blessing. I realise I can't credit it all to 2 years of nursing, but breastfeeding my child has formed part of my parenting. He never took any type of comforter other than the breast. We fed more or less on demand (every 2 hours until 14 weeks old) from the get go and he hasn't spent more than a few hours away from me in his life. I have been very lucky to have had the opportunity to parent in this way and I do realise this. I know that it will take him a little longer than other children to separate from me but when he does he will be an emotionally stable, confident child who has no doubts he is loved and prioritised.

My gut instinct told me from that first cry he needed to be on my chest. Unfortunately this was not possible for us but he has made up for it! He knows that I want to be the one to comfort him, that he is not alone in this scary world. My type A personality had to turn away from schedules and routines and instead adapt to the needs of my baby. He has learnt now that milk is only for bed time and we feed only when I put him down at night. We are far from having breastmilk as a source of nourishment but it is now about the comfort and the signal for sleep. He is busy cutting his last set of molars and when that is complete I will look at dropping that feed too. We'll see how he goes as it isn't only about me. It makes me sad that this chapter is coming to an end but I know we won't be any less close or spend any less time together. I look forward to the new experiences that graduating from this stage brings. It makes me very happy to know that I will get to do it again one day. Not yet but sometime in the future.

My decision to practise this type of parenting and extend my breastfeeding past the typical year point has been met with some criticism by family members and friends, not to mention the community at large. I am not the typical "attachment parent", nor do I wish to stereotype myself as one, and I think it comes as a surprise to some people which is good. I don't breastfeed in public anymore (not necessary anymore) and sometimes I did say no to him when it isn't convenient for me to feed. We shouldn't make decisions based on stereotypes. I don't make my decisions based on what my next door neighbour is doing but on what worked for me, my child and what felt good AND THAT is what it comes down to. In parenting I won't ever do ANYTHING I don't feel comfortable with. I do a whole lot of talking, reading, consulting my "village" and praying about it if I am not completely sure.

I am so grateful for my milkshake makers. Even though 692 days down the road they look like wilted tulips they still make the best milkshakes!

Motherhood is a full time job!

I love my little boy but oh boy is bringing him up a full time job. He requires a hawks eye, guarding him from causing destruction to my home but mainly to himself.

I am sooo lucky to be able to stay home with him but I still see 4 students a week with 2 more asking for lessons. A love this time out with other non-babbling human beings. Sometimes I really can't understand how some of my mommy friends are employed full time as well as being amazing wives and mothers, but maybe they have the solution? Being able to go to the loo whenever you want in peace or drinking a cup of tea when you are thirsty seem like huge perks to going back to work.

While I write this I am trying to count the number of friends I have that are stay at home moms, not work at home moms of which I know plenty... Three! And all 3 of these will have to start contributing to the family budget as soon as they have finished burping, breastfeeding and potty training their babies.

Luckily I am fully aware that my main job, even though I don't get monetary pay, is to bring our son up to be all he can possibly be one day. And for this I am grateful.

Sleep Suggestions

I found this table (I love tables) on sleep suggestions. I read today, which i found interesting, that the maximum amount of awake time before bed time should be 3 hours. Anything more than that and your baby gets into a state of over tiredness and makes bed time a performance

A good read

My life has been made richer by following this blog. As a mom of 5, her dedication to this blog is amazing! She regularly updates it with the most interesting tips, information, suggestions, ideas, poems, photos, cute pictures and crafts. I look forward to receiving her updates! It is a highly recommended read for every parent. Enjoy!

http://magicalchildhood.wordpress.com/

Safety in the home

Recently I was asked to speak about safety in the home to a mom's group that my mother in law runs. It was great to do some research and as I practised my talk to my husband the night before we found that we also needed to make some changes now that our little guy is growing up a little. These are my notes.

Top 10 causes of death in infants and children:

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Suffocation

Traffic injuries

Drowning

Fire/Burns

Poisoning

Natural Environment

Falls

Choking

Abuse

Influenza/Pneumonia

General Safety:

Use safety gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs. Screw them into the wall rather than buying the “pressure gates”. Always use safety straps on high chairs, changing tables and strollers. Portable chairs or piccolos should be kept on the floor and not on a surface when baby is in them. Practise a safe way to get out of your house in the case of a fire or an intruder. Always have a “safe” place to meet in case of an emergency. Encourage children to learn your name and cell phone number. Install safety covers on electrical outlets and make sure your plugs are switched off when not in use. If you have a pool; a pool gate and net need to be installed. A safety alarm bracelet can also be worn by children who enjoy playing outside by the pool. Never leave your children unsupervised. Traffic injuries can easily happen!

Poisonings:

Cleaning products, medicines, alcohol and other poisons need to be placed in a cabinet with a child safety lock or latch. Things labeled: caution, warning, danger, poison, keep out of reach – all need to be put away out of sight. Don’t give your child any medication not prescribed. Even natural medications can have major complications. Aspirin, anti-nausea and adult medications are big no no’s. Remember to regularly clear out expired medications.

Fires and Burns:

Always keep a baby carrier near the baby’s bed so that you can find it fast in case of a fire. You can use it to keep your hands free in getting to a safe place. Matches and lighters need to be packed away in a locked cupboard. Bath water should not exceed 37 degrees. Use a bath thermometer to check this. Invest in a fire alarm. Stay by the stove when cooking, leaving something frying is especially dangerous. Lower the temperature on your geyser to prevent the water in your taps getting too hot, it will also save on electricity.

Breathing:

All babies should be put to sleep alone on their backs. Keep any extras, pillows, blankets and toys out of their sleeping space. Do not hang anything with strings or ribbons over their bed. Mobiles should be removed when baby has learnt to sit. Window blind cords should not have a loop, cut any in two pieces. Place the cord high up where children cannot get them. Children can choke on small things like buttons, coins, jewelry and toys. Make sure there are none lying around. If something is small enough to fit into a toilet paper tube it is not safe for little children. Check the labels on your children’s toys so that they are playing with things made for their age. Cut your child’s food into small bite size pieces and make sure they eat sitting down. Round, hard food like boiled sweets and big nuts are very dangerous. If your child is chocking, help them by raising their arms above their head to clear the passage way or hold them upside down and firmly hit them on the back. Never leave your baby alone in or near water, not even for a second. Bath mats or seats are great but not an excuse to leave your child unattended. Buckets should be stored upside down to prevent them from collecting water as small children can drown in 1 – 2 inches of water. Have locks on toilet lids or even better, keep your bathroom locked. Keep all plastic bags away from children.

First Aid kit essentials:

• plasters

• bandages

• gauze

• hand cleansing gel

• gloves

• first aid guide

• instant ice pack

• wash cloth

• Aloe Vera jelly packs

• thermometer - check when they are healthy, should not exceed 37,5-38 degrees Celsius when sick

• tape

• tweezers

• safety pins

• swabs

• family information (allergies, emergency numbers, etc)

• Burn Shield

• saline spray

• Panado/Nurofen/Calpol/Stopayne (for children)

• Aqueous cream (good for burns and irritations)

• Karvol

• Mucus sucker

• syringes (to administer medication)

• Rescue Remedy

• Bactizip

• Herbaforce Graze & Weeping wound powder

• GP/Paed recommended cough syrup (I have Prospan)

• GP/Paed recommended suppositories for fever and/or vomitting (I have Empamed for fevers)

It is essential that every parent and/or care giver attend a First Aid Course and have it renewed in the recommended time frame. You should have an ‘IN CASE OF EMERGENCY’ list on your fridge where details can be kept. You and your partner’s contact information, emergency numbers, simple instructions, escape routes, medical information about your child, food and drink list and activity schedule can be put on there so that all care givers and family members have the same information. Laminate it and keep a copy in your child’s bag for when they go visit at someone else’s home. Label all their medication and belongings.

For breathing problems (drowning, suffocation, choking), car accidents, head or neck injuries or an overdose of medication go to your nearest hospital (Private or State) or call an ambulance. For all other medical emergencies (sever bleeding, head trauma, seizures, meningitis, dehydration, broken bones, bad burns, other breathing issues, fever and bacterial infections) you can visit the hospital covered by your medical aid. Have a good relationship with your child’s doctor and ask them questions about general “what ifs” so you stay prepared.

8 keys for building relationships that bond

1. Unconditional love from you
2. Scheduled time with your children (put them in your diary!)
3. Focused attention (no cellphones, computers etc)
4. Eye contact (when they talk to you!)
5. Ongoing communication
- Have dinner together
- Read bedtime stories and talk about the stories
- Share experiences
6. Meaningful touching (give them hugs, wrestle with them, tickle them)
7. Have fun together
8. Pray together

Eat yourself 'slim'!

'Slim' being the Afrikaans word for smart or clever, not skinny! As previously stated it is important for our senses to be involved while learning. One way to include our sense of taste as well as incorporate some movement is to have a variety of snacks while studying for a big test or exam or even while sitting in a lesson at school or university. Be creative, have an assortment and munch away! Here are my suggestions for healthy snacks:

• cut up slices of cheese
• a yoghurt
• pretzels
• rice cakes
• a cup of soup or two minute noodles (great choices in this weather!)
• cut up carrots, cucumber, baby tomatoes, celery sticks, brocolli florets (I love the small packets from Woolworths that are always on special - buy 3 for R20) with a salad dressing dip
• cut up apples, pears, peaches, plums and berries
• biltong
• nuts

Remember to keep your fluid intake up. A glass of milk, a health smoothie, Rooibos tea, diluted fruit juice or some water are good options.

None of these should take the place of your 3 daily meals which should be balanced and healthy too. Try to incorporate foods from the entire food pyramid, a unhealthy treat never hurt anyone! Breakfast is essential as we need the minerals and vitamins to absorb information through out the day. Try some sugar free cereal with some cut up fruit to sweeten it, scrambled eggs and toast, a bagel with cream cheese and jam, yoghurt and muesli, oats with honey, cinnamon topped with some berries.

To bare it all?

Barefoot is best! I was reminded recently. When we learn we need to involve as many of our senses as possible. It is how, after all, how God intended us to be. I have been fortunate enough to work in a school environment where children are allowed to remove their shoes as they wish. This allowed for a much more relaxed and therefore learning effective environment. When we move our feet we are lengthening the nerves running from the tips of our toes to our head. Children are able to concentrate better by stretching these nerves, therefore, encourage your child to walk on their heels to their tip toes and back again as often as possible to give their brains a good workout. We are also able to take in more about the space we find ourselves in and be introduced to textures underfoot we may have missed out on. Shoes were designed to be worn when necessary and not as a permanent feature. Take the "bricks" off your child's feet and bare it all! To read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/aug/09/barefoot-best-for-children

A calling...

A baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"
God said, "Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."
The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy."
God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you.  And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."
Again the small child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?"
God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak."
"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"
God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."
"Who will protect me?"
God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life."
"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."
God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you."
At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."
God said, You will simply call her, "Mom."