Archive for May, 2010

Space Chimps 2 went on circuit  on Friday. We want to know what you think.  The first 5 reviews to be published on this page will receive a Space chimps t-shirt and cap. Please email us your reviews.

synopsis:
Follow Comet, the young tech-whiz chimp who longs to be taken seriously as a full-fledged space chimp. Comet journeys to the fantastical Planet Malgor and bonds with the adorable alien Kilowatt, living out his ultimate fantasy. However, when the feared alien ruler Zartog takes over Mission Control, Comet must show he has the right stuff and join fellow chimps Ham, Luna, and Titan to save the day

By Angel Swemmer, a  mom to a teenage-almost-adult ADHDer and what I write is purely my opinion on things I feel strongly about, based on my experience as an ADHDer parent. Author of the blog Angelsmind and maker of fabulous cupcakes

Over and above the debate about whether or not to medicate a diagnosed ADHDer, this is possibly the next most contentious issue- with parents and professionals differing in opinion.

Many parents are told by their child’s doctor- if they decide to medicate their ADHDer with stimulant medication- that it is okay to stop meds over weekends and during school holidays. Contrary to popular belief, the main reason this practice was even started was because one of the side effects of stimulant meds is a suppressed appetite, and sometimes these kids battle to pick up weight. The idea of “meds holidays” was a way to let the child gain some of his or her appetite whilst off his medication.

Here’s why I don’t agree with taking a break.

Medicating an ADHDer aids him in quieting his brain so that he can take in what he’s hearing in any given situation. It aids him in not getting out of his seat or calling out in class without realising he’s doing it. The right dosage of the right meds can do wonders for an ADHDer at school.

But that’s not all.

Having a less rushed, more organised thought process allows an ADHDer to learn from social cues as well. When he can focus, he can pay attention to you as his parent when you are trying to teach him a life lesson like not interrupting an adult conversation, or waiting his turn for the swings in the park.

When he can focus properly on what is going on around him, he will most likely take a bath, try to tidy his room, or get ready to go out for a visit almost when you ask him to.

If like my son Damien, your ADHDer has ADHD combined type- inattention and hyperactivity- then every single aspect of his life is affected by his disorder and he will need full time treatment. Why risk subjecting him to possible ridicule or let his self-esteem take a hammering in social situations? Look back a little on your own experiences as a parent to your ADHDer. When you do not medicate him, and you spend time with friends and family on weekends and during holidays, does your ADHD child have any fun? Do you? Are you constantly asking him to sit still, to talk softer, to eat “nicely”, not to shout, not to climb on granny, to get off the table…?

That said, if your ADHDer only battles with concentration but not with hyperactivity and his biggest issues are school related, then perhaps a medication break or a reduced dose over weekends will not have as big an impact as on a hyperactive ADHDer.

I do suggest that you take into account your child’s own history, personality and behaviour before deciding to stop his medication entirely, simply because the doctor said you can or because your child isn’t going to school that day.

Other articles to read:

ADHD drug holidays– a good idea?

ADHD Children’s Issues

Taking A Vacation From ADHD Medication

by Joy Robyn Dembo, married, with an 18 year old son and a 25 year old daughter.  Addicted to the www, particularly Twitter. Recruitment Response Handling Consultant and Freelance Copywriter, vegetarian and animal lover.  Here’s her blog.

I remember fervently waiting outside on the balcony of my mom’s house, looking at the moon and listening to my portable radio, on that fateful night in 1969.  Would the moon fall out of the sky?  Would the astronauts return safely?  Would we see anything different? The excitement was reaching fever pitch and I felt privileged to be living through one of the most amazing feats in the history of our planet.

My point?

Well, whilst I am not trying to liken the Apollo 11 Mission to the 2010 World Cup, I certainly see the same sense of wonder and excitement in the eyes of SA kids – big and small!  That “WOW” factor is certainly here, as the excitement reaches fever pitch.

I am sure every South African child, affluent and impoverished, is counting down the 11 sleeps till the kick off!  My son is almost 19 and he is as excited as hell, and my mom works in a primary school, and she has told me how the kids are getting into the spirit,  and even the kindergarten kids are doing the “Football Friday thing” Companies are having foosball competitions, wearing soccer shirts, flying flags, Organising WC Sweeps, decorating their foyers with football related “stuff” and sending their clients tickets and branded memorabilia.

Parents are equipping their kids with vuvuzelas and makarapas and the sound of the Vuvu now generates huge excitement and anticipation, as opposed to annoyance. Kids are urging their parents to fly colourful flags on their cars and cover their mirrors with flag bedecked mirror covers.

Kids are filled with wonder at the thought of  Beckham, Ronaldo, Gerard, Messi and  Drogba arriving on our shores during the next week or two.  Did they ever dare to dream that their heroes would actually be right here in their back yard?

I queued for 7 hours outside FNB, Eastgate on 15 April, just so my son could say “I was there!”. I made friends with many wonderful parents, in that queue, who were there for exactly the same reason.  I laughed when a fairly affluent gentleman told me that he had already spent R10 000 on tickets just so his daughter could see Italy play, as the Italian players are her heroes.

All this, and the World Cup hasn’t even started.  The football fever started before some of our kids were born, and when others were in nappies, but young and old, they are all feeling the wonder I felt over 40 years ago.

Now, you tell me that the 2010 World Cup cannot be viewed by our children in much the same way that I viewed the Impending moon landing?

by Merle Dieterich, passionate mom and businesswoman whose 2 beautiful children, Lerato and Marvin never cease to amaze and teach her about what counts. You’ll find her at  jozikids.co.za

I was taken slightly off guard when my son asked me on Friday afternoon if he could make his own Makarapa for the soccer World Cup. I didn’t  have a clue where to start but did what I usually do when I feel clueless, turn to the internet.  Here  I found a couple of ideas about how to begin.

First step was acquiring a protective helmet which we found at one of our local hardware stores. Then a few calls to paint stores confirmed that we would use water based acrylic paint to paint on the plastic. I have subsequently learnt that one can first spray plastic primer on the helmet to prevent the paint from peeling but we didn’t do this.

My kids suggested they use white board markers to draw their initial design ( brilliant suggestion!)   Armed with the helmets,  markers, paint and protective clothing, the work began – designing, drawing and painting

Younger children  can simply decorate the helmet with paint, my 8 yr old  daughter also used spray paint but my son was determined to create a more elaborate sculpture. After some experimentation we  discovered that we could melt, cut and mould the plastic with our gas cooker.  Please note this  does require a lot of supervision and the right tools.  Here are some suggestions:

- use a gas lighter or  blow torch  to melt the plastic slightly ( not more than – 5-10sec)
- make sure you have cloth gloves or a cloth to protect your hands from the heat
- use  a small serrated edge knife to cut through the plastic. (we used the one we  cut tomatoes with),
- once cut and slightly soft you mould the plastic to the shape you want it.

And here we have  the proud artists displaying their work!

It was all so exciting, my son couldn’t stop. He transformed an old pair of rubber sandals, painted a vuvuzela and has ordered some more helmets to keep him busy for the next 2 weeks. The only thing we haven’t figured out yet  is what varnish to use as a fixative, as the acrylic paint does tend to peel.

Now its your turn to help your children make Makarapas and win a prize! Every child who makes one is a winner on Jozikids.
Just send us  a photo of your childwearing their own homemade markarapa to : info@jozikids.co.za. , we will publish the photo and send you the prize.

P.S. We subsequently bought a Gripseal wood sealant which we coated the finished helmets with to prevent peeling.  You can also spray a plastic primer  on the helmet before painting. We found one called Sprayon vinyl paint at Jack’s Paint.

by Sheriza Bolton, a single mother of two and a full time worker. Find her on facebook

I have been a single mum for almost 10 years.  It is difficult and challenging to be a parent today and it is even more difficult to raise children alone.  We as parents are often overwhelmed and lacking the parenting skills necessary to do a good job. But good solid parenting has less to do with the number of parents in the home and more to do with the quality of parenting. Whether the single parent household is headed by a mother, father, or a grandparent, raising children alone is an enormous task. I decided that I would be the best I could be as a single mum and give my daughter “a rising star” in the modeling world and a soccer player in the making, a life they deserved.  How do I describe this amazing feeling about my kids, especially my little girl who has brought so much joy to my heart as well as family, friends and our community?

My little daughter had flair for dancing and modelling at the age of 3. The camera loved her and vice versa. I decided to take a chance and said if this is what she wants, then let’s explore it to a professional level. She entered a competition called the Little Miss Fashion Icon, and won. What a big achievement for her at this tender age. She is now involved with a lot of community work and charity campaigns for orphanages and old age homes in our community.  She is currently assisting with the winter warm up campaign for the Maren Mission Children’s Home.  She has had the opportunity to see kids that are less fortunate then her; this has changed her mind about the world. She has now adopted one of the kids and we will be taking care of her by providing her with clothes, food etc every month. I am so proud of her.

I have learnt so much from Tazlyn, the sweetness and spice of little girls, patience and forgiveness as she stretches my tolerance with the sulky attitude of a 6 year old.  Whatever she has chosen to become, I will still feel proud of her simply because she has the key to my heart forever .

A she grows a little day by day, I pray that God lights the path, to guide her on her way.  What I want most for my daughter is that she be able to soar confidently in her own sky, whatever that may be.

This proves that single parents can raise good kids too!

By Jacqui Janse van Rensburg who has lived in Johannesburg all her life. In her 42 years she has been a daughter, a sister, a wife, a girlfriend, an employee and is a CFO, but at last she can celebrate being a MOMMY! You can find her on twitter @JaxJvR

Saturday I got some time out from being MOMMY! for a few hours! My bestie, Lynne, had her birthday brunch in the gardens at Broadacres in Fourways! How awesome to sit with such fantastic women, we laughed, giggled, gossiped, even cried a little, then laughed some more!

It amazes me that at this time in my life I have managed to surround myself with such dynamic women! Women who are just so fabulous that I honestly WANT to spend my morning chatting to them. And we are so different. Some are married with no kids, some are married with 2 kids, already grown up and out of home, and some are divorced and still hunting Mr Right, some are dating Mr Right Now. But all are comfortable to be who they are.

Sunday I dragged my bored husband around the shops, looking for new shoes for my baby boy, and once again, I am reminded about how quickly he is growing up. I grabbed a pair of shoes off the shelf, thinking they were huge, and should last at least 6 months. Got home and wrote his name in them, ready for school this morning. But much to my horror, I could not even squeeze them on his rather alarmingly large feet! At 2 years old he is wearing shoes that would fit his cousin, who will be turning 4 in July! oh dear!

Which day did I enjoy most this weekend? Being the Girl-out-on-the-town, swilling back champagne and orange juice, or pulling a pre-teen, bored husband, and tantrum toddler around the shops? Well, I’ll leave that one to you to answer.

I will end off saying, God bless my bed! it is heaven on earth!

by Melanie Minnaar who works in corporate marketing communications and is currently enjoying her maternity leave.  Mother to ‘archangels’, Michael and Gabriel,  wife to an IT consultant she is an information-junkie,  hooked on technology and online social networking. You can tweet her @MelanieMinnaar

One of the legacies passed on to me by my parents was respect for elderly people. In today’s society where older people are often seen as irrelevant at best and useless at worst, it has become very important to me that I find a way to instill this same value into my own children.

One of my favourite childhood memories is that of going to visit the Red Cross Old Age Home with my mother.  We would pick flowers from our garden and hand them out to the residents. My mom would take biscuits or small gifts for special occasions. The delight on the recipients faces would light up the room and the experience clearly made an impact on me as this is form of philanthropy is something that is very dear to me still.

My family now visits the Chinese Home for the Aged in Joburg as often as we can. We’ve even held our Easter egg hunt in the gardens of the home. This was great fun for the kids, but even more rewarding as the residents were only too happy to be witness to the joy on the childrens faces. I hope that this has a positive and lasting effect on my sons and so will continue the small bit of kindness that we can contribute back to the elderly.

Here are some ideas for you to also help our children remember our aged with respect and in a positive way:

Whatever and however you choose to bridge the link to the elderly with your children, keep it positive and don’t expose your very young children to the negatives which they won’t be able to comprehend at the time; illness, grief, debilitating mental conditions.

I’m so thankful for this value that my parents passed on to me and one of my hopes for my children is that they don’t ever feel this concept referred to as the “generation gap”. The disconnect that can happen between the young and the old is indeed a sad loss. As relationships continue to break down in our society due to neglect, I believe that it’s vitally important to intentionally teach our children how to build them up.

By Claire Booth, mother of three gorgeous daughters and business owner (definitely in that order) of micro scooters . Loves cycling, tennis, travelling and spends every afternoon as chauffeur to her busy girls.

I have three very different children, one’s into dancing and art and is not bothered about TV, two are sporty and love reading, one of those would watch T.V every day if she could (I’m a ‘no TV or computer games from Monday to Friday mom’) and fortunately all three are full of beans and are still at the stage when they want to spend time with their parents.  So, what can we all enjoy doing? Cycling is something that all five of us have enjoyed together but..there’s a 3 year gap between my eldest and youngest which inevitably means that on a bike ride the little one gets left behind, very frustrating for her. Even going for walks means someone’s always left trailing, which leads me to the best discovery I’ve made.. three wheeled micro scooters. On these stunning scooters my youngest can easily keep up with older siblings (and ageing parents!) and therefore everyone enjoys the outing a lot more, and even better – there’s no moaning! I too, love scooting, and keeping up with my girls  and their friends  is great for fitness , and much more interesting than a gym workout!

One of my daughter’s Godmothers introduced us to micro scooters a few years ago and I couldn’t believe how my kids took to them. We started with the one present which they all desperately wanted to ride and it was quickly apparent we needed more! It surprised me how much time they spent on them every single day, the novelty just didn’t seem to wear off, and they are still going strong.

When the opportunity arose to bring micro scooters into South Africa I couldn’t resist. I love seeing kids from the newly toddling to the tallest teenagers having so much fun. For older kids it’s a  great way to ‘surf’ on land , and there are always smiles and laughter . An added bonus is that they can be used inside and out (the wheels don’t mark floors  and they’re virtually silent)  They’re practical and portable and weigh less than most of my friends’ handbags!

I think certain computer games and Nintendo games are great, but I am honestly thrilled to say that I’ve found something which not only do my kids WANT to do every day, but keeps them active and fit for the sports they enjoy at school. There’s something about seeing kids sitting mindlessly staring at a screen that makes me want to shout ‘Get micro scooting!’

by Philippa Cross, a mother of two boys and a bulldog called Oscar. Having adjusted her approach to being an award winning author somewhat, she now just hopes her recently completed novel will be accepted for publication.  She has recently started a blog called mumblings.

Every time I attend a baby shower (or a kitchen tea for that matter) I ponder these bizarre rites of passage ceremonies of the western world because that’s exactly what they are.

What else explains this strange behaviour of a group of otherwise quite normal women? Once, at a kitchen tea, (or bachelorette’s party, or whatever these things are called these days), the bride-to-be was stripped naked and wrapped up in cling film in front of the whole room. An experience I’ll never forget, but that’s a story for another day.

Anthropologists study the universal phenomenon of rites of passage ceremonies in order to better understand the society itself. These rituals are supposed to demonstrate what values and beliefs are important in that society. Oi! We’re in trouble then.

We start by sitting around and talking nonsense. There’s usually a bit about dieting. A bit more about how no-one is ready for their first child. We swap birth stories. We laugh conspiratorially at those who haven’t had children yet. We agree that we were all totally unprepared for our children. We breathe a sigh of relief when the obligatory small talk phase draws to a close, and the fat chick with swollen feet (who we either know very well, or not at all) starts opening presents.

Depending on what kind of present opener she is, this signals the end of the ordeal is in sight. If she’s a quick opener, it’s just a matter of oohing and aahing through a few 100 gifts bags filled with baby vests, socks and Elizabeth Anne’s products, and you’ll be out of here. But, there are always those women who save wrapping paper for another day, God bless ‘em. Then you’re in it for the long hall I’m afraid. \

But, like I say, it’s a trusty rite of passage ceremony,  I have had two children and my dear friends and family have sat through two of these obligatory gatherings for me. They have kindly brought me gifts and supported me through the quite unique experience of bringing children into the world. And I really did appreciate it. Really. I never thought I’d say that, but when you’re the fat swollen person, it really does mean an awful lot.

So, I never turn one down, and you shouldn’t either. Just like those unfortunate Xhosa boys living in huts in circumcision villages wearing nothing but a lamb cloak, covered in white paint, you and I have a responsibility to our society.

If you say no to baby showers, the very fabric of our evolved western civilisation could disintegrate. Anthropologists in 2204 will have nothing to write about us. Just suck it up and be grateful you’re not a virgin Zulu maiden who, once a year,  has to take your designer YDE top off, go to the river, collect reed and bring them back to the village where you have to dance for a pervy old king.

by Gerrard Foster a son, brother, grandchild, great grandchild, friend and facilitator. Trying to leave this earth better than what he found it, one day, one person at a time. Marketing and Business Director for Youth Dynamix and various other associations. Find him on twitter.

One the greatest challenges I’ve ever had is to encapsulate the meaning of my mother in 500 words or less. because even though I was birthed by one mother, Charlene Foster, I’ve been blessed by the love of several others

Up until October 2008, I could always boast that I had 3 mothers . There was my Mom, Charlene; Grandmother Maude and Great Grandmother, Gertrude. These 3 women have formed and nurtured various parts of my character and personality in many ways. My mom is responsible for  much of my professional journey, my passion for the arts, connecting people and nurturing the youth.  My grandmother, a former teacher , was a friend, confidant and disciplinarian. My great grandmother, also a teacher and the matriarch of the family was my moral compass and personified link to God. Even in her absence, I still hear her voice humming her favourite hymns at the crack of dawn or her reassurance that God will get us through any trial or tribulation because “If HE brought you to it, HE will bring you through it”.

Mothers are truly The Gift that continues to give. Nothing compares to a mother’s love. I grew up without my biological father and unfortunately for him, by the time he connected with me, it was too late because the love I had from my mothers was so complete that I never regretted not having his or even missing it.

A Mother is LOVE. LOVE is Life Orientation Value Experience. Sadly, we sometimes do not see it or appreciate it because through it all, our mothers often ask for so little, receive less

In this fast paced world with so many challenges and conflicts, Mothers are our solace, our refuge and in so many ways, our life source. It’s no coincidence that the planet we live on is called Mother Earth

To all Mothers, thank you for your Love, thank you for your sacrifice. To the single moms, the adoptive moms, the moms who stay with abusive dads, the HIV positive moms, the chronically ill moms, the professional corporate ladder climbing moms, the traditional moms, the grandma’s and the great grandma’s, the teenage moms, the trying to make ends meet but my kid never sleeps hungry moms – I salute you. To the brothers, let us remember that if it were not for our sisters, there would be no misters and if it were not for our mothers, there would be no brothers. So let us respect all women because they are all important in our lives and all potentially, and most eventually, Mothers. The greatest gift you can give her is LOVE.