• Raise your son to be honourable and respectful

    raise son honourable respectful

    Remember that 80’s song by The Temptations – “Treat her like a lady”. Yip that one with the catchy beat that you can sing along to whilst doing the dishes or sitting in your car.  Ok, so perhaps you millennials won’t know the song but you can go Google it here.

    The point I’m getting at is that the lyrics of the song resonates with me as I have a chivalrous husband. Common courtesy, kindness and respect are things women crave for in today’s life.  Values and convictions are guided by an ever changing world and what society prescribes. But shaping attitudes, beliefs and values at the foundation level will ensure that it is carried throughout life. It should be both men and women’s responsibility to raise children who respect themselves and others. Most importantly shifting our focus to raising boys. Chivalry, honour and respect has to be taught from a young age.

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    9 Strategic tips to cope with back-to-school anxiety

    9 strategic tips cope back-to-school anxiety

    Going back to school after the summer vacation can be tough on certain kids. The transition from vacation to school is not always smooth sailing during the first or even second week of the new school term. Not all kids are super excited to start school. One of those kids is my youngest daughter, Mika. School is not her favourite place to look forward to after a fun-filled holiday break. In fact, she wish to be home-schooled as she stressed this to us repeatedly. Unlike Lea (my other daughter) who is always eager for the new school year to start; Mika is not so enthusiastic.

    For the past three years, since starting Grade 1, Mika has been experiencing back-to-school anxiety.  She would get physically ill. Her blood pressure would drop resulting in dizziness, vomiting and complaints of headaches and stomach cramps. But we always insisted on school attendance and only in severe cases would keep her home. Usually by the second week of the new school year, she has settled in and all is forgotten. View Post

    Well wishes for my kids as they start the new school year

    well wishes kids start new school year

    As the new school year dawns upon us, these are my back to school wishes for my kids

    With my daughters being on vacation for over 6 weeks as their school closed the end of November; I must say it is high time that the 2018 academic year commences.  Yip I am one of those moms who are super happy that school is starting.

    My kids are older so it is not as if they are starting school for the first time. Gone are the days of having mixed emotions and teary eyes.

    I literally have been counting the days from New Year ’s Day. So roll on Wednesday.

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    Opposing grade retention – the right decision

    Opposing grade retention

    Opposing grade retention and why it was the right decision for our daughter

    Delaying, retaining, repeating, holding back or redshirting. Call it what you want; it is a topic that sparks widespread debates and is a controversial issue.  Opposing grade retention or deciding to retain is a decision that parents need to make.

    In South Africa children may start school early. They can start at age 4 and a half providing they turn 5 by 30 June in Grade R. Likewise for Grade 1, they can start at age 5 and a half providing they turn 6 by 30 June.  However, legislation in South Africa stipulates that children must start Grade 1 in the year they turn 7. Irrespective in which month they celebrate their birthday.

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    Should we scrap school “homework”?

    Should we scrap school homework? Or are we as parents making a big deal out of nothing?

     

    scrap school homework

    I remember being in primary school in the 1980s and finishing off high school in the early 1990s, receiving homework; perhaps not every day but we received homework.  Homework back then was about doing the odd assignment, completing a worksheet or two, writing an essay or doing a few math sums. Most importantly we had time for play.  Some form of punishment was given for incomplete homework.  But homework back then was minimal with almost no parental involvement.  Teachers taught in class. With that background, I was all set on kids getting homework.

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