Photos from the OMO Gallery of Stains #WashLessLiveMore
Wash Less Live More! This is a positive hashtag that we can all get behind!
Shout-Out to OMO for running with this great hashtag! We can use it for all live quotes:
Clean Less Live More
Tidy Less Live More
Dust Less Live More
Cook Less Live More
We were invited to an OMO GALLERY OF STAINS activation at Cresta this weekend. It was open and free for all to enjoy! (Next time you see an activation at Cresta, jump in! It is always so much fun!)
The new Cresta Family Room facility is a place I want to keep to myself. But... It would be selfish, and Little Miss won't be needing it that much any more. (I wish there was such a facility when she was a baby and a toddler.)
The Cresta Family Room is the oasis all parents want and need while they are shopping. A safe free haven for 45 minutes available to all to go to when you need to.
- There will be a concierge looking after the facility to only let parents with children through.
You are able to:
- Change the diaper
- Heat up food or a bottle
- Breastfeeding
- Playing
- Resting
- Family toilet (which won't be inaccessible because of workers or selfish adults using it!). This one we will also still make use of!
- Breathing space for the little ones (AND big ones!) This too!
- Cool "prize" to the little ones after a shopping trip!
I was invited to the launch of the Cresta Family Room, but that's not why I am sharing it here. I think it is my duty to notify all parents about something that should be in all shopping malls.
Cresta Family Room launch
Play area at Cresta Family Room
Virginia Bester, General Manager of Cresta Shopping Centre
Nikki Bush, the parenting expert, had a few good pointers (Commandments) when taking children to a shopping mall:
Nikki Bush about smart shopping as a parent
(OR: Parenting on the run)
1. Avoid rush hour if possible.
2. Make shopping an outing after nap time. Children need to have outings. Make shopping an outing!
3. Please work around your children's routine.
4. Be prepared like McGyver. Never take a hungry child shopping. Let child eat before taking him to a restaurant.
5. Keep refreshments on hand.
6. Hunt in pairs - mum, partner, etc - to help with watching, carrying, distraction.
7. Have a plan when shopping. Need to be strategic! Include children in planning. Get them to Memorize when 7 or 8. What shops did we visit? (Use their grey matter)
8. Remember to take a break. Just be with family.
9. Set rules/boundaries/scene before reaching the Shopping Centre - scenario planning as CEO of family. Predictability which gives security. Rewards that can dangle before kids. Go to pet shops, play area, toy store. Do not have to buy. Window shopping is fun! Need to learn to wait. Bubble gum machine also fine.
10. Need to be the boss of the show! Parents feeling stressed, guilty but not building emotional intelligence. Use your tone of voice! Calm. Assertive. Lower your voice! Keep your sanity and keep it secure! Stranger danger - opportunity to teach children. Do not play hide and seek!
According to Nikki Bush it is entirely possible to have quality time with children while you are "a parent on the run".
She inspired me to look at my shopping experiences with Little Miss in a different light! It is not always easier when they are bigger, because they want to have a say! About every-thing!
(Or is just us?)
Check out the Family Room at the Food and Entertainment Court at Cresta. I hope the signage will be up, but it is into the same passage as the general toilets. (You will know when you find it!)
The SOS Children's Village in Ennerdale received 874 Mickey and Minnie Mouse plush toys as part of Cresta's "Share in the Magic" festive season CSI initiative.
We attended the lighting of the Cresta Magical Christmas Tree for SOS Children's Villages in December. The public was invited to make donations to SOS Children's Villages. The Mickey and Minnie Plush toys that hanged on the Christmas Tree as decorations were intended to be handed over to the children of SOS Children's Villages.
I love good causes, and love it even more when I hear what happens to our donations!
Cresta Shopping Centre donated 874 Mickey and Minnie Mouse plush toys and an additional R21 796,00 to the SOS Children’s Village Gauteng at an event in Ennerdale on Tuesday 10 January. This marks the end to a successful public CSI drive to help a child “Share in the Magic” of the festive season.
“It was such a special and heartwarming experience to see the excited faces of the children as they received their Mickey and Minnie Mouse plush toys, personalized with special messages yesterday. This would not have been possible without support from our visitors and Disney Africa“, said Cresta Shopping Centre General Manager, Virginia Bester.
Cresta Shopping Centre has put up a magical Christmas tree in the new food court of 800 Mickey and Minnie Mouse Plush toys. These toys are available to be donated by shoppers to SOS Children’s Villages Homes.
Shoppers are able to make a donation of a minimum of R50, which will ensure that a child receives a plush toy this holiday season. Each donor is able to personalize their gift by writing their own Christmas wish on the tag, before hanging it back on the donation tree. At the lighting of the Christmas tree on 1 December R4 700 was raised towards this initiative and shoppers are encouraged to get the tree sold out before Christmas.
Cresta Shopping Centre has made credit and cash facilities available to make it easy to donate, and is ensuring that every donation is recorded.
The concept of this plush-toy tree was inspired by Disney’s toy Christmas tree that was erected for the holidays last December in London’s St Pancras Station.
We attended the lighting of the Magical Toy Tree the previous week.
This is a good cause for the festive season!
