The Brave Little African Girl - Book review

The Brave Little African Girl

We got this little gem of a book to review: The Brave Little African Girl, by Thabitha Mathabatha. It's so satisfying when you enjoy the character and the storyline, AND there's a life lesson that lingers on. Our children are going through a difficult time with regards loss. Loss of normal life and the tragic loss of loved ones. The book learns us about the importance of the "Village". It takes a village to raise a child. Society can help children dealing with loss and depression. 

This is a great book for girl and boys 5 - 10 years of age.

What little girls want when camping

This past weekend made me realize that you don't need much to go camping with the little ones. 

Hubby managed to fit all our camping gear into our car. (He's the Master Camper, for sure!) We had to make do with the small tent, but it was more than enough for Little Miss. She was extremely happy to share our two camping mattresses. (We have the sore backs, but luckily it was only for two nights!)

We went camping with her Voortrekker team of little girls with their parents. It was the best of times for them.

What little girls want while camping:

- Friends to play with.

- A bicycle. 

- A fishing rod. 

- A swimming pool.

- Sharing food and drinks. 

Note to self: food is not high priority on their lists! They are happy with a sip cool drink here and there and a bite of negotiated anything before running of again!

- AN OPTIONAL BONUS: a water slide!

A Bush-veld storm could not even dampen the spirits. The little girls just went on swimming in the undercover warm swimming pool.

AND: Mom got her sunsets and a sunrise!

Photos taken at Bosveld Oase near Brits.

I am also sure that little boys want the same as well, because the little brothers camping with us, had just as much fun! 

Movie Clip Monday #30 - Hot Wheels Party

Little Missy was invited to a Hot Wheels Party yesterday. They had so much fun driving the little cars.

Say "chappies"

Hot Wheels' cupcakes

Kellogg's Breakfast for Better Days - Hamper up for grabs

I received the Kellogg's Breakfast for Better Days initiative in my inbox.

Since I am a breakfast person (I cannot do a day without breakfast) and I get grumpy without my favourite meal of the day, I love that they are focusing on feeding the children. We are also always trying to get the Little One to eat something in the mornings. She struggles with breakfast, but can get ravenously hungry at ten... Unfortunately we have to drop her off at seven in the mornings, and we have to force her to eat something before she starts her day!

It makes me extremely sad to think that there are so many children who have to go without a proper breakfast each day. That's why I love this initiative by Kellogg's.

The Press Release states:

"Dishing Up 5 Million Breakfasts for South African Children 

On Wednesday 14 January, over 12 million learners headed back to school after the long summer break, but started their day on empty stomachs:  nearly one-fifth of South African children are not eating breakfast before going to school1. To help address this need, Kellogg is launching a large-scale Breakfast for Better Days™ Initiative, which will provide five million servings of breakfast to children throughout 2014, with 25 000 school children receiving breakfast every school day. 

With one in eight people around the world facing food insecurity each day2, Kellogg Company and its foundation, the Kellogg's Corporate Citizenship fund, have pledged to provide a billion servings of breakfast and snacks to children and families who need it most, through this global initiative. In South Africa, a breakfast of Kellogg's cereal and milk will be provided to children in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces. Partnering with Kellogg are FoodBank South Africa, the country's largest food banking network and Kellogg's international partner in the global initiative, who will distribute the food; and Parmalat, who will be donating the required milk." 

For more information visit www.kelloggs.co.za or follow @KelloggsZA on Twitter and www.facebook.com/KelloggsMomsSA on Facebook for regular updates.

I asked specifically about the schools that are targeted in Gauteng. The initiative is in its pilot year and will benefit 56 schools across SA, with the following 8 schools in Gauteng as beneficiaries. Kellogg is however hoping to grow the initiative to other schools in various areas across the province next year.

Letsha Primary
Duduza Primary
Michael Zulu Primary
Monde Primary School
Kabelo Primary
Mogobeng Primary
Thabang Primary
Ikwezi Primary

This little video of Mpho touches my heart.
(I would freak if my Little One had to walk in rain and on his own to school!)



Kellogg is providing one lucky reader a one month's supply breakfast hamper.

Please comment below: How can the power of breakfast give someone a bright start?

The draw will take place on Friday at 12 pm.
(Unfortunately only for South African readers)


(Photo on top: Swelihle Masuku from Gugulethu Primary in Kwamashu, KZN enjoying his first breakfast for the year - supplied by Kellogg)

The brain knows about love

Yesterday, when I went to pick up the Little Missy at school, two boys came from behind and called out to her and waved to her.

She waved back, smiling.
She explained: "They like me!"

I asked her later how she knows that they like her. Did they tell her?
"No, my brain told me!"

I wore black, and I will be doing it again

I know it doesn't help the people who have died, and the people who have been raped...
But I wore black last Friday!
Powerwoman on her soapbox again!

I believe that it does not really help marching against something, and that it actually just keep on focusing on the negative! Mother Theresa also said that she would always march for peace, but not against violence.

But I wore black in solidarity with everybody who thought and pleaded and shouted against the senseless murders and the senseless rapes of women. Women who most recently got a face through Reeva Steenkamp and Anene Booysen.

Sometimes we need to speak out against something! Something that is not right! Something that is not working in our society!
How can we stand by and only watch when these things are happening?

Some of us are "luckier"or "smarter", and we think we won't be confronted with it.
I was one of them!

I did not know when I got married that I would be afraid in my own home...
That I would put up a fake smile because I was shown a gun with a silencer...
That I would go in hiding because I was afraid of my life and the life of my child...
That I had to tip-toe around my own words, afraid that the wrong word could trigger a violent verbal outburst that would explode...

That's why I am an advocate for initiatives like Speak Out.

There are reasons why you should not stay, and the earlier you acknowledge them and make a decision to not put up with unacceptable behaviour, the better for all!

We are all stronger than we think we are! We can say no! We can walk out! We can stand up, and we can speak out!

We can only make a difference in our own lives, and the lives of those we touch, but one step at a time!
We can do better than this!

We can show our children there are better ways!
Our girls should not tolerate abusive behaviour from their partners.
Our boys should not be shown the way to handle life is with guns and violence!

The only way is by living the way we want to see the world!
We cannot stay in an abusive relationship, and then try teaching our daughters differently!
We cannot keep guns, and live aggressively, and not show compassion. And then think our boys will do it differently!

It starts with us...

45 Months

WHAT??

We are just trying to keep up with her!

Not everything she does is our parenting at fault. "Girls playing with girls" is her perception of life at the moment, and we can only help her to to see that not everything is as "pink" and "blue" as she believes it is!

She is becoming her own person more and more.

Humour helps us to negotiate the toddler tantrums. It really works!

Talking and reasoning is becoming much easier, and we haven't seen another Mommy taxi-meltdown after we said enough is enough!

At this very moment I am sitting and drinking an extra coffee before I go to pick her up from after-care. I asked her if she wants to be fetched early, or if she wants to play with her friends.

Guess what? She wants to play with her friends!

And that is all good!

That is how it is supposed to be!

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Not our parenting at fault

We are still struggling with the "girls play with girls" attitude of our Toddler.

Last night was a case in point. They were happily playing on the playground, but the Toddler came back each time to report in tears:

"The boys want to play police!" (Soooo?)

"He bumped into me!"

"He does not want to leave me alone!"

"The boy has a dirty mouth!" (After which his elder sister had to go and fetch a wet wipe to wipe his mouth!)



No matter how many times we tell her that it is totally play to play with boys, she has her own ideas!

The same with colours: pink is for girls, and blue and green for boys.

That blue summer dress is not going to be worn, it seems... (I have attempted to slip it by her a couple of times already, but up until now it has not worked.)


I just want to categorically state that we do not raise her or teach her to be this sexist!



It makes me aware that not everything the little ones reflect are the product of our parenting...

They are born different people!



How do I change these perceptions?

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Little boys are a different species

I think all boys are made of something totally different than little girls. They are of a different species. My sister-in-law asked the other day if all boys are as busy as hers. I don’t have a boy, but I said yes immediately! When I compare my friends with their boys, and my girls and how they behave, I can only come to the conclusion that there is no comparison!

A little boy visited us the previous Friday with his mother. The children were playing in our vicinity, and they were as busy as little toddlers are supposed to be busy. We were watching them the whole time!

His mother noticed at one stage that he had a red mark on his cheek that was not there earlier in the day.  The mark became swollen, and we had to conclude that he must have burnt his cheek against the gas barbecue outside. Horrors! Luckily it was only a little burn, and by the next morning the mark was almost gone... But, horrors! It shows that we need to watch the boa boy much more closely!

The little man must have burnt himself when he went too near the barbecue. But we did not hear a peep or a squeal! Not a complaint! He just took it in his boy stride, and went on playing. Boys are usually much more interested in fires and barbecues...  For the rest of the evening we did not see him go near the barbecue!  Hopefully he learns a lesson! Hopefully!

The two toddlers are happy to play next to each other, and as long as there are two chairs or two of whatever toy then they get along just fine!

What is your experience with little boys? Are they really that different from girls? I think so!

The baby is a girl!

The gender of a baby is a very personal issue to a mother. I get extremely upset when somebody refers to Mieka as a boy! I dress her 99% of the time in pink. Does it not count as a good indicator to the sex of a baby?
“Is he a boy?”
“No!” (With clenched teeth)
If you are not sure, check the clothing!! Pink and bows and flowers and dresses usually means of the female kind. But do not get the gender wrong! You are insulting me!
I knew from the moment I became aware I was pregnant that she was a girl. It was the same with Arnia, the teen. I am extremely glad that she is a girl. I love having girls.
I have friends with boys. And it seems like a struggle to me. Especially when they start attending school. The mothers have to prod and push and be on their cases the whole time. Girls are easy. They do their own thing, and they enjoy doing it well!
I have been following Tertia’s blog as well. She has a twin boy and girl. And it seems the boy has a lot more growing up - moving up on the evolutionary scale (my personal opinion, sorry guys!) - to do than the girl. All mothers love their boys, and luckily some of them grow up to be wonderful contributing members to society. (I’m sure with a lot of help from their mothers. Smile)
But I vote for girls, and I am glad that there are two of them in my life!