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NEWSLETTER
- FEBRUARY / MARCH 2008
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CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
CONTENTS
Ed's Note
Because I said so… your monthly column from the editor
Featured Article: The Ins & Outs of the Nanny Business, by Chanene Prinsloo of Glamour Nannies
Ask the Experts: Parenting Expert Erica Neser answers a question a sudden bad sleep pattern
Review & Giveaway: Vital Baby Sippy Cups & Cutlery
Quick Coffee Break: Family definitions
Promotions & Giveaways:
Book promotion and Mompreneurs ticket giveaway
Noticeboard: Your space
In Closing...
Happy very belated new year's everyone! Yes yes I know it's very very late, I should be wishing you all a happy Valentine's day, but so be it! To be honest, I have been very very busy since we got back from holiday mid January, what with Megan starting her brand new school (and loving it thank goodness) and Caty starting at a new weekly moms and toddlers group, and not to mention the fact that my (paying!) business is taking off and I have a bunch of new clients all expecting results the day before yesterday! As most of you know, I do MTW because I love it and aim to never have to charge for my website or newsletter, but the sad fact is that MTW is starting to cost me money as well as time as I send my newsletter out manually and now that my subscriber based has passed the 500 mark it takes a lot of time and bandwidth. It would be a huge burden lifted if I could find a sponsor so if you know of anybody who might be able to help please let me know! And on that note, if anyone would like to get their creative juices flowing and lighten the load, you are always welcome to send in a column or article... :-)
Already the year is flying by... and what a year it is proving to be, with one wedding already been, another on the way, and my brand new nephew due next month (at last! a boy in the family! the pressure's off me!). But as for me? Don't expect any grand news anytime soon (or anytime distant even...!), but of course feel free to send me your news! Here's to a great 2008 everyone (and let's hope it's not completely in the dark, thanks Eskom!)
I have come to a conclusion: the "powers" that be at Eskom (pun intended) don't have kids. It's one thing if it's just you and your man coping with no electricity... picture an intimate (albeit cold) dinner by candlelight, followed by a romantic bubble bath for two, ending with an early night (nudge nudge wink wink)... but I'm sorry to say that with two kids in the house, those days are few and very far between!
So when Eskom arbitrarily decides to turn the power off willy nilly around 5pm... well the reality is far less romatic... trying to pursuade your four year old and eighteen month old that yes, veggies CAN be eaten cold and a cucumber sarmie DOES in fact constitute supper and even includes three of the main food groups - carbo's (bread), vegetables (cucumber) and fats (butter). And then try to pursuade your husband that a salad IS enough and that not having meat for one night Is actually GOOD for you... yes, I know we had salad last night too... DEAL WITH IT! After all, in my humble opinion a Big Mac does NOT make up the food pyramid.
Actually, I'm very lucky that my husband would not touch McDonald's with a ten foot bargepole (what is a bargepole?) and my kids have never tasted it, but hey, there's nothing wrong with the odd Nando's every now and then, but with Eskom's regularity it's a costly exercise on a daily basis... (hey, maybe Eskom and Nando's are in cahoots with eachother!)
It was over a lovely ten days in Langebaan in January that we experienced the first of the powercuts. In that time we were lucky enough to only have two... but boy did they both come at the worst possible times, and as usual, with absolutely NO warning! The first one happened after a lovely day at the beach at the other side of the nature reserve. We had planned to stop for a quick cuppa at the reserve restaurant (which closes at 6pm) on the way back and order the girls a kiddies calamari and chips for supper, but as it was nearly closing time when we drove home, we decided to rather make them supper at home. And of course we only realised when we got upstairs that there was in fact no power. So we called the local restaurant, and no, they had no power, but could cook some food on gas (like the R84 grilled linefish instead of the R35 hake and chips!). Anyway after much negotiation that a four year old and eighteen month old would NOT appreciate no finish a R84 piece of fish, they agreed to scramble up some eggs for the girls. This was around 7pm... we eventually got the eggs (after our fish had arrived) at about 8:30. Now Caty is used to eating at around 5pm and being in bed by 6:30, so you can IMAGINE the fun evening we had.
The second occassion occured on the day we were due to return to Cape Town. Megan woke just after 6 in the morning, crying her eyes out. Turns out she had wet the bed... the very first accident she had had since being dry full time in November! Being, in my mind, the middle of the night still (we were still on holiday okay!) I just cleaned her up, put her in my bed and knowing I'd have plenty of time to wash and dry the duvet etc. when we got up. When we eventually did at 8am... surprise surprise, the power was off. So there was me HAND washing an entire set of linen and praying for it to be dry before we left for home. Thankfully the power came back on a couple of hours later and I was able to quickly spin and tumbledry everything!
So in all his wisdom, my husband sent me off to Makro to buy a generator. While it's quite simple to start and run, it only has enough power to run one major appliance (e.g. kettle, microwave, cheap two-burner stove) at a time. So I can just see myself: Put veg in microwave. Cook. Swop plug, trying not to fall over extension lead. Plug kettle in, boil water. Unplug kettle. Plug stove-top in. Cook pasta with pre-boiled water. Drain. Cook quick tomato sauce on ready-hot plate. Oops, pasta now cold. Unplug stove, plug in microwave, warm pasta. Pour sauce over pasta, veg on side, ready to serve. REalise that neighbours about to complain about jet engine outside house, run to switch generator off, again without tripping over multiple cables. And ALL this with an eighteen month old under one arm. Just call me Supermom!
Yes, this scenario has happened... and Supermom that I am, I just gave them scrambled eggs and bread for supper, forget the veg, pasta and sauce! That was just a Supermom fantasy, but I couldn't bring myself to irritate the neighbours for more than five minutes! And so far we have only had one afternoon powercut (apart from that Friday night a few weeks ago...). It seems as though Makro informed Eskom that one Mrs S Hetherington of Claremont purchased a somewhat expensive generator in February 2008, so, as a joke (laughing stock that they are), Eskom decided to seriously confuse us and actually give us uninterupted power! But all this aside I have to adree with my husband that we are in for the long haul and this whole loadshedding thing is just the beginning!
But I have to ask my husband one question... surely takeaways every other night would be more cost effective than a generator? I guess not... when you add the cost of the gym membership to work off all that excess grease! Power to the people? Wishful thinking!
Featured Article: The Ins & Outs of the Nanny Business
by Chanene Prinsloo of Glamour Nannies
The decision to hire a nanny is one that no parent can take lightly. Most of us deliberate for years with a whirlwind of questions swarming around us. How can we trust a stranger with our children? Where would I find a nanny? Do they work all day? How much do they get paid?
The good news is that the answers are not as evasive as they may initially seem! The first thing to realise is whether or not hiring a nanny is the right decision for your family. Take a look at these simple pro's and con's that could well play a role in your decision:
Advantages
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Children will benefit from ready access to attention and stimulation from their nanny, many youngsters are able to form an emotional bond with long-term nannies. |
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A nanny can help a child adjust to parents spending long hours away from home |
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Children benefit from a familiar and secure daily environment |
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Qualifications can show if the nanny is committed to the profession and job |
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Parents can rely on nannies to take care of their children if they are delayed or there is an emergency keeping them from returning home |
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The nanny can help instil the parent's morals and values in the children on a daily basis |
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An au pair can assist with grocery shopping and cooking if necessary |
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Nannies can go with you on holidays to help ensure a relaxing time is had by all |
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There will be a reliable person, who your children already know and you trust, on call in case babysitting is called for |
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Having help with cooking, shopping, homework etc, will ensure a higher quality of child time for yourself |
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Your child will have the opportunity to take part in more extra mural activities that you would not have time to take them too |
Disadvantages
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It can prove expensive to hire a full or part time nanny |
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You will miss out on some of the day-to-day experiences of your child |
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Your child might have less peer interaction if they are around an adult all day |
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Having a live-in or full-time nanny can make you feel like your personal space and family life is being encroached upon |
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Even reliable nannies could get sick and leave you without a back-up option at the last minute |
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Hiring can be tricky, you don't know what qualifications to look for, how to check references, or what the labour laws would involve |
Luckily there are some great agencies that can eliminate at least some of the grey areas. There are many ways a good agency can help you. For example they send only qualified nannies to interviews with you, nannies who also have had criminal and reference checks already made. An agency can help you find a back-up nanny or babysitter at the last minute and even organise the labour laws surrounding the employment.
If you do decide to hire a nanny privately here are a few ‘top tips' for finding someone suitable:
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Check the applicant's references and qualifications carefully, this person will be taking responsibility for your children and should be the rightful recipient of your trust. |
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Set up a clear and logical contract. This will help your relationship with your nanny. Understanding what exactly is required is important for the nanny to fulfil your needs. |
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Make sure the person you hire has the correct skills for your needs, like experience with babies or a valid driving licence. |
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Provide the nanny with clear guidelines on your house-rules and discipline techniques to be used on the children. |
For more information contact Chanene at chanene@glamourc.com.
Ask the Experts: Coping with an Early Riser
Q: I have a son who just turned a year. He was a very good sleeper from about 2.5 months and then he became a monster at 4 months when his first two teeth popped out. After sleep training and a baby workshop, he now sleeps on his own quite easily and right through. His bedtime is between 6:30 and 7pm. My problem is that he gets up with the birds at 5am every morning. How do I get him to sleep until 6am? Is this normal?
A: Sally Hetherington , Editor of MTW Replies:
I also find that my girls at waking up earlier now that it is summer. Sometimes I find that a bottle or dummy settles my younger one (18months) until about 7:30. She also has a blackout blind in her room which does help with the early morning sunshine. She also sleeps with the babysense womb to world CD ( www.babysense.co.za ) or the fan on which helps to block out the chirping!! Also remember that at around 4 - 5 am your baby's body temp may drop, so make sure he's warm enough when you put him to bed but of course not too hot. You could also try fiddle with his bedtime at night to stretch it by half an hour to see if that helps?
But take heart that he does in fact sleep through and you seem to have him on an excellent routine - well done! And remember that some kids are just early risers and if nothing helps them I'm afraid you are going to have to go to bed earlier too! If this seems to be the case, after he is asleep but some toys and books in his cot to keep him occupied in the morning for a bit just to allow you that extra catch up!
A: Erica Neser, Sleep Expert Replies:
Good advice - black out blinds, music or white noise etc. Moving their bedtime later generally doesn't help, although there are always exceptions, so well worth a try. All I can add except maybe to put the little one in bed with mum and dad when waking that early, and have him play with some toys in their bed if he refuses to sleep any longer. Mum and dad can also take turns waking up early with him so that each gets a turn to sleep late on weekends.
Email your questions to sally@mumstheword.co.za.
Review: Vital Baby Sippy Cups
You will remember some time ago I asked for feedback on what sippy cups you recommend, and the response was overwhelming. One brand that came out tops was Vital Baby, so I made it my business to organise myself a couple of samples to try them out myself, and I must say I was every bit as impressed as my readers! First up was the
Trainer Cup which comes with easy-grip handles for babies 9 months + and with a rubber gripper base for young toddlers. This cup is your typical sippy cup with a comfortable spout, and although Caty did manage this cup quite easily, I found she was a bit too big for it and got a bit frustrated about how hard she had to suck - although on the plus side there were no spills and it was completely leak-proof. My only complaint would be that the lid is not attached, so the older baby / toddler can't close it themselves, and of course the lid can get lost as things do when you have a lot to carry when you go out. Next up was the straw cup for the older toddler. Caty took to this instantly. It has an easy-grip rubber base which means it fitted easily into the babybag side pockets, and the lid was attached and in fact Caty can open and close it on her own. The straw is attached to a valve at the top and like the trainer cup was completely leak-proof. I loved this cup so much I promptly went out and bought another one, and if I had to make any complaint it would only be that the parts are difficult to remove for easy washing, but nothing a dishwasher couldn't sort out. Finally, I also tried out the fork and spoon set. These have easy-grip rubber handles and stainless steel ends, with a comfortable wide spoon head and blunted fork tines - perfect for little mouths, although Caty hasn't quite got the hang of getting the food from her plate to her mouth on her own! All in all I would definitely recommend the Vital Range, available at Clicks and Wellness Warehouse, and I'm sure most good retailers.
GIVEAWAY!!!
After sending them my raving review, Vital Baby very kindly offered to give away a sippycup and cutlery set to twelve lucky readers! To enter send ALL your details to sally@mumstheword.co.za with vitalbaby in the subject line before 29 February 2008.
Want me to review your product? Contact sally@mumstheword.co.za.
Quick Coffee Break: Family Definitions
diaper: a cut rate toga
triplets: twins with a spare!
age 4: a joyous age when a child can't go from the TV to the sofa, without getting on his tricycle
children: small people who are not permitted to act as their parents did when they were the same age
precocious: seeing through adults at an annoyingly early age
inquisitive child: a live whyer
problem child: a spoiled brat, always found in someone else's family
child psychology: the science of getting your child to eat his food by pretending it is mud!
adolescence: when a boy refuses to believe that one day he'll be as dumb as his dad
life: a span of time of which the first half is ruined by our parents, and the second half by our children
youth: that brief period, as distinguished from childhood or middleage, when the opposite sexes talk to each other at a party
teenager: an adolescent whose hang-ups do not include his clothes
sweater: a garment worn by a child when the mother feels chilly
teenagers: people who express a burning desire to be different, by dressing alike
For more quick funnies, prose and pictures, see the Coffee Break on www.mumstheword.co.za - and keep them coming to sally@mumstheword.co.za!
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EXCLUSIVE PROMOTION: |
| Mums The Word has teamed up with Reader's Paradise Bookstore to give subscribers special pre-order prices on the soon to be released new editions of children books by Beatrix Potter (click here to see books on offer). Any MTW subscriber who purchase any of the Beatrix Potter books on the Reader's Paradise website, will receive some exclusive complementary Beatrix Potter items with their purchase and entry into a childrens book hamper worth R300.00. We are also offering Mums The Word subscribers free postage for orders of 5 or more books anywhere in South Africa. Offer valid on all orders received by the 29th February 2008. Place orders via info@readersparadise.co.za and include MTW in the heading of your email. |  |
GIVEAWAY:
Calling all Mompreneurs! Caxton in association with Standard Bank are hosting a number of half-day workshops in South Africa for moms with or wanting their own businesses. Speakers include Iona Minton on financial fitness, Nikki Bush on parenting on the run, and Helen Nicholson on mastering the art of networking.
Dates and venues:
23 Feb, Westcliff Hotel, Joburg
8 March, Hilton Hotel, Durban
15 March, Ilanga Estate, Bloemfontein
19 April, Table Bay Hotel, Cape Town
Cost: R150 pp. To book call 0860 105 954 or email rsvp@caxton.co.za.
Caxton are giving away tickets for two lucky subscribers for each venue. To enter send your details to sally@mumstheword.co.za with the subject line Mompreneurs followed by your venue choice - Joburg subscribers before 18 February 2008, otherwise the rest before 29 February 2008 (please don't reply directly to this newsletter!).
Noticeboard: This is your space! Submit your comments, ideas or suggestions on anything you have seen or want to see in Mum's the Word. This is also a space to advertise child related products or services, be they your own or something interesting that you have seen or heard about. Email me your contributions and if I deem them suitable I will happily put them up!
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Planet Kids are now open in Muizenberg. Bring the kids for a play while you enjoy a cuppa and a treat, or plan your next stress free kiddies birthday party! Find them at 3 Wherry Road , Muizenberg, just behind False Bay Train Station, between Main Road and the Vlei. For more information contact Andy andy@planetkids.co.za or 021-788 3070 or see www.planetkids.co.za. |
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Mary Poppins in Cape Town are hosting a series of workshops in February and March:
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Next issue: HOLIDAY ISSUE! Send comments to sally@mumstheword.co.za or post them on my Facebook Page (see top for more). Your comments on MTW would also be hugely appreciated! |
In Closing…
I feel much better having finally gotten around to this issue - but motivated somewhat to keep going as I really enjoy putting this together - just time constraints that are holding me back (along with that sending out the emails costing me thing!). But once again if you would like to contribute or add your two cents, get mailing, and have a great rest of 2008!
Until next time…
Did you receive this newsletter from a friend and would like to subscribe?
Email sally@mumstheword.co.za with Subscribe to MTW in the subject line.