My wish 🙏🏽

 My wish

Today as I blew out a candle representing the years of my life on this earth, I could think of many things to wish for, but something really stood out. 

My wish and prayer is truly for peace, world peace 🙏🏽 

I wish for humanity in the hearts of all, that people across the world will at some stage of this journey in our lives, live in harmony, peace, love, happiness and understanding. May the world be full of kinder, trustworthy and honest people. May we not always feel that we need more than others, may we always acknowledge our blessings and try to be selfless in our everyday lives, trying a random act of human kindness where possible.

May homes be felt with a Godly presence so that broken homes might be healed, our children will be steered in the right paths of life and not lured onto a journey where they feel lost, desperate and alone.

I pray for our leaders to be instilled with wisdom, guidance and virtue that they may lead their nations with honest hearts and selflessness.

I pray for our earth to heal so that those of us sharing our lives on her space can lead happier, content and positive lives, and work hand in hand to protect what has been given to us for a borrowed time.

May each day bring you better, brighter and positive thoughts, no matter what. It is us that can truly find the peace within ourselves, and help to spread it. 

🙏🏽❤️

 

Slipping through my fingers..

 Its incredible how fast time passes by when I stop and watch the little moments of my growing son,  and reality suddenly hits me. From the little things he does and the loving, heartwarming conversations that we occasionally have, I see a mature, caring and gentle soul developing. No longer a baby, but will always be my baby. Even just unpacking the groceries at the till, and helping to unpack the groceries at home without being told shows a responsibility that develops the maturity further. Including children in household chores plays a pivotal role during their childhood, and also helping them develop into the adult they will be someday.

Last week was definitely an appreciation of this reality when our son went on his first camping trip on an overnight stay with his school. Of course we had some concerns, never being away from our child overnight, but we also did not want him to have regrets later in life if he did not go.

Of course there was no way we were going to be too far away from their accommodation …not that we’re paranoid 😬. Saying goodbye to him at the school, knowing that we wouldn’t be too far from them, still choked me up, and I had to contain myself so that he wouldn’t see the sadness in my eyes. As I saw the bus drive away, there was an emptiness and tug at my heart that I felt within.

 We had no doubt that he and the other kids would be just fine as the teachers kept us updated all the time. From the photos we knew that they were enjoying themselves and  they were safe. We didn’t want him to regret 

I have to admit that even though it was one night, it felt like a really long quiet time without him, and felt most unusual. For children to be on an overnight stay away at a young age really boosts their confidence and independence. I am one of those parents somewhat paranoid for good reasons, even though I knew my son would cope. He was packed and prepared with his bag and prayers. 

As much as he did not want to go initially, I do think that he had a wonderful time as much as he does not want to admit it, and secretly I think he could do it again. 

As he prepares for a new school next year, my heart is brimming  with immense love and pride for this extraordinary  little being who I have no doubt is ready and confident to conquer his path ahead. I just wish that time could slow down a bit, as I still see my little boy through his eyes each time I get caught in a moment… slipping through my fingers. 

May your courageous spirit lead you to adventurous places. May the Lord always bless you.

Noah…. I WILL ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOU ❤️

Homeschooling

The past few weeks have definitely made me much more appreciative of all that teachers do for our children. Hats off to them for such incredible patience, guidance and support that they offer at school.
Following a curriculum at home has its challenges, and for parents who have had to work from home, or go to work, it would seem a rather busier than ordinary day for them.
With the present day technology available, most children are fortunate enough to follow through with work assigned to them each week. It is concerning for those children who do not have the means for the technology necessary to complete their school tasks, though I am sure they would have been provided with necessary work specific to their grade.

It has definitely been a challenge for children in the sense of being responsible with a routine so as not to think they’re on an extended school break. Ensuring kids maintain their routines and after school chores are so important for their well being. It distracts them from boredom and keeps them away from trouble.

Patience, I’ve learnt, is key to providing the guidance and supervision for homeschooling. For some it may not be easy, as our kids can try to manipulate different situations and extend their snack breaks!
I often wonder how teachers magically facilitate their class of about 20 children, and how the children are mesmerized into staying focused for that longer time at school.

With some children returning to school soon, it would be interesting to see whether most children are excited to return, or would rather continue with homeschooling( I think most of us know the truth ☺️).
Parents and educators need to ensure health and safety of the children. Educate them about wearing their masks correctly, ensuring it covers their nose and mouth; they need to be aware of social distancing maintaining 1,5-2 meters apart (2 arms length) from their friends during interval; educate them about surfaces, and ensuring they practice safe and proper (washing all areas of both hands) hand hygiene (20 second rule) after touching surfaces and before they eat, and after using the ablution. They should not be sharing meals or utensils ( it unfortunately defeats the “sharing is caring” that they’ve been ingrained with), but if we educate them on the virus then they have a better understanding of why they’re doing what they have to do. As much as it seems as a paranoid time that we’re living in, it’s a very real time in this pandemic that we have to adjust to... a new way of living. You can never be too careful. We are fighting a silent battle, we have to be the wiser and equip ourselves and our families with knowledge and ensure we practice common sense. Be aware and educate your children on the symptoms such as cough, sore throat, diarrhea, fatigue, body aches, shortness of breath. Don’t take any symptoms lightly, especially now that we are entering the flu season and change of weather.

Our children require a lot of emotional support  and guidance at this time, so that they are not overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. Chatting to them about what is currently happening is important for them to understand, thereby allaying their concerns and fears.
It is going to mean a change in our lifestyle and definitely requires a change in our attitudes. We can and will overcome this.

Stay safe 🌹
#keepthekidssafe

First tooth out

So the big day arrived when my sons first tooth fell out, and I wasn’t there. It happened at school, and I commended him on being a brave little star. He was thrilled and it felt like he was achieving a major milestone ( which really is). He relayed the day’s events with much excitement and pride,  which included some tears and shaking knees. Inside I was aching a little because I wasn’t there, but was proud, oh so proud of him!! When I asked him if anyone gave him a hug, and he replied no, I felt a little tug at my heart. I responded with a big tight hug around him, and lots of laughs.

So often we see these things happen as just normal and part of life, but to our kids it means alot to them, it’s a change in their life and it’s called “growing up”.
 I encouraged him that if it happens to any of his friends and he’s around, its ok to put an arm around them and say “you’ll be fine”.
That night he placed his tooth in the special tooth cushion he had made at school and fell off to sleep, eagerly awaiting the morning.

We all need to show one another love and encourage positivity. If we can live it, we can spread it and make our children of the future more compassionate, not hard hearted as sometimes people are.

There’s a lesson that we learn daily through our children, be sure to catch it!

First Wiggly tooth

28 August

When I got home from work last week, my son was excited about telling me that he got his first loose tooth. He came up to me wiggling his bottom incisor in front of me. 

I took a photo and showed him the new tooth coming up behind it. 

We recall him saying two years ago that he didn’t want to be 5 years old. When asked why, he’d say he didn’t want his teeth falling out. We reassured him that he had nothing to be afraid of as this was part of human nature, and part of growing up. My son has a beautiful set of teeth and an awesome smile that goes with it.  

When he turned 5, it didn’t become much of a topic with some of his friends teeth starting to become loose and falling out. 

It’s amazing how his thoughts have changed since two years ago, and he’s so mature about his teeth, ensuring he brushes it before he goes to bed as well. 

I explained how all his 20 teeth will be replaced by 32 teeth, and how important dental hygiene is. 
And so the waiting game begins.

A note in his lunchbox

When I pack the lunchbox for my son every morning, I’m always thinking about how he’ll react when he opens it. I want his eyes to light up even though it might be a repeat from the previous day, though guaranteed a healthy snack. 

My mind wanders on to think that I won’t see him for more than 12 hours some days, and during those hours I often think about him. 

Last year when he started school, I thought of doing something special like leaving a post-it in his lunchbox, as he was learning to read. 

When I asked him about seeing the note, he said he got excited that I had done that. I told him that the note was to remind him that I’ll be thinking of him while he’s at school and I’m at work.

Making a small gesture makes such a great impact on a child, and I love how he reminds me to put a note in his box. It’s also encouraging for him to identify and read the words. 

Letting your children know you love them, and teaching them to say ‘I love you’ has a positive influence in their life. 

There is so much good in this world, and good in others, it’s means having a good and  kind heart to see it!!

Help your children make a positive impact in those around them. 

Give them positive encouragement daily. They maybe little but they make a huge difference...always listen and let them be heard.

🌹

For Noah, who teaches me so much more about life everyday❤️

Spending ‘quarantine’ time with my son

I was looking forward to going on leave recently, to spend some relaxing time with my family. My son was excited as he had two more weeks of school holiday, and my husband and I had discussed where we would go, and how we would spend our time.
My son was excited to spend a few days with Grandad to start his holiday. Little did we know we’d end up spending  most of our days there. My Dad and I had planned to take him to the mall for a treat the next day.
When my son woke the first morning I noticed a little isolated  blister on his neck. I observed it during the day to notice no change, only to realize that more had cropped up in the evening before he fell asleep.
 It was here...the dreaded chicken pox. As I calculated his incubation period, it took him back to the last few days of the last term. So naturally I alerted the other  parents of my sons classmates  to be observant of the fact that it might be heading their way too. After having done so, two of the kids had been feeling ill on the next day, and a few others had developed the vesicles by the end of that week.

We started the usual natural treatment, and thankfully my son had no other symptoms apart from slight itching, which was relieved quite fast.
We were quite thankful that it happened now, than much later in life, which is not pleasant when you’re an adult (from experience).

We were house bound in quarantine, and somehow my son was having the best holiday ever. I’ve watched the movie ‘PETS’ at least two or three times, and the ‘The Lion King’ at least four times (apart from the other times we’ve seen it!). Dad was just a video call away thankfully, as he was missing out on all the fun. As the days went by, we were thankful & blessed for his healing everyday. He didn’t seem bothered by all of the fuss my Dad and  I were making over him.
He was more thrilled to be watching his movies with his mum (who wasn’t getting up to go to work),  and spending evenings and mornings hugging and giggling. He did imaginary story times, was determined to draw a 3-D opened box, listened to stories from his Grandad about the earlier days ( good old days), got lessons on making his favorite porridge every morning from his Grandad. When I would walk into the kitchen I would hear their two voices having a good interesting conversation.

Had to draw that box!!

When I told my son that he’s not the only one who didn’t get to being out much in his holiday, he replied that he had the best holiday as he got to spend it with mum. My heart just melted (not the first time). He has a way of doing that to me...(Ahhhh)
 I looked at him, feeling so blessed, and replied that I had an awesome holiday because I got to spend it with him.
We’d sit in the kitchen at night, he with his cup of Milo, me with my cup of tea, and chat about the day’s events (not yet 6 years old) or talk about some made up story which always intrigued me.

As much as I looked forward to going away for a short break, it actually ended up being the most valuable, precious, quality time with my son.
Sometimes plans might not actually work out the way you want it to, but there’s definitely a reason for it all, and being able to see the blessing in it, is the best part!