Child of the Universe - Positive Parenting Free Online Magazine April 2018 Issue 43

*FREE DIGITAL MAG *ISSUE 43 *APRIL 2018

Handling Sibling RIVALRY Discover your Child’s Intellectual Gifts

BE A TREE

Grounding Exercises for Children

PARENTING Are we doing it right?

Yummy Food

Care-free Future For Your Child

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Much Love

Linda

contents 6 Seasonal Wisdom for Autumn Living

BABIES & BEYOND 12 Removing the Worry about your Child’s Future 16 Dealing with Sibling Fighting

STORY & PLAY TIME 20 BE A TREE – A Grounding Exercise for Children

PEACEFUL PARENTING 26 Discover your Child’s Intellectual Gifts 30 Parenting – Are we doing it right?

YUMMY TUMMY 38 Cooking with Kids 40 Yummy recipes for the whole family

GREEN LIVING 44 Simple ways to save the Environment 46 Recycling the Easy Way

ANIMAL-LOVE 50 Does your Dog ITCH? 51 Vegan eating plan for your dog 53 Therapeutic Horse Riding

Article by Wendy Young of Wise Living

“The food body is the most tangible form connecting us to Consciousness.” Maya Tiwari.

Become aware of the changes that are occurring in nature: you can hear the gusts of wind blowing through the trees. You can feel the slight drop in temperature and the increased dryness of the air (in places like Johannesburg). You can see the changing colours of the leaves drying on the trees. You can taste the ripeness of the seasonal fruits and smell the richness of the earth.

Autumn is a time when the air element (vayu) is predominant; there is more lightness, dryness and coolness; and ‘the winds of change’ can blow more erratically. These qualities in nature have a tendency to aggravate vata which is the dosha primarily associated with the nervous system.

Vata also regulates the levels of moisture in the body, how relaxed we feel and how well we digest food. So autumn is a time to balance vata by following practices and lifestyle routines that help reduce symptoms of wind, dryness and indecisive behaviour.

Vata can build up in the lungs, nervous system, brain, large intestine, hair, nails,

bones, skin and hands. This can cause dry skin, constipation, bloating and increased anxiety, which may result in nervousness and insomnia.

The air element relates to emotions, feelings, communication, compassion, sensitivity, empathy, love, the psyche and inspiration.

These experiences and feelings can be enhanced by the natural increase in openness and creativity that the air element can create.

Vata is increased by pungent, astringent and bitter flavours that are found in very hot spices, too much black tea and raw salads; by excessive busyness and rushing; by fear and insecurity; by going to bed after 11pm.

Conscious Life Magazine

Suggested Autumn Routine: The focus for autumn living and wellbeing, is to bring balance to apana vayu. Apana vayu is one of the sub-types of vata that is responsible for moving everything downwards. As wind can aggravate the digestive and nervous systems, grounding is very important practice for this time of year.

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Rise early with the sun when the world is still and calm.

Flush your system with a mug of root ginger tea. Grate a ½ inch piece of fresh root ginger and add boiling water.

Hold a little warm sesame oil in your mouth for a few minutes. This is very nourishing to the mouth, strengthens teeth and helps to stop bleeding and receding gums.

Massage yourself with warm sesame oil.

This helps to combat dryness, joint cracking and stiff muscles. Rinse off in a warm shower. Place a drop of oil in your nostrils and ears.

Start your yoga practice with some alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana). The Hathayogapradipika says “By proper practice of pranayama all disease is eradicated. The vayu should be skilfully inhaled, exhaled and retained so

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that perfection is retained.” (HYP 16 and 18). What better time to master the art of breathing than in autumn when there is such high prana in the atmosphere? Nadi shodhana helps to purify the channels of toxins, especially vata toxins, which accumulate from tension. Breathing helps us to relax, and more importantly, it helps to relax the constriction in the subtle channels.

Practice asana that is grounding, opening to the hips, with a relaxing and slow rhythm using steady breathing.

All inverted poses where the head is below the waist helps to move apana vayu downward and all twists help to regulate samana vayu in the colon. Slow sun salutation with deep breathing in each pose and lots of shavasana (corpse pose) helps to soothe and calm the nervous system.

Apply grounding scents such as vetiver or a vata essential oil on the eyebrow centre and throat. (sandalwood, rose, jasmine, camphor, wintergreen, cinnamon) Your autumnal diet can consist of warming foods that are sweet, mildly spicy, sour and salty as these flavours increase moisture and encourage feeling nourished and grounded.

Conscious Life Magazine

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Breakfast can be a small bowl of porridge: oats, rice or quinoa that can be flavoured with ginger, cinnamon or cardamom and a little maple syrup.

For lunch and supper have more nourishing foods such as steamed vegetables and a grain that is flavoured with turmeric, coriander and cumin, root vegetable soups or kicharee.

Avoid too much raw salad, cold drinks, ice, beans, fermented foods and yeast as they cause gas and may unsettle your digestion and therefore your nervous system.

If you are easily affected by the changes in the autumn season and suffer from vata imbalanced symptoms such as insomnia, erratic digestion, constipation and anxiety then the most famous Ayurvedic herbal remedy is Ashwagandha. It is great for calming and strengthening, as well as boosting energy levels. You can take it morning and evening and it is a wonderful herb to enhance stability and strength in your yoga practice.

Take a teaspoon of organic Chywanaprash in the morning and evening to keep your energy and immunity intact at this time of change. Chywanaprash is a great remedy for reducing vata and maintaining your inner strength. Contact me (details below) if you would like to order these tonic herbs.

At the end of your busy day make yourself a cup of organic raw cow’s milk, rice or almond milk gently boiled with a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom.

Oil your feet and lower belly with warm sesame seed oil and settle in for a blissful night’s sleep!

As always, listen to and trust your inner voice of intuition as well as the sensations and messages from your body. This is a very empowering tool to support you in taking responsibility for your health and living with vitality and ease.

Follow your physical needs without letting your mental attractions and aversions get in the way.

A teacher once taught me “graze like a cow and let your spirit soar”, meaning live simply according to the needs of your body and let your consciousness flourish. Simple and true!

For nutritional therapy and wellbeing coaching, or any further information on Yoga and Ayurveda, please contact me on wendy@wise-living.co.za and 072 800 4982.

If you feel called to explore, experience and cultivate deeper aspects of self care, please join me at this upcoming event: Care of Self Retreat: 20th – 22nd April, Thirsty Falls Guest Farm, Magaliesburg An invitation to slow down, rest and reconnect: to open into deep receptivity and listen to how your body, heart and mind are feeling; and to honour what your being needs in each moment to replenish and revitalise. An invitation to return home to embodiment, honesty, wholeness and aliveness. Email wendy@wise-living.co.za for more information and to book.

When our inner attitude softens and changes, the world around us looks and feels different; creating a ripple effect of wellbeing into our families, communities and country.

With love, Wendy facilitating your somatic and psychological process from Open-Hearted Presence Conscious Life Magazine

Conscious ConsciousLife LifeMagazine Magazine

By Julie Kleinhans

As a parent, it's extremely easy to worry about your child's future. You want the very best for them. As they are getting older, you may find yourself becoming more concerned about what their future will look like and if they will become a confident, happy, productive adult.

First I'd like to ask you two important questions: 1. Do you want your child to engage in a future that they are passionate about?

2. Are you open to your child exploring any passion that they have?

I ask these questions because many parents have pre-determined ideas about what their children should do with their life or what they think their child would succeed in. In order for your child to truly find their way, they will need your support to travel any path.

I’ll give you an example. When I was a teacher, I remember having a quiet boy named Jordan in class. He didn’t like school very much because he didn’t feel that he was a good student. One thing he was passionate about was video games. He loved all aspects of the video-gaming world.

When I spoke to Jordan about all of the possibilities of having a career in the video gaming industry, his entire perspective about his future changed.

A shift in his perspective allowed him to get excited about the possibilities of himself as an expert in video gaming, making lots of money designing cool games.

The thought that he was talented at something that can be applied to his future career helped him to feel much more confident about his abilities.

You can nurture this confidence and excitement with your own children. Here are three things you can do right now to inspire your children and remove your own worry.

Stop Comparing Your Child to Other Children in a Way that Puts Them Down It is very hurtful to a child when they are compared to other children in a way that puts them down.

Instead, use comparison in a way that lifts everyone up by showing your child the value that everyone contributes. For example: “Sam is great at math and doing well in his math classes.

Becky, you may be struggling with math right now, but that’s okay.

You will eventually learn what you need to know. You are doing so well in your English class. We are proud of you and Sam exactly as you are.”

It is important to boost confidence in every child so they can thrive.

Help Your Child Focus on What They Enjoy Doing Every person is talented in so many things. Including you – Mom or Dad! Help your child to focus and nurture what they do enjoy doing and get creative with them to think outside the box.

You may want to make a list with your children of the things you each really enjoy doing. This could be a fun family activity for everyone to write their lists together and then participate in those activities on the list.

Get ready to think in and outside the box. For instance, things like painting and playing catch may be on the list. Some other things people enjoy doing but don’t always think of is making lists, planning, cooking, reading, etc. Look at everything each of your enjoy doing and help each other with your “Enjoyment List”.

You each may forget things you enjoy doing and reminding each other makes this an extra special family experience. You may be surprised what your children notice about you and they may be surprised about what you notice with them.

Remember that so many things you enjoy can be turned into careers. A person that enjoys painting may become an artist, an art curator, own a gallery, etc. Your child may like to play catch now and in the future could do it professionally as a player, a coach, a manager, a sports news person, etc. Someone that enjoys making lists and planning may become a great project manager, travel agent or entrepreneur.

Cooking is a great skill that can be applied to restaurants, cooking shows, books and more.

Those that enjoy reading may become authors themselves, editors, proofreaders, book store owners or work in book publishing.

There are a myriad of opportunities for any and all passions that you and your children have!

Find Your Child a Mentor in the Passion That They Have If your child is interested in a particular career, help them find an adult in that field to have a conversation with. I recommend having a conversation with this person first to be sure you are okay with your child learning from them. Then set up a phone call or an in-person meeting for your child.

Your child can talk to this person about how they got to where they are today and some of the obstacles they overcame to succeed.

Have your child make a list of everything they’d like to know and see about this career choice, so they can make the most out of their experience. Having a tour of the work facilities of this career would also be helpful so your child can envision if this is a place for them.

It’s important for children to explore their passions without judgment. Allowing them to find their way will most certainly guarantee their success.

“Youth Empowerment and Education Mentor Julie Kleinhans works with parents, teachers, teens and young adults to love themselves, be successful and embrace their own uniqueness. Get her FREE Guide for Parents and Teachers “5 Steps to Productive, Confident and Happy Kids” at www.MindFocusGeneration.com.”

By Amy McCready Nothing grates on parents’ nerves quite so much as the sounds of sibling fighting coming from the next room—unless it’s the shouts of “Moooommmmm, he hit me!” that often follow.

While the occasional disagreement is normal, and even healthy, true sibling fighting is a highly emotional issue that can negatively impact family relationships, even into the adult years. So, why can’t our children just get along?

This may not be music to your ears, but the fact is that parents are often to blame in unknowingly encouraging sibling fighting.

With a few tweaks to your parenting style, however, you can make a big difference in family harmony.

Let’s begin by becoming more aware of two seemingly innocent things parents do to intensify rivalry. In my next post, we’ll talk about three strategies for dealing with kids fighting.

Two Things Parents Do to Contribute to Sibling Fighting 1. Use Labels – Spoken or Implied Whenever we label our kids, using terms such as “the smart one” or “the wild one,” we lay the groundwork for sibling fighting.

For instance, if you call Little Brother the “family athlete,” then you can bet Big Brother will feel like he’s the opposite of that. Or if Big Sister is the “problem child,” then Little Sister will probably be feeling pretty superior as the well-behaved one.

Whether the label is positive or negative, it’s a recipe for a fight as kids struggle with the comparisons you’ve put in place.

Sometimes labels aren’t spoken—they’re implied. One example of this is a “go-to” kid.

This is the child you consistently approach for help when you want something important done quickly and without a fuss.

While the go-to-kid feels important, by overrelying on him you imply to your other children that they aren’t as capable, which in turn leads to undue competition.

2. Reinforce “Victim” and “Aggressor” Roles As parents, we often feel like it’s our job to sort out the “victim” in a disagreement, as well as the “aggressor.” In order to make sure justice is served, we soothe the “victim” with hugs and kind words, while sending the “aggressor” to her room with a “you should know better” reprimand.

However, this type of treatment does neither child any good.

Showering the “victim” with attention lets him know that acting as the weaker player in the argument (whether he really is or not) will get him lots of attention—and you can be sure he’ll repeat his performance another time. Meanwhile, the “aggressor” gets it confirmed that there’s power in being the bully—and you’ll see her behavior repeated as well.

Fortunately, there are more helpful strategies for dealing with sibling fighting that don’t reinforce the “victim” and “aggressor” roles—and instead teach them how to resolve their own conflicts in the future. We’ll cover these in the next post. In the meantime, you can begin to improve family dynamics simply by taking a good look at how you compare and respond to the sibling fighting in your house.

This grounding exercise helps children feel stable, calm, and focused...

By Jessie Klassen

Trees provide the perfect example of the importance of staying grounded to be strong. Grounding does for us what roots do for trees. When we are grounded, we feel strong and able to handle anything that comes our way, just like the roots of the trees hold them steady when the strong winds blow.

Often times, simply being out in Nature, hugging a tree, or barefoot on the grass is enough to stabilize and calm our energy. But, sometimes we need to do more.

“Be a Tree” Try imagining yourself as a tree.

Imagine your back as a trunk and that you have long roots that grow from the bottom of your feet, deep into the Earth.

If you’re able, stand with feet planted on the ground. If you can’t stand, sitting or lying down will work too.

Grounding works well when we bring awareness to our bodies. To do this, squeeze your muscles as tight as you can and hold them like that for a moment.

Holding your breath, clench your toes, your fists, your leg muscles, your butt cheeks, your tummy, and even your face.

Then let it all out with a big exhale, imagining all this energy you were hanging on to is flowing out of your body, down through your roots, and into the Earth.

Now shake any of this excess energy out of your hands.

Repeat this exercise several times until you feel calm.

If you can think of something in particular that has either upset you, or made you feel angry, you can imagine this anger, worry, or pain, all balled up in your hands.

Make fists, and with a deep inhale, lift your fists up high above your head, and with a big, long exhale, drop your hands down and “throw” this anger into the Earth.

Once again, shake this excess energy out of your hands.

Repeat this several times until you no longer feel so angry or upset, and on the last time, do it very slowly and deliberately.

We can also simply imagine ourselves with a trunk and tree roots reaching down into the Earth.

Whenever we feel insecure, scared, nervous, or anxious, we can imagine everything that is worrying us to flow down our trunk, through our roots, and into the Earth where it is dissolved.

This can be done anytime, anywhere, and is always helpful.

Use your imagination and be as creative as you like with your “trunk” and your “roots”. Picture them anyway you like. There is no wrong way to do this, it just has to feel right for you.

Tips for staying grounded: Limit time spent on electronic devices, as these quickly un-ground our children. Although there is nothing wrong with learning how to use these devices, a little time on them goes a long way.

When waiting somewhere, play “I spy” or ask one another questions.

When on car trip, look out the window and notice your surroundings. Focusing on what is around us and what we notice with our physical senses helps to keep us grounded.

Artificial stimulation such as television and media tend to cause our children to absorb energy that isn’t theirs, and often needs to be released through physical activity or an exercise such as this one.

Limiting the time that you spend on social media will set an example for your children to follow.

A regular routine of daily chores is also crucial in keeping children grounded.

Chores help develop problem-solving skills, self-confidence, a sense of accomplishment, and purpose. They will feel more connected to their life and the everyday tasks that life requires, as well as feel as though they are contributing to the family home. It is when doing chores that many lessons can be learned in an easy manner.

Encourage conversation, share what you know, no matter how small it may seem. This engages children.

When possible, involve your kids when you are doing chores or other everyday tasks. This is valuable time when you can connect. I heard many intriguing stories, learned valuable life lessons, and have had some of my most enjoyable memories from working alongside my parents.

I hope that you have found this helpful! I would love to hear from you. You can contact me via my website www.jessieklassen.com. While there, feel free to subscribe to my free weekly “ish” newsletter where I share advice, wisdom and lessons that I have learned from my life lived close to Nature.

About the author: Jessie Klassen is a writer, farmer, and the mother of 3 sensitive children.

She is also a Reiki Master and empath herself, who is committed to raising her children in an accepting and spiritually-connected environment, grounded in Nature. Through her work, Jessie is inspired to help others connect with the magic of Nature to rediscover the magic of their own lives.

Jessie released her first children’s book, “The Sapling” in 2017. It is the story of a little sapling who with the help of a wise old tree, overcomes her fears of growing big and becomes the tree she is meant to be!

You can connect with Jessie at www.essieklassen.com

Using the 7 Types of Intelligences to Help Your Children Discover Their Gifts

By Renaye from Adventures in Wisdom

Grades, “IQ” tests, and other standardized tests have caused major debates amongst parents and the education community because many believe they don’t measure the “whole child”.

The 7 intelligences are grouped into what Gardner calls three different “frames of mind”: 

 Although these tests might predict how a child will perform in school, they don’t predict which children will become powerful leaders, accomplished composers, unique artists, great musicians, creative inventors, professional athletes, top-ranked sales people, inspirational teachers, spiritual leaders, or great writers.

In his ground breaking book “Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences”, Harvard Psychology Professor Howard Gardner asked a different question. Instead of asking “How smart are you?” he asked the question

“How are you smart?”

What a powerful question for parents to explore with their kids!

In his book Gartner outlines 7 different segments of intelligence. Although each person exhibits some level of ability in all areas, most people tend to shine in two or three areas. As parents and mentors we have an opportunity to help our kids explore each of these segments in more depth so they can discover and further develop their natural talents and abilities.

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Linguistic Intelligence and Logicalmathematical Intelligence which are categorized as “academic” and emphasized by public schools and IQ tests.

Musical Intelligence, Bodily-kinesthetic Intelligence, and Visual-spatial Intelligence which tend to be categorized as artistic abilities.

Interpersonal Intelligence and Intrapersonal Intelligence which are categorized as “people skills”.

Let’s understand each in more detail and look at how we can help our kids explore each area.

Linguistic Intelligence Children with strong linguistic intelligence tend to think in words. They love to read, write, play word games, study foreign languages, etc.

Professions include areas such as writers, journalists, interpreters, and attorneys. If you think your child has talent in this area, he can explore it further by participating in a journalism club or debate club, by writing, or by studying a foreign language.

Logical-mathematical Intelligence Children with strong logical-mathematical intelligence tend to think conceptually. They love numbers, patterns, mathematics, and science. Professions include areas such as engineering, computer science, research science, medicine, and accounting. Schools provide a lot of opportunities for children to explore this area of intelligence.

Musical Intelligence Children with strong musical intelligence tend to think in terms of sounds and rhythms.

Professions include areas such as performing and/or composing music. Encourage your child to study a musical instrument, participate in a choir, and explore a wide variety of music genres.

Visual-spatial Intelligence Children with strong spatial intelligence are strong at working in three dimensions. They tend to love maps, models, and building things.

Professions include areas such as architecture and interior design, photography, engineering, and mechanics. You can help your child develop in this area by giving her models to build (including Legos!), having her create maps, or by taking a photography class.

Bodily-kinesthetic Intelligence Children with strong Kinesthetic Intelligence tend to process knowledge through physical touch. They will learn more by doing an activity versus reading about the activity. Professions include areas such as sports, dancing, theatre, firefighter, and any work that requires them to be good with their hands. If you think your child has a natural intelligence in this area encourage her to explore many avenues of physical expression – sports, dance, acting, sewing, woodworking, etc.

Interpersonal Intelligence Children with strong interpersonal intelligence understand people – they are good with communication, relationships, and getting along with others. Professions include areas such as teaching, counseling, marketing and sales, management, non-profits, medicine, and politics. Provide opportunities for your child to work with and lead others. Examples include participating in Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts, mentoring programs, volunteer organizations, and other clubs.

Intrapersonal Intelligence Children with strong intrapersonal intelligence really understand themselves. They are deep thinkers and tend to be self-motivated.

Professions include writing, philosophy, psychology, clergy, and art. If your child exhibits strengths in this area, give her time to be alone to think and create.

So why is understanding these areas of intelligence so important?

First, if your child tends to struggle in the traditional classroom finding other areas where he can excel can greatly enhance his self-esteem and joy in life. Whenever kids feel they are good at something it enhances their self-esteem and self-confidence.

Second, when kids understand more about “how they are smart�, it enables them to choose extracurricular activities, classes, and careers that leverage their strengths and natural abilities.

And finally, even if your child does well in school, exploring all areas of intelligence will empower your kids to find their passion and purpose in life.

When people create lives based on a passion and a sense of purpose they tend to live happy fulfilling lives.

I invite you to share this article with your kids and have fun exploring!

Click on book cover to order on Amazon

Do you want to work with kids?

Become a Life Coach and train with Renaye anywhere in the world.

Contact details below.

Adventures in Wisdom A fun life coaching program for empowering kids www.AdventuresInWisdom.com

By Sergio Salotto

Raising a child is possibly one of the most beautiful, exciting, interesting, but challenging, difficult and responsible tasks in life for a parent.

For some parents, the task looms so large and scary, that it drives them to rather give the child up for adoption. Having a child – especially the first – can and often does unexpectedly turn the parent’s lives and routines totally upside down. It takes away the freedom and independence they enjoyed; the child becomes the centre of their world; it is demanding and needy; there may be little to no time for themselves; and so on.

What begins as a wonderful and exciting journey, for many, this may change and become a state of frustration, anxiety, stress, anger, or depression, which start surfacing and begin to strain the bonds of the relationship.

If things were fine before baby came along, the child is likely be held responsible for the issues the arise between the parents. In many cases, the child becomes the object upon which the parents vent their dissatisfaction – with some cases even resulting in horrific abuse and death of the child.

But there is another level of “abuse” we practice that we do not recognise as such because it does not fall in the categories of being physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Instead, it is considered and accepted to be good, responsible parenting – as I elaborate below.

But is that what unconditional acceptance and love of self is really all about?

The part of conceiving a child is generally one of joy and fun. When it is confirmed that mom is pregnant, there is even greater joy. But at the same time, the realisation begins to set in of the responsibilities that are about to be taken on – creating the ideal home environment, afford it the best education, provide an upbringing the child can one day be proud of, and of course someone the parents will be proud of.

It is generally believed that new-born children are born with a blank mind, that they know nothing about life; that as parents we “own” it and so are entitled to decide what is right for the child. Parents thus take on the role and responsibility of ensuring the child is taught, equipped and educated about all its needs to be successful and socially acceptable. These teachings will take the form of schooling, religious instruction, guidance for conforming to social norms and values, acceptable behaviour and all the many other things we need in life.

As a child, of course, we have no idea of our parents’ ideals or the plans they have for us. We just do things in the only way we know. Such as:  Crying when we are hungry, have a full nappy, want attention – don’t like to be left alone.  Eating our food with our hands; pounding our hand into the plate of food and make it splatters all over (great fun).  Not welcoming mummy, daddy, granny, grandpa with a hug and kiss – we might more readily hug and kiss the dog ... no disrespect intended; we just found the dog to be more important in that moment (isn’t that what free choice is about?).  Knocking things off the coffee table out of curiosity to see what happens.  Throwing a tantrum in the middle of the supermarket – do we really care or worry about what other people think? Hell no, we just want what we want.

To our parents, this is misbehaving, naughtiness, disrespect. Something they feel must be corrected, taught manners, obedience and discipline.

How do they achieve this? By reprimand and punishment – physical, emotional, screaming and shouting, threatening and all the many things most of us will likely have experienced in our childhood.

As we grow and learn to talk, we note that what we say is considered pretty insignificant; we are not given the space to express what we feel or want – even if we are, no one really listens. And our parents keep reminding us that they know what is best for us. As a child, how can we argue or question that?

Through these experiences we begin to wonder, question and eventually conclude that maybe the way we are is simply not enough; and we internalise the belief that we are "not good enough."

This leads to us deciding that unless we change, we will not be accepted and loved - our greatest fundamental fear and need. In order to make it with our parents (be accepted and loved), we decided that perhaps we need to change our behaviour and attitudes to conform and meet their expectations of how we ought to be (our first compromise on who we truly are).

Then one day we are sent off to school – a daunting and terrifying step for some children, an exciting “adventure” for others. In this new environment we encounter other children, teachers, rules and regulations, disciplines, etc.

For example: Learning to read and write.  Learning the multiplication tables et al through repetition.  Having to pass tests and exams to prove our level of competence, intellect and acceptability  Behave in class in a manner that is acceptable to the teacher, conform to the school’s rules and regulations else we are punished – from both the school and (likely) our parents (we are so terrible).  If our standard of work is not to the level of others, we get classified as "abnormal", in need of specialized education or psychological assessment – measured against what society has determined to be the accepted norm.  No one is really interested in our unique individuality and talents. We are required to meet and conform to the expectations of our teachers, peers and school environment.

From the above we realise that to be accepted, we need to behave and do things in the required manner if we are to avoid rejection and punishment. We also learn that in these social environments, if we do not do things as expected and required, we again will not be recognised and accepted. And so we experience how also in this environment we are not allowed to be ourselves – who we are. All of which reinforces our feelings and belief that perhaps we are truly just, "not good enough" – a belief that is becoming more and more our reality.

We also come to experience and realise that this cycle of needing to conform does not end at the school going years. Even as adults we experience and face the same situation in our world of business, politics, religion, and ... practically every other social environment.

The requirement to compromise ourselves for the sake of being accepted eventually becomes second nature. And this ultimately results in us living and experiencing our life as victims of our circumstances; unable to exercise freedom of choice to be who we really are. The same way it has been for our parents; and their parents; and their parent’s parents.

To address these “challenges” in a constructive and meaningful manner, we need to reassess the parenting processes we are practicing - as handed down from generation to generation.

And unless we stop, reconsider and have the willingness to change, we shall continue to exacerbate the problem and also shall pass on the same teachings and practices to our children for their children.

Our role and responsibility towards our children is far greater than what we are doing. The way we are doing things is, in my view, comparatively easy to do because all it requires is for us to exercise control.

What we need to recognise is that our children do not belong to us, we do not “own” them.

Whether we believe that children are sent to us

by God, or that they chose us as their parents, or whatever other belief one may identify with, what all of us ought to be doing is to feel honoured and respectful of having been granted the privilege to conceive and give birth to such a wondrous creation and Being of “God”. Our responsibility therefore should be one of guiding and helping our children to be who they really are by creating an environment that is supportive and allows them to manifest, or “showcase” who and what each child brings to this life. We should not be in fear of letting go of the beliefs we are holding on to; want to hold on to our senses of rightness at all costs; we need to have the willingness to be wrong and create a truly win-win environment where everyone can be who they really are – unconditionally.

In the words of Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet which possibly sum all this up best:

“Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.” ― Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

Salsa Fresca

Ingredients • • • • • • • •

5 medium tomatoes cut into ½-inch pieces 1-2 jalapenos seeded and minced 2 garlic cloves minced ¼ medium red onion chopped 3tbsp fresh lime juice ½tsp salt ⅛tsp black pepper 1tbsp cilantro chopped

Instructions

In a bowl, gently stir together all the ingredients.

Berbere Spice Mix Berbere Spice Mix Berbere is a blend of spices used in Ethiopian cooking.

If you don’t have whole spices, you can use ground ones.

Ingredients

Instructions

• • • • • • •

Remove the seeds from the cardamom pod. Toast the cardamom, clove, allspice and fenugreek seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until the spices become fragrant. Remove from the heat, let cool and grind in a mortar and pestle until fine. Stir in the ginger, nutmeg, and turmeric.

1whole cardamom pod 1whole clove 2whole allspice ⅛tsp whole fenugreek seeds ⅛tsp ground ginger ⅛tsp ground nutmeg ⅛tsp ground turmeric

Stovetop Pizza Stovetop Pizza These days, pizza is the favorite food of many children. Making your own pizza is a satisfying accomplishment. This delicious version uses fresh tomatoes and less cheese than most. You can bake these pizzas on cookie sheets in preheated 425 degree oven instead of cooking them on the stovetop.

Makes 3 10-inch pizzas.

Ingredients Pizza Dough • 1cup warm water • ½tsp baking yeast • 1tsp honey • ¾cup whole wheat flour • 1¾cups unbleached white flour • ½tsp baking powder • ½tsp salt Pizza Toppings • ¼cup shredded Parmesan cheese • ½cup grated mozzarella cheese • 5 Roma tomatoes, diced • ½ red bell pepper diced • 2tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves • ¼tsp salt • ⅛tsp freshly ground black pepper • 2tsp olive oil

Instructions Make the pizza dough In a medium bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Let sit 2 to 3 minutes, until the yeast is dissolved. Stir in the honey and whole wheat flour. In a separate bowl, stir together the white flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the whole wheat mixture, stirring to form a rough dough. On a clean, lightly floured work surface, knead the dough for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth.

Cover the dough and let it rise while you prepare the pizza toppings.

Prepare the pizza toppings In a small bowl, combine the cheeses. In another bowl, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, basil, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Make the pizzas Divide the dough to make 3 equal balls. On a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll each ball into a circle that is 10 inches in diameter. Heat a 12-inch skillet or griddle over medium high heat until it is hot. Transfer the rolled pizza crust to the skillet or griddle and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.

Turn the dough. Spread one third of the tomato mixture on top of the cooked side of the dough to make an even layer.

Top with ¼ cup of the cheese mixture. Cover the pan and continue to cook the pizza until the toppings are hot and the bottom of the crust is golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the pizza to a cutting board and cut into wedges to serve. Repeat this process to make 2 more pizzas.

Healthy Falafels

By Lisa Raleigh

Ingredients:

Method:

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

• •

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 small red onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 T fresh parsley, chopped 3 T whole-wheat flour 1 t coriander powder 1 t cumin powder ½ t baking powder Himalayan rock salt Black pepper Sprinkle of turmeric 1 small egg 2 T coconut oil

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• • • •

Preheat oven to 190° Celsius.

Blitz all ingredients apart from coconut oil in a food processor.

Pop tray with coconut oil into the oven to melt the oil.

Roll dough into small, slightly flat falafels (cooks faster), making sure they are coated fully in oil.

Pop into the oven for 15-20 minutes, turning at halfway.

Serve with salsa, hummus and tzatziki.

Power Chocolate Smoothie

By Lisa Raleigh

Ingredients:

Method:

•

•

• • • • • •

1 heaped T pumpkin / sunflower seeds 1 heaped T goji berries 1 t raw cacao 2 T chocolate / vanilla protein powder ½ frozen banana / regular banana and a few blocks ice 1 cup coconut water Drizzle honey (optional)

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Blend & Enjoy!!

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The planet is in danger of being destroyed by our greatest threat, ourselves!!!! It’s up to all of us to ensure we do not destroy the environment in which we live and the future environment in which our children will live.

Recycling is as simple as separating home waste and educating our children to do the same.

If we all take this step, it will make a huge difference to our environment and ensure that the various recyclables are recycled and disposed of in the correct manner or sent to the correct facilities for re-use. Recycling is a great way to save our natural resources and even generate energy.

At ECOmonkey they are taking the first important step to try and minimise harmful waste left in our environment, by working with communities to clean up our surroundings, namely local parks and streams to create a clean environment and further creating employment opportunities through this initiative.

Earth Probiotic help you to recycle your food waste into food for the soil with their Bokashi Recycling Kits.

Working together, these two companies do a great job in helping to ensure the health of the planet. Let them help you do the same…

WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE… DO YOU???

Let's take the 1st step in creating a cleaner environment & ensuring our children have a brighter, cleaner future...

WE COLLECT YOUR RECYCLING & CREATE EMPLOYMENT: We collect & deliver the materials to various, community recycling projects we support, the materials are sorted & the income goes directly to the community members involved.

WHO DO WE SERVICE? Households, flats, townhouse complexes, estates, office complexes, industrial companies & shopping centres. Ensuring recyclables are processed correctly & don’t end up on unsightly, dirty & negatively impacting land fill sites.

www.ecomonkey.co.za

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Vegan Diet “The Healthy Natural Alternative�

Article by Vondis

A VEGAN DIET FOR YOUR DOG – A FIRST IN SOUTH AFRICA Vegans and vegetarians are often faced with the dilemma of choosing the best diet to feed their companion canines, taking into consideration not only their own ethics, but also the best interests of the dog/s they are taking care of.

Fortunately, even though many people would assume that a dog couldn't possibly be fed a 100% vegan diet, nothing could be further from the truth!

Despite descending from wolves, the domestic dog is classified as an omnivore.

The classification in the Order Carnivora does not necessarily mean that a dog's diet must be restricted to meat.

Unlike an obligate carnivore, a dog is neither dependent on meat-specific protein nor a very high level of protein in order to fulfill its basic dietary requirements.

Dogs are able to healthily digest a variety of foods including vegetables and grains, and in fact dogs can consume a large proportion of these in their diet. In the wild, canines often eat available plants and fruits.

As a matter of interest, there is even one dog which could completely be a Vegetarian and that is the Chow Chow. The Chow Chow originated in China (Tibet) where it was raised as a meat source for human consumption.

Since the Chow Chow was used as a meat source for human consumption, it was fed a diet of grains and vegetables - to produce a tender marbled meat.

Some may still argue that a vegan diet for a dog is unnatural in some way, but its important to note that in nature dogs wouldn't eat anything like what is commonly found nowadays - in a can or in pellet form..

Most commercial pet food is made of very questionable meats, not fit for human consumption, that would otherwise be thrown away.

These foods are filled with preservatives and other additives that, over time, can detriment the health of your pet. Indeed, studies conducted on pets fed commercial meat pet food reveal that diet-related complications can include "kidney, liver, heart, neurological, visual, neuromuscular and skin disease, bleeding disorders, birth defects, compromised immune system and infectious disease.“ So, not only is it possible to feed dogs a nonmeat diet, it can also be very nutritious and balanced. In Europe, there are plenty of commercially available, healthy vegan diets.

There is no reason why vegan / vegetarian pet lovers in our country shouldn't have the same choice.

For this reason Vondis Holistic Pet Nutrition has developed a well researched balanced Vegan diet, where you can be assured that your companion will receive all the correct nutrition and thus enable them to lead happier, healthier lives.

Vegan Diet Recipe and Nutritional Value In presenting any nutritious meal for human or pet, meat or vegan, there are two important considerations. The cooking method which you use to prepare your food and the other is the quality and choice of ingredients.

Vondis has always adopted scientific procedures to prepare the food and therefore, certain ingredients are left to simmer on a low heat and there are some that are included raw.

This very special Vondi’s cooking process ensures maximum nutritional value and digestibility.

In choosing the ingredients, we have utilized scientific and nutritional data to formulate a recipe that is totally balanced and nutritious and that will ensure a healthier and longer life.

Some of the ingredients include brown rice, millet, lentils, peas, barley, wheat germ, rolled oats, beetroot, butternut, sweet potato, carrots and a variety of freshly picked herbs.

To ensure the perfect balance we also supplemented with calcium gluconate, zinc gluconate, taurine, yeast, lecithin, kelp, dandelion and vitamin c.

So, not only is it possible to feed dogs a nonmeat diet, it can also be very nutritious and balanced. In fact, what started out as diet for moral and ethical reasons, has now be become popular for the treatment of ailments like skin disorders, arthritic problems and bladder disorders.

NOTE: Vondis Holistic Pet Nutrition non vegetarian meals include Beef, Chicken, Mutton, Ostrich and Special Chicken for Sensitive Skin.

Hippotherapy and Therapeutic Riding At The Yard on Third

Hippotherapy involves the use of a horse’s movement in therapy. It is a therapy technique that can be used by trained Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists.

How does it work?

The child is mounted on a specially trained therapy horse or pony.

As the horse/pony walks, its movement is translated into the patient.

Through clinical reasoning and evidence based practice, the horse’s movement: Can be guided and changed depending on the client’s needs Is used to get an active response from the client Facilitates functional and more efficient movements in the client’s body The horse or pony used is specifically selected for each client, to make sure it is the right size, gives the desired movement to the client and has the right temperament.

Who can benefit from Hippotherapy?

Hippotherapy is specifically for clients who have moderate to severe motor and/or sensory disorders.

When a child is referred for Hippotherapy, he/she will be assessed by our Physiotherapist. The assessment will: Determine if Hippotherapy will be beneficial and safe for the child Identify any contra-indications to Hippotherapy Aid in developing individualized therapy goals for the child Aid in selecting the right horse for that child The therapist will then work one-on-one with the child towards achieving their therapy goals.

Why does it work?

Hippotherapy is so effective because it influences, enhances and integrates function in multiple systems, including the Sensory systems Neuro-motor system (muscles) The cognitive system.

Hippotherapy is not intended to be done as a treatment program on its own, but as one part of the client’s plan of care.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS The most important thing to consider when doing Hippotherapy is safety. Horses are wonderful and gentle animals, but they are still a live animal and can frighten easily. Hippotherapy will never be conducted if it is considered unsafe for the client, or for the horse.

The horse will always be led by a trained horse expert, who can recognize signs of discomfort or stress in the horse.

The therapist will walk alongside the horse and the client on one side, and there will always be another person, walking alongside the other side of the horse. This can be a family member or a volunteer.

Therapeutic riding: Therapeutic riding is a horse-riding program that enhances and strengthens movement the child already has through exercise and activity on horseback.

• Therapeutic riding • Is appropriate for children who have minimal to moderate motor and/or sensory disorders.

• Can be a progression of Hippotherapy once the child reaches their Hippotherapy goals • Has the same therapeutic benefits of Hippotherapy • Is usually run in small groups by a professional horse riding instructor.

Our therapeutic riding program at The Yard on Third has been developed in conjunction with our Physiotherapist, who is trained in Hippotherapy.

Contact details: Physiotherapist at the Yard on Third: Angela Kruse 076 347 7177 angkruse16@gmail.com

Benefits of Hippotherapy and Therapeutic Riding: Hippotherapy and Therapeutic Riding can result in improvements in the following areas: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Arousal and attention Balance strategies Bi-lateral integration Body awareness Circulation Dynamic postural stability Endurance Midline orientation Mobility of the pelvis, spine and hip joints Muscle tone Muscle strength Musculoskeletal alignment Neuro-motor dysfunction Posture Problem-solving movement strategies Respiratory function Self confidence Sensorimotor integration Symmetry and alignment Timing and co-ordination

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