Child of the Universe Positive Parenting ed 38 september

*FREE ONLINE MAG *ISSUE 38 *SEPTEMBER 2017

Babies In the Mirror

Simplify your life with these

Parenting Hacks

10 Things you didn’t learn in School

HELLO SPRING! Are your pets bouncing with Joy?

Kid’s toothbrushes & Gremlins?

COVER MODELS: NADINE & ROSIE

ed’s letter Hello my lovely readers

ABOUT US www.childoftheuniverse.co.za

PUBLISHER 2Luni Media EDITOR Linda Navon 071 346 8138 linda@childoftheuniverse.co.za OUR “Little Boss” Carmen Ché Jardim SUB–EDITOR, NATIONAL SALES & MARKETING Cj Stott Matticks 082 900 1010 candida@childoftheuniverse.co.za DISTRIBUTION & RESEARCH Lee Coulter

Big welcome to Spring… yay, at last we can pack away the winter woolies for another year, unless of course you are off to the UK for Christmas like me.

Luckily my sister lives there so I won’t have to pack too much.

You may have noticed that in each edition of Positive Parenting there are duplicate articles that are also in the Montessori magazines, this is because this particular magazine is meant for parent who don’t have children in Montessori schools, but in private and independent schools.

Please read the Conscious Life magazine as well, which is full of articles on natural health and beauty. It does have some ‘unconventional’ topics that we cover, which you may not find in other magazines.

It’s only recently that I realised that ‘Parents” are not always happily married couples, so I am introducing articles on single parenting, how to deal with children when divorce is looming, and when a new partner appears on the scene.

PHOTOGRAPHER Edward Jardim

It would be great if you could give us some guidance on what topics you would like us to cover, even if they are not ‘positive’. Life and it’s situations are not always happy, so we like to address topics that relate to depression, suicide and children who are taking drugs and how you can cope with it.

CONTACT NUMBERS TEL: (011) 462-2900 0110 262 643 0110 468 737

On a happier note, there are many new projects, shows, outings and getaways coming up that we can enjoy in the lovely South African sun that we are so blessed with.

DISCLAIMER:

Thank you for all the letters of praise for our magazines from our readers, and please feel free to pass these mags on to your families and friends.

WRITER Dani Jardim dani@childoftheuniverse.co.za

The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the editor, advertisers or endorsers. While every effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are both accurate and truthful, the publisher and editor accept no responsibility for inaccurate or misleading information that may be contained herein.

Much Love

.

Linda

contents BABIES & BEYOND Children and ‘Mirror Work’ What babies know about physics and learning languages Just how clean is your Child’s toothbrush?

When is the right time to take your Toddler to the Dentist 10 Things you didn’t learn at school PEACEFUL PARENTING The Ultimate list of Parenting ‘Hacks” Keeping life positive with your ‘Ex’ Getting Teens talking – Tips to loosen their lips!

How to write great Essays EDUCATIONAL TOYS AND TRAINING The benefits of Yoga for kids YUMMY TUMMY Cooking with Kids Yummy recipes ANIMAL WORLD Hello Spring! Getting your pets ready for Spring Recognising when your Pet s in Pain Puppy & Kitten starter packs for your new pets Special offers on all your pet requirement this month REACH OUT Saving the Children Project that needs support Animal shelters – adopt a new pet or show your support Sunflower day for children with cancer OUT & ABOUT Camps, shows, markets and eating out

Lessons learned in the Mirror Dahlia Elizabeth admiring her reflection

by Lindsay Curtis

Ever notice how babies (and toddlers…and some adults) just love looking at their reflection in the mirror? Aside from it being super cute to watch as babies coo at themselves, looking into the mirror helps with their development and eventually they discover that the reflection they’ve been looking at & kissing all of this time is themselves.

In adulthood, relationships act as the mirror as we learn about ourselves. It’s pretty well accepted that our most important lessons come through our relationships with others. In the article Relationships as Spiritual Mirrors, I wrote: every person you meet, every situation you encounter – offers you a mirror to see your own reflection on a soul level. This particularly applies to romantic and familial relationships, but coworkers, clients and friends mirror us and teach us lessons as well.

Sometimes when we’re in the thick of the pain or having a rough time in a relationship, it’s hard to remember that we have something important to learn in the experience. It’s only later, upon reflecting on the situation, that we realize it was something we needed to learn. Bonus points if we have learned our lesson and don’t have to repeat it.

We may be either on the giving or receiving end of these experiences, and there will be a lesson offered both ways. We haven’t fully learned our lesson until we can see how we helped to arrange matters. In other words, what did we do to set it up?

This isn’t a matter of blame. Really, it’s not!

But think about it next time: what part of your soul is being reflected back to you in this scenario?

I’ve come to realize that in relationships, we are so accustomed to a sort of cause and effect conditioning, like “You yelled at me first!”, that the concept of us giving the other person involved the proverbial bat and pointing to our own head is a difficult pill to swallow.

But, when you know that most everything that happens to you is drawn through the power of your own thought (whether it’s conscious or subconscious), then there’s no turning back, and there’s no more playing the role of the “poor me” victim. Well, you certainly can continue that, but it’ll feel less authentic.

We don’t have to hold onto the pain we’ve lived through to prove that it existed. We don’t need to keep coming up with evidence of the “wrongness” of the other person involved. We can – and should – take responsibility for our part of the lesson and move on. This is part of what makes us human.

If you go through some relationship bumps in the road, think of it as an opportunity to learn some karmic relationship lessons and to help you grow on a soul level. It won’t take away the pain, but it can help shed some light into the why.

Do you believe people are a reflection of who we are? Do you think we manifest the relationships and situations that come into our lives?

My name's Lindsay.

I'm a spiritual intuitive, empath and Reiki practitioner. Armed with intuition and a desire to help others grow, I write the articles on The Daily Awe to do just that.

What Babies Know About Physics and Foreign Languages

By Keith Negley

Parents and policy makers have become obsessed with getting young children to learn more, faster. But the picture of early learning that drives them is exactly the opposite of the one that emerges from developmental science.

In the last 30 years, the United States has completed its transformation to an information economy. Knowledge is as important in the 21st century as capital was in the 19th, or land in the 18th. In the same 30 years, scientists have discovered that even very young children learn more than we once thought possible. Put those together and our preoccupation with making children learn is no surprise.

The trouble is that most people think learning is the sort of thing we do in school, and that parents should act like teachers — they should direct special lessons at children to produce particular kinds of knowledge or skill, with the help of how-to books and “parenting” apps.

Studies prove that high-quality preschool helps children thrive. But policy makers and educators are still under pressure to justify their investments in early childhood education.

They’ve reacted by replacing pretend corners and playground time with “school readiness” tests.

But in fact, schools are a very recent invention. Young children were learning thousands of years before we had ever even thought of schools.

Children in foraging cultures learned by watching what the people around them did every day, and by playing with the tools they used. New studies show that even the youngest children’s brains are designed to learn from this simple observation and play in a remarkably sensitive way.

Young children today continue to learn best by watching the everyday things that grown-ups do, from cleaning the house to fixing a car. My grandson Augie, like most 4-year-olds, loves to watch me cook, and tries manfully to copy what I do. But how does he decide whether to just push the egg whites around the bowl, or to try to reproduce exactly the peculiar wristy beating action I learned from my own mother? How does he know that he should transfer the egg yolks to the flour bowl without accidentally dropping them in the whites, as Grandmom often does?

How did he decide that green peas would be a good addition to a strawberry soufflé? (He was right, by the way.)

Experimental studies show that even the youngest children are naturally driven to imitate. Back in 1988, Andrew Meltzoff of the University of Washington did a study in which 14-month-olds saw an experimenter do something weird — she tapped her forehead on top of a box to make it light up. A week later, the babies came back to the lab and saw the box. Most of them immediately tried to tap their own foreheads on the box to make the light go on.

In 2002 Gyorgy Gergely, Harold Bekkering and Ildiko Kiraly did a different version of this study.

Sometimes the experimenters’ arms were wrapped in a blanket when she tapped her forehead on the box. The babies seemed to figure out that when the experimenter’s arms were wrapped up, she couldn’t use her hands, and that must have been why she had used her head instead.

So when it was the babies’ turn they took the easy route and tapped the box with their hands.

In 2013 David Buttelmann and his colleagues did yet another version. First, the babies heard the experimenter speak the same language they did or a different one. Then the experimenter tapped her head on the box. When she had spoken the same language, the babies were more likely to tap the box with their foreheads; when she spoke a different language they were more likely to use their hands.

In other words, babies don’t copy mindlessly — they take note of who you are and why you act.

Children will also use what they see to figure out intelligent new actions, like putting peas in a soufflé. For example, in our lab, Daphna Buchsbaum, some colleagues and I showed 4-year-olds a toy with lots of different handles and tabs. A grown-up said, “Hmm I wonder how this toy works” and performed nine complicated series of actions, like pulling one of the handles, shaking a tab and turning the toy over. Sometimes the toy played music and sometimes it didn’t.

The actions followed a pattern: Some of them were necessary to make the machine go and some were superfluous. For example, the children might see that the toy lit up only when the experimenter shook the tab and turned over the toy, no matter what else she did.

Then she asked the child to make the music play. The children analyzed the pattern of events, figured out which actions actually made the toy go, and immediately produced just those actions. They would just pull the tab and turn over the toy. They used their observations to create an intelligent new solution to the problem.

We take it for granted that young children “get into everything.” But new studies of “active learning” show that when children play with toys they are acting a lot like scientists doing experiments. Preschoolers prefer to play with the toys that will teach them the most, and they play with those toys in just the way that will give them the most information about how the world works.

In one recent experiment, for example, Aimee E. Stahl and Lisa Feigenson of Johns Hopkins showed 11-month-old babies a sort of magic trick. Either a ball appeared to pass through a solid wall, or a toy car appeared to roll off the end of a shelf and remain suspended in thin air.

The babies apparently knew enough about everyday physics to be surprised by these strange events and paid a lot of attention to them.

Then the researchers gave the babies toys to play with. The babies who had seen the ball vanish through the wall banged it; those who’d seen the car hovering in thin air kept dropping it. It was as if they were testing to see if the ball really was solid, or if the toy car really did defy gravity.

It’s not just that young children don’t need to be taught in order to learn. In fact, studies show that explicit instruction, the sort of teaching that goes with school and “parenting,” can be limiting. When children think they are being taught, they are much more likely to simply reproduce what the adult does, instead of creating something new.

My lab tried a different version of the experiment with the complicated toy. This time, though, the experimenter acted like a teacher. She said, “I’m going to show you how my toy works,” instead of “I wonder how this toy works.” The children imitated exactly what she did, and didn’t come up with their own solutions.

The children seem to work out, quite rationally, that if a teacher shows them one particular way to do something, that must be the right technique, and there’s no point in trying something new. But as a result, the kind of teaching that comes with schools and “parenting” pushes children toward imitation and away from innovation.

There is a deep irony here. Parents and policy makers care about teaching because they recognize that learning is increasingly important in an information age. But the new information economy, as opposed to the older industrial one, demands more innovation and less imitation, more creativity and less conformity.

In fact, children’s naturally evolved learning techniques are better suited to that sort of challenge than the teaching methods of the past two centuries.

New research tells us scientifically what most preschool teachers have always known intuitively. If we want to encourage learning, innovation and creativity we should love our young children, take care of them, talk to them, let them play and let them watch what we do as we go about our everyday lives.

We don’t have to make children learn, we just have to let them learn.

Alison Gopnik is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and the author of the forthcoming “The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children,” from which this essay was adapted.

How Clean Is Your Child’s Toothbrush?

Nearly every parent struggles with getting their kids to brush their teeth.

Establishing proper dental habits is vitally important to ensuring a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. While the focus is almost always on frequency and duration of tooth brushing, as well as the type of toothpaste being used, there is far less attention put on the cleanliness of the toothbrush. In fact, many parents would be downright shocked to learn that visibly clean toothbrushes are commonly contaminated with potentially pathogenic organisms.

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Toothbrushes should be rinsed well with tap water after each brushing and stored in an upright position. Make sure that toothbrushes aren’t touching to avoid crosscontamination.

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Don’t Share Toothbrushes

Kids who share toothbrushes also share microorganisms that can increase the risk of transmission of infections. It’s very important to stress the importance of using only your own toothbrush.

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Do Not Store Toothbrushes in Closed Containers

Damp environments, such as an enclosed toothbrush container, do not enable toothbrushes to air out and dry. This can become a prime breeding ground for bacteria and other pathogens to grow.

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Replace Toothbrushes Regularly

Toothbrushes can wear out and become frayed. They can also continue to collect bacteria, even after thorough cleaning.

Replacing brushes every three to four months or after an illness, like cold or flu, is a good practice that may reduce reinfection.

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Preventing the spread of germs with hand sanitizer has become commonplace in schools, hospitals, grocery stores and homes. Yet, few pay attention to the germs that grow on toothbrushes. The mouth harbors hundreds of different types of microorganisms. These are transferred to toothbrushes and can grow over time.

Although the body is usually able to defend itself against infections caused by these germs, there is the possibility that bacterial growth, particularly of yeast and mold, on toothbrushes can potentially lead to both oral and systemic health issues. So, how can you and your kids best care for your toothbrushes? Here are some basic guidelines to follow:

Rinse Toothbrushes Thoroughly

Rinse before Brushing

There is some evidence that rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash before brushing may decrease the buildup of bacteria on toothbrushes. Likewise, soaking toothbrushes in an antibacterial rinse may also be beneficial in decreasing the level of bacterial on a toothbrush.

Toothbrush care should be considered an important part of proactive dental hygiene and can be taught at an early age to promote good lifelong habits. By giving kids guidelines on how to care for their toothbrushes, as well as their teeth and gums, you may be able to support their overall good health throughout their life.

I am excited about our post today because this is our first Guest Post. Our very first guest author is Veronica Miller, from Reviews Academy. Her interests include getting to know people and helping them, reading, and writing (which got her into blogging). Outside of blogging, she does illustrations and takes classes to become a Graphic Designer.

I really liked working with her for today’s post because she has a passion for what she does and she’s very easy to work with. Without further ado, her post is below and we both hope you’d like it!

Newborns will usually have their first tooth around six months of age. Though it’s not permanent and will be replaced soon, their biting and chewing starts right there. From sucking their thumb to putting everything imaginable in their mouth, those first set of teeth function 24/7. Because the health of your baby is your primary concern, you should be careful about your precious little one’s oral health during this period.

So, how many parents start cleaning their baby’s teeth right away? Unfortunately, not enough.

Some parents teach them brushing only later in life but babies only depend on breast milk for a certain period of time. After that, you start feeding them solid food to give them the nutrients that they need and that’s when decay can start.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry says most toddlers get cavities and tooth decay from their bottles. Bottles make it easy for moms to pacify a crying baby but the problem is the sugar in milk. Sugar invites the bacteria and gives room to damage the gum and teeth. If left unnoticed, they can go deeper over time and become a health hazard.

Whatever the reason, it is a fact that even infants and toddler need their oral health monitored.

Some parents do not think their baby’s teeth need to be brushed or take their baby to the dentist because they are just going to fall out anyway. Nothing could be further from the truth; a child’s baby teeth are just as important as the adult teeth that are going to come in later. They can still have decay, cause gum disease and cause future dental problems if they are not taken care of.

Perhaps even more important is starting early to teach your child the value of brushing, flossing and taking care of their teeth. Teaching them to brush their teeth twice a day from a very young age is going to give them lifelong habits that will keep their oral health sound.

You can also help by preparing your child for the dentist. Tell them what to expect and make sure that you have brought their favorite toy or blanket, or any other item that will help them feel comfortable. Make sure to ask any questions you might have about your child’s oral health. There is never a dumb question and your dentist will be happy to educate you and show you what needs to be done to prevent future dental problems.

It is highly recommended to visit a dentist before the child turns one. They need a normal check up prior to their first birthday.

A dentist will examine their baby teeth, including their growth, look for cavities and analyze roots and gums. If it is chalky or has brown dots due to irregular brushing, the doctor cleans your child’s teeth and educates you on your child’s oral habits. He will suggest you use soft toothbrush and recommend toothpastes that are both healthy and liked by kids, encouraging them to brush twice a day. There are toothbrushes that are specifically made for infants, but in general, a very soft bristled toothbrush will do the job.

Finding a dentist will be your first task. Make sure that you choose a pediatric dentist – a dentist that works specifically with children.

A pediatric dentist has further training in the oral health of children and not only will they be able to recognize and treat problems that are common with children’s teeth, they will also know how to deal with children while they are in the dentist chair – because it can be a scary place to a little one.

Let your dentist know what you have been doing for your child’s oral health up until this point, any medical history that could be related to the teeth and what sort of diet your child eats.

When your dental visit has concluded and you know the current state of your child’s teeth and the immediate steps that you need to maintain or correct their oral health, it is time to think about the future. The first thing that you’ll want to do is find out when your child’s next appointment will be.

This will vary depending upon the child and the particular problems (or lack of them) that your child has. If there are oral health issues, your dentist may ask you to make an appointment sooner to ensure that the treatment is working and nothing else needs to be done. If there are no problems, your next visit will probably be in six months and every six months after that.

Dental health is always underrated. Some have dental phobia. Prevention is better than cure; so maintaining proper health would keep you from making hospital visits. A toddler needs your attention; teach the good habits as soon as they start learning things. Just because your child needs comfort doesn’t mean they need a bottle; this could start a habit which might be harder to correct later on. Use pacifiers which can pave the way for a better dental development; it is safer to use.

Avoid sugary liquids (at night time when the baby is about to sleep). Brush their teeth before they go to bed at night. If they are adamant and don’t cooperate, pamper them with stories and make the cleaning process entertaining and interesting. You shouldn’t only clean the teeth, clean the gum areas as well and completely wipe off the tongue to remove food particles caught inside. Flossing is recommended to prevent the harmful bacteria from spreading.

Primary teeth are going to fall out eventually but they are the foundation for strong adult teeth.

Oral care is essential as speech and appearance depend on it when they’re older, especially during the teenage years. There are a lot of cases when parents would take their kids to the dentist in order to correct the spaces between teeth and gum, fix chipped tooth, teeth stains and other imperfections, which might cost a lot. These can be avoided if we start good oral hygiene while they’re young.

So, in conclusion, take care of your toddler’s teeth before it’s too late.

Veronica is an enthusiastic blogger that writes for Reviews Academy. At RA, she reviews entire categories of products and not individual models in order to offer you a complete picture of all options available on the market. Her mission is to provide the readers with comprehensive and trustworthy opinions to help them make the perfect buying decision.

10 Things Never Learned In School After finishing my three years in college I was excited to jump into the real world and conquer it. I never did.

I think that I was ill prepared for the world, as school made me believe I had acquired all necessary skills.

However, it soon dawned on me that school had not taught me some very important skills, and here are the 10 things I never learned in school: 1. School never taught me how to love The teachers insisted on the importance of me understanding how to balance equations and prepare gasses in chemistry but they never taught me how to know if I had the right chemistry with someone.

2. How to handle money Although I was taught math it was predominantly calculus and algebra which I never use. I wish they taught me how to budget my finances instead.

3. Embrace my uniqueness School never taught me the importance of celebrating my uniqueness. They made me think that it was better to fit in than to stand out. Now it has come to my realization that anyone who conquers the world first breaks out the preset mold.

4. The importance of creating an impact It was ingrained in me that I should get good grades and a good job thereafter and slowly sail into the sunset. They never taught me that making a worthwhile contribution on this earth that will outlive me is more important than being tied to a monthly salary.

5. Expressing gratitude While I was taught to say thank you, I was never taught how to be constantly grateful for all the blessings in my life. My good health, my sound mind, my loving family I grew to take to take all this for granted only to realize that they were blessings.

6. Grades can’t measure my potential School made me sit through exams and fit me to a certain position depending on my performance. They made me believe that those who performed better than me were set out for success throughout their lives. it is not true. If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life thinking it’s stupid-Albert Einstein.

7. How to follow my intuition Following my intuition was never taught in school and I never knew anything about listening to my heart. I was taught to react to situations instead of listening to my heart for guidance which knows right from wrong.

8. Silencing self-doubt Lessons were taught inside and outside the classroom and lecture hall. Training my brain was never one of the lessons. I thought negative thoughts were normal and I wish the taught me how to silence them and wire my brain positively.

9. Practicing powerful habits School never insisted on constantly practicing habits like setting goals, having a vision, meditating, conscious thinking and dealing effectively with people.

10. The importance of happiness Lastly, I wish school had taught me about the importance of happiness because my brain’s productivity is directly correlated to my level of happiness. And living in a world that is mostly negative school never stressed the importance of choosing to be happy.

by Karani Phaustin Karani is a freelance writer who began writing in 2008, and his passion turned into a book called “25”. He also has his own personal website www.karaniph.com where he periodically posts articles, writes poems and short stories.

The Ultimate List of Parenting Life Hacks

Suddenly you’ve got a new full-time job, and its name is Baby. It’s hard to juggle taking care of your little one with taking care of yourself. Your nights belong to feedings; your bag belongs to baby gear; and your hours are broken up by baby’s short attention span. Here are the life hacks Babylist parents used to make the job a little bit easier. We hope they save you time, money, and sanity.

Hacks for healthy and civilized eating Introducing your baby to solid food can be a messy process, and teaching them how to behave in restaurants, an ordeal. How to get them to love the healthy food you know is good for them? How to keep them from protesting the tedium of the restaurant? These parents have some great ideas!

• Sneak in those veggies: Blend veggies into a smoothie with strawberries for picky eaters.”

• Toddlers can love baby food: "I have a 7 months old, who eats home cooked purees, most of them are green, yellow and orange veggies. My big one gets jealous and thinks it’s so cool to eat her baby sister’s food. So I take advantage and give it to her–green beans, squash, you name it, she eats it!”

• Make eating a game: “For those with toddlers, at restaurants order foods that your little ones can pierce with chopsticks (keep some in your bag). It occupies them by doing something different.”

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Bendy straws: “Bendy straws in every purse/diaper bag for toddlers. Makes it so very much easier to avoid spills in restaurants, etc.”

Feeding schedules as tantrum prevention: “Keep kids on a schedule, especially with meals.

Three balanced meals and two healthy snacks a day will avoid most meltdowns in kids, especially toddlers.”

This one’s genius: “All melty summer treats in the bathtub

Hacks for breast and bottlefeeding Keeping a newborn fed is a 24-hour around-the-clock job, so anything that can make it easier is a godsend.

• Pumping lets dad help with feeding: “For breastfeeding mamas, your breast pump is your best friend, even for a stay-at-home mama. Even if you just pump once a day, do it so dad can do even just one feeding a day. My husband took the 10:30-11pm dream feed at 3 weeks and it gave me the ability to have precious time in the evening to myself and the ability to go to bed early and sleep for a good solid block of hours.”

• Genius bottle-warming trick: “If you’re exclusively pumping and want some time to get out and enjoy not being stuck at home with a newborn, bring a thermos filled with hot water to warm your bottles anywhere-in the mall, at the park… It also saves you money instead of buying those expensive bottle warmers for the car.”

• Save your bed from milk dribbles: “Put bassinet size mattress pads on top of your sheets from night nursing.”

Hacks to keep you organized When you’re a new parent, time is at a premium: minutes and seconds to yourself are precious resources, not to be squandered. Space in your bag is also at a premium, considering the metric ton of baby gear you have to haul around wherever you go. Organization can make your life SO much easier!

• Ditch nonessential tasks: “Don’t waste your time folding baby clothes.”

• Bedtime feedings = longer sleep for parents: “Change, diaper and feed your newborn the most/longest right before you go to bed so you’re able to get a little more sleep. Works great with my 7 week old right now!”

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Keep your diaper bag prepared: “Every time you get home, clean out your diaper bag and refill so it is ready to go. If I have the essentials ready to go, I can throw in a snack and go in a quick minute. This has saved me more than once to be on time.”

Don’t give them time to mess up their out-of-house outfits: “When going out always get dressed first. Then dress your little ones. Once dressed I put on a towel/apron combo to keep my clothes clean and intact.”

Use baby’s naptime wisely: “Don’t do anything while the baby sleeps that you could do while she’s awake! (i.e. folding laundry, etc.)”

Sheet-changing hack: “Doubling/layering the bed sheets. When they need changing just strip & the next set is ready to go.”

Bathroom multi-tasking: “Brush your teeth while peeing. There’s no time to do these things separately.” (Note that more than one person gave us this particular parenting life hack!)

Buy yourself time to shower: “Stick baby in a bumbo or seat and let them join you in the shower at the edge of the tub. Super fun activity for them while the water sprinkles their face and you get a shower! Two in one!!! Woot ” And here’s our favorite tip: “Maintain your Babylist long after the initial ‘new baby necessities’ phase and send the link to family and friends who ask for gift ideas for baby’s 1st birthday, Christmas, etc.”

Hacks to make diapering easy It’s hard to put a diaper on a squirming, wriggly, restless baby! Plus, having the perfect diaper gear on you at all times requires so much planning ahead. Hack your way out of your diaper dilemma.

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Don’t waste $ on a changing table: “Instead of buying a changing table, simply use the changing table topper instead wherever you typically change diapers at home.�

Face pants game: “Putting baby’s pants on their face while changing their diaper and when they pull them off shout peek a boo is pretty helpful for diaper changes. đ&#x;˜œ â€?

Diaper distraction trick: “While changing my daughters diaper I now place a magnet letter on her forehead and pretend she is invisible while it’s on. She’s so distracted she doesn’t wiggle.� Another parent used a similar trick, but with a clean wipe instead of a magnet letter.

Backwards clothing to prevent diaper escape: “When dealing with little lives who love to rip off their diaper, take a pair of footie pajamas, cut off the feet, and put them on your munchkin backwards!!�

Red light bulb for night changing: “Late night diaper changes are rough in the beginning!

Instead of fumbling in the dark or turning on a bright light, grab a red light bulb! You’ll have enough light to change baby but no one will be forced awake by the shock of the bright light!�

Maxipad as emergency substitute diaper: “If you ran out of diapers during errands but have a pad in your glove box, paste it to their onside bottom or a pair of bloomers to lay you a good twenty minutes until you can figure out your next move

Hacks to keep them calm • Take a lap through the house: “Babies have short attention spans and because of that I feel like I get nothing done! So while doing dishes or folding laundry, if she gets fussy, I pick her up, do a lap throughout the house so she can look around (and you get more steps) then I put her in a slightly different spot or angle, then I have another five-ish minutes then I repeat.â€? • Try a back carry: “Back your baby! Whenever my little one is fussy etc I put her on my back using the Ergo carrier and it Instantly calms her down! I’m able to get many things done and she enjoys being there.â€? • Diffuse anger with goofy fun: “When they throw a tantrum, just get them distracted by something completely different and use a princess voice or something‌ for example my 2.5 years old comes home very hungry and irritated from school and goes towards the snack cabinet almost crying and losing herself over it. Not to spoil her appetite before the dinner, I offer her to go upstairs and put on a pretty dress that she likes so much. That does the magic.

She forgets she is hungry and is excited about her dress.â€? • Eye contact wakes up babies: “When baby wakes up during the night for feedings/diaper changes, AVOID EYE CONTACT!! Give them hugs/kisses/love but don’t look them in the eye.

They will think it’s time to play and may not want to go back to sleep. I’ve used this tip with both my kids and it always works.â€? • This one might be obvious but‌ “Never wake a sleeping baby. He will wake up soon enough!â€?

Hacks to keep them entertained The theme here was that tots don’t need fancy toys to keep them entertained. The whole world is so magical and new to them that everyday items are plenty entertaining enough! • • •

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Masking tape: “For flying or long car rides with a little one: buy a roll of masking tape to let them unroll. It’ll keep them entertained and distracted for ages with basically no mess or cleanup involved. Plus it’s sticky, so it’s less likely to get thrown or dropped on the floor.�

Do-it-yourself playground: “Learn to swing the car seat like a pendulum. Once you get that down, you’re golden.� Make sure they’re strapped in safely.

Make toys from junk and household items: “Give baby household items for toys. Plastic cups to bang. Magazine pages to tear. Cardboard boxes to explore.� And this particular parent got really ingenious with household items: “Colorful Popsicle sticks, Pom poms, cotton balls and Q tips in an old cleaned-out Parmesan cheese container. My one year old loves taking them out and putting back in. There are two flaps on these lids, one side is wide open and one has three holes. Keeps him occupied in restaurants!!�

Backup security item: “Always have a back up blankie, teddy bear, whatever their security item is. Buy two from the beginning because one will get lost and you’ll need that backup in case it sells out or is discontinued!�

Hacks to keep yourself sane Our most popular hack: One word: “wine.â€? Many people submitted that one. • •

•

• •

Mama timeout: “Dance with your children, sing with your children, and play with your children, but also set aside time for yourself. Sometimes, I even tell my oldest that I need a ‘timeout.’ đ&#x;˜œ â€?

Go on outings: “Get baby out in the world early!! Once they are here they are part of the world.. Let them learn to sleep with noise and see people!â€? Take time to enjoy: “Take time to admire the miracle you created! I think too often we are so tired that we forget why we are tired. So everyday I find myself spending some time to just look at my little man and think about what my body did and went through to get him here. đ&#x;˜œ â€?

Breathe: “Deep breaths. Time to step away, refocus, relax and focus on the big picture. The days are long but the years go by fast.�

Be kind to yourself and others: “There will be days you feel like you’re failing at parenting completely. Please remember to be kind to yourself, and know that being a parent is not always easy.

As absolutely wonderful as it is, it’s also a lot of work. Don’t be too hard on yourself! You’re doing a great job! We all feel a little run down and have feelings of guilt thinking we could do better. Love yourself, and you’ll be an even better momma

Single Parenting: 8 Tips for Keeping it Positive with Your Ex

by Renee Brown One of the toughest things about being a single parent has been dealing with my boys’ father. Our divorce dragged on for 16 months. That’s a long time to be in limbo, at odds, and very unsure about the future. We fought a lot and there were many sleepless nights where I sat on my front step in the middle of the night, lamenting my situation and being angry at my ex.

But, as they say, time is a great healer. Since my boys are now young men, there is no need for me to be in much contact. Still, through the years of ups and downs and shared parenting, I did try (not always, but sometimes) to be kind and patient with my ex. Even though it often felt like I was surrendering to him in our weary battle, I found that forgiving and forgetting helped me be a more loving mom.

If you’re in the throes of combat with your ex, here are some strategies that worked for me:

1. You both have a common goal: Try to operate from a place of providing what is in the best interest of your children.

Obviously, this will be difficult and you might not always succeed, but hopefully, both of you want what is best for your kids—to create the best situations, the best opportunities, and the best life possible.

2. Your ex is someone’s son (or daughter): Regardless of how difficult he may be towards you, he is very loved by his parents.

When I would see my ex mother-in-law, I would imagine her at my age, raising her little boy, and I would think about how much loving emotion and admiration she has for my ex, her son.

3. Your kids are half you, half him (or her): I learned about this in the court-mandated parenting class I attended. One of the strongest reasons you should never criticize your ex in front of the kids is that deep down, they understand that they have a part of each parent within them. When you criticize their dad, you are in essence criticizing them.

Yeow!

4. Now is not forever: This little nugget has served me very well for so many years, in so many different situations. When I was knee deep in the muck with my ex, so very weary of my life, I would try to remember it wouldn’t always be that way. Even though it most definitely felt like it would never end, I still saw that my situation was constantly changing and morphing. And one day I looked back and realized I had gotten through it! When you discover that fine moment, please stop and praise yourself. This is how we grow, mature, and become better people and parents.

Celebrate that!

5. You created beautiful kids together: At the end of the day, you can never really regret your relationship with your kid’s other parent, because without it, you wouldn’t have them. Can you imagine not being the parent of your children? I sure can’t. You can’t have it both ways, friends, so try to keep that thought in the forefront when the sailing isn’t smooth. Your kids are so worth it.

6. We are all imperfect: All of us are screwing up constantly, being jerks and totally selfish at times. Give the guy (or gal) some grace instead of using their lessthan-stellar behavior as ammo for the machine gun to fire later. Remember, you likely aren’t an angel 24/7 either.

7. Choose forgiveness: Your ex might be hurting badly as well. And while this doesn’t excuse rude or blatantly unfair behavior, try to see the baseline of where the emotion is coming from. Maybe he’s terrified that he will not be able to have the close relationship with the kids due to part-time parenting. Maybe his finances are super strapped, just like yours. Maybe he’s grieving the loss of the relationship. We all react impulsively at times and take our anger and frustration out on those who don’t always deserve it.

8. Remember, you were once very attracted to him (her)!

I know, you don’t want to admit this but it is the truth. There was a time you couldn’t wait to see him walk through the door. You likely have years worth of happy and loving memories, so make sure you share these moments with your children. They need to know that mom and dad have a foundation of love together.

I hope this post gives you some hope and encouragement to stay the course throughout your single parenting journey. As one who has landed on the opposite shore and can now look back over her ocean of parenting experience, I can tell you, it’s so very worth it.

Renee lives in Minneapolis and has two young adult sons, Sam and Zachary, plus three obstinate felines.

She is a senior account executive in advertising and an avid reader, creative writer, and yoga enthusiast.

Getting Teens to Talk: 6 Tips to Loosen Lips

By Randye Hoder

Parents are often told that keeping an open line of communication is the most important thing they can do to help their teenagers grow up safe and sound. But in a classic parenting conundrum, as soon as their adorable, chatty children hit adolescence, the kids clam up. It seems the last people on earth teens want to talk to are Mom and Dad. Getting teens to talk is suddenly so hard.

The little talking there is often turns into tussling—over friends, parties, and house rules. Many times, conversations feel more like negotiations, with parents cajoling their teenagers to wake up, go to sleep, finish their homework, or tackle their chores.

But all is not lost. Parenting experts say that this persistent image of the tight-lipped teenager is a myth—one that undermines parents’ relationships with their children.

Getting Teens to Talk “Teenagers have to push us away in order to stand on their own—that is their job,” says Kenneth Ginsburg, co-director of the Center for Parent and Teen Communication at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and author of Raising Kids to Thrive. “But there is no question that teenagers want to have good communication with their parents.”

Indeed, while they may not always act like it, most teenagers care what their parents think, and they want to be close with them.

“Research shows that teenagers really do want to talk with their parents—especially about the difficult subjects like drugs and sex,” says Alan Kazdin, a professor of psychology and child psychiatry and director of the Yale Parenting Center. “But they think their parents are unapproachable on these topics.”

To make yourself more approachable, here are a handful of practical tips:

If you tune into your kids when they are young and want to talk, they’ll be more apt to open up when they’re older.

1. Start early.

Lay the groundwork for getting teens to talk when they are young. Parents who learn how to navigate disagreements when their children are younger will find it easier down the road to talk to older teens about even thornier issues. Resolving conflict in middle school over social media use, cell phones, and bedtime issues will set the tone for future conversations involving sex and intimacy, drugs, and alcohol.

One way to do this is to model good communication and openness in your family.

“Share details about your day at dinner, tell stories about your childhood, share things about yourself that are not always good,” Kazdin says. “Be open to questions.”

Be a good listener as well. If you tune into your kids when they are young and want to talk—even if you are tired or cranky or uninterested—they’ll be more apt to open up when they’re older. “Let them tell you about their favorite TV show or the latest schoolyard squabble,” says Wendy Mogel, a clinical psychologist and author of the forthcoming Voice Lessons For Parents: What To Say, How to Say It and When to Listen. “It may be boring, but they are telling you something about their wonderful, sparkling selves.”

2. Compromise Parents often view compromise as a slippery slope, fearing that if they give in a little here, they’ll have to give in a lot there. But most experts say the opposite is true. If you concede a bit of ground when you can, your teens will be more amenable to do the same when it’s really important to you.

“Give up on the little things like torn jeans,” Kazdin says. “Hold a harder line on the things that will matter down the road”—bigger issues of safety and morality.

Adds Ginsburg: “There’s a fine line parents have to walk. You are allowed to insist on respect, but if you argue about every issue, you are going to push a kid away. Especially if you nitpick about the small stuff.”

3. Attend to the positive.

Negative bias in humans is strong; we’re hard-wired toward it. That’s why it’s easier for parents to focus on negative behavior and let positive behavior go unnoticed.

“Teenagers are not doing horrible things all day long,” Kazdin says. “Try to catch them in the act of being good. This is important because positive interaction leads to positive interaction. The more you do this, the more opportunities you will have to communicate effectively.”

Parents can also create positive experiences.

“So much of the time we spend with our teens is negative or interrogative: ‘Did you do your homework? Did you clean up your room? How did you do on the test?’” Mogel says. “Kids need to spend time with their parents that is fun, enjoyable, chill. Play cards, cook, hike, watch TV or a movie.”

Teenagers are not doing horrible things all day long. Try to catch them in the act of being good.“ 4. Talk less, listen more.

Parents naturally want to tap into their hardearned wisdom to make their child’s life easier. But that is not what teens want—or what they need.

“The minute a teenager talks about a problem, the parent is interrupting them to offer advice or to criticize them for their poor choices or to try and fix it,” Mogel says. “But what they really want is for their parents to listen to them deeply.”

By acting as a sounding board—and not responding too quickly—you will ultimately be in a better position to offer the right counsel. “Understand that while your teen lacks experience, he still understands his own life,” Ginsburg explains. “Treat him as the expert who can guide you on how to best advise him.”

5. Problem-solve together.

When kids are small, parents make all the decisions. But when your kids become teenagers, they should be involved. Getting teens to talk should be a give and take.

If there is a disagreement over curfew, for example, ask your teen to come up with a handful of ways to resolve the dispute. Then you do the same.

Throughout the process, when getting teens to talk it’s important to respect your teen and take her seriously. “Discuss the possible consequences and outcomes of those proposed solutions,” Kazdin says. “What’s the best outcome for both of us out of these choices?”

Don’t be afraid to quarrel, either. When your teen argues with you, “he’s learning to assert himself, to advocate for his point of view, and to learn to effectively handle disagreements,” Kazdin says. “These are valuable skills they can use to help manage relationships with teachers and peers, and to resist peer pressure. You don’t want kids who always acquiesce.”

6. Don’t judge.

Getting teens to talk may mean checking your expectations. With so much focus on achievement these days, teenagers feel judged all the time, whether it’s by their friends, teachers, or college admissions officers. They don’t want their parents piling on.

Teenagers “feel there are only two positions—success or failure—and that there is nothing in between,” says Mogel. “This level of expectation gets in the way of effective communication.”

Ginsburg agrees. “If you focus only on the behaviors that disappoint you or on their grades, they will think you see them in terms of what they produce,” he says. “Teens need to know that we stand by them no matter what and see them for who they really are.”

Randye Hoder writes about the intersection of family, politics and culture. Her articles have appeared in the The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Slate, Time and elsewhere. You can follow her on Twitter @ranhoder.

South Africa's leading provider of children's yoga classes and children's yoga teacher trainings, Yoga4Kids has been successfully spreading children's yoga and life skills throughout South Africa since 2003.

We offer classes for YogaTots (ages 3 – 7), YogaKids (ages 8 – 12) and YogaTeens (ages 13 - 18). The Yoga4Kids curriculum offers an age-appropriate mind, body and heart balance to children through exercises, breathing techniques and relaxation skills.

The curriculum is based on yoga practice, mindfulness practice, and the life skills and wellbeing workshops developed by Yoga4Kids.

We have also been running internationally accredited children’s yoga teacher trainings endorsed by the Yoga Teachers Fellowship nationwide since 2005.

The non-profit arm of the brand, the WHOLEY Child Foundation, runs free weekly classes at child and youth care centres around Cape Town. Our outreach classes currently cater to approximately 40 children, all of whom have been removed from their home situations for various reasons and are now in foster care at the centres we visit.

The children range from ages 4 to 12, and are from all over Cape Town. Yoga4Kids trainees and teachers are encouraged to use their new skills to give back to the community through this worthy seva project, which we will soon be expanding across the rest of South Africa.

Yoga4Kids Team

Yoga4Kids is represented nationally, with teachers in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

Suzie Manson, the Founder of Yoga4Kids South Africa and an experienced children’s yoga teacher trainer, studied under one of the forerunners of children’s yoga, Fenella Lindsell, in London. She is accredited with the Art of Health & Yoga Institute in Britain and the Yoga Fellowship in South Africa.

Contact Information for Yoga4Kids Suzie Manson: 083 299 6555 Email: suzie@yoga4kids.co.za Cheryl Herda: 073 509 4294 Email: admin@yoga4kids.co.za For information on the Yoga4Kids Teacher Trainings, please contact Suzie Manson as per above.

The Yard on Third wants to keep the passion in horse riding alive. We love horses as much as you do and want you to continue to love riding and caring for your horses.

We have seven beautiful and unique school horses for all age groups to enjoy our lessons. We promote the art of horsemanship and teach our riders to care for their horses, this includes everything from cleaning out a stable to jumping in your very first horse show. We also offer fun and exciting training shows that are open to the whole family to enjoy, these take place every two months. We also offer pony camps, outrides, outings and day clinics to all of our riders.

Join our mailing list to be sure you are up to date on the shows that take place at the Yard and come experience for yourself the passion and love that is radiating from our Yard, to our riders and especially to the horses.

Cuban Beans and Rice Cuban Beans and Rice Beans and rice can be a simple, satisfying meal for the entire family. In Cuba, beans are often cooked with a seasoning mixture called sofrito, made from garlic, onion, bell pepper, tomato, cumin, and oregano. Try combining this version of Cuban beans and rice with a crisp green salad of lettuce, cabbage, and tomatoes.

Add a little sweetness with fresh pineapple and banana. Serves 4 - 6.

Ingredients

Instructions

• • • • •

Make the beans

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• • • • • • • • • •

Cuban Beans 3tbsp vegetable oil ½ red onion cut into ¼-inch pieces 4 garlic cloves minced 1 green or red bell pepper cut into ¼inch pieces 2 tomatoes cut into ½-inch pieces ¾tsp ground cumin ¾tsp dried oregano ¾tsp salt ¼tsp black pepper 3cans (15 oz. ea.) black beans rinsed and drained 1can (15 oz.) red beans rinsed and drained 1cup water 1whole bay leaf ¼cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped lime wedges(optional) Yellow Rice 1tbsp vegetable or olive oil ½tsp turmeric 1½cups long grain white rice 3cups water ½tsp salt

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and bell pepper and continue to cook, stirring often, for several minutes more. Add the tomatoes and cook until softened. Stir in the cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beans, water, and bay leaf, stirring to combine.

Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro.

Make the rice In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the turmeric and rice and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the water, increase heat to high and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from heat. Do not stir the rice. Let the rice sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

To serve Spoon the beans over the yellow rice and serve with a wedge of fresh lime. Serve pineapplebanana salad and green salad on the side.

Breadsticks Breadsticks It is believed that breadsticks were first made in medieval times. The Italian word for breadsticks is grissini. These crispy breadsticks are fun and easy to make. Makes 32 breadsticks.

Course Side Dish

Ingredients

Instructions

• • • • •

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the water and yeast. Let sit for 2 minutes, until the yeast is dissolved. Add the olive oil, honey, rosemary or peppercorns, salt, and whole wheat flour, stirring well. Add the white flour, 1 cup at a time, stirring until a stiff dough forms. On a clean, lightly floured work surface knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, until smooth.

• • •

1¼cups warm water 2tsp baking yeast 2tbsp olive oil 1tbsp honey 1tsp dried rosemary or ½ tsp cracked black peppercorns 1cup whole wheat flour 2½ cups white flour Additional olive oil and kosher salt

Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Form each piece into a circle about 3 inches in diameter.

Now divide each piece into 4 equal pieces. You will have 32 pieces in all. Roll each piece of dough into a cylinder about 8 inches long and place on baking sheet.

Lightly brush the breadsticks with olive oil and sprinkle with salt as desired. Bake the breadsticks for about 15 to 18 minutes, turning once during the baking, until lightly browned and almost crisp. Let the breadsticks cool before serving.

The Best Brains Require Good Nutrition

by Maren Schmidt Are our children getting the right kinds of food for maximum brain development and health? Most parents believe their children are getting adequate nutrition, but data shows otherwise.

Peeking into a few lunch boxes gives some indications and insights into the issue. Recent research is showing that a high level of highfructose sugar contributes to obesity and Type 2 diabetes in children.

High blood sugar levels affect the function of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that helps organize memory.

Children need a diet of complex carbohydrates versus a diet of sugar and foods that have a high glycemic index such as potatoes, white rice, white flour and white sugar. Data shows that 25 percent of children under the age of six eat French fried potatoes every day. One nutritionist recommends avoiding any food that’s white because those foods act like sugar to the brain.

Current research is showing that certain diseases and conditions have their roots in poor childhood nutrition. For example, the low intake of calcium rich foods–milk, cheese, broccoli, spinach and other green leafy vegetables–during the first 18 years of life may predispose women to osteoporosis.

Fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains take longer to digest but offer important nutrition that may not be found in the empty calories from the refined carbohydrates in soda and processed foods. For the young child under age six, certain foods should be avoided, and perhaps we all should avoid them. Two big two no-no’s seem to be sodas and foods that list sugar in the first five ingredients.

For sodas, their sugar content is too high, and the active ingredients in soda work against bone development. Soda drink consumption has risen to over 60 gallons per person annually in the United States. In a study of teenage boys, ages 13 to 18, about 60 percent reported drinking two sodas or more per day, with over 95 percent reporting that they drank soda regularly. In teenagers, over 25 percent of daily calories may be from sodas. The teenage habits begin before the age of six.

Water is the best liquid for our children to drink as effective brain growth and functioning is dependent on the brain being well hydrated, since the brain is over 90 percent water.

The second no-no: foods that list sugar as one of the first five ingredients include breakfast cereals, breakfast toaster pastries and more. High sugar consumption is linked to tooth decay, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other ailments. Serve fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Make sure that a child’s diet provides adequate protein. Too much protein can be as bad as too little, but inadequate protein affects brain development and overall health.

Children from one to three years need about 1,300 calories per day with 16 grams of protein. Four- to six-year-olds need about 1,800 calories per day with 24 grams of protein. Seven- to ten-year-olds require around 2,000 calories with 28 grams of protein.

Common protein-rich foods include milk, soy milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, lean meats, fish, poultry, beans, tofu, lentils, grains, nuts and seeds.

Another nutritionist recommends only shopping the perimeter of your grocery store, as all the nutritious and fresh food is there, and you won’t be tempted by all the fancy packaged processed food in the center aisles.

As my Granddad used to say, pay the grocer or pay the doctor. Yes, I’d much rather spend my money on blueberries than meeting my medical insurance deductible. It tastes so much better, and my brain loves it.

RECIPES: BABY BULLET Butternut Blend This recipe is great for your BABY BULLET by NUTRIBULLET.

Ingredients:

Directions:

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•

• •

Chopped Butternut 1 cup – or to your liking Chopped Sweet Potato – 1 cup Chopped Pumpkin – 1 cup

• • • •

Steam butternut, sweet potato and pumpkin Place steamed veg into the Baby bullet batch bowl Add water Blend until you have the consistency you require Empty into your date dial storage cups

Baby Bullet Date Dial Storage Cups

Baby Bullet Batch Bowl

Conscious Life Magazine

RECIPES: BABY BULLET Avo & Banana Mouse This recipe is great for your BABY BULLET by NUTRIBULLET.

Ingredients:

Directions:

• •

•

1 Avocado 1 Banana

• • •

Place 1 whole avocado and 1 whole banana into the batch bowl Add water Blend until smooth consistency Empty into your date dial storage cups

Baby Bullet Kit

Conscious Life Magazine

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Is your pet ready for Spring?

At last Spring is here and the furkids are wagging their tails with delight! The long, cold winter days are over and they can finally romp around outdoors in the sunshine. Now that hibernation season is behind us, it's time to give your pet a 'spring clean' and prepare them for the new season ahead. Here are 6 tips to ensure optimal well-being for your pet.

#1 Allergies Just like humans, our furkids also suffer from seasonal allergies. However, unlike humans who sneeze and sniffle, the first sign your pet is suffering from an allergy is skin irritation. Pets who are experiencing allergic reactions tend to have dry, itchy skin and break out in rashes. If you notice an increase in your pets scratching, licking or rubbing itself this may be a sign that they are suffering from seasonal allergies. To alleviate symptoms, use supplementary products. You could also try a special Hypo-Allergenic shampoo.

#2 Insects and Parasites As the weather gets warmer, the activity of insects and parasites such as fleas, ticks, worms and flies dramatically increases. This, unfortunately, means a higher risk of your pet being affected by these nasties. To steer your pet clear of irritation and multiple diseases, ensure that you get them appropriately medicated. There are specialised products for ticks and fleas for dogs and cats. There is also an excellent solution for getting rid of worms, and try a repellent ointment for those pesky flies. Sorted.

#3 Weight-control Diet Most pets (and humans) need to shed the weight they put on in winter as a result of inactivity. Get your pet back in tip-top shape by improving their diet and level of activity or exercise. There are many weight-control foods one can purchase to assist with getting your pet's weight back to normal. These foods are generally lower in carbs and richer in protein to promote lean muscle mass.

#4 Exercise Following on the previous point, along with a healthier diet, an increase in exercise will also assist your pet with shedding excess winter weight. Pets generally tend to spend a lot more time indoors during the cold winter months but Spring brings warmth, sunshine and the perfect conditions to get outdoors and active! Have fun in the sun by walking in the park or entertaining your dog or cat with an awesome toy.

#5 Water With the increase in temperature, your pets will need to hydrate more frequently. Make use of a pet water dispenser to ensure that there is always enough fresh, cool water for them to drink.

#6 Moulting Spring means hair, hair and more hair! As every pet owner already knows, spring brings shedding! Brushing your pet regularly not only dramatically decreases the amount of hair that ends up all over your home, but also keeps your pet cooler. Use a harder grooming brush for dogs, and a smaller, softer brush for cats.

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People have varying amounts of tolerance to pain and the same is true of their pets.

Some dogs may yelp and cry at the least discomfort, whilst another my not limp on an injured leg until it’s extremely damaged. Cats are notorious for being stoic and not showing that they are in pain.

Knowing your pet and his habits and behaviour is often the trigger to realizing he is hurting. You need to know what is normal for your pet, to be able to tell what is abnormal for them.

The skill of observing with a critical eye can be learned by anyone, and it starts with a genuine love and interest in your pet, his behaviour, posture and habits.

There are symptoms to watch for but often the first sign of pain in a family pet is the feeling of the owner that “something isn’t right”. When that impression remains for several days, a trip to the vet for a check-up is a good idea.

Symptoms of Pain: Vocalizing Your dog may whine when he rises from a sitting position or yelp when he jumps down from a chair. He may whimper when you massage a shoulder or make moaning or groaning sounds when at rest.

Your cat’s purring may actually increase, or he may be meowing incessantly or differently.

Panting is normal for dogs but constant panting in the absence of exercise or heat is unusual. Cats in pain may have a faster and more shallow breathing pattern than normal.

They may also even pant.

Conscious Life Magazine

Posture Know your pet’s normal posture at rest, as well as his normal gait. Sometimes postural changes may be very obvious e.g. our dog may limp with one leg or may appear to walk in an awkward, hunched position holding his front end and back end at uneven heights, or your horse may stand with his head in a lowered position. (When he stands with his head lower than his knees, it should set-off major alarm bells). If you know your pet’s “body language” , it will be easier to see when there is a deviation from the normal pattern.

“Cats in pain may have a faster and more shallow breathing pattern” Level of Activity Owners accustomed to a pet who follows them from room to room may notice the animal staying in one place instead. The dog may lay down, get up, circle and lay down again repeatedly trying to find a comfortable position and may have difficulty getting up after laying down. Cats experiencing pain often move around less. But depending on what hurts, they may still move around the same amount, just differently. They may move with a limp, or go more slowly up or down the stairs. Horses may show a decrease in activity or be reluctant to move, or may lag behind the rest of the group.

Heart and Pulse Change Animals in pain will often have an increased heart/pulse rate. The rate often noticeably speeds up when the painful area is touched or moved. You can enrol in a pet’s first aid course, or ask your veterinarian or veterinary nurse to show you how to check and measure your pet’s pulse rate.

Behavioural Changes Your pet may avoid social contact, or growl or snap when you touch part of his body or manipulate a joint. He may withdraw from petting and be reluctant to participate in play activity. Some dogs may become more needy than usual and seem to be asking for constant attention.

Incessant licking, scratching or chewing of one part of the body is a visible indication of itching or pain and an increase in drooling is another sign of a problem.

Be aware of changes in your horse’s behaviour in his turn-out group. Very often bad behaviour in horses have been attributed to them having a nasty character, but these unwanted behaviour patterns – swishing of the tail if you pass to close to their hind quarter, bucking, or dropping of the shoulder may be due to the fact that they are in pain.

Cats in pain are more likely to bite and scratch. This is true even with their owners and other familiar people. This is particularly true when a person touches or moves the painful area, or if the cat anticipates you touching or moving the painful area.

Cat’s may have a decrease in self-grooming when ill, or may groom excessively in an area with a wound. If your cat suddenly hides under beds or in cupboards it is s sure sign that he is in pain. Should your cat start to urinate or defecate outside his litter box it may be a sign of back/joint pain. They will struggle to get in and out of the litter box and

also with the posture needed to defecate, and as a result may become constipated.

Feeding changes Animals may lose their appetite when they are in pain or appear unusually tired or lethargic. Be aware of their feeding habits and pay attention to their feeding routine and changes to these routines. When they do go and eat and experience some pain in their mouth or the cause of their pain is related to their teeth, then they may drop food/water out of their mouth whilst eating/drinking.

Appearance Animals display facial expressions that their human companion recognize as part of the personality of their pet. A change in expression or physical appearance may be an indicator of a pet who is in pain.

Ears laid back may be unusual for the animal and a vacant stare that replaces the attentive look, or eyes that seem constantly tired and sleepy may be subtle clues of a joint that is aching or an injury that needs treatment.

Strained, tense nostrils, mouth and prominent chewing muscles, flattening of the horse’s profile, as well as tension seen above the eye area is a sure sign that your horse needs the vet or blacksmith or some dentistry.

Treatment for Pain Relief: Seek advice from your vet as soon as you notice your pet is in pain to determine the cause of pain. Prompt treatment can halt the progression of serious illness and relieve discomfort quickly.

Finding the cause of the discomfort can often lead to treatments with pet medicines that will control or even eliminate pain for the animal. Please do not self-medicate your pet.

Many fatalities have occurred with caring pet owners medicating their pets with human medicine. You can cause your pet severe

Conscious Life Magazine

distress and even death by giving your pet medicine meant for human beings.

Natural Medicines: Eco-Vet has a portfolio of registered natural medicine designed for treating various painful conditions. Eco-Heal is a must in your fist aid kit for pain and sudden onset injuries, while EcoJoint has been created for the treatment of animals with acute and chronic joint strains associated with mainly soft tissue injuries. May be effectively used before hard exercise to protect from work induced injuries. Is an effective remedy for use immediately after hard exercise as an aid to recovery. Eco-Arth is a natural remedy for the treatment of animals with chronic joint problems associated with degenerative disease, and had seen many animals regaining their mobility.

Conscious Life Magazine

DOES YOUR PET SUFFER FROM STRESS AND ANXIETY? Our lives can often be very stressful and our pets are not excluded from this byproduct of our modern lifestyle.

Some of the common causes of fear and stress in animals are: Unusual noises (thunder), unknown places (relocation), travelling, unusual places (visit to the vet or dog parlour), unusual odours, crowding, extreme temperatures, inconsistent handling, absence of their owner, excessive feeding etc.

ECO-FEAR and ECO-TRAVEL have been lovingly designed to assist your furry friend when they are faced with anxious and fearful situations. It is completely natural and have not side-effects because we love animals, Naturally.

ITCHING & SCRATCHING? There is no doubt that dogs in particular have huge problems in relation to skin disease. There are many reasons why this is so. Some dogs have allergies to colorants and other additives in dog food; including the expensive brands, some have specific allergies to gluten, in particular, which is found in many cereals. Some dogs such as Staffies and Bull terriers have such a fine skin with very little hair to offer them as protection against external irritants including grasses, shampoos and the sun, that they are more seriously affected than many other breeds.

Eco-Vet has a range of products that deal with various skin conditions. Please visit our website to see our full range, varying from skin conditioners to heart medication.

Email us and we can assist you with choosing the right medicine for his condition. www.ecovet.co.za 0860 326 838 ecovet@ecovet.co.za

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PUPPY AND KITTEN STARTER PACKS We know that bringing a baby furkid into the family is the beginning of an amazing journey - albeit a little overwhelming at first. What are all the essentials needed to keep your new furkid happy? Which brands should you buy? What are you able to afford with your budget? These are all very important questions to consider when getting a puppy or kitten and the good news is - we've got you covered for all your pet’s needs!

Pet Heaven makes pet parenting easy! We deliver pet products nationwide and specialise in automatic, scheduled deliveries that provide ultimate convenience. Never forget to buy pet supplies again! Shop our extensive range of your favourite pet brands.

Get 10% OFF your first order with Pet Heaven!

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CONTACT US 0861 017 431 support@petheaven.co.za www.petheaven.co.za

EVERY HOME NEEDS A LOVING PET! THERE ARE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS WAITING TO BE ADOPTED – PLEASE REACH OUT! WE ALSO ENCOCURAGE YOU TO REACH INTO YOUR HEARTS FOR THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE AND REALLY NEED OUR HELP.

Call 012 430 7775 Lines open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In South Africa and around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children’s unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

We need your help to ensure that no child is left behind.

In a tough funding environment, we have ensured we have multiple avenues of funding and are proud to have 11,000 generous individual donors contributing monthly. We will continue to be innovative in securing funding to enable us to reach more children and will work on increasing unrestricted and consistent funding streams.

You can help us make a difference. Even just by becoming aware of our work by reading our annual report.

To download and read the full annual report, click here.

Help us do whatever it takes to save the children.

Thank You Gugulethu Ndebele CEO

www.savethechildren.org.za

Education The quality of education in the foundation years has a lasting impact and we are working hard to ensure that every child receives quality basic education.

Child Protection South Africa is marked by high levels of violence and exploitation of children in places where they should be safe. All children should thrive in a safe environment.

Health & Nutrition No child under the age of 5 should die from preventable disease and all our children deserve long-term good health.

Children’s Rights Insufficient recources prevent children from achieving their rights as enshrined in the South African Constitution. We are campaigning for a strengthened childrights system

One in Every Four Children Being Robbed of Their Childhood One in every four children being robbed of their childhood, new report from Save the Children finds One quarter of the world's children are being denied a childhood, a new report from Save the Children has revealed.

The report includes a global index ranking the places where childhood is most and least threatened.

Launched to coincide with International Children's Day, the Stolen Childhoods report has found that at least 700 million children—and possibly hundreds of millions more—have had the promise of a full childhood brought to an early end.

The reasons vary from extreme violence and conflict, often driving families from their homes; early marriage and pregnancy; child labour, poor health and not being able to go to school.

In South Africa, the high levels of child homicide and extreme violence against children is the most concerning indicator.

Read: Save the Children to the rescue to take street kids under its wing

Enough is Enough - Ending Violence Against Children Watch our video and get involved now.

Make the difference that others only speak about.

In allowing our children to be harmed we allow the entire country’s future to be harmed.

Violence Against Children is a serious issue. At Save the Children South Africa, we are working around the clock to educate the public on the effects of violence, creating a type of awareness that stops the crime before it happens. We believe in speaking out – but not after the fact.

The solution begins with YOU – you hold the power to make a difference.

Every child deserves a future...

Find out more on www.savethechildren.org.za Follow @SaveChildrenSA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SaveChildrenSA Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SavetheChildrenSouthAfrica Join us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/savethechildrensouthafrica Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYqG...

Grace-rescue, rehab, rehome or retirement of abused, abandoned, ill/elderly animals.

We believe in eradication through education CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!!!! đ&#x;˜œ đ&#x;˜œ đ&#x;˜œ đ&#x;˜œ đ&#x;˜œ đ&#x;˜œ đ&#x;˜œ đ&#x;˜œ đ&#x;˜œ đ&#x;˜œ đ&#x;˜œ đ&#x;˜œ đ&#x;˜œ The Police are now saying if you see a dog locked in a car in hot weather, take a picture of the dog and the car.

If someone is with you, get them to bring up the weather for your area on their phone so you can screen shot the temp, then break the car window.

This way, you will not be charged with criminal damage and it gives the police photo evidence to take the dog owners to court.

CONTACT DETAILS Call Caron: 072 844 0250 Email: info.gracesanctuary@gmail.com

8 October at 8:00 LITTLE PAWS BIG HEARTS Lake Umuzi, 1 Kiewiet Street, Secunda We strive to improve the life of every dog and cat we come across in rural communities around Secunda!

Mobile: 082 777 6671

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with much appreciation to our advertisers, contributors, endorsers and our readers namaste