Child of the Universe Positive Parenting Sep 2016

HOPE BEGINS WITH YOU

Schools Competition “42 schools have already entered the competition,” said The Sunflower Fund’s CEO, Alana James. “This is the first time we are running the competition and we are so excited at this great response!

What do you need to do? Get each pupil in your school to buy a Tope and wear it on Sunflower Day – 16 September. A Tope is a multipurpose article of clothing that can be worn as a headband, scarf, armband, mask or cap. Topes come in two sizes – small (R20) and large (R25). You can purchase your Tope from Pick n Pay stores nationwide, Round Table, selected ICPA stores and also online from Zando.

Ensure that all learners have purchased a Tube of Hope – Tope and are ready to show them off on Sunflower Day. Take photos of your learners sporting their Topes and upload them to The Sunflower Fund’s Facebook page! Points will be awarded for numbers of people participating AND the most innovative use of the Tope!

All entered schools will also be eligible for the mystery Spur prize. Spur Foundation is offering 10 schools the opportunity to nominate one class in their school to enjoy the Spur surprise.

We look forward to seeing your school showcasing our Topes in a unique and creative way on Sunflower Day.

Conscious Life Magazine

ed’s letter Hello lovely people

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 ADVERTISING SALES Clint Stebbing 076 657 4139 clint@childoftheuniverse.co.za

DISTRIBUTION & RESEARCH Lee Coulter WRITER Dani Jardim dani@childoftheuniverse.co.za CONTACT NUMBERS TEL: (011) 462-2900 0110 262 643 0110 468 737

MEDIA PARTNERS

Just as we thought Spring was in the air, and most of us have had our first dips in the pool or the sea already…

Winter is showing up for a finale, so bring out the woolies again my friends.

This edition is really special as we are featuring a very special little baby named Antonio. He was born early and has fought so many battles in his short life, and the little tiger has finally been allowed to go home.

However, the hospital bills and other medical costs are enormous so we are appealing to our readers to give his parents, Carmen and Frank, a hand wherever you can. We celebrate the life of Antonio and the hope that he inspires for other parents Sunflower day is on the 16th and we have been dressing everyone up in Topes (Tubes of Hope). They are so versatile and can be used all year round. My grand daughter likes to wear hers as a dress. Take photos of your children and enter the Sunflower Fund competition. Besides the fun you will have creating new ways of wearing the Tope, you will also be contributing towards children with blood disorders like leukaemia.

Our magazines are usually published by the second week of each month, reason being that, once again, we are not conventional. We like to delight our readers with something fresh and insightful to read once you have gotten over the month end rush, and can put your feet up with a nice ‘cuppa’ tea, and consciously relax with us.

Remember to be conservative with your water, we are not sure when we are going to get some decent rain again.

Till next month – be well.

Much Love

Linda

Contributing Team & Experts

LINDA NAVON Editor/Owner

LISA RALEIGH

AMY McCREADY

LEIGH DAVIES

Cj MATTICKS

MARGIE McALPINE

HELEN HANSEN

HANNA KOK

Sub Editor/Marketing Director

Angel Connection School

CLINT STEBBING National Sales

SERGIO SALOTTO

VALERIE DENEEN

RENEE JAIN

BrainGym

VERONICA HAUPT Re-code Your Life

Adventures in Wisdom

JILL POND

KARA LEWIS

VINCENT JARDIM

HEATHER PICTON

MARNIE CRAYFROFT

LESLEY

Founder ADHASA ADHD Foundation

Carrots are Orange Montessorian

Daily Awe

RENAYE

Our Guardian Angel

contents CELEBRATE SUNFLOWER DAY BY ENTERING THE PHOTO COMPETITION – BUY YOUR TOPES FROM PICK ‘n PAY NOW

BABIES & BEYOND

ANTONIO THE BRAVE LITTLE TIGER THE 9 MONTHS OF PREGNANCY IN FULL COLOUR ENCOURAGING BOYS TO WRITE THE CUTENESS OF HOW BABIES LEARN

PEACEFUL PARENTING

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT MUSIC HELPS DEVELOP THE BRAIN FASTER READING AND THE GIFTED LEARNER – THEY HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS TOO

PLAYTIME

CONNECTING WITH NATURE – PLAY OUTDOORS CRAFTS TO MAKE AT HOME

STORY TIME

THE BENEFITS OF READING TO YOUR CHILDREN HAY HOUSE BOOK HAMPERS TO GIVE AWAY GIGS & GETAWAYS

HOME-WISE

WHAT WILL YOUR INSURANCE LOOK LIKE IN 2021 PREPARING YOUR SPRING GARDEN PLANTS THAT REPEL INSECTS

ANIMAL WORLD

MEET THE FURRY BABIES – THE CUTEST LITTLE ORPHANED MONKEYS WHEN A DOG SAVES A HUMANS’ LIFE

ANGEL-BABY ANTONIO The miracle baby that cheated death This is the story of Antonio, the little fighter who doctor’s said had a 15% chance of survival. He brings joy and hope to other parents.

Mommy Carmen is 34 years old (her 1st child) and daddy Frank is 36 years old (his 2nd child). They never imagined that he would blossom as he has, and initially sent out requests for prayers for Antonio. The little man had other ideas about life, and has fought very hard to get to this point where he is finally able to go home.

However, the hospital bills are tremendous and we are hoping that you will find it in your hearts to help this little boy and his beautiful family to raise funds to cover his medical costs, which will be ongoing.

Antonio Cecil Ramalhao was born 05/05/2016 at 35 weeks gestation. He weighed a feathery 1.7 kg at birth.

He had feeding problems from the start as his parents noticed he would vomit up his feeds, cry in pain and his little tummy would run. Doctors in the NNICU where he was born chalked it up to Acid Reflux and Colic. After two weeks in the NNICU he was allowed to come home where he spent a total of five days with us before being admitted back. Doctors again treated him for Acid Reflux and Colic and released him back to us after a week in their care. We had him for a little over a day and noticed he was not feeding properly, was still vomiting and in pain, and his tummy was still running.

He was admitted to a different hospital this time, where he was diagnosed with NEC (Necrotizing Enterocolitis) and fighting for his little life. He was also diagnosed with Refeeding Syndrome, which in itself is a life threatening disorder. He was pumped with antibiotics in an attempt to save his intestines but after a few days of no improvement it was decided that we would need to call a surgeon.

His X-rays and Ultrasounds revealed no perforations of the intestine but his mother had a feeling that they were possibly perforated and asked the Paediatrician to involve the surgeon.

With Dad and brother Michael

Professor Beale was contacted to come in and perform the surgery. Upon going inside Antonio’s little abdomen it was discovered that his small intestine had indeed perforated and was gangrenous. The surgery Professor Beale performed was a lifesaving one and he removed the rotten portion of Antonio’s intestine.

Antonio made it through the operation with Sepsis which had to be treated vigorously with antibiotics. He had a second surgery once he had recovered from the infection, to create a stoma so that the rest of his bowels could heal and recuperate. He was fitted with an ileostomy bag but soon suffered a second bout of Sepsis.

His platelets dropped dangerously low and we didn’t know if our boy would make it. We called in our Priest Father Thomas to come and baptize our boy. We have been overwhelmed by the response we received from family, friends and perfect strangers. Church groups added our son to their prayers lists. We believe that all these prayers along with Father Thomas’s blessings were heard and our little star has defied death many times over.

To date our boy Antonio has survived: •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Twin Pregnancy Mom’s Gestational Diabetes and Preeclampsia Severe intrauterine growth restriction Born Premature at 35 weeks NEC (perforated intestines) Refeeding Syndrome / Dehydration and electrolyte imbalances Three Surgeries Three Sepsis infections of: Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Enterococcus Faecium Klebsiella Pneumonia Fungal sepsis Feeding intolerance GI bleeding and low platelet count Low Haemoglobin levels Blood transfusions and platelet transfusions Severe malnourishment and extreme weight loss

Antonio has come a long way since that day two months ago. He has faced so many adversities in his little three month life, adversities that would have killed any adult.

Antonio’s Story is testament to the power of God, Faith and Prayer. To great surgeons, Paediatricians and nurses, and also to parents who never gave up on their little angel.

Antonio is our brave little fighter, and we are honoured to be his parents. Through his story, he has taught many people that no matter how tough life gets, no matter how many times you are knocked down, that you can get back up and keep fighting.

We want other parents out there who are going through a similar experience to take this story as one of hope. To realise that no matter how many odds are stacked against their little ones, there is always a fighting chance.

There is a short fall of R120,000.00 so far.

BANKING DETAILS C.Boxall Capitec Edenvale Acc No:1320214655 Branch Code: 470010

Seth Foundation was founded on the 01st December 2012 by Nicole Natalie Vermaak mommy of Seth which drowned in an empty pool that had accumulated rain water in the deep end.

Nicole has made it a life mission to promote safety awareness and assist with the less fortunate children of South Africa.

Seth Foundation is a foundation that promotes child safety and offers support to families that are going through a loss of a child (in any event).

The foundation is based in South Africa.

So many of our children are in harms way due to parents not knowing about safety. First Aid Training as well as Fire Training is a must for any parent, child minder or family member who are in contact with children.

Drowning in South Africa is the 2nd highest cause of death of children, the highest cause is road accidents. So many children who have had near drowning's are left with disabilities.

ANTONIO’S CAUSE IS SUPPORTED BY NICOLE FROM SETH FOUNDATION IN HONOUR AND MEMORY OF HER SON, SETH, WHO DROWNED.

IDEAS TO ENCOURAGE BOYS TO WRITE Just like reading scores, writing test scores indicate that boys have fallen far behind girls across the all grades.

What can we do to get boys excited about writing?

Here are some tips to encourage boys to write.

1. FIND THEIR PASSION Find out what your boys are passionate about and have them write about it. Writing doesn’t have to be just fictional stories. If they love sports, have them write a sports story on the latest game. If they love history, have them write about what it would have been like to live at the time of a famous historical event. If they love Minecraft, have them write about their latest build. If they are passionate about it, they will want to write about it.

2. GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT, NOT CRITICISM When boys are learning to write, make sure you encourage them for their efforts instead of criticizing them about handwriting or grammar. It is hard to want to do something if you are always being corrected. When you are encouraging them to write, keep the focus on the fact that they are writing.

Grammar, spelling and handwriting will come with practice.

3. WRITING PROMPTS Use some writing prompts to make it easier for boys to come up with a topic. Type up some writing prompts, cut them out and put them in a jar where they can choose a new one each day.

4. USE DRAWING OR PICTURES My boys love drawing pictures, but not necessarily writing. Have them draw pictures and then write about the story that they drew. When my oldest boys were young, they would make up puppet shows for us. They would spend hours making puppets and writing their show. Or, show them a picture and have them write about it. If you have pictures of family vacations or events, show them the picture and let them write. If you son is into photography, give them a camera and let them tell a story through their pictures and then have them write captions for each image. One of my sons loves to draw comic strips.

The possibilities are endless!

5. PUBLISH THEIR WRITING Who wouldn’t love a book of something they had written? There are several ways you can do this. You could make a book at home and either bind it yourself or take it to an office supply store and get it bound. You can also purchase a blank hard-cover writing book (affiliate link). My son’s 2nd grade teacher had the kids write books that she then sent away to be published at Studentreasures.com. Out of all of my boys, he struggled with writing the most. But he LOVED making his book and worked really hard to get the writing and pictures just right.

6. PEN-PALS Find a child your son’s age that lives in a different state and have them write letters back and forth. It is so much fun to receive letters in the mail now that email/texting/messaging has taken over. If you can’t find another child, have them write to a grandparent or other family member. You could even have them write to their favorite sports star or other famous person. Who knows, they might get a letter in return.

7. KEEP IT FUN Make writing fun. Turn it into a game. One way to do to this would be to put some random objects in a bag or box and have them pull them out one at a time and create a story. The sillier the better. Or, write as a group. Have one person start a story and write a sentence or two. Then pass the paper so the next person who keeps the story going. Who knows where that type of story will end up. Make it fun!

www.thejoysofboys.com thejoyofboysblog@gmail.com

ADHASA is a support group for people affected by ADHD, founded in 1989 by Heather Picton. The organization’s national office is based at the Delta School in Blairgowrie, Johannesburg and there are 40 branches countrywide.

ADHASA supports an ecosystematic approach to ADHD which examines the impact of the child/adult with ADHD on the environment; and the effect of the environment on them. Thus all aspects of the child/adult’s life should be considered.

Using this approach, ADHASA has over the past 21 years improved the lives of thousands of people with and affected by ADHD.

The devastating impact of ADHD usually hides and smothers the strengths of affected people. ADHASA encourages them to work on the areas of weakness, and also to recognize their strengths and build a life on them.

People with ADHD can become valuable members of society.

Phone: (011) 888-7655 Email: info@ADHASA.co.za www.ADHASA.co.za

15 Adorable Facts About How Babies Learn

By Shaunacy Ferro For the first few years of a baby’s life, everything in the world is new.

Learning is a 24/7 process. They have to figure out how to move their bodies, how to manipulate objects, how to understand and use language, and more. It’s an understandably exhausting process. Here are 15 things you might not know about what’s going on in the learning infant’s mind: 1. THEY START LEARNING IN THE WOMB. The parts of a baby’s brain that process sound start working during the third trimester of pregnancy, and it can remember what it hears in the womb after it’s born. For instance, one study found that Swedish infants only 30 hours old could differentiate between Swedish vowel sounds and the unfamiliar vowel sounds of foreign languages. Another found that when expectant mothers listened to a soundtrack with a made-up word, the infants recognized that word and its variants after birth.

2. THEY START PROCESSING LANGUAGE LIKE ADULTS AT TWO DAYS OLD. At just a few days old, infants use language processing skills similar to those adults use. People remember the beginning and ending syllables of a word more clearly, and listen for those semantic edges more carefully, since they often contain things like verb tenses and information about whether a noun is plural or singular. A 2015 study finds that long before they can talk—within two days of birth—infants are already using this trick, and can distinguish even when there’s a 25 millisecond pause between syllables or a small discontinuity in the sound that might indicate a different word or two separate words.

3. MOVING THEIR MOUTHS HELPS THEM LISTEN. Infants need to move their tongues to distinguish between sounds, according to a study of 6-month-old infants. Psychologists and audiologists found that when a pacifier prevented babies from moving their tongues, they were not able to distinguish between two novel “d” sounds.

4. IMITATION IS KEY. When babies watch an adult use a specific body part, their brains light up in the areas that correspond with that particular movement. A study of 14-month-old infants found that watching an adult touch a toy with her hand or foot activated the same regions in the infants’ brains associated with moving a hand or a foot. This neural empathy might help babies learn to imitate adults and make the same movements themselves.

5. TOUCH HELPS THEM UNDERSTAND WORDS. A 2014 study from Purdue University found that infants relate touches to the sounds they hear at the same time. Every time the experimenters said the nonsense word “dobita,” they touched the infant’s knee. Once, the infant was touched on the elbow at the sound of another nonsense word, “lepoga.” In a subsequent language study, the infants pulled the word “dobita” out of a stream of words, suggesting that the consistent touch helped them learn the word.

6. SOCIAL SKILLS HELP THEM ACQUIRE NEW LANGUAGES. Several studies have found that social interaction is key to babies’ early language acquisition. One study of 10-month-old babies who received Spanish tutoring found that when babies tracked their tutor and the toys she was holding more carefully, the infants had a boost in brain response. In other words, their social interaction boosted their ability to absorb the lesson. Previous research has shown that babies learn better through interactions with people than through video or audio recordings.

7. THEY LEARN MUSIC VERY EARLY. Before a child learns to understand language, talking sounds a lot like music—it’s repetitive and rhythmic. “So while music and language may be cognitively and neurally distinct in adults,” as psychologists write in a 2012 review in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, “we suggest that language is simply a subset of music from a child’s view.” The authors suggest that a child’s understanding of music parallels its initial acquisition of language, and merits a central place in our understanding of human development.

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We assist by empowering anyone who is involved in raising a child by providing kiddie related products, business opportunities to business entrepreneurs as well as giving our parents the chance to earn an extra income thus making parenthood that much easier.

8. MUSIC HELPS THEM COMMUNICATE

A 2012 study of 1-year-old infants found that interactive music classes lead to better communication.

The babies learned to play percussion instruments and sing songs with their parents in an early music class.

Compared with a control group, these children showed a greater sensitivity to musical structures and tones, along with better early communication skills like waving goodbye or pointing to an object they wanted.

9. LAUGHING HELPS. Babies develop a sense of humor around 18 months old. One recent study found that laughing can help kids learn new tasks. In it, 53 babies were taught to retrieve a toy duck with the help of a cardboard rake. Babies that laughed in response to the researcher’s demonstration were much better at performing the task than a control group. Almost 95 percent of the kids who laughed raked the duck over successfully.

10. SURPRISE IS KEY.

Infants learn best when they’re surprised, a recent study found. When an object behaved in an unusual way—like a ball that appears to pass through a wall—11month-old babies paid more attention to it, and chose to explore it more. They handled the ball and tried to test its solidity, learning more about the world in the process. When the ball behaved in predictable ways, they didn’t focus on it or try to learn more.

11. THEIR BRAINS ARE SHAPED BY EXPECTATION. Very early in life, infants learn to make predictions based on their previous experience. A study of 5- to 7-month-old infants found that the part of the brain that responds to visual stimuli also responds to just the expectation of seeing something. The researchers showed a group of babies a pattern of images and sounds—a honk or a rattle followed by a red smiley face. When they stopped showing the image but played the sounds, the babies still showed activity in the visual response areas of their brains.

12. NAPPING IS CRUCIAL. If babies didn’t spend so much time sleeping, they probably wouldn’t remember what they learned. Infants are constantly learning during their first year, and they’re also constantly napping—they’re rarely awake for more than four hours at a stretch. In an experiment where researchers taught babies how to remove a puppet’s mitten and find a hidden bell, infants who napped right after the demonstration were better at recalling the demonstration. This ties in with research that finds that adults, too, consolidate memories as they sleep.

13. THEY CAN LEARN FROM ANIMALS. Think your baby is only listening to you? Think again. Infants can also learn from lemur vocalizations, a 2013 study found. In it, 3-month-old babies looked at images of dinosaurs while some sort of sound played in the background—human speech played backwards, and lemur shrieks. A previous experiment found that babies learned categories of dinosaurs better when human speech played. However, the backward speech—essentially just random sound—didn’t help the babies learn.

The shrieks of lemurs, however, did, suggesting that even if babies don’t understand the language, vocalizations can stimulate their learning process.

14. THEY LEARN TO ENJOY CERTAIN FLAVORS AND SMELLS BEFORE THEY’RE EVEN BORN. Babies’ senses start working before they’re even born, and they can learn to enjoy certain flavors and odors in the womb. One study found that babies whose mothers drank carrot juice for three weeks straight during their last trimester of pregnancy enjoyed the flavor of carrots more when their mother introduced them to solid foods compared to infants who hadn’t been exposed to carrot juice in the womb and during lactation. Another study found that infants whose mothers consumed anise (a plant with a similar flavor to licorice) during pregnancy showed a preference to the smell immediately after birth and when they were four days old.

Babies in the control group showed a clear aversion or no response to the smell.

15. BUT THERE ARE LIMITS TO WHAT THEY CAN LEARN. While infants’ capabilities for absorbing new information are amazing, they aren’t miraculous. Some educational companies advertise the ability to make even a 3month-old literate, but a 2014 study of infants and their parents found that literacy DVDs and other media tools geared toward infants under 18 months weren’t effective in establishing the ability to read. They did, however, make the parents feel like their kid was learning.

All images via iStock

A two-year study by researchers at the Brain and Creativity Institute (BCI) at the University of Southern California shows that exposure to music and music instruction accelerates the brain development of young children in the areas responsible for language development, sound, reading skill and speech perception.

The study of 6-7-year-old children began in 2012, when neuroscientists started monitoring a group of 37 children from an underprivileged neighbourhood of Los Angeles. Thirteen of them received music instruction through the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles Program where they practiced up to seven hours each week.

Eleven children were enrolled in a community-based soccer programme, and another 13 children were not involved in any training programme at all.

The researchers compared the three groups by tracking the electrical activity in the brains, conducting behavioural testing and monitored changes using brain scans.

The results showed that the auditory systems of the children in the music programme had accelerated faster than the other children not engaged in music. Dr. Assal Habibi, the lead author of the study and a senior research associate at the BCI, explained that the auditory system is stimulated by music and the system is also engaged in general sound processing. This is essential to reading skills, language development and successful communication.

Exposure to music accelerates the brain development of young children

Source of article with gratitude

Every child develops differently and at different rates. However, there are some very important skills that need to be developed in order for the child to grow and thrive as he/she continues to develop. These foundational skills are crucial for speech and language development and if not observed by certain ages we see this as a red flag that may indicate your child should be evaluated by a speech-language pathologist or a related specialist (early interventionist, psychologist, etc.).

A note on the “wait and see” approach: It is a MYTH that you should just “wait and see” if your child is a “late talker.” The “wait and see” approach can be appropriate in some circumstances, which a speech-language pathologist may even recommend upon seeing your child, however I STRONGLY encourage you to have your child screened or assessed by a speech pathologist if you have ANY concerns with his/her development at ANY AGE. The SLP can determine if the wait and see approach is appropriate for your child or not. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL AGE THREE if you have concerns at TWO! If you have concerns at two, get your child in at two. The advice to “wait until three” is not appropriate for every child and can, for some children, actually be detrimental to their development.

A note on pediatricians: Pediatricians are wonderful medical doctors…however they have VERY LITTLE training in speech & language development. They are trained to diagnose and treat medical issues, not speech & language issues. If your gut tells you something is wrong with your child and your pediatrician says to wait, go with your gut. Get your child seen by a speech-language pathologist.

With that…here are some red flags that may indicate your child should be assessed by a speech-language pathologist or related professional.

Under 18 months •No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by 6 months •No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions by 9 months or thereafter •No babbling by 12 months •Does not respond to his/her name by 12 months •No sharing/reciprocal interactions like pointing, sharing, reaching or waving by 12 months •No pointing at objects of interest by 14 months (pointing at a car driving by) •Does not understand simple common words like mama or milk •Is not using any words by 16 months •Does not imitate gross motor movements like clapping or stomping feet

By 18 Months •Does not use at least 8-10 meaningful words •Does not follow simple commands like “come here” “stop” “don’t” “give me the __________” or “touch your nose” •Does not follow your pointing with his gaze •Is not playing “pretend” with items (talking on toy phone, feeding a doll) •Does not play in proximity to other children

By Age Two •No two-word meaningful phrases (without imitating or repeating) by 24 months •Does not follow simple two step commands such as “Get the ball and put it on the table” •Speech is not at least 50% understandable •Cannot point to pictures of items in books when asked

By Three Years •Is not using three and four word sentences •Speech is not at least 75% or more understandable •Child is leaving the beginnings or ends off of most words •Cannot accurately answer yes/no questions •Cannot answer simple “who” questions like “who is that” or “where is the truck” •Does not play with other children •Is experiencing stuttering behavior for more than 6 months

By Four to Five Years •Is not 90-100% understandable to strangers despite age appropriate articulation errors (may not be able to say /r, sh, ch, l, or th yet) •Is not consistently using 4+ word, complex sentences •Is not asking a variety of questions to gain information (who, what, where, why and when) •Is having difficulty with grammar or pronoun use •Cannot tell a simple story on topic •Cannot follow simple two step directions •Has difficulty answering simple who, what, where and why questions •Is not yet able to name a few letters, numbers, and rhyming words

Overall Warning Signs •ANY loss of speech or babbling or social skills at ANY age •Never gestures or imitates •Does not appear to understand speech, or appears to be unable to hear •Never develops words beyond repeating others over and over Hello! Welcome, I’m Katie. I’m a licensed and credentialed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and have been practicing for 8.5 years with over 15 years experience working with children of all abilities. Though I have experience working with children of all ages, I specialize in the little ones ages 2-6. After several years working in the school system, I’m currently spending most of my time at home with my children, and see clients in my private practice. http://www.playingwithwords365.com/

Much has been written about using All About Reading with children who have special needs, and we love hearing those stories.

But there’s a group of special learners that we don’t hear about quite as often.

Gifted kids have special needs, too.

But the needs of gifted kids are quite different than those of other special learners.

Generally, gifted kids need to go faster, they make big leaps, they need to be able to interact with content on a deeper level, and they aren’t willing to put up with shallowness or inconsistencies. Though on the surface these may sound like “good problems” to have, they can make the task of choosing curriculum for a gifted child very challenging.

Not long ago, we heard from Matthew Vinson, the father of a gifted little boy. When Matthew mentioned that his son had finished all four levels of the All About Reading program in just over a year, I was anxious to hear more.

But when I saw his video of five-year-old Kobe reading When Dinosaurs Lived: Velociraptor by Kate Riggs, I knew I had to ask Matthew to share Kobe’s story with our readers.

Here’s Kobe’s story, told by his dad Matthew.

Kobe’s story begins when he was around 1 1/2 years old.

I always said that I was going to start teaching my kids at a young age so that they would have an advantage through school. I started with some animal flash cards. I would show him the pictures, say the name, and tell him a few facts about each one. It wasn’t long before he started identifying and pronouncing the names and facts clearly for animals such as rhinoceros, walrus, toucan, and more. I was amazed by how fast and easy it was for him. At the time, I didn’t know how unusual it was for a one-year-old to be able to say these things.

After the animals, I started on numbers 1-100, and within a couple of weeks, he had number recognition down. Then I moved on to letters, and within a few days, he had those down as well.

After the letters, I was starting to realize that I had a smart one on my hands. He loved it, so we ran with it. That Christmas he received an easel, and from that point on, we tackled everything—the solar system, states and capitals, presidents, money, multiplication, decimals, division, food chain, measurements—just about everything we could think of. Except for reading.

I love to read, but wasn’t too excited about teaching it. I like to fully understand something before I can teach it. Just because you know how to read, doesn’t mean you understand the rules for reading. My wife, Tiffany, suggested I quit stalling and start reading. We both knew he was eager to learn and that the timing was right.

But like I said before, I wanted to fully understand reading before I would teach it. I began to research how to teach kids to read—every bit of information I could find, but I was disappointed in what I was finding. By this time, I was probably more confused than I had been before. The information I found seemed to contradict itself and just created a lot of confusion.

Still determined, I kept searching and finally resorted to creating my own reading curriculum.

But one day I was researching phonograms and stumbled on a company called All About Learning Press. As I researched the programs that AALP offered, it seemed to be exactly what I was looking for. And the more I researched it, the more convinced I became. So I ordered All About Reading Level 1—trying not to expect too much, because it just seemed too good to be true.

A few days later I received the curriculum, and standing there flipping through pages, I was amazed. It turned out to be the godsend I was searching for. It had everything I imagined.

Kobe was eager to get started, so we started immediately after receiving it. Kobe loved it…from day one all the way to the end. It took him fourteen months to complete all four levels. He was five years old when he completed the last level.

It was the greatest discovery. This curriculum company has all the answers for reading. Every public school should have to integrate this program into their curriculum, because what the schools offer is a joke compared to All About Reading.

Kobe just turned six. He’s in kindergarten and will never have to worry about reading. He can decode pretty much any word that there is. I couldn’t have been more pleased with this program!

Thank you, Marie Rippel and team! Keep up the extraordinary work. I recommend you to everyone I know!

Ideas to Help Get Kids

by Kim Eierman

Do you worry that your kids spend too much time indoors, endlessly captivated by electronic devices? In these digital times, 2-year-olds are more comfortable playing with your cell phone than playing in a pile of leaves. How will they learn to care about the environment if they never go outdoors?

Start the process of getting your kids out of the electronic rut and into nature.

Convince Yourself First Not sure if there really is a problem about connecting children with nature? Read the seminal book by Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. Louv, a noted child advocacy expert, explains how the naturedeficient disorder, so common in today’s children, is linked to the rise in childhood obesity, attention deficit disorder and depression. He offers 100 actions you can take to change this.

Give a Book to Inspire Surprise your kids or grandkids this holiday season with a retro gift – a book!

Connected With Nature Bring Nature into the Classroom Some environmental organizations offer nature training all year round. A nature preserve and education center can send educators into your children’s classroom for a very reasonable fee. They offer “Meet the Animals” designed for Pre-School children.

Take a Brisk Walk or Maybe a Hike Take a drive to your closest Botanical Gardens, take a picnic and go for a hike. Many Sundays’ you will find live music in some of the bigger parks. Pop the bicycles in the boot and do a trail-ride as a family. Some Game Parks offer guided educational walks in nature.

Homemade Wind Chimes Painted in Rainbow Colours Homemade wind chimes made with sticks painted in a rainbow of colours add a splash of colour to any backyard or patio!

A fun nature craft for kids to make for their own yard or to give as a gift to someone special!

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Gifts, especially those created by kids, don’t have to cost a lot of money. In fact, the perfect materials for a thoughtful gift may be sitting in your recycling bin.

Giving old items new life is not only green, it’s a lot of fun. It is so cool to take something destined for the trash and turn it into something beautiful and useful.

And when we do a craft like this with our children, we are teaching them to see “garbage” in a new, creative light.

With little more than a handful of old keys, a piece of drift wood, string, and paint, my son and I created this DIY key wind chime. It would make a lovely gift for anyone who has a garden or balcony, a birthday present for grandma, or a house warming gift for a new neighbor.

Want to know how to make your own? It’s simple!

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The Antbear Drakensberg Lodge is a thatched, whitewashed lodge built high on a natural platform overlooking the Bushman's River and Giants Castle.

Antbear Drakensberg Lodge offers various Drakensberg accommodation options in en suite double rooms, luxury suites, family units and also boasts a luxury cave too.

Antbear Drakensberg Lodge is one of those smaller intimate kind places which has been lovingly put together. The natural setting of the accommodation is stunning and we have managed to encase all this beauty with an atmosphere of comfort and ease.

The cottages are smartly appointed and individually designed and the fact that we are a small place makes for an intimate and personal accommodation experience. Each of the accommodation units are different and are decorated with uniquely eccentric and artistic wooden furniture.

It is a bit off the beaten track and is more of an insider tip than just another bed and breakfast. We cater for small intimate groups and never have more than 45 guests at a time. It's a laid back, lovingly cared for kind of place where you feel a sense of happiness and peace. Honeymoon stays turn into anniversary commemorations just as guests become friends. Even foreign tourists return for a second and third taste.

Attractions Drakensburg Hiking Trails Bushman Rock Art Giant’s Castle Kamberg Weenen Game Reserve Royal Natal National Park Drakensburg Boys Choir

Horse Trails Injasuti Nature Reserve Monks Cowl Natal Midlands Tugela Falls Sani Pass Fly Fishing

Retreats The Antbear Drakensberg Lodge is the ideal retreat venue where we can provide all the services and accommodation for your retreat. Situated 4 hours from Johannesburg and 2 hours from Durban with easy access from the N3 Antbear Lodge is easy to get to but has the feeling of being far from the madding crowd. This wonderful place for group retreats offers spectacular views, vast spaces, wild winds, rain, sunshine, clouds and rainbows and in all of this – silence and peace.

Retreat groups can book the whole lodge for their exclusive use.

The Lodge can accommodate 44 persons in 15 separate accommodation units Antbear Drakensberg Lodge has a spacious dining room with a wood-burning fireplace, a comfortable lounge with a fireplace and spectacular views, a breakaway meeting room, a large veranda and a large meeting room for retreat, team building or training activities. We provide excellent meals and will fit our menu to your expectations.

Because food is an important part of your stay Meals are part of the real surprises that the Antbear Lodge has to offer where home grown cooking is part of the deal. We like to use our own home grown organic vegetables and if we haven’t got, then we lean heavily on those local providers with similar attitudes to our own. Conny and Andrew both like cooking and are up to changing just about anything to suit tastes or philosophies. Our cooking experience is in part a journal, a record of events and memories expressed in recipes. In the course of our travels we have filed away many recipes and with them images of people and places and their lives. How food tastes has much to do with the associations we make and if you would like to hear the tales of our meals we would love to tell them.

Sustainable & responsible tourism is our social responsibility and what we do to give something back to our community and environment We believe in sustainable tourism and social responsibility. We live is a spectacularly beautiful place called the Drakensberg and our standard of living here is exceptional.

But around us lie contrasts of poverty and lack of development. If we are to keep our way of life then it surely follows that we must do everything in our power to contribute to the upliftment and prosperity of this rural area. We believe that the future of South Africa is linked to the prosperity of the people, and that upliftment is linked to education. And as such we have chosen to support our local primary school called Vulakani Primary School.

Pet friendly accommodation Drakensberg One of the few pet-friendly places in the Drakensberg. Beautiful, vast views of the Drakensberg with plenty of ground for my dogs to roam. Walk for hours.

Your dogs will be happy with lots of dams to swim in and horses to discover. One of the accommodation units at Antbear Lodge is fenced in so its really easy to leave your dog behind if you would like to explore some of the sights where pets are not that welcome. If country life is for you and you would love to take your pet with you then Antbear Lodge is a great accommodation choice. Your hosts will advise you on all the activities available. Antbear Lodge prides itself on being both family-friendly and petfriendly.

CONTACT Mobile 076 441 2362 Phone: (031) 813-5995 (036) 352-3142 Skype: antbearlodge Email: reservations@antbear.co.za Web: www.antbear.co.za

THE HIDE Breakfast, Lunch and Function venue Let us cater to your needs A venue for all occasions Child Friendly

54 Melville Rd Illovo 2196 Johannesburg 082 464 5058. http://www.thehide.co.za/ .

FIND & BOOK ECO-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION IN SOUTH AFRICA lovetostay.co.za is your green heart guide to eco-friendly accommodation throughout beautiful South Africa. We partner with all kinds of accommodation establishments that operate in an eco-friendly, sustainable and responsible way. So whether you opt for a luxury boutique hotel or rustic tree house, you can feel good knowing your holiday supports a place that serves the environment and community in a positive way. To help you make these good choices, we are committed to growing a wonderful selection of urban and country, luxury and rustic green accommodation options where you will love to stay!

Search for your next green getaway on www.lovetostay.co.za by location or type; the Check Availability & Book Online green button will enable you to check real-time availability, make a booking & secure online payment through the Nightsbridge booking system at no extra charge.

WHAT IS ECO-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION? Eco-friendly accommodation is defined as a lodging establishment with structural features that minimize the impact and footprint on the environment; as well as well as those that follow green living, sustainability and eco-friendly practices.

WHAT ARE GREEN HEARTS? Look out for the Green Hearts Seal of each establishment. We are proud to showcase all of our members and love to highlight their specific efforts to protect and conserve the environment. Seals display between 1-5 Green Hearts as awarded to them for their positive Green Acts. Here`s more info!

The Sunflower Fund 2016 Annual Banquet The much anticipated Sunflower Fund Annual Banquet will take place on 12 November at the Hilton Sandton.

This year get ready to be whisked away on a stunning Bollywood inspired journey. You will be fully immersed in the culture from the designer cocktails upon arrival, through to a modern Bollywood 3 course meal and dancers that will take your breath away. Your evening will be a definite unforgettable experience.

To ensure that you do not miss out on this amazing charity event, Book Your Tickets Now! R1000per person or R10 000per table of 10, to book contact Takalani Ramaphosa on 011 781 4200 or takalani@sunflowerfund.org.za, all guests in attendance will receive a gift, kindly sponsored by Amrod.

The Sunflower Fund banquet is a great networking opportunity for you and your clients or execs, a chance to take a step back and enjoy an entertaining evening. This is also a platform to expose your brand to a number of corporates and influencers through sponsorship or donations. Should you wish to be a part of this event contact shelby@sunflowerfund.org.za Phone (011) 781 4200.

We look forward to spending this fabulous evening with you.

OUR OBJECTIVE Since its inception, The Sunflower Fund has been building the SABMR by educating and recruiting bone marrow stem cell donors so that patients diagnosed with leukaemia and other life-threatening blood disorders can find their life saving donor match, in order to undergo a bone marrow stem cell transplant. There were only 800 donors on the Registry in 1999. Currently, the Registry stands at just over 72 000.

The Sunflower Fund is the only organisation in South Africa and one of two in Africa that educates and recruits healthy, committed and caring bone marrow stem cell donors and pays for their tissue typing.

The probability of finding a match within your ethnic group are 1:100 000, which means in South Africa we need to recruit 100 000 of each of the four prominent ethnic groups – Black, Coloured, Indian and White- 400 000 in order to have a registry that is demographically representative of South Africa.

Upcoming shows presented by

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With stunning views of the Indian Ocean, surrounded by indigenous coastal vegetation, Pumula Beach Hotel makes an ideal venue for relaxing, stress free holidays, romantic retreats, family fun, weddings and conferences.

Telephone: 039 684 6717 E-Mail:

THE HOLISTIC BENEFITS OF READING

By Tamar Dakes Botha At some point in our history, long before pen and paper, the great sages living in Asia knew it was time to share their knowledge so it wouldn't be lost with their passing. They formed guru disciple relationships where dedicated students would sit at the foot of the teacher, listen and engage in conversations. Lessons were learnt, teachings were taught and through this interaction, knowledge grew and evolved. At the invention of pen and paper, dedicated sages and students captured these important teachings into volumes of work and so their teachings were preserved.

Since then authors, poets, writers and teachers have used books as a way of capturing, preserving and sharing their knowledge, ideas and stories.

Reading stories out loud to children is similar to the guru disciple relationship. It is in the verbal interaction that takes place alongside the reading out aloud where children develop the most literary skills. Engaging in conversation during story time encourages children to ask questions. Questions are like keys that unlock the doors in our mind and in the universe, doors that open and lead us to places of deep thought and consciousness. When children are encouraged to talk about the story, they become more involved and understand more of what is being read.

Reading is a holistic therapy; it benefits the body, mind and spirit. By listening to or reading stories, children engage in the present moment and disengage from the hectic nature of our modern day lives.

They forget about their worries and stresses and lose themselves in the depths of their imaginations.

Their bodies relax, releasing muscular tension, boosting immunity.

Just like us, children also experience the "monkey mind" - thinking hundreds of thoughts every minute.

Reading before bed helps children focus their thoughts and calm the mind so they sleep more soundly.

Our brains are designed like muscles; the more we exercise them the better they work. Reading, learning new concepts and using our imaginations helps keep our brains healthy and fit.

Learning to recognize letters and eventually to read builds children’s self esteem and increases their self worth. It also fosters a sense of accomplishment and independence which helps them achieve healthy personal growth. On a spiritual level, reading helps children connect with their inner knowing.

In light of all these benefits, our children spend too much time "plugged" into technological devices and unplugged from the magnificent source of power that comes from a quiet mind and deep concentration. Go to the library, spend time reading to your child, try different kinds of books and encourage conversation through questions. Help develop your child's literary skills and in turn hopefully you will foster a deep love of reading.

If you want to deeply connect with the children in your life and ground the positive cognitive experience of reading into their physical bodies, then try the Beaming Kids series. The author has incorporated positive affirmations, breathing, relaxation and even physical postures into her stories.

We know what we’re planning

By Peter Olyott, CEO Indwe Broker Holdings

South Africa has been operating for the past two years as the Southern and Central Financial Services sector for the SADC region and the broader BRICS grouping. With some inspired plans and initiatives, South Africa has managed to attract both new investments in financial services and the accompanying investment in Fintech to support this new and rapidly growing market.

The sector has seen growth of more than 12% per annum over this period and some analysts predict this will reach 15% for this year.

Post Retail Distribution Review (RDR) the South African financial services sector has moved with lightning speed to embrace the opportunities technology and big data has brought about. Probably the biggest improvements have seen a notable move towards making the buying process less painful and less time-consuming, but with more information enabling clients to be far better informed when making their decisions. This also improved the claims process, making it more personalised and the experience a lot more like the sales person promised. One client mentioned to me that this was the first time the money came back into his bank account almost as quickly as the monthly premiums left it!

What else has happened? Well, convergence is well and truly on its way. From life insurance through to car and household insurance and from healthcare (in its broadest sense) to investments and savings, today’s financial advisors are able to provide a holistic view to each client. This allows clients to benchmark their own total financial services portfolio against the norm for the current circumstances. Best practice, if one can call it that! What’s even better is that after the initial sale, the cost of a combined portfolio reduces each year as the marketing and servicing costs are shared amongst the different products. Short-term insurance is no longer limited to monthly or annual deals but deals can be structured over 5 years with multiple payment options resulting in lower costs of motor and household insurance.

For newcomers to car and household insurance, the use of telematics and mobile wallets has introduced ‘Pay as u go’ and ‘Pay4 what u need’ insurances. For the young and up-coming insurance buyers, insurance can be purchased on a weekly basis and cover can be changed as their needs dictate without having to complete a laborious manual process.

With medical advancements occurring so rapidly, five-year life insurance policies with a cash back benefit have become the norm, allowing consumers to use these flexible-term policies to serve multiple purposes. More flexibility to structure health insurance and medical aid products has allowed clients to optimise their health care spending resulting in more people having access to quality healthcare.

On the company front, Risk Portfolio Shares (RPS) have become the new investment rage. Insurers are packaging their risk portfolios and are able to trade with other insurers and non-insurer investment houses, providing them with better-balanced portfolios and natural hedges enabling them to deliver more consistent returns for shareholders and policyholders. Those insurers who have achieved sound risk acceptance practices and consumer fairness claim processes have attracted the most attention from these investors.

Consumers, even those with little or no experience or understanding of financial services, are able to access multiple sites which provide online information and examples of each product, providing the key risk rating issues which affect acceptance, underwriting and claims. They are able to populate their own risk profile information once and instead of long telephone calls and burning ears, they are able to submit their risk profile information to obtain multiple quotes on multiple products with confirmation calls now reduced to less than five minutes. Google has finally launched the much-anticipated consumer-owned ‘Single View of Me’ software, which allows consumers to safely store, create and build their individualised risk profiles across their whole financial services portfolios.

What players in the industry have realised is that the consumer requires multiple ways of interacting with their organisations without being dictated to in terms of which processes require specific channels. So most forward thinking businesses allow their clients to move between an online, mobile, or personal interface or by phone, depending on the circumstances, and utilising multiple data sources. Insurers are able to profile most clients without the client having to provide the information.

What’s been really impressive, though, is how the financial services sector finally managed to crack the uninsured and entry-level markets (and make money!) employing some rather unconventional approaches to creating an integrated biosphere in which low cost, high benefit products can exist.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the support and encouragement of the regulators and the central and provincial governments.

Financial Services Sector – the place to be in 2021!

Food Garden Prep for Spring While many standard garden vegetables can not be planted outside or started from seed until the soil is fully warmed and the threat of frost is past, a variety of other cool season spring crops can be started right now, giving you a jump start on the gardening season and putting food on your plate long before the summer vegetables come in.

These spring vegetables, all of which can be easily planted from seed, are all great choices for an early garden, and are usually foolproof enough to grow so that even the most beginning gardeners can reap a good harvest.

1. Spinach Fresh baby spinach, which is one of my favorite greens to eat, is also fairly quick to sprout and grow in a spring garden, and can be remarkably frost-resistant, especially when grown under cover. There are a lot of varieties of spinach, most of which can be categorized by being either savoy and semi-savoy (which tend to have crinkled or curly crisp leaves), or smooth-leaf (with flatter leaves and a softer texture), and I recommend growing several varieties to see which ones work best for your soil and location, as well as which ones you prefer the taste of.

For early spring greens, I like to grow them close together and harvest the leaves when they're still small, which can be as short as three weeks from planting, depending on the variety and the weather. Spinach is also a great plant for the fall garden, as it can be covered with mulch and will often overwinter that way for early spring harvest.

2. Chard This beet relative is another excellent spring vegetable that is easy to grow from seed, and can be eaten fresh or cooked (or tossed into a smoothie for a drinkable salad). I plant my chard closer than the seed packet instructions recommend, and then harvest the crowded ones as baby greens when I thin the beds. Chard comes in a variety of colors and sizes and textures, although most of the color tends to be in the thick stems, with the leaves being mostly green. Growing some red and white and yellow chard along with the traditional green chard can add some color to spring salads while also livening up the look of the garden. Some varieties of chard can be harvested as baby greens in about 25 days, with the leaves taking about twice that long to get to full size.

3. Lettuce While lettuce can be grown into the full sized heads that most of us are used to from the grocery store, I've found that growing it just for baby greens is not only quicker and easier, but will provide a near-constant supply of salad greens from spring until well into summer. I like to use mixed lettuce seed (sometimes called mesclun mix), and instead of sowing the seeds farther apart, as is recommended for head lettuce, I sow them very close together in each row, which will yield a solid row of lettuce leaves that is easy to harvest, and which can be cut repeatedly throughout the season. Lettuce comes in a number of colors and leaf shapes, not just the standard green romaine, red and green leaf lettuce, and butterhead varieties, so growing mixed baby greens gives you a wide variety of textures and colors for salads. Baby greens can be harvested in a couple of weeks, and by planting successions of seeds every week or two, you can have a constant supply of greens for the kitchen.

4. Radishes Radishes are one of the fastest vegetables you can grow, aside from the various greens, as many varieties are ready to be harvested in as little as three weeks. Radishes are great for interplanting with lettuce or other spring greens, and can help to naturally thin those crops as the radishes get harvested. Many of us are only familiar with the round red or pink and white radishes often sold in grocery stores, but they come in a lot of different colors, shapes, and sizes, and can be spicy or sweet, depending on the variety. Radishes are a great crop for kids to help grow, as the seeds are large enough for small children to help plant, and because they're quick to mature and easy to pull from the ground, can be perfect for impatient gardeners as well.

5. Kale Kale, while quite possibly being the veggie people most love to hate, is another excellent spring vegetable that is easy to grow from seed, and because it can be harvested as a baby green and as full-sized leaves, can provide a lot of food from a little effort. Whether you like to eat it raw as part of your salad or in your smoothies, or you prefer it steamed or stir-fried in a main dish, kale can be a great green addition to any diet. Kale can be dense and crinkly, such as "dinosaur" kale, or flatter and more ruffle-y, such as the red Russian varieties, and is often sweeter as a baby green in the spring, and then again late in fall after the first frost. I've been able to harvest baby kale leaves in as little as three weeks, with full-sized leaves maturing in anywhere from 40 to 60 days, depending on the variety.

6. Peas Snow peas, and other pod peas, are another great spring vegetable that kids tend to love. The seeds are big enough for children to plant, and I haven't met a kid yet who didn't love to go searching in the garden for peas to harvest and eat right there. Shelling peas and snap peas tend to take a bit longer, but they're also a big hit with kids, many of whom will scarf them down fresh from the pod and yet never eat a cooked pea (and to be honest, I don't care for cooked peas either). Peas take anywhere from 50 to 65 days to mature, depending on the variety, and can grow either as vines or as 'bushes', so they lend themselves equally well to both trellising and growing in regular garden beds. For best germination rates, pea seeds should be soaked in water overnight before planting them. http://www.treehugger.com/living/

Plants that repel bugs are naturally eco-friendly and they will definitely have results.

No one really likes bugs whenever they are having a good time relaxing indoors or outdoors. Bugs and insects such as mosquitoes that bite can really be a nuisance not to mention that they may spread diseases like Yellow fever and Malaria. Now, most of us opt for chemical solutions in repelling these bugs owing to the advertisements afforded to them. The sad truth is that some of these chemical solutions don’t work plus they are not eco-friendly.

So why don’t you try using some natural solutions?

This article compiles some of the best plants that repel bugs and you can easily grow them in your backyard.

1. Petunias This plant does a good job at keeping away squash bugs, beetles and aphids and it grows best in a sunny spot. Plant them near a window for better growth.

2. Basil This plant contains an oil that kills mosquitoes and the best way to grow them is to plant them near areas with stagnant water to kill the eggs and put off the insects.

3. Marigold Mosquitoes and aphids will be kept away from your area with the help of these plants.

4. Lavender Flies, moths and mosquitoes are disgusted by this sweet smelling plant. This plant can either be planted in the garden or put around the house as a pretty bouquet.

5. Rosemary Other than using it in food or tea, use this plant to repel mosquitoes and protect vegetables from pest infestation.

6. Mint This plant has a pleasant smell that easily spreads out repelling bugs and biting insects. Try planting them in pots around your house.

7. Catnip Cats are known love this plant and the attraction is all thanks to a compound called nepetalactone. Bugs, on the other hand, do not fancy the mint.

8. Alliums Be warned that Alliums are toxic to dogs and cats so take precaution where you plant them. One positive hand, though, they will help protect vegetables from flies, slugs and worms.

9. Chrysanthemums Insect killer sprays are made with pyrethrum that is found in this plant. It kills cockroaches, mosquitoes, ticks and even silverfish.

10. Lemongrass Summer is the best time to enjoy this plant that grows really well with a lot of sun. Lemongrass has an oil known as Citronella that keeps away pests.

By Egline J.

“Look into my eyes and you will see the same expressions of pain, despair, hunger, happiness and love that other little babies feel”.

Many of us get hit by cars, shot with pellet guns and often watch our mothers die on the side of the road.

Luckily for some of us we are rescued and end up in the care of Tracy, who takes us to Aunty Dr Kerry Eason in Durban for our injuries. Tracy is an angel to us, she cares for us and makes us feel better – we love her.

We need all the same things that human babies need like bottles to feed us warm milk, blankets and other baby items.

Tracy Rowles This amazing woman dedicates all her time to the rescue and rehabilitation of vervet monkeys on the KZN coast, in and around the Umkomaas area. She is on call 24/7, caring for the injured babies and often the older monkeys. She sees the horror of what these animals go through when they are injured – she also feels the joy when her little monkeys get well again.

Its all about saving furry babies

Umsizi Umkomaas Vervet Rescue Centre

Watch Tommy get his balance!

CONTACT DETAILS Tracy Rowles Mobile: 072 883 5119 Email: tracymonkeylady@gmail.com www.umsizi.za.org

ADOPTING A BABA Would anyone like to be Tommy's Adoptive mommy and support his care and feedings. R200 per month and you get a certificate, visiting rights as well as tagged in all his photos and updates. He is our first orphan of the season this year and after a traumatic past he needs all the milk and spoils of nice toys and blankets to keep him a happy baba.

There will be lots more babies up for adoption.

An Invitation to a Baby Shower with a difference "You are cordially invited to Umsizi's Vervet Rescue's baby shower. We at Umsizi are throwing a baby shower to try get together all our needed items before the little ones start arriving so that we can offer, not only all our love and attention, but the best possible care and enrichment for these traumatized little souls.

With their mothers gone forever they need all the light and joy we can give and we need the your help to do that To donate your items you can deposit in our bank the amount chosen with a list of the items you want to see purchased. Any left over money will go towards monkey food of course. You may also drop off donations at Scottborough Vet or directly at Umsizi, just please phone Tracy to arrange before arriving.

You can follow our progress on Facebook as to how the basket is filling up, and also meet our new babies.

Bank Details and a list of items and prices are below: Bank: FNB (non profit) Chq Acc No: 624 987 321 58 Branch Code: 250 655 Swift Code: FIRNZAJJ

Items Needed: Price list: Small Lactogen 1 R 160 Large Lactogen 1 R 280 Porridge small R 30 Porridge large R 60 Fluffy blankets R 50 Towels R40 Toys R 10 and up Wet wipes R 35 Bottles R 36 (Available at vet) Meds R50 and up

Thanks so much to all our supporters . Tracy is working really hard to make a difference for these guys - let’s help as much as we can!

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her.

I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the overworked shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life.

She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.

Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms.

I would promise to keep her safe.

I would promise to always be by her side.

I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.

I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

Support your local animal shelters – ‘forever homes’ needed

3 Hampers each containing: • Painted Hand Castanets • Claves set • Shaker eggs Small • At the Sea Wooden Puzzle 24ce • My Senses Wooden Puzzle 36pce

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