SA Creche magazine

SOUTH AFRICAN

August 2015 Issue 12 www.sacrèche.co.za

health development safety nutrition

SOUTH AFRICA’S LEADING EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE

FREE Safety:

Children Left Home Alone.

The First 1000 Days are the most important

GIRL POWER

In the classroom

Learning about opposites

CPR Learning the basics.

3 KIDS CUP RD

12 AUG’ 15

MAGAGA STADIUM | AGES 8 - 13 YEAR

ENTRANCE : FREE REGISTRATION : R 50 PRICES: ALL PARTICIPANTS GET A KIT

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2 Editor’s note

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Finance

4 News & Feedback

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Safety

5 Shopping

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Book Review

7 Health

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Classroom

8 Family

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Policy and practice

12 Development

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The manager

14 Nature

30

Nutrition

16 Cover Story

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Calendar

19 Community

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Colour Me In

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EDITOR’S NOTE Managing Editor Hunadi Associate Editor Thandi Mokwena Layout & Design Llaai Ntsoane Advertising & Business Development Thando Ncube Office Secretary Asanda Abraham Contributors Lebogang Seema Kgothatso Tloma Dee Nkosi Tinyiko Maluleke Thato Zwane Published by

onesevenone communications

171 Block K Soshanguve, 0152

SOSHANGUVE TOWNSHIP

Ph: 073 040 8061 sacrèche@gmail.com www.sacreche.co.za Printer Paarl Media Paarl

The articles contained herein are intended for informational purposes only. They are not to replace the attention or advice of medical and education specialists.

Anyone embarking on dietary, medicine, learning and financial advice prescribed in this magazine should first consult with a care professional. The SA Crèche magazine takes no responsibility

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Editor Shalate Sindane Davhana

Did you know that the skin of an elephant is so sensitive that it can feel a fly land? Do you know how to do basic CPR, or have any idea of where to start? Are you struggling with single parenthood? Did you know the importance of the first 1000 days in a child’s life?

The choices we make today have far bigger implications tomorrow. Today you might not know how to do basic CPR but tomorrow you will thank yourself for reading the August issue of SAcreche Magazine. For the month of August, the SAcreche team has put together a GIRL ISSUE. Sepedi se re “Mosadi o swara thipa ka bogaleng”. We have tackled sharp topics. When the father decides to have no part in the life of the child, the mother is there.

We need to raise champion girls to carry on the good work that mothers have already done. Our women are special and so are our girls and I am not proud to be a woman just because it is Woman’s Month. I am proud to be a woman because of the many women in our communities who work day in and day out to make sure SA children have an early start.

Learn it all; know it all...SAcreche Magazine. Happy Women’s Month.

news and feedback

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Everyday Heroes Awards

Fighting Polio

Africa is just 2 years away from being declared Polio free. Polio is a dangerous virus that can kill or cause paralysis. It spreads from person to person through touch, drinking contaminated water or eating uncooked food infected with the virus. The good news is that it is preventable and South Africa is Polio free. Vaccination is free and all children must be vaccinated. Washing hands with soap helps kill many bacteria and viruses.

The Children’s Act Amended

Parliament’s Social Development Committee has proposed to align the Children’s Act with the Sexual Offences Act in order to make it easier to identify offenders that are unsuitable to work with children.

September 7 is the closing date for nominations for the Everyday Heroes Awards.

Nominate a senior citizen who is 60 years or over and has been making a difference in the community for 3 years or more. The awards will be held on October 1 in Boksburg.

African Traditional Medicine Week

26 to 31 is African Traditional Medicine Week and on the last day, the 31st, is African Traditional Medicine Day. This is to highlight the importance of traditional medicine in the country and Africa as a whole.

Around 80% of Africans depend on traditional medicine for their basic health needs.

The ECD Draft Curriculum

The Department of Basic Education has released a Draft Curriculum for children in crèche from 0-4 years. The Curriculum is currently being tested in 100 crèches. Any public submissions regarding the Curriculum can be addressed to the Department of Basic Education before 03 September 2015.

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ECD Awards 2015

The entries for ECD Awards 2015 are open till 30 September. The Awards have been in existence since 2003 and celebrate excellence in the ECD sector. There are 6 categories available for entry. Entry forms are available at www.nda.org. za or you can collect them at the Department of Social Development offices.

I love your magazine. I am in the ECD industry for only 1 year now. I just got a job working at a crèche and I took it because I love children and I wanted a job.

Now I am always trying to find out about what to do in order to make my crèche the best crèche in Mamelodi. In South Africa it is not easy to get material for teaching especially if your crèche is unregistered. – Thabiso –Mamelodi

I go to the internet café to download material for teaching and I also read to check what is happening in other countries because I own a creche. I saw this magazine and I want to know where we can get it from.

It has what we need and what parents need. We have 33 children in our crèche.

Please come to do an interview for community crèche – Grace Makoma – Mamelodi West

Ke kopa di story tsa Setswana tu. Ken ale ngwana wa mosetsana o a ratang di story thata.

Magazine wa lena o montle thata ebile kao rata, o mpha tshedimosetso ya go itsi gore nka ba mme botoka. Ge re robala Pontsa o nyaka ke mmolelle ditory and nna ke tshwara mathata ka he go sena le di-story tsa maleme a rona – Katlego Mosia – Ga Rankuwa

I am male teacher at a creche in mabopane, I would appreciate it if you can feature a story on male teachers with the early child development.

Zacharia Mooki - Mabopane

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ESSENTIALS

A LITTLE GIRLS ROOM SHOULD BE FUN. CREATE THEIR OWN FASHIONABLE BEDROOM

shopping

Bedroom

Floral Set

Floral is in season this spring.

You can get a 2-piece set for her or mix and match. Flower prints look good any day.

Side Lamp

You can character lamps at any flee market to light up any size room with style.

Teddy Bears

Decorate her bed with fluffy friends. They are good for decorating and children love them.

Scatter Cushion

Character cushions add fun to any room. Personalise it with your daughter’s favourite cartoon character.

Drawer Chest

They save space and are easy to move around. Decorate them with stickers and her creche art.

Bunk Beds

Practical living spaces need fresh ideas. You don’t have to worry about sleeping space when her friends or cousins come for a sleepover

Bedding

Cover her bed in style with a print duvet set.

You can also mix and match pillow cases.

You can never go wrong with pink.

Laundry Basket Barbie Digital Makeover Mirror

Little girls can create their own fashionable make-up designs on themselves and friends over and over again.

Little necessities in a room should compliment her character. Get a stylish colourful basket.

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health focus

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THE ABC’s of CPR

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earning a few basics about CPR can save your child’s life. It is important to read this over and over again so that you can remember these techniques more easily in an emergency. Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a critical skill that everybody should learn; especially parents and caregivers.

You do not need to be a doctor in order to administer CPR. The main aim of CPR is to force air into the lungs and to get the blood to move oxygen to the brain. A little CPR is better than nothing.

Crèche children like experimenting by putting everything in their mouths. Choking is one of the leading causes of death for children 5 years and younger. Chest compressions and mouth-tomouth force air into the lungs and blood to circulate oxygen to the brain.

The ABC of CPR

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A is for AWAKE Tap the baby and call their name loudly. If they don’t respond, make sure the airway is positioned properly. Tilt the head so that the chin is pointing up and keep your hand on the person’s forehead. This is to make sure that the air can pass through to the lungs.

B is for BREATHING Listen to the baby’s breathing and look at their chest for movement before doing anything. Breathe directly into their mouths. Pinch the nose to avoid the air from escaping. You can also cover both the mouth and nose with your mouth and breathe into them. Keep your eye on their chest to make sure it rises.

C is for COMPRESSION Put one hand over the other and press the heels of your hands on the chest. Make sure you are pressing in the centre just below the nipples. With infants, use 2 fin-

gers of the same hand. Press very hard and very fast in a rhythm.

The pauses between the compressions should be as short as possible. For every 30 compressions of the chest breathe twice into the mouth.

Make sure that you call an ambulance in all emergencies. Paramedics often say that Moms always know when something is not right with their child. Do not hesitate to take action if you feel that your child might be in danger. Do not be afraid to call an ambulance.

It is better if they come for a false alarm than if you don’t call them at all and something terrible happens.

Two people are better than one in an emergency. While one does CPR, the other must call the ambulance. Tell the person on the phone that you are doing CPR. If you are alone, do CPR for one minute and then quickly call.

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WHEN TO DO CPR: • • • • •

If there are chances of a neck and back injury then do not move the child. Wait for paramedics.

If your child is not breathing and the heart is not beating, start CPR immediately.

Make sure the environment is safe to do CPR. Tap the child first and shout their name.

Look for movement in their face and hands.

Always press 30 times for every 2 breaths, do it till paramedics come.

All ECD workers must get training on CPR, including drivers. Most courses cost around R100 for a basic certificate per person.

They usually take around an hour.

Contact: Department of Health on: 012 395 8000 / www.health.gov.za

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family

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“A child does not remember what you bought for them but they will always remember what you did with them.”

LONG DISTANCE DAD F

athers matter in the life of a child, especially boys. The relationship a father has with their child has lifelong consequences, whether the relationship is positive, negative or non-existant. It is unfortunate that most children do not see their fathers on a regular basis.

The average child in South Africa is growing up in a house where the father is not there. The mother is playing the role of both mother and father. In South Africa a total of 9 million children grow up without their fathers yet 93% of the fathers are still alive.

When a father is there, children and mothers

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tend to be healthier and happier. A father who is present also helps eradicate poverty as single unemployed mothers are more likely to be poor because of the financial burden. This is very important during the first 1000 days of a child’s life. Growing up with a father has permanent positive outcomes on a child and growing up without a father negatively affects the child.

The role of a father is to provide and give care to the child, the mother and the community. Being a good father is not only good for the child but also for the father. Men who are active in their child’s life are more likely to lead responsi-

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ble lives and keep their employment. Because their child is happy, they also tend to be happy as well.

Most men think that just being present then they are automatically good fathers.

A father needs to be present emotionally and must also be nurturing. A father must do their equal share of chores at home. A child who grows up in a violent environment will, probably, grow up being violent.

Respect is very important and the child will respect other men based on the level of respect that they have for their father. Sometimes a father’s presence can be negative, especially if the father is abusive and uncaring.

Most fathers in South Africa view their roles as providers. They believe that it is up to them to go out and make sure that the family is provided for. The child has clothes, food, toys and goes to crèche.

Fathers who are unemployed feel that the responsibility and burden of being a provider is too much and many run away from their responsibilities because it is the easiest way out. The society is partly to blame for this. Mothers also put financial pressure on the father because they themselves are also under pressure.

Every father must keep something in mind. A child does not remember what you bought for them but they will always remember what you did with them.

Attention and nurture are the two most important things a child needs from a father. Even if your child does not stay with you, or you and the mother do not see eye to eye, remember that you do not need to have money to be a good father. You need to support your child and the mother of your child not only financially but also physically and emotionally.

The child will grow up happy and self-confidant and you will grow as a happy and responsible man.

No matter the situation, a child is a gift from God and that gift must receive nothing but love and attention from both the mother and father.

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SAVE FOR YOUR CHILD EDUCATIONY

SHE WON’T BE THIS CUTE WHEN SHE HAS TO GO TO VARSITY

development

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FIRST 1000 DAYS

of nutrition, parenting, health, safety and play are critical now and throughout the early life of your child.

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here is a window of opportunity to provide for a child’s nourishment, security and stimulation so that the brain can fully develop. This window is called the first 1000 days. From the day the mother finds out that she is pregnant till the child turns 2; is the most critical period.

Just imagine what the child is going through at this age. They are discovering walking, talking, running, writing; they are even discovering their personalities and attitude. It is no surprise that a child’s brain, when they turn 3, is twice as active to that of an adult.

During this period, the brain develops faster than it ever will. When a child’s brain does not get what it requires at this stage, it is almost impossible to fix the problems later in life and even if they do get fixed, reaching its potential is highly unlikely. The environment that a child grows up in is as important as that child’s DNA.

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Nutrition During the 9 months of pregnancy and infancy, the human brain uses over half of the total energy the body gets. The brain needs a high supply of fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals for its structure and function. When a child has a poor diet then the brain’s development is disturbed.

Stress also has a major impact on brain development.

High levels of stress disturb the body from absorbing the nutrients it needs. Stress can come from a violent environment, hunger, lack of attention from parents because they are always away working or just general unhappiness due to other factors in the family.

Protection Abuse, violence, neglect and lack of stimulation have lifelong effects on brain development. Safety is a must in early childhood so that the brain can be comfortable enough to be stimulated. When a child

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is not feeling safe and under threat then important nutrients are directed away from the brain. The home must be a safe place for a child.

Parental Care Early care from parents, grandparents, caregivers, and educators strengthen the ability of the brain to learn. Whether a child is learning good things or bad things, always remember that early childhood learning lasts a lifetime. A child needs to feel the love and nurturing of those they love. Good parenting plus nutrition equal a healthy brain.

Health Longer breastfeeding from the mother provides the child with better nutrition and therefore better brain development. It also strengthens the bond between mother and child. A child also generally feels calm and safe when they are breastfeeding. A baby needs to be breastfed for at least the first 12 months.

Play A child learns through play. The brain is a muscle and for any muscle to grow it needs to be trained and stimulated. A child’s brain is stimulated through play the most. Encourage and participate in play with your child to stimulate brain development and to challenge your child. This will reinforce the bond between parent and child and it will also give the child an opportunity to initiate certain games thereby giving them confidence.

The first 1000 days involves the mother too because it starts from pregnancy. What the mother eats will also be eaten by the baby and this will have an impact on their brain development. Research shows that the right nutrition during the 1000 days can significantly reduce the burden of diseases such as TB and HIV/AIDS.

• • • • • • •

7 Areas of Stimulation

Spiritual and Moral – love for God, learning right and wrong.

Social and Emotional – Manners, playing with others, safety.

Gross Motor – Kicking, running, skipping, balancing.

Fine Motor – Writing, colouring, cutting, hand-eye coordination.

Language – writing, alphabets, sounds, reading to them.

Cognitive – counting, basic maths, reasoning, explaining.

Self Help and Adaptive – Dress themselves, eat, brushing teeth.

Courtesy of Unicef 2014 Symposium Findings on ECD and Neuroscience

nature

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NATIONAL ELEPHANT DAY The skin of an elephant is thick and rough but it is also very sensitive; so sensitive that an elephant can feel a fly land on its skin. They never forget and they like making friends. Elephants sleep for 2 hours in a day.

Elephants also love to swim.

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lephants are big, gentle mammals with amazing brains. They like traveling long distances and are usually found in groups of 20 called herds. They are the biggest animals on land and they love eating. Elephants can eat for up to 18 hours in a day but they only eat plants and leaves.

This makes them herbivores. Did you know there are only 2 species of Elephants: the African and Asian Elephants? Between the African and the Asian Elephant, the African elephant is the biggest in the world.

Where can I find Elephants?

In Africa, Elephants are found in 37 countries. They now mostly live in protected parks and Zoos because poachers kill elephants for their tusks. In Asia, they are found in only 14 countries. Elephants are not aggressive but due to space they have been known to attack people out of frustration or self-defense. Today Elephants have to compete with people for food, space and water.

Elephants and the Ecosystem Elephants help other animals survive. Because they are big, when they walk they break thorny bushes

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and also pull down trees, they create nice grasslands for other small animals and humans to live. During the dry season when rivers are dry, an elephant will use its tusk to dig water holes for drinking. Other animals drink from these holes too. Elephant droppings are so rich in nutrients that they help the soil to be fertile so that food can grow.

The future of the elephant Elephants need large spaces of land to live because they travel a lot. Due to sharing the same land with elephants, people often end up killing those elephants that find themselves near people. This is why Elephants today are mostly found in protected parks where hunting is not allowed.

Ivory poaching has also made it difficult to protect Elephants. 96 elephants are killed every day mostly because of their tusks. Their tusks are made of ivory and poachers kill them, cut off their tusks and sell them to people in other countries.

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cover story

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RAISING A

GIRL CHILD.

To grow up strong, healthy and happy, knowing that she can be anything she wants to be, as long as she believes it.

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ell your girl that she can be anything she wants to be and keep telling her that for as long as you are in her life. Successful women all have someone in their lives who believed in them and it is even better when that person is a parent or a loved one.

As young as 2 year old girls are sexually abused and killed in the country. As if that is not enough, old grandmothers of 80 years are also abused and killed. South Africa’s treatment of its women is generally not good. Women are called names, looked over, ignored and discriminated all because they are not boys. This is a world that your daughter is growing up in.

The month of August is the month for celebrating the beautiful women of South Africa, big and small.

It is the month to appreciate everything that women have done for this country. If it wasn’t for them then we wouldn’t have experienced freedom. It is also an opportunity to shine a light on the future of this country i.e. the little girls that are in crèche and at home.

The month of August is the month for celebrating the beautiful women of South Africa, big and small. It is the month to appreciate everything that women have done for this country.

Your daughter will pick up any generalisation that you say about women and this will in time shape what she thinks being a woman is about. Keep saying girls are only good for cooking and cleaning if you want a future domestic worker. The seed is planted while they are still young. Raising a good daughter means being a good woman if you are a mother, and for fathers it means treating women in a respectful and equal manner.

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There is nothing wrong with spending time cooking and cleaning because that is where a girl gets to spend time learning to take care of their family.

It takes two parents to show her what a proud strong woman is. A mother to show her what it is to be a woman who is proud to be one, and a father to show her how to be courageous, fearless and independent. Most importantly to The kind of men that are show her how a man must treat a going to be in her life is woman. influenced by the father and the relationship the The kind of friends that your girl daughter has with her makes will be highly influenced by father. the kind of woman the mother is and how the mother treats herself and other women or men.

The kind of men that are going to be in her life will be influenced by the father and the relationship the daughter has with her father. The father is their first love and she will always love her father as long as

the father nurtures that love.

Girls today need to grow up knowing that they are equal to boys.

Being equal does not mean doing boy things. Girls need to be girls, they must wear dresses and play with dolls if they like. They must play legusha or diketo.

There is nothing wrong with spending time cooking and cleaning because that is where a girl gets to spend time learning to take care of their family.

A happy girl needs love and constant praise. Tell her that she is pretty all the time but also tell her that she is smart, or that you like her imagination, or she is fast or she is funny. Otherwise she will grow up thinking that her looks are the only thing that matter.

Help kids to love who they are • If you like something she said or did then tell her.

• Parents make the mistake of telling their children only what they don’t like.

• Encourage her to talk and listen.

• Give her real tasks so that she can grow in confidence.

• Teach her that she does not have to do anything she does not want to.

• Have an open relationship where you talk

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• • • •

- about everything with her.

Involve her in as much as possible.

Talk about successful women and what they do good.

Encourage her to take good care of herself and show her how.

Do not limit her by assuming you know her strengths and weaknesses.

cocommunity

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SMART WAYS NURSERY

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f crèches were books then I would have judged this one by its cover. Not many people expect to learn much from a book with an ugly cover. Likewise not many people expect much from a wendy house full of poor children.

Luckily Mme Matshoga is not many people and I have been in enough crèches by now to appreciate the magic that goes on whenever passion and young children are in the same room.

In the morning Mme Matshoga along with her 2 staff welcome their 30 students, the first arriving before 6 and the last just in time for porridge, with a slice of buttered bread, just after 8. There is only one tap and toilet for everyone but

staff members use the toilet inside the house.

Once breakfast is finished then the learning begins, but not before I am given a special treat, “Nonyane tse Pedi”. Sung with such glee and vigour it must be their favourite song, I thought, but I was wrong. Anything that these children did was done with the same enthusiasm.

township but her methods are different. She follows the Montessori curriculum that she downloaded on her phone, thanks to her son. The activities, the lessons, the schedule, the diet are all a result of what she researches and she tries and stretches the R60 per child as far as possible. She says she does it because she loves children. I say she is God sent.

I couldn’t understand because these children have nothing. Their shoes are worn out mostly, The next time you are in Winterveldt Ext 6 pay just like their toys. The play area is nothing more Mme Matchoga a visit at Smart Kids Nursery and than one slide and 2 swings in Mme Matshoga’s read the children the story reviewed on page 22. big Winterveldt yard.

I understood everything once we sat down and talked. Her story is similar to most crèches in the

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finance

Talking to your partner about money A

tations from the fathers of the child. A mother must understand that there is no minimum amount when it comes to the financial contribution a father makes in the life of their child

Unfortunately, most mothers have to carry the financial burden that comes with a child and this leads many women into poverty. A child who grows up poor is much more likely to end up poor well into their adulthood. Talking to your partner about money can be one of the hardest things you will have to do but it is also one of the best things you can do for your child.

At the same time the father needs to understand the day to day costs of raising a child. R100 won’t do anything as far as getting the financial load off the mother. Mother and father must sit down; mother must tell the father the day-to-day costs and give the father a figure that they should contribute monthly. If the father feels that the figure is too high or that they are unemployed then the two of you must discuss a way forward so that you can have a working relationship for the sake of the child.

mother and father have different roles when it comes to providing finances for the child. Generally the father must take care of making sure that the child has the essentials for survival as well as make sure that the mother is taken care of, especially when the child is still young and breastfeeding.

In South Africa most children only grow up with one parent. When parents are no longer in a relationship then talking about money arrangements will help you avoid fights about money in future. A child does not need to grow up in a tense environment whenever the mother and father are in the same room. They will end up thinking that they are the cause of the fights and tension. Mothers must have reasonable expec-

It is unfair on mothers to be expected to raise a child alone. It is also unfair on fathers who are denied access to their children because the mother wants too much money. Money matters where babies are concerned are a 2 way street and both parents must come to the party for the sake of their child.

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IF YOU SEE SOMETHING DO SOMETHING

BE HER VOICE STOP ABUSE

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safety

Home Alone Children A ccidents around the home are one of the major causes of serious injury and even death during childhood.

Toddlers and young children love to explore and experiment. Leaving your child alone, even for a few minutes, is all it takes for an accident to happen.

It takes 2 minutes for a child to drown. Most children drown from bath water. There are many things that can go wrong very quickly when a child is home alone. A child may fall sick all of a sudden; there might be fire or they may choke.

They may also wake up scared or in pain while you are out. There are many poisons in the house a child might swallow too. Parent supervision is critical for small children. If you can’t be there then make sure there is an adult supervising the children. By simply telling a child not to do something does not mean they won’t do it.

A child can suffer from anxiety and stress from being left alone.

Children who are left unsupervised are also at high risk of being abused and victimised. The kitchen is a dangerous place for a child. Many fire related injuries happen in the kitchen. There are also cooking and cleaning products that can cause death when swallowed. A child can slip and fall in the bathroom and even drown. Leaving a child in water to answer your phone or watching TV can have the worst consequences ever.

There is also the danger of fire, especially since there is rolling load shedding. A child knows how to light a candle because they have seen you do it many times.

They are too young to understand the dangers of fire. Electricity itself is also another hazard. A child playing with electric appliances such as hair dryers can get shocked. A child does not know that electricity and water are a dangerous combination.

Children who are left all by themselves are also at high risk of being abused and victimised.

Under 1 year – Falling accidents are common in this age group.

A child may fall rolling off a bed, chair, table or anything elevated above the floor. They usually take place when the parent briefly leaves the room and the child is left unsupervised.

Over 1 year – 1 to 2 year olds are most vulnerable to swallowing poison. Older children can also ingest poison but the older they get the more they can tell if something might harm them if they eat or drink it. Common dangers in this age group are burns, choking, drowning and falling.

3 Years and over – This age group is very curious and this is made worse by their know-it-all attitude. If left unsupervised they will get naughty then try to cover it up. The worst damage is usually caused by the cover up than the first act of naughtiness.

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bookworm

CREATING AFRICAN STORIES

TELLING AFRICAN STORIES THE AFRICAN WAY

Name of the story Pula Story by: Letta Machoga Language: Sepedi Reading Level: First words Description: All children love playing with water!

In her story, Lerato Machoga teaches children about the importance of rain and how it gives us water. The story is written in her home language of Sepedi. It has big simple pictures and is easy to understand.

The best part about reading this story to a child is that it is written in a simple concise way, in a language that they know and understand.

The importance of children learning in their home languages cannot be stressed enough. A child who learns

Illustrators: Marleen Visser Keywords: Pula, Meetse, Bapala Category: Story About the story Mosetsana o rata go bapala ka meetse. Pula ya na ebile o a thapa ge a bapala. Pula e bohlokwa ka ge e refa meetse a go nwa le a go hlapa.

in their home language has a big advantage over a child who is being taught in another language. Try learning maths in Afrikaans and see if you will love maths.

The same applies to children when they have to learn basic ECD lessons. It is easier for them to understand and comprehend when they learn in a

language that they speak on a regular basis.

Parents today want the first thing their child learns to be English. There is plenty of time for a child to learn a language.

School is probably the best time to worry about your child speaking English.

The best thing for you to do as a parent is to read to your child stories in their home language.

The imagination of a child is a powerful thing and stories help stimulate their imaginations.

It is pointless to read about things that they cannot imagine. They will find the story boring and eventually lose interest in stories. Most people hate reading because they have not found books that they love reading.

Pick stories that will interest them. Stories told in a language that they understand and those that talk about the things that they experience on a daily basis.

Other stories by Letta Machoga include: “Ke rata go bala” “Moratho wa ka wa sebodu” “Re bapala bolo”

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classroom

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LEARNING ABOUT OPPOSITES

Q & A Tebogo Ndlovu

Teaching opposites is an ideal way to help improve your child’s ability to communicate. The addition of descriptive words to their vocabulary.

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hildren are naturally curious about similarities and differences in their worlds. Learning about opposites is good for developing their problem solving and also improving other areas such as reading, writing and taking turns. It also introduces them to maths and science.

Cut out the pictures of opposites provided on the next page. It is best to use the pictures in two-twos. You can also look for more pictures and words from magazines and cut them out. Make the lesson more interesting by using the 5 senses.

Touch (rough and smooth),Taste – (sweet and sour), Smell – (good and bad), Sight – (day and night), Hearing – (loud and soft) Teach the meaning of each word and how they are connected.

• In/Out = Space • Early/Late = Time • Big/Small = Size • Hot/Cold = Temperature • Light/Dark = day and night

Opposites Game Prepare cards of opposites. A smiley face/sad face card; tall person/short person; the moon/the sun. If you have 20 children then prepare 20 cards. Have the children in the circle and then each must pick a random card. The game starts when everyone has a card. Each kid must find their opposite. When they find them then they must sit down back-to-back. At the end of the game all kids must be sitting with their back against the one with their opposite card.

Create or buy index cards with pictures of opposites on them. Have your toddler match sets of opposite flashcards – happy and sad, hot and cold. See opposite page.

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What is your job.

I am an ECD practitioner and I work in an ECD facility locally in my township of Winterveldt What do you love about your job.

I love children so dealing with them every day makes me happy What do you hate about your job.

I hate that we are not treated like school teachers but like child minders. I don’t earn enough to buy a house and that is why I live in an RDP home but I am a qualified professional If you were minister for a day what would you do.

I would register all the crèches even those that don’t meet the standards and make sure they all get grants and subsidies every month.

What do you think about SAcreche Magazine I feel that it should be in every crèche because it is difficult to know what is happening when you are in a place like this. And there are many other worse places in the rurals.

www.sacreche.co.za

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policy and practice

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The early years of a child’s life have a significant impact on their physical, behavioural and social development throughout their life course.

Many of the problems that adults are dealing with today have their foundation in how they grew up during their childhood. Weight problems, emotional issues, problems concerning school and education and general social issues all have some form of link to a person’s development during the first years of life. The first years have a big impact on the physical, behavioral, social and emotional development of all people.

Early Childhood Development has been identified

by Government as one of the important interventions because it is critical in improving the quality of basic education in the country. ECD, according to the DSD, is any public or private, formal or informal location wherein ECD services are offered to 6 or more children. It is up to Local Government to ensure that children and their communities have access to water & sanitation services, daycare services, play parks, recreation facilities and book and toy libraries. As important as ECD is in a child’s life, only 30% of all South African children between 0-4 years have access to ECD centres. Government’s investment in education is one of the highest in the world yet investment into ECD education is one of the lowest. We are failing our children and our fu-

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ture by not taking this critical stage in their lives with the seriousness it requires. ECD centres are geared towards looking after children rather than teaching and development. Over 90% of the centres today do not follow a standard curriculum and they teach what they deem fit.

It is important for a child to have that bond with his or her parents. A home that nurtures, protects and educates a child is a home that every child deserves. There comes a point where a child must go to a centre to learn other social skills.

A good centre is one that provides:

• Healthy food and education.

• Water and promotes cleanliness.

• Good parenting skills from educators and child minders.

• Stimulating and fun play.

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Every ECD, registered on unregistered, must have a structure for learning. Children must get used to routines and habits that the crèche must always adhere to. In order to make this easier, the ECD Manager must draw up a timetable and hang it on the wall.

Below is a standard timetable.

You can use it as an example to create your own. What is important Having a clear and precise time table also is that you can have different activities or timetables for differis a key to running a succesful busient days such as Fridays. You can create different Time – Tables for ness. different age groups.

TIME

ACTIVITY

DESCRIPTION

07:00 – 08:00

Breakfast

All Children get first meal of the day

0800 – 09:20

Free Play

Free play indoors with toys

09:20 – 09:40

Group Play

Structured play in groups using group games

09:40 – 10:00

Arts & Craft

Give them creation to copy

10:00 – 10:20

Snack Attack

A healthy snack is a fruit

10:20 – 10:40

Story Time

Read them a story and ask questions during

10:40 – 11:40

Fine Motor Skills Activities

Cutting/Gluing/Colouring/Writing

11:40 – 12:00

Movement/Exercise

Outside for exercise and full body activities

12:00 – 12:30

Lunch Time

Make sure there is one vegetable at least

12:30 – 14:00

Time for Sleep

They all sleep. Older kids can read

14:00 – 15:00

Quite Play

Quite play till everyone is awake

15:00 – 15:15

Afternoon Snacks

Popcorn/peanuts or anything nutritious

15:15 – 16:00

Free Play

Outside play while waiting for parent

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the manager

Creating your time table.

nutrition

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eat your spinach

Why Spinach is Good to Eat

SPINACH PANCAKES 1. 3 cups (handfuls) fresh spinach 2. 3 tablespoons flax seed, fresh ground 3. 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon warm water 4. 2/3 cup rice flour 5. 1 tablespoon baking powder optional: finely minced garlic or sea salt for savory, maple syrup or sugar to sweeten Combine flax with water, set aside in refrigerator to gel. Pulse spinach and flax gel in food processor until blended. Add flour and baking powder, pulse until completely blended.

Pour in 1/4 cup increments onto heated griddle over low heat*, flipping once when cooked through. Makes 10-12 pancakes 10cm in size. *Low heat keeps the bright green color, a higher heat may brown.

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• Popeye was said to get his strength from us because we have a high level of iron, which is needed to take oxygen to muscles. However, Popeye obviously didn’t realise that most of our iron is bound up with oxalic acid and so can’t be used by the body. But we do have lots of other good features!

• We’re an excellent source of vitamin C, beta carotene, folate (one of the B vitamins), vitamin B6, vitamin E, magnesium and potassium.

• We’re also high in dietary fibre.

• We contain a substance belonging to the carotenoid family, called zeaxanthin. It looks like it’s valuable for keeping eyes healthy, especially in older people.

• 100g of us has just 65kJ.

How to Keep Spinach

Trim off our roots. Store us unwashed in the vegetable crisper or in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Use within 2-3 days.

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events calender

3 Aug – 5 Sept: Tshwane Youth Art Festival at State Theatre. Over 5 weeks of drama, dance, singing; there will be 200 items on show.

9 August is National Women’s Day and the month of August is Woman’s month.

what’s happening in AUGUST

11-15 August: Feast of the Clowns at Burgers Park. This year’s theme is “ and a child shall lead them”. This is a week-long event.

29 August 2015 – Spar woman’s challenge at Centurion Supersport Park. 5km and 10km race is open to all but only women will receive prices. Children from 3 years will be provided with free and safe supervision which include face paintings and jumping castles.

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www.sacreche.co.za

Artwork

Name: Age:

Cut, colour and send &WIN! to: sacreche@gmail.com or 171 K Soshanguve 0152

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SMOKING KILLS

DONT SMOKE NEAR KIDS