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When to talk to your child about career
I don’t know if you guys are aware, but your cute little poppets are going to morph into hairy, sweaty, opinionated teenagers eventually. And, besides for all the hair and body odour, the opinionated part will probably be the thing that irks you the most.
For me and my hairy teen, the biggest debate has been around career. I mean, if the kid could make a living off of playing XBox games, he would gladly do so. But alas, this option (even though its a real career nogals) is not available to him right now.
We’ve toyed around with a bunch of different career options and we honestly still have not figured out what his “one” is. But it kinda made me realise that I should have delved deeper into this convo while he was still at high school.
In fact, there are a bunch of conversations that should take place while your kid is still of school going age. Don’t be like me. Me thought that my boy was too young to have big conversations about his future. Me protected him from all the harsh elements of the world a bit toooooo much. Me raised him in a bubble.
Me regrets it.
If I had a time machine I would totes go back a couple of years, talk about career and “how do you plan to make money one day” more in depth.
The other mind blowing fact (hold on to your pants, this could get messy) is that: what YOU want for your child may not be what THEY want for themselves. Like, I totes want my child to be a successful graphic designer/creative director/multimedia animator. He loves art. I love all things digital. Seems like the best thing for mehim.I had to let go of MY ideal and, instead, try to learn how to listen to his vision for his own life.
At the end of the day, friends, if you have a relationship with God, it’s never too early to lean on the Lord with regards to your child’s future/career. In fact, I’ve already begun to coax Karis into speaking to God and asking Him to reveal what He wants her to do.
My prayer is that Gods plan for her life becomes her focus and goal. Teaching my child how to dream with God and plan with Him, is probably a better solution than, say, forcing him to do graphic design because I need someone to design the graphics for my blog. *cough*
I mean, figuratively speaking.
Anyways, my advice to moms with youngs kids is: Unpack your child’s interests and strengths, at a young age, and allow them to take the lead wrt their future careers and goals. Pray for wisdom. Pray for clever ways to help gently coax them towards their destiny, without overstepping. Pray for your ego to be put aside, and for God’s will to be prevalent.
And most importantly, pray for patience, because you’re definitely going to need it.
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How to celebrate a birthday when you’re stuck at home {Win!}
Stuck at home, on the brink of celebrating a birthday, and you’re not exactly sure how you’re going to do any celebrating at all? Well then, friend, this post is for you!
Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, lock down birthdays are now a thing. And, I mean, you’re probably considering the fact that you kinda need, well, other people in order to put the “party” into “birthday party”. And you’re not wrong. But there are ways and means to celebrate the birthday boy/girl, even though you’re limited on people and resources.
I love birthdays! And I believe that the only real bummer, about a solid birthday celebration, is not having a solid birthday celebration. And you can quote me on that!
Anyways, before I break into song, dance and monologue, allow me to share with you my list of ways to celebrate a birthday when you’re stuck at home:
1. DecorationsDecorating a room in the house, as a surprise, is an easy and cheap way to make a birthday guy/gal feel special! A sneaky late night set up will have your special person waking up to a gloriously festive birthday hoorah in the morning! Here are some ideas:
A balloon wall – All I’m saying is that balloons have the magical powers to make any room feel a lot more festive. There are no hard rules when it comes to this. The more balloons the better! A balloon wall would most definitely impress. Find an easy tutorial here.
Streamers pinned to the door frame – Who wouldn’t want to open their bedroom door, on the morning of their birthday, to find this colorful surprise awaiting them?! Tutorial here.
Make your own bunting – I did this for Jonah’s birthday. His “lock down birthday” theme was Obnoxious Spiderman which is my way of saying that I made sure to incorporate as many images of Spiderman in the decor. He’s 3 years old, and Spidey is his hero, so this totally made his day. Tutorial here.
2. Presents
So we figured out that Jonah was super excited to open a ton of gifts because he had been eyeing all the gifts his sister received at her birthday party. Since we were unable to invite guests to celebrate with him, that meant that there would be no pile of presents for him to open. So we decided to get him a bunch of smaller gifts (things like color in books and crayons, small games, puzzles etc) and wrapped them up individually so that he would have his very own “birthday party gift pile” to indulge in.
3. Drive and DropI know that drive-by parties are all the rage and if you have friends and family members who would be keen to do a drive and drop, then that’s swell! Make it extra festive with balloons and a sign that says “Hoot once for the birthday boy!” displayed outside. Birthday boy/girl could have their own special chair set up, so that they can bestow their royal birthday wave, as their friends drive by.
If you don’t want your guests to leave empty handed, a slice of birthday cake, in a takeaway box, will do the trick. (For teens, how about a slice of pizza?) And again, this is particularly helpful if you have friends and family members who are looking for an opportunity to celebrate with you, and want to drop off a prezi.
4. Fun activities
You could totes make the day fun by arranging a cool scavenger hunt (ooh, hide away the gifts and design a real treasure map!) or by playing backyard or board games with your family. A “game show birthday party” is a fun way to bring some extra glitz and glamour to your celebrations. The usual foray of birthday party games (pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs) are always a hit and will definitely help to keep the energy up!
5. Virtual fiestaWe fortunately have the technology to stay in touch, even though we can’t physically be in the same room. You may consider hosting a Zoom, FaceTime, WhatsApp, Skype or House Party celebration.
Teens might prefer connecting with their buddies via Xbox or Playstation online gaming. Yep, it’s totally a thing now, parents. I know, I suddenly feel old too.
6. Cake!
I mean, without cake is a party a party? (The correct answer is “heck no”) I knew that I wanted to go big with Jonah’s birthday cake, so I called in an expert to assist.
I had been eyeing the creations over on the Whole Latte Love Facebook page and knew that Leanne would nail my Spiderman birthday cake idea. Leanne’s love for baking started when she tried her hand at making her nieces and nephews birthday cakes. People were kinda impressed with her skill (also, guys, this cake is flippen delicious!) and word got out, which resulted in the start of a little business.
When I asked for a list of flavours to choose from, these were the ones that I had my eye on:
Chocolate chip cake with caramel and chocolate ganache
Chocolate cake with chocolate fudge buttercream
Mint chocolate chip cake with mint buttercream and chocolate pieces
Vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream / Swiss meringue buttercream
Carrot cake filled with homemade caramel and salted caramel buttercream
Red velvet cake with Oreo pieces and Oreo cream cheese icing
Hummingbird cake with cream cheese icing
Lemon meringue cake filled with lemon curd and covered with toasted meringue
Toffee apple cake filled with homemade caramel and cinnamon buttercream
I know what you’re thinking… YUM! I ended up choosing the chocolate cake with chocolate fudge buttercream because chocolate “cakey” is my boys absolute favorite. The price was quite reasonable and she ended up totally making all my Spidey birthday cake dreams come true. Plus she delivers during lock down. If that isn’t rad, then I don’t know what is!
Other treats available:
Brownies (available in different flavours!), Blondies, Cupcakes (available in a variety of flavours), Cheesecake mousse cakes, Profiteroles, Eclairs, Lammingtons, Cinnamon rolls and more! You can place your order via Facebook.
Win a dozen cupcakes for from Whole Latte Love!Guess what my friends *I say, dramatically, with tears in my eyes* …. Whole Latte Love is giving one of you a dozen of her most delicious cupcakes, to help you celebrate that special ‘lock down birthday’! I KNOW! I’m not crying, you’re crying! Okay, I’m totally crying.
To enter, simply check out this post on Facebook and follow the instructions there.
Winner will be announced on Friday 3 July. Winner must reside in Port Elizabeth and must be able to collect cupcakes in Sherwood.
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4 Ways To “Slow Down” Our Happy Memories With Our Children
We’ve all had that feeling that childhood passes by too quickly. We parents wake up one day and our kids no longer want to play with us, and we feel like our recollection of this golden time of endearing neediness has slipped away. Well, what if there were a way to work against this feeling? To make the memory of our children’s childhood feel slower, broader, deeper, richer? A quick dip into the history of memory, of mnemonic techniques, can offer a guide as to how.
1. Keep Track of Firsts. The key to expanding the sense of richness and breadth of our interactions with our kids is by quantifying and recording what we do with them. Keeping track of what you do, the effort you put in, what you teach your kids and how, when they have firsts (first time watching Mary Poppins, first time whistling, first time eating curry and so on) helps in a number of ways. The biggest plus is psychological. I use a daily planner and a journaling smartphone app to keep very basic, sketched-out notes about what my wife and I do with our kids each day. I include anything that felt unusual, special, out of the ordinary.
2. Diversify What You Do with Your Kids and Where You Do It. Expanding our memory of our children’s youth is more about the diversity of interactions and their locations, and about recording them (in a journal, app, through video and photos, and so on) than anything else. We tend to get lazy and engage in the same things every week, sometimes every evening. A Peppa Pig episode on the couch before bed. Pancakes for breakfast on lazy Sunday mornings. Our kids enjoy these habits, they are easy to slip into, so why change? The “why change” question is answered by a look at how we remember. We remember things that are unusual, distinctive, out of the ordinary, as if they are highlighted, standing out, whereas quotidian matters feel like one long continuum when we think back on them.
3. Changing Locations Helps Us Remember Activities. We also remember things we did in diverse, new places better than places we spend a lot of time. Even if we do something we love, for instance biking with our kids on a favorite path in the woods near our home, if we do the same thing 100 times, in our memory those 100 times will merge into one pleasant recollection. If we go to 100 different locations, each one will settle into our memory more distinctly, because it was new.4. Borrow the Ancient “Memory Palace” Technique and Focus on the Weird. The “memory palace” technique is a memorization approach that dates back to ancient Athens and was taught throughout Europe until the early 20th century. The shorthand version of it is that things we wish to remember should be associated with the weirdest, most surreal, silly images we can think of, because we remember weirdness better than normalcy. You’d probably remember the time you were out fishing and a trout jumped out of the river and into your boat, right? Well, if that happened every time you went fishing it wouldn’t be noteworthy, would it? Seek out new, different, surreal, silly, weird activities and moments, and they’ll be treasured in your memory, and your child’s, much more vividly than anything “normal.”
These techniques are just part of my new book, Superpower Your Kids: A Professor’s Guide to Teaching Your Children Everything in Just 15 Minutes a Day. It’s limited-edition, available only in June for backers of a Kickstarter campaign for the book + a tie-in smartphone app. The book looks at how we parents can borrow some techniques used in teaching at university level and scale them down to inspire a love of learning in young children (age 3-12 or so). But that’s just part of it. As much as the book explores tricks to teach our kids in a way that feels, to them, like playing (and each new piece of knowledge or experience wins them a new “superpower”), a section also is especially for us parents. If we can expand, deepen and “slow down” our happy memories with our children, then that is a gift for parents when our kids are get older.
AuthorNoah Charney is a professor, presenter, columnist and Pulitzer-nominated best-selling author of more than a dozen books. An American, he has lived for more than a decade in Slovenia with his family and hairless dog. You can check him out on Instagram, Facebook and Ted.
Images: All images in this post were supplied by Noah Charney
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Lockdown lessons: I need to be alone sometimes
I remember waking up the day after lockdown had commenced, and realising that I don’t really have anything to prepare for. (I mean, duh, I still work from home, but that’s not what I’m talking about).
I mean: there were no events to plan, schedules to manage and family time to balance. I didn’t have to stress about washing my hair or finding the perfect outfit or making sure that I have a babysitter.
There were no bags to pack and no clothes to iron. No rehearsals to plan for and no meetings to prepare for. No lunch to make. No phone calls to take, as I dash out of the house, with my laptop bag in my one hand and my 5 year old’s hand in the other, trying to dodge my crying baby’s arms.
So I lay there, on day 1 of lockdown, marveling at the stillness (of my brain, not my household, there are a gazillion small people in my home) and I think to myself: is this what living life actually feels like?
I mean, sure it’s lekker to be busy and to be surrounded with people all the time. But for someone like me… someone with a spreadsheet brain… planning and prepping can sometimes take precedence over the “living” part.
The “being” part of ‘human being’ becomes more important than the “human” part.
And honestly speaking, this revelation is not new to me. I know that I’m a busy lady (sometimes too busy, as my husband often points out) and I know that I need to slow down in this season of raising babies.
But no matter how hard I tried (okay, did I really try, let’s be honest) I could never slow down all the way. There would always be something or someone tugging at me to take on added responsibility. And I would always oblige because I figured that, well, I have the capacity to do it, so why not.
But the thing about being TOO busy is that your business becomes your focus. Not the task. Not the people. Just the fact that you’re busy. “Argh, I have so much to do” instead of “Aack, I’m so enjoying this right now”.
Even the Bible speaks about focusing on the right thing, so that the “things of the world” can fade away and the main things can stay main, in your life.
Being too busy means that you’re not focused on the right thing. In my case, the right thing would be spending time with God and obviously would include things like raising my babies, investing in my marriage and making sure that I am emotionally and physically healthy.
Anyways, with that said, my time, in isolation, has kinda been like a factory reset button. The actual “isolation” part of being “in isolation” has been a blessing to me. There, I said it.
I know that the Covid-19 lockdown isn’t all sunshine and roses… I mean, it’s more sucky than it is lekker. But, hey, atleast it gave me a minute to sort out the junk in my head.
Have you had any lockdown revelations?
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MAGGI Hi Fibre Noodles – worth the hype?
I sometimes wonder if my kids are trying to Leon Schuster me. I mean, one day they love peanut butter sarmies and nothing else, the next day they shun my specially prepared sandwich as if it’s the plague. Come on – there HAS to be a camera hidden away somewhere, right?!
Seriously though, if getting them fed isn’t enough of a chore, one also has to consider WHAT we are feeding them. Nutrition plays a vital role in a child’s development. Proper nutrients keep your children healthy and strong. And regular. (Need I remind you of the Big Constipation Debacle of 2009?)
So I was especially thrilled to discover MAGGI Hi Fibre Noodles. I mean, its our fave two-minute noodles, with like, super powers. AACK! BUT will a change in formula withstand my picky eater’s taste test?
In case you didn’t know: MAGGI Noodles contain no artificial colourants and no added preservatives. I usually stock up on the multipacks because it’s such a convenient meal solution for my whole family. I add fresh ingredients (proteins or veggies or both) to make it a wholesome meal when I’m in a rush.It’s the one to grab when my kids want a snack, and Miss Kari loves it, so I was a bit nervous to try out the new hi fibre variation on her.
Oh, and talking about hi fibre, did you know that a packet of MAGGI Hi Fibre Noodles has the fibre equal to one bowl of oats?! I mean, that’s kinda impressive for noodles, right? It’s made with Sunflower Seed Oil (so, lower saturated fats) and is a great source of Iron.
Anyways, our verdict:
I was pleasantly surprised to find that preparation is still quick and easy! Simply add your water, pop it into the microwave (or on stove top) and ta da! Delicious noodles, ready to devour!Miss Kari decided to be the taste tester. After sniffing it out (yes, she actually smelled it) and then proceeding to subtely nibble on a noodle, before chomping down on a mouthful, my precarious little girl finally declared that they are “delicious!” (Her words, not mine). Whew! The relief! So thrilled that I can give her a bowl of hi fibre deliciousness now!
Check out the MAGGI website for a bunch of lekker recipes you can make, for your family, using their noodles.
Disclaimer: This post was part of a sponsored campaign for MAGGI.
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Childhood story: The boy who smiled
My childhood years were pretty boring and uneventful. I grew up in a two bedroomed home, in (what some would call) the “hood” of Port Elizabeth. My neighbors, and childhood friends, were Afrikaans speaking and my sister and I (both very much of the English speaking variant of brown people) kinda fumbled our way through communicating with them but, somehow, we all made it work, unperturbed.
Our summer holidays were the best. We woke up extra early to a quick breakfast of jam sandwiches and hot tea, and hastily dressed ourselves in arb short and t-shirt combos, running our fingers through our long hair until we were presentable enough to leave the house (according to my granny’s standards).
We almost always exited via the kitchen door and ran straight across to my bestie’s house, climbing over broken fencing to get into her backyard (pretty sure this would be called trespassing now).
Those days were blissfully filled with innocent childhood games, all renamed and reinvented by us. Our favorites were ‘rope-rope’ (or ‘tou-tou’ in Afrikaans), ‘school-school’, ‘klip-klip’ and ‘ball-ball’ aka ‘skop skaloolie’ (See the trend? The games are so nice, we named it twice lol).
Being the eldest, I was the unannounced leader of our group which means I was in charge of arranging the talent shows and modelling competitions (another favorite). We knew how to entertain ourselves and were generally good kids, besides for the occasional “let’s pretend to smoke cigarettes behind the tree in your yard” moments. (Another post for another day)
One particular year, my 12-year old brain had concocted an extra special ‘grand extravaganza’ show that we would “rehearse” during that school holiday break. I couldn’t wait to get started!
A few days into the holiday, we sit on our spot on the boundary wall in the front of our house, chatting about our juvenile plans while watching the boys play a particularly boring game of cricket in the road. (The game had been “particularly boring” because they would cease play every few minutes to move the make-shift cricket stumps to make way for cars that were passing through). We pretend-watched the cricket game but also pretend-didn’t-watch, because boys were still gross to us back then.
There I sit, in all my gangly-legged, bushy pony-tailed, 12-year old glory when suddenly a smile, from across the road, made my heart skip a beat. The bearer of the smile: a teenage boy, probably three or four years my senior, who had been visiting his cousin that holiday.
And while I couldn’t care less (I honestly couldn’t, I mean, I had a show to plan), I found myself caring very much… the unwelcome attention suddenly very much welcomed.
A boy had never smiled at me before. Well, most certainly not like that. What did it mean? And was I meant to do something? I most certainly did NOT smile back! I mean, what would my friends think if I was out here smiling at boys?! Gross!
“Why would he smile at me, in the first place?” I scribbled in my diary. “I mean, was that his way of greeting? Is he trying to be friendly, because he wants to make friends?” Chaos and confusion had ensued and I found myself mulling over the illustrious smile.
The long summer days dragged on, and we continued to plan and rehearse for our grand extravaganza show, but this time around I found myself so self conscious.
For starters, I refused to rehearse our carefully choreographed dance moves in the front yard because I didn’t want “that boy” to see. I couldn’t tell the others though, so I had to devise a quick cover up, to make me not look lame.Uncharacteristically distracted, I found myself less and less excited about the show. In fact, it felt downright stupid and childish at that point. The innocence of childhood had ended for me.
I had suddenly become more aware of my worth as a woman… wondering if I was pretty enough, mature-sounding enough, interesting enough, cool enough… worrying about the fact that my hair wasn’t straight enough, my body not developed enough and my clothes not expensive enough.
Suddenly the things that meant absolutely nothing before seemed to be the only things that mattered!
And although the boy isn’t really important (in the grander scheme of my life), now knowing that it was a turning point for me (not a girl, not yet a woman, or something like that, right Britney?), I wish that I totally ignored that smile and held on to my childhood a teeny tiny bit longer.
Now that I’m a mom of a little girl, who will soon experience her own “first smile” and probably her first heartbreak, I’m more determined than ever to build up her confidence and self-worth.
I try to teach my daughter that her identity is not found in the approval of others and her worth is not something that fluctuates. I mean, that was one of the biggest life lessons that I wish I had learnt at a young age. When you want a boy to like you, it’s so easy to want to change everything about yourself, to impress him. (Oh the stories I can share about my relationship fails and how I totally changed, even the way I ate my eggs, because of the guy that I was dating.)
But hey, we dig these wells so that we can pass the wisdom learnt on to our kids.
At the end of the day my aim is to make my daughter a lot more mindful about how valuable she is and a lot less generous with how much of her heart she should give away, for a smile.
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Uhh, scrambled eggs and beef… together? {Quick recipe}
My grandmother was a chef of note. But, back then, we didn’t call her a chef… she was our Ma. And there were no fancy cookbooks or food blogs to guide her. My Ma Lamie cooked from her heart. And, truth be told, often her meals were a bunch of ingredients she had in her fridge, thrown into a pot, seasoned with a mix of the best Malay spices and, obvz, a dash of love.
One of my favorite “Ma Lamie dishes” was a mince and egg concoction that hit like no other meal could. I mean, I wouldn’t dare to scramble eggs into curried mince and call it a meal… but that mix, on a slice of thickly buttered bread, pretty much sums up my childhood. AND it’s flippen delicious!
I decided to introduce it to my daughter (she did not have the opportunity to meet Ma) as a way of passing down something from my grandma to her. I admit, I did boujee it up a bit and added extra ingrediants… not that it needs anything, its delish as is! Extra veggies will make it more heartier though. I use McCain veggies because they are precooked and prechopped so you don’t have to do any extra work. Score.
Ma Lamie’s Scrambled Egg and MinceIngredients:
2 Diced onions and 1 diced green pepper
Punnet of mushrooms (cut as small as you’d like)
Spinach (I use the McCain bags)
500g Mince
6-8 Eggs
Method:
In a saucepan, brown your onion and then add your green pepper (I usually also add some garlic and ginger paste).
Add your chopped mushrooms and allow to cook through. Then add your spinach and cook until slightly wilted.
Remove from heat and empty pan. You’re going to need it for the next part.
Brown another onion and add your mince and your spices (for me that’s salt, pepper and paprika).
Once this has cooked through, add your veggies and mix well.
In a separate bowl, add your eggs, a dollop of milk (optional) and some salt and beat together.
Add your egg mix to the pan and use a big spoon or ladle (not a fork), to mix through, until eggs are sufficiently scrambled and cooked through.
The beauty of this dish is that you can literally add as many veggies as you’d like. Or, if it’s that time of the month, simply brown your mince and add the eggs.Oh and did I mention this is carb free too? I know, just when we thought it couldn’t get better! Please do let me know if you end up trying this at home! My Ma Lamie would be so proud!
Disclaimer: This post was done in collaboration with McCain
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Peaceful sleep with the Tommee Tippee Grobag {Win!}
I love sleep. There, I said it. I mean, I function better when I’m well rested, you guys. It’s just, like, a fact of life! And so, because of this fact (uhh of life), I’m always super keen when a brand tells me that their product promotes better sleep for babies.
Ash has always been a good sleeper, but truth be told, I’m always super anxious when he sleeps soundly. I check on him every so often, to make sure that he is the right temperature and that his breathing is regular. I mean, you can call me paranoid, but not to my face.
And now, with Autumn in our midst, the colder weather would mean more blankets. Well, usually, right?
But what if I told you that you don’t really need more blankets, to ensure that baby is snug and comfy? I know I told you about it before, but friends, these Tommee Tippee Grobag’s are perfect for this sort of thing!
For starters, the promoting of “safer sleep for babies” is not just clever words that they say to impress you. The prestigious Lullaby Trust – a UK based charity for safe sleep, highly recommends this multi-award winning product. And, a survey done in the UK actually proved that 71% of babies slept for more than 6 hours, in their Grobag. Legit, right?
The main draw card, for me, was the fact that I don’t need to use extra blankets in his cot. The togs come in various weights and sizes, so Ash is sorted during Winter AND Summer. And, with the ample leg room in the tog, he doesn’t feel restricted. (Also, have you seen his chubby thighs? Lots of leg room is needed to house those bundles of deliciousness.)
Ensuring that your baby is the right temperature is important, since overheating can result in cot death. *shudder*
Your Grobag comes with a cute Nursery Thermometer, helping you to ensure that baby is at a safe sleep temperature. I also like that the YKK zipper and chin guard helps to prevent chafing.
But more than anything, I do appreciate that it’s easy to use, 100% cotton AND machine washable (can I cry now?), so I can pop it into the washing machine if need be. The designs are gorgeous (check them out over here) and would make for such a cool babyshower gift!
PSA: If you purchase your Grobag before end of May 2020, you can use my code: gb15spreadsheetbrain and score yourself 15% off!
Check out the Tommee Tippee online store for this and more amazing Gro products.
Win a Tommee Tippee Grobag!Tommee Tippee and My Spreadsheet Brain are giving ONE lucky reader a gorgeous Grobag! To enter, simply find this specially marked post on Instagram and follow the prompts!
Terms and conditions
Giveaway ends on 30 April. Competition is open to SA residents only. Competition is not affiliated with Instagram. T&C’s apply. Decision is final and we reserve the right to disqualify winners should entry mechanisms not be followed. Products are not redeemable for cash. Tommee Tippee will deliver goods to winner.
Disclaimer: This post was done in collaboration with Tommee Tippee
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Privilege? Check.
I don’t know about you guys but our current lock down situation is showing me flames. It’s hard to be content with staying in one place when you have ish to do, right?
I mean, lock down has forced me to cancel events, hair appointments, coffee dates… I’m so annoyed! Also, I desperately need a Big Mac meal. Argh, this is so frustrating. The outcry! The heartbreak! However will I cope?!
Aaand right there, in that moment, is when I realize that I am being a chop and that I need to check my privilege.
You see, friends, privilege probably looks a lot different to each person. I mean, it’s not just about money.
In fact, I didn’t exactly grow up in a household rollin’ in dough. (Dough as in cash, not dough as in the malleable mixture of flour and water. But you knew that.)
And, although my parents and grandmother gave me everything I needed to survive, there was a bunch of things that we couldn’t afford back then… stuff that my kids take for granted right now like electronic devices, out-of-town holidays, random trips to KFC, name branded sneakers etc. We got by. And that was enough.
These days I visit KFC a bit more than I should (cough cough) and yet I still don’t feel as if I’m “Britney Spears rich” (Wait, she’s still rich, right?)
Until the Covid-19 lock down hit.
As I sat there, on my couch, drinking my tea, while scrolling through Instagram, I heard myself complain about all the things that I would not be able to do, during quarantine. And that’s when I had to give myself a big, fat roundhouse kick against the head (I mean, I didn’t actually, because how does one kick oneself?) because I was acting like an entitled brat.I mean, while I had to cancel events, some of my fellow South Africans had to cancel jobs and contracts that would have provided for their families.
Some of my countrymen had to say goodbye to their parents, not knowing when and if they would see them again.
I could mourn my cancelled appointments in the comfort of my WiFi bedecked home, while my fellow South Africans share one room with 10 family members and no running water. I mourn my fast food burgers, while others mourn the piece-jobs they relied on, and street corners they sold fruit at, to buy their daily bread.
Heck, some of my countrymen aren’t even afforded the opportunity (and safety) of lock down, because they are out there serving on people like me.
And while I understand that it certainly is frustrating for ALL of us (yes, even us, the WiFi enriched sort) and we most certainly have been left in an awkward state, I kinda know that when I was complaining, my thoughts were more bent towards how much I deserve to live the life of a queen and were a lot less turned towards how little I had to give up in comparison to some of our more impoverished brothers and sisters.
And so, I’m here to let you guys know that I realise that I was being a chop and that I am swiftly and pertly nipping that ish in the bud. Because honestly, you guys, my privilege sticks out like a sore thumb right now. It’s so painfully obvious. I can’t ignore it.
And while I can’t help for privilege (for the most part), I am so embarrassed by my previous lack of awareness of it. But I promise to do better and to teach my kids to do better from this moment on.
Because entitlement and an absence of empathy is almost like a virus all on its own. And it’s one that I don’t plan to spread.
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Teaching togetherness with Paw Patrol {Win!}
If you’re a parent I’m sure you’re well aware that ‘no job’s too big, no pup’s too small’ when it comes to the type of stuff that the puppy’s over at Paw Patrol are able get up to. As it has famously been said: “Round Adventure Bay, Ryder and his team of pups will come and save the day.” And we stan, right? I mean, I love a helpful, world saving dog. In fact, we need a bit of Paw Patrol magic ’round about now, as we face an uncertain future, due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
So I was pretty chuffed with myself when I decided to use the Paw Patrol message of working together to remind the kids that we are stronger united. I mean, it’s no secret, my (and probably your) kids are kinda Paw Patrol crazy. Using their favorite toys and characters is a great way to teach them about our current crisis AND how they can do their tiny bit to help. Also, playing with toys is a clever way to encourage the stretching of imagination AND it creates a nice break away from those screens. Win-win, for sure.
My kid’s were simply thrilled to play with the new Paw Patrol Mighty Pups Super Paws range that has just landed in SA . These sets are so legit, complete with a character (Ryder and his team of pups: Marshall, Rubble, Chase, Rocky, Zuma, Skye) and cool accessories that light up!
Mighty Pups Supersonic JetThis rad 2-in-1 transforming jet switches from deluxe jet into a mobile command headquarters with room for all the pups and a Deluxe Mighty Vehicle. (These are sold separately) The jet comes with an exclusive Ryder figurine and a mini jet that can be removed. My kids enjoyed pressing all the buttons to activate the lights and sounds and they spent a good while loading the launcher to release the 5 discs. Hands down a legit gift! You can pick it up at Toy Kingdom, Hamley’s, Tru or Toy Zone for R1999,99.
Mighty Pups Power Changing VehiclesWe had a ball of a time with the super sleek transforming fire truck. Marshall’s truck transforms at the push of the spoiler, revealing translucent flame details and projectile launchers! Pull up on the spoiler to switch back into deluxe vehicle. These sets come with a collectible figurine. This one, in particular, includes a cool looking suited up Mighty Marshall figure. Find these at Shoprite, Makro, Game, Toy Kingdom, Hamley’s, Tru and Toy Zone for R699,99.
Mighty Pups Themed VehiclesThe Mighty Pups Themed Vehicles are such cool collector’s items. My kids love their Chase police cruiser, complete with real lights and sounds that are activated at the push of a button. This one includes a chase figurine, looking rather dapper in his blue and silver Super PAWs uniform. You can buy them at PnP, Shoprite, Makro, Game, Toy Kingdom, Hamley’s, Tru and Toy Zone for R429,99.
Mighty Pups Hero Pups
These Mighty Pups figurines are such a nifty way to encourage free play, and to encourage the use of imagination, as your kids create brand new adventures for their favorite Paw Patrol characters. I’ve already promised mine that they will have every single Paw Patrol character because, as I was reminded, they are a TEAM. You can find these at Shoprite, Makro, Game, Toy Kingdom, Hamley’s, Tru and Toy Zone for R199,99.
Check out the video below for more.
Win a Paw Patrol hamper valued at R630!
To spread a bit of Paw Patrol magic, Just Fun Toys and My Spreadsheet Brain would like to give one reader a stunning Paw Patrol hamper valued at R630! There are two opportunities to enter. You are allowed to enter both times but duplicate entries, on one platform, will not be counted.
Terms and conditions
Giveaway ends on 9 April. Competition is open to SA residents only. Competition is not affiliated with Facebook or Instagram. T&C’s apply. Decision is final and we reserve the right to disqualify winners should entry mechanisms not be followed. Products are not redeemable for cash. Winners of any @JustFunToys or @PrimaToys competitions in the last 6 months will not be eligible to win. NOTE: PRIZES WILL ONLY BE DISPATCHED TO WINNER AFTER THE NATIONWIDE LOCKDOWN HAS BEEN LIFTED.
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Just Fun Toys
