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When a city honors it’s fathers
So apparently Sunday was International Men’s Day. Did you even know? If not, why not? No, seriously, why do we not know these things? We are living in the throes of an era where “who run the world, girls” is the theme song in most single parented households. And I guess there’s nothing wrong with having (or being) a strong single mother. Heck, I was one for a good couple of years! But ladies… females… can we be honest? Our children need strong father figures in their lives. Fatherhood needs to be celebrated in South Africa! It is with this in mind that the Fatherhood Foundation of South Africa decided to celebrate men with an annual ‘Dad of the Year’ awards ceremony.The event was launched in Nelson Mandela Bay this past weekend. Yo! Media, who helped to pull it all together, invited a bunch of us to attend a family picnic at the MTR Smit Children’s Home, where we would join in to celebrate with the award winners. The aim of the event was to honor men who contribute to the tremendous effort it takes to raising children in today’s society, and to elevate the role of fatherhood and encourage a legacy of responsible fathering.
Founder of the Fatherhood Foundation, Zane Meas (famously known to local TV soapie fans as Neville Meintjies), shared his heart and it totally hit home for me! Zane said that mothers are doing to much, referring to the vast number of single mothers who are responsible for raising a large portion of the fatherless youth in South Africa. He passionately shared: “It’s not her job to be mommy and daddy. Once we get men back into their rightful place, we’ll see change!”
Zane explained that in most impoverished communities, men who grow up without fathers end up having children of their own, who they in turn abandon too. He said that the #menaretrash social media trend totally broke his heart because it implies that all men are bad and that is not the truth. There is a perception that men aren’t good enough anymore, so women feel like they don’t need a man in their lives. He ended off with saying that all children want to know that they are loved. They need to know their identity, in order to find a sense of belonging and worth.So what are your thoughts on this, single moms? I know, all to well, the struggle of trying to be all things for my child. And even though my kid’s dad was very much involved, he lived in another city, which meant that a lot of the heavy lifting had to be done by me. It’s not easy, guys. Can we do it? Yes, we can. Should we be doing it? No. This new normal should not be the standard. I also found that Kyle seriously looked forward to spending time with his dad, because he needed that male bonding time. He needed a male role model… someone who “got” him in ways that I never could. (And thank God that Chris came along, but that’s another story for another day.)
I love the concept behind celebrating fatherhood and I am looking forward to the 2018 Dad of the Year Awards!
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Our amazing oyster farm boat cruise with Experience Days and Stampede Cruises!
Visiting the eastern part of South Africa any time soon? Well, firstly, give yourself a round of applause. You’ve chosen to enjoy one of the most beautiful (and historically rich) parts of the country and clearly have good taste. Well done! Secondly, pay special attention to the Experience Days website to check out some of the amazing Stampede Cruises experiences! The chartered tours around Algoa Bay, in Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth), are relaxing and fun with just the right amount of adventure and edu-training thrown in for good measure. A bunch of us joined Rod and his crew on the scenic Oyster Farm Boat Cruise to the Zwembesi Oyster Farm, this past weekend, and it was all sorts of fun! -
Click here if you need a break
You need a break. Yes, I can tell, from all the way over here. Granted, I only picked it up because I need a break too, so I know all about what “needing a break” looks like. It’s usually a symptom that comes with a classic case of “holding it all together” and “being all things to everyone.” I believe one will most likely find this behavioral pattern common among mothers, wives, daughters, sisters and over all wonder women. They all need a break. And so do you.
The fact of the matter is that you become ineffective when you fail to maintain your own mental and spiritual health. I love spending time, at the beginning of each day, in reflection – a spiritual “wooosahhh” if you will. It helps me to stay sane and keeps me connected with God. And once a year, I do a BIG woosaahhh at the annual Arise Conference – a women’s conference, in Nelson Mandela Bay, that aims to see women from all walks of life become who God has created them to be. I’ve attended every single conference for the past few years and each year I discover new things about myself, who I am meant to be, what I should be pursuing and how God is in the midst of it all helping me to win!
I love that each conference features dynamic guest speakers. These women, hand picked to share their wisdom and story with us, usually ninja chop me out of a stagnant mental space into a place of victory. Seriously, ladies, we can be our own worst enemies sometimes.
Besides for the talks from our guest speakers, there are also really fabulous workshops to attend. Over the years we’ve enjoyed practical training on topics covering divorce care to business chats, parenting talks and photography to party planning. I’m a member of the official Arise Music and Creative Arts team, so I always enjoy the amazing worship team, dancers and creative arts. And I’m not just saying so because that’s me, singing, in the pic above. Oh and friends, if you love a good competition like I do then you’ll have so much fun during the cool giveaways! These run over the duration of the conference and as always, there are a bunch of phenomenal prizes to be won!
Another fave of mine is the much needed pamper zone, where I enjoy my ‘once a year’ full body massage. (And it’s super affordable too). I mean, I need a physical wooosahh too. And the food. Always the food. This year, delegates will be spoiled for choice, with a bunch of seriously hip – and seriously delish – food truck vendors on premises, ready to
feed our facestantalize our taste buds. As always, the Arise lounge will be set up, offering guests a place to rest their tootsies and mingle with newly made friends, in the true spirit of sisterhood.
So if you’re tired, like I am, and you need a “wooosahh” weekend too, join me at the Arise Conference. Need some more nudging? Well, consider these reasons:
Reason number 1: It is an investment into your well being
Reason number 2: Your family deserves to have the best version of you possible
Reason number 3: You need a break – you deserve it!To register, check out deets on their website. Unable to attend the whole conference? That’s cool – register for one day/session only. I’d love to hang out with you if you’re coming, so let me know in the comment section below or drop me an email!
Arise 2018: The “grand extravaganza” opening takes place on Friday, September 7th and runs until Saturday, September 9th.
https://www.facebook.com/AriseGirlfriends/videos/2308303395862861/
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Uncle Jumbos Christmas Party brings the festivities!
Every year Nelson Mandela Bay kiddies (and their parents) gear up for Uncle Jumbos Christmas Party – a fun filled evening of make believe and Christmas activities. This year our curly girl visited Uncle Jumbo and his friends for the very first time and she had so much fun! -
Things to do in Port Elizabeth (with your toddler) this Summer!
Christmas and the school holidays are just around the corner and boy am I excited! Our girl is 2 years old this year and we are finally able to explore PE and have some toddler fun with her! Fun with a toddler? Yep, it can happen! You need to believe me. Okay, okay, I know you want proof. Fine, let me give you a few examples:
