Christmas is always the one time of the year that brings joy to people. Well, some people. Which is why i want to invite you to join with me and others in rethinking Christmas. Let's be completely intentional and creative in the way we celebrate Christmas this year. And let's do it in a way that reaches more people and causes a lot less waste. Presents How often has Christmas become that pressure [...]
i attended a 50th birthday party last night. Of someone i have met twice... i was in the minority [as a white person] and one of the youngest people in the room [which doesn't happen a lot for me] and it was such a complete vibe. In fact, as tbV will attest, being in a space with fifteen to twenty people where i only know two of them [the hosts] is traditionally one of my [...]
What [South] African stories are your children reading?A while back i compiled a list of super amazing books for young children from suggestions made by a lot of my friends, with a specific focus on South African and African stories. While it may not be imperative that your children ONLY read books from this country and continent, i think you are definitely missing out if they are not reading any. And there are some REALLY [...]
When last did you tip the petrol attendant well? i was hanging out with my mate Wayne yesterday [lots of great stories begin with that very line!] and we got to talking. He told me about something a mutual friend of ours [the incredible Linda Martindale] had told him a while back... "Always fill your car at the same petrol station. Preferably with the same person. And tip them well." The most valuable tip [...]
Jess Hill's Mission to understand Abusive Men What's Rape Anxiety? This woman explained it to her favourite men and they were shocked. Relax Ladies. Don't be so Uptight. You know you want it. How to be a Woman in the 21st Century Twitter trending Hashtag 'Men are Trash' proof that men centre themselves on feminist issues. Eusebius McKaiser wrote a piece titled 'The Chain between Words and Violence' 'Why we're not working today' by [...]
We are busy working through a series where we look at Tips for Parents and these are the next five tips: 40 Tips For Parents: Tip #6 Present a united front. This came from a comment one of the parents shared on the discipline survey i shared last week, but feels like such an important one. i remember as a child the whole idea of trying to play one parent off another. So if [...]
Giving Discipline to children well must be one of the hardest aspects of parenting. i took to Facebook to ask some of my friends who are parents to share some of their ideas/process/stories/thinking: i imagine that discipline must be one of the hardest things to get right for a lot of parents. How do you discipline your kids [maybe add in age of kids cos that changes things] in ways that you have found [...]
i am busy compiling a list of 40 Tips for Parents which will hopefully encourage, inspire, challenge and give some new and fresh ideas or perspective on how you can parent well. Here are the first five in the series: 40 Tips for Parents: Tip #1 Love your children. Let them know you love them by telling them. Often. Not you love them IF or you love them WHEN - never let it seem [...]
This one is for the parents i am not a parent. Well, not biologically. Or even adoptionally. But i have been a child. And a teenager. i had friends who were children and teenagers. i have been a leader on and directed a very large number of holiday clubs and camps where children and teenagers were the main participants. i studied as a primary school teacher and did about a year's worth of practical [...]
Don't let it stop at the end of the fishing lesson though! From the BottomUp In two weeks time, about 15 learners from schools in the Greater Grassy Park area, are going to be presenting 7 to 10 minute speeches at the second ever Speak Up Festival. My favourite non-profit organisation, BottomUp, has been working with a number of students from Zeekoevlei, Fairmount and Lotus High to help get them ready for the event [...]
