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Win at Morgans Playroom

"Morgan's playroom offers an extensive variety of fun, exciting and educational games, puzzles and toys for ages 1 to 12. Although the games and toys are essentially for children, we want to encourage families to spend quality time with each other while enjoying our colourful, great quality and excellent value products. 

We are very proud and excited to offer you superior brands such as Orchard Toys, Fiesta Crafts, Green Board Game (Brainbox), Aladine, Wonderworld, Janod (and many more) at affordable prices. We can attest to the excellent quality and fun factor of these products and have used all of them extensively with our own children. It is very easy to be passionate about brands that you love! "

Visit Morgans Playroom.  
Here
Email her Here

Overcoming Mom and Morgans Playroom is giving away 2 awesome finds to 2 lucky readers. 
Like Morgans Playrooms Facebook Page
Share this giveaway on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 
Email overcoming mom Here to let me know that you've shared it and liked Morgans Playroom Facebook Page. 

*If you reside outside of Cape Town ( postage will be for your own costs) 
* If you have won anything with Overcomingmom in the last 6 months , unfortunately you will not be entered into this giveaway.
*giveaway ends at midnight Wednesday 26 August : winners announced on Thursday 27 August. 


All the best ! Education is Fun 

Where is ME

To all my readers.

Hello.
Hope you are all well.
Lately I've had a few ask why I have been so quiet on the blogging
Front.
To be honest life is life and it's been so busy and I try
Put my family first. Especially a God , my little boy and my husband
Those are my priorities before heading over to my social media, emails
And blog posts.
My free days get so consumed between my exercising, groceries, friendships
And my tutoring business.
But in the same breath I live my blog life and I love to
Help my readers with all mommy stuffs

Recently my hubby has been exceptionally busy with his job and personal life
That being that mommy on my own with just one kiddie
Makes me so humble, to those mommies who so it alone all the time .
I know I have said it before but well done to all of you who parent on your own .

Today the sun is shining and I'm off to a walk to blast my ears
With some workship or good old gymRock
I was recently reminded of the amazing fruits of the spirits and today I leave you with that
No matter where you are in your life. Be it perfection or struggle or the inbetween.
Stay focused on this

Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness
Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness.
Self control.

Love conquers all and that is MYFIGHTSONG

High 5 YOU! "Yes" you

High five you ! "Yes" you. Whether you the mommy. Daddy. Granny. Grandpa. Sister or who ever you are with a kid that you care for. Well done and high 5.  Or whether you are that someone waiting long and hard for your little blessing. High 5 to you too.....

Whether you have one kid, 2 kids, 4/5. Well done. Whether they 1 month old or heading to 18 with all the teenage Stuffs. High 5 to you . You deserve that guilt free coffee, glass of wine or that huge slab of chocolate.

Whether you parent with a hubby or wife or whether you parent alone. High 5. But alone, extra high 5. And if you the daddy or mommy  that works extra long days,hours and mommy or daddy is alone with babies a lot. More than one full day give your wife or hubby a super tight hug, a treat and a mouth of praise. ( even if you don't understand) 

Whether you have a full time nanny, au pair or you do everything alone , well done, but extra high 5 to the parent that does everything alone.

A parent is a parent we all deserve the biggest hug, slab of choc, piece of cake, a cold beer, wine , cup of tea or that guilt free feet up pedicure.  
You are all amazing. Kiddies take our hearts out of our bodies and Wear it on their sleeves and they take a lot of hard work ! everyday , every minute, every second. 
Our minds race from the moment we open our eyes, till the time we close them and still we dream and pray many silent prayers of safety , security , love and blessings.

Marriages take knocks but together a team is a far bigger winner ! and PRAISE LOVE  and gentle words is what will make us get further each and every day. Love conquers all. 

Dads and moms no matter the roles you play. Whether it's a hard day at work or mom at home all day with tots, thank each other ! 
Yes moms because I'm the stay at home mommy I have that extra shuweee breath with you. 
And I only have one. 
One to dress, one to feed ( which sometimes doesn't even happen : cause we got up to late or the TV wouldn't go off or maybe the mere fact that mom doesn't do breakfast very often herself : naughty mom yes I know ) ,
Teeth to brush ( sometimes only once a day) tot to entertain or to do the school run, groceries. Bills to pay , house to clean and clean and clean , washing ironing , and yes the lists goes on . 

But whoever you are the worker mommy or stay at home mommy or daddy ! you a PARENT and that's super awesome. It's a life LONG  high 5 and you should be proud , not guilty, yes proud! 

Proud of that new day and to make that day , count, each day is super precious. 
Another day gone, no need for worries but for living ( easier said than done but true) , no need for stress, but for caring , Live that day, 
breath that day, 
care embrace and hug those precious jewels ( wives, hubbies, and tots too ) hug, love , care and embrace it. 
Life is precious, a blessings , short and .......

That's why today I say , kick those shoes off, who cares if your undies don't match and you don't fold the purple heeled socks with the matching pair, or if you don't get groceries today but tomorrow instead, or you leave your hair for another day, who cares if your tot watches 1 hour extra TV today.
Do what works for you. !


As my mom once said no one gave me a noddy badge for natural birth, breast feeding or cleaning the house a million times a day ! Do what works for you , your home and your family and your kids.

So if that means a messy home for a day , a extra cup of coffee and you lying on the floor with your tot and building one extra puzzle, if it means leaving the dishes to watch that Sunday night movie with hubbub! Do it ! 

Do it for today, 
 for the precious moments that  we've been given and tomorrow has it's own worries, 

MAKE TODAY THE BEST DAY EVER !!!

FrankysMeal voucher for You & kiddies

You so wanna take your family & kids to Franky's Diner in SeaPoint Cape Town. They have

 awesome foodies , fun kiddies play area and yummy treats x go like their page,share this 

post & email me your entry by this Friday 31 July 11am ❤️ overcomingmom@gmail.com  2 

win a R200 meal voucher 🌈

Go view my twitter/instagram/facebook page @overcomingmom 

Something close to my mommy heart : education pressure

I will be called old school, backward, get with the times or it's life, but I can't phathom the pressure,level, responsibilities, time, commitments and standards the kids of today face, starting at the mere age of 5.

I am no judge and definitely believe in what works for you and your child , but for us and our little moo, he is doing an extra year of playschool, no specific reason except to PLAY.
Playing is so important for so many factors of education.

"There are several strands of evidence which all point towards the importance of play in young children’s development, and the value of an extended period of playful learning before the start of formal schooling. - "http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/discussion/school-starting-age-the-evidence

"Today’s kids sit more than ever. Babies spend hours confined in car seats and carriers rather than crawling, toddling, or being carried. As they get older their days are often heavily scheduled between educational activities and organized events. Children have 25 percent less time for free play than they did a generation ago, and that’s before factoring in distractions like TV or video games.

Left to their own devices, children move. They hold hands and whirl in a circle till they fall down laughing. They beg to take part in interesting tasks with adults. They want to face challenges and try again after making mistakes. They climb, dig, and run. When they’re tired they like to be rocked or snuggled. Stifling these full body needs actually impairs their ability to learn."  http://lauragraceweldon.com/2012/08/07/reading-readiness-has-to-do-with-the-body/

 

For sometime now I have been in education and surrounded by educators, tutors, parents, friends, and currently run my own tutoring business Minds Growing

Some recent comments and general talks amongst these people are the pressure and standard,

Where did it all change, where did school begin at 5 and where did play fall away. Where did the days get so long and the learning requirements jump  3/4 years ahead.   Are kids all rounded?
Excellent read ....... Why kids can't sit still in class

Two  sisters, 4 years apart are learning the same work, but just different levels.
Going to computers and art in grade R, being in school concerts and rehearsels at age 5 and coming home with a small homework book in little grade R! Hello!
What happened to that big sandpit on 4 legs that once was in our Sub -a  classroom, where are the green sticks that we once counted with at our own pace, where are the elastic bands we played with, tied together and squished the colourful play dough at our desks?

"Studies have compared groups of children in New Zealand who started formal literacy lessons at ages 5 and 7. Their results show that the early introduction of formal learning approaches to literacy does not improve children’s reading development, and may be damaging. By the age of 11 there was no difference in reading ability level between the two groups, but the children who started at 5 
developed less positive attitudes to reading, and showed poorer text comprehension than those children who had started later. In a separate study of reading achievement in 15 year olds across 55 countries, researchers showed that there was no significant association between reading achievement 
and school entry age. - " http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/discussion/school-starting-age-the-evidence

Where are the days when going home  to run to our sandpits/ Lego boxes to enjoy some fun before dad came home for dinner ? Now it's aftercare, therapy sessions, iPads, gaming, homework, tutors and more.

A passing mom at the mall the other day chatting to her friend in the Que, about her sons class and how every child is in some therapy or support group, Occupational therapy, extra reading, physio, extra lessons or remedial and how their 
little ones are struggling so with the demands. How their friends older kids have gotten involved in so much peer pressure, or how the next door kid is texting the other kid in class.

Sob, sob will my boy ever go to school TechFree? Will he ever love school the way I did and be a kid. Out of my control I guess, I pray so.


I am not one for homeschooling as I believe it's a special calling , but I so see why parents do!

Two OvercomingMom readers commented on a question I posted recently about what's with school today?

Here's what they had to say

Reader One :

Pressure to make sure they never let their child 'fall behind' from mom's and babes at 8 weeks to all the hundreds of toddler activities (not saying they are not beneficial), then school at 18 months but I believe toddlers need to play more than anything and interact and explore the world...in lots of free 
time. Seems small children's days are filled with activities that will stimulate and educate them...when should they get a chance to just be. Many Grade R's have turned into mini grade ones...teaching children to read before school to give them an advantage...sending children to a whole host of therapies.....to me childhood seems to be reduced in years to only a few. On the other hand we have to evolve with our ever changing world and maybe if your kids don't attend all these activities they are left behind. I am happy and secure in letting my children play and develop at their own pace.
 Children should be learning through play more and the admin and assessment in school is robbing our kids of this to a certain degree. At the end of the day, we all do what we believe to be in our child's best interest. Those that don't do enough will be viewed as a bad parent and those that do too much be the same. Your child, your family...do what works for you. Love anonymous x

Reader Two:

Pressure on kids

HI, I am the proud mom of two, a testosterone packed 7 year old son and a 2 year 9month old pink 

princess. What a blessing to have a blue and pink brain to walk the journey of parenthood with in this dynamic world of ours.

I feel the pressure on kids these days is way beyond expectation. Children are not given the opportunity to play and be their own little people in all the pressure placed on them by society. There seems to be a constant competitive battle to do things 110% consistently with comparisons being made continuously.  Why must a 3 year old know how to write their name by 3, and have to feel inadequate should they not be able too? Why can’t they just play creatively, using their individual imaginations in their pretend worlds and be their own little personality? Is there not plenty of time for formal education?

Despite these pressure of having to write their names and read, to list but a few, why are our youngsters entering the primary school journey needing so much extra intervention from the likes of OT’s, physios, speech and language therapists, academic support and the list goes on. Surely if we let our children be children for longer, we would not need to intervene so much. Let them explore and learn!

When I was growing up, we didn’t have such intervention, we got on and moved along at the required pace, and we got along just fine, well at least I would like to think so.

There is a tremendous amount of pressure on parents, especially moms, these days to produce this outstanding, well balanced little human, or should I say ‘cookie cutter’ little being, with constant comparisons and pressure to keep up and perform. Regardless of the amount of hours spent in the classroom, many hours are spent at home to continue where the work left off. Everything is against 
the clock!  Where is the holistic approach to raising children? For children this is daunting emotionally, why are so many sitting in play therapy, and going for educational psychologist assessments. Could it be that constant pressure to perform and outdo fellow peers.Where is it all stemming from?

Featured monthly blogger : Melanie Blignaut

Meet my new monthly featured blogger : Melanie 

Wind in a Letterbox was launched in 2014 as a place to write write about faith, marriage and parenting. If you’re a parent looking for inspiration and encouragement, then you should feel right at home reading her blog. She has also written a lot of how God has led them to homeschooling their daughters and how they doing their best to raise them with a knowledge of God’s Word. She pins a lot of homeschool ideas, so check out her Pinterest page for inspiration and ideas. 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/melbli

Instagram: http://instagram.com/melanie.blignaut

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/melanieblignaut/

Facebook: http://facebook.com/melbliwriting

Go like her pages , and show her some mommy support xxx 

Hope for the Premmy Babe by Lee Koetser

((A day in someone's shoes)

What has society done? Made us insular, made us bitter, made us desensitised and self-absorbed.

Look at the great late Robin Williams. A world-renowned comedian who fought a lifetime of depression. He always smiled and made others laugh but his eyes hid a heart consumed by sadness. 

No matter how “awesome” someone's life appears we do not know what hides behind the mask, like:

* The rich girl whose parents gave her an unlimited allowance which she spent it on her drug overdose when all she wanted was her parents' presence not their presents.

* The girl who the boys called fat and she is now in rehabilitation fighting anorexia.

* The housewife who cares for her three kids alone because her husband is never home as he is having an affair.

* The woman who gave birth to twins and is overwhelmed, but was told to “suck it up” and is sitting with postnatal depression, and

* The sex addict and alcoholic who is shunned by his family and place of worship for his behaviour, caused by the abuse he suffered and the abuse he witnessed as a child.

Life is full of choices, however there are some things that are beyond our control. After my gran/mom died I have always been able to lean on my husband, dad and best friend for comfort and advice when the going gets tough. But what when you don't have that support? 

There will always be people in society who feel they have the “right” to give their advice, but never want to know the reason behind the issue. They may mean well, but  just don't know the correct way to project their feelings onto others.

My husband and I, for example, are guilty of being overprotective parents. This can be extremely damaging for children and a huge disservice, but it is a daily struggle to not let the past mold how we behave as parents today. 

Parenting is the most difficult job in the world and yet you cannot study for it. Every “case study” is different yet the rules remain the same. It is the most sought after job in the world and yet you do not get remuneration for it. It is also the most common job, yet we all fail at it repeatedly.

This is my story:

After being married for four years my husband and I felt it was time to start a family. We both had an in-born need to be parents and recreate a childhood we both longed for.  How difficult can it be? 

The only thing I can undoubtedly tell you is that assumptions are dangerous.

I was 30 weeks pregnant, had severe swelling, pain and was so tired. I felt as though my baby was starting to climb out. I was on my way to join my family for a lovely lunch when I just thought I’d better go to Vincent Pallotti hospital en route. How ironic that after fearing preterm labour my entire pregnancy and doing everything to prevent it, I had in fact started experiencing it.

I was given steroidal injections to strengthen baby's lungs and medication to prolong labour until the baby's lungs were strong enough. Eighteen hours later Joshua Alexander popped out. His intense nature began as early as 30 weeks. 

I was told that Josh would spend 4-6 weeks in the neonatal ICU. Again, never assume.

Josh experienced cases of apnea (stopping to breathe). The sounds of those SATS monitors still haunt me today. His red blood count was extremely low and he had to have two blood transfusions. Finally after 6 weeks our baby boy was discharged.

He was home for a week when he again had an apnea episode. The sight of his grey face turned my stomach inside out and my world upside down. I had learned CPR in hospital, a prerequisite for the parent of a neonate. I had to apply this to my very own flesh and blood by placing my mouth over my little angel's nose and mouth en route to the Blaauwberg Netcare hospital. There his oxygen levels were measured and doctors placed him on me in the ambulance en route to Vincent Pallotti, where the “nightmare” first began.

Josh was readmitted and this time they were going to be super cautious before letting us leave. On September 16 we arrived to see our boy being resuscitated and asked the doctor if he was going to be okay. His words were: “If your baby stops breathing, he will die. We will need to ventilate him.” 

My husband, a Methodist, and me, a Jew, both sought refuge in the Catholic chapel every day on our knees, crying out to God for his help. Josh was given test after test and eventually with the guidance of Dr Brown and the other paediatricians (Dr Wicht, Dr Jedaiken and Dr Sinclair) we were advised to do the reflux (Nissen fundoplication) operation.

He was finally discharged on November 4 – at exactly 40 weeks, on his  initial due date and almost 3 months after he was born.

The operation saved his life and we have never looked back, but we cannot lie and say that it didn't change us as parents or humans. 

As parents:

* We have become paranoid 

* We have also become more protective

* More appreciative, and 

* Definitely guilty of overcompensating.

Next time you judge yourself as a parent or as a human being – STOP! We are human. Human can after all be an acronym for humble, understanding, (yet sometimes) manic, apathetic Neanderthals. 

Everything in our lives happen for a reason and our story has definitely made my husband and I more compassionate towards other human beings.

Moral of the story 

Whatever battle you are fighting:

* Make the choice to break the habit

* Choose happiness over resentment or unhappiness

* Choose survival mentality over victimisation

* Be there for others without controlling their decisions

* Offer your help, but don't enforce it

* Be a suggester, not a dictator 

* Be a listener, not a talker

* Give and expect nothing in return 

* Empathise by showing compassion without doting, and  

* Accept them unconditionally

Next column: Empowering our community through reading

((BLOB)) Lee Koetser is a qualified remedial therapist with more than 10 years’ experience. She specialises in identifying problem areas and then puts programmes together to build learning bridges