Ultimate Fathers Day Gift Guide

Ultimate Fathers Day Gift Guide

Posted on by Rebecca

Fathers day is one of those days that I absolutely adore buying gifts for, but I’m so tired of seeing the standard “beer, braai, biltong” gifts around. Sadly none of the men in my family are huge star wars fans (apart from my brother in law), because there certainly is not a shortage of star wars paraphernalia around. I never struggle finding gifts for my dad. Hes a “mans” man, so he loves anything outdoors, survival tools, a good chocolate or a giant bag of liqourice. My husband on the other hand always leaves me stumped. He has more refined taste. He likes luxury clothes and colognes that I often cant actually afford 🙂 I’ve previously gifted him with experiences an opposed to material things and that proved a hit, so I have listed some here.

I’ve put together my top list to help you out with some of the thinking. Be it something small, like the ultimate survival tool from mantality, to a bigger buy such as the swing tracker or drone; there’s something in here for everyone!

From top left to right:

The Satchel 13” – The Burgundy Collective R2500 . Simulator and Intro Flight Experience – Mantality R2999. DJI Tello Drone (This is a great mid range drone and its on special) – The Gadget Shop R1799. Matsimela Vanilla and Sandalwood Medium Crate R380 .Victorinox – Spartan 91mm – Red Swiss Army Knife – Takealot.com R305. Tonglite light up Braai Tongs – Mantality R320. Sorbet Man Voucher (or Shaving Kit products). Invitcus by Paco Rabanne – From R1030 at Edgars. Wild & Wolf Grooming set – Mantality – R799. Fathers Day Pyjamas – Edgars – Starting from R129.95  Gear Cuff Links – Mantality – R149. Garmin TruSwing Golf Club Sensor – Loot.co.za – R2131. Mini Survival Kit (Perfect for climbers) – Mantality – R99. The Dopp Kitt – The Burgundy Collective – R650.

There you have it, just some of my favourite picks to spoil the special men in your life. As I was out and about this weekend I also saw some cute PJ’s for dad at Edgars (you can view more on my instastories) and Netflorist.co.za is always a fantastic place for personalized chocs and cookies.

“A Father is someone you look up to. No matter how tall you grow.” – Unknown

Whatever you get enjoy every second spoiling your loved ones. Happy Shopping!

{GIVEAWAY} Tips to Encourage Healthy Hygiene In Our Kids – Win A Dettol Hamper

{GIVEAWAY} Tips to Encourage Healthy Hygiene In Our Kids – Win A Dettol Hamper

Posted on by Rebecca

Winter has officially arrived and with it comes a sleuth of Viruses and Germs.

Having two boys in playschool it’s safe to say trips to the doctors’ office are a pretty common occurrence in our household. My husband is the OCD hygiene policeman in our house. He is constantly telling us to clean up, wash hands etc. I’m not sure if it’s his OCD kicking in or more a germ phobia but safe to say its due to him that we wash our hands all the time. He is absolutely correct though, educating our kids from a young age about hygiene is half the battle won.

Creating Healthy Habits

Recently, I’ve made one small change to our hygiene routines and I’ve seen a world of difference. Immediately after fetching the boys from school I give them a dollop of Dettol Instant Hand Sanitizer In the car and then immediately when we enter the house, the first thing they must do Is wash their hands. This year (touch wood), we are yet to suffer from any major tummy bugs or viruses.

Luckily at my son’s school, they have already taught them to combat the spread of germs, they need to sneeze or cough into their bent elbow. I made the mistake once of sneezing into my hands and my 4-year-old was very quick to correct me and tell me how it should be done.

Together with Dettol here are some ways to teach our children the importance of hygiene. You know that hygiene is important, but how can you make your child understand to prioritize it? Energetic kids have no time and patience for hand-washing, nose-blowing, and tooth-brushing!  By making learning fun, it’s more likely to become a good habit.

Tips for promoting healthy hygiene in kids:

  • Sing a song while washing hands. They say the correct amount of time to wash your hands is to sing happy birthday twice over (or 20 seconds for children that can count). Use a proper disinfecting hand wash, lather (Without leaving the tap on), getting in between all the fingers, and sing! It’s actually not as long as I initially thought and the kids love it, they keep asking whose birthday it is today.
  • Play games and make it fun! To add to the hand washing, we played a simple paint game to highlight the spread of germs, and just how much washing you have to do to get them off! Paint your hands and pretend to sneeze into your hands. From there go about your regular day. I placed disposable items around to ensure easy clean up. We pretended to “have lunch”, drink some juice, played ball etc. Then step back and look at all the paint everywhere! Aadam has a little melt down when he saw just how many “germs” had spread. He started to cry and said he wanted to wash them all off! Straight to the basin we went where he immediately washed his hands, and then earned a star on his rewards chart.

 

  • Feather activity – We all know the struggle in trying to teach kids how to blow their noses. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to get your 3-year-old to “push air out” through their nostrils, Yusuf ends up sniffing his back in! Try the Feather activity – Get two feathers. Cover your mouth with your hand, and then blow the feather across the table using only your nose. Show your child how to do it, and then have a race! Whoever can get their feather to the other side of the table first, wins. Once your child is used to blowing air out her nose, introduce tissues. Don’t forget to wash your hands after!
  • Reward good hygiene – Dettol have made it easy to make learning fun by creating a hygiene hero toolkit for kids. You can download yours from here, and it includes a hygiene chart, a fun game, activity book and a rewards chart. Making learning fun is the best way to remember the importance of hygiene. Download yours and you’ll suddenly see an increased awareness of hygiene in your kids. Of course, they are waiting for a prize once all the stars have been filled in.

  • Make it Special – Keep it engaging for your children. For example; I know when I buy liquid soaps for Aadam’s favourite colour is purple, and Yusuf’s green. I buy soaps in their favourite colour and I quickly see how they run to make sure they get their favourite colour. Another great way to make it special is to buy matching wash cloths or a special stool.

I think it’s important to remember we don’t want to create any OCD disorders in our kids, we also don’t want them to be “afraid” to do things as they will get dirty. Nothing we do could ever avoid all the germs our kids are exposed to. I’m a firm believer in a child SHOULD be exposed to dirt and a few germs to build up strong effective immune systems. My boys love playing in mud and getting dirty, they love animals and pretending to clean the kitchen. A sign of a good day for me is when they come home super dirty! Thanks to Dettol we are equipped to make clean up a breeze. The boys take their handy hand sanitizers to school. Accessorised with a handy silicon strap this waterless hand sanitizer goes everywhere with us. From the car, to the bike park and even attached to the boy’s school bag, it’s always available when they need it. The convenient wet wipes are also in mummy’s bag of tricks, ready to be pulled out when we need it. Dettol has also recently launched another convenient way to protect your family. The Dettol “Soft on Skin” Disinfectant Liquid with Aloe Vera. Launched at the end of March this contains Aloe Vera which is so soft on skin, its perfect for bath time! A pop a little into their bath at night, or especially after an active day to ensure that we are protected. Ease of mind helps me sleep peacefully at night!

 

Just by practicing simple hygiene habits and encouraging them in our children we can help raise strong, confident, healthy children. Thankfully Dettol makes this so much easier for us by providing us with products that have the incredible disinfectant properties that Dettol is known for.

GIVEAWAY:

I’ll be giving away one incredible Dettol Hamper to a lucky “In these Stilettos” reader. Taking care of all your hygiene needs this winter.

To enter all you need to do is tell me how “you are a Dettol mom”, how do you encourage healthy hygiene in your children?

Comment below and If you want an extra entry comment on the “In These Stilettos” Dettol Giveaway posts across Facebook and Instagram. Make sure you have Subscribed to the blog!

My Top Winter Skin Essentials For The Family

My Top Winter Skin Essentials For The Family

Posted on by Rebecca

I think over the last week we can officially say we have welcomed the winter season. In case the weather outside didn’t give you a clue, your skin certainly would have! Cold, drier weather brings out its own set of challenges and suddenly we have to up our game in the hydration department. I’ve put together a few of the winter essentials that we have recently been using as a family.

Body Care

I’ve mentioned it numerous times before but all the men in my family suffer from eczema. Add in the Highveld winters as a factor and it doubles the problem. I have really found the product that works best on their body is Aveeno. As a family we use the entire range. Hubster uses the Dermexa range which helps to relieve the effects of psoriasis, I use the daily moisturizing lotion and the boys the baby range of course. Up until trying the Aveeno Baby range I had not found an effective moisturizer for them, I found that lotions sat on the top of their skin and after a day their body still felt dry, this has been a game changer. I only ever buy this now.

Face Care

I’ve been trying out Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Range just to give my skin that extra moisture surge.

I love the fact that it has hyaluronic acid in it. This delivers a hydration reservoir to your skin, acting as a sponge for dry skin, hydrating it continuously throughout the day. No tight or dehydrated feeling at all.

City Shield Hydrating Lotion SPF 25 (RSP R139.95) – It’s a myth that in winter we don’t have to think about SPF, The sun is actually even closer to the earth in the winter months, despite what your heating bill says. Even though it packs a hydration punch, it doesn’t have that “heavy”, sticky feeling at all. I went for a facial recently and the therapist commented that the small bumps on my face could be directly related to pollutants.I love the fact that this lotion helps defend the skin against pollution. Its packed with antioxidants which protect the skin from pollution damage.

Smoothing Exfoliator Gel (RSP R99.95): We still need to exfoliate our skin in winter. To stop the skin from becoming itchy, we need to exfoliate regularly. It’ll trigger a natural repair process to help build collagen. I have quite a sensitive skin and I’ve been using this once a week with no problems. It also contains that hyaluronic acid, proven to increase skin’s hydration level and lock it in.

Eye-Awakening Eye-Cream (RSP R139.95): I have to admit I have never really been a fan of eye cream. I have always found them a bit pointless and just figure its an “extra step” to add onto my daily beauty routine. Ive never really seen a “difference”. This one made me swallow my words. The absorption is fantastic is literally gets sucked in by your skin and doesn’t leave the greasy residue at all. I haven’t really noticed a difference with “dark circles” but i actually don’t think any eye cream would combat them.

For my boys I have use Eucerin’s Aquaphor (RSP:R99). It’s quite a thick skin balm but nothing works better on their dry, chapped cheeks. I have noticed a gap in the market when it comes to children’s facial products, and typically would just use a little coconut oil. The harsh winter air plays havoc with their baby soft cheeks and a little dab of this at bedtime has them all kissable again in the morning.

Hands On

Hands can really take a knock in winter. Skin around your nails in particular takes a beating from stripping soap. I loving Clinique’s Deep Comfort Hand and Nail Cream. I hate “oily” hand creams, the kind that leave a residue so slick that you can’t even open a door. This hand cream absorbs and leaves a decadent, deeply moisturized feeling on your hands. Healthy hands mean healthy nails.

Treat your Feet

Milk Solutions Milk & Honey Hydrating Heel Balm (RSP R158)

Every single person I know suffers from dry heels in winter. I was lucky enough to attend the launch of Beauty Warriors in Johannesburg last month. In our goodie bags was a tub of this life saver. This is deeply nourishing and honestly penetrates the skin. Just one application of this overnight will see a difference in your tootsies. It’s not a cream, it’s a thick, wax like balm to lock moisture in, while the milk and honey promise to heal and hydrate the skin. Maybe now by the time summer comes I wont be ashamed to wear open shoes.

Lip Talk

I’m not a regular user of lip balms, these days most of the lippies and glosses have a moisturizing aspect. In winter at night, I have to use a protectant. My go to’s are normally Labello or good old Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream. Labello does has a slightly better taste on your lips.

There you have it. That’s what we use daily in the winter months as a family. Another life saver that should get a mention is Bio-Oil. Generally I dab a bit on after the shower. What products do you consider to be your winter essentials?

Montessori Inspired Activities for Toddlers

Montessori Inspired Activities for Toddlers

Posted on by Rebecca

I’m a huge advocate of Montessori, in particular in the early learning phases of a child’s life. They say people come into your life for a reason and my friend Mandy did just that. A trained Montessori teacher, Mandy opened up my eyes to learning and development in children. We used to have the most fantastic mum and toddler classes all in a Montessori environment and my little one thrived.

I’ve put together my top Practical/ Life Skill Montessori activities. These are specifically tailored for toddlers aged about 15 months to about 3 years old I would say and  have literally saved me on so many occasions, when I just need 10 minutes. My boys really focus and get involved in the tasks. Most of these materials you would already have either in your Kitchen or Bathroom and cleaning up is a breeze (in fact the kids should do the cleaning up through play).

Montessori activities are life-based. They help children build skills for everyday life,  building upon the necessary foundations needed in academia. Most of Montessori activities are done on a tray. The purpose of having a tray is to concentrate the child’s attention on one activity, to isolate distractions and in a typical Montessori school a child will select their own tray from the shelf, and put it back again after.

Here are 5 quick and easy Montessori activities to keep a toddlers learning mind busy. 

Basics you’ll need are:

A large tray/ sensory bin

Two similar sized bowls

Shaving cream

Spray Bottle

An empty bottle

Straws

Kitchen Cloth

Sponge

 

Spray Bottles

These should be a staple in any toddler household. The trigger action is great for development and coordination and the wiping motion helps them cross the midline.  Get your toddler to spray a large window or mirror and wipe it up after. Crossing the body’s mid-line is an important developmental skill needed for many everyday tasks such as writing, hitting a ball with both hands etc.

Shaving Cream Fun

Want to keep a toddler busy for at least 20 minutes? Give them some shaving cream ! The possibilities are endless and as your kids get older it really aids in writing skills as well. I digress, if you have a big window or mirror spray a little cream onto the surface. Taking a plastic fork, or their finger, let your toddler draw designs through the cream. Afterward get them to wipe the surface down with the cloth.

 

 

Sponging and transferring water

Sponging is one of the first basic lessons a child learns in an Early Childhood Montessori classroom.  It works on fine motor development, focus and concentration. They also indirectly learn about absorption. Take two bowls and place a little water into one. Your toddler must place the sponge in the bowl with water and transfer and squeeze the water out into the other bowl until the activity is finished. Then complete moving the other way.

The Spooning Exercise (Transferring)

This activity saves me on a weekly basis. Cooking in the kitchen and have a toddler in your hair? Stick two bowls in front of them and let them work. It develops control and movements in your toddler, learning independence and concentration. ALL toddlers LOVE sorting and I vary this activity with different ingredients. Flour is a favourite but we also use lentils, dry beans and popcorn seeds. In one bowl pour in your ingredient of choice and give your toddler an appropriately sized spoon. My boys are so careful to try and ensure each and every lentil falls into the bowl and they dont stop this activity until each piece has been transferred.

Placing Straws Into A Bottle

This activity is actually perfect from as young as 12 or 14 months old. As your toddler gets older you can also add in a degree of complication by adding in varying factors. For example: Adding in pipe cleaners and sticks to the tray, your toddler must sort them out and ONLY add the straws to the bottle, or get them to list the colour of each straw the place in the bottle. As with each of these activities you’ll have to show your toddler what to do first and then let them take over.

 

Toddlers from about 14 months onward are probably at my favourite age for learning. Everything is fascinating and exciting. These activities are great for calming kids and encourage independent learning. I’ve got a whole lot more to share but I hope these simple activities will inspire you to get your child involved in daily activities around the home. What are your favourite activities?

Natural Cold and Flu Remedy With Letibalm – the balm for nose and lips

Natural Cold and Flu Remedy With Letibalm – the balm for nose and lips

Posted on by Rebecca

I think its safe to say that Winter is on our doorstep. In terms of fashion, I am definitely a winter baby. I adore the boots, scarfs and coats and feel much more comfortable dressing up in Winter’s cozy layers then wearing flip flops and shorts. One thing I can’t deal with however is the havoc it causes on my skin. Over the last week I have noticed the change in the boys skin, their cheeks are dry, red and starting to get a bit chapped and they have also had a rough time with runny noses becoming dry and sensitive from all the blowing and wiping. Its time to pull out the humidifier and stock up on tissues.

Thankfully Letibalm can help keep your lips, nose and the skin between your nose and lips soft and protected. It’s the only balm on shelves that has been specially designed to care for lips, nose and the skin in between, so you don’t have to reach for multiple products to do the job of soothing and softening, and they have one specifically for children as well! For moms, It also acts as a fabulous primer for lipstick, with all the matte trend lipsticks around it serves as the perfect lubricant to help glide the lipstick over with ease. We all know the matte look is not so great with peeling lips!

Letibalm gently moisturizes dry skin, helps to repair painful cracks and calms irritation. It also creates a protective layer on the skin to prevent further chapping.  Thanks to natural decongestants menthol and camphor, Letibalm also helps to ease breathing. (I can hear every mum breathing a collective sigh of relief here).

The kind folks from Letibalm sent me the most incredible Honey/Lemon Winter Remedy to help fight of colds and flu naturally. I’ve been using this combination for years but was quite shocked at how long it can be stored.

You’ll need:

1 cup of honey

2 lemons sliced

A chunk of freshly sliced ginger

Layer the lemon slices, ginger and honey in a sealable container/jar. A layer of lemon slices, a chunk of ginger and a big spoon of honey, repeating until you get to the top. Seal and place in the fridge for at least 12 hours for the flavours to infuse together. Stir before use as natural separation may occur and then add a big heaped teaspoon to your hot tea/water. If sealed this can last up to 2 months in the fridge. Keeping hydrated is half the battle won in winter and using this natural combination helps relieve any uncomfortable cold and flu symptoms.

 

Letibalm is available at a recommended retail price of R69.90 from Dis-Chem, selected Checkers stores and independent pharmacies. It comes in 3 variants:

  • Letibalm fluid (10ml tube) – RRP R69.90
  • Letibalm (10ml jar) – RRP R69.90
  • Letibalm Paediatric (10ml jar) – for children 0 to 8 years – RRP R69.90

Here are some top tips to caring for your nose and lips this winter: 

  1. Keep the skin well-moisturised.
  2. Use super soft soft tissues or toilet paper with aloe vera or calendula.
  3. Gently pat or blot the nose rather than wipe.
  4. Apply Letibalm nose and lip repair balm to protect, moisturize and help heal the skin.
  5. Wash with lukewarm water, avoiding harsh soaps or exfoliators.
  6. Use a saline spray to keep nasal passages moist.
  7. Use a humidifier to add moisture to the air (this really makes a huge difference with this kids skin).
  8. Drink plenty of water, or herbal teas.

 

For product information visit http://www.ivohealth.co.za/product-category/letibalm/ or contact distributor Ivohealth on 021 448 2677 or emailinfo@ivohealth.co.za.

Do you have any other natural remedies that you turn to in Winter? What are your go to items to stock up on at the start of the season?

Learning To Relax – Tips On Being A Calm Parent

Learning To Relax – Tips On Being A Calm Parent

Posted on by Rebecca

Typically I am the calm mum, that mum who people comment and say “You’re so good with them, you’re so relaxed” but lately I feel like I have been shouting more than I’d like with my boys. I am NOT a shouty person, I despise fighting and raised voices, and I don’t know why for some reason my voice has been a decibel louder than I’d like with them recently. I realized however, I’m fighting the system. I’m normally an advocate for “don’t sweat the small stuff” and I guess I haven’t been taking my own advice.

Today was the last straw, I was functioning on 3 hours sleep (the boys woke up when we got up to eat our Sehri – Breakfast before the sun comes up in the month of Ramadan), and they didn’t go back to sleep. Which meant I didn’t go back to sleep. Which meant grumpy mummy. Naturally. My youngest (recently 3) doesn’t need to sleep as much as my eldest does (he’s 4), and tends to fight his sleep till the last second. 80 percent of the time after a day at playschool, they can fall asleep in the car on the way home. For Yusuf this is the only way he naps in the day, apart from being tied on your back. I digress, Aadam (4), fell asleep within minutes of fetching him and of course Yusuf didn’t. He fought, and fought, and double blinked his cute little eyelids as much as he could. I kept my patience and drove a little longer, one more time around the block. He started to moan that he wanted to go home, I said “sleep baby its ok”, and took another turn. I shouldn’t have done that. He saw the house gate and all hell broke loose with crying. I tried to calm him in a hushed tone telling him we would go home now, and not to cry as he would wake his brother. He screamed louder. He woke his brother. He also woke the VERY GRUMPY mummy in me.

I shouted so much at my poor little guy, for simply not wanting to nap, and I caught myself. Never again. I will not waste my time, or petrol, trying to force him to sleep if he doesn’t want to. Bed time may even be easier? Let’s see how we go… For all of that long story there is a point to my writing. I need to take some of my own advice on going back to calm parenting.

Parenting doesn’t come with instructions. We don’t know if we are doing it right. We struggle to understand their choices and personality traits. We struggle to understand why they don’t just do things when we tell them too (duh… kids aren’t robots), we struggle to understand why they don’t want to sleep (maybe because life is just so exciting?). We struggle.

So after all of that, here are my tips on calm parenting, which i feel NORMALLY contribute to general overall happiness and which I need to remember just a little.

1. Relax

Easy right? You didn’t need to see that in writing. Sometimes though you do. Take a deep breath, ask yourself is this life changing? Is this going to contribute to my child being a better person or having good manners? Will they turn into a tyrant by not napping? (Reality check for me, kids grow up, they will stop napping eventually). Our children feel everything and notice everything, even if they don’t tell us. Our moods affect them, just as their moods affect ours. If I am on edge or grumpy, guess what, they will act up. Once you let go of expectations, the whole house is more relaxed and is happier. Try it!

2. Enjoy your children, have FUN with them!

I’ve spoken about this before in a previous article, on living my life through the eyes of my children. On seeing the joy in everything. Anything is possible with the start of a new day. We get so wrapped up in our work, our errands, and our life. STOP! Make the time, trust me it’s there. Your kids don’t want a SUPERMOM, they want a PRESENT MOM. Let go of the small things, the dirty dishes in the sink, the spill on the floor (I hope my husband is not reading this 🙂 ). Enjoy your children, they grow up so so quickly. Live in the moment and PLAY. My son was dancing around and singing this afternoon, acting like he was on Broadway with a scarf around his neck. “DANCE WITH ME MAMA” he sang.  My automatic reaction was “mummy has to go back to work”, and he asked again “LETS DANCE, COME”. I stopped and we danced. Swinging him around the room and seeing his beautiful smile lightened up my heart and soul. It didn’t even take 5 minutes. These are the moments that count. These are the moments that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

3. Shouting Doesn’t work 

In case you didn’t pick that up from my introductory paragraph. YUP, all they hear is noise. It scares them. They don’t understand the message. They become immune to the screams and you just have to shout louder. This takes some conditioning, its natural. When you feel yourself about to lose it, I’ve learnt to literally step back. Close your eyes and take the deepest breathe possible. Breathe out. Explain why you are mad. If I speak to my boys in a calm, firm voice, it actually scares them more than shouting! They know mama means business!

4. Always be open to learning

This parenting thing is an endless learning curve, whether you have a new-born, toddlers or even when your kids are at university. Different chapters, different personality changes, it never stops. Move with them. Don’t forget it is OK to say No to your children, you are a parent first and foremost. You are there to SHOW them right from wrong and to guide them. Grow with your children, get involved in their interests, and push your boundaries. Explore. DONT SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF. ENJOY YOUR CHILDREN

Life is stressful. Being a mom can bring out the worst in us. When life feels overwhelming, we often want to control everything we can. Remember we are raising little humans, NOT robots. They will not conform to your every expectation. A relaxed mom has a better relationship with her kids. A relaxed mom is healthier, and happier… and her kids are too.

So now I’m going to take a “whoooo-saaa” moment, take a deep breath and be a better mama tomorrow.

Ramadan Corner -Ramadan Crafts for Little Ones

Ramadan Corner -Ramadan Crafts for Little Ones

Posted on by Rebecca

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, It is the month in which Muslims around the world fast to commemorate the first revelation of the Holy Quran to the Prophet Muhammad (AWS). It’s a month about learning to exercise self-control and to give charity to those less fortunate. Growing up in a Christian household and having Christmas holds very special memories to me, as a child so much excitement is created and there are endless activities to do as a family. As a revert I want to get my kids just as excited about Ramadan, especially as they are not fasting, getting them involved in activities with the rest of the family. I created a “Ramadan corner”, an area especially for the kids to sit and hear stories and craft.

The first thing I wanted to create and I have seen quite a few of them doing the rounds online was a Ramadan Calendar. My one may be no where NEAR as beautiful as some of the fabric ones I have seen but it was a whole lot cheaper! It’s not perfect, but neither am I 🙂

After much back and forth I settled on making it with a large artists canvas. I painted that and then cut of pieces of felt which I stuck onto the canvas with a hot glue gun. I then painted the numbers onto the pockets with a stencil. Each pocket has a different activity to do inside the relevant days.

I’ve been getting quite a few questions since I posted on my instagram stories on what to include inside my Ramadan Calendar.

Here are a few idea’s to get you started:

 

Bake Ramadan Cookies

Make a Ramadan Banner

Make a treat with dates

Learn a new Surah (verse of the Quran)

Donate two toys to Charity

Donate some clothes to Charity

Make Eid Cards

Make a Masjid out of Card

Read a story on the Prophet Muhammed (AWS)

Read a story on the Prophet Issa (AWS) (Jesus)

Read a story on the Prophet Jonah (AWS) (Jonah) – You get the picture. We try to cover all the Prophets

Learn about how they celebrate Ramadan in another country.

Here are some other craft ideas to include that I have done with the boys so far :

Making a crescent moon out of a paper plate – for some reason my boys loved this activity even though it was the most simple.

Sticking on buttons onto a moon – This is a great fine motor skill for little ones. My youngest loved sticking on each button individually and putting them together like a puzzle.

Moon Sighting binoculars – Easy as pie with two toilet rolls. We decorated ours with star stickers to tie in with the night theme.

Ramadan Lantern – This craft got to me the most. It didn’t come out as neat as I would have liked it too and my control freak kept wanting to interfere with the boys. Anyway – cut down the skyline of mosques and cut out shapes. I took clear coloured paper and stuck that onto the stained glass window. Wrap it around a bottle (I used a 500 ml coke bottle) and put an LED candle inside.

My First Dua Book – I first saw the idea on The Muslimah Guide’s Blog here .This was made using a cut out of the boys hands. On each page, once a week we will try to learn a new Dua (Prayer). Preschoolers can learn simple Dua’s like Giving Salaams, giving thanks to people (Jazak’Allah Khairan) and giving thanks to Allah (Alhumdulilah).

Make your own Sadaqah jar : Giving charity is absolutely essential for Muslims, It is one of our 5 pillars of Islam and is at its core. There are two types of Charity a Muslim should give – Zakat – this is compulsory, and is a set percentage of ones wealth to charity (a bit like Tithing in Christianity). Sadaqah is the voluntary act of Charity for the benefit of Allah (and a person’s soul). Its giving money to the guy on the street, volunteering your time at an orphanage, giving food to the homeless.

We made our own Sadaqah jar for the boys to fill up and give to people after Ramadan. I took a plain tin that cost R8 at flowerspot and painted glitter at the bottom. They decorated it with stickers.

30 date Jar – Children are visual (hence the advent calendar as well). In Islam we break our fast everyday with a date and water. I filled a jar with 30 dates so everyday the boys can take our their date and they can see the jar becoming emptier.

Make a Ramadan Banner – you could go traditional with a bunting style but i cut out circles from paper plates. The boys painted the plates with their rainbow paint set and then i just wrote out Ramadan Mubarak. Punch holes in each circle and string together with twine.

The idea’s are endless really. You can create whatever you want, I like to recreate the stories we tell. For example when telling the Story of the Prophet Yunus (AWS) (Thats Jonah and the Whale in English), we make a whale out of a paper plate to go with the story. Just have fun with your kids and learn as you go. Ramadan is about learning, it’s about family, it’s about coming together and strengthening your faith. For non-Muslims I hope you learnt a little more about our faith from this article and that it helped in some way.

These crafts will help your little ones (and you) understand the traditions, culture, and festivities of Ramadan a bit more and will bring you all together. Do you have any other fun crafts to do ? Id love to hear about them.

Ramadan Mubarak everyone !

 

“Crafting for Mom: 3 DIY Gift Ideas”

“Crafting for Mom: 3 DIY Gift Ideas”

Posted on by Rebecca

May to me is “Mothering Month”; Mothers Day of course, falls in May as well as my own mama’s birthday. While Mums special day may have come and gone, I’m always looking at unique gift ideas to give to the special ladies in my life. There’s something special about a homemade gift to me, the time and effort that goes into it and the fact that it was made just for you, it’s my favourite type of gift to give (and receive). Having two young kids to jump in and help with the crafting is just the cherry on top!

Here are 3 quick and easy DIY gift ideas to use for your next gift – ALL are kid friendly, in fact my boys did 70% of these and all take no longer than 5 minutes (apart from the drying process).

1.Popsicle Stick Picture Frame

You’ll need:

  1. 4 craft ice cream sticks, in colours of your choice (I got mine from CNA)
  2. Glue Gun
  3. A Magnet
  4. Various decorations of your choice (I used stickers and pom poms)
  5. A picture of your choice

I used a glue gun to stick all four sticks together, i wanted this to be strong so the kids didnt help me here as glue guns can get super hot! Attach the picture to the back of the ice cream sticks.

Using a good quality graft clue (for kids) or a glue gun (for mama), stick on any decor items of your choice. For the first frame i found a gorgeous paper butterfly that I wanted to utilise so I stuck that on the corner and then the kids went crazy with their stickers (a good compromise 🙂 ). For the second I hoped onto the pom pom trend and made another frame with a fiesta feel.

Lastly I took the glue gun again and just put a blob of glue on the back of the photo to attach the magnet to, so it can sit proudly on Grandma’s fridge!

Seriously one of the quickest and most heartfelt gifts you could give, and what kid doesn’t like decorating their own masterpiece?

2. Air Dry Clay Necklace

You’ll Need:

  1. A Packet of Air-Drying Clay (I also got this from CNA) – you could also use Salt Dough, see my previous recipe here – but the Air Dry Clay is easier and more time effective
  2. Paints of your choice
  3. Ribbon/Twine
  4. A straw

Get the kids to knead their clay to a nice soft consistency. Roll it out to the thickness you desire and take your mould, whatever shape it is ( I used cookie cutters). Cut it out and take a the straw or toothpick to make the hole for the chain to string through. Dry your pendants by placing them on a flat tray with some wax paper. Drying time varies, I gave mine 12 hours and it was perfect. Once the clay is dry let your kiddies paint away ! Its quite hard to tell from the picture but the purple heart has the boys thumbprints indented into it. I filled their thumbprints with glitter and now I’ll always remember their little thumbs at 4 and almost 3 years old.

The sky is the limit with this one. The versatility of air dry clay is endless and really with this idea your imagination can take you anywhere. I have seen so many options, you could add beads at each end, stamp an initial for a monogram charm, really do whatever your heart desires.

3. Personalised Mug

You’ll need:

  1. Plain porcelain mug of your choice (I feel white is most effective)
  2. Porcelain pens/oil-based pen markers (Any guesses where I found mine? Yup, CNA is my go to craft shop).
  3. Vinyl stickers – the thicker the better

To start off; make sure your mug is completely grease free. Take a little bit of vinegar on cotton and just wipe your mug down. Once that is prepped use your stickers to spell out whatever you want, or just use a monogram. Give your pen a good shake and press it down on a piece of paper a few times to get the liquid flowing. Next, make dots all around your stickers, you want your dots as close as possible at the start and you can gradually space them out as you move further away from your chosen word. The closer together they are initially, the better your word is formed. You can add in as many colours as you like, or you may even chose just one. You have to let the paint dry before peeling the stickers off. 4 hours is a safe bet. Once dry, preheat your oven to about 160 Degrees Celcious and “bake” your mug for 90 minutes. This sets the paint and ensures it wont come off in the wash. Its best to hand wash these mugs in any case.

Its that easy!! Your Eid/Christmas presents for this year are sorted ! You can personalise a mug for every member of the family. We have literally done this as teachers gifts, Christmas gifts as well as Mothers Day. The boys adore it and in a way, their designs are more effective (they have less patience with the dots and tend to scribble towards the end).

SO there you have it! 3 super quick and easy DIY gift options, perfect for the Mothering month of May.

Dear Mama – Because it all makes sense now

Dear Mama – Because it all makes sense now

Posted on by Rebecca

Dear Mama,

I don’t quite know where to start. The day I became a mother was the day I could truly say I understood you. I understand the long days and tough nights, I understand you saying “Just try some” at every meal, I completely get the scrambled eggs for dinner on a Sunday night. At bedtime, when the boys wont stop wriggling, I remember you telling me to “stop wriggling and settle down”. I understand it all now.

You have never been one to conform. You certainly are not a conventional “Martha Stewart” mother, in fact quite the opposite. From what I can remember Dad did the bedtime stories and weekend cooking. Yet you are the perfect mother, to me.

You are a strong, free-spirited “Hippy” child. I’ve often thought that you always consider me to be a “bore”. The perfect example of a strong woman, you created an empire and had a passion and vision for what you did, you showed me that I can achieve anything! Through hard work and drive, I can do whatever I set my mind too. I remember as a child, I was often upset when you missed swimming galas or competitions, award ceremony’s or homework; wishing you could have been more like the mum’s who didn’t work in an office. Looking back, I hold none of it against you. You were a business woman, and thankfully, I never took it personally. You are the perfect example that as long as you have a passion, you can achieve anything. Growing up and seeing your ambition is what taught me to be strong and to not let every little thing life throws at me tear me down, but instead, build me up.

In my opinion, I had the perfect childhood. I grew up in the bush and either spent my afternoons swimming, playing some sort of ball sport, making forts under thorn trees and chasing snakes (yes you read that correctly). How I didn’t end up with any serious injuries is beyond me. Weekends were always spent at the Yacht Club, either sailing, swimming or paddle boarding. Thank you for not being a “Helicopter parent”, thank you for allowing me the freedom to explore and adventure.

As I grew older, you continued to give me freedom. Freedom to make my own mistakes and to learn. Thank you for always having trust in me. You and dad always treated me as an adult. You never gave me a “strict” curfew, you never stopped me from doing something I wanted to do. You trusted me, and I never had a reason to rebel. Your confidence pushed me to be the best that I could be. You gave me just enough freedom that I could explore and learn, but I always knew what was right and what was wrong.

When I had a meltdown because I wanted to go to boarding school (I know right?), I literally remember crying my eyes out because all my best friends were going, you held strong and said “I need you here”. When you forced me to take a gap year before university, even though I may not have wanted to at the time, you knew what was best. You always pushed me to explore, to travel, to adventure.

You are the “cool” mum. All our friends loved coming over and you loved entertaining.  I have the best memories of my birthday parties and all the amazing cakes you did. My love of events stems through your passion and expertise. You love a good party, and my social skills are certainly down to being your daughter. You believe that life is meant to be lived, and enjoyed, and everything should be enjoyed, in moderation of course!

While I was growing up we used to disagree a lot (we still do), on how life should be and what matters the most. Now that I’m a mother, I cannot tell you how grateful I am. For all the shopping trips to Woolworths, the grocery shopping and my endless nagging “Can I have this, can I have that”. The help you have gave me with the boys, straight after birth was invaluable. I couldn’t have done it without you. Yes you may not have been the best “night nanny” :), but You always looked out for ME, because without me being strong, the boys couldn’t be strong. You always put ME first. You’re also pretty darn good at singing babies to sleep.

I love you mama and you have been the best role model. I couldn’t be more thankful for all that you do, for all the little white lies you told to protect me, to protect my childhood, for all the times you pushed me out of my comfort zone. For all the times you simply didn’t ask questions, thank you for giving me the freedom to soar. Sometimes, I know I get busy, but you are so appreciated. Certainly I wouldn’t be the woman I am today if it weren’t for you. So, thank you – for absolutely everything.

You’re my hero.

PS.. Dad dont worry, fathers day is coming soon 🙂 🙂

Top Childrens’ Book Picks for Ramadan

Top Childrens’ Book Picks for Ramadan

Posted on by Rebecca

Ramadan (a Muslim holy month of fasting, where we commemorate when the Quran was revealed), is fast approaching and I’m busy preparing myself as a working mum, for an even busier month ahead. Meal plans, activities for the children and stocking up the house. A like to create as much excitement for my boys around Ramadan as possible.

Teaching my kids to love books and reading is hugely important to me, as is teaching my children the history of Islam. Naturally in Ramadan we increase our reading a bit more, I normally put away all of their other books and we only focus on our Islamic ones. They are at that “in-between” age at the moment, where they are a little too young to start Madrasah (Islamic studies for kids) but are at the perfect age to learn about Islam and its history. I try to increase their knowledge by reading Islamic books at home and encouraging learning in everyday tasks and crafts.

Suhayla Kids is my go to for all Islamic books and educational toys. In Johannesburg I don’t particularly like driving into Fordsburg/Mayfair and dealing with parking and traffic. SUHAYLA kids is an online store and has the best, most up to date titles, follows global trends and they deliver nationwide (they have even done deliveries to Botswana). Their customer service is second to none, and Taahirah’s personalised notes and quick delivery makes every customer feel special and unique.

These books are great for Muslims and Non-Muslims alike. Teaching other children about Ramadan and why their friends families are “fasting” teaches understanding and respect. They have also been great helping my family (who aren’t Muslim) understand our traditions and celebrations more.

Here’s a list of my top picks for Ramadan:

Night of the Moon – Hena Khan

I ADORE Hena Khan’s books. She has such a beautiful, simple style of writing and this book in particular is both my boys favourite (apart from Ilyas and Duck which we will get too). Its also a great book to teach little ones about the cycle of the moon.

“The sighting of the Moon’s first crescent begins the month of Ramadan for Muslims all over the world. This vibrantly illustrated story invites children to experience the traditions of the month through the eyes of a seven-year-old girl named Yasmeen, who watches every night as the moon grows and shrinks and finally disappears. When the moon’s first crescent reappears, it’s time to celebrate “The Night of the Moon” and the gift-giving holiday of Eid – when Yasmeen has a wonderful gift in store!”

Available from Suhayla Kids for R230.

Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of colours – Hena Khan

I got this last Ramadan and we still love it.

“With breathtaking illustrations and informative text, this book magnificently captures the world of Islam, celebrating its beauty and traditions. This book uses objects found in many Muslim cultures to teach colours. With simple language suitable for even the youngest readers, a young Muslim girl and her family guide the reader through the traditions and colours of Islam.”

Available from SUHAYLA kids for R120.

Ilyas & Duck and the Fantastic Festival of Eid-al-Fitr – Omar S. Khawaja

One of the boys favourite’s (and mummy’s too). So much so that my son wanted to dress up as Ilyas for World Book Day this year.

Part of the highly-acclaimed Ilyas & Duck series! Eid-al-Fitr is here!

“It’s time to celebrate! But what is Eid all about? Join Ilyas & Duck in this fantastically delightful story as they explore the fun and excitement of Eid while learning about the charitable nature of it all. Eid has never been so much fun!”

2015 Moonbean Children’s Book Awards Silver Medal (Multicultural – Non-Fiction picture book)

Available from Suhayla Kids for R235 (and so worth it).

Hassan and Aneesa love Ramadan – Yasmen Rahim

We love this series, another one we love is the “Hassan and Aneesa go to the Masjid”.

“It’s the night before Ramadan and Hassan and Aneesa are very excited for this special month to begin. During Ramadan, they will read the Qur’an, give charity, share food with neighbours, and try to fast as their parents do.

Follow Hassan and Aneesa on the first day of Ramadan and find out why they love it when this holy month arrives.”

A steal at R50 from you guessed it, SUHAYLA kids

On our wishlist:

I haven’t got my hands on these yet but am determined to add them to our collection this year.

Its Ramadan, Curious George – Hena Khan

One of the most popular books in the UK, and proving to be so here too (Its currently sold out and on my wishlist too).

It’s the first day of Ramadan, and George is celebrating with his friend Kareem and his family. George helps Kareem with his first fast and joins in the evening celebration of tasting treats and enjoying a special meal. Then, George helps make gift baskets to donate to the needy, and watches for the crescent moon with the man in the yellow hat. Finally George joins in the Eid festivities to mark the end of his very first Ramadan.

R125 from SUHAYLA Kids for R125.

Migo & Ali: Love for the Prophets – Zanib Mian

 

I LOVE the fact that this book tells a summarized version of each prophet.

“This delightful hardback book, with 164 full colour pages, contains vibrantly illustrated stories of the prophets, from Adam (as) to Muhammad (saw). These stories are concise, and told in engaging, child-friendly language. A question and answer session after each story is also unique in its style, depicted as a conversation between the two lovable characters. Ali pretty much asks Migo the questions that will be on your child’s mind.”

R275 from SUHAYLA kids

Allah Tells Me – Ali Gator

 

This book just looks like a beautifully simple introduction of the Five Pillars of Faith in Islam.

“This book introduces young children to the 5 pillars of Islam through beautiful illustration and gentle words that will develop both a consciousness of Allah as well as a curiosity to learn more.

InshaAllah (God Willing) this book will inspire young hearts to learn about & love Allah.”

R75 From SUHAYLA kids.

 

That’s our top list! I would love to hear some of your favourites too. ALL of these books are easy to read with no uncomplicated language or descriptions, perfect for young minds. The bright illustrations help children remember and I cant wait to put them all out for our Ramadan book corner this year.

If you are in Johannesburg next week (3-6 May 2018), SUHAYLA Kids will be at the Eid Shopping Festival at the Dome (Stall C5). They will have a wide selection of their Islamic books, toys, decor and more, all to inspire and expand young muslims minds. Including one of our favourites, the Dua Pillow.

Keep an eye on the blog or subscribe to follow some of the cute Ramadan crafts I have planned over the next month!