5 Mistakes First Time Mothers Often Make
Few things are as overwhelming as being responsible for a tiny human being who is totally dependent on you: for food, clothing, shelter, warmth, companionship, everything except the air God gives for free. Even with a great support system, there are still certain things first time mums realize they could have done differently, although it […]
Should You Leave Your Children an Inheritance?
I remember a conversation I had in my early teens about parents leaving an inheritance for their children. I had mentioned to a friend’s brother that the founder of the church I was born into recently made it known that he wasn’t leaving any money to his children. Now the man in question had been […]
Sweet Mother: Thoughts on the Religion of Mother-Love
Yesterday, as has been the Mother’s Day custom for many years, all mothers (and single fathers) in the congregation to which I belong were asked to stand. Also, as became the custom only recently, Prince Nico Mbarga’s classic, “Sweet Mother”, was played for a few seconds while the congregation sang along. While the song played, […]
What We Should Know About Children and Play
Play isn’t just something children do to have fun. It is vital to their development and helps them develop essential life skills. Watching cartoons or playing a video game is not actually play, although these activities can be entertaining and even educative. True play is free play, where a child is allowed to choose what […]
5 Happiness Boosters for Harried Mothers
Most mothers often feel harassed, whether they go to the office, work from home, or are full-time homemakers. “Mommying” is hard work, and you never really get time off, so how can you infuse your life with joy despite the stresses of life and parenting? 1. Get enough sleep. If you are sleep-deprived, there’s no […]
Are You Your Child’s Best Friend?
I’ve often wondered when the “parent-as-best-friend” trend started. I first became conscious of it as a teen watching Gilmore Girls, but it probably was a thing even before then. We want our children to not just love us but like us too, and we want them to be able to confide in us, telling us […]
5 Skills I Can’t Wait To Teach My Child
I have great appreciation for the work that school teachers do. As a children’s Sunday School teacher, I know what it can be like not just to be surrounded by more than a handful of children, but to actually try and impart knowledge. It’s no easy task, and I have them just for a few […]
How to Plan Towards Having Your First Baby
In modern times like these, having a baby requires much planning, and affordability is one word we can somehow understand, without taking too many factors into consideration. More people are having fewer children which is in contrast to our parent’s generation, indicating that times have changed yet, the wage growth hasn’t increased significantly to keep […]
Does Anyone Miss Being a New Mum?
When it comes to being a new mum, most people only talk about how hard it was. The sleepless nights, the endless crying with no apparent cause, the lack of “me time”, the expenses, and the general inconvenience that come with babies. Does anyone actually miss it, or is it just me? My son is […]
5 Questions to Ask Yourself about Your Toddler’s Tantrums
Toddler tantrums can be a nightmare, especially in public. One minute everything is fine and the next, your little one is screaming her head off, crying and twisting and writhing. You’re embarrassed at this behaviour, and you’re wondering whether you’re actually raising a spoilt brat. Take heart; you are not alone. Here are a few […]
5 Things Boarding Schools Wouldn’t Teach Our Children
If you attended the average Nigerian boarding school in the 80’s, you would agree that a lot has changed when compared to this generation and probably, not as harsh. For me, learning away from my parents marked the beginning of the formative years of my life. Most days I was quite glad to be away […]
Is Your Toddler Too Young to Read?
You’ve probably heard that readers are leaders. Did you know that there are certain pre-reading skills a child learns before they actually start reading? That’s why it’s never too early to place a book in front of your toddler and read to and with them. Of course, at two and three you can’t really expect […]
Nigerian Startup Launches Teseem, the Multilingual App That Teaches Kids Their First Words
As humans, we learn to communicate information in various ways, including visual and verbal means. Of all the ways by which ideas and thoughts can be transmitted among humans, words- spoken and written -are without doubt, the most prominent. By them, wars have been started, ended, won and lost, relationships have been formed, fostered and […]
5 Fun Ways to Teach Your Child Through Play
Teachers attest to the fact that when children spend too much time playing or watching TV, it creates windows for unlearning, and may also cause a child to start losing concentration in class as his mind repeatedly drifts off to playful thoughts. Does this mean children should have little or no play? I think not; […]
8 Helpful Measures to Childproof Your Home
Toddlers are anything but timid. They’re fast, energetic, determined and love to explore new territory. They are curious about textures, colours and sound and as a result, keen to taste and feel every single object that appears interesting. To them, learning is an exciting, 24/7 activity which requires little or no interruption so they’ll always […]
5 Tips for Parenting When Mum and Dad Work
At a seminar I attended years ago when I was a single woman, a speaker told a story to buttress the point she was making about work-life balance that stayed with me. A little girl whose mother had just started a demanding job was having a hard time adjusting. Before she woke up in the […]