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Age Appropriate Chores For Children

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Tilewa is a 17 year old in University and she cannot wash her clothes or make her bed. This issue did not just pop up at 17 years old, it started earlier at home from the age of 5.

It is never too early to start children on the road of being independent adults. Introducing them to chores from an early age is one of ways to ensure children start to have a sense of responsibility. Young children naturally desire to be involved, have you ever seen how excited a young child could be to help with laundry or to sweep? Many times parents do not capitalise on this early and tend to wait till you suddenly decide that Uche should just know to do chores when she is 13 and goes off to boarding school. Then the struggle starts. You want to get them early to feel a sense of belonging and to take responsibility for their space and where they call home. Age appropriate chores

 

As soon as a child can walk you can start by asking him to clean up after himself, so pick up their toys or put their clothes in the hamper. As they get older they can start to do the dishes and make their beds in the morning.

When children get used to doing chores, they will never feel that they are doing you a favour. There are some parents who do compensate their children from doing chores. Paying children to do chores sends the wrong message, fosters an attitude of entitlement and commercialises something they should be doing anyway – would you pay your child to do their homework?

Research indicates that children who do have a set of chores have higher self-esteem, are more responsible, and are better able to deal with frustration and delay gratification, all of which contribute to greater success in school. Fast forward 17 years to when Tilewa leaves home for University, you do not want her to be handicapped because she does not know how to wash her clothes. So equip them for their future.

child doing chores


Do not wait till Tilewa leaves home for University and is struggling because she cannot wash her…
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See below some ideas for chores at every age

 

Ages 2 – 3 years
  • Put toys in toy box
  • Stack Books On Shelf
  • Place dirty clothes in the laundry hamper
  • Throw trash Away
Ages 4 – 5 years
  • Feed Pets
  • Wipe Up Spills
  • Put Away Toys
  • Make The Bed
  • Straighten Bedrooms
Ages 6 – 7 years
  • Make the bed
  • Gather Trash
  • Fold Towels
  • Dust And Mop Floors
  • Empty Dishwasher
Ages 8 – 9 years
  • Make the bed
  • Load Dishwasher
  • Change Light Bulb
  • Wash Laundry
  • Hang/Fold Clean Clothes
  • Dust Furniture
Ages 10 – 11 years
  • Make the bed
  • Clean Bathrooms
  • Vacuum Rugs
  • Clean Countertops
  • Deep Clean Kitchen
Ages 12 and up
  • Make the bed
  • Hang up towels
  • Mop Floors
  • Change Overhead Lights
  • Wash and Vacuum Car
  • Iron Clothes
  • Watch Younger Siblings

View here to download and print a list of age appropriate chores

photo source: chatterblock

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The Yale Young Global Scholars Program (YYGS)

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Scholarship Programs Available For Students From Africa

scholarship

 

The Yale Young Global Scholars Program (YYGS) is offering six financial need-based scholarships for high school students from the African continent to attend YYGS this summer at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. We ask that you please share this opportunity with anyone you think may be interested.

The scholarship will cover tuition, airfare and travel expenses to the program. 

The Yale Young Global Scholars Program is open to students who have one or two years of secondary school remaining, and offers six unique two-week sessions. The program is a rigorous academic experience, featuring lectures from renowned Yale faculty.

To be eligible for the full scholarship, applicants must:

  • Be a citizen of an African country and currently reside in that country;
  • Have attended school in that country for most of the applicant’s education;
  • Complete the Yale Young Global Scholars online application, including the financial aid portion

The application deadline is February 11, 2016In order to be eligible for this scholarship, students must meet ALL of the requirements listed above and complete the application, including the financial aid portion, by the deadline. No additional steps required.

If you have any questions, feel free to email global.scholars@yale.edu.
Or Contact:
Amy Shah
Associate Director, Student Relations and External Affairs
Yale Young Global Scholars Program
globalscholars.yale.edu
scholarship

www.yale.edu

___________________________

Link to the YYGS article

Link to downloadable flyers

The Yale Young Global Scholars Program is an academic enrichment and leadership training program for talented high school students from around the world, who live and study on the Yale campus during the summer. The program features intensive undergraduate-level coursework and interaction with renowned Yale faculty as well as Yale undergraduate and graduate students.

Students may apply to any of the six, two-week summer sessions offered:
Politics, Law, & Economics (PLE) June 19 – July 2, 2016
For students with interests in understanding American legal principles, economic ideas, and values and practices of government in historical and comparative perspectives.

Applied Science & Engineering (ASE) June 19 – July 2, 2016
For students who want to explore the application of physical & computer sciences and engineering.

International Affairs & Security (IAS) July 8 – July 21, 2016
For students with interests in international relations and security and learning historical lessons about leadership.

Biological & Biomedical Science (BBS) July 8 – July 21, 2016
For students who want to delve deeper in the study and application of life sciences.

Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship (TIE) July 26 – August 8, 2016
For students who are interested in how innovations in science or technology become a reality.

Sustainability, Energy, & Environment (SEE) July 26 – August 8, 2016
For students who are interested in the study and application of natural and environmental sciences.

Last year almost 50% of our attendees were from outside the United States, representing over 90 countries.  More demographics information is available here. Participants bring a wide array of perspectives into the classroom, fostering international awareness and further enhancing the stellar academic curriculum.

The application for summer 2016 is now available online at Yale global scholars and applications are due February 11. Admission to the program is very selective, and need-based financial aid is available to students who qualify.

connecticut-new-haven-yale-university

www.planetware.com

 

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Easy Breezy LM Fashion

What is Lassa Fever

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There is no need to panic over Lassa fever.  It has similarities to ebola but it is not ebola.

Lassa Fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola. Symptoms begin one to three weeks after the person becomes infected and may include fever, sore throat, vomiting, facial swelling, mucosal bleeding, and possible neurological problems. In about 20 percent of those infected, it can be severe and affect multiple systems in the body. The most common complication is deafness.

Lassa fever is fatal in 1 percent of cases, in contrast, Ebola is fatal in 70 percent of cases without treatment.

Lassa fever is also much less contagious than Ebola. It’s carried by a particular specie of rat, and humans typically become infected from coming into contact with urine or droppings. The Lassa virus isn’t transmitted through casual contact, although “in rare cases” it can be transmitted through direct contact with a sick person’s bodily fluids or through sexual contact.

lassa fever

www.vanguardngr.com

Ebola is highly contagious, transmitted through contact of bodily fluids including mucus, vomit, sweat and tears.

There is an effective treatment for Lassa fever called Ribavirin. While treatments for Ebola are still being tested.

Rather than panic, lets practice good hygiene and be vigilant for any signs and symptoms (a flu like symptoms that does not seem to be shifting after proper treatment, domestic staff who have just returned from home and showing signs of unexplained illness, etc).

Symptoms Of Lassa Fever:
lassa fever

www.visualdx.com

Remember, prevention is better than cure. Things to do
  • Appropriate handwashing techniques. Using soap and running water is the best way to ensure that the hands are clean. If you aren’t near a sink, wash your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and follow the same steps. Remember to wash your hand as often as they need to (when coming into the house from outside, after playing in the garden/playground, before eating and preparing food & after using the toilet)
lassa fever

www.mahavirhospitals.com

  • Keep your environment clean as rodents tend to live in unclean, dirty environments
  • Practice appropriate refuse disposal. As rodents tend to live amongst rubbish, ensure that refuse is disposed of appropriately in sealed bags and covered bins. Refuse should be disposed of

    (especially the kitchen) every day and from the outside of the house at least once a week (speak to your local government about refuse disposal if you have any concerns)

  • Store food in rodent-proof containers. As much as possible, use seal tight containers for dry food storage (Garri, beans, rice, pondo yam flour, semovita, yam flour, etc). Storing food in bags or sacks provide easy access to rodents
  • Avoid eating rodents. I know this sounds bizarre to a lot of people but many people each bush rat. It is a delicacy in many parts of Nigeria but these rats may carry the virus
  • Avoid contact with blood and body fluids of infected people
  • Healthcare workers should ensure appropriate protective mechanism while handling samples of sick persons (laboratory workers, nursing staff and other medical workers)
  • Report any suspected cases of Lassa fever to appropriate authorities’ especially for people with recent travels to affected states

Finally, share this with your family, friends, colleagues and domestic staff. You are not only helping them but you are protecting yourself.

Stay Safe!!

Contributed by:Molade Adeniyi

@moladeadeniyi

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Your Financial New Years Resolutions

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Have You Made Your Financial New Year Resolutions

financial

www.nigeriannewsservice.com

The complex nature of our nations turbulent economy has impacted all Nigerians and leaves many feeling confused and anxious. The good news is that no matter how challenging things may be, the basic fundamentals of personal financial management still apply so stay focused on this.

Have you made your New Year Resolutions? Did you include any financial ones? All major life events such as getting married, having a baby, educating children, losing a job, getting divorced, buying a home, losing a loved one, planning for your retirement and your estate come with financial consequences that must be prepared for. Here are 12 resolutions to consider for 2016. Don’t try to tackle them all. Tackling just 3 or 4 will lead to significant improvement in your financial life.

financial

  1. Establish a budget

Living as though nothing has changed during challenging times can make a situation worse; changing your spending habits must be a priority. Budgeting is one of the most important tools for financial security. A good budget will help you to plan and monitor your expenses so you can identify where to cut back if necessary. Where does your money go? The traditional suspects are, eating out every day, recharge cards etc. Can you cut back a little on these?

  1. Build an emergency fund

An emergency fund is a must-have particularly during times of financial challenge. Build a fund with at least six months’ worth of your expenses in an accessible, interest bearing account. If you are suddenly faced with unemployment, medical expenses, or other unexpected events, you will have this financial cushion to fall back on. If you cant build 6 months, focus on 3 months. The key is to have something saved.

  1. Automate your savings

Can you set aside a minimum of ten per cent of your monthly income for savings. One of the most effective ways to increase savings is to automate the process by having the funds deducted via a direct debit into a savings, money market or mutual fund account. If the funds are in an account attached to your debit card you may be tempted to dip into the funds.

  1. Reduce your debt

Getting out of debt or at least reducing it is another key step to taking control of your finances. List all your debt, and prioritize by focusing on the debt with the highest interest rates first. Are you one of those people that avoid your lenders? Have you stopped taking their calls or ignore their reminders? You need friends and family as a lifeline when things are really bad so if you damage relationships it only comes back to haunt you. If your debt has become overwhelming, contact your creditors to discuss the possibility of coming up with more palatable repayment arrangements.

  1. Invest for the future

financial

If you have some savings and your debt is under control, consider investing in the stock market. It is important to remember that the stock market over the long term has outperformed other asset classes. Many stocks are currently selling well below their true value. If you are fortunate enough to have cash for long term investing, this is a good time to seek professional advice to build a diversified portfolio. Remember that investing comes with risk; to mitigate this you should diversify across the primary asset classes.

  1. Improve your Health

A heather lifestyle means fewer medical expenses. If you are healthy, you will have brighter prospects in all aspects of your life. Do you need to lose weight, eat more healthily, or exercise more regularly? Take your health seriously and take concrete steps to improve it. Make this a way of life for your family to ensure that your spouse and children are healthy.

  1. Invest in yourself

There is something everyone of us can do to earn extra income and it is time to find out what that is. What can you do outside your full time job? If you are unemployed this becomes even more urgent. Have you considered tutoring, consulting, blogging, photography,  Identify and nurture your passion and talent and begin to leverage on it to earn in 2016.

  1. Protect yourself and your assets with insurance

You are your greatest asset. Do you have adequate cover for your health and your life, particularly if you are the primary breadwinner? Is your property including your car and home adequately insured? Things happen and you cannot afford to be careless with insurance.  In addition, do keep up with routine maintenance of your assets so that you can identify festering problems before they require expensive repairs. The odd noise coming from your car engine should not be ignored. Attend to issues early.

  1. Retirement

financial

Most Nigerians do not have enough money saved by the time they face retirement. Most of your retirement income will have to come from money you set aside and invest today whilst you are still young and earning. Do you have a Retirement Savings Account? Make this an important part of your long-term plans.

  1. Put an estate plan in place

No one wants to think about death at the start of a new year, but you owe it to your family to put something in place should something untoward happen to you. Make an appointment with an estate-planning attorney who will put you through a relatively simple process. If you already have a will, review and update it to make sure you have included any new assets or beneficiaries.

  1. Build philanthropy into your plans
financial

www.genconnect.com

In spite of how difficult things might be for you, there are always people worse off. Philanthropy is a powerful and effective way to change lives. Determine your area of interest and identify ways in which you can make a positive impact.

  1. It’s not all about money

It is important to note that the most fulfilling things in life have little to do with money. They have to do with relationships; with your partner, your spouse, your children, your siblings, your parents, your friends. Remember to count your blessings in 2016. Enjoy your Life and may God grant you good health, happiness, and peace in the year 2016 and beyond. Happy New Year!

Nimi Akinkugbe has extensive experience in private wealth management. She seeks to empower people regarding their finances and offers frank, practical insights to create a greater awareness and understanding of personal finance.

For more personal finance tips, contact

Email: info@moneymatterswithnimi

Website: www.moneymatterswithnimi.com

Twitter: @MMWITHNIMI

Instagram: @MMWITHNIMI

Facebook: MoneyMatterswithNimi

Source: moneycrashers.com, stawealth

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Healthy Foods For Breast Feeding Mums

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Healthy Foods For Breast Feeding Mums

Healthy Foods

www.kindredmedia.org

Healthy food has always played a sensitive role in the life of every pregnant and breast feeding woman, as extreme caution is required here. You constantly need to monitor what you consume, your nutrition and everything that finds its way into your body, as this will affects your baby’s growth and development. So watching what you eat is very necessary as this ensures you and your little one are in good health.

If you are looking for some healthy options to ensure that your breastfed angel gets all the necessary nutrients, read our post. Below we list some delicious, healthy and easy to make meal ideas for breastfeeding mums.

Chicken Stew
Healthy Foods

www.momjunction.com

Chicken stew is loaded with protein and will help boost your energy levels. It keeps you feeling full, without making you feeling bloated or stuffed. The warm stew satiates your hunger and doesn’t tire you. Add several fresh and seasonal vegetables to the stew for some extra flavor and nutrition. You can also add a dash of butter and some herbs to enhance the flavor. The stew will also help you stay hydrated, especially as you will lose a lot of fluids while you breastfeed.

Barley and Vegetable Soup
Image: www.momjunction.com

Image: www.momjunction.com

Barley and vegetable soup will again make you feel full without making you feel bloated or making you feel that you ate too much. You may probably be wondering to yourself  “where am I supposed to get barley from?” Well, if you are ever in the Northern part of Nigeria most especially Plateau State, they have a wide range of leguminous and fibrous foods. Barley is loaded with fiber, which helps remove all toxins and waste from your body and keep your digestive system on track. It will also prevent and ease signs of constipation, which is a problem that many mums experience while they are breastfeeding. Adding vegetables to barley soup will not only make the soup tastier, but it also makes it a healthier choice than simple barley soup. Soup helps hydrate your body and prevents common breastfeeding side effects like constipation and dehydration.

Grilled Salmon
Healthy Foods

www.weyandfish.com

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are a vital and extremely nutritious part of our diet. It helps boost your baby’s brain development. When you eat salmon, the omega-3 fatty acids from it pass into your breastmilk and onto your baby’s digestive system. Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial to the proper development of your baby’s nervous system. Omega-3 fatty acids also boost energy and keep you safe from infections.

Sautéd Spinach And Broccoli
Healthy Foods

www.juicybites.net

Spinach is extremely rich in iron, which is a great source of energy and will help your body restore its strength, even as you breastfeed your little one. Broccoli contains a high amount of vitamin C, which will remove and prevent any traces of infections, cold and cough and more, and keep you healthy. You can add a bunch of sautéed spinach and broccoli flowers to a salad, along with some roasted potatoes, crumbled cheese and more fresh vegetables.

It is very important to take care of your eating habits while you are breastfeeding so that you can provide the best to your little one and be healthy yourself. The importance of eating healthy foods cannot be stressed enough, and we hope these ideas can help you find the right balance of taste and nutrition for you and your little one.

Mums, what were the types of meals you had while you were breastfeeding? If you have any quick and healthy meal ideas, do share them here. Leave your comments in the section below and help fellow nursing mums eat healthily.

Source: MomJunction

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The Ordeal Of A Lagos Working Mum

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The Ordeal of a Lagos Working Mum

 

working mum

www.taketheleadwomen.com

Being a working mom is a dream come true for many women. Most women want to work as well cater for the home. It’s often not as sweet as it sounds ..”am a working mum”…hmnnn. It has its ups and downs…juggling  office work and the kids, house chores and the Lagos mad traffic is a special experience . Oh not forgetting our able man of the house..you still have to keep him happy, remember ?

See how Mrs Johnson’s day went, She is a Lagos Mom, Who lives in Idimu and works in Victoria Island.

Mondays are crazy days for Mrs Johnson.Everyone wants to be punctual at work on Monday ,being the first day of the week. So she left her house at 5.05 a.m to join a colleague who’s expected to drop her off at work.

At 5.30 a.m they were already at the famous Oshodi Oke. Mrs Johnson was very happy since her boss always complains of her coming late on Mondays. Unknown to her that their normal route Ikorodu Road was having a massive traffic gridlock.

They joined the road and they were stuck in traffic for about three hours. She finally got to her office at 9.10 a.m with series of queries already waiting for her in her mail box to respond to ..why she wasn’t at her desk by 8a.m.

Ohhhhhh poor Mrs Johnson, it was an agonising moment for her after she left her home very early. That’s office palaver, while thinking of the numerous queries to respond to , she heard her phone ring.

She went for the phone and it was a missed call from her home’s landline. With her heart skipping she dialled the number. After 2 rings the nanny picked, “Madam madam abeg come o  Junior dey sick”. What’s wrong with him? “Fever, e high o, e don dey convulse.” She screamed oh my God.

She walked to her boss to be excused so she could go home. Unfortunately for her,her boss said “am sorry you were late to work today so you can’t leave early, let someone else take care of your kids.

Difficult moment of decision, if you were in Mrs Johnson’s shoes, what would be your best decision?

She quickly reached for her phone, called her husband , who was immediately allowed to leave his office. He went home, took junior to the hospital and he was well attended to.

Poor Mrs Johnson, a working Lagos Mum  came home at the end of the day feeling very guilty and sad but very relieved that Mr Johnson was available-a hero.

Working mums ..they are heroes too, they sacrifice a lot and go through a lot. In fact every mum who works deserves so much credit because they still run the home. Three hearty cheers for motherhood!!

Please share your experiences and enrich other mums, we are open to learning new ideas. Your thoughts are welcomed on the comment column.

Contributed by Ingo

Ingo is a Lagos working mum, who blogs at leisure time on parentinggist.com . She enjoys reading and writing as much as time can permit her.

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LagosMums January Giveaway

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The LagosMums giveaway is here again and we will be giving away a Smoothie mixer to a lucky Lagos Mum.

smoothie mixer

 

The product is an on the go smoothie maker. Instead of the usual blend and have to pour into a travel cup or bottle, the jar of this smoothie maker is bottle on its own. So all you do is to blend, pull from base, drink or take along to work or wherever. In other words, get up, get blending, get going. Life on the blend just took a whole new direction!

Contest Rules

What are some of your 2016 healthy goals. Share for a chance to win.

Follow @LagosMums and @oreservices (instagram)  Tag #LMGiveaway.

Steps for Eligibility to Win

  • Follow the contest rules on the LagosMums website or across our social media platforms.
  • A winner will be chosen at random and announced on the website and social media
  • The Winner will be required to pick the gifts or receive gifts with proper identification.

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Facts You Need To Know About Lassa Fever

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What you Need To Know About Lassa Fever

As LagosMums, most of us have heard about Lassa Fever, but many of us still have questions regarding its origin, transmission, diagnosis and treatment. Below are 5 key facts about Lassa fever that every Lagos Mum should be aware of:

FACT #1:  LASSA FEVER IS AN ILLNESS CAUSED BY THE TRANSMISSION OF THE LASSA VIRUS THROUGH THE MULTIMAMMATE RAT FOUND IN WEST AFRICA.
lassa fever

www.viralzone.expasy.org

Lassa fever was first diagnosed in 1969 after two missionary nurses died in Lassa town of Nigeria. Lassa fever occurs when the Lassa virus is transmitted to humans through a common African rat or through person-to-person or healthcare spread. Various modes of transmission include:

  • Contact with an infected rat’s faeces or urine: This occurs through directly touching the rat’s body fluids or touching objects or food contaminated with these fluids, or through contact between the fluids and cuts or sores on a human.

Lassa Fever

  • Inhaling tiny particles in the air contaminated with excretions of the rat.
  • Eating an infected rat.
  • Person-to-person contact with body fluids of an infected human. Transmission does NOT occur through casual skin-to-skin contact where body fluids are not exchanged.
  • Transmission through infected medical equipment.
FACT #2: HIGH RISK GROUPS FOR CONTRACTING THE VIRUS INCLUDE
  • Anyone in close contact with the infected rat. These rats are common in West Africa, making their control and eradication very difficult. However, people who keep unsanitary environments with exposed foods are more likely to harbour the rats.
  • Healthcare workers who do not take appropriate protective measures against body fluids.
  • Families and friends of infected persons who might assist with feeding and cleaning them.
FACT #3: EARLY DIAGNOSIS = EARLY TREATMENT

80% of cases of Lassa fever have mild to observable symptoms. The remaining 20% can develop early symptoms such as persistent fevers, sore throat, joint pains, headaches, chills, nausea and vomiting – i.e. mostly non-specific symptoms that mimic the flu, malaria or typhoid. Persons with these symptoms should present to their primary care doctor or a hospital as soon as possible for further evaluation. The good news is that unlike Ebola, there is a anti-viral treatment used to cure Lassa fever called Ribavarin. Thus, early diagnosis can save lives.

FACT #4: THERE IS CURRENTLY ONE CONFIRMED CASE OF LASSA FEVER IN LAGOS STATE.

As LagosMums, we should not have the mindset that It is impossible for our families to be affected by Lassa fever. Recently, a young man who travelled from Kaduna to Lagos state became ill and tested positive for the virus causing Lassa fever. He is currently receiving treatment at LUTH, and healthcare workers who attended to him are being monitored. We should all stay informed about the efforts that Lagos state is making to prevent other cases, and take the steps mentioned below to keep ourselves, our families and community healthy.

FACT #5: WE CAN ALL DO OUR PART TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS!

It is important that we:

  • Avoid contact with rats.
  • Keep our surroundings clean by properly disposing of waste.
  • Store food in rodent-proof containers.
  • Maintain good personal hygiene as well as regular handwashing.
  • Cook all foods thoroughly before eating.
  • Immediately see your primary doctor or visit a hospital if you or someone you know develops the symptoms of flu/malaria/typhoid unresponsive to treatment.

lassa fever

  • Call 08037170614 or 08022234273 to report suspicious cases.

With a strong and concerted effort, we can help Lagos state (and Nigeria) control this Lassa fever outbreak! Feel free to post questions below, and look out for more updates from LagosMums.

Dr. Sade AdeyiFamily Medicine Consultant Physician

Sources: ThisDayLive Sunday January 17th: In Lassa Fever, Nigeria Faces another Health Challenge; www.cdc.gov.

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Doctors Raise Concerns About Organic Baby Foods

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baby foods

Many parents turn to organic, super food-filled baby food as easy-to-prep solutions for picky eaters, but experts argue this may be exasperating the problem, and setting kids up for a lifetime of bad eating habits and obesity.

For one, more and more experts are concerned about the health problems these packages pose. Often given as the healthy alternative to regular snacks, few parents realize that these pouches contain between 12 and 20 grams of sugar—twice that in a regular apple—thanks to their most tasty ingredient: concentrated fruit juice (aka “added sugar” according to the US Department of Agriculture.)

Even when companies do not list concentrated fruit juice in their ingredients, the process by which this food is created is problematic in two ways. First, a lot of the water is removed, concentrating both the flavors and the sugars. The second problem is that grinding the fruit up destroys the insoluble fibers naturally found in this food, which mitigates the sugar and insulin spikes caused by high sugar foods. Since the food is pureed it is absorbed much faster, which only exacerbates the problem.

In other terms: regularly consuming these packaged foods is the perfect setup for diabetes, weight gain and heart disease later in life.

If that wasn’t enough, doctors are also concerned that frequent sucking of foods has a negative impact on the development on the facial muscles used for chewing increases the risk of cavities the same way juice does (remember how the doctor said to ditch the bottle at your one-year checkup? Same logic!) and this further spoils the palates of picky eaters. By indulging our kids demand to consume easy-to-eat, great tasting food, they miss a key developmental milestone and are set up for a lifetime of poor eating habits and dental problems.

babyThere is the risk of mould and contamination, like last year’s GoGo Squeez mould contamination scare which, while not life-threatening, did make a whole lot of food taste terrible and posed an increased risk for allergic reactions in sensitive populations.

So, what’s a mum to do?  We can make a more concerted effort to keep real foods on the table. Bananas and apples, steamed sweet potatoes, millet porridge with small chunks of sweet potato, noodles topped with a delicious veggie filled sauce and meatballs filled with kale, beet and more. We always season his food, let him try whatever he wants, and make sure that he has great associations with mealtime.

Eating real food is more than just eating your veggies. It is sitting at the table with mum and dad talking, stealing bites from other people and developing your own tastes, even if that means chucking a handful of dinner at Mum, then signing “all done” before asking for a special treat.

Source: www.mom.me, babycenter.com

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Seven Parenting Trends To Look Out For In 2016

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Goodbye Drone Parents, Hello Third-Child Parents

parenting

www.madamenoire.com

It’s time to see what’s new and up-and-coming in the very old world of parenting. The people at Care.com looked at “internal data, news reports, trending stories and our community of parents” to create this list of the Seven Parenting Trends for 2016, so without further ado.

Third-Child-Style Parenting:

Millennials, who grew up with micromanaging, hyper-scheduled helicopter parents, are now parents and taking on a style that is “more relaxed and encourages greater independence.”

Professor Nanny:

Forget the high school kid with extra time on her hands after school. Today’s parents want nannies with advanced degrees and child psych backgrounds.

Enlightened Parenting:

Enlightened-parenting families don’t see differences such as a child bucking gender stereotypes or being in a wheelchair as a reason for a lengthy conversation about acceptance. They just accept it as the norm. Enlightened parents say that showing understanding and acceptance gives the kids a stronger message and helps break down stereotypes better than talking about it.

Hybrid Names 2.0:

No, not hyphenated last names. If parents-to-be can’t choose between a couple of first names, they are combining them. Not only that, there is another naming trend on the rise — dads aren’t the only ones with namesakes anymore. Name that daughter after her mother instead of adding an “a” to the end of Michael and honoring thy father, again.

The Downsized Parent:

While the initial Care.com explanation of this trend says parents are simplifying life and giving up on trying to do it all, read on and it suggests this should actually be called “The Delegating Parent.” It’s not really about downsizing as much as giving some of those time-consuming, less enjoyable tasks (“light housekeeping,” planning a birthday party, wrapping gifts) to the baby sitter or nanny.

Two-Nanny Families:

This is not a nanny-per-kid thing for the 1 percent among us. This is about needing someone to fill the child-care gaps in the schedule. More and more families are finding it takes two someones to do just that. Caregivers are also open to working with multiple families, filling their schedules effectively as well.

Source: northjersey.com

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Achieve the Ultimate This Year

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Are You Really Ready To Achieve The Ultimate This Year?

personal resolution

Ena couldn’t believe her eyes. She was married to the man of her dreams for six blissful months. They had so much support from family and friends. There was so much to eat and drink. The wedding was the talk of the town. She even has a copy where they took 4 pages to cover both the traditional and white wedding.

She knew she was the envy of all her friends both married and unmarried. From her attire, to the elegance of her events and to add the icing, the honeymoon in Dubai. She was in her husband’s beautiful terraced duplex surrounded by the good things of life and having invitations to all the exclusive parties in town. What could be better than this?

Chichi turned over again. She couldn’t help but move her hand over her now-empty stomach. She didn’t know how long she could take this. “Why does this keep happening to me?” she wept silently. She had lost the sixth pregnancy four months ago. Her husband of 3 years was the most patient and loving man she had ever met but she wondered how long before he bowed to the pressures of his family. They weren’t keen on an inter-tribal marriage in the first place. Time was ticking and every smile of hers was getting plastic.

Two ladies different situations. Stuck in the same place. In the past.

2015 may have held the most beautiful memories for you or the very worst. But it is gone. You had your highs, yes. What you should be concerned about now should be, is there a way I can make this year better?

You experienced incredible growth in your business or even had a promotion at the office. Its okay to give yourself a pat on the back. But please Move on. Too many people make terrible mistakes just after a success. They get careless, negligent and the very thing that saw them to the limelight (hard work) is pushed to the curb.

It’s not time to settle. It’s time for even more work.

The reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do even more – Anonymous

So cut out the celebrations and get busy.

So your 2015 was not so great. It’s no use brooding over things you can’t change. I absolutely love quotes and this one gets me every time.

Personal Resolution

“God give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference” – Reinhold Niebuhr

When you lost a loved one, or suffered some financial loss, or have irreparable injuries from a near-fatal accident, those things you can’t change. You have to find a way to live with those pains and become a better person as a result.

My favourite book, the Bible has this to say

…but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. (Phil 3:13, NLT)

If it’s something you can change, then for goodness sake, do something about it. Your constant whining about the matter won’t get you the desired results. On the contrary, you would have people run away from you because you carry negative energy around.

  • Take a moment. And tell yourself the truth of where you are.
  • Identify the next step to take.
  • Take the step. Make the call.

Write down your goals. They may be for the whole year, or they may be for one month. You will experience renewed confidence in yourself when you set goals and accomplish them.

Don’t let the stress of the daily grind get you wondering where all the work is headed.

Be purposeful about your plans and actions and trust me, things will begin to fall in place for you.

I recently wrote a post about goals. Check here to see a template you can use. Your goals shouldn’t just be financial. You should have goals for your family, for your own personal development, in fact every aspect of your life. So that you live as a balanced LagosMum, doing great physically, spiritually, emotionally and in your relationships with family and friends.

How do you set goals?

personal resolution

The best way to approach goal setting is to use this acronym SMART. It brings structure and helps you keep track of goals and objectives.

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A – Action-Oriented

R – Realistic

T – Time bound

Specific:

For example, you can’t say I want to lose weight by the end of this year. Chances are that you would never lose weight. But if you rather say, I want to lose 10kg by the end of this year. It is specific. Your mind registers it as such and you empower yourself to fulfil it.

Measurable:

A smart goal goes further to break it down into smaller action steps. For example, I want to lose 1kg every month. And so, at the end of every month, you conduct a check. Did you lose 1kg? If yes, great. If no, then you know that you are likely not going to achieve the overall goal by the end of the year.

Action Oriented:

You need to describe your goals in action points. Outline the exact steps you will take to accomplish the goal. In our example, you can say, I will go for a walk every day for 30mins.

Realistic:

There is nothing worse than seeing yourself fail at something over and over. Give yourself the opportunity to succeed at your goals by setting goals that you are sure to accomplish. Goals that are achievable. Here you take into consideration your strengths and weaknesses, family and any other thing that could impact your goals. For example, if you have to leave home early and close late, then taking a walk wouldn’t cut it. So you might need to think of either getting a treadmill or signing up with a gym class you can attend before work begins.

Time bound:

This refers to when you expect to get result. This is what every other thing revolves round. We’ve been using it in all our examples. Leaving it open ended might just mean you would never achieve it.

Do you already have your goals? What’s the biggest thing you look forward to seeing in your life this year? Share with us in the comments.

Contributed by: Ruth Zubairu 

photo sources: cyclesurfstudios.com, ladyboss.asia

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RECIPE- Yam and Egg Pancakes

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Our recipe this week is a recipe taken from DooneysKitchen, Dunni is a food enthusiast with the most amazing recipes, see the recipe for Yam and Egg Pancakes below.

In this recipe she is redefining the use of yam and eggs in preparing pancakes. Talk about being proudly Nigerian!

yam and eggThe Yam and Egg Pancakes recipe can be used as a menu item for different kinds of occasions.

It is easy to prepare, just follow the simple steps and you are on your way to enjoying the tantalising dish of Yam and Egg Pancakes.

Ingredients

  • Yam
  • Chopped mixed vegetables- onions, chilies, spring onions, bell peppers etc
  • 2 eggs or more depending on how much yam you have
  • Seasonal cubes -Optional
  • Vegetable oil

Method

yam and eggs

  • If you have leftover pounded yam that would be excellent as you have skipped stage one. If you don’t just boil your yam as normal and use a potato masher or food processor to turn it into mash

yam and eggs

  • Add the chopped vegetables

yam and egg

  • Add the eggs depending on how much yam you have, minimum of two eggs to start with.

yam and egg

  • The key is the batter must be thick, if it is too watery the pancake will break apart if you try and flip it and it may spill into a mess. Depending on how much pepper you add, your batter may be pink or pale

yam and egg

  • Once it is thick and gloopy season with salt and/or seasoning cubes

yam and egg

  • Heat a non stick pan or in this case a cast iron pan with a little oil as you would a regular pancake. Scoop on the batter and use the back of the spoon to spread it out in a wider circle. Because this recipe has no flour in it, you will be best making mini thick pancakes, otherwise the pancakes will split when you try to flip it over. So not too thick

yam and egg

  • Cook on medium heat to allow the pancakes to cook properly on one side without burning, then flip it over to cook the other side without breaking the pancake. Use a wide enough frying spoon to help it stay intact.

yam and egg

 

  • When both sides have browned, take it out of the pan and repeat the process

yam and egg

This is a very soft yummy pancake

yam and egg

Pictures: www.dooneyskitchen.com

Follow her @DonneysKitchen

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Revolutionizing The Childcare Industry In Nigeria.

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childcare

www.ffc.co.za

The traditional African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child” is widely quoted when discussing the dependency that parents / guardians have on local support to help deliver care, education, development and entertainment for their children. Childcare provision can be a very daunting task for parents to manage in isolation and this proverb highlights the value that a dependable support network offers to families.

At the center of this network is the mother, who is largely considered the primary care giver for her family. However, the harsh economic realities of our time puts pressure on the practicability of being a “Full time“ or “Stay at home” mum and now demands that both parents work, and jointly contribute financially to the welfare of their kids. Furthermore, more mothers are keen to enjoy the fulfilment that comes with having a professional life to compliment their personal one.

This means that more than ever before, parents & guardians require easy access to qualified childcare professionals who deliver a safe, convenient, affordable service which is bespoke to their children’s needs and delivers real value to all parties concerned.

The Proverbial “Village” and how it’s since changed.

These days, most families (especially those living in urban cities) generally tend to leverage a support network that consists of:

Family or Friends – This is probably still the most popular form of support but unlike the old days, most of your family or friends are now busy, not qualified, now live far away or are just incapable of providing the required support.

Local Agents or Agencies – Now used by parents to recruit Au Pairs, Nannies, and other forms of Childcare service provision. However, most of them do not have the structure required to attract qualified professionals or assess, validate and manage childcare providers that they recruit and subsequently pass on to parents.

Nurseries / Crèches – Parents and guardians utilize the services of these institutions to provide baby-sitting services for their wards. They are largely inflexible, sometimes inconveniently located and tend to run on weekdays and during business working hours only.

Classified Ads Sites – Some parents also seek childcare providers of these online platforms that are purpose built to advertise, market and sell all types of products, services. They are not designed to cater for the exact requirements of this demographic and as such do not deliver against any of the value propositions that parents or childcare providers seek.

Problems Plaguing This Industry Today
  1. Distinct lack of qualified and properly trained professionals.
  2. No Certified Regulatory Body to properly manage Childcare Providers e.g. Ofsted in the UK
  3. A lack of available platforms to enable parents / guardians to engage with qualified childcare providers directly, review their track record, criminal history, and referrals from other parents. It’s difficult to verify qualifications or track professional history today. The Nigerian Police today is unable to provide character certificate to childcare professionals, making it difficult to identify any criminal records or lack thereof.
  4. Government Focus – Inadequate Legislation, Funding, Training Providers and Infrastructure.
  5. Brand Image – Careers in this space are not seen as attractive or fulfilling and need to be marketed better. Childcare is a very emotive subject for parents, which means that they would be happy to pay a decent wage for qualified professionals.
How can technology help?

Childminder.ng aims to support the transformational journey required to bring Childcare in Nigeria into the 21st Century by delivering a platform (website and mobile apps) that provides the easiest, smartest, and most trusted way of hiring a childcare professional, anytime, anywhere.

Parents would be able to promote available vacancies, search for, and engage directly with the qualified pool of experienced childcare providers such as, Au pairs, Nannies, Private Tutors, Nurseries, Personal Assistants and Midwives amongst others, using our secure messaging service.

This service would deliver verification of qualified childcare professionals, hold and display relevant details such as, photos, full profiles, qualifications held, years of experience, declared criminal history and any professional references or referrals collected from current and past parents or guardians through the platform. This would not only help deliver on a value proposition, but also support any strategic aspirations the government may have in this regard.

Registered Childcare Providers would also be able to engage directly with parents seeking childcare services, institutions that provide world-class childcare related training and relevant professionals who would guide you on a path to building a fulfilling career in childcare.

Finally, the website would publish rich content and advice on child legislation, child safety, home security, children charities, reviews on children’s products and host blogs and other social commentary on issues affecting our kids today.

At the core of our values is education and care provision for children, which informs our advocacy for appropriate childcare legislation, world-class training and the development of relevant industry skills. So we hope that when we launch in March 2016, you would come for the contact and content but then stay for the network. Have a great 2016 ahead!!!!

childcare

www.childabusecouncil.on.ca

Written by: Chika Uzor

Founder & CEO @ Chayse

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Re-Imagine Wealth

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The word at Church has been to encourage the congregation to be positive in these days where the economy is struggling to find its feet, in the climate of low oil prices, devaluation of the Naira, depressed stock market, high unemployment etc. For many people it is hard to believe the message that we keep hearing being preached which says that in spite of all we will flourish.

The anchor passage has been from Psalm 92:12 But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon”.

wealthThis is promising us that no matter the situation the godly will flourish and grow strong. The easiest way to measure flourish is usually wrong – most people will measure flourish by the amount that they have in their bank accounts.

However the message today resonated in a different way, PT advised that during the darkness and the uncertainty is the time we need our creativity the most, this is the time we need to lean on and hear from God. This is the time that we can and we must re-imagine and realise that flourishing does not only depend on your financial status. Rather to flourish is to be wealthy in all areas. Wealth is a state of mind, being wealthy is a feeling that is much more than how much money you have.

So this is the time to look beyond your bank account. You need to re-imagine what flourishing means, what areas can you re-imagine? When you are wealthy you can truly answer that you are fresh and flourishing, to say “truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord“.

Flourish

  • Reimagine your Marriage – Can you spend time on your marriage like you should? Do you remember what your picture of a happy marriage was when you shared your vows? Marriage according to Gods word is full of love, respect, understanding. Spend time cultivating your marriage. What is the use of having financial blessings and the marriage is in shambles or lacks love? Let your marriage show the love of God.
  • Re-imagine your parenting – Spend time with your children and on being a parent. Your children will not rate you by the amount of money you spent on them. Children measure love as time, so spend time with them. Get to know them, talk to them, pray with them and teach them about God’s love.
  • Re-imagine your health – You only have one body and if it is not well taken care of there is very little you can do to enjoy your wealth and to flourish. Watch what you eat, exercise, rest adequately, watch your words and your thoughts and spend time developing a healthy lifestyle. When your health is in top shape you can say you are truly flourishing.
  • Re-imagine your future – Words have power so watch what you speak and do not repeat continuously the story of doom and gloom. To be sure that you are focused on creating your wealth you have to hold on to your vision, you can only create what you have seen and dreamt. Have a plan and prophesy into your life and your future. Speak life into your family, speak life to your children and to all that matters to you. Spend time on the word of God as the word says “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33).

To flourish in this season you must reach beyond your present circumstances, you have to re-imagine and think of wealth as all areas of your life. Have an attitude of gratitude.

 

 

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Live Now For The Future!

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Preparing For The Future

 

the future

I listened to Joyce Meyer this morning and she mentioned the phrase ‘live now for the future’. It got me thinking. What do I see in my future? What am I doing/How am I living now to get that future? And then it hit me. The way I currently live may just not lead me to my dream future.

As women, we are constantly in a state of busyness. Unfortunately, busyness does not necessarily mean we are moving in the right direction or any direction at all. Before we can blink, our future is here. So, these days, I am starting to ask the real questions. Do I see financial freedom in my future? Great! Then, what am I doing right now to make it happen? Am I saving, spending and giving in the right proportion? Am I investing in the right things? We women are generally known to buy, buy and keep on buying. As a rule, let’s try to ensure that for the large part, things we buy can reap benefits when we need them.


busyness does not necessarily mean we are moving in the right direction or any direction at all.
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With each year, I tend to appreciate good health more. My dream is to be healthy and fit at sixty. I see ladies who have made and are making dramatic changes to their lifestyle. However, a number of these changes have stemmed from health scares. I admire and choose to learn from their choices, before I may be forced. I know that if I make the right choices now, it should not be too difficult in the future.

For me, gone are the days of making new year resolutions. I am at the stage where I already know the right things to do. For this reason, I am choosing this year to be deliberate. Conscious about my actions, intentional about my goals. As a friend of mine nicely put it, I am choosing to ‘pay now and play later’ with my finances and my health. I will be deliberate about living ‘now’ to earn my dream future!  [Read: Setting Family Goals]

Contributor: Toun Tunde Anjous | @TounAnjous

 

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The Power of Emotions to Build your Brand

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This Emotions Master Class Program is the first out of 3 Emotions based programs holding this year, this Emotions Master class is designed to tackle different aspects of human emotions on how to Use your Emotions to build your brand, how to understand The Power of Psychological & Emotional Branding with a perspective on the future of personal and corporate branding.

Emotions Brand MasterClass

We will also dive into Women and their Emotions – A liability or an asset, and finally what are Deadly Emotions and how to overcome them. This course is applicable to anyone who wants to build their brand and wants to harness emotions.

Each of the aspects will be handled by experienced and well sought speakers with vast knowledge on this topics. At the end of each Speaker’s talk there with be a Q&A session.

After every speaker’s presentation and Q&A sessions there will be a 2-3 hours of hands on group & one on one therapy sessions for people with emotional issues which will be handled by a team of certified life Coaches and Therapists.

The Speakers will all focus on different areas Lanre Olusola, life coach will be speaking on the issue of mastering “Deadly Emotions”, Charles O’Tudor, Brand specialist will speak on “Your Emotions and your Brand”, Dakore Akande, actress will speak on “Using your Emotions”, Osayi Alile on”Women and their Emotions”. The event will be moderated by Steve Harris, Life Design and Business Strategist.

LagosMums is a strategic partner and will be offering all attendees who sign up via LagosMums a 10% discount off the full fee of N15,000 to get this discount send an email to contactus@lagosmums.com for details.

The event will hold at The Civic Center on February 27th 2016 starting at 10am.

steve harris

Account Details for payment 0046488619 Access Bank. Specify Emotions BrandMasterClass – LagosMums (please send email with evidence of payment N13,500 (with the 10% LagosMums discount applied to contactus@lagosmums.com to ensure registration for the event and access)

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The Making of a Genius

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My life was radically changed when I read a book titled “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell. This book is a must read for every parent.

We all have an illusion that geniuses are born that way. We believe that some are born with a greater IQ than the others and that makes them better than their peers. I believe that some people have higher IQs, but I don’t believe that’s all you need to succeed. Malcom Gladwell in his book highlights how culture, family, generation we are born and our upbringing affect how we eventually turn out.Genius

He explains that if you put two children, one with a very high IQ and another child with an average IQ in two separate scenarios. If the child with the high IQ is not nurtured or motivated or stimulated, the high IQ in him is useless, he doesn’t end up being great. But this child with an average IQ, if he is nurtured in the right environment, surrounded with teachers, motivated and stimulated, he ends up being greater in life than the person with the high IQ.

I also learnt the 10,000 hour principle. It simply means that those who are the master of anything have spent at least 10,000 hours practicing or applying themselves to that art.

What am I saying? Geniuses are not born, they are made. Your child can be a genius. The mistakes parents make at first is not even taking time to study their children and realize what their unique gifting are. When you realize that, it is your responsibility to harness that gift until they are the absolute best in it. It is up to you to discover your child’s unique learning pattern and work with them to achieve the very best for their lives.

The Asians grow rice and it’s a tedious process. They are awake a long while before dawn out on the farm. There’s a Chinese proverb that says that ‘No one who wakes a long while before dawn will have his family go hungry.” Rice planting, because of its tedious nature makes the Asians a tenacious people. They don’t have the luxury of three months summer holiday. Their children are in school almost all year. Is it surprising then, that they are good at math, a subject that requires tenacity and endurance? Their culture naturally endows them with that attribute.

But, I can’t change Nigeria’s school calendar or move to Japan, because I want that trait in my child. I can however cultivate it in my children from an early age. A simple example; my son takes his time to assimilate information. He can be a bit laid back but when he gets it, it sticks for life. I found out that being laid back could transcend to laziness. So, I began to apply the principle of tenacity. I stopped letting him go so easily and started working on the principle of endurance. He had to learn to sit at something until he got it. He could take a break but he had to come back till he got it. Guess what? It worked. He feels so good when he gets it that he wants to do it all over again. He’s learning not to give up.

I’m simply saying that we are letting our children go too easily. Children should be allowed to be children, but the earlier they learn about hard work, diligence, practice, endurance and perseverance, the better for all involved. No true star gets away without practice; singers, football players, tennis players, mathematicians, business people. Truly great people have mastered these attributes.

There’s a genius in every child. Your duty as a parent is to harness that seed so that your child can be truly great.

Contributed by Sola Agudah

Photo Source: nydailynews

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Note to Parents: Artists Are Not Your Child’s Role Model

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Who Said Artists are your Child’s Role Model?

The news has recently been filled with reactions to a mum sharing a video of her daughter’s dancing. The girl was clad in skimpy clothing not appropriate at her age (or perhaps for any age), the music she was dancing to and the dance moves she was displaying were really not age appropriate at all. However Mum was sharing these videos and pictures proudly with the #cute tag.

Kids dont twerk

A day later I came across an article which was an open letter to Nigerian artists. The article was referring to the recent outbursts and social media disses that have been going on between specific artists. The message of the article was to caution the artists to think about their image and their brand.

This is not new, news about artists misbehaving – sometimes frankly these actions go on to help them sell more CD’s and increase their image as a “Bad boy” or “real out of Ojuelegba homie” or whatever their image goals might be.

The article went ahead to note that these artists are role models to children and therefore artists should keep this in mind as they portray themselves in public.

This is where I thought wait hold up! Unless an artist has told you specifically that he or she sees themselves as a role model for children I am not sure anyone is allowed to give them this responsibility.


A role model is a person whose behaviour or success can be emulated by younger people.
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Let us remember that the artists are trying to sell records and music to a world that has been conditioned for certain types of lyrics and videos. I recall watching a show on TV where a famous artist known for all sorts of over the top actions and suggestive dance moves said “her audience is not children and she is not the parent of the children being allowed to watch her videos or listen to her music”. I appreciated her honesty and that was the day I got stricter on how much influence I allow certain artists to have on my children.

Dancing

 

Parents the job of parenting is yours and yours alone. If your child thinks that it is cool to swear because an artist swears, please it is not the artist fault it is yours. If your child gets encouraged to wear skimpy clothes and dance in suggestive ways, it is not the artists fault it is your fault. The artist is not the one at the birthday parties playing obviously “adult” songs and cheering the gyrating primary school aged child on the dance floor. If your child thinks it is okay to have many baby mamas, it is not the artists fault. Perhaps no one took the time to explain this is not right?

So please let us separate the artists job from that position as role model that you give to them with respect to raising your child. There are some positive stories that we can pull out from the lives of the artists if we really wanted to like perseverance, great voices etc. However do not give them a role in parenting that they did not ask for.

So the next time little Ola is dancing in a lewd way at a party or at home…don’t cheer rather ask her to stop dancing like that. When you book a DJ for a party please ask him to get a songlist that is child friendly.


Do not give artists a role in parenting that they did not ask for
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In other parts of the world there are clean versions of songs available..perhaps it is time for local artists to try this? I have taken matters into my hands and request a “PG rated DJ” and create a party song list for my children so that I do not have to cringe when it plays. I encourage you to create one as well.

We can only change the system when we demand different as a group, then it is easier to make a change.

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Meal Timetable for the Family

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A LagosMums needs help as she tries to put together a time-table for her family, herself, husband and little child. She is stuck and needs some help to complete her healthy timetable for the family.

She (Menuastic) decided to prepare a meal timetable for her family comprising hubby, 2 year old and herself. As she said “I thought it was a brilliant idea and it should be relatively easy, afterall, I knew what I wanted  – a well balanced meal timetable that was delicious and nutritious comprising of both African and non-African dishes’.

But Alas, she started and realised that it was actually a lot more difficult than she had anticipated. Wanting to create a timetable for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a week. Breakfast was not too difficult but having to think of different meals for lunch and dinner was another story. (Note she did not want rice to feature more than once a week – trying to cut down).

Apart from drawing a blank after day 3, she felt that the choices in Lagos are limited? She wanted a variety at affordable prices and easy to prepare meals as she has no cook, has only a nanny and works 8am – 6pm, Monday to Friday. This sounds like a lot of LagosMums!

So what do people eat at home? Is anyone willing to share their meal timetable?

Many mums feels this way or are bored and feel that they eat rice everyday and get bored easily. Here is a sample meal timetable list….

Sample Meal Timetable
Day Lunch (12 – 1.30pm) Dinner (4.30 – 6.30pm)
1 Rice and Stew Chicken and chips
2 Noodles with mixed vegetables and sausage Amala + Ewedu/Ila
3 Fried plantain + stew sweet potato and sauce
4 Pasta and sauce Pounded yam + stew/Green salad with fish or chicken
5 Sandwich (with sardines/titus and boiled egg) CousCous and sauce / Asaro/Rice and stew

Meal TimeTable

Click here to download a free meal timetable by LagosMums that helps you get an idea on how to incorporate healthy eating into your child’s timetable and for the whole family. 

Please provide your name and email address for your free download.


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