Quantcast
Channel: LagosMums
Viewing all 3156 articles
Browse latest View live

Celebrating Children’s Day

0
0

Celebrating children’s day I am mentioning somethings that Children will not experience today ….

1)   Seeing the colorful bars on the television screen waiting till 4pm for the programs to start airing

2)   Recording songs on cassettes and using a Walkman

3)   Watching films on VHS tapes in VHS video players

4)   Playing outside on grass and riding bycicles to friends houses

5)   Waiting for a dial tone to make a phone call and using analog phones

6)   Taking a guess at which picture you want to print from the negatives on the camera

7)   Playing games like  “name – place – animal – thing” and Ten-Ten

8)   Eating snacks like yum yum and Samco juice

9)   Non use of computers and non-existence of google.

Origin of Children’s Day

In August 1925, some 54 representatives from different countries gathered together in Geneva, Switzerland to convene the first “World Conference for the Well being of Children”, during which the “Geneva Declaration Protecting Children” was passed. The proclamation made a strong appeal for the spiritual needs of children, relief for children in poverty, prevention of child labor, reassessing the way that children are educated and other issues related to the welfare of children around the world.

After the conference, various governments around the world designated a day, different in each country, as Children’s Day, to encourage and bring joy to children as well as to draw the attention of society to children’s issues. Universal Children’s Day is on November 20. First proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1954, it was established to encourage all countries to institute a day, firstly to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children and secondly to initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world’s children. Different countries have picked different days to celebrate their children’s day.

Happy Children’s Day


Summer Programs Lagos 2013

0
0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Schedule  (from july 15th to August 23 th | 10.00am – 2.00pm)

2 weeks                                    N 30,000.00

4 weeks                                    N 40,000.00

6 weeks                                    N 75,000.00

Bus Service:                          N 10,000/week

Late pick up :                       N  2,000/hour

ACTIVITIES

  • Languages – French, Spanish, Igbo, Yoruba
  • Karate
  • Swimming
  • Dance (Hi-hop, Ballet, Jazz)
  • Musical Magic (Voice training, Violin, Recorder, Guitar, Piano, Keyboard)
  • Reading
  • Language Arts
  • Creative Writing & Expression
  • Math & Numeracy
  • Chess
  • Scrabble
  • Lego
  • Arts & Craft
  • Baking
  • Movie Time

Do you use these excuses for your child’s bad behavior?

0
0

Though the specifics may differ from time to time, these are ten of the most basic excuses parents make when their children behave badly.

  1. “He’s Gifted” – Attributing bad behavior to an enhanced intellectual capacity is a common excuse for some parents, ostensibly because it’s easier to believe that a gifted child is acting out as a result of his intelligence rather than a lack of discipline.
  2. “She’s Just Bored” – Blaming a lack of stimulation for kids’ misbehavior is a go-to excuse for some parents, especially when children are in the company of adults and stripped of their favorite diversions. Shifting the blame away from a badly-behaved child and placing it on adults that have somehow failed to provide sufficient entertainment is often seen as an acceptable reaction, because it implies that the child’s behavior is not the fault of a parent or the child herself.
  3. “He’s Not Feeling Well” – Attributing a temper tantrum or severe acting out to an illness or general malaise can seem like an iron-clad excuse. After all, who isn’t cranky when they’re feeling under the weather?
  4. “It’s Not Her Fault” – Some parents will grasp at any available straw in order to place the blame for bad behavior at the feet of another. Desperate parents will ascribe responsibility to anyone other than the child or their parenting tactics, preferring instead to paint another as the culprit.
  5. “He Has ADD” – Attention Deficit Disorder is a very real affliction, and it can make behaving difficult for children that suffer from it. Still, it’s also a very convenient scapegoat when kids are particularly difficult, and one that an embarrassed parent might prefer to blame.
  6. “She’s Just a Kid” – More permissive parenting styles allow kids to behave in any manner they see fit, asserting that their little one is “just a child” who shouldn’t be held responsible for a refusal to follow the rules.
  7. “I Don’t Want to Be the Bad Guy” – An aversion to being the strong disciplinarian is far from uncommon. In some cases, these parents will readily admit to their reluctance to set and enforce clear boundaries.
  8. “I Want Her Childhood to be Better Than Mine” – When an adult who was raised in a particularly strict, overly-authoritarian household starts a family, a determination to avoid those restrictive rules and oppressive environments they encountered can move them in a completely different direction.
  9. “He’s a Picky Eater” – Kids aren’t always known for their adventurous palates, but there are those that will throw terrible tantrums if they’re presented with food that’s unfamiliar to them. Falling back on the justification that their child is simply “picky” can feel like a reasonable excuse, though the tantrum itself tends to be an indicator of an overall lack of discipline.
  10. “Boys Will Be Boys” – The rambunctious antics of young boys are often unfairly dismissed with a comment about boys being boys, as it’s socially accepted in some circles for boys to misbehave on principal in ways that little girls should not.

It’s important for parents to understand the vast difference between sticking up for a child that’s been wrongly accused of something and making excuses in an attempt to justify misbehavior. Making those excuses only passes along the message to kids that it’s okay to make bad choices, as long as they have an excuse for that behavior and can explain it away. Though it’s far more difficult to acknowledge bad behavior for what it is and insist that a child accept responsibility for his actions, it will pay off in the long run.

source: parttimenanny

Over-Parenting Can Do More Harm Than Not Enough

0
0

Everyone agrees that it’s a crime to neglect a child. That’s a no brainer. What we’ve failed to see for two decades is that over-parenting — not under-parenting — can do even more harm.

Psychologists have found that a kid without an attentive parent can be emotionally damaged — but soon discover they must find a way to fend for themselves. Children from over-parented homes can just plain fail to develop at all.

The Bully Issue

Dieter Wolke, Ph.D, Professor of Developmental Psychology at The University of Warwick Medical School in the UK, and lead author of this study, gives a practical example of how this plays out: “Overprotection by parents can increase the risk a child will be bullied.” According to the study published last week in Child Abuse & Neglect, researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 70 studies on more than 200,000 children. “Since parental support and supervision are important aspects to prevent bullying, the researchers were particularly surprised to find that over-protective parenting can have adverse effects on children. Parents who try too hard to buffer their children from harm, they assessed, can actually hurt them.”

The goal of parenting, Dr. Wolke suggests, is to make children competent, self-regulating, and effective people. “Children need to deal with various forms of stress in mild doses — like an inoculation that helps the body to fight a real infection by having built antibodies. Similarly, children do need to experience some conflict to learn how to deal with larger problems, such as bullying.”

Five Action Steps

So, what’s the answer? Either extreme — abandonment or abundance — is wrong. So how do we nurture young people, but not over-do it? The parents and teachers I know who equip students to handle bullying and other difficulties on campus practice the following action steps:

1. Teach your kids problem solving skills.

Instead of conditioning our young people to “depend on parents” to fix what’s wrong, why not cultivate a “problem-solving bias” in them, to understand and resolve their problems — whether it’s a low test score, a bully on the bus, or a deadline they can’t meet. This builds a can-do attitude in them, a resilient spirit as they encounter challenges and it prepares them for life.

2. Discuss the art of negotiation.

Much of life is about negotiating conflict with others and resolving it with a win/win solution or a compromise. I’ve spent years talking to my son, Jonathan, about negotiating conflict with difficult peers when they disagreed or with teachers when an assignment seemed impossible. This deepens their logic, empathy and ability to communicate. It’s a skill they will use the rest of their lives.

3. Build emotional intelligence in your kids.

EQ, not IQ, is the greatest predictor of success for young people, both as students and later as graduates. Emotional intelligence enables a person to be self-aware; to manage their own emotions; to be socially aware (how are people connected or disconnected with each other) and to manage relationships. When we build healthy EQ in our kids, we prepare them to be more resilient. (Note: we’re currently creating two new books called Habitudes andEmotional Intelligence).

4. Help them set and manage expectations.

I believe that much of life is about setting and managing healthy, realistic expectations. Kids become unhealthy when they just can’t seem to navigate what to expect (or feel entitled to) and the reality they face. For example, while we wish everyone was kind and empathetic, even grown adults can be… uh, well, immature. Prepare your kids for hardship; tell them life can be tough. It’s normal.

5. Don’t do it for them.

Whatever you do, as your kids grow older, move from “doing it for them” to “helping them learn to do it themselves.” Don’t give them a fish; teach them to fish. By age 10, when they can’t finish a project or meet a deadline, or make a practice, have them call their teacher or coach. Teach them to apologize for mistakes. If need be, go to the teacher with them, even hold their hand, but have them do the talking. It works.

source: Tim Elmore Huffington post
photo source: 2point5kids.com

Parenting Outsourced guide for LagosMums

0
0

I am sure if you are asked if you love your children? You will answer “Yes of course”

So that’s what I thought when we were asked that at a parenting conference I attended recently titled “Parenting Outsourced”. The speaker went on to ask us how much of our parenting we are outsourcing? How much of our parenting responsibilities have we handed and transferred over to someone else? Outsourcing and transferring responsibility are two very different things though several times we make it one and the same thing.

As parents it is not realistic to expect that we can do everything for our children and also care for all aspects of the home without some assistance. This can be based on a combination of factors such as time constraints, personal likes and preferences, other demands etc.  Pastor J gave a good example about how when she got married she and her husband agreed to save up for a washing machine because she didn’t like to wash. She was able to then spend her time doing the things that she likes to do and probably that she is better at than washing (lets remember that as wives and mothers we are measured by more than just tasks and chores in the house).

On the parenting side, though we can outsource domestic chores like housekeeping, cooking and washing there are certain responsibilities that come along with being a parent to our children we cannot outsource just as there are certain aspects of taking care of our spouses needs we would not dream of outsourcing.

Children are our responsibility, entrusted to us by God to train them in the way they should go so that when they grow up they will not depart. Though we can get help and outsource certain parts of our parenting responsibilities, we are still responsible for how our children turn out. The staff we hire to care for our children will not stay with your children nor your family forever so it is imperative we keep this in mind.

I think this mindset really should guard the way we look at how we make decisions to outsource different tasks that need to get done. We need to determine -

  • What tasks are you outsourcing
  • Why are you outsourcing
  • Who would you like to outsource to
  • What characteristics do you require
  • How to measure the outsourcing relationship.

Theses are easier to deal with and measure when you have a vision for your family and how you expect your children to turn out.

What tasks are you outsourcing? Domestic chores like cooking, grocery shopping, cleaning? laundry? Other things like driving, teaching the children a sport or language? Decide what you are outsourcing and make sure not to over-burden anyone person. A person who is hired to be a full time nanny and also required to do all the grocery shopping, cooking and laundry will most likely come up short on the most important role she is in your house to play – tending your child. Find smart ways to manage all the demands, for example instead of going to the market every week you can shop in bulk, you can also make use of the services that do grocery shopping for you. If you can afford it then hire someone to do housework and someone else to take care of children.

Why are you outsourcing? Lack of time? Inability to play the role or work demands? Or you want to have time to play the role of wife and mother and spend more quality time with your family? You should know why you are outsourcing. There are certain things you would not consider outsourcing such as breastfeeding or being a spouse.

Who would you like to outsource to? This is where you need to take sometime to think about what type of person you want? Is it a professional nurse, older woman, relative, professional cook? educated person who can read and write? You must think about this aspect and determine who you want. You should not have an illiterate administer medicines to young children where she cannot read the instructions. If it is an older nanny you hire ensure that she is agile enough to play with very young and energetic toddlers.

What characteristics do you require? When you do a proper criteria of what type of assistance you want it then helps you determine the characteristics required. E.g. the type of person you require for a baby might be very different from the type of person you need for a school aged child. Measure the amount of time you have to hand hold or supervise the domestic staff you get. If you have very little time to supervise because you have a full time job you might want to be sure that you get someone who has vast experience caring for children (specific to your household).

How to measure the outsourcing relationship? If you are in an office you would give reviews and provide feedback to the staff you have hired. Some offices also do a 360 degree feedback where employees are required to give reviews on their bosses. I think it is important to review your domestic staff. Start by making it clear what is expected from them when they are hired and be sure to give feedback and adjust as necessary. If you expect them to use a washing machine show them how to use it, don’t assume she knows. Your nanny might be good with children but bad at making egusi, it doesn’t mean you should scream at her if she cannot cook egusi. You have a couple of options here, either you teach her how to make it, you get someone who can make it well or you make it yourself. If it is not working out by all means look for someone else who can fit what you require.  You should also do your part, have you promised to let her take time off twice a month but then you change on her and deny her time off? Then you cannot expect her to trust you and give you her best. My motto is everyone has different strengths and therefore there should be no shouting rather ensure you are working together as a team.

Lets outsource but remember to work as a team and remember that you are the parenting responsibility still lies with you. If you cannot treat your domestic staff with respect then they should not be working with you. They have rights and they are taking care of your most prized possessions your children.

Diary Adventures of LagosMums: The case of the tooth fairy

0
0

Where did the tooth fairy originate? Have you ever thought about it?

We had a case of our first tooth loss and immediately after, Tam immediately asked when the tooth fairy will come by and place some money under her pillow.

I suddenly realized that I did not want to encourage the idea of the tooth fairy. I had not really thought about how or what I felt about the tooth fairy till I was asked by Tam so matter of factly about it. I had to quickly think if I was happy to bring the tooth fairy to our house every time a milk tooth made its exit. Was I being too tough? Is it one of those childhood beliefs that would harm her if I didn’t follow this myth about the tooth fairy. I had thought we could simply Thank God that she is developing well and that her tooth is falling off when expected. Perhaps take pictures of before and after and wait to see when the adult tooth will grow to replace the gap. Mind you all this was going through my mind while she had an expectant look on her face waiting for my answer about when the tooth fairy was coming.

You know there are some parenting moments you just cannot plan for! Who would ever read in a “what to expect” book about what your beliefs about the tooth fairy is? Anyway facing her inquisitive face and expectant look I decided to just go for it.

I told her there is no tooth fairy coming, we should be happy her tooth has fallen off because this means that she is a big girl and that a new tooth will be coming in soon. She still did not look totally convinced and asked “so no one is coming?” I said the tooth angel who is in charge of teeth knows that her first tooth has fallen off and will let God know. She finally seemed content with that explanation and asked rhetorically whether she would see the angel when it comes. At this point I kind of muttered something and changed the topic.

After reading about the origins of the tooth fairy I am happy we got rid of the idea of the tooth fairy relatively quickly and easily.  The origin of the tooth fairy started from rituals and superstition that suggested that if a witch got hold of a fallen tooth, a curse could be placed on the child. So the tooth was hidden to ensure that this would not happen, this eventually morphed into hiding teeth under pillows. Another link I read claimed that research found that belief in the tooth fairy may provide comfort to a child experiencing fear or pain resulting from the loss of a tooth. This is funny to me because I think we should just tell the child the truth. Afterall on average a child loosing his or her tooth is about 5 years old and is pretty aware enough to understand that the loss of the tooth allows adult teeth to grow. Most children are happy to understand that they are growing up and becoming big girls and boys.

As parents we really have to try and understand the root of what we are taking from the world and passing on to our children.

By Ywee

photo source: tumblr.com

Blogging for Beginners: Parent Edition

0
0

Just like having kids, when you first start out with a blog you are lost. It is just a fact of life. Unless you have had a blog before you have little to no idea of what you are really doing. In fact you can read as many blogs as you want to before you start blogging and you will still not have any real idea of what you are getting into. Here are some tips for first time blogging parents:

  1. Get started – If you wait around for the perfect time or until you figure out everything you need to know before you start up your blog then you will be waiting forever. The best way to learn what you need to know about blogging is by blogging. You just have to get started. I know, you are worried you will mess something up. Well, you are probably right. You will make mistakes and do some things wrong. The good thing is that most mistakes are best made at the beginning, so now is the time to screw things up. But you may be surprised. Blogging is easier than you think and you may jump into it successfully, like a duck to water. You will never know, though, if you do not get started.
  2. Pick the right platform – The blogging platform you pick will determine how and what you blog. I know, it seems like any of them will do, but that is just not true. If you pick Tumblr you will end up doing mostly photos or videos. If you pick WordPress or Blogger you will end up with more text. It is just the way they work. You have to play to your audience and your audience varies on different sites. Personally, I like WordPress best because it is easy to use and customize, but that is really up to you. There are even more technical and less well known platforms out there so do not think you are confined to just the ones I mentioned. If you are a techie sort you can find all sorts of cool platforms that might be just the right kind for your blog.
  3. Pick a topic you are passionate about – You need a niche. Now, that does not mean you have to talk about the same thing in every blog post, but it does mean that you focus in on one aspect of something. It may be kids, it may be music, or it may be gadgets. Whatever you pick, make sure you love it. If you do not love what you are writing about then you will not be successful. Why? Because readers know how you feel about a subject. If you are just dialing it in then they will go elsewhere. Passion comes through on the page, so make sure you love your blog topic.
  4. Pick a good name – There are a lot of blog names out there that are forgettable. Do not pick one with numbers or random latters. Try to avoid dashes. Try to pick something that is memorable for your users. Charlie143 is not memorable. DeathRock is. Make sure you know your blog topic before you pick your blog URL and name, okay? You do not want a blog called DeathRock if you are talking about flowers, nor do you want one called ButterflyKisses if you are talking about car tires. Make sure it fits and is easy to remember.
  5. Title accurately – The thing about blog posts is that the title is everything. That is the very first thing a potential reader is going to see. Your best bet is to make titles catchy. Use name recognition to get people in and make it twisted so they stay interested. I would read something titled ‘Ten Healthy Snacks Scooby Doo Would Love’ before I would ever click on one called ‘Healthy Snacks’. Get it? Good. The point is to not only catch people’s attention with the titles but make sure the titles fit the blog post. Readers hate to be tricked into clicking something. If you can’t write on it then do not use that title.
  6. Keep it short – Short and sweet is the name of the game. No one wants to scroll through pages of text when they get on your blog, so do not post long blog entries. Instead, break a long post into a series of posts. The rule of thumb is that if you can’t summarize your blog post into two sentences or less it is too long. Keep posts under two thousand words for best results. You should also break up your paragraphs into short ones of around three sentences each. This helps to keep readers from getting overwhelmed by text. Another great way to keep readers from tuning out of a longer post is to break it up by using headers. A header is a simple thing for anyone to add, and even a basic html program can bold a header to make it stand out from the rest of the text. Make sure you make the headers short, useful and informative.
  7. Lists are great – In the same vein as the last point, and fitting with this post, lists are a great way to get and keep reader’s attention. The thing about lists that people like is that they can be scanned easily and you automatically know how long the post will be. A list of five things is short; a list of seventy five things is long. You can get your mind set before you ever click on the post and you will be ready to skim or sit down for a spell. This ability to help readers get an immediate grasp on length and also be able to quickly see if the list is applicable for their needs makes list posts more likely to be read then nearly any other type of post.
  8. Use images – People are overwhelmingly visual. It is just a fact. When anyone sees a picture it catches their eyes before any text does. This means you have an opportunity to grab readers’ attention long before they read anything, even your title. If you can add a funny, cute, weird, or beautiful image to your blog posts then you have a jump on everyone without a picture. Do not worry; there are plenty of places you can get free images that anyone can use if you do not want to post personal pictures. Flicker is one place for amateur photos, but even professional stock photos are available for free on sites like freedigitalphotos.com and whoopy.com. Adding an image is a fast and easy way to make your blog posts stand out.
  9. Edit later – When you are posting on a blog all the time it can get a little frustrating. You get burned out and feel like you have nothing left to write. Do not let that get you down. The easiest way to get over writer’s block is to just write. Spill your guts out on the page and do not worry about what, exactly, it is you are writing. When you are done you can come back and edit it, make it flow, or cut out parts you do not like. This way you are getting something done even if you do not feel very productive.

These are just a few of the ways a parent blogger can be successful right off the bat. There are many more hints for successful blogging I could give you, like tagging your posts and becoming a part of the blogging community, but I think this article has gone on for long enough. Some things you will just have to figure out on your own. Remember to have fun and love what you write or do not bother to blog at all.

Author Bio:

Ken holds a master’s in business leadership from Upper Iowa University and multiple bachelor degrees from Grand View College.  As president of  morningsidenannies.com, Ken’s focus is helping Houston-based parents find the right childcare provider for their family. When he isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his three children and his wife.

photo source: mumables.com

5 Myths many first time mums believe

0
0

Few experiences in life are as rewarding and as exciting as becoming a new mom for the first time. It’s also an incredibly mysterious time, as every bit of advice, both solicited and unsolicited, seems to contradict the next. Much of parenting is based upon your own personal style and philosophies, but there are also a few widespread parenting myths that are so accepted amongst new and old moms alike that they’re rarely questioned. Before you start worrying about your performance as a parent or concerning yourself with things that simply aren’t happening, it’s best to apprise yourself of old wives’ tales that have little merit.

  • Your “Motherly Instincts” Will Kick Right In – Many an expectant mother has been reassured by the people around her that the bewilderment she feels will somehow magically disappear the moment a newborn is placed in her arms. The truth of the matter is that you will probably leave the hospital only marginally more comfortable than you were before you went in, and that you will almost certainly never feel like you have all the answers. Very few moms are “instinctively” able to decipher every whimper or cry their babies make, so don’t beat yourself up if these promises don’t come true. Just like most things in life, true expertise comes with experience, not as a result of sudden knowledge imparted by postpartum hormonal changes.
  • You’ll Just Know How to Breastfeed – Yes, breastfeeding is the most natural and healthy way to feed your new baby. That being said, it’s also one of those things that people swear will come effortlessly to a new mother despite the fact that it’s simply not true. There’s a reason why lactation consultants, dedicated support groups and blogs exist solely to cater to breastfeeding assistance: it’s not always so easy! Your baby may have trouble latching, you may need coaching on proper positioning and it may still not work out in your favor. You haven’t failed if your plans to breastfeed don’t come to fruition, and it’s not a sign that your maternal instincts are somehow lacking.
  • Your Baby Will be the Most Beautiful Thing You’ve Ever Seen – When you look at your baby for the first time, you may be completely besotted. That doesn’t mean, however, that she’ll necessarily be beautiful. Birth is difficult business, and it often shows when a baby’s brand new. She may be discolored, she may have a misshapen head from a rough delivery and she may even have acne.
  • You’ll Have Your Old Body Back in No Time – Creating a person takes a toll on your body, and it will show after the birth. Everything from breastfeeding to a scheduled cesarean section is said to be the solution to losing baby weight and getting back into shape quickly, but the truth is that every human body is different. Your best friend might snap back from pregnancy in no time, and you may still be struggling to get back to your old body when your little one starts elementary school. In all likelihood, you’ll never look exactly the way you did before you became pregnant, and it’s not necessarily a reflection on your level of discipline or the amount of effort you’ve put in to losing weight.
  • It’s Just the “Baby Blues” – Postpartum depression is a very real and potentially debilitating condition, and even though it’s openly discussed by celebrity moms and parenting experts, many new moms still believe that what they’re feeling is a simple case of the “baby blues.” Knowing the difference between hormonally-charged mood shifts and bona fide postpartum depression isn’t always easy, which is why it’s important to discuss any concerns you’re feeling with a medical professional.

Make sure that you address any questions or worries that you have about parenting advice you’ve received with your baby’s pediatrician or your obstetrician before starting to panic. More often than not, they’ll be able to debunk a myth quickly and authoritatively, leaving you reassured and better informed than you were when you arrived.

source: newborncare.com


ITS SUMMER AGAIN!!! DUBAI SUMMER DEAL

0
0

Summer in Dubai

Dubai All Inclusive Deal from N195k, Gambia All Inclusive Deal from N200k, Zanzibar All Inclusive Deals from N260k. Contact Africholidays today: BB Pin: 29C254FD, 07065843411, 08024324691 for more information. Mention you saw it on LagosMums for a special discount.

Red Light in my Sanctuary

0
0

by Tracy Nneka Osokolo

Tracy Nneka Osokolo is the author of “Red Pepper and English Tea” – ANBUKRAFT Award Winner for Best New Fiction. She was a Resident Writer at the London 2012 Olympics Festival at the Southbank Centre.

How is it possible for your children to have a life different from yours? I mean, in the first decade of their life till they are about 15 years old and done with secondary school, you kind of control what they wear, where they go, what they eat and even who they are friends with. I know I am different but I don’t know if I am happy enough with that difference to allow Fiona endorse it in her life. Since I got married and became her mother I became a hermit, personally and professionally. I realised that many people who knew me liked me for the same reasons that they eventually hated me. From afar I had a glorious portfolio and resplendent personality that they admired well enough to experience. When up front and personal with me, they became shadowed in my sunshine and hated how it made them feel. For peace’s sake, I keep everyone across the ledge and the only people I socialize with are my parents and my clients. Simple!

Fiona is growing and for every new dress I buy her at PEP, I know it means she’d need play dates and sleep overs sooner than I think. I have watched our neighbours for a while and we do keep it civil with the hellos and neighbourhood projects. I don’t reply any wife’s text message and I pretend that they have hit a wrong number each time they dial. When outside, my smile is the widest and I make sure that I send over a Chocolate cake to each family at Christmas.

I’d feel uncomfortable if their friendship invaded my home and emotional sanctuary so I don’t encourage myself or Fiona to go out for a stroll. I stay in when I don’t have to go out and it suits me just fine. However, I’m not sure it suits Fiona’s development so fine. When I Googled, I learnt that she needs friends to enrich her experience of life and to give her a fulfilling childhood. All the Parks in Festac are unoccupied by middle class children nowadays so the only friends that I can trust for her are in school. But that’s not good enough because Apapa is too far from Festac. She needs friends that are healthy for her and near enough for me to walk to their home.

The neighbours should be an option but I would have to learn how to fraternize with them all over again if I picked them. I mean, I can’t keep her locked in forever. She needs the world and its bullshit now so that when she is my age she can choose to either be a hermit or a socialite. This is a decision she can only make when she has had a taste of both sides of the fence, just like I did. My neighbours fit the profile because I haven’t heard that any of them broke the law, did drugs or 419. Their kids are well-spoken, seem properly behaved, attend very good private schools and they take a trip abroad every now and then to broaden their vista, just like Fiona does. I know this is the right step for her, but how am I supposed to convince myself to become friends with people who I don’t want in my private space so that their children can be in my daughter’s private space? Are they really necessary for her social and psychological development?

Is your baby getting the right nutrition?

Don’t Make Your Children the Exception to Every Rule

0
0

By LISA DAMOUR

While teaching at a Midwestern university about 15 years ago, I came across a clear case of plagiarism in a student paper. I invited the young woman who had turned in the paper to meet with me to discuss the university’s policies on plagiarism and my concerns about her work. The meeting was pleasant enough until I turned my attention to her paper. She promptly soured, grabbed her bag, left my office and could hardly have been out of the building before my desk phone rang. It was her father, calling from New York, threatening legal action.

This story is distasteful from a number of obvious standpoints: the student’s refusal to acknowledge wrongdoing, the father’s blind defense of his daughter’s “innocence” and the reflexive effort to abuse power and privilege to avoid fair consequences. There is also something deeper here that unsettles me as a psychologist focused on parenting and as a parent myself. In rushing to the rescue, the father was most likely undermining what he was aiming to protect: his daughter’s future well-being.

Research on well-being – the outcome closest to happiness that psychologists will promise – centers on three core factors: health, relationships and a sense of mastery in one’s chosen pursuits. In other words, “happy” adults enjoy good emotional and physical health, have relationships that make their lives better (not worse), and have a sense of competence and control in their endeavors.

When we look at the research on the childhood precursors of adult well-being – the traits we see in children who go on to become happy adults – we find that the driving factor is childhood conscientiousness, not childhood happiness. Children who are industrious, orderly and have good self-control are more likely than their careless or undisciplined peers to grow into happy adults.

Like the father on the other end of the phone, none of us want our children to be unhappy, and we all hope our children will grow to be adults who enjoy an abundance of well-being. It turns out that adult happiness doesn’t arise from parents bending the rules to a child’s advantage; it comes from children learning the rules and conforming to them.

As with many findings in academic psychology, the connection between childhood conscientiousness and adult well-being simply proves common sense. Conscientious people enjoy better health as adults because they chose long-term payoffs over short-term gratifications. Most conscientious people would prefer a cheeseburger to a trip to the gym, but they know that – genetic factors aside – heart disease doesn’t care who your parents are.

In their relationships, conscientious people are unlikely to lie and cheat or, presumably, put up with that behavior in their friends and lovers. When it comes to having a feeling of mastery in one’s endeavors – whether one chooses to be a homemaker or a homebuilder – conscientious people come out ahead because they do good work even when no one is looking.

Of course, people who hold economic and social power enjoy more opportunities than most to operate around the rules: to bully coaches into a lineup change, to buy their way into a school, to help secure an undeserved job. But “exceptionalism” – my term for the belief that rules or conventions are to be observed only when convenient – is not limited strictly to the wealthy or influential. All parents share the instinct to protect their children, and a subset of parents in every tax bracket can be found exercising any leverage they have to have exceptions made on behalf of their children.

We all know irresponsible or dishonest people who have ridden favors, exceptions and connections into adulthoods that seem to be pretty happy. Yet we often suspect that their joys are fleeting or superficial when compared to the contentment of adults who have earned their way, like trust funders who party away their 20s only to become depressed at 40 when they realize they will never share the professional pride of their agemates who are now reaping the rewards of two decades of early-career grunt work.

Raising conscientious children is definitely not the most fun part of parenting. If it were, we as parents would not struggle so universally to follow through on consequences, monitor chores and insist that children spend more time reading and less time playing Temple Run. As a parent, every time I dish out a “helpful reminder” (that would be what I call nagging), I am grateful for research linking childhood conscientiousness with adult well-being. My children may call it annoying, but I consider it a down payment on their future happiness.

Source: Newyorktimes

Some tips on how to cultivate a Positive Attitude

0
0

Listen to good music.

Music definitely improves your mood, and it’s a really simple thing to do.

Don’t watch television passively.

There have been studies that show that people who watch TV less are more happy: http://lifehacker.com/5095892/ha….

Which leads me to my next point:

Don’t do anything passively.

Whenever I do something, I like to ask myself if, at the end of the day, I would be content saying that I had spent time doing it. 
(This is why I block sites I find myself wasting too much time on. I enjoy them, but they’re just not worth it when I could be learning something new, or working on projects I care about.) Time is incredibly valuable.

Be aware of negativity

It’s very easy for a community that considers itself intelligent to tend towards negativity, because criticizing is seen as a signaling mechanism to indicate that you’re more intelligent than the person you corrected. I started noticing that this was irrationally frustrating me – it’s one of those things you’ll stay up all night thinking about. So I started gradually weaning myself off of these communities.

Make time to be alone.

I initially said “take time just to be alone.” I changed it because if you don’t ensure you can take a break, you’ll surely be interrupted. Being with other people is important to be happy, but I don’t include it in this list because nearly everyone finds time to talk with friends. On the other hand, spending time just with yourself is almost considered taboo. Take some time to figure out who you are.

Exercise.

This is the best way to improve your immediate happiness. Exercise provably makes you happy. Try and go on a run. You’ll hate yourself while doing it, but the gratification that you get towards the end vastly outweighs the frustration of the first few attempts. I can’t say enough good things about exercise. This isn’t just idle conjecture: HowStuffWorks “Is there a link between exercise and happiness?” Exercising is also fantastic because it gives you time alone.

Have projects.

Having a goal, and moving towards it, is a key to happiness. You have to realize though that achieving the goal is not necessarily what makes you happy – it’s the process. When I write music, I write it because writing is inherently enjoyable, not because I want to get popular (as if!).

Take time to do the things you enjoy.

That’s very general, so let me give you a good example. One of the things that has really changed my life was finding small communities centered around activities I enjoy. For instance, I like writing music, so I’m part of a community that meets up to write a song for an hour every week. I love the community. I’ve also written a song every week, 37 weeks in a row, which has gradually moved me towards larger goals and makes me feel very satisfied.

Change your definition of happiness.

Another reason I think I’m more happy than other people is because my definition of happiness is a lot more relaxed than most people’s. I don’t seek for some sort of constant euphoria; I don’t think it’s possible to live like that. My happiness is closer to stability.

Ignore things that don’t make you happy.

I get varying reactions to this one. The argument goes “if something is making you unhappy, then you should find out why and improve it, not ignore it.” If you can do that, great. But on the other hand, there’s no reason to mope about a bad score on a test. 
There’s another counterargument: perhaps you’re moping because your brain is trying to work out how to improve. In fact, this is the key purpose of depression: Depression’s Upside – NYTimes.com.

I can think of examples that go both ways. I remember, for instance, when I was debating a year or two ago and my partner and I would lose a round, I would mull over what we had done wrong for a long time. In that way, I got immensely better at debate (and public speaking in general – did you know debate has amazing effects on your public speaking ability? But now I really digress).

On the other hand, there’s no way that mulling over how dumb you were for missing that +x term on the left hand side will make you better at math. So stop worrying about it, and go practice math instead.

Find a way to measure your progress, and then measure it.

Video games are addicting for a reason: filling up an experience bar and making it to the next level is immensely satisfying. I think that it would be really cool if we could apply this concept to the real world. I put this near the bottom of the list because, unfortunately, this hasn’t been done too often in the real world — startup idea, anyone? :) So you would have to do it yourself, which is difficult when you don’t even know how much you’ve progressed.

For a while, I kept a log of the runs I had taken, and my average speed. It was really cool to see my improvement over the weeks. (Also, I was exercising. Combining the two was fantastic for boosting happiness.)

Realize that happiness is an evolutionary reward, not an objective truth.

It’s easy to see that this is correct, but this is at the bottom of the list for a reason.

Source: Quora.com

Transitioning from Summer to Back to School

0
0

You might or might not have enrolled the children in a summer camp over the summer. For children who went to summer camp the end of summer might not be as shocking since there were under a routine and structure daily. Perhaps the summer involved travel. Usually the trips abroad are filled with eating out, fast food and shopping. When they return home they can either be happy returning to amala and ewedu and back in their beds, or be wishing for yet another McDonalds hamburger. 

Perhaps the children stayed at home, enjoying the freedom of summer and play dates. They probably enjoyed having unstructured days with the ability to wake up when they felt like, watch television, napping, playing and having more time for a hobby.Whatever your children did for the summer they had nothing less than about 6 – 8 weeks out of school! Now it is time to get ready to resume school in the next couple of weeks. Below are some tips to get ready for going back to school.

Bedtime – Start adjusting bedtime little by little to get used to going to bead earlier. Perhaps make them go to bed 30mins earlier until you are back to regular bedtime.

Immunity – Start building up their immunity with lots of vegetables, fruits and vitamins. Back in school means sharing viruses with classmates, think about the runny noses. Use this time to update any vaccinations necessary.

New School Talk – If your child is starting a new school start to talk about the new school. To build interest and excitement, be sure to discuss and address any concerns your child might have. Set up a test run of driving to the school for fun and let them walk into the school and if possible their class so it is not all new on the first day at school. A discussion about the new class could also be useful, for example a child going from primary to secondary even in the same school will face some changes, and you can discuss some of these upfront.

School Needs – Go through the requirements for the new school year in terms of supplies for school. Clean old items or buy the new items they might need. For example do they need a new school bag or just need to wash the bag from last year, have they outgrown their school schools and need new ones? Start preparing for that now and order or shop for what you have to. I remember that I used the same Thermos flask for the 6 years in Secondary School but my school shoes could barely make it through one term.

Revision – No matter how light it is a good idea to spend some time to revise some school work. For older children you can let them practice material from the previous school year. For younger children you can sing nursery rhymes, review colors. The goal is to get them back into studying mode. 

Memories – Encourage the children to record what they did over the summer. Older children can write stories about their summer experiences and fill out journals. Younger children can draw pictures and talk about what they spent their summer doing. Though this is the age of digital pictures, it is always fun to print out pictures and put in a summer album (they will appreciate it when they get older).

Some websites for shopping for back to school needs are konga, jumia.

Diary Adventure of LagosMums| Summer on a Budget

0
0

This was the first summer I decided to put summer and budget in the same sentence. I decided how much I was going to spend on the children (actually DH set the maximum we should spend on each child). While setting up the excel spreadsheet I also decided to set a budget for myself and general home needs. To be honest part of the reason I setup the budget was to be able to show DH with facts how unrealistic the amount he set in place to spend on the children really was.

So summer started and I decided that after every shopping trip I would get onto my spreadsheet to track and list each item I had bought along with the cost. As a result I was able to calculate running totals for each child (and myself).

Interestingly I found that it helped me to stick to what we really needed, it helped me to keep track of what I had already bought and therefore limit buying more than we really needed. In the past by the end of the summer I could typically have forgotten that I had already bought white teeshirts for the children.

The biggest advantage was that listing and tracking everything helped me to realize when I was buying too much. Previously I was guilty of buying things and forgetting I had bought it! Now I was keeping track along the way.  No more black pants needed!

For the children I noticed that spending on their “needs” was actually very close to what DH had suggested. I cut down on buying excess underwear for the children by buying what we need for a shorter period. This is also thanks to the fact we now have (affordable) stores that I can pop into if we need more socks (thinking Max at the Mall).

After trying this once I will definitely recommend a “Summer Budget” it did help me save money and buy smartly. It reduced the occurrence of coming back after the summer and wondering why I bought so much unnecessary stuff for the children we end up giving away.

On a last note, I became a smarter shopper and also was able to keep outfits in mind, so I didn’t just buy a nice blue dress without thinking of the accessories or what other items we had that would go with it.

However I should mention the budget control and tracking was perfect for the children for their needs…budget and spending on wants not soo successful maybe I’ll master this next summer? Amen.

photo source: wral.com


Parenting Rules Broken Down (Part 1)

0
0

Contributed by Abiola Okubanjo, Director of Tiger Lily Children’s Wear.

It’s a well-known fact that babies don’t come with instruction manuals.  Even packets of peanuts give us some heads-up as to what to expect with their very informative ‘May contain peanuts’ labelling.  As parents we are entrusted with one of the most precious responsibilities in the world, yet we are expected to just get on with it with little or no guidance.  It’s a bit like buying flat packed furniture form Ikea, taking it home and seeing hundreds of pieces and a mountain of nuts and bolts in various sizes and then realising that there is no “how to assemble” instructions.  Actually, if you’ve ever had to put together an Ikea Hennes wardrobe, you’re probably thinking that the enclosed “how to assemble” instructions was more cosmetic than useful.  But I digress.

Never fear parents, because in the void where the manufacturers instructions should be, we have a host of self-styled experts, friends with children, celebrity childrearing gurus, hectoring health quangos and… mothers that ‘brought you up just fine using the old methods’.  The problem with this maelstrom of well meaning advice is that it often clouds more than clarifies and is ALWAYS in contradiction to another bit of advice that we’ve been given.

Cry to Sleep
I know this because as a Tiger Mummy, intent on getting full marks in my ‘Successful Children Project,’ I read a stupid amount of child rearing books and avidly watched celebrity experts bully parents and children alike into submission. Childcare advice is a multi-billion pound industry with an avalanche of books, magazines, and television shows competing for credibility.  You will come across the ‘Cry to Sleep’ method, the ‘Attachment Parenting’ philosophy, the ‘Norland Nanny’ way, and of course our very own Tiger Mummy’s Guide.

At this point I must point out that I haven’t made a single cent off my obviously carefully-researched and backed-up advice.  But if there are any book publishers (or TV producers) looking for the next celebrity childcare advice guru, you know where to find me.

So, in advance of the record-breaking advice book that will launch my celebrity status, here is MY take on some of the parenting rules that are out there.

Breast vs. Bottle
I can’t think if there is a single topic that causes more heartache or induces more tears with new mums than how well they are nourishing their babies – after all, surely keeping baby alive is the single most important task.  Believing fundamentally that ‘Breast is Best’ and determined to give my child this award-winning FREE formula for at least the first 6 months, I wasn’t quite prepared for the reality of breastfeeding.

It is painful.

It doesn’t come as naturally to mum and baby as the breastfeeding lobby would have us believe.  When struggling with sleep deprivation, passing baby to Daddy (or ANY pair of willing hands) for a feed is an opportunity to be grabbed.  If you have a very hungry baby or one that enjoys hanging off Mum for comfort, you don’t have a lot of time to express milk that can be stored for later.  Maternity leave, which in most countries doesn’t stretch beyond 12 weeks, renders solely breastfeeding for 12 months a utopian idea.  This leaves working mothers either wracked with guilt for hitting the bottle (the babies not the mothers!) or feeling like harried dairy cows constantly plugged into a suckling baby or a whirring breast pump (not a look that complements your tailored suit and kitten heels).  Trying to practice what you preach is further undermined by well-meaning relatives that recommend ‘topping up’ baby with formula after your laborious attempt at doing things naturally or ditching breastfeeding altogether at the first sign of trouble.

Tiger Mum’s advice: You KNOW breast is best, but if bottles and/or formula save your sanity and fill baby’s tummy, give yourself a break and do what you have to do.  And dads, this is where your ability to support your partner in the face of extreme pressure is really appreciated.  Practice saying, “Thanks for your advice Mum, but WE have decided to do it this way”.

Co-sleeping dangers
In some countries you are told that you are playing Russian roulette with your baby’s life if you keep him in bed with you throughout the night.  You are brow beaten with ‘evidence’ that link sharing a bed with your baby to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) / cot death or squashing your baby flat as a pancake.  So you find yourself staggering groggily across the hallway several times a night to dispense whatever comfort or food baby requires.  However, a few years down the line, as you interrogate other parents on their toddlers’ sleeping habits, you realise that somewhere along the line most parents gave in to nature and their baby’s need to be close to them at night.  Against the advice of the midwives and the ‘experts’, most parents co-sleep with their children at some point – and most children survive this practice intact.  Actually, in most of the rest of the world (and for many centuries) there is no question that baby will sleep in the same bed as Mum and Dad.

Tiger Mum’s advice: I think this one is the preserve of societies that have ‘evolved’ to the state where we can afford fancy nurseries and state-of-the-art Moses baskets (that rarely get used – save your money pregnant mum!).  So don’t get overly stressed about the sleeping arrangements.  As long as you’re not drunk, on drugs or overly tired (errr, EVERY mum is overly tired in the early months!) and baby isn’t over-heated, you’ll be okay.

Watch out for Part 2 of the Parenting Rules Broken Down

Holiday Parenting Styles

0
0

A survey has revealed the three types of parenting style most prevalent in 2013 – the penguin, the terrier and the lion king.

Researchers from Capri-Sun along with childcare expert Denise Robertson said the three distinct types reflect how mums and dads entertain their families during the hectic summer holidays.

First, up, the terrier. This type makes up a quarter of control-freak parents who want to squeeze in as much time with their kids as possible and try to get involved in everything they do – but often out of fear of hearing the dreading wail of ‘I’m bored!’ permeating through the house!

The penguins, meanwhile, struggle to get the work-life balance, with 34% of this type battling to get the time off work to even spend with their kids, along with more than a fifth having problems sorting childcare. And when it comes to choosing childcare, the penguins want someone they know minding their little ones.

The lion kings however take a hands off approach to entertaining their offspring throughout the summer, and believe that sometimes children just need time with their own imagination.

One in ten parents in the survey identified as lion kings, choosing to leave their children to their own devices and not stress over keeping them occupied.

Which one are you?

source: parentdish

photo source: black

WIMBIZ 2013 Annual Market Place holding September 28th & 29th, 2013

0
0

Do you own your own business??? Are you a woman who engages in manufacturing activity or provides a unique service??? If Yes, then Nigeria’s largest buying market event is here again just for you. WIMBIZ presents to you, the 2013 Market Place Event tagged Creativity Showcase holding on Saturday, September 28th and Sunday, September 29th at Harbour Point, 4 Wilmot Point Road, off Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Attracting more than 10,000 attendees, the Market Place is the single best place to promote your products and services to Nigeria’s largest buying market. This year, the event will showcase the best of Nigeria’s talent and will offers exhibitors across Nigeria and Africa the opportunity to Sell, Sample, Display and Promote product/services related to the Arts, Education, Music, Culture, Fashion and loads more.

Are you interested in exhibiting your products or services??? Call us on 0803594624908034946249 or send an email toAyomide@wimbiz.org for more information (kindly find attached the exhibitors application form and a formal flier to help publicize the event to your network).

The deadline for submission is September 12th, 2013. Amount: N60, 000 per booth for 2 days. Booth assignments are made on a first come first serve basis so hurry up and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

Roaming and your phone bill

0
0

Contributed by Mrs Nimi Akinkugbe

Cell phones have become such a major part of our existence and for most people our telephone bills have become a large monthly expense. Have you ever returned from abroad to find a shocking mobile phone bill awaiting you?  When you use your phone abroad, as soon as it is detected on a roaming partners network, expensive international roaming rates and charges kick in.

Roaming costs have tarnished the wonderful memories of many vacations, but fortunately there are practical steps you can take to stay in control of your phone bill and still stay connected with family, friends and business associates.

Know before you go. Do you know what you are being charged for? This should be a fairly obvious but it is amazing how many people take their phones abroad and do not have a clue what they are being charged to use it.

Before you leave your home country, ask your service provider about roaming fees for both phone and data use so that you have at least a rough idea of the cost of using your phone abroad. When traveling internationally, you are typically charged both for receiving as well as making calls, for sending text messages, for accessing e-mails, voice mail messages, for surfing the web and downloading videos, music, and images in the countries you are visiting.

Do you need to be able to make and receive calls? Do you really need real time internet access, or other data services on your device? Do you really need to check your e-mails on the go? This will determine how you should use your device on your trip.

There should be no charge for receiving text messages whilst you are abroad but there are significant charges to receive calls, so if you are having regular conversations with people in Nigeria, try to encourage them to make your interaction text based.

By using a web-based phone service you can keep your bills down. Service providers such as Google and Skype, offer free calling at relatively low rates on international calls. If you are travelling with your laptop, you can use Skype at any wireless hotspot or from your hotel room.

Be careful of your voice mail. Even if you are careful with your mobile phone use whilst you are abroad, and avoid making unnecessary calls, did you know that if someone leaves a message on your voicemail, you are billed as though you were receiving an international call? Even worse, you will be charged again to listen to those messages.

Buying a local SIM card can be the cheapest way of using your mobile abroad particularly if you plan to spend an extended period of time in the same country. Replace the SIM card in your phone or buy a cheap GSM-enabled phone as an alternate phone. This will allow you to continue to receive calls from family and business associates who must reach you and will almost certainly be cheaper to make calls within that country although this may not necessarily cheaper to make an international call.

Some people opt to switch off and leave off their smart phone if it isn’t being used all the time; they only switch it on to check emails and text messages periodically.

The new-generation smart phones such as the I-phone and the Blackberry have become extremely popular devices providing access to your emails and the internet, a world of shopping, and social networking applications just a touch away. We thus unwittingly leave ourselves open to international roaming charges on our smart phones as soon as we switch them on. The continuous activity utilizes data bandwidth and this leads to constant charging and huge bills in accidental roaming fees. If you do not need data services on your trip and can resist the temptation to sneak a quick e-mail check on your smart phone, then switch off the data service when you are roaming.

The good thing about smart phones is there are options and you can choose which services to cut off. After disabling data services, you will still be able to make and receive calls and text messages. In addition, you can turn this feature on and off at-will so you can still check your emails periodically.

If you will have access to wi-fi hotspots, business centers or internet cafes at your destination you won’t have to use your mobile phone all the time and can use your laptop. However, be cautious and only connect to wi-fi hotspots that you feel you can trust.  Use ‘free’ hotspots with extreme caution; they may be convenient but are not always safe as there is always a danger of hacking or snooping. To at least reduce your vulnerability, use strong passwords and install some security software. Wi-fi access, whilst it may not be free, is usually much cheaper than paying data roaming costs.

As a mobile phone user, you must take some responsibility for staying informed of the cost of services that you subscribe to. It is also important that mobile phone operators are more proactive about providing cost information for users rather than for subscribers having to stumble on information after a bad experience. Much of the information on the service provider websites is confusing and not that easy to understand.

Clearly what subscribers want, need and deserve is more transparency, so that they can confidently use data services when roaming, as well as some sort of control mechanism to ensure they do not incur excessively large bills when roaming and without even realizing it.

 

25/08/2013
By Mrs Nimi Akinkugbe, Lagosmums money management and financial specialist.


For further questions or advise send email to moneymanagement@lagosmums.com

 

Photo source: wwwheretobuy

Warren Buffet’s 5 Life Tips

0
0

Below are 5 of Warren Buffet’s Life Tips I really liked and applied my views to them (LagosMums Views)

1. On Earning: “Never depend on a single income. Make Investments to create a second source.”

LagosMums View: We need to find avenues for passive income, there are lots of opportunities for this we just have to be creative, patient and discerning.

2. On Spending: “If you buy things you do not need, soon you will have to sell things you need.”

LagosMums View: This is simple buying things we don’t need are a waste of resources and end up leading to clutter. Practise self control so that we are not then in a bind when we really do need something.

3. On Savings: “Do not save what is left after spending, spend what is left after saving.”

LagosMums View: Pay yourself first, we can find that we spend more than necessary when there is no plan to save what we do have. Make a budget and stick to it!

4. On Taking Risks: ”Never test the depths of the river with both of your feet.”

LagosMums View: Don’t take un-calculated risks, be sure to have thought through all the pros and cons as much as possible…then step out in faith carefully.

5. On Expectations: “Honesty is a very expensive gift. Do not expect it from cheap people.”

LagosMums View: Honesty and integrity are priceless, there are some people who do not see the value in it no matter what. So steer clear of them and make sure that it can be used to describe you.

Source: addicted2success
photo source: thequestforgreatness
Viewing all 3156 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images