Halloween! To indulge or not to indulge?

"Mama, what does halloween mean?" Has your little one ever asked you this question? Actually my answer is No, not just yet but I am sure a number of parents have had to deal with this somewhat tough question at one time or another as their children became more inquisitive.

So what do we even know about halloween besides the famous "trick or treat" and all the spookiness that seems to be embraced and celebrated during this "holiday"? I'm not one for ignorantly going with the crowd; I think I should be fully aware of anything I celebrate let alone get my children involved in and if I am unable to fully grasp it then I'd just have to pass.

The Underwear Rule...

Ever wondered how to talk to your 3 or 4 year old about sex?

Well, I guess its more about getting them more aware of their bodies at that age. With today's statistics on sexual abuse and all the depravity that plagues our societies, it appears the sooner the better. I know it's a pretty difficult subject as their minds are still so young and I'm sure you wonder just how much is enough or even too much to be feeding these innocent minds.

Over the years, I have gotten tips from other parents on how to broach the subject and I have recently found something which I think just about articulates the sum of them all and it's called the Under Wear Rule.

I am black and white and I can transform your child into a responsible, disciplined and wise human being. What am I?

It was time again for one of our most dreaded trips... the trip to the barbers salon!

Super 4+ still doesn't like this experience and still cries in the process but today we get there and our preferred barber and quite frankly the only person that has successfully been able to handle him so far, is busy. Let's delay the evil minute shall we. "mama, please can we play chess on your phone?" "okay" I say. And then we proceed to play... To the amazement of everyone in the room, including a friend of 007's who we met at the salon, Super 4+ goes on and on; "no mama, you can only go diagonally", "haha! I got your queen", "touché! You have to move it cos you already touched it", "now you are under check" and all the while he reminds me that he's going to beat me this time. At some point, 007's friend could not hide his shock and had to ask "does he really know what he's doing? How old is he again?" Yup! He knew exactly what he was doing.
My Super 4+ is a Chess master in the making.

Oppurtunity

Super 4+ was telling me about his day at school and so I    asked if he answered any questions in class today (which would normally earn him a house point or a sticker) His answer: "No mama, because it's only when Mrs A calls you then you have the OPPURTUNITY to speak".
Mrs. Deli

Castle versus Rook

 

 

So we are looking at a picture of a palace and Super 4+ says "oh, a castle is that one that has those tops like the rooks"... yep! rook as in a chess piece...
Mrs Deli

Convo on the playground: kiss me, marry me...

So I'm lying in bed this nice evening and I can hear whispers between Super 4+ and his friends (a couple of 5-year-old girls), coming through my window straight from the playground. Something doesn't sound right; the shrill pleas and then some hush tones... and so I wait... But I still can't make out their words! "Super 4+!!! Come here" I call out. A few minutes later, he's here and I try to probe in the subtlest of ways. "Are you okay out there?" "Yes mama, we were just playing". "So what was that you all were talking about?" And then I hear "mama she was just saying someone wants to marry me and someone wants to kiss me and stuff like that". 

Is that a TRICK question???

Can your child be both intelligent academically and smart extracurricularly? Both well mannered and sociable? Domesticated yet fashionable? Confident and still modest; God fearing even?

My answer? YES!

I believe a child can be trained and guided to have elements of ALL these in his/her character. I believe in the concept of a well rounded child. I think it is possible to achieve this with commitment and hard work put in by a number of entities including the child, parents, school/teachers, tutors/instructors, and quite honestly, the entire community which surrounds the child.