Inspired Living SA

Top South African Lifestyle Blog

You are here: Home / Archives for Family

Children, Competitions, Family, Parenting

Majors for Minors CD Competition

*ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED*

At Majors for Minors we have invested in extensive research in order to understand how certain types of classical music stimulates brain development. This research allowed us to develop our own unique formula consisting of a number of KEY ELEMENTS that, when effectively combined, create our special series of classical music.

The Majors for Minors CD’s use ONE UNIQUE KEY throughout their music, which has a calming effect on the developing brain, similar to that of “PINK NOISE” or “OCEAN SOUNDS”. Some of the flute instrument FREQUENCIES are almost Identical to the frequency of a whale call – known to calm and stimulate the developing brain.

Other special elements have been incorporated throughout the music to develop, strengthen and stimulate the growing brain. Well documented research has demonstrated the positive effect of music on the development and strengthening of patterns in the cortex in the brains of infants and young children. These pathways are also responsible for certain cognitive functions and higher learning (maths and science).


What are the benefits from using Majors for Minors?

  • Strengthens and develops your child’s brain, and helps her develop key skills such as reasoning and thinking, as well as areas of higher learning such as maths and science.
  • Enhances auditory development, i.e. her ability to listen, to learn through sound, to identify sounds and sequences of sounds, to store, process and remember what she hears, to distinguish volume and pitch and to develop rhythm.
  • Reduces hyperactivity and sleep disorders in babies and children. Also improves attention, concentration and handwriting in young children.

Today we are giving three readers the opportunity of each winning a Majors for Minors CD. Each winner will receive 1 CD of their choice to download. You can listen to Sample tracks from each of the CD’s by visiting their website.

All you have to do is answer one simple question:

  • How many CD’s are in the Majors for Minors CD Collection? Please also include your choice of CD to download in your answer, should you be one of the winners.

Please leave a comment on this blog, below the post, with your answer and choice of CD. Do not forget to also leave your details in the comment section (please include your email address). If you do not complete this step your entry will not be valid. Please tweet the competition to friends and family – win a CD with @supermomsablog and @majorsforminors 

Competition Details:

  • The Majors for Minors CD Competition will run from Monday the 13th August 2012, until midnight on the 20th August 2012. The winner/s will then be randomly selected and announced on my blog. The winner/s will also be notified by email that they have won.
  • Conditions of entry: Anyone may enter this giveaway. Majors for Minors is a South African based company therefore entrants/winners must be based in South Africa. The prize may not be exchanged for cash. Any person/s who have won a competition on Super Mom Blog in the last 3 months are not eligible for entry.
  • Winners will be sent a download URL for their choice of CD to download directly.

 

Be Inspired, Children, Family, My Top, Parenting, Parenting Advice

My Top 4 Tips for Raising Girls

As a mom of two girls, one rapidly approaching her teens and the other puberty, I am often asked how I handle all the drama, that these tender years can bring with them. Well here are a few pearls of wisdom, things that I have learnt along the way – some lessons more painful than others!

  • There comes a point in your parenting journey, especially as a mom of girls and tweens or teens, when you are going to have to say no, to things they would like or would like to do. You may very well have to disappoint your children but part of your job, as a parent, is to protect and guide them! Especially in their teenage years, children need to understand what is appropriate and what is not! That a skirt may be way too short and that their make-up is too heavy, you have to teach them right from wrong. I think this is sometimes harder for the parent than the child because you do not want to come across as the “dragon mom” but at the same time, “rather safe than sorry”. What you have to understand, is that children will try to push boundaries and assert themselves, which at times means standing your ground and not giving in.
  • You are going to have to learn to share – everything! Clothing, makeup, shoes, even your husband – a good Father Daughter relationship is so important! The Barney saying “sharing is caring” comes to mind but there is a limit to everything! I grew up with a younger brother, so I never had to go hunting for my stuff. As a result, I am not used to sharing! This has been a huge learing curve for me. I think the important lesson here is to teach your children about personal space and how to respect yours and maintain theirs – in other words “to stay out of your stuff!”
  • There may be times when your girls make you feel insecure, intimidated and even a tad jealous {I can see a few eyebrows being raised!}. This is not necessarily a bad thing but it will bring you to the realisation that you are indeed human! It can be tough when they fit into that size 32 that is a long-lost memory for you! ;-), or when they achieve that A Grade that you always wished you could growing up. The important thing is to talk about your feelings, not let them overwhelm you and try to not live vicariously through your children – get your own “life”!
  • It is important, actually vitally important, to always maintain an open, honest relationship with your children – girls need to talk even if they say they don’t! It does not always have to be a world-changing, deep, meaningful conversation – just a “Hi how are you doing?” is enough sometimes! It often feels like you are unable to “get through” to your children but you can be assured that even if they do not appear to be listening to you, they are “hearing” you. So do not ever give up, keep communicating and you will get through to them!

To see more in My Top 4 series click here

Children, Competitions, Family, FAR Photography, Gift Ideas

Veronique Photography Feature and Giveaway

 

*ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED*

Today I am featuring the lovely Veronique Mills on my blog. Veronique is a talented local photographer, who is very passionate about what she does, she believes that a photograph can capture a certain moment in time and portray great emotion.

I believe art is a personal experience. It gives me the greatest feeling of achievement when people look at my photos and experience the captured essence and feel of a moment in time.

Newborns are one of her favourite subjects, she feels that there is something so special in capturing those first few days of a little baby’s life, something a parent treasures forever! Her newborn photographic studio, Veronique Photography, is based in Kenridge, Cape Town.

I love all things baby and have bought some great props for my newborn shoots.

During her newborn photo sessions Veronique’s aim is to ensure that your precious bundle of joy is happy at all times! She has a heater to keep them warm, white noise to soothe them and lots of blankies, props and hats to make the whole experience magical. Her recommendation is to capture your little one within the first 5-8 days after birth, as they tend to be more sleepy and less likely to wake up or cry.

I am super excited to announce that we will be giving away a Newborn Studio Package worth R1000, to one lucky mom & her babe!

The package includes:

  • A 4 Hour shoot in her studio situated in Kenridge, Cape Town
  • A DVD with between 30 – 70 high-resolution photos, professionally compiled and edited
  • A Slideshow of images to music

All you need to do is Show some lovin’ by liking  Super Mom Blogs Facebook Page and Veronique photography’s Facebook Page. Then leave a comment below the post telling us about your precious bundle or who you will be gifting the photo shoot to.

Competition Details:

  • The Veronique Photography Giveaway will run from 2nd August 2012, until the 9th August 2012. The winner will then be randomly selected and announced on my blog on the 13th August 2012  . The winner will also be notified via email that they have won.
  • The winner will receive a Newborn Studio Package worth R1000.
  • Please leave a comment on this blog, below the post, stating that you have completed the above; along with your details in the comment section below this post (please include your email address). If you do not complete this step your entry will not be valid.
  • Conditions of entry: Anyone may enter this giveaway but please advised that Veronique Photography is based in Cape Town and the winner will need to make their own way to Cape Town to receive the prize. The prize may not be exchanged for cash. 

 

Children, Competitions, Family, Fashion, Kids Fashion, Mothers

Shooshoos & Jeankelly Giveaway

*ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED*

Shooshoos are made from only the best quality eco-friendly leather and have the lightest, most flexible, non-slip soles, on the market. The wide opening and toe box accommodate even the chubbiest little feet. The velcro fastening range allows you to adjust the fit and makes for easy on and off. They are available in 4 sizes from 0/6 months to 24 months.The unique construction ensures that your child’s feet are protected while still allowing their little feet to develop naturally. Shooshoos also have a toddler range, Smiley Shoes, which are available in UK sizes 4 – 7.

The Jeankelly range is something for mom! The range features gorgeous leather baby bags, leather envelopes and other accessories, all designed with mom in mind.

Founded in 1996 to make the best leather baby shoes available, shooshoos is a family run business based in Cape Town.

I have very fond memories of shooshoos from when my daughters were little and I am super excited to announce that we are giving away the items shown above to one lucky reader. They will win a pair of soft sole shooshoos, a pair of smiley shooshoos (rubber sole), a jeankelly blanket and leather envelope wallet with a retail value of over R600.

So what are you waiting for get clicking and enter our Giveaway now! All you need to do is Show some love on Facebook.

Good luck & thank you for entering!

Competition Details:

  • The giveaway will run from 25th July 2012, until the 1st August 2012. The winner will then be randomly selected and announced on my blog on the 2nd August 2012  . The winner will also be notified via email that they have won.
  • The winner will receive a pair of soft sole shooshoos, a pair of smiley shooshoos (rubber sole), a jeankelly blanket and leather envelope wallet with a retail value of over R600.
  • Please leave a comment on this blog, below the post, stating that you have completed the above; along with your details in the comment section below this post (please include your email address). If you do not complete this step your entry will not be valid.
  • Conditions of entry: Anyone may enter this giveaway but please advised that Shooshoos is based in South Africa and the prize will only be shipped within South Africa. The prize may not be exchanged for cash. 

Be Inspired, Children, Family, Fitness, Lifestyle, Reviews and Features

Flexi-bar

 

The Flexi-bar is a revolutionary fitness tool from Germany, which activates both voluntary and involuntary muscles in a shorter space of time. The Flexi-Bar was originally developed by physiotherapists in Germany and was designed for rehabilitation purposes. The tool assists with injury prevention and faster injury rehabilitation.

Due to our modern-day lifestyle, our children spend far too much time indoors and not enough time engaging in physical activities such as climbing trees, playing on jungle gyms and riding bikes. This type of inactive lifestyle has led to an increase in the under development of children’s muscles and co-ordination skills.

The Flexi-Bar, available from Flexi-Sports SA, is a great tool for introducing the concepts of core conditioning and dynamic torso stability to children, as well as being an entertaining and stress relieving way to exercise. The Flexi-Bar is a proven therapy for mending and preventing back pain, therefore training with the bars will result in strong healthy backs and better circulation for the learners and this will lead to more effective working.

According to ADHASA, ADHD is believed to affect 10% of the South Africa population, and is prevalent in every ethnic and socio-economic cluster. Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder is believed to affect 8-12% of school-aged children worldwide.

Children suffering from ADD and ADHD can benefit from using the Flexi-bar, as it helps improve concentration, blood flow, oxygen intake and co-ordination. The Flexi-Bar engages muscle inter-play and improves intra and inter-muscle coordination.

Traditional gym work-outs are not enough to combat ADD and ADHD in children as the training only encourages muscles to work in isolation as opposed to interplaying and working together.

The Flexi-Bar uses vibration training to create muscle tone and strength.  As you swing a Flexi-Bar, vibrations pass through your body. These signals tell the muscles they are being pushed away from their centre and they must automatically contract to bring themselves back. The deep core muscles are involuntary, thus they are notoriously difficult to target and strengthen effectively. This is why 80% of the population suffers from back pain at some stage of their lives.

The Flexi-Bar can be used off the sports field and in the classroom by remedial departments and results in improved concentration, blood flow, oxygen intake, coordination, as well as right and left side brain stimulation.

Many schools in South Africa have joined the likes of some of the world’s top sporting teams such as Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Newcastle FC and a host of Olympic gold medallists, in choosing the Flexi-Bar tool to add to their existing sports-specific programme.

To order your Flexi-Bar and enquire about Flexi-Bar training sessions please visit www.flexi-sports.co.za  or call 021 683 9981. You can also follow Flexi-Bar on Facebook.

We are giving away a Kids Flexi-Bar, valued at R900, to one lucky reader. All you need to do is “like”  Super Mom Blog on Facebook and “like” Flexi-bar on Facebook. Please leave a comment on this blog, below the post, stating that you have completed the above, along with your details in the comment section below this post (please include your email address).

 

Competition Details:

  • This giveaway will run from Friday 20th July 2012, until the 27th July 2012. The winner will then be randomly selected and announced on my blog on the 28th July. The winners will also be notified via email that they have won.
  • The winner will receive 1 Kids Flexi-bar to the value of R900.
  • Please leave a comment on this blog, below the post, stating that you have completed the above; along with your details in the comment section below this post (please include your email address). If you do not complete this step your entry will not be valid.
  • Conditions of entry: Anyone may enter this giveaway but please advised that Flex-bar is situated in South Africa and the prize will only be shipped within South Africa.  The prize may not be exchanged for cash. 

This competition is closed

© Copyright 2015 Inspired Living SA ·