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Children, Competitions, Family, Mothers

Celebrating Motherhood Giveaway

*ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED*

Image Credit: 1000 Words Photography

Something I am always aware of is just how much time mom’s spend on taking care of their families! Whether it is those early days of pregnancy when you are preparing the nursery and planning your birth or long afternoons spent playing moms-taxi or sewing for the school play – it seems like a never-ending cycle of things to do. So hence my idea to do a mom’s celebration giveaway –  lots of goodies for moms to win and we could not leave the kiddies out, so there are lots of super prizes for them too!

The prizes that have been sponsored are amazing, lots of gorgeous goodies from amazing local brands that we would all love to win, with a total value of well over R4000! Below you can see the array of hampers and prizes you can win:

Shooshoos and jeankelly have sponsored a hamper consisting of a contemporary baby bag valued at R995 and a pair of soft soles shooshoos valued at R100.

Beautiful Earth have sponsored an amazing mom and baby hamper valued at over R500! The hamper consists of Pregnancy Hand & Body wash, Pregnancy Body lotion, Toddler Bubble Fun, Toddler Monster Spray, Toddler Breathe easy chest rub, Baby Barrier cream, Baby Bath & massage oil.

Hello Nunu have very kindly sponsored two of their adorable hand-made items; a cute Beanie, valued at  R160 and a Hoodie, valued at R280.

Coco li have sponsored a hamper consisting of three of their awesome Vanilla Body Care products – Baths Salts, Body Scrub and Body Butter and a super cute kiddies cook book by the wonderful Tina Bester, valued a R500.

Buchulife have sponsored a hamper jammed with goodies from their varies ranges and it even includes a few treats for your furry little friend as well! The hamper is valued at over R800.

We also have a wonderful baby box from Petitebox to giveaway filled with samples from amazing brands, for you and your precious bundle to try out!

Krayons have sponsored 5 of their very handy Trunki Travel Toybox’s, filled with the wonderful Krayons products you see in the image above and a cuddly teddy bear.

M.O.M. Diary have also sponsored a 2013 diary to help keep one lucky mom super organised next year!

There will also be a few extra mystery prizes that I will be sponsoring myself so get entering because this is a competition you do not want to miss out on! I have included links to all the sponsors websites so that you can find out more about them and the other wonderful products they sell.

What do you need to do to enter:~

  • Use the Rafflecopter entry form to enter – it is so easy simply click on the various links and the form does the rest.
  • Like Super Mom Blog’s Facebook Page.{On the Rafflecopter form below}
  • Like the Sponsors Facebook Pages.{On the Rafflecopter form below}
  • Once you have completed all of the above steps leave a comment on this blog, below the post, stating that you have done so and tell me what your most special mommy moment has been.
  • Please tweet about this fab giveaway to let you friends know – Celebrate Motherhood Win Fab Prizes and with @supermomsablog!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Competition Details: 

  • The Celebrating Motherhood Giveaway giveaway will run from 25th September 2012, until the 10th October 2012. The winners will then be selected via the Raffelcopter form and announced on my blog and on Facebook. The winners will also be notified via email.
  • Entrants need to 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 use a valid email address). Your details will be used to validate your entry if you are selected as a winner.
  • Conditions of entry: Anyone may enter this giveaway but please be advised that the various companies sponsoring prizes are based in South Africa and therefore prizes will only be shipped within South Africa. The prizes may not be exchanged for cash. 
Image Credit: Header Image(Mom & Baby) 1000 Words Photography

Children, Family, Healthy Living, Reviews and Features

Dettol Daily Care Hygiene Soap

Dettol is and has been a household name for as long as I can remember! To me the brand has always been synonymous with protection against germs and general hygiene. As a mom I know that hygiene in the home is of paramount importance and hand-washing is something that goes a long way to prevent the spread of nasty germs.

I recently received a few bars of the new Dettol Hygiene soap to test and review. This Hygiene Soap bar has all the germ protection properties that Dettol is renowned for; it is great for kids and family members that lead a healthy active life. While protecting your entire family from germs, the soap is gentle enough for everyday use.

 

Dettol Hygiene Soap “soft on skin, but tough on germs”

Not only is the soap tough on germs and gentle on your skin but it smells amazing too! Most often antibacterial soaps smell too much like hospital antiseptic but with the Dettol bar you can feel protected and smell good at the same time.

You can follow Dettol SA on FaceBook find their page by clicking here.

Children, Family, Parenting, Parenting Advice

Parenting With Purpose

 

Are you parenting with purpose?

Before I get into more detail let’s look at my parenting journey. I was a fairly young parent starting out, something that I am truly grateful for, but I do realise most have very little control over this. Having a baby, like most other things, came easy to me; no great fuss, we decided we wanted a baby and it pretty much happened instantly. Great you may think but sometimes you get more than you bargain for! I have never been the most patient person and I guess I am rather selfish by nature, so my introduction into parenthood was anything but smooth. In actual fact I fought it all the way but being young it meant that life could still kick the stubbornness out of me. I was gifted with a perfect baby girl who made it her life mission to challenge all the parts of me that needed it.

The early weeks of being a new parent were probably the most difficult adjustment I have had to make in my life. You are thrown into an unknown world with little or no preparation for what you are doing. Normal daily functions become a luxury (even eating a meal is a challenge) and sleep you can forget about completely! It is amazing what sleep deprivation can do to a person. My early days of being a mom are somewhat of a blur. Certain things I think I have chosen to block from my memory but what I can say for sure is that I have grown immensely as a parent and a person since those early days.

We have moved on somewhat since those early days, two children later and hopefully a fair amount wiser! I do feel that it is valuable to take stock and assess how far I have come as a parent and for that matter as a person! So what kind of parent am I? Well I am neither a helicopter parent, who watches their child’s every move, nor am I the standby and watch-it-happen-type. I feel that I am somewhere in the middle. My decision quite a while ago was never to push my children into things they did not want to do. Do not get me wrong, I care very much whether my children succeed or fail but they need to choose what they fail or succeed at. I once made the fatal error of encouraging (ok pushing!) my eldest to take dance lessons, until one day I enquired whether she was enjoying it. Her little face turned to mine with a rather anxious expression “no mom” – when I asked why she was doing dancing if she was not enjoying it, her very innocent but alarming response was “I am doing it for you”!!!

This event was all the wakeup call I needed; my decision from that day forward was to never push my children but rather to encourage them. I see it every day, parents pushing and driving their children to the brink of near exhaustion, trying to be the best at everything. You really have to ask yourself whether it is all worth it? Will it make them better people in the long run? Probably not; very successful possibly, but well-rounded I don’t think so!

So what am I getting at? Well when I started out as a parent I had no idea where I wanted my parenting journey to lead to, but along the way I have come to realise that my duty as a parent is to be an advisor rather than a dictator, which does not come easy to me because I like to be in control. It may not be perfect but I want to let my children experience life for themselves, not some version that I have orchestrated for them.

Letting go doesn’t mean that you don’t care about someone anymore. It’s just realizing that the only person you really have control over is yourself. ~ Deborah Reber, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul

Teaching our children to be independent and stand on their own two feet will better equip them for life once they have to face the big wide world on their own. As parents we need to be on hand and ready to pick up the pieces if necessary but it is by living life that lessons are learned.

Parenting with purpose is something I am very passionate about and while I may not be a professional or do not have all the answers, I do feel that I have knowledge to impart and want to share my insights with you in the hope that it will be of some help in your parenting journey!

I would love hear from you – what has been the hardest part of your parenting journey and what has it taught you?

Too read more of my parenting insights click here

 

 

Children, Competitions, Education, Family

South African Maths Challenge 2012

Maths Challenge

SA Maths Challenge

Schools, classes and individuals are once again invited to compete in another exciting and educational SA Maths Challenge due to take place on the 18 and 19 September. The internet-based challenge, which is free to all learners from Grade R right through to grade 12, enables anybody to take part in real-time maths challenges powered by the Mathletics platform. Here they can put their best mental arithmetic skills against other students from around the world. Not only will the top performers go into the selection process to become Ambassadors of the World Education Games 2013 but there are lots of other exciting prizes up for grabs for the top students, classes and schools in each category.

The challenge is run in conjunction with 3P Learning, the founders of World Maths Day, and encourages learners from all over the country to practice hard to break the South African record for the largest online maths competition in the country. Rob Masefield, SA General Manager for 3P Learning says that in line with the goals of our education departments, this challenge is an ideal way for teachers to inspire learners by letting them do something different and inspiring with Maths.

The competition is very popular as it encourages learners of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to have a go at maths in a fun, interactive and accessible way and at a level which is suited to their varying abilities. They can improve the speed and accuracy of their maths in a fun interactive manner. Best of all participation in the competition is free – all students need is internet access, says Masefield.

Registration for schools is already open and students need to register before the night of 17 September. There are two distinct stages. Each day runs from midnight to midnight. The free practice session for learners commenced this week on 3 September allowing them the opportunity to hone their skills before the big event. Learners and teachers can go to www.samathschallenge.co.za to register and take part.

The first day is a Curriculum Maths Challenge where students are set a special challenge curriculum course, suitable for their age group. “This tests the students’ knowledge of Maths concepts, “says Masefield. The second day is where the fun really starts and here students compete in a live maths challenge. In sets of 60 seconds they play mental arithmetic races with other students from across the world. “Not only does this test their concept knowledge but also their speed,” says Masefield.

Masefield confirms that students already licensed for Mathletics or Spellodrome need not register and can automatically participate in the challenge by signing in to www.samathschallenge.co.za and using their existing user name and password.

In the 2011 South African competition nearly 50 000 students were eligible to compete and it is anticipated that the response this year will be even greater. “So come on, learners, register and get practicing!” encourages Masefield.

Super Mom Blog is giving away a R500 Exclusive Books voucher to one lucky student, you can enter the voucher giveaway yourself or get your mom or dad to enter for you! All you need to do is answer the simple question below, tell us what grade you are in and you could be spending that voucher at Exclusive Books!

All you need to do to win the R500 Exclusive Book Voucher is answer the simple question below:~
  • Who are the current top 3 students in the SA Maths Challenge – click here to find your answer. Remember to leave a comment with your answer and your grade in the comment section below!
    Please tweet about this to let you friends know – Enter the #SAMathsChallenge and Win a R500 Exclusive Books Voucher on @supermomsablog ! Or post about it on Facebook!

    Competition Details and Disclaimer:

    • The Maths Challenge Competition will run from 12th September 2012, until midnight on the 16th September 2012. The winner will then be randomly selected and announced on Super Mom Blog. The winner will also be notified via email that they have won.
    • The winner will receive a R500 Exclusive Books Voucher.
    • 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 prize will only be shipped within 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.

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