I just had a friend come up to me and say “forgive me but I have to boast”, and then proceeded to tell me about her daughter’s most recent accolade in high school. She was bursting with pride, the happiest I’ve ever seen her, and yet she blushed and hurried her way through her story, apologising the entire time. And I started wondering, why did she feel she had to hide her Mama pride? Read More
Calling all bloggers and mamas, I’ve got something exciting to share with you… Read More
Welcome back to two syllables. I took a few months off from blogging at the end of last year to revel in spending as much time as I could with Bella while we were both in the same grade at school. It was the MOST special time, a year I will NEVER forget!
When I got my new job and realised that Bella and I would be in the same Grade, I did not feel one inch of nerves or apprehension. I was ecstatic! How many Mamas get the opportunity to spend time with their child at school, being present for every milestone, being a part of every big event, and being able to be there for a cuddle at every break time?! For this overly-emotional, helicopter Mama it was flippen fantastic! And I LOVED it!
There is a new hashtag making its way around social media at the moment. Not just any hashtag. It is a hashtag that is highlighting something that I worry about every single day. A hashtag highlighting the female ‘place’ in this world. A hashtag that reminds me every time it pops onto my screen how scared I should be. A hashtag that makes me look at the women who wrote it and not only empathise, but relate to what it means. Read More
We first found out about Bella’s dairy allergy when she was 18 months old. Since then, I have immersed myself in learning how to cook without it, which has been somewhat difficult. For the most part, I can happily say that I’ve pretty much nailed her dairy-free diet. Except for one thing…
We were driving home from school after finishing a busy week recently, tired from a long day, excited about getting into PJ’s and having a chilled evening. And then she asked a question, a question that I knew would one day come as a result of choosing a private, all-girls, faith-based school: “Mommy, are we Christians?”.
Religion is one of those topics you are told to steer clear from at dinner parties. They should also warn you that having religious-based debates with an opinionated little girl is no walk in the park either!! Read More
I have always found it easy to get along with all kinds of people and make new friends, which results in me generally filling my weekends seeing friends from school, varsity, old colleagues, Mom friends or new found friends. My best friend lives in Cape Town, so we don’t get to see each other very often, but nothing has ever changed between us in spite of that distance. I cherish and adore each and every one of my friendships, and I try to teach my daughter how important it is to surround yourself with good friendships that uplift, challenge and support you. Read More
There are moments when you are a Mama, moments where you can literally see your daughter growing up right in front of your eyes, moments where you actually feel a string stretch (maybe even break), those strings that tie you to them, the strings of dependence. Suddenly you are in a moment where something changes, a slight shift in time, and they’ve taken one tiny step away from holding their Mama’s hand, and one tiny step toward their independence. Those moments are beautiful and brutal all at the same time.
A few months ago I wrote a post about being scared about the fact that I am raising a daughter (you can find it here), a post that has been my most-read, most-shared and most-commented-on piece of writing since I became a blogger. Clearly our fears as Mamas regarding our daughters’ safety, our daughters’ right to an opinion, and our daughters’ rights over their own bodies are at the forefront of many minds. This is a crisis that has faced humanity for hundreds of years. It is a reality that terrifies me, for both my own sake as well as my daughters. Are we safe? Are we taken seriously? Are we labelled, judged or persecuted for our beliefs or actions? Read More
I vividly remember my fifth birthday. I was in the Kruger National Park with my Mom, Dad and my Grandparents. I remember being woken up early for a sunrise game-drive with my parents. We stopped along the way for coffee and rusks. My mom and Dad laughed at me while I played in the sand and chased glossy starlings around the picnic site. We eventually made our way back to our chalet, and as I walked in, there it was – the most beautiful doll’s house I’d ever seen. Everyone was so excited, and I remember just feeling ridiculously happy. Read More
