making the most of baby's first year

A career lasts a lifetime – babyhood doesn’t

Karren Brady, vice chairman of West Ham United Football Club, confessed in an interview with Good Housekeeping Magazine that she has only one regret. “I was in the office within three days of my daughter’s birth”, she said. “I deeply regret it and wish someone had told me a career lasts a lifetime.” Today she actively encourages her staff to take a year’s maternity leave.

So, there you have it. Babies are babies for only one, very short year. Your career will be waiting for you when you go back to work. If a year sounds too long and you’re running your own business, you can hire a manager to help you for a while, and work from home. If a year’s maternity leave is unaffordable, is it possible for you to work mornings only? Better still, wouldn’t it be great if the workplace provided in-house baby-care facilities?

Making the most of baby’s first year:

Learn to relax and take it easy when baby cries because 99,99% of the time, it’s NOT a crisis.

Enjoy everything you do with your baby – feeding, nursing, bathing, changing, rocking to sleep. These are not CHORES. They’re special ‘love’ moments to be cherished and remembered.

Ask your mom for help and advice – after all, she’s been through it all before, so why not learn from her mistakes and experiences?

Keep a journal – you think you will remember everything, but you won’t – baby’s first smile, first haircut, first words (mama or dada?), first steps.

When all else fails – or on the spur of the moment – turn up the music up and dance with your baby.

Let your instincts rule when it comes to playing, tickling, singing and reading to your baby. You don’t need a college degree to do this!

Keep telling your baby how much you love him/her.

Give yourself a break to spend an evening with the girls. You’ll come home loving your baby more than ever!

When you’re having a bad day, remind yourself that it will pass. Remember that when your child is a teen, s/he will disown you – for a few years, that is!

Birthday special!

Birthday Parties

It was my youngest granddaughters second birthday party recently and it was a lovely occasion – for family and friends, and especially our little Kylie.

It was a little party with simple decorations, practical eats and a few friends and family. Nothing over-the-top like, for example, Khloé Kardashian’s daughter True’s first birthday party when R119,000 was spent on pastel balloons alone! There were also neon lights, sculptured foliage and ‘unicorn’ ponies amongst other extravagances.

I’ve been invited to many First birthday parties where there has been too much fuss. By the time the last guest leaves, the family is exhausted, there’s a huge mess to clean up and the birthday girl or boy is miserable.

Keep it simple. If you have the money to ‘splash out’, wait until your child is at least five before hiring a party-planner, venue and entertainer.

Here are some do's in the meantime:

 Do take photographs and have the best ones printed or copied for safe-keeping – pictures on your cell phone will be deleted by time your child is older.

Try and keep junk-food to a minimum: be creative with savoury sandwiches, vegetable sticks, cheese, cocktail sausages and fruit kebabs.  

Children’s birthday parties are not about the adults and grandparents – they’re mostly about the children. Plan games and activities with prizes. Remember it’s not what you say and do for the children that’s important, it’s how you make them feel that they will remember. Some children are shy when they’re left with strangers. They may not want to join in the games or they may feel alienated because they’re not part of the ‘in’ crowd. Do little things for these children to help them ‘fit in’ and have fun with the rest of the gang.

Gather the children round not only for lighting the birthday-cake candles and singing, but also for opening the presents. I’ve been to parties where the presents are put away to be opened afterwards. Children feel special when ‘their’ present is opened and admired by all.

Birthday parties are not only about the food: they’re also about learning social skills and helping your child, who is the ‘star’ of the day to be a gracious host and celebrity. Plan well. Prepare early. Enjoy the day with your child. After all, that’s what Birthday parties are about.