Trinitonian 19

SUMMER ISSUE 2021

Books, Bakes and Makes • Plan Ahead • Beware the Christmas Monsters!

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BRAND

MANAGEMENT

FOREWORD

We have made some excellent strides on the

academic front in 2021, spearheaded by our

newly-appointed Brand Academic Manager,

Sumari Purdon. Sumari has spent much of this year

putting systems in place and ensuring that we

can effectively benchmark all our pupils against

each other and externally. Career and subject

choice guidance were introduced through the

Yenza platform and very specific “Road to Matric”

programmes were introduced at Trinityhouse

Glenvista and Trinityhouse Heritage Hill which

will both have their first Matric groups in 2023.

Although academics is of the utmost

importance, we are pleased that our pupils

were able to participate in more school sport

and extra mural activities this year. Play and

physical activity is extremely important for

the development of our young people, and it

contributes to better mental health. We do hope

that more of these activities will take place in

2022 and assure you that we will take every

opportunity to allow our pupils to participate.

Dear Trinitonians,

Despite all the challenges 2021 brought our

way, one thing has remained consistent - how

incredibly grateful we are for the flexibility, support,

and dedication of all our Trinityhouse families and

members of staff.

Our year started off with a hard lockdown in

which all our schools were forced back online

for a couple of weeks. Again, our staff and

pupils demonstrated their resilience and took

this disruption in their stride. ‘Covid compliance’

in our schools seems to be here to stay for the

foreseeable future as the wearing of masks, social

distancing and hand-washing is now the norm.

Ensuring the safety of our school environments is a

collective effort and we all need to play our part.

This magazine is filled with some wonderful

points of Trinityhouse pride. We celebrate three

of our Alumni’s achievements and share some

advice in our parenting features. As it is the

festive season, there are many wonderful and

exciting ideas for family bonding, so don’t miss

out on the lifestyle pages.

Finally, I would like to wish you all a safe and

happy Christmas. May this time be filled with love,

happiness, and wonderful memories.

We look forward to welcoming you back in 2022.

Sincerely,

Mike Aitken

Mike Aitken

Managing Director

2 | The Trinitonian

CONTENTS

4/SCHOOL SCOOP

Trinityhouse Leaders:

Reflect and Perfect

12/SCHOOL FEATURE

Trinityhouse: Points of Pride

29/KIDS HOLIDAY FEATURE

Books, Bakes

and Makes

44/KIDS FEATURE

EA IS a Sport!

16/PARENTING FEATURE

Practical Parenting

Advice:

Plan Ahead

20/ALUMNI FEATURE

Beyond Matric

47/FAMILY FEATURE

Beware the Christmas Monsters!

26/PARENTING ADVICE

Screen Busters

52/SPOTLIGHT PRAYER

Prayer for Us

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The Trinitonian | 3

SCHOOL SCOOP

TRINITYHOUSE LEADERS:

REFLECT AND PERFECT

FARONE ECKSTEIN

TRINITYHOUSE HIGH

RANDPARK RIDGE

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

What makes

Trinityhouse High

Randpark Ridge a

unique school of

excellence?

Our students can excel

in a wide variety of activities. I am constantly

blown away by the fact that individuals can

get a full house of academic distinctions, be

sporting superstars, perform in the choir and/

or orchestra while contributing to the outreach

programme. The contribution of our dedicated

staff plays a vital role in this all-round excellence.

What would your peers say is the one thing

about you that makes you a great Principal?

My hair ;)

As we head into the new year, what exciting

plans do you have on the cards for 2022?

To lose the mask, breathe in the fresh air, and

take advantage of every opportunity that our

post-Covid-19 world presents.

Every situation has a silver lining. What is the

silver lining of the Covid-19 pandemic?

Covid-19 has forced us to re-evaluate every

aspect. Most importantly, it has brought us closer

to God and made us thankful for all His mercies.

We have also learnt to appreciate our loved

ones even more and have come to realise what

the truly important things are. It has ensured that

we have become grateful for so many things we

previously may have taken for granted.

What is your year-end prayer and wish for

your Trinityhouse family?

My prayer is that we use the blank canvas

created by Covid-19 to draw closer to God. That

we strengthen our love for our fellow man and

give of ourselves selflessly to those around us so

that they may prosper. That the numerous losses

of the past two years ensure that we give thanks

to our Creator for sparing us and blessing us in

so many ways.

ANDREA BRANN

TRINITYHOUSE PRE-

PRIMARY RANDPARK

RIDGE PRINCIPAL

What makes

Trinityhouse Pre-

Primary Randpark

Ridge a unique

school of excellence?

I really believe that the

relationships we have

with the parents at the school ensure a very

nurturing environment. Our teachers always go

the extra mile when it comes to communication,

and they work very hard on encouraging

interactions with our parents. Covid-19 has

placed a spanner in the works, but we have

come up with other innovative ways of keeping

up with communication, i.e., MS Teams, class

meetings with Covid-19 protocols in place, and

meeting parents outside the school gate as they

cannot come in.

What would your peers say about you that

makes you a great Principal?

I am always open to new ideas and innovation.

This allows my staff to feel heard.



I am really excited about our new campaign

in which aftercare fees are inclusive. We have

had such a positive response from current and

prospective parents.



As a school of faith, we know that Covid-19

did not take God by surprise. His grace has

been sufficient and carried us all through

this time. We have learned that if we can get

through Covid-19, with God’s help, we can get

through anything.



My prayer comes from a thankful heart that God

has kept us all and protected us, and my fervent

miraculous prayer for 2022 is that we can move

forward without Covid-19.

4 | The Trinitonian

SCHOOL SCOOP

LYNN VAN JAARSVELD

TRINITYHOUSE PRE-PRIMARY

LITTLE FALLS PRINCIPAL

What makes Trinityhouse Pre-

Primary Little Falls a unique


The staff at Trinityhouse Little

Falls make our school a

school of excellence. Here

we teach the children in the

same way we want our own

children to be taught. We

encourage our little children

to make good choices that

will impact the rest of their

lives. The teachers guide

the children to make good

choices daily, but the most

exciting moment is when this

becomes a reality and the

‘lightbulb’ moment happens.

They learn to realise that with

God’s help, they can change

their little worlds for the

better, even if it is as small as

listening in class or just being

a good friend. Growing in our

Christian walk is an important

pillar in our school.

What would your peers say

about you that makes you a

great Principal?

I am a people’s person. I

am hands-on and lead by

example. I show compassion

towards my staff and parents,

and I make it my business to

get to know the people I work

with personally.

As we head into the new year,

what exciting plans do you

have on the cards for 2022?

After the last two years,

2022 will be a year of fun,

love, joy and celebration as

we will celebrate our 10th

anniversary at Little Falls. We

have got so much planned,

and we aim to make it an

unforgettable year.

Every situation has a silver

lining. What is the silver lining

of the Covid-19 pandemic?

Don’t take everything for

granted. Every day is a gift –

live it to the fullest.

What is your year-end prayer

and wish for your Trinityhouse

family?

My prayer for my Trinityhouse

family is Numbers 6 vs 24-26:

‘May the Lord bless you and

keep you. May the Lord make

His face shine upon you and

be gracious to you. May the

Lord lift His countenance upon

you and give you peace.’

HILTON SCOTT

TRINITYHOUSE PREPARATORY

RANDPARK RIDGE PRINCIPAL

What makes Trinityhouse

Preparatory Randpark

Ridge a unique school of

excellence?

Our staff are incredibly

passionate and invested in

unlocking and stimulating

the children’s curiosity. They

understand the value of family

and hard work for themselves

and their pupils.



great Principal?

My fancy ties:)




Embedding who we are as

Trinitonians at our school,

while growing our Cubs and

Pups wolf programme, which

will be rising to new heights as

we celebrate our 25th year of

existence in the community.




Appreciating the simple

things in life again.



family?

That the Father may extend

His grace and His love

to us through a tangible

relationship with His son, Jesus

Christ, and the presence of

the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Trinitonian | 5

SCHOOL SCOOP

GRANT WILLIAMS

GLENWOOD HOUSE COLLEGE

EXECUTIVE HEAD

What makes Glenwood

House College a unique


At its core, Glenwood House

has a sense of happiness.

Happy children love to be

at school, and as a result,

perform well in their academic

work, in their sporting and

cultural endeavours, and have

a positive outlook on life in

general. Our teachers love

what they do, and this energy

is infectious – it drives learning

on the campus. This happy

energy allows Glenwood

House to stand out as a

school of excellence.



great Principal?

It is so difficult to talk about

your self, as it’s impossible

to see one self as great. We

always have room to grow and

develop, no matter how long

we are in any leadership role.

But I hope that peers would

say that I am a caring person

who serves rather than leads,

with integrity.




2022 is the start of a new

journey for Glenwood House.

While staying true to our core,

Christian values, and our

proud traditions, we will be

rethinking how we teach to

ensure that our children are

‘future fit’, ready for whatever

the future post-Covid-19 world

has to offer. We will strive to

ensure that our students are

emotionally intelligent, global

citizens who respect everyone

in their community and the

world in general and who

are equipped with excellent

collaboration, problem-solving

and critical/creative thinking

abilities. Key focus areas

on this journey for 2022 are

the development of inquirybased

learning throughout

the school, an emphasis

on teacher development

and well-being, and a more

holistic, balanced approach

to all we do on campus.




If there is one skill that Covid-19

has taught all of us, it’s AGILITY.

We have learned to be agile,

be ready to change things

quickly, and change them

again a few days later. With this

agility has come a growth in

our resilience and our resolve.

No matter what obstacles

Covid-19 has brought – the

lockdowns and even the tragic

loss of loved ones – as schools,

we have grown in strength,

resolve, and the ability to think

faster, act faster and overcome

any setback.


and wish for your Glenwood

House family?

Heavenly Father, we thank

You for the lessons Covid-19

has taught us, no matter how

difficult these lessons have

been. We thank You, Lord, for

the strength and wisdom you

have given us and that on this

difficult journey, we can know

that we are never alone and

that You always walk beside

us and often carry us through

the hardest of times. We pray

now for Your blessing on all

our students, our parents, and

our staff that they may have

a period of rest and recovery

and that in 2022 we may once

again go forward with Your

guidance and love. Amen.

6 | The Trinitonian

SCHOOL SCOOP

KAREN CAMMELL

TRINITYHOUSE

PREPARATORY LITTLE

FALLS PRINCIPAL

What makes

Trinityhouse

Preparatory Little Falls

a unique school of

excellence?

Our school is nestled

in the beautiful

Witwatersrand Ridge in Little Falls. We are

surrounded by nature and a sense of peace

and beauty. We have world-class teachers who

constantly strive to help and support each child

to reach their full potential and prepare them to

be global citizens.



I am caring and compassionate, and I lead by

example.



It will be Trinityhouse Little Falls 10th birthday!

We have many exciting events planned to

celebrate this momentous occasion, such

as derby days, a music showcase, a fun run

and lots more. We are also excited to use our

new astro turf and pavilion as we host many

sporting events throughout the year.



Covid-19 has taught us that we need to be

more flexible and count our blessings daily.

We have all been ‘forced’ to become more

tech-savvy and to appreciate the “small” things

in life.



I thank God for protecting our school and our

families throughout 2021, and I pray that all

our Trinityhouse families will be kept safe and

healthy for the remainder of the year. I pray

God’s blessing upon them all. We trust in the

Lord and pray for protection over our school

in 2022.

BEN MCCARTHY

TRINITYHOUSE LITTLE

FALLS EXECUTIVE

HEAD

What makes

Trinityhouse Little Falls

a unique school of

excellence?

While we have stood

firm in our traditional

values and continued

to uphold our excellent academic results, we

have loved and taken care of our staff and

students’ emotional and spiritual well-being,

taking a genuine interest in the individuals at

our school.



That’s a tough one. You’ll have to ask them.

Perhaps they would say my enthusiasm,

energy and passion for our school.



We are excited about our new hockey astro

and high school buildings. We are cautiously

excited about the possibility of things like tours

returning, continuing extra-mural fixtures, and

welcoming our parents back onto campus.



Covid-19 has certainly highlighted the

importance of family and community. Every

Trinityhouse family member has loved and

supported each other through many highs

and lows. This is something we will build on in

years to come.



Rest and restoration. It has been another

difficult year, and my prayer for my staff,

students and parents is that they all get to

enjoy a good rest over the holidays and return

in January restored and ready for a positive

2022. Psalm 23 vs 1-3: ‘The Lord is my shepherd,

I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green

pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He

refreshes my soul.’

The Trinitonian | 7

SCHOOL SCOOP

LINDA LINDA

TRINITYHOUSE GLENVISTA

EXECUTIVE HEAD


Glenvista a unique school of

excellence?

One thing that stands out is

that we have a dedicated

and experienced academic

team. We are very fortunate to

have a school population that

reflects the world. Our diversity

is seen both in our staff

complement and students.

Our high-performance

culture has led us to produce

impeccable results with

exponential growth.



great Principal?

I strive to give my employees

a sense of empowerment by

constantly inspiring them. I’ve

been described as a Head

that embodies school spirit.

Just like being highly visible,

it needs to be obvious to

students that I love the school

and have their best interests

at heart.




We look forward to taking

occupation of the new high

school building, and we will

also be offering new subjects

in the high school (EGD, IT

and accounting). We will be

increasing our sports offering,

including mini-cricket and

basketball, and we will also

be introducing things like

an international tour and

leadership camps.




“It always seems impossible

until it’s done.” – Nelson

Mandela



family?

2021 continued to test all of us,

and yet we have made it till the

end. The Covid-19 pandemic

has presented us with a myriad

of challenges and excitement

that we could have done

without, so here’s to a dull

and boring 2022, although

I suspect that we won’t be

quite that lucky. In all of this,

we have much to be grateful

for, as we have (for the most

part) been spared the ravages

of Covid-19. In this season of

reflection and thanksgiving,

it is important to keep those

who have been affected by

the pandemic in our thoughts

and prayers. If there has been

a silver lining to this particularly

dark cloud, it is that we as

a school community have

demonstrated innovativeness,

resilience and determination

as we quickly adapted to

remote teaching, learning

and working. I want to thank

our staff for the hard work,

dedication, and commitment

exhibited throughout the year.

I am painfully aware of the

personal and professional toll

this took and salute you for

your contribution. We not only

survived but thrived as we

continued to deliver excellent

service.

We must continue to work

with a common purpose to

overcome our challenges.

The year ahead will be

challenging, perhaps in a

different way, but we face

it confidently knowing that

we are a resilient and strong

team. Despite the challenges,

we remain committed to

working with the rest of

the Trinityhouse Glenvista

community to ensure that

we continue to deliver an

excellent experience to all our

students and our parents. I

wish you and your families a

peaceful and joyous holiday

season. May the peace and

goodwill of the season always

fill your hearts, and may the

New Year find you renewed,

restored and refreshed. In all

of this, we have much to be

grateful for.

8 | The Trinitonian

SCHOOL SCOOP

QUENTIN DAVIDS

TRINITYHOUSE HERITAGE HILL

EXECUTIVE HEAD


Heritage Hill a unique school

of excellence?

At Heritage Hill, we care

for each student, parent

and staff member and do

everything that we can to

ensure that “no one is left

behind”. This is a hallmark of

our ethos. While academics

and extra-murals are central

to our offering, we take a

keen interest in the emotional

well-being of the members

of our school community

through our resident

therapists and counsellors.



great Principal?

I am humble. This is because I

am conscious that our school

delivers quality education

due to the diligence and

dedication of a team of

committed staff, of which I am

but one member.




Our growing school will be

adding Grade 11 to our

offering in 2022, with our

first matric class scheduled

for 2023. We anticipate the

construction of our high

school building starting next

year, which is really exciting

for our students, parents and

staff in this phase. In addition,

we will be improving our

sports facilities throughout

the school.


lining. What is the silver

lining of the Covid-19

pandemic?

A positive outcome of the

Covid-19 pandemic has

certainly been that our

students have learnt to be

resilient during trying times.

They have negotiated this

pandemic with fortitude

and have persevered to the

point where they are poised

for success in a challenging

global world.

What is your year-end

prayer and wish for your

Trinityhouse family?

I pray that God will place

His protective and guiding

hand over all the members of

our Trinityhouse community

and that our families will

keep Christ at the centre

of Christmas this season of

Advent.

THINUS WENTZEL

TRINITYHOUSE PREPARATORY

HERITAGE HILL PRINCIPAL


Preparatory Heritage

Hill a unique school of

excellence?

We allow no child to be left

behind – each and every

child matters to us.



great Principal?

You would have to ask my

peers that question.




Our campus is inherently

strong and vibrant. We have

learnt to plan ahead yet be

agile enough to adapt at

short notice. Whatever

we do, we do it because we

honour God. May 2022 bring

us tours, both locally and

abroad. May our children

compete on stages, fields,

and in arenas. May we forge

ahead, never looking back

unless we take time to reflect.




In Acts 27, the Lord teaches

us that the sailors will survive

although the ship may suffer

harm and even perish. Our

lives changed drastically, so,

too, has our ability to adapt,

change and survive.

What is your year-end

prayer and wish for your

Trinityhouse family?

I pray that we are strong

enough to overcome every

challenge, wise enough to

always seek God the Father,

the Son and the Holy Spirit as

our council, bold enough to

live by it and humble enough

to make others want to

follow suit.

The Trinitonian | 9

SCHOOL SCOOP

JACKY DE BLOCQ


AND FOUNDATION PHASE

GLENVISTA PRINCIPAL


Pre-Primary and Foundation

Phase Glenvista a unique


Quality teachers are the

backbone of our school.

I always say that true

excellence moves beyond

a set of principles and

outcomes – they are a set

of beliefs at the core, which

determine our school’s way

of thinking and being. Wellbeing

in our schools revolves

around how different groups

can come together, get

involved and be fulfilled in

their learning journey.



great Principal?

I’ve been told that I spend time

listening to students, teachers

and parents and consider

various ideas before making

decisions. This is the kind of

listening that goes beyond

simply paying attention while

others talk. I also pride myself

on creating relationships with

everyone I meet, and that

goes a long way.




Beyond the big plans, I look

forward to hearing students

laughing in the corridors and

being able to say hello to

them. These are among life’s

simple pleasures. Covid-19

took away so many of the

small things that we take for

granted. We look forward to

hosting concerts, picnics,

sports days and other events

where our parents will be able

10 | The Trinitonian

SCHOOL SCOOP

to watch, support and enjoy

their children.




To say 2020/1 has been

tough would be a massive

understatement. It feels like

it has been one crisis after

another, and we’re all mentally,

physically, and emotionally

exhausted. But we’re a resilient

bunch. I have a sharper focus

on what really matters most

in life, both personally and

professionally. Specifically,

I’m more conscious of the

preciousness of life, the

matchless significance of

spending time with the people

I love, and the importance

of working hard to make a

constructive difference in the

world through education.

This heightened awareness

has increased (but not

eradicated) my ability to

ignore all the frustrating but

ultimately insignificant things

that I often let distract me from

what matters.



family?

At the end of this school year,

we give thanks to God. We

give thanks for all the teaching

and learning that has taken

place in our school, both in

and out of the classroom,

for the talents and gifts that

have been shared and the

challenges that have been

faced. We give thanks for

the burdens that have been

lifted and the hurts that have

been healed, and for the

respect and care that has

been given. We give thanks

for the friendships that have

just begun and for those that

have grown. For the faith that

has been lived in our daily

struggles, for the hope that

has lifted our hearts on the

dark days, and for the love

that has kept us going. We

give thanks for the community

that we are, and we ask you,

Lord, to bless our students

and Trinityhouse Glenvista

families. May your Spirit inspire

them with confidence and

calmness. Bless our families

as we go on holiday; may our

time together leave us with

memories to cherish. Pour out

your love on us that we may

return renewed and refreshed

to continue our journey

together. We make this prayer

through Christ our Lord. Amen.

NATASHA SAAYMAN


AND FOUNDATION PHASE

HERITAGE HILL PRINCIPAL


Pre-Primary Heritage Hill a

unique school of excellence?

At Trinityhouse Heritage Hill,

we have a clear vision that

ensures that every student is

successful. Our students and

parents are our number one

priority. With an outstanding

curriculum and extra offerings,

we create opportunities for

our students to develop and

grow. Our safe and nurturing

environment makes it feel like

a home from home.



great Principal?

Supportive and serving our

education school community,

and a passion for education

and people.




We will be extending our

extramural offerings and

become more competitive. We

also have various community

projects to look forward to,

such as MAD Days.




“There is a crack in everything,

but that is how the light shines

through.”



family?

Open new doors and new

opportunities for us, dear Lord.

Open our eyes that we may

use these opportunities to

bring glory to Your name. We

trust in You, Lord, with all our

hearts. We will not depend on

our own understanding but

rather on Your word. Amen.

The Trinitonian | 11

SCHOOL FEATURE

TRINITYHOUSE:

POINTS OF PRIDE

In recent years, there has been a shift to the

holistic development of the child, away from

purely focusing on the development of the

child’s academic ability. This holistic approach

has been the corner stone of a Trinityhouse

education and an area of focus for every teacher.

Not only does Trinityhouse focus on the holistic

development of its pupils, but great emphasis

is also placed on the child and their role in the

community. Pupils are taught that they fulfil a vital

place in the World and they have a responsibility

towards ensuring that their contribution to society is

a positive one.

“We make it our mission to bring out the best in

every child and to encourage them find their

place in our school and their community at large.

Apart from academic excellence, our schools

also aim to develop character, compassion, and

service,” says Marthie van der Wat, Brands Sales

and Marketing Manager.

PRIDE IN A CHRISTIAN ETHOS

An overtly Christian ethos is at our core. This

ethos is non-denominational and aims to impart

wisdom, hope and love. Trinityhouse is not

exclusive and pupils from all faiths are welcomed

and embraced Our strong traditions and values,

together with a 21st Century curriculum, ensure

that Trinityhouse schools produce capable young

adults who are an asset to society.


SCHOOL FEATURE

PRIDE IN ACADEMICS

Trinityhouse is profoundly academic and

preparing pupils for their future studies and

careers is of the utmost importance. Our

campuses produce excellent results in the IEB

matric examinations as well as in internal and

external benchmarking tests. The academic

journey starts in Grade 0000, through play, in

the Pre-Primary and every pupil is challenged

and supported throughout their school career

to achieve their best. Academic support is a

vital component of the recipe to success and is

available to all pupils.

PRIDE IN LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Learning takes place in technologically enabled;

well-equipped classrooms linked to the. The

learning experience is further enhanced by

life-science and science laboratories, computer

rooms, STEAM centres and media centres. Pupils

have access to a broad spectrum of resources

during their studies.

PRIDE IN CULTURE AND ARTS

The extra mural programme at Trinityhouse aims

to encourage pupils to socialise and develop

emotional control. These aspects of schooling

are not of trivial importance. Just as cognitive

development, they are associated with better

outcomes in adulthood.

Trinityhouse offers an extensive array of arts

extra mural activities to suit every talent.

Drama, choir, music ensembles are just a

couple of examples of arts activities that pupils

can explore. These activities contribute to

confidence building, communication skills and

teachers’ pupils team work.

PRIDE IN SPORTS

A wide range of sports activities is a vital element

of holistic education at the Trinityhouse Schools.

Sports in education is a powerful tool in developing

a healthy body and mind. Fundamentally, the

benefits of boosting self-esteem, reducing stress,

improving sleep, and developing teamwork and

sportsmanship are great motivations for pupils.

Instruction for these takes place in premium

facilities with expert coaches.


SCHOOL FEATURE

PRIDE IN SERVICE

Trinityhouse Schools aim to develop pupils that

are successful at school and in life. Therefore,

pupils are given a variety of opportunities for

servicing their communities. As privileged young

people, it is important that our pupils understand

the importance of “giving back” as well as the

responsibility we all have to our fellow citizens.

PRIDE IN DIVERSITY

Trinityhouse schools are made up of a very

diverse pupil and staff body. One only needs

to attend a sport match to see that our school

communities are by no means homogenous.

Trinityhouse has adopted a stance of Respect,

Diversity and Inclusion and this permeates every

aspect of the school, including the curriculum.

Highly diverse communities can be challenging,

but also creates excitement, better performance

and, ultimately, better adjusted pupils.

PRIDE IN OUR ALUMNI

If the main aim of Trinityhouse Schools is to

produce young people that will take on life and

its challenges beyond the classroom, the success

of its past students should be the yard stick.

Trinityhouse is proud to, over year, have produced

pupils who are now contributing to society as

scientists, artists, teachers, professional sports

people and almost every career one can imagine.

Most importantly, Trinityhouse Alumnus make an

impact as parents, friends, and ethical members

of society who understand the difference between

right and wrong and their responsibility to building

a better South Africa for all.

In conclusion, Trinityhouse grooms its pupils to find

their talents and gits, to share those talents and

gifts and to glorify God in doing so.


THE POWER OF PREVENTION 1,2

We, as parents, hold the power to protect our children

from diseases that CAN be prevented. 1,2

Babies and children under

5 years old are most at risk

of Invasive Meningococcal

Disease (IMD). 1,2

IMD can be fatal. 1,2 Survivors

of this disease also have a

20 % chance of suffering from

long-term disabilities such

as limb amputation, deafness,

and learning or cognitive

(neurological) complications. 1,2

Vaccination can protect your

child from IMD. 1

In this case, prevention

really is better than

cure. 1,2 It’s in your

hands.

Speak to your Healthcare

Professional about your

child’s IMD vaccination

status.

16088

IMD - invasive meningococcal disease; *protein conjugate polysaccharide vaccine: children 9 through 23 months of age require a 2-dose series at least three months apart and children ≥ 2 years of age require a single dose. 2

References: 1. Zunt JR, Kassebaum NJ, Blake N, et al, on behalf GBD 2016 Meningitis Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of meningitis, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016.

Lancet Neurol 2018;17:1061-1082. 2. Meiring S, Hussey G, Jeena P, et al. Recommendations for the use of meningococcal vaccines in South Africa. Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases 2017;32(3):82-86.

sanofi-aventis south africa (pty) ltd, reg. no.: 1996/010381/07. 2 Bond Street, Grand Central, Ext. 1, Midrand, 1685. Tel: (011) 256 3700. Fax: (011) 256 3707. www. sanofipasteur.com

For Medical Information Enquiries kindly contact ZAvaccine.queries@sanofi.com

MAT-ZA-2100708-1.0 - 06/2021.

PARENTING FEATURE

PRACTICAL

PARENTING ADVICE:

PLAN AHEAD

We are reaching the end of the year, and we are all

tired, but here are some things you can push to plan

NOW to make your ‘Back to School’ in 2022 a breeze…

By Christelle Wolmarans

Back-to-school shopping is an exciting rite of passage for you and your child. Getting new clothes,

new kicks, new school supplies, a new lunch kit, and a new backpack can be fun.

First off, check with your child’s school for their specific supply lists. Then, compare the list of

suggested items with what you already have and take it from there.

1

ARE YOU KITTED OUT?

It’s no secret that our children grow like

weeds, so the back-to-school season is

a great time to review your child’s school

clothes and supplement with what

is necessary. Your child’s needs will also vary

according to their age, gender identity, activity level,

and of course, the season. The Trinityhouse uniform

has a traditional style and our pupils wear it with

pride. Contact the school for your nearest uniform

stockists.


2

PRE-PACK YOUR STATIONERY!

Let’s face it, we haven’t fully recovered from that thing we

will not name, but in the context of our “new normal”,

it is a good time to think about school stationery for 2022.

If you’re a seasoned parent with kids in several grades, this

list can strike fear into any heart when done at the last minute.

But do not fear, 2022 school stationery includes lots of practical

(and sensible) options for grown-ups and is cool for our children.

Buy those today and aim to save time (and perhaps money)

before the big rush. Start with well-labelled or personalised items to

ensure they stay with their original owner and don’t get shared.

A few options to consider are:

Takealot.com:

Marco School Stationery

Bundle Envelope, R319.00

Typo Desk Set, from R149.99

Takealot.com: Stationery Pack:

Back-to-school Grade 1, R628.00

Typo Activity Journal,

from R74.99 per book

Loot.co.za: High School

Essential Stationery, R400.00

3

THE SPORTS TALK

Parents often ask

questions about

sport specialisation

versus sport sampling,

whether to play multiple sports

during the same sport season,

and travel leagues versus

recreational leagues. These

questions can be complex

and tricky, even for parents

who were once themselves

young athletes. Therefore, it

is important to have sport

choice conversations with

your children as the decisions

families make regarding school

sports are important, not only

for sports growth but also for

future life skills development.

It is also important to make

your child part of the decisionmaking

process, as it will

directly impact their lives.

It would help if you also

were open and honest

about the financial impacts

participation in certain sports

will have. Travelling, camps and

additional coaching could

potentially make your child’s

dreams come true but also

break your bank. Therefore,

if you cannot afford it, say

so upfront and choose an

alternative that will make your

child equally happy.

Try to stay positive,

open-minded,

and respectful

as you engage

in the decisionmaking

process,

and show your

appreciation

to your

child that they are taking

ownership of their choices. Be

flexible with decisions and allow

for a change after the season

ends. In addition, your child is

more likely to have a positive

and enriching experience

playing sports if you focus on

being a good sports parent.

Just be sure to refrain from

applying too much pressure

or setting

unrealistic

expectations

on both you

and your

child. Open

and honest

conversations

are key before

the sports

season

begins.


PARENTING FEATURE

4

THE ABCs OF SUBJECT CHOICES

Choosing subjects at school is one of

the most important parts of your child’s

schooling as they take the first steps on

the path of their potential future career.

There is a lot of pressure to achieve academically,

and sometimes the dreams we have for our

children do not match what they want to do.

Therefore, it is important to have a conversation.

Encourage your teen to talk to you about their

ideas for a potential career path. Allow them

to speak to the rest of the family, friends, and

neighbours to get their views.

Ask them to do extensive research on what would

be required for that specific career path, as well as

the necessary subjects.

Although you want your children to look to the

future and choose subjects that will help them

towards a career they are interested in, they

should also consider what they really enjoy and

are passionate about. They are far more likely to

succeed in those subjects than in the ones they

feel they ‘must’ study.

Support your child as far as possible. Perhaps

arrange a meeting with a career counsellor and

consider an aptitude test. It is never too early to


start thinking about tertiary education. Start with

your child’s particular interests and investigate the

courses available in those subjects.

The requirements for the National Senior Certificate

are seven subjects:

* 4 subjects are compulsory: 2 x SA languages

(the first as a home language and the 2nd as

a first additional language), Mathematics or

Mathematical Literacy, and Life Orientation.

Mathematics is a requirement for many university

courses and career paths, so keep this in mind

when opting for one or the other.

* 3 subjects have to be chosen from the approved

subject list as supplied by the Department of Basic

Education, provided the school learner attends an

institution that offers the subject(s).

Suppose the three optional subjects are chosen

correctly and carefully, with all possible factors

taken into account. In that case, your child will

have many career opportunities ahead of them

and not just one.

Remember it is okay not to know at 15 what you

want to be; therefore, keep your options open as

far and wide as you can, but do the research!

PARENTING FEATURE

5

SETTING GOALS!

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible

into the visible.” – Tony Robbins

Approaching the new year offers us an opportunity

to take stock of our lives and fix what we do not like.

Whether it is our exercise routine, our tardiness, or even our

tendency to procrastinate and leave everything to the last

minute, there is always room for improvement for the coming

year. We not only benefit from new year’s resolutions, but our

children can also learn a lot about the value of setting goals

and the self-discipline to keep them.

Teach this simple goal-setting formula: Goals usually start with,

‘I will’ and have two parts – what you want to accomplish

and when you hope to accomplish it, e.g., for the little ones,

it could be as simple as ‘I will brush my teeth, say my prayers

and go to bed by 8 pm every night’. For older children, it

could be the accomplishment of a chore, lesson or skill. Also,

consider involving the whole family in bigger goals. The more

public the goal is, the more motivated your children will be.

This allows for a broader range of encouragement to complete

the goal. When you sit down to review your resolutions/goals,

it is not a time for punishment but rather to be flexible and

understanding. However you and your family arrive at your

resolutions, the best part is that you’re doing it together and

learning how to manage your role not only as an individual or

as part of your family but also in the bigger world at large.


ALUMNI FEATURE

An exciting and magnificent journey into the future

awaits matriculants. We caught up with dynamic alumni

students Kerry, Mbali and Taryn to hear what they have

been up to since hanging up their school blazers.

KERRY CAWSE-NICHOLSON

TRINITYHOUSE RANDPARK RIDGE | CLASS OF 2003

A Lady that STEAMs Ahead…

When it comes to

#careergoals, you

don’t get much

better than old

Trinitionian, Dr. Kerry Cawse-

Nicholson. Not only has she

achieved (quite literally) out-ofthis-world

feats in mathematics

and science, but she’s done so in

an industry typically dominated

by men. A modern-day

inspiration that STEAMs ahead!

Did you always know that you

were going to work for NASA?

Haha – starting with the

easy questions, are you?!

When I decided against my

original degree choice of

aeronautical engineering and/

or astrophysics, I thought that

a space-related career was no

longer on the cards for me. But,

among the many applications

of mathematics is image

processing – in other words,

turning an image (in my case,

taken from satellites in space)

into information that someone

can use. My vision might have

been a bit blurry at the time,

but my path was laid out for me.

NASA it was going to be!

maths, from modelling diseases

to studying the behaviour of

fluids to predicting the stock

market, and many more. I did

my PhD in understanding the

information we can glean from

satellite images acquired at

many different wavelengths –

beyond those the eyes can see.

How did you end up at NASA?

On a winding road, LOL! While

completing my PhD I worked

at the Center for Scientific and

Industrial Research (CSIR) in

Pretoria, one of South Africa’s

top research institutions. After

finishing my PhD, I did a 2-year

post-doc at a university in New

York, which is similar to an

apprenticeship for an academic

career. My daughter was born in

the US, but my husband, Terence

Nicholson, and I decided to

move back to South Africa to

Kerry Cawse-Nicholson

be with family. I worked at a few

different companies, processing

all kinds of imagery. One of

my memorable projects was

using satellite imagery to help

a mining company return the

vegetation around their site to

its natural state after the mine

was shut down. Having worked

in so many different area and

with different types of imagery,

serendipitously it gave me the

specialised skills that NASA was

looking for at the time, and so I

packed my bags.

One can see you have a lot of

passion for the industry!

Oh yes! I love the constant

challenge – there is always a

new problem to consider, and

I’m never bored! I’m also inspired

to be working with some of the

What did you study?

In the end, I enrolled for a

general BSc at Wits because it

gave me the flexibility to choose

either option later. However, I

fell in love with a course that

was then called Computational

and Applied Mathematics. We

studied all the real-life uses of

Kerry with her family at Pinnacles


ECOSTRESS launch

brightest minds in the world. My

group supervisor, David Schimel,

won the Nobel Peace prize in

2007 for his work alerting the

world to climate change. I learn

from him every day.

Oh, how fantastic to learn from

those around you! Tell us a bit

more about the work you do.

Being involved in new missions

is certainly a highlight! When I

first moved to JPL, which is the

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, I

began working with ECOSTRESS,

which very accurately measures

temperatures from space.

We use this to map wildfires,

volcanic eruptions, heatwaves

in cities, and even very subtle

temperature changes that

tell us plants are stressed or

impacted by drought. One of

my favourite experiences was

watching ECOSTRESS launch

on a Falcon-9 rocket from

Cape Canaveral! I still work on

ECOSTRESS, but now I am also

involved in the design of a new

mission that will map the earth’s

surface biology and geology. We

call it SBG since it hasn’t officially

been named yet. SBG will form a

part of NASA’s new Earth System

Observatory, which will measure

climate change and its impact

on the whole earth system, from

the atmosphere to the surface

of the earth to the water stored

under the earth’s surface. SBG

will focus on mapping snowmelt,

volcanic eruptions, water quality,

agriculture, and biodiversity in

natural landscapes.

Herewith are some links for those

who are interested:

• https://ecostress.jpl.nasa.gov/

• https://sbg.jpl.nasa.gov/

• https://www.nasa.gov/

press-release/new-nasa-earth-system-observatory-to-help-address-mitigate-climate-change

How do you see this industry

evolving in SA?

South Africa is already making

its mark in the space sector,

with the South African National

Space Agency (SANSA) using

satellite imagery to map

flooding, fires, droughts, and

other environmental impacts.

The CSIR is also well respected

for its work in utilising satellite

imagery. NASA’s Earth Science

data is free to everyone, and so

I hope I have the opportunity to

collaborate with South African

scientists in the very near future.

Would you say that your

Trinityhouse education assisted

you in your career?

I think my South African

education prepared me rather

uniquely for this work because

I have a very broad (vs. high

specialised) knowledge base.

Trinityhouse also encouraged us

to think for ourselves, be creative

in problem-solving, and be

open to incorporating the ideas

of others. Those are all such

important traits for a scientist.

What advice do you have

for the next generation of

Trinitonians?

Work out what motivates you

and where your passions lie

and try your best to work in that

field. If you don’t know yet, don’t

worry. Be open to trying new

things until you find something

that speaks to you. We all find

our way eventually.

You have a beautiful family.

Thank you! My husband, who

is also an old Trinitonian, and

I were classmates and friends,

and we’ve been married since

10/10/10! Our daughter, Maia, is

eight years old.

How do you fill your days if you

are not working?

We love to hike and camp,

and every summer, we try

to visit some of California’s

many National Parks (this past

summer, we visited Pinnacles

National Park and Sequoia and

Kings Canyon National Parks). I

also love to read and bake with

my daughter, and pre-Covid, I

sang in the JPL choir. Hopefully,

we will get back there soon.

What does the future hold for

Kerry?

The future will be exciting as we

design a new satellite mission,

and I’ll be able to spend the

next 7+ years developing new

instruments, watching them

launch to space, and working

with all kinds of new data! And

beyond that, there are so many

unanswered questions about

our natural world and the

changes we’re facing – I can’t

wait to explore that.

What is your Christmas wish

for your Trinityhouse family?

May you all find your passions

and follow them. Look at the

beautiful world around you and

do your best to protect it.


ALUMNI FEATURE

TARYN JANKES

GLENWOOD HOUSE COLLEGE | CLASS OF 2009

Gift of the Gab

Passionate about communication and its effect on

both business and greater society, Glenwood House

College alumna, Taryn Jankes, is committed to using

these tools together with her innate attention to detail

and zest for life to build meaningful relationships.

Taryn Jankes

Did you always know

that you wanted to be in

communications?

Oh, no! I initially studied

a Bachelor of Fine Arts

at Rhodes University in

Grahamstown. However, in my

second year, I realised that I

had a passion for journalism,

so I made a switch and

finished a Bachelor of the Arts

and Honours Degree in Health

Journalism.

Why did you choose this

field?

I am incredibly passionate

about communications and

ensuring that important

narratives are shared with

our country, and the world.

Additionally, I specialised

in Health and Medical

Journalism because I

believe there is an incredible

amount of misinformation

out there – think about the

Covid-19 pandemic. Health

journalists play a pivotal

role in simplifying complex

health topics for the ‘man

on the street’. I believe that

keeping people informed and

educated via the media is an

important human right.

What about this industry do

you love?

Social media is this

generation’s greatest asset,

but can also be its biggest

liability. The nature of social

media – being able to reach a

mass audience and influence

the way in which people

view the world – continues

to increase as more people

become digitally dependent.

I don’t foresee my job

becoming obsolete any time

soon.

How did Glenwood House

College prepare you for your

career?

Glenwood House paved the

foundation for my career

path, and I couldn’t be more

grateful to the incredible

staff complement. Nurturing

teachers and picturesque

surroundings, coupled with

the IEB’s application of critical

thinking prepared me for

university studies and how to

approach complex strategies

in the workplace.

Can you tell us a bit about

your career highlights?

I have been fortunate

enough to work for a leading

corporate, Discovery Limited,

for the last eight years. In my

role as a reputation manager

and currently as a social

media specialist, I have had

the privilege of meeting some

of the world’s most incredible

people, including David

Beckham, Bill Clinton, and

Arianna Huffington

(co-founder of Huffington Post

and CEO of Thrive Global).

Wow, that is awesome! Does

that mean you hang out with

the elite all day?

LOL, no, not all day, but I have

been blessed with awesome

memories throughout my

career thus far. I’ve also

been working on LinkedIn

strategies for Discovery

executives. Having an insight

into their leadership mindsets,

philosophies, and being able

to understand what makes

them tick, has truly brought

purpose to the work that

I do for such an amazing

company. More recently, I

was asked to present to the

National Communication

Partnership forum on the use

of TikTok in driving vaccination

uptake amongst the South

African youth.



Taryn and her husband

One can see that keeping

fit and healthy is another

passion of yours…

For me, exercise or fitness is

my long-term insurance policy

that I am gifting to myself. By

carving out time for myself

on a daily basis, to run or do

a barre class, I know that I

am adding healthy years to

my lifespan. The Vitality Active

Rewards model has also aided

my competitive nature – I have

to compete against myself to

close all my exercise rings!

During lockdown, did you find

that fitness was your saving

grace?

I have always been incredibly

passionate about using

exercise as a form of medicine.

My Honours thesis focused

on how receptive people are

to using exercise to improve

mental wellness. During

lockdown, I noticed how

desperate people seemed

to be to escape from their

realities. What started as a way

to share quick tips on how to

stay active when we didn’t

have access to gyms and

couldn’t leave our properties

became a stronghold of

around 80 people partaking in

daily fitness Zoom classes.

What advice do you have for

people who want to keep fit

and healthy?

Start with a simple routine and

find the balance! If you have

never run around the block

before, why start with trying to

run a 10km? Fitness and health

need to be sustainable – every

single day for the rest of your

life. Start by cleaning up your

nutrition by reducing sugar and

salt intake, and by including

more nutritious foods such as

colourful vegetables into your

diet. Start your fitness journey

by simply moving your body.

Not everyone is built to be a

triathlete or marathon runner,

so start by doing exercises you

actually enjoy such as a short

walk, swimming or dancing.

There is no one-size-fits-all when

it comes to health and wellness,

so you must make it work for

you in order to sustain that

lifestyle.


Taryn?

I used to be so sure of my

future – continued success in

my career, a growing family,

and plenty of international

travel. But, Covid-19 has taught

me to take each day as it

comes and to be grateful

for every moment that we’re

experiencing.


for your Glenwood House

Family?

My wish for my Glenwood

House family is health and

happiness for the new year.

We have had an incredibly

difficult period that has had

a profound impact on all of

us, and we all need some

deep introspection to heal

various wounds. We have

lost loved ones, our finances

have been impacted,

and our lives have been

irreversibly altered. I hope

that everyone uses the

festive season to reflect on

the year that was, and trust

in God a little more as we

move into better days. As

you move into 2022, make

a promise to yourself to

make a change, be it in your

community, in your family, or

in your own life – consciously

change one thing for the

better and enjoy how

rewarding that experience

can be.

Discovery World Triathlon in Cape Town


ALUMNI FEATURE

MBALI MOYAKHE

TRINITYHOUSE LITTLE FALLS | CLASS OF 2016

An Artist’s Impression

Why did you choose the Arts?

Well, like any little girl, I had a

dream of becoming an actress

and perhaps even being on

television one day. Drama is a

world of play and entertainment.

You get paid to play dress-up

and pretend to be someone

that you would not normally be.

It’s fun! That is what prompted

me to study for a BA Honours

Degree in the Dramatic Arts at

Wits. Although, when I started

the process, I soon realised that

my passion is behind the scenes

rather than on centre stage.

Does this mean the days of

seeing you on the stage is over?

LOL, no, not at all! I will still be on

stage, just in a different role. I will

always be very passionate about

the arts and using my creativity,

my imagination, being inspired

and inspiring others, if possible,

in the process. I accept that

with my passion and owning my

title as an artist director – and

hopefully soon educator – that

people will still appreciate my

God-given talents.

So, is education the route you

want to take?

In my short career, I’ve had

a very special highlight in

my career to date, which is

teaching a Dramatic Arts class.

It was the most fulfilling task

and role ever bestowed on me.

I realised that that is what I wish

to do – combine my passion for

art with teaching others.

What are you working on now?

I have been approached to do

the design for an upcoming

theatre production. We are

currently in the planning

stages. It is a remake of a play

titled Shwele Bawo! (A Grave

Injustice!) by Motshabi Tyelele.

I’m so excited about the process.

In addition to this, I have been

offered an opportunity to assist

with the after-school drama club

Mbali Moyakhe

at a high school with a possible

internship in the pipeline. Watch

this space!

We can’t wait to see it! Where

do you see this industry going?

The Arts and Entertainment

Industry is evolving in South

Africa. Artist and theatre

practitioners are discovering

new ways of making art more

accessible and educational for

our society. I think this is a very

challenging yet exciting time in

the arts industry, and we as an

audience need to engage in

making it work.

Would you say that Trinityhouse

prepared you for your career

path?

Absolutely! I was fortunate to be

a founding pupil of Trinityhouse

Little Falls. Trinityhouse was the

greatest stepping-stone to my

future because this is where I was

taught pride in excellence – to

always do your best and nothing

less. My experience being at

the school taught me discipline

and leadership, how to serve as

a leader without compromising


on my values as a Christian and

never lose sight of who I am.

This, I have come to realise, is a

very important characteristic to

maintain, especially in the Art

and Entertainment Industry. It

takes discipline to achieve one’s

aspirations in life, and I’m glad I

learned that very early whilst at

Trinityhouse.

What advice would you give

your 17-year-old self?

RELAX! Research! Research!

Research! At 17, I remember

being so full of fire and

excitement for drama and Wits. I

never considered anything else

or any other options. Right now,

I wish I had taken the time to

slow down and research more

about my options clearly before

making big life decisions.

Although, I don’t regret

anything because God always

has a way of making things

work out for the better, and I’m

truly grateful for that!


Mbali?

I’m so excited – life is good, and

there are unlimited possibilities!

My goal is to obtain my PGCE

(Postgraduate Certificate in

Education) and become the

best Educator of the Arts. I am

a proud Trinitonian and would

love the opportunity to be

a part of the movement

that shapes the future

leaders of our country. In

addition, I would love to own a

baking business and one day be

a devoted mother and wife to a

big family, God willing, of course!

The goal is to make sure all my

dreams become a reality with the

grace of God.


for your Trinityhouse family?

I wish that my Trinityhouse

family will continue to

aspire for excellence! I

wish for them to never stop

educating themselves, to

expand their horizons and

soar on wings like eagles. I

wish for them to always put

God first, to always invite

God in everything and

anything that they do. I wish

them only the best!

PARENTING ADVICE

SCREEN BUSTERS

It’s easy to allow kids to stay on a screen all day because you are

busy, because they are bored, and because it’s just less stressful

that way, but here’s what should make you pause.

By Margot Bertelsmann

“Screen time” gets a terrible rap.

You’re supposed to hate it, and

pretend your child has very little

of it, even as you return from

your own eight-hours-at-thecomputer-screen

job, hoping

to spend the evening catching

an episode of your latest Netflix

addiction, order Uber eats for

dinner and FaceTime your sister

in Australia.

So let’s not start another piece

of parenting advice with a litany

of woes. Actually, the internet is

an amazing receptacle of all

the knowledge human beings

have ever gathered, a minor

miracle, which you can access

via a screen small enough to fit

in your pocket. Most of us use

screens in our work, definitely for

entertainment, and as much as


social media can be dangerous

or nasty, it can also provide a

space of safety, connection and

belonging to those who feel

on the margins in some way -

including our children. What’s

more, many of us only survived

the pandemic because we were

able to work and be schooled

from home. Lastly, living a

screen-free, internet-less life is

just unrealistic in a world that is

moving online at a pace that will

still transform our daily lives even

in our (middle- aged) lifetimes.

However.

There are undoubtedly dangers

to be aware of as we migrate,

via augmented reality, towards

a metaverse in which our

screenagers’ online existence is

as “real” as the physical world

around us.

Broadly, there are physical

and psychological hazards to

screens. Because they are more

easily quantifiable, let’s start with

the physical dangers.

PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF SCREEN

TIME

Focusing for a long time on

a small screen can damage

your eyes, and ways to mitigate

against that includes getting

your eyes tested, coating

spectacles with anti-reflective

coating, and adjusting your

computer’s settings to reduce

blue light, contrast, font

smoothing and flicker. You can

download blue light filter and eye

protection software, for instance

from https://iristech.co/.

Looking at screens from incorrect

angles can cause bad posture

and headaches. And it stands

to reason that the longer you

are sitting at a screen, the

less physical exercise you are

getting, which increases the risks

of obesity and other negative

effects of sedentary lifestyles.

The answer here is obvious: limit

screen time, and balance screen

exposure with real-world activities.

Sleep quality is affected by

screen exposure, too, so insist

your child put that device down

half an hour before bedtime.

A WORD ON ADDICTION

Before we can discuss

psychological hazards of screen

time, let’s discuss what addiction

is. So-called “screen addiction”

has not been recognised as

an official disorder by any

official psychological or health

body. Excessive internet use is

not considered a disorder by

the World Health Organisation

and you won’t find it listed in

the Diagnostic and Statistical

Manual (DSM-V) or the

International Classification

of Diseases (IDC10). Still,

hallmarks of addiction are

similar, nevermind your chosen

poison. Dr Aric Sigman names

the problem “children engaging

in a variety of screen activities

in a dependent, problematic

manner” in the Journal of the

International Child Psychology

Association. He lists these eight

characteristics of problematic,

dependent screen use:

• Preoccupation

• Withdrawal symptoms

• Increasing tolerance

• Failure to reduce or stop

screen activities

• Loss of outside interests

• Continuation despite negative

consequences

• Lying about extent of use

• Use to escape adverse moods

“Anxiety sufferers

will be prone to

online comparison,

or need more

online validation;

an ADHD child may

be more inclined

to be impulsive. Be

alive to your child’s

disposition”

You know your child (and

yourself!). If this list seems eerily

familiar, you’ve got a problem.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS

The longer you spend online,

whether it’s gaming, watching

YouTube videos, using porn, or

posting to and consuming social

media, the fewer human beings

you are interacting with in

person. That equates to a lonely

existence, and loneliness causes

stress hormone cortisol to rise. So,

your teen’s social skills are dulled

(nobody is born with a fully

functional set of these either;

those skills are sharpened in

real-world interactions with other

people). Soon enough, a vicious

cycle of frustration, isolation

PARENTING ADVICE

and depression can form. There

is already a demonstrated

correlation between internet

overuse and substance abuse.

Now throw unparalleled levels of

insights into the private world of

others into this mix, and a sad

and mad teenager may not be

able to cope.

“Social media allows insights

into other people’s worlds

and invites comparisons and

insecurity,” says Pam Tudin, coowner

and creator of Klikd.co.za,

a website and app that helps

parents and teenagers navigate

social media. So while it may be

great that your teen can hang

around in obscure corners of

the internet meeting like-minded

people with an equal passion

for *insert super-niched interest

here*, but there will also be

SnapChats or TikTok videos or

Instagram posts that document

parties or friendships or in-jokes

from which they are excluded.

“Know your child,” advises Pam.

“Anxiety sufferers will be prone

to online comparison, or need

more online validation; an ADHD

child may be more inclined to

be impulsive. Be alive to your

child’s disposition” so that you

can react and look after them

appropriately.


PARENTING ADVICE

The teen years are a time

for flexing the muscles of

independence, and your child

may object to your attempts to

monitor their online behaviour.

Partly this may be because they

themselves are not yet aware of

exactly what dangers can lurk

online.

Consider downloading the Klikd

app for them (it costs R450). It’s

a multi-module app by teens for

teens that deals with subjects

such as phone addiction,

cyberbullying, managing tricky

people online, dealing with

scammers, simulates online

“A journal or a voice

call or an in-person

visit is private, but

an online forum is

by definition not

private, so their

demands for a

right to privacy on

their phones is an

oxymoron.”

chats, online reputation and

more. Tweens and teens aged

between 10 and 15 complete

14 modules of the Klikdapp in

their own time over a year or in

a class, and they receive their

“social media license” at the

end of it.

“Contract with them that you will

check their phone,” says Klikd’s

Pam Tudin. You can safely rebut

their demands for “privacy”,

she says, by delineating what

is private and what is not. “A

journal or a voice call or an

in-person visit is private, but an

online forum is by definition not

private, so their demands for a

right to privacy on their phones

is an oxymoron.” In that sense,

you, reading their phone, are a

concrete representation of the

abstract, nameless and faceless

individuals who consume your

child’s online content or interact

with them digitally.

“Get to a place where you

can have less frequency and

more trust in monitoring them

online,” says Pam, “in that

they demonstrate repeated,

predictable behaviour in terms

of how they show up online.”

MANAGING SCREEN TIME AND

ONLINE BEHAVIOUR:

• Balance, balance, balance:

Allow your teen say an hour

of screen time, but then

expect that they spend an

hour in the real world, doing

a chore, exercise, seeing a

friend or cooking a meal.

• Who’s the parent? You

are: Just as you may set

a curfew or expect your

children to contribute in

some ways to the running of

the household, so you are

also allowed to set limits and

have expectations in terms

of online behaviour.

• To prevent unhealthy latenight

web surfing, it is a

good idea to take devices

away from bedrooms at

bedtime and charge them

overnight in the lounge or

your bedroom.

• Download an app such

as the Google Family Link

(or similar) that allows your

teenagers’ linked accounts

to be monitored for graphic

content, total screen time,

and that sets predetermined

“online” hours (such as

6am to 8pm). Understand,

however, that “net nannies”

are not failsafe and that a

determined enough user will

figure a way around their

restrictions.

• For general safety in the

real world, enable location

sharing on your child’s

phone or tablet so that you

can track their whereabouts

and vice versa. Google

Family Link offers this, but

many other apps such as

Life360 do too.

• Practise what you preach: If it

annoys you to be speaking to

your child almost exclusively

“in profile”, with their nose

buried in their phone, make

sure you also put your device

away when you’re with them.

Modelling good manners

is crucial for getting good

behaviour back.


KIDS HOLIDAY FEATURE

Books, Bakes and Makes

BOOKS: THE WONDERS OF LITERATURE

There are just a few weeks of this year left, so whether your children love soaking up

the sun or staying inside, it’s always a good time of the year to have a few books on

hand to keep them entertained. So, in celebration of the festive season, here are the

best sellers to look out for, from heartfelt picture illustrated books to fun adventures.


SULWE

R181.00

From Academy Award-winning actress, Lupita Nyong’o, comes a

powerful, moving picture book about colourism, self-esteem and

learning that true beauty comes from within.

Sulwe’s skin is the colour of midnight. She’s darker than everyone

in her family and everyone at school. All she wants is to be

beautiful and bright, just like her mother and sister. But then,

a magical journey through the night sky opens her eyes and

changes everything.

In this stunning debut picture book, Lupita Nyong’o creates a

whimsical and heart-warming story to inspire children to see their

own uniqueness.

GIRAFFE IN THE BATH

R120.00

Giraffe is all set for a soak in the tub after a hard day’s

work, but no one will leave her in peace!

Russell Punter’s lively rhyming story in the successful

Phonics Readers series contains vivid illustrations and

phonic repetition and is specially written for children

learning to read. David Semple’s fresh, modern

illustrations bring this hilarious story to life. A delight to

share with young children, and there are parents notes

on phonics at the back of the book.

A fun introduction to language skills for young children

or those beginning to read for themselves.



PARIS CAT

R135.00

A sassy cat from the back alleys of Paris believes she is quite

different to the rest of the rabble.

She can do anything she sets her mind to, even if others

don’t think so. Leaving her cat family behind, she sets off to

explore Paris. Cat meets legendary singer, Edith Piaf, creates

her own stunning designs at a high-fashion atelier and

dances with the infamous dancer, Josephine Baker, and her

cheetah.

But is this the life she really wants? What about her friends

and family?

THE 130-STOREY TREEHOUSE

R174.00

There are many laughs at every level in this 10th book in this

bestselling Treehouse series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton.

If you don’t have the other nine, make sure to get them.

This is our treehouse; come on up! We’ve added 13 new

levels to our treehouse, including a soap bubble blaster, a

grabinator (it can grab anything from anywhere at any time),

a time-wasting level, a toilet paper factory (because you can

never have too much toilet paper) and an extra-terrestrial

observation centre, which will come in handy when giant

flying eyeballs from outer space come to grabinate us!

It is a fun story with loads of adventure!


SHADOW CHASERS

R79.00

Nom is an outsider at school. When she and Zithembe become

friends, life still seems a little ordinary until an army of monsters

threatens their world.

They set off on an amazing journey into the dreamworld on a quest

that will change their lives. Powers of the Knife is the first book in the

Shadow Chasers trilogy. It’s an African fantasy adventure – one part

family saga, one part hero’s quest.

Author Bontle Senne crafted a perfect storyline to inspire makebelieve,

curiosity and creativity.


CODE NAME BANANAS

R251.00

Go back in time with No. 1 bestselling author David Walliams for a

whizz-bang epic adventure of action, laughter and secret plots -

and the extraordinary friendship between a little boy and a huge

gorilla that just might save the day.

Britain is at war with Nazi Germany. Eleven-year-old Eric spends his

days at the place that makes him happy: London Zoo. There’s one

animal he loves in particular – Gertrude, the gorilla. With bombs

falling all over London, Eric must rescue Gertrude.

Together with his uncle Sid, a keeper at the zoo, the three go on

the run. But while hiding out at the seaside, they uncover a topsecret

Nazi plot. An amazing adventure awaits.

THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END

R211.00

An unforgettable tale of life, loss and making each day

count.

This international No. 1 bestselling book of TikTok fame

by Adam Silvera is an inspiring story. On 5 September,

a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez

and Rufus Emeterio to give them some really bad

news: they’re going to die. Mateo and Rufus are total

strangers, but for different reasons, they’re both looking

to make one new friend on their last ‘end’ day.

The good news: there’s an app for that, called ‘Last

Friend’, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to

meet up for one last great and awesome adventure –

to live a lifetime in a single day.

Another beautiful, heartbreaking and life-affirming book

from the brilliant Adam Silvera.

Trinitonians, enjoy! We might have missed some corkers, but we had limited

space available. Until next time, keep your eyes on the best-sellers list.



BAKES: EIGHT EASY EATS FOR CHRISTMAS

It’s Christmas time. You actually have some time! Get your

littlies into the kitchen for some not-too-complicated fun!

By Donna Verrydt

UNDERNEATH THE BROWNIE TREE

No event ever is complete without a brownie!

Make the exact ones you made for Easter

shaped like a bunny, but shape it like a tree this

time. Kids will have fun decorating their brownie

tree and licking the bowl.

Click here for the recipe!

CHRISTMAS MESS

It is a not-so-clever play on words around the

traditional Eaton Mess dessert, but this one

comes with less guilt because it is healthy-er.

Fruit and yoghurt with a dash of meringue –

a light pudding option after you’ve eaten the

turkey, gammon and lamb!




GRINCH-MAS POP

Make an ordinary bowl of popcorn a

little more festive in all the wrong ways

with this Grinch-inspired party snack.

Plonk it on the kids’ table for a bit of fun

for them and peace and quiet for you!


KRISPIE REINDEERS

There’s nothing like a ‘Krispie’ reindeer, but not in

the charred and smokey kind of way but more in

the yummy Rice Krispies and marshmallow kind of

way. Throw in a few pretzels and a red M&M, and

wham, you have a reindeer!


SNOWMAN IN AFRICA

What happens when a snowman visits

Africa? He melts onto a biscuit and is

put on a plate. Note to snowmen: keep

North! This easy snowman biscuit is so

simple to make, and it doesn’t matter

if it looks a little messy – melting snow

looks wet and messy!




SANTA’S JELLY BELLY

Now, most of us are not big fans of our

jelly bellies, but when it comes to Santa,

the bigger the better! Who doesn’t love a

wobbly, fruity jelly cup? Ho, ho, ho and a

wobble wobble wobble.


THE FIT DEER

For families who run a ‘fit week’ and ‘sweet

weekend’ routine, here’s a healthy option for

you. Just focus on how cute the reindeer is with

his horns and red nose, and they won’t even

notice the celery…


SUSHI BELLS, SUSHI BELLS

For those who have kids who order the ‘all you

can eat’ at the local sushi place, why not get

them into making California Rolls and get a new

type of Christmas tree going! The baubles are the

ginger and wasabi, and the tinsel is the soy.




MAKES: DIY CHRISTMAS SPIRT

Time is one of the best gifts we are given, and what better than taking the

time to get into the Christmas spirit with some wonderful DIY inspiration.

Skip the overpriced holiday décor and, together as a family, DIY a bundle

of colourful Christmas tree ornaments.


BEDAZZLE BAUBLE

There’s nothing nicer than to

bedazzle your Christmas tree

with beautiful and shiny baubles

that you can see out of space –

and ten times better when you

have made them yourself.

RECOMMENDED AGES:

From 5 years

(strict supervision required)

LEARNING ABILITY:

• Develops fine motor skills

• Boosts creativity

• Relaxation and mindfulness

• Making memories that will last

for a lifetime

MATERIALS:

• Foam balls

• Sequins with a hole

• Short push pins

• Ribbon

LET’S GET STARTED…

Poke a pin through the sequin

and then push them both into

the foam ball. Children can

cover the foam ball with sequins

and pins however they like.

Adding the ribbon: You can use

a pin to secure the ribbon into

the top. Additionally, you can

use a small knife to cut a slit at

the top of the foam ball and

push the ribbon in, which holds

it securely in place.



SURPRISE ORNAMENT

Here is a Christmas ornament

like no other, which is inspired by

the infamous Christmas cracker.

The ornament will have a special

hidden surprise inside. Assist your

child in making one for another

family member, allowing for

pre-Christmas excitement and

guessing what special gifts are

hiding inside. Nobody will be

able to find out until Christmas

when they can remove them

from the tree and unravel them.

RECOMMENDED AGES:

From 8 years

(supervision required)

LEARNING ABILITY:

• Boosts creativity

• Assists with critical thinking

• Builds communication and

language skills



for a lifetime


MATERIALS:

• Small toys

• Crepe paper streamers

• Gift paper

• Ribbon

• Wire or thread

• Sticky tape

• Scissors


Begin with the largest toy you’d

like to hide and begin wrapping

one end of the streamer around

it. Continue wrapping the

streamer around the toy, pulling

and twisting it tightly around its

shape. Wrap it in many different

directions and continue to

ensure it is securely covered. If

some parts of the toy are oddly

shaped or stick out, wind the

streamers in such a way that it

builds up around those areas

and creates a more rounded

shape. Once you are happy with

the shape and toys inside your

surprise Christmas ornament,

you can use the streamer to

hold cotton thread or wire,

which can be used to hang the

ornament on the tree. Once

you’re done, you can hold the

end of the streamer in place

with sticky tape. Take a larger

piece of gift paper and surround

your ball. Tie the ribbon at the

end and cut the excess paper

off the tip, and you’re done.

Hang it on the Christmas tree

and enjoy the excitement and

guessing in the household.


MATERIALS:

• Foam cones

• Yarn (wool)

• Cardboard

• Pencil

• Low-temperature hot glue gun

• Crafting wire

• Scissors

• Accessories: small pom-poms, stars

confetti/sequins

WOOLING AROUND

These DIY yarn Christmas trees spark joy and won’t

break the bank. You can hang them or display them.

RECOMMENDED AGES:

From 5 years (strict supervision required)

LEARNING ABILITY:

• Develops fine motor skills

• Boosts creativity and innovation


• Making memories that will last for a lifetime


Take the foam cone and assist your child

in making a hole either with a knife or

scissors at the top of the cone about

five millimetres from the top if you would

like to hang them in the Christmas tree,

otherwise, they can just be displayed.

Push the ribbon through and make a knot

to hang on the tree. With a little hot glue,

paste the end of the yarn/wool around

the top of the cone and start tightly going

around and around until the foam cone

is completely covered. In the end, tightly

glue it at the bottom of the cone. Take

the yarn tree and place it on a piece of

cardboard. With a pencil, trace a circle in

the exact size of the cone. Cut the tracing

out and then paste it on the bottom of the

cone as your base and hide the end of

your yarn. Accessorise your yarn/wool tree,

either with small pom-poms, star confetti

and/or sequins to creatively give your tree

some flair.



POPSICLE TREE

These are such wonderful

holiday crafts to make. Not

only will your kids want to make

these, but they will have the

inspiration to make it happen

– popsicle eating time, the

best during our South African

summer.

RECOMMENDED AGES:

From 5 years (strict supervision

required)

LEARNING ABILITY:

• Develop fine motor skills

• Boost creativity



for a lifetime

MATERIALS:

• 3-4 popsicle sticks (you can

also buy these sticks without

the treat if you are worried

about too much popsicle

eating)


• Kids paint

• Big sheets of paper to cover

the surfaces you will be

working on

• Painting aprons

• Low-temperature hot glue gun

• Punch

• Scissors

• Accessories: small pom-poms,

confetti, sequins

• Ribbon


Your stick tree will take about

3-4 popsicle sticks. If you do not

buy the colourful ones, prepare

to paint them. Lay sheets of

paper on your surface and put

on your aprons or old clothes.

First, paint the one side of the

sticks the colours that you prefer

them to be. Wait until they are

completely dry, and then turn

them around and paint them

on the other side in the colour

you selected the first time

around. Prep each Christmas

tree ornament with one craft

stick for the tree’s trunk and then

six pieces of craft sticks to use

as the branches. Then cut the

popsicle sticks (you can use

scissors) to make each branch

shorter and shorter, going up

the tree in a triangle shape.

Ask your children to lay their

tree out on the surface you

are working on. This presents

a teaching moment for your

little ones. If they don’t already

know how to make a triangle

shape, you can guide them in

the right direction. Once it is laid

out correctly, paste the sticks

evenly on the base stick using

the glue gun. Place a book or

something heavy on your tree

and leave it there for a while.

Come back and accessorise

it with sequins, confetti, small

pom-poms or whatever your

heart desires. Adult supervision is

required for the hot glue. Punch

a hole in the top end of the tree,

push a piece of ribbon through

and hang it on your tree. Your

children can sign their tree on

the back for a cherished item for

your tree.

PERSONAL PARENTING TALES

A WEEKEND (JUST)

WITH GABE

Discovering your

child one-on-one

We have five kids! Five kids in one home feels

a lot like Makro at Christmas. There’s so much

noise, so much activity and many different

things trying to grab your attention – and just

like Makro, it’s possible to lose a child in a big

and busy family, too. Sometimes you need to

stop pushing that proverbial trolley forward with

haste and intent and take time to know where

your child is at: physically, intellectually, and

emotionally. Welcome to planned one-on-ones.

By Donna Verrydt

As busy parents, I realised we were caught

up in the machine of life and that we

don’t actually talk to our kids. I want to

know their stories and their opinions and I

want to understand their passions and their worries.

But most of all, I want to allow them to step up to the

‘responsibility plate’ instead of brushing them

aside in the mad rush of ‘getting it done’.

With this in mind, I contemplated

taking our seven-year-old

son, Gabe, with me on a

business trip to Durban

for some one-onone

time. Of course,

I did question

whether he would

behave in front of

my client. Would he

be hungry every

five minutes? Would

he whine to go to

the beach when

I needed to concentrate?

Probably! But what if I roped him in and

made it ‘our’ business trip to Durban?

What if I gave him responsibility and

made us a team? So, I booked two flights

to Durban!



CAR HIRE

I rented a car. I asked the

rental agent to give Gabe the

paperwork and explained

that he needed to check the

car against the paperwork for

corresponding scratches and

dents. “Whatever is not on the

paper goes on our bill!” He

inspected the car alongside the

agent; it was a very long and

laborious process for both the

agent (and me), but there was

no scratch left unturned!

THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT GABE

AT THIS POINT:

• Responsibility empowered him

• Gabe was thorough and

detail-orientated

CHECK-IN

On arrival at the airport,

Gabe was responsible for his

own luggage. He checked it

in himself and was handed

his boarding pass, which he

guarded with his life because

‘no pass, no fly!’. As we went

through the airport process,

I explained what the metal

detectors were for and let

him look at the brochure that

outlines all the things you

cannot take on board. I knew he

was getting the hang of it when

he pointed out to security that

I had tweezers in my make-up

bag and a lighter in my pocket

(reminder to self: buy new lighter

and tweezers).


AT THIS POINT:

• He can be responsible for his

own things

• He takes security seriously

• He can’t keep his mouth shut


THE FLIGHT

On the flight, with my phone

off and the plane hitting

cruising altitude, Gabe had my

full attention. He made up a

game, Animal Clouds. He also

constantly developed new rules

to sway the game his way. We

argued (playfully), we laughed,

me at his audacity and him at

his own wit, and ultimately, he

got me to follow his amended

rules, and he won Animal Clouds

by six points to two.


AT THIS POINT:

• He is creative

• He is competitive

• He can craft a compelling

argument (it does not need to

make sense)

• He is convincing

THE DRIVE

As we drove the coastline

towards our destination, I turned

the car radio off, and Gabe and

I just chatted. He told me all

about his mate Jethro, about Mrs.

Kruger and the incident with the

missing eraser. I told him all about

King Shaka from Durban, the

Battle of Blood River (Standard 5

History recollection). He looked

at the Durban hills and passing

rivers and asked if I thought King

Shaka had walked there.


AT THIS POINT:

• He is chatty and filled with

happy stories

• He can absorb information

and retell it in detail

• He has a great imagination

• History excites him


WORK

My business trip consisted of

setting up for an event at a

track. I met with the client and

introduced Gabe. I prayed

for politeness (I’m never quite

sure what will come out of his

mouth). I nearly collapsed with

pride when he extended his

hand to greet the client with a

fist-pump (Covid-19 rules) and

then proceeded to have a fullon

conversation about the cars

and the track, and Mrs. Kruger!

MIDNIGHT SNACKS

We were feeling a little

“scratched-up”, so we

decided not to eat out but

to go to Woolies and get

some supplies and stay in.

I allowed him to select the

snacks – whatever he wanted.

I gave him a budget, and he

selected, calculated, and paid

(another long process). When

we got back to the room, he

unpacked and prepared the

snacks, all on his own.


AT THIS POINT:

• He is confident

• He is well-mannered

• He is highly social

• He is intuitive – he understood

that this was important to me,

and he played the game

THE INCIDENT

As predicted, Gabe

constantly whined about me

taking him to the beach. I

eventually got a chance to

do so, and we found a tidal

pool. The tide was quite high,

and I was worried about

the waves, but Gabe (7)

convinced me it would be

fine. So, we jumped right in.

We held on to the wall to try

to beat the force of each

wave until a freak megawave

crashed into the pool

and washed both Gabe

and me completely out and

over sharp rocks, eventually

spitting us out on the beach,

all tattered and torn. Note to

self: stop listening to Gabe!


AT THIS POINT:

• He is compassionate and

kind. (When I apologised to

him and said I was a bad

mom, he put his arms around

me and said, “You are the

best mom!”)

• He keeps secrets – that’s

good, and that’s bad! (When

I told him not to tell his father,

he looked at me with a

cheeky twinkle in his eye and

said, “My lips are sealed.”)

ANOTHER SIMPLE ONE-ON-

ONE IDEA: NUMBER NIGHT!

Every month, on your child’s birth

date, they get to have a “date

night” with you. This means that

every month, each child will

get one night that is just theirs.

It is special because it’s their

night with you, with no one else

around. Do something fun, out of

the ordinary, and focus 100% of

your attention on that child.

THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT

GABE AT THIS POINT:

• He is capable

• He is willing to try new things

(even if peanut butter and

Bovril turned out not to be a

mix)!

• He is considerate.

(Camembert is not his

favourite, but he knows it’s

mine, so Salty Crax and

Camembert was what he

served.)

Overall, the work trip was highly

successful. Not only was the

client happy, but I was more

than happy to have had the

chance to spend quality one-onone

time with Gabe. I learned

so much about my little boy in

one weekend, and our bond is

stronger than ever. I can honestly

say in this ‘Makro-at-Christmas’

family, I found my child.

THE CHILD PICKS THE ACTIVITY.

HERE ARE SOME IDEAS…

• Play a board game

• Read a book together

• Go on a walk or a bike ride

• Do a science experiment

• Build a fort

• Bake



FOOD

OSCAR

AWARD WINING

“ELALINI”

2006

8 SAFTA

“Best Student Film”

AWARDS

FESTIVAL

DE CANNES

2006 & 20212

FINALIST

2018 WINNER

SIMON SABELA

AWARDS

10 WINNERS

DURBAN INT.

FILM FESTIVAL

WINNER

ZANZIBAR INT.

FILM FESTIVAL

WINNER


KIDS FEATURE

EA IS A SPORT!

Extramurals 4.0

Today’s children are putting

down the bats and balls and

entering EA, AR and more in

the 4IR. Confused? Don’t be.

In this piece, we break down

the extracurricular activities

we didn’t have growing up –

but that your kids do.

By Kerryn Massyn

The world has changed irrevocably and

immeasurably since we were kids, so it only

makes sense that extra-curricular activities

catch up and offer children additional

learning and experience in skills that will be much

needed in the future. As a result, after-school

activities in the 4IR see our children gaming in AR,

building robots and more. Now, for those of us still

stuck in the last millennium, 4IR refers to the Fourth

Industrial Revolution, also known as Industry 4.0,

meaning the digital age in which we are now living.

It’s not just technology that’s changing how our

children spend their time after school. Life in a

pandemic has had many rethinking our approach

to traditional learning and activities, and there has

been an increase in online or distanced options.

Plus, there’s a lot more choice afforded to today’s

children. In this ever-evolving world, it’s safe to

say we didn’t have the option of these super-fun

extracurricular activities when we were growing up,

but our children do. Here’s a breakdown of a few of

the exciting options now available.

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE

First Lego League introduces children of all ages

to oodles of STEM exposure without them even

knowing it! This is perfect, as skills in Science,

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are

the way of the future. Using a LEGO League set,

children work in teams to complete a challenge

based on a real-world problem through building

and commanding their very own walking, talking

robots. The League has different age-appropriate

levels, and each team requires four members

and one coach. Teams meet once a week at the

premises of their choice, and no special skills are

needed. As they say, “This is the only sport where

if you show up, you can play.”

WHAT IT TEACHES

• Critical thinking

• Coding

• Robotics

• Teamwork

• Problem-solving

• Creativity

AGE GROUP

• FIRST Lego League Discover: 4 to 6 years

• FIRST Lego League Explore: 6 to 10 years

• FIRST Lego League Discover: 9 to 16 years

GET STARTED!

Go to firstsa.org and click on the First Lego

League to find out more and register your team.


KIDS FEATURE

HIGH SCHOOL ESPORTS LEAGUE

Traditional sports heroes like Lionel Messi

and Lewis Hamilton are making a way in

the popularity stakes for their online gamer

counterparts, like Lee “Faker” Sang-Hyeok.

Competitive video games, called Esports, are

taking the world by storm, with some international

events drawing over a million viewers at one time.

The High School Esports League also provides

a space for competitive school Esports for highschoolers

in South Africa.

“The HSEL provides schools with ready-made

fixtures against other schools from across the

country, to make Esports as accessible as

possible for schools, with the understanding

that this is a volunteer organisation run by the

teachers,” says Tyrone Green, chairman of the

HSEL. “We try to focus on team games rather

than individual titles to combat the stigma that

gaming or Esports is some activity that only

loners take part in. The sense of camaraderie, not

just with your teammates but with other schools,

really makes Esports an incredible addition

to any student’s school life. The HSEL and its

partnership with Telkom VS Gaming also allow

more competitive players to make their mark on

the Esports scene.”

The League is for schools, but if you’re looking to

join as an individual, you would need a teacher

or staff member who can act as an intermediary

(with the school’s permission) to schedule

matches and sort out other details. “We welcome

all students and schools!” says Tyrone, adding that

inclusivity is a driving factor of the League. “Most

of the games titles played do not require high-end

computers or consoles (making it affordable), and

girls and boys are on an equal footing.”

WHAT IT TEACHES

• Communication

• Teamwork

• Commitment

• Problem-solving

• Confidence

AGE GROUP

From 13 years, but there is room for younger

participants. Tyrone explains: “While we style

ourselves the High School Esports League, junior

schools can join as long as their students are

taking part in age-appropriate titles. CS:GO, for

instance, is rated 16, while League of Legends

has an age restriction of 13. However, games like

Rocket League is for everyone, which is great.”

GET STARTED!

Reach out to Tyrone Green by email

(greet01@wbhs.co.za) for more information

about the upcoming season and all other

related information.


KIDS FEATURE

DIGITANK

MONEYTIME

Financial literacy is another future-proof skill

that can be learnt in fun, engaging ways. The

MoneyTime programme focuses on everything

we wish we knew about personal finance for

your kids. Through online, self-taught lessons

and a cute game, children learn about saving

and budgeting and employment and job

applications, cyber security, consumer rights,

insurance, and more. Plus, it can all be done in

the comfort of your home.

WHAT IT TEACHES

• Financial literacy

• Independence

• Problem-solving

• Critical thinking

If you’re looking for the motherboard of STEM

skills that extend beyond coding and robotics,

digitank has just about everything. The

online classes offer a full computer science

curriculum for kids aged 6 to 18, and you can

choose between access to four group lessons

a month or four private lessons a month.

Courses available include Python and Java

programming, app development, web design,

game design and more. Students also get to

connect with global peers when competing in

Hackathons and open challenges.

AGE GROUP

From 6 to 18 years

GET STARTED!

Go to digitank.co.za to learn more and to enrol.

AGE GROUP

From 10 to 14 years

GET STARTED!

Visit moneytimekids.co.za for more information.

While these activities are a far cry from what

we were used to, they do offer amazing new

opportunities for learning and fun – and a

chance for us parents to show up in support in

new and wonderful ways, too.


FAMILY FEATURE

BEWARE THE

CHRISTMAS

MONSTERS!

How to build a more

meaningful Christmas!

Have you ever tried to get your kids into the

Christmas spirit by encouraging them to write

a letter to Santa, only to read that letter later

and realise that you need to extend your

bond to meet their expectations? If so, you

have probably created Christmas monsters!

Playstations, iPhones, hover boards and

drones are not what Christmas is all about.

It’s time we reintroduced some heart, some

soul and some quality vs quantity.

By Zelda Victor

How do we build a more

meaningful Christmas?

Here are some steps to

achieving meaning over

materialism...

THANKSGIVING

GRATITUDE ADVENT: Christmas

is a time to take stock and

realise all that you should be

grateful for. Together with the

traditional Advent Calendar,

and the daily bite of chocolate,

each family member can say or

write something which they are

thankful for. This will make the

traditional countdown to the 25th

filled with more love and gratitude.

HOME-MADE CHRISTMAS

CARDS ONLY: The rule should

be, no bought cards or tags!

They are banned this year. Every

child, and even adult, must

make a member of their family

a homemade Christmas card.

Encourage your kids to consider

the person they are making

the card for: what they like,

what makes them happy, their

favourite colours, things they say,

and the reason why you love

them so much. Set up a crafters

table with coloured paper,

pencils and glitter and watch the

love unfold.


FAMILY FEATURE

PERSONALISED CHRISTMAS TREE

DECORATION: In the run-up to

Christmas, you could hold a pre-

Christmas ‘Bauble Ceremony!’

- like an awards ceremony but

with dangly Christmas “trophies”.

Look for tree decorations or

baubles that have meaning to

each person – they do exist! For

instance, my husband’s first car

was a Volkswagen kombi, and we

found him one with a Christmas

tree on top. We have also seen

dinosaur Santas, Christmas

turtles, pizza decorations and

even a dangly gin and tonic for

mom. This exercise is fun and

helps everyone really think about

the people in their family.

SHARING

DO GOOD: Make it a family

exercise to select a dedicated

charity for the year and get

everyone to work towards

helping that charity. Non-profit

organisations also didn’t have

it easy the last two years and

they are struggling to make

ends meet. Look at your options:

the local old age home, an

orphanage in town, or your

local SPCA. Your family’s time,

collection of goods, monetary

contribution or even just a visit

will make a huge difference to

others and to the spirit of your

Christmas, too.

“

Choose one

of your teddies

or a special toy,

and give it to a

child to spread

the joy.


”

CARING

THOUGHTFULNESS: Get your

family to take a moment to

think of a special friend or

family member that might need

something extra these holidays.

Is it someone who had many

financial challenges this year?

Is it someone who had to bury

one of their loved ones? Perhaps

a jar of ‘thought cookies’ would

mean a lot. The cookies could

have encouraging words or even

their names on them. Maybe a

delivery of some grocery items

might be the splash of hope they

need. Perhaps you could even

invite them to your family dinner

to show you really care.

KINDNESS

KINDNESS ELF: In many homes

the Elf on the Shelf is responsible

for fun and crazy mornings after

late night Elf shenanigans. From

messing cereal all over the

kitchen counter to wrapping

the Christmas tree in toilet

paper, they keep us on our toes.

Perhaps this festive season, the

Elf and his friends could rather

send messages to our kids of

suggested acts of kindness. Here

are some to consider:

• “Today we spread the

Christmas cheer, say a special

thank you to the car guard and

the shop cashier.”

• “There is no time to be a bore,

surprise your sibling by doing

their chores.”

• “Choose one of your teddies

or a special toy, and give it to a

child to spread the joy.”

Studies have shown that

kids who engage in random

acts of kindness are more

likely to be accepted by

their peers. Their good deeds

improve their well-being and

help them develop positive

perceptions of their world.

FAMILY FEATURE

GIFTING

5 GIFT RULES

Every year there are heaps of

gifts under the Christmas tree.

This brings so much joy to young

and old, but in this journey of

rethinking our ways, perhaps we

can think of gifts that won’t blow

the budget and gifts that will be

appreciated. Why not stick to the

“5 Gift Rules”:

• Something you want

• Something you need

• Something to wear

• Something to read

• Something to do

EXPERIENCE: Instead of

material things why not wrap an

experience? Like a flight ticket or

a day trip to the zoo? Print the

tickets or vouchers out and wrap

them up beautifully. When the

kids finally get to redeem the gift,

even if it is weeks later, it still feels

like Christmas to them. And the

best gifts you could ever give are

memories.

May this Christmas be meaningful

to you and your family, and may

the kindness and thoughtfulness

extend beyond Christmas.

“

Christmas is

forever, not for just

one day, for loving,

sharing, giving

are not to be put

away. Like bells

and lights and

tinsel, in some box

upon a shelf, the

good you do for

others is good you

do yourself.”

- Norman Wesley Brooks”


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SPOTLIGHT PRAYER

A Prayer for Us

As we stand at the end of our school

year, we give thanks to God for all the

teaching and learning that has taken

place during this year.

For both in and out of the classroom, discovery

and learning, and for the talents and gifts that

have been showcased.

For the challenges and opportunities that we took

on, and for the failures that taught us a lesson.

For the successes that showed us that we can,

for the burdens that have been lifted, and for the

hurts that have been healed.

We praise You for giving us life!

We praise You for saving us in Christ and for

choosing us to be Your people.

We praise You for the laughter and the sadness,

for the respect and love that was shared, and for

the kindness and care that has been given.

We give thanks to You, dear Lord!

For the friendships that have just begun and for

those who have grown, and for the faith that has

been lived during our daily struggles.

Thank You for the hope that has lifted our hearts

on disappointing days and for the love that has

kept us going.

We give thanks for the community that we are!

We ask you, Lord, as we head into the summer

holiday, that we take with us the knowledge that

You will keep us all in your embrace so that we

may rest and be restored and can continue in the

ongoing discovery of Your love.

Please bless our students, parents, guardians

and staff!

Bless them with time spent together and with

memories to cherish always.

Bless this group as we come to You, asking for Your

guidance, wisdom, and support throughout the

year ahead.

Please help us to engage in meaningful

discussion, to be generous in our outlook,

courageous in the face of difficulty, and wise in

our decisions ahead.

We make this our prayer, oh Lord.

Amen


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