Dear Moms, Dads, Relatives, Educators and Business Owners!

The kids have been back at school for only a week and I am feeling as though there never was a holiday break. Getting back into the school going routine which includes having the kids at school by 8am and remembering which extra mural on which day at which time is proving to be quite a challenge.

For the first few days I felt like an underpaid and unappreciated chauffeur. That was until in the car on the way to swimming lessons on Monday, my daughter and I talked over an issue she had with me earlier in the day and we resolved it. Wow, I thought. The journey in the car had provided a great opportunity to solve our problem.

I had discovered that driving the kids to school or to and from their afternoon activities needn't be a thankless job. I now use this time effectively. We talk about the activity we are going to (or have just come from) or sing along together with our favourite CD (or should I say their favourite CD, can't remember what mine is anymore) and even resolve issues.

But what about the time waiting for my children whilst they engage in their extra mural activity? Is this a waste? Could I use it more effectively? The answer I found was no and no. My kids, I noticed, stop every now and then and look my way to check that I am watching. Sometimes I get a glance, sometimes a wave and a smile, but mostly they are just checking to see that my attention is focused on what they are doing and it makes them happy for this reason alone.

Every moment with your baby or child is a learning experience. Whether you are grocery shopping, cooking dinner or even reading whilst they play quietly on their own, you can be their most influencial teacher.

Each month we will give you ideas on how to make day to day chores a learning experience. This month we have started with a visit to the grocery store. For those parents whose biggest challenge in the day is getting their child to do homework, then you will find the article "Homework Assistance" by Melanie Hartgill very useful. Melanie Hartgill is an Educational Psychologist. Should you have any subjects you would like her to write about, please email us. We have two other useful articles in this issue which are a "must read". We also have 10 great new listings on the site, new competitions, latest news and details on specials and promotions that are on the go. Finally, we have a new column, "Life Abroad" where we will include an article by South African families living abroad.

We hope you have all settled well into the school going routine and enjoy the rest of January (only 1 week left!).

Cara
Editor

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