Psychedelic Hair Mousse Art

I remember previously seeing some interesting uses for shaving foam for art activities on Pinterest. When I spotted a bottle of hair mousse in my drawer which was older than Noodle (I am not sure why I actually own hair mousse since I have no recollection of ever using it), I figured that it should have similar tactile properties and decided to let the kids experiment.Today's quick, messy art activity with my little ones needed just three things: paper, the hair mousse and food colouring.

 

Top left: mousse squirted on paper | Bottom left: Food colouring fizzing on mousse | 

Right: End product

We squirted lots of hair mousse onto a page- both kids had a turn at this and found this bit hilarious. Then we sprinkled a few different colours of food colouring all over the page (today I used powder colour as this made the mousse fizz and make interesting noises, though I am sure other types might create better results aesthetically). We may have used a bit too much purple colour as this seems to have overpowered the other colours a bit.

Then the kids got to squish their fingers into the foamy, fluffy, fizzy mess for a fun, sensory experience. I let Noodle make patterns in the foam using a plastic fork and a toothpick. Then we blotted it a bit with a paper towel and left it to dry. The result was a psychedelic rainbow of colour.

The mousse is quite soapy and washes off hands without problems. Oh and the paper smells pretty afterwards.

Ten Real Jobs You Can do From Home

So the feedback I have been getting from many potential WAHM'ers is that they would love to work from home, but don't have any ideas as to what business they can start. While the possibilities are endless, for those that lack inspiration, we have put together some ideas for businesses that can be run from home.

A word of caution, if you are searching for work from home jobs on the internet, the bulk of what you are likely to find is scams. Be wary of any business that asks you to pay an upfront fee to join etc as any real employer will not require this.

So what can you do then? The possibilities are as wide as your imagination and what people are willing to pay for.

1. Do you have any specific qualifications? You could use these unique skills to start your own specialist business. (I run a consulting business in my field of study from home, albeit in a non-traditional way). For example, an accountant could set up a bookkeeping business or a teacher could give tuition from home (or even online).

2. Do you have any special and unique talents? If you are an amazing artist, an exceptional baker or great at making stuff with your hands, you can use these skills to make and sell something that there is a demand for.

3. Is there something you are incredibly passionate about? Use this passion. If you are great with small children, perhaps you could set up a small daycare facility. If you love ballet or surfing or - whatever it is you like, why not set up an online store relating to your passion? You could also pass your passion on to others and make money at the same time- offer sewing lessons, guitar lessons or baking classes.

4. Is there a clear gap in the market for something and you know that you can fill that gap? Use that as your cue. For example, if you live in a small town with not a single person renting out party supplies, you could fill that gap. If you are surrounded by full time workers with no time to cook, offer a hot home cooked meal or pre-packed lunch service. Private, flexible religious classes for children with busy extra-mural schedules are also in great demand.

5. Writing!  If you have a writing background you could do freelance writing, proof reading or copyrighting. If you are inspired, you could even write a book- this is even easier in this day and age with e-publishing. As an income supplement, you could start a blog and earn income from advertising, affiliate programmes, sponsored posts etc.

6. If you have a flair for sales and a good network of people to sell to, you could become an agent for the products of various companies (the usual make-up, pots, weight loss products etc- find something that nobody in your area of influence is selling already). Even better, be your own boss, source your own products and start your own sales based business (either a physical one or a web-based business).

7. If you have decent computer skills and the right equipment, you could provide typing, transcription or data capturing services, or work as a virtual assistant (i.e. handling administration such as emails or scheduling appointments on behalf of a busy executive). Note: be careful with data capturing, while there are lots of legitimate opportunities, there are also scams out there.

8. If you are able to do web design, you could design or test websites from home.

9. Translator- if you are multi-lingual and have good language skills, you could transcribe documents. Try sites such as Translators Cafe.

10. There are some legitimate oppurtunities online. If you are a good photographer, you could sell stock photographs online to sites such as Dreamstime, Shutterstock etc. Or you could do freelance work through sites such as freelancer.com

How to Change Nappies Like a Super Pro

I was chatting to a new mommy friend who is battling with the in's and outs of nappy changes so I thought I would dedicate a post to the art of nappy changing. Here is everything you need to know about changing nappies with minimal mess and fuss.If you are new to nappy changes, please read the basics below. 

If you have an older baby, you can skip to the advanced section further on (unless you have a boy, in which case you need the advanced section anyway).

BEFORE YOU EVEN BEGIN...

The number 1 rule is to always be prepared!!! Have everything you need for your nappy changes in one place. Change mat, nappies, wipes, bum cream and any other accessories that you use (for example if you use baby powder or a sanitiser spray) should all be stored together for easy access.

Before you remove baby's nappy, be sure to have everything prepped- nappy open, bum cream open, wipes out. That way, you won't be fumbling with an exposed bottom (especially with newborns who tend to let lose with the bodily fluids as soon as their nappies are opened). After all, the most important rule is to get done as quickly as possible, before further damage is done. 

Similarly, when you are away from home, your nappy bag should be organised so that all nappy changing goodies are stored together for easy access (I have seen special organisers for this purpose but I just use a big Ziplock bag). Be sure to keep some hand sanitiser for if you happen to find yourself changing nappies and you are nowhere near a bathroom (trust me, if you ever find yourself on an overseas flight with a baby with diarrhea, as I once did, this will come in handy). Disposable change mats are also handy for shopping centres etc. (P.S. You should always know where the nearest change station is, so be sure to check out The Jozi WAHM's Directory of Mall Baby Rooms).

So now for the actual nappy change!

THE BASICS

Place the clean nappy under the baby before you start so that you can close up quickly after beginning (skip this step if you happen to have an explosive nappy leak on hand or you will dirty the new nappy too). For the actual nappy change, use the front clean part of the nappy to wipe away the bulk of the mess (from front to back of course), then use wet wipes or damp cotton wool to clean the rest. Clean till you think it is clean, getting into all the nooks and crannies and then use one more wet wipe.

Close up the old nappy by first folding in half and then roll up using the the tabs to seal tightly before disposing (you could use a special nappy bin with bag dispensers but I find that a lined pedal bin with nappy bags just for poo nappies works just as well and is more cost effective).

Now the hard part is done (unless you have an active toddler). With the new nappy slide under the baby, put a barrier bum cream of your choice. Place the new nappy on baby, seal the tabs snuggly but so that you can still fit a finger under the tummy. Make sure that the ruffly bits at the legs where the elastic is are facing outwards. If you have a newborn, fold over the top so that the umbilical cord stump is exposed (or buy the special newborn nappies with a cut out for the umbilical cord).

Ideally, you should avoid nappy rashes from developing in the first place but if it does, you need to figure out what kind of rash it is. A nurse once advised me that if the area is just red, the usual shelf remedies should work but if it is pimply or blistery it is likely to be a fungal or yeast infection, in which case you will need something appropriate for that. Ensure that bottoms are air dried and allow some sun exposure if warm enough

ADVANCED NAPPY CHANGES

N.B. There are certain special categories of nappy changes that need some special advisory warnings.

THE SPRINKLER NEWBORN BOY

An extra special word of caution is needed for newborn boy nappies, which can reduce the most composed adult to tears. Always keep the front covered at all times (a separate facecloth works well for this) unless you happen to like you and your entire house being showered in baby wee. Also, make sure that the boy bits are facing downward before closing the nappy or you will have an entire wardrobe change (for you and baby) due in the next half hour.

THE WIGGLY SQUIRMY WORMY

Once they are older and able to squirm away, be sure to have some distraction aid ready, something for them to hold like a toy or even the bum cream. A good trick is to have a change station with a mobile or stickers hanging above (you can make your own mobile out of a clothes hanger and swop the dangly bits from time to time). You could also try shifting your change spot every now and then for variety. 

DORA THE EXPLORER

At some point they are also going to want to explore their body parts (and possibly put their hands right into the soiled areas, or even worse, into their mouths afterwards). Your first line of defence is letting them hold something, as mentioned for the squirmy wormy baby. The next line of defence is to use one hand to hold baby's ankles together so that his or her legs are almost crossed, limiting his or her access to the nether regions. 

THE STREAKER

If you have a streaking toddler who runs away as soon as nappies are off (I am told it is a boy thing) try to create games to play at change time. You can get them to clap hands or make funny faces or point to body parts once old enough.

THE POO-NAMI (I did not coin this term)

Stick baby straight under shower. Please also refer to items 2 and 3 of this previous blog post.

There you have it... clean, happy baby- for the next hour or two anyway.

Noodle Says... Part 3

My four year old Noodle has continued entertaining us with more of her pearls of wisdom (click here for some of her previous wisecracks). Here are some of the highlights:

'What was Captain Hooks name before he lost his arm?'

'Let's Google how Google works.'

'Does Google know when I am being naughty?'

'That's not a hotdog mommy. It is only called a hotdog if the tomato sauce and mustard are in squiggly lines.'

'I have a diagnosis. I have a severe case of sour lemon on finger sickness.'

'Was that a facebook phonecall mommy? (Me, confused- asks her why she says that).
Daddy's face came up on the screen on your phone when it rang.'

'And then the lizard cast a spell and turned him into a giant. He is a saucer-man and can make magic.'

'When I grow up I am going to live in a big house in a snowy country and my baby brother can live with me and we will build snowmen every day. But we will wear gloves so we don't get sick'.

'Lets give all my vegetables to the poor children who have no food'.

Messy Fun with Edible Yoghurt Paint

If you have smaller kids, they will love getting their hands dirty with this edible finger paint!

At fifteen months, Squish still has a tendency to put everything in his mouth, so I love arty activities that are not likely to end in a call to Poison Control. This yoghurt paint is baby safe and takes just seconds to make and a little goes a long way.

The paint has just two ingredients, yoghurt and food colouring. I used double cream yoghurt (which was about to expire anyway, so I felt less guilty about food wastage) and gel food colouring.

Yoghurt paint made with yoghurt and food colouring

I put about a teaspoon of plain yoghurt into each compartment of an ice tray (I have an old one that is reserved for messy art activities). Then I added a little food colouring to each one. I put a good squirt of colouring in each one as I wanted vibrant colours, but in retrospect I would put less as the finger stains were a bit tough to get out afterwards. Mix the yoghurt and the colour and voila, paint is ready.

Before you let the little ones loose with the paint, I would suggest some mess control as this gets messy. I stripped Squish down to just his vest, put aprons on for both kids and put down a big plastic tablecloth on the floor. Then I let the kids do their thing.

 Squish was reluctant at first, but once he got into it he really enjoyed it. All the colours were soon varying shades of brown and green as Squish dipped his fingers in every pot. Noodle did not seem to mind the colours being mixed- she was lost in deep concentration painting her fairy. Gulp... I made the faux pas of complimenting her ninja turtle (the fairy ninja-turtle is in the top left of the pics below).

The final masterpieces

The end result was quite impressive in my view (but I am biased), although clean up was a bit of a schlep and Squish had to have a bath afterwards. 

P.S. We have experimented with edible paints made with flour, water and colouring before, but I prefer the texture and finish of the yoghurt paint, which does not become powdery once dry. You can also add edible food glitter for a shimmer effect.

Jozi WAHM's Guide to Beating the Morning Rush

Life in Jozi is a rat race and everyone in has somewhere to be in the a.m. Whether you need to get to work, want to get to the gym bright and earlyor just to get the kids to school on time, the morning rush has to be tackled and conquered.

If you are the mom of the house, chances are that you are responsible for not just getting yourself done, but the rest of the family as well- a task easier said than done. Here are some tips for getting your family ready on time in the mornings calmly and without leaving you frazzled.

1. Get a good night's sleep (if you can).

I must admit that I am guilty of neglecting this one. My kids are poor sleepers and this means I do not get much sleep, but if you can get your eight hours in then you are far more likely to wake up on time. If you are the type of person who does not wake up when the alarm first goes, set it a few minutes earlier. 

Enforce childrens' bedtimes strictly so that they are not too tired to get up on time in the morning.

2. Make lunches the night before.

I prepare lunches just before bedtime and refrigerate. This is a huge time saver in the morning.

3. Clothing

Deciding what to wear in the morning takes up more time than you might think. Pick out clothes for the whole family the night before and leave the ironed out clothes out for the next morning. (Make a mental note of plan B outfits if the weather turns out different to anticipated).

 If your kids insist on picking out their own clothing (and do not wear school uniforms), make sure that your selection meets their approval. Do not forget to include underwear, socks and shoes as there is nothing that can slow things down like finding that one missing shoe at the last minute.

4. Pack in advance

Pack all school and work bags the night before and do a check that nothing has been forgotten. Pre-package lunch money for each day at the beginning of the week. Leave all the odds and ends that family members will need at the doorway out. This includes any extra-mural equipment, gym clothes, laptop bags, umbrellas and such.

5. Breakfast

If you eat breakfast as a family, set the table for breakfast the night before. Cereals, etc can be left covered, on the breakfast table, for easy access. If you eat foods that can be prepared beforehand, do so (for example my children love warm oatmeal so I prepare enough for three days a time and then refrigerate and just heat up and add milk when needed).

Put coffee and water in the coffee machine the night before so you just need to switch it on in the morning (or if you have a fancy one with a timer, use it).

6. Plan your route

Explore different routes to wherever you need.to be in the morning until you find the one that works best. In Jozi morning traffic, the shortest route is often not the fastest route.

7. Be bathroom savvy.

Make sure everything you need in the bathroom in the morning is easily accessible. If family members need to share bathrooms, have an informal schedule as to who gets to go when.

8. Desperate times...

If you are really pressed for time, consider showering the night before (men can shave then night before too!)

9. The kids need to hurry too!

This is the most important one. As anyone with children knows, despite your best efforts, a day-dreaming or moody child can derail your plans of being on time. Here's how to keep them on track:

• Have a structured morning routine. This helps children feel secure and keep things on track.

• If you need to force them out of bed, cuddles and tickles are more likely to get your child to co-operate with you than screaming and shouting.

• Keep them focused on the task by rewarding them for getting dressed quickly.

•  Assign tasks like getting dressed alone or making cereal to children who are old enough. Give them a checklist with pictures of all the tasks that need to be completed, eg. brush teeth, get dressed, brush hair, eat breakfast.

•  On those moody days when kids seem to be moving in reverse gear, fantasy play might be the best way forward (eg. in our house 'lets get the princess ready for the ball' is a favourite).

• Enforce a no toys and no television rule during this crucial time window.

• Have competitions to see who can get dressed or have breakfast the fastest. Use a stopwatch and let them try to beat their own best times.

• Examine your own attitude. If you are flustered or moody in the morning, things are more likely to spiral out of control than if you handle the morning rush calmly and methodically.

Do you have any secret tips in your arsenal? We would love if you share them with us.

Squish Says... Lots of new words!

I have dedicated a few posts to the wise words of my big girl Noodle , who practically came out of the womb talking in full sentences (if you have not seen them, check out the posts labelled 'Noodle says'), but never to the stuff little Squish says. The primary reason for that is that up until now, he has not said too much (the little guy is just fifteen months old after all). 

Till now, he has graced us with the odd few words here and there. He said "daddy" from early on (no, not just dada but a clearly enunciated daddeeee), followed soon thereafter by his dear big sister's name, or his version of it at least. He could 'count' pretty early (if you count 'one, two, tee, ten)' and even learnt the beginning of the A, B, C song from big sister. However, other than that, he largely relied on the words 'there' and 'that' to indicate his needs. This seemed to work for him since Squish has always been an outstanding non-verbal communicator and has always gotten his point across loud and clear- he fetches his own plate if he is hungry or hands me the remote control and drags me to the lounge if he wants the television on (not that I always give in on that one). 

His one quirk was that despite being an absolute mommy's boy, glued to me all day and all night, he obstinately refused to say mama or anything similar for ages and would give a sneaky laugh every time we asked him to. I know that linguistically, babies learn to say the 'd' sound before the 'm' sound, but he sure seemed to be taking his time with saying it! He refused to say mama until just two weeks ago, when the moment I had anxiously been waiting for finally arrived.

At long last, he finally started saying it. Mamamamama. He has now settled on mamoh... with a very French sounding accent and repeats it sweetly all day.

Since that day he has suddenly exploded with words, lots of words. I have lost count of the number of new words in the past two weeks and he is even attempting sentences (although we do not understand all of them). Suddenly, he can name food types, various animals, body parts, bits of clothing, toys and even his favourite Disney characters, Pooh and hotdog (which is his name for Mickey Mouse) and Weltha (Elsa from Frozen, which Noodle has subjected him to watching many times in). Besides the nouns, he has now learnt to say 'hot', 'come', 'up', 'more' and 'outside'. I have lost count of the number of new words, there were about thirty by last week, but there have been several new ones since then. Today he said 'dinosaur', 'anana' (banana) and 'star', all in context. Sadly, he has also learnt the inevitable no, no, no, n- and he is not afraid to use it.

For me, the first few words of my children are one of the biggest highlights of motherhood. Whenever I am around babies I always wonder what they are thinking and I love getting to finally figure out what is going on in those tiny but complex little heads. I am sure that soon, we can look forward to interesting conversations with him and I can't wait! 

What were your baby's first words?

Inside Jozi Wahm's Kitchen- Easy Kiddies Fun Food

I am always looking for creative ways to get my kids to eat healthy foods. This sometimes needs a bit of creativity. For previous ideas see Margy Vally from the Olive Branch Cookery School's enticing recipes see here. 

Today I am going to share a couple of the quick, easy staple favourites in our household:

Smiley Sandwiches

While regular sandwiches covered in salad bits tend to get wasted, these smiley sandwiches get gobbled up every time. These are very simple to make. 

I take a roll (when I do these smileys,the kids do not notice if I sneak in wholewheat seeded rolls) and cut them in half. Then I spread with a layer of cottage cheese (or a cheese spread, as used in the above picture).

Next, we arrange the various salad bits to make a face, depending on what we have available (eg. lettuce hair, pepper nose, tomato mouth, cucumber eyes etc, there are dozens of variations). Noodle wanted freckles on the ones in the picture, so we sprinkled with poppyseeds.

You can use regular bread to make 'Minions' (cover bread with a piece of pre-sliced cheese and cut cold meat or cucumbers for the eyes and mouth. Alternatively, flower or butterfly shapes on the bread have also proven popular.

Crunchy Munchy Muesli

This is a quick and easy breakfast idea. I take plain yoghurt (our family loves the Lancewood double cream one) and add a generous drizzle of honey and some muesli (I like the Vital one because it is tasty and comes in a convenient strip of little packets, which works for us since we do not have muesli daily).

The top was decorated with a grape face with banana hair.

Eggstatic Eggies

I make sunny side up eggs in various shapes (mainly hearts and teddy bears). When cracking the egg, it is poured into a cookie cutter which is placed in a hot, lightly greased pan with a flat surface and left to set for a minute or two. Season as desired. You could also separate the whites from the yokes and have separate yellow and white eggs. 

Hint: use a metal cookie cutter as plastic may melt and hold the cutter down firmly until the egg white starts to set, otherwise it will ooze out of the bottom and not hold its shape. If it does ooze, you can salvage thus by using the cutter to shape once cooked, but it looks much neater if you can avoid oozing.

I serve with toast, also cut with cookie cutters.

Oaty Snacks

For an easy toddler snack, I take leftover jungle oats (about a cupful) and add a mashed banana. I add lots of cinnamon, drop spoons full in a greased baking tray and bake for about fifteen minutes. You can add a bit of honey to sweeten, but my kids don't seem to mind when I omit it. Grated apple can also be added for variety.

(These work well as teething biscuits).