An Epic Family Long Weekend in Jozi

This long weekend, Jozi WAHM and family decided to have a family fun weekend and explore what was on offer in Jozi. We decided to holiday in our own city and cram as much fun into the long-weekend as possible with a one-year old and four-year old in tow. Here are the highlights:

Friday:

The highlight for me was getting to sleep in late(ish), which never happens since Noodle and Squish are both early birds. Noodle slept over at granny's house and Squish had a bit of a rough night so he slept in the morning.

In the afternoon, after Friday prayers, a family bowling trip at the Zone, Rosebank was on the cards. I am not very good at bowling and have not been bowling in about seven years, but it was fun nevertheless (although I did spend much of the time running after Squish, who was determined to pick up bowling balls that are literally heavier than he is). Noodle loved the experience. They are able to modify the lanes to be quite kiddy friendly. Besides the child bumpers on the sides of the lanes, they have a contraption with an incline so that little ones with weak little arms can roll the balls with enough momentum to actually knock something. I appreciated the fact that the establishment did not force us to wear stinky bowling shoes. 

We also had a late lunch at Burger King. I was salivating at the Oreo pop-up shop directly across it but the idea of those long queues with two little ones was off putting.

The Zone, Rosebank

Saturday:

We decided we would spend a couple of hours at the Rand Show, another event we had not attended in several years. To our surprise, there was so much to keep us busy that we ended up spending the entire day.

We did a bit of shopping and were surprised to find quite a bit of free entertainment for the kids in the shopping halls- the Pirates Paradise (a big play area which had a variety of giant jumping castles and slides), putt putt, gingerbread making, lego's and even free popcorn and candyfloss. There were booths for kids to watch their favourite cartoons but I was relieved that this was not even requested by my kids. 

There were also fun learning experiences. The science hall had plenty of interesting things for kids to try and Noodle enjoyed the Sci-bono displays. Another hall had little roads for kids to learn road safety and also displays of police cars, ambulances etc, which Noodle found fascinating.

Top: An electric experiment | Bottom: Noodle successfully builds the tangram puzzle

The favourite for Squish was the animal farm and he enjoyed interacting with the animals and even a dog show. No surprise, the amusement park rides were also a big hit for both kids. 

By far the biggest highlight of the day was that Noodle and I went on a helicopter ride, which is something Noodle always said she would love to do one day (and something I had never tried before either). We promised her that we would take her if she walked through all the halls and she kept her end of the deal. I was worried that she might be frightened but she LOVED every second of it. The ride was very short but we had fantastic views over the south of Johannesburg. Okay, some of it is just mine dumps but the view of the FNB Stadium with the Johannesburg city centre as its backdrop was spectacular. 

Helicopter ride over Jozi at the Rand Show

Sunday:

On Sunday, A's family came over for lunch. Luckily, my sister-in-law, who is a great cook, offered to make the main course of chicken biryani, served with the traditional accompaniments of dahi  (a spicy sour milk sauce), papar (a spicy crisp) and achaar (spicy pickles). I did salads and desserts (cheesecake and chocolate mousse). I will post the recipe of my strawberry cheesecake, which always ends up being gobbled separately.

We do not celebrate Easter, being Muslim, but I must confess that we love scoffing down the easter eggs (any excuse for chocolate is good in my books).

In the evening we had family movie night at home (a tradition we do at least monthly) with a family friendly movie, lights dimmed and popcorn. It is rare that we find a movie that the kids like and that we can tolerate, but the evening's choice of Disney's 'Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day' fit the bill.

Monday:

The highlight of the day was a trip to the Sultan Bahu Fete, an annual event which is held every Easter weekend in Mayfair, Central Johannesburg as a fundraiser for Sultan Bahu's various social outreach projects (which include a children's home, a dialysis centre, feeding schemes, drug rehabilitation etc.)

It is pretty much like a smaller, Indian version of the Rand show (sans the hefty entrance fee), with lots and lots of bargain shopping and an amusement park (which is almost as big as the Rand Show one). Despite having large grounds, the turnout was massive this year, so it did get extremely crowded, which made it difficult to see all that was on offer at the flea market. After some shopping, Noodle went on even more amusement park rides (like she did not get her fill on Saturday). After some snacks, it was time to call it a day.

The Jozi WAHM's Ultimate Guide to Budget Shopping in Jozi

In Jozi, we are fortunate to have plenty of options when it comes to shopping. However, this can also cause a drain on ones budget if you are not shopping savvy. From physical retailers, online shopping and even shopping on gumtree.co.za, here is how to get the most bang for your buck in the city of gold.

Grocery Shopping

We have a few tips for getting the most out of your grocery budget:

First of all, have a budget and stick to it religiously. There is one exception to the rule- when you find a sale that is too good to miss and it is something you will use and would have bought anyway, just in smaller quantities later on. The items I typically shop around for and then stockpile when cheap are larger ticket non-perishables such as nappies and washing powder which are significantly cheaper on sale.

However, there are some things to avoid when it comes to buying on sale. Be wary of falling into the trap of buying things that you otherwise would not have just because they are cheap (even if those marked down chocolates are screaming your name). Also, be cautious of buying stuff that you will not use up before they expire, as you will not be saving anything if half is thrown away. Lastly, while it is sometimes worth your while to shop around when some things are cheaper at one store than another, work out the value of your petrol (and time) and do the maths as to whether you are actually saving. 

When you head to the grocery store, make sure you do not do so on an empty stomach as this is sure to result in impulse purchases.

Look out for coupon discounts. While we do not have those crazy discounts you see on those American couponing reality shows (unless there is something I do not know- in which case please tell me!), you can save some money with coupons. You can download the Shoprite and Checkers apps for digital coupons, or look on the Unilever website. Pick 'n Pay now sends personalised coupons (I was freaked out the first time I received one because it was so tailor-made to me that it felt like they were stalking me a bit, but at least they send vouchers you will actually use). Again, when using these coupons, avoid falling into the trap of buying things you do not need and would not otherwise have bought.

Clothing shopping

With children's clothing, it is well worth waiting for end of season sales and buying neutral staples which will not go out of fashion in a bigger size for the following season. Branded items are often significantly cheaper at factory shops. It is also worthwhile checking what is available online.

Online shopping

Online stores are often able to offer better prices due to not having to have physical store premises. You also save on petrol and time going to a physical store (not to mention the frustration of having an emergency nappy change or hungry child just as you get to the front of a long queue).

Look out for voucher codes- stores like Kalahari, Takealot, Zando, Spree and BabyGroup often have substantial discount voucher codes- just Google the voucher codes for the relevant store online. Look out for periods when there are no delivery fee, or wait till you need enough from the relevant store to qualify for a waiver of the delivery fee.

Buying and selling second hand

Things that will only be used for a short period of time (for example baby goodies) are often far cheaper if you buy them secondhand, using an established site such as Gumtree (where you can literally find everything under the sun). For armchair shoppers, this is ultra convenient since you can compare prices for new and used items and get a good feeling for what the best prices out there are and whether new or used is the way to go.

It is also worth your while to sell larger items that you no longer use on sites such as Gumtree. You will de-clutter while cashing in (to get money to buy more stuff on Gumtree of course) and someone else will get to use items that would otherwise have collected dust. 

They even have a very user friendly Android app which allows you to find advertisements for goods (or service providers) located in your vicinity from your smartphone. 

This is how easy it is to place an ad on Gumtree via the app

Gumtree sometimes gets an unfair reputation for scams, but remember it is a convenient platform for you to buy and sell. They just provide the market place to enable transactions, putting you in touch with other buyers and sellers and you can use this as you see fit.  You should ensure that this platform is used responsibly (exercise caution in providing personal details such as bank account details to others, if selling do not send the item before receiving payment and if purchasing something in person, meet in a public place and take someone with you). Provided these precautions are taken, you are promised a happy shopping experience and an opportunity to save on items which otherwise would have costed significantly more.

The Jozi WAHM's Directory of Mall Baby Rooms

Have I mentioned that I love shopping?  However, shopping with little ones, especially babies can be daunting and there are four golden rules to follow:

1. Keep it brief.
2. Make sure your nappy bag is stocked with the necessary artillery;
3. If you have a pram, know where the lifts are (if not, know which stores have those prams with the baby seat attachments); and MOST IMPORTANTLY
4. Know where the baby rooms are.

It is crucial for mommies to know where to run for that emergency nappy change or feed when out shopping. When you have a screaming newborn, the last thing you want to have to do is search high and low for the nearest baby room. While this list does not cover all shopping centres in Jozi, we hope the below will help you know where to look for nappy change and feeding facilities at some of the malls.

My own dress choice is to wear more modest clothes generally, so baring my breasts was never an option for me personally. I used to nurse Squish just about anywhere as a newborn (when I could just position a receiver or shawl discretely and feed without anybody noticing) but I find this impossible with fidgety older babies and toddlers. 

I suspect there may be moms that are about to tell me that it is their right to nurse in public wherever they want and that you do not eat in a bathroom, so why should baby etcetera.  Yes, I respect and support your right to nurse in public and also refuse to feed my baby anywhere that is dirty or smelly and would rather go back to my car and feed in such instances. However, there are more options these days than just smelly toilets.

Even for mothers who are comfortable nursing in public, there may be times when your outfit just will not allow you to nurse without practically stripping or times where baby may be over-stimulated by the mall hustle and bustle and just needs a quiet place- so it is always handy to know where feeding facilities can be found. Here is my directory of mall baby rooms, which I hope to add to in future:

SANDTON CITY

There are beautiful, very modern and clean new baby rooms in the newer section of the mall close to Mr Price. However, if you are breastfeeding and seek privacy, these rooms have semi-transparent glass, so the older one at the food court (to the right of Ocean Basket) might be a cosier option.

CRESTA SHOPPING CENTRE

The bathrooms upstairs close to Mugg and Bean, Croc and Identity has a newly revamped baby room with nappy change facilities and separate feeding area. The rest do not have baby facilities (the ones near Game definitely have no baby facilities and at the one downstairs opposite Boardmans the cleaning lady pointed me to the solid counter top in the ladies room and instructed me to change nappies there).

CLEARWATER MALL

This mall has two baby rooms, both in the corridors that lead off from the centre food court. While they are nice, whether or not they are clean and smell free is luck of the draw. However,  only the one that forks off from the corridor close to Spur has a feeding room while the other does not.

THE MALL OF ROSEBANK

After the recent revamps, this mall boasts beautiful and very clean nappy change facilities. Take note though, that only the one upstairs next to Jet has a chair for feeding. The Zone, adjacent to the Rosebank Mall has a nappy change room with a seperate feeding room at the baby rooms opposite Sowearto, while the bathrooms closer to Spur have no baby facilities. Spur itself has one of those little plastic change stations in the ladies room. Oh and the Rosebank Mall has a couple of special mommy parking bays.

Baby room at the Mall of Rosebank

CAMPUS SQUARE

Okay, this is not exactly a major mall but I am there frequently enough for it to warrant a mention. When the centre was recently revamped, I was thrilled to see that they finally incorporated a baby room. To my disappointment, the baby room just has a hard counter-top for nappy feeds and a basin, with nowhere to sit for feeds. Cleaning staff have decided that they would also use the tiny space to store mops and brooms, so it is impossible to squeeze a pram in there. You are better off going to the baby room at Pick 'n Pay, which is far better kitted and even sometimes has baby good samples.

Baby room at Campus Square

EASTGATE SHOPPING CENTRE

Changing and feeding facilities are located at the Food Court near Nando's and near entrance six.

TRADE ROUTE MALL

A baby room with changing and feeding facilities can be found at the bathrooms close to Milky Lane and Toys and Hobbies.

CRADLESTONE MALL

I was only ever here once and do not remember where the baby rooms are (sorry!), but I do remember being impressed by clean and pleasant nappy changing and breastfeeding facilities. They are there somewhere and there are definitely more than one. They also have mommy parking bays.

BABY CHANGING PODS

I have seen baby pods like the one in the picture below at a few of our malls (pretty much illuminated floating plastic containers with compact facilities for feeding and changing nappies). I have spotted these at Fourways Mall, the Glen, Trade Route Mall and Westgate Shopping Centre and I am told that Greenstone and Broadacres have them too. However, they do seem to come and go. While they are okay for nappy changes, some tend to be smelly (I guess this would depend on how well the relevant shopping centre maintains them). It is an improvement though, over malls that only have a change station inside the ladies bathrooms, which pose a problem for any daddies who find themselves alone with baby.

Baby pods found at certain malls

When there is no feeding room in site and you have a hungry, screaming baby, my suggestion would be to go to a change room clothing store, they are usually very accommodating.

We would love your feedback on the malls that we have left out so that we can update our list.