Flavour Of The Day With Noora

Choosing the Right School

Peer pressure for moms in schools is just as bad as it is for children. As a mamas, you can sometimes feel pressured to do what the other mamas are doing, even if you don't necessarily think it is the best thing for your situation.

The next major phase in our life is my 3 year old enrolling in "big boys'" school this September. And if you have ever had to go through the struggles of choosing the right school for your child, you know it is far from a picnic.

Some schools, teachers, and parents alike are pushing their very young children into systems that focus so much on academia at young ages, forgetting that these children are still very young. They try to convince you that extreme academics is the way, that one size really does fit all.

However, you can't help but doubt, what is right and what is wrong? Is my child doing math at age 5 a good thing? Or is it robbing him of his childhood like other opinions say?

Should I go for the school that had a somewhat extensive entry exam for three-year olds, or go for the one who played and spoke with him, focusing only on the concern of developmental delays?

Should we as parents, opt for having our children's brains stuffed with information, because it can take it? Or do we say, no, this isn't the way it should be, and my child can still be a successful person 15 years down the line?

Flavour Of The Day With Noora

Lesson #1: Compassion

My father was a sheep shepard, a real sheep shepard that lived in poverty, in a tent. He went to fist grade at the age of nine, only after a snow storm had caused their sheep to die. After a fairy-tale like story, he became a doctor.

Never however, did he forget his roots. He remained humble throughout his years and taught us just that. It was part of our upbringing that feeling and helping others in need, is a must.

In the streets these days, it has become a common sight to see people, of all ages, digging through the garbage, looking for anything they can get. As a response, most of us, as a society, have taught ourselves to look away. A reality that I believe is just as cruel as that which led this person to be in the garbage in the first place.

If you can teach your child one thing, I would say teach them compassion. As with compassion, comes truth, the truth of feelings. With compassion, you can almost be sure that you are teaching your child to take action. And with compassion, comes the must needed change.

So the next time you walk by a poor person who you might doubt if he really is in need, look at the bigger picture and say:" compassion is what I want to create with my child, I will start now!"

Flavour Of The Day With Noora

Mamas Can't Have Everything They Want!

One of the most challenging things to any person is acceptance. Accepting change, accepting difficulty, accepting unfairness, and even accepting happiness.

Personally, I am trying to accept that I am not, in any way, an iron woman that can do everything for everyone. It is the mama curse that makes us mamas want to be amazing chefs, hosts, parents, be in great shape, take our kids to all the after school- activities, never miss a birthday, have a fridge full of healthy snacks, prepare a hearty home-cooked meal every day, have a neat and tidy house, and still have energy at night to meet up with my friends who are always blaming me for being too busy.

And just as I tell my kids, "a person can never have everything he wants," I too must get rid of this adult tantrum I seem to have fallen into and dissect my life. I must decide what is right and wrong, what is crucial and what isn't, and most importantly, realising that all this, is having the adverse effect of why I was doing it in the first place.

I used to blame my son for being a perfectionist and getting frustrated easily but I realised that he was just doing what I was teaching him by example.

If you are a mama, remind yourself that your kids most probably don't care about the tiny things you are obsessing about. Rather, they care about having their parents, stress-free, around.  

Flavour Of The Day With Noora

Stop That Bullying !

One of the hardest thing your child can endure is being bullied at school. I feel like with boys, the bullying is physical, with girls however, its psychological and mean.

My relative is being bullied at her new school, she is nine and very shy, and the move from day one was very difficult. After hearing her cry about it last night, I could not sleep! All I dreamt of was her sitting there alone in the class room, being looked at by the other girls.

What causes a child to bully another child? Are some kids bullies by nature, or is it something they pick up?

Whatever the cause, how do you teach a child who feels that "the other kids are too strong" to fight back, and what do you tell her to do when she says: "I answer them but they are still more than me!"

The school has a strong anti-bullying policy, that I know. And it is our job as parents to inform them. Maybe they haven't noticed, maybe they do not know what is going on! However, what shall we do if their action causes further bullying?

Should we confront the parents of the bully and ask for their help?

I am so angry and frustrated that she is going through this! And while I am trying to arm her with strength and logic about how to deal with a bully, I am afraid this will never end!

Flavour Of The Day With Noora

Finding Yourself As A Mama

I read a post of a mama who was writing about her experience with the stress of work, commitments and managing her two children. It was her experience that the more she over-loaded herself with the responsibilities of her job, house, social activities, and conforming to social pressure of what a "mama should do for her house and children", the more stressed she got, and the more irritated she would get from her daughters, causing her to sometimes snap and yell at them, even if it is not their fault.

The more I read on, the more I felt that woman was me, I was exactly like that. I am stressed, on the verge of tears every time my kids drive me crazy and get extremely annoyed and irritated at them when all they wanted to be is next to me.  

With time, my responsibilities are only increasing, I am finding myself in my job which is making me want to work more and more, and when I can't, I get frustrated.

That mama talks about finding a sense of balance, which she found through giving up on some of her self-brought commitments. She talks about reducing time on her laptop, phone and other electronics.

More importantly, she talks about living in the moment with her daughter, when she is with them, then she is really with them.

I tried it, it sounds a lot easier than it really is. I am however, evaluating my life, and soon I will come to a revelation of what needs to change.

Flavour Of The Day With Noora

Candy Detox 

I live across from a supermarket which my kids love visiting. While it is extremely convenient, my kids have become addicted to sugary, food colouring-filled candies and junk. It started out occasionally but has lately become a daily ritual!

That's why today, I decided to put an end to it and bought them Organic biscuits, something that won't harm them with tons of food colouring, sugar, and god knows what else the junk at the supermarket contains.

They took one taste of it and tossed it aside; they wouldn't have another bite! Their taste buds have become so used to extreme unhealthy flavours that they could not accept something healthy. When I myself tasted it, I felt just the same.

What have we done to our bodies and how can we detox? When it comes to kids, how can we limit their demands for such treats? I know there are tons of recipes online for healthy treats and snacks, but how do we help them make the switch? 

Flavour Of The Day With Noora

Children Learn What They Live
Dorothy Law Notle.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn to feel confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
if children live acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
if children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn ti have faith in themselves.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live!