John Maxwell & Les Parrott, 25 Ways to Win with People (Thomas Nelson, 2005)

I recently did something unusual and took my children with me to Cape Town while on a speaking trip. It was school holidays; I was able to get airline tickets at a great price and one of the goals of my speaking career has been to enable my children to travel. It was time to turn that goal into a reality.

This trip certainly was more memorable than most of my other business trips because the boys and I created shared memories that we can dine out on, and laugh about for years to come. Let’s look at the “remember when moments” we created in just four days, most were very simple:

• Getting a fabulous hired car upgrade. My eldest son, Ryan (15) had a very strong intention that this would happen and it did! He had also booked the car through a different car hire company on the Internet that was R400.00 cheaper than my usual supplier!
• Dinner with friends where we laughed ourselves silly about the pronunciation of the Indian word ‘poppadums’ while actually enjoying a Mexican meal! It will be forever known as ‘The Pompadom evening’ (you had to be there to appreciate it, but isn’t that what memories are about?).
• I was playing tour guide in the centre of Cape Town when I found myself driving on the wrong side of the road. Believe it or not, there was a police car right next to me. My children were so embarrassed.
• Sailing on a yacht outside the V & A Waterfront after my sons had haggled with the operator until they reached the price I was prepared to pay, and taking Titanic-style “King of the World” photographs on the bow of the yacht.
• Watching my first 3D movie. I was so exhausted from all the visual stimulation that I fell asleep for the last 20 minutes and didn’t see the ending!
• On our return, Matthew (10) stood in the queue to pay for parking at the airport. He put two one hundred Rand notes into the machine and it spewed out two hundred Rand in R5.00 coins. It was like playing with a slot machine! He came out of the building, grinning from ear to ear with bulging pockets, worried that they were about to split. Yes, of course we went back and paid for the parking — using a different machine!

We will never forget these little memories because they defined the trip for us. I’m so glad I took my children with me and made the time to be with them. As John Maxwell so beautifully puts it:

“If you don’t carve out the time, you can’t create the memory.”

Bev Milun is the single mom of a 10 year old son. She divorced while still pregnant, survived a violent hijacking in which she and her baby nearly lost their lives, and has been a single mom, businesswoman and inspirational speaker since. She recently wrote and published a book called The Survival Guide to Parenthood through the eyes of a single mother (a must-read even if you aren’t single).

Mike Duffus became a single dad of a three year old when his wife tragically passed away after a long battle with cancer. His daughter is now seven. Mike has travelled the roller coaster journey of grief while continuing to be an active father, a highly successful businessman and an accomplished sportsman (he is a top Duzi Canoe Marathon competitor).

Nikki Bush, creative parenting expert, inspirational speaker, author (Future-proof Your Child and Easy Answers to Awkward Questions) and mom to two boys aged 11 and 15, will present Parenting Matters™ for parents of this wired, weird and wonderful generation of children. She will raise some hot topics including:

• Who’s the boss?
• Hold your line
• From mad to glad
• Managing your child’s exposure to media
• Your child’s happiness quotient

Don’t miss this seminar!

DATE :   Tuesday, 14 September 2010

TIME :    6 – 9pm, including a light supper

VENUE:   Nedbank Auditorium, 135 Rivonia Rd, Sandton

COST :   R350.00 per person

BOOKINGS:   info@brightideasoutfit.co.za

PARENTING A 21ST CENTURY CHILD

The decision to become a parent is much easier than the journey. Any parent will tell you that parenting is a marathon, not a sprint. It is a journey of 21 years or longer, depending on how many children you have and the time-frame between them.

Parenting in the 21st century is challenging our thinking. The world is changing, and we are walking a path that is new in many ways. Bringing balance and keeping an open mind will help develop our precious offspring, and will also develop character and growth in us.

Parenting can be divided into four main roles. Understanding these roles and the rules that govern them will guide your journey….Click here for the full story.

Graeme Codrington, Sam Cowan and Nikki Bush on eTV's Great Expectations this morning

Another Parenting Matters™ seminar was announced on eTV’s Great Expectations show this morning.  As a follow-on to this TV programme that focused on the book, Future-proof Your Child, (Penguin, 2008), Nikki will be presenting a powerful combination of Future-proof Your Child™ and Parenting on the Run™ in one morning seminar that will  leave you informed and empowered.  Future-proof Your Child™ is a wonderful scene setter for parenting in this century and Parenting on the Run™ is a practical, fun expression of Future-proof Your Child in action.  Don’t miss it!

DATE :  Saturday, 18 September 2010

TIME:  9am – 12pm

VENUE:  Nedbank Auditorium, 1 Newtown Ave, Killarney, Jhb

COST:  R350.00 per head (includes notes, refreshments and lucky draws)

BOOKINGS:  info@brightideasoutfit.co.za

FUTURE-PROOF YOUR CHILD™

The world has changed. The future has changed. Childhood is changing. Raising children has never been more challenging – or potentially rewarding.

Nikki Bush, creative parenting expert and author of the bestselling book, Future-proof Your Child, explores what you need to know about tomorrow today, why you need to know this and what you need to do to prepare today’s children for a world that doesn’t yet exist. This thought provoking multi-media presentation, peppered with personal anecdotes, will introduce you to the X-factors required for success in 2020 and beyond, providing many practical ideas to help children to develop them from an early age.

This eye-opening talk is suitable for anyone involved in raising children of any age, from parents to teachers, aunts, uncles, grandparents and even parents to be.

PARENTING ON THE RUN™

Parents today are busy. Being able to parent creatively – on the run – makes your parenting journey easier and much more fun. In this workshop, creative parenting expert and author, Nikki Bush, introduces the concept of cheating time and turning the ordinary into the extraordinary, helping parents to give away the guilt they so often feel.

She will show you how time spent in the car, doing household chores and activities or waiting for appointments, can be so valuable to both you and your child – it is never a waste of time! This insightful talk is peppered with personal anecdotes and provides dozens of practical and creative ideas to take home and try with your children.  Connecting with your child can be such fun and so easy despite your busyness!  Come and play.

“In the sci-fi world of rockets and robots, computer keyboards don’t exist. Humans always talk to their computers, giving them orders, commands and requests. In the blockbuster film Avatar, touch screen technology was the big deal. But until these high tech visions  are realized, the 88-key QWERTY keyboard – together with the mouse — will remain the main interface between man and machine.  And yet, it’s amazing how many people still haven’t mastered their keyboard. “Hunt and Peck” remains a trusted method for data entry for over 25% of computer users.”

Kevin Lerner, The Presentation Team

As a very speedy touch-typist myself, I have always received jealous glares from colleagues and even my husband and children as I bash away at my keyboard effortlessly.  My dexterity makes them look like palookas.  And I have always battled to find assistants who could work faster or more accurately than me which has been so frustrating because they could never keep up with my productivity. 

Touch typing is definitely one of the skills I would like my children to master long before they leave school.  Did you know that it boosts productivity on a keyboard by up to 60%? Who wouldn’t want to do that? I learnt to touch type in Australia when I was an 18 year old exchange student.  Back then I never realised that taking this practical subject would benefit me so much in the long-run.  To this day, I marvel at the ability of the human brain and how trainable it is.  Touch typing is such an excellent example of this.

Learning how to read is another skill that often blows my mind.  That we can make sense out of such abstract symbols as  letters and numbers — a decoding system, if you will — is an incredible feat.  But in a world of  increasing digital speed and connectivity, it’s no longer enough to be able to read.  You need to be able to read at speed and to be able to comprehend what you are reading.  Interestingly we also live in an era of rapidly declinging literacy rates  — not a good thing for children who are already drowning in information from the first time they do a Google search for a school project in grade 1.  And information overload will continue at a pace.

So, if your child’s school doesn’t offer speed reading and touch-typing as subjects or extra options, then do  make sure that at some point you create an opportunity to give your child the benefit of acquiring these skills that will not just boost their productivity but their confidence and self-esteem too.  They will go a long way to helping our children to love learning,  helping them to contribute to, and shape the body of knowledge that we are all  co-creating — at speed — in addition to predictive text and voice activated software among others.  As learning is one of the five key X-factors for success in the future world of work, we need to do everything we can to make learning easier and more enjoyable — they are going to be doing this for life!

“Speed reading and touch typing are excellent skills for greater efficiency in life.  Being able to operate and navigate technology confidently — from cellphones to computers to the Internet and other electronic gadgets — will enable learners to manipulate, disseminate and acquire infomation quickly.  Competence in this area will assist with time management and enhance communication and presentation skills.”

Nikki Bush & Dr Graeme Codrington,

 Future-proof Your Child (Penguin, 2008)

DATE:  29 September 2010

TIME:  6 for 6.30pm to 9.30pm

VENUE: Bryanston Sports Club, cnr Grosvenor and Main Roads, Bryanston

COST:  R300.00 per head including light finger supper.  Cash bar available.  10% couples discount.

Bookings essential:  info@brightideasoutfit.co.za

MORE ABOUT THE CHILDHOOD WITH ZEAL ROADSHOW

Celebrating 5 years of inspiration, Equal Zeal® will host a national Childhood with Zeal road show to promote healthy family living. The road show includes exhibitions, educational resources and workshops to enhance Zeal in families. Seminars will highlight issues affecting children including crime, divorce, drugs and alcohol, violence, suicide, promiscuity, depression, learning difficulties, technology, nutrition, sedentary lifestyles, ADD/ADHD, stress, self esteem, music influences and childhood illnesses.

Parents and children finally have a platform to unite and be empowered through knowledge and insight. The road show is family oriented and promises fun for all with lucky draws, children’s play areas, Childhood with Zeal books and the latest in family therapy and support. Experts, including Nikki Bush, Janine Shamos, Heather Picton, Zelna Lauwrens, Hettie Brittz, Marinda Blain, Cathy del Mei, Shelton Kartun and Nazraana Jassat will be sharing their insight.

Join us on any of the following days: 5 Sep (The Country Boma, JHB), 12 Sep (The Breakers Resort, KZN), 19 Sep (Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, PTA) or 26 Sep (The River Club, CT). Entry is R295 for adults, R95 for teenagers and children under 13 free. Bookings through Computicket.

Open your heart and show kindness with Zeal by donating towards a charity project of your choice on the day. Childline, Teddy Bear Clinic, ADHASA, SADAG, SADSA and Fathers for Justice are charities that will receive a portion of the proceeds from Equal Zeal® Training.

WHO IS EQUAL ZEAL?

Equal Zeal® Training, established in 2005, offers a series of self development programmes that provide essential life tools to tackle modern day challenges that children face. Subscribing to a philosophy of inspiring growth, Equal Zeal® equips children with a solid foundation through their Life Studios for Kids. Solutions are based on Zeal for life®, meaning the energy you put into life equals the rewards you receive.  For more information visit www.equalzeal.com.