I am introducing a new series of public seminars called Parenting Matters™, the first of which will take place in September.  If you have attended any of my talks and workshops you will know that I often make mention of the New York Times #1 bestseller The Five Love Languages by Dr Gary Chapman.  Communicating with, and connecting to your child, can be so much more effective if you use the right love language.   I am so excited to bring you a not to be missed combination in one evening:  my presentation, Future-proof Your Child followed by a really practical and insightful presentation of The Five Love Languages of Children by skilled speaker, educator and Love Language specialist, Carol Baillie.  The Love Languages are such an amazingly useful tool in future-proofing your child and parenting in general.  Join us for a dynamic evening:

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

What a treat!  As Dr Graeme Codrington, my Future-proof Your Child co-author now lives in the UK, it is most unusual for us to be interviewed together.  However, you can catch this rare occurrence on Tuesday 17 August 2010, when we will both appear live on eTV’s Great Expectations in a show entitled:  How to Future-proof Your Child.  Yes, Graeme is currently visiting  South Africa and you can tune in from 11.3am – 12.30pm for a snapshot of trends that are shaping the world, the jobs our children might do one day, and some practical parenting wisdom to help you to future-proof your children.

I will be presenting Parenting on the Run™ at the Childhood with Zeal Roadshow in Johannesburg (Muldersdrift) on 5 September and in Cape Town (The Riverclub) on 26 September.  You can make your booking at Computicket.

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.

“Which chicken lays the egg?” was the question on the card in the general knowledge game I was playing with my seven year old goddaughter Livvie, and her friend Jess. “What does that mean?” enquired Livvie. “Well, what do we call a mummy chicken and a daddy chicken?” I asked. “A hen and a rooster,” both girls chimed. “So which one lays the egg?”. It was Livvie’s turn in the game to answer and she said, “The chicken”, which was correct. At that point I asked, “So what does the rooster do?”, thinking they would say, “He says Cock-a-doodle-doo!” when Jessie piped up very matter of factly, “He mates!” Hats off to Jessie’s parents who clearly aren’t afraid of discussing where babies come from. How about you?

My bestselling sexuality education book, Easy Answers to Awkward Questions (Metz Press, 2009) co-authored with educational psychologist, Ilze van der Merwe, goes into it’s first reprint this month. To celebrate the milestone, we will be running a special on both the English and Afrikaans versions until the end of July 2010. The books normally retail at R130.00 each. From 13 – 31 July, you can purchase them from me for R120.00 each. To place your orders email info@brightideasoutfit.co.za  .

Orders can be collected from us in Fourways or efficiently delivered to your doorstep anywhere in South Africa for a very reasonable delivery fee. The books can also be posted using a track ‘n trace facility and two books fit into one padded envelope for one postage fee if you were considering doubling up or adding my other book Future-proof Your Child (R140.00) to your order. For more info on Easy Answers to Awkward Questions or Maklike Antwoorde op Ongemaklike Vrae, click here.

The 2010 Soccer World Cup drew to a close last night and South Africa proved, without a doubt, that playful optimism is contagious regardless of the challenges, problems and bad press that predisposed the world to thinking that we couldn’t do it. Perhaps this is something we really need to keep close to our hearts as we guide our children in the 21st century. I’m not just talking about optimism for South Africa, but optimism about life and this planet in general. I’m talking about ensuring that our children are hopeful and positive about their future despite the fact that overpopulation, dwindling natural resources, violent religious extremism, runaway computer intelligence, global warming and devastating famines, to name just a few, are already some of the issues threatening life as we know it.

Since 2001, a thousand 16 year old boys and a thousand 16 year old girls have been surveyed every year in South Africa to determine their level of hope in the future. A ten point scale is used to measure the trust they have in a meaningful future in both this country and the world at large. In 2001, 63% had hope for the future. This figure has now dropped, alarmingly, to 22%! In fact, they believe that the world is on the brink of disaster, says South African futurist, Pieter de Villiers who is involved in this research. And it’s not surprising when you consider the amount of negativity they are bombarded with minute by minute every day via the media, because good news doesn’t sell (except for the past month during the World Cup, of course!).

He explains the danger of youth without hope: “They start living for now. They want maximum fun NOW, regardless of the consequences. They become destructive to themselves and the environment. Why should they care when they don’t believe there is any hope for the future? We need to make a conscious effort to show our children a positive attitude towards the future despite the challenges we face.” I believe this starts with us, in our homes and families, with love, security, values and structure.

James Martin, founder of the James Martin 21st Century School at Oxford University and author of bestselling book The Meaning of the 21st Century (Eden Project Books, 2006) says that this is an amazing time in history to be a young person precisely because there is so much opportunity to create a new and better world for all. “If I could choose any time to live, I would want to be a teenager now (in a country with a great education) [he adds]……The most important reason I would choose today is that, more than at any other time, young people will make a spectacular difference. The 21st Century Revolution is absolutely essential, and today’s young people will make it happen. There needs to be an absolute crusading determination to bring about the changes……..Today’s young people will collectively determine whether civilisation survives or not. It will be a time of revolution establishing the processes by which humankind can achieve levels of greatness never dreamed of before. With technologies that are infinite in all directions, what can humanity become?”

I would like to add that while technology will help us solve many of our challenges, without a rise in consciousness about what it means to really be human, we are at risk of becoming technology-driven human doings instead of human beings. There can only be hope if we share not just our technological breakthroughs with each other (the head stuff), but if we share our humanity with each other — our connectedness, our feelings, emotions and spirituality (the heart stuff). And that was exactly what made this Soccer World Cup special and different to any other. As FIFA’s Sepp Blatter said, “Thank you South Africa for sharing your humanity with the world.” We must all become a purveyors of hope to give the next generation hope.

“Family is where hope lives.”

Nikki Bush & Graeme Codrington, Future-proof Your Child (Penguin, 2008)