Flick Wright, headmistress, The Wykeham Collegiate, Pietermaritzburg Parenting on the Run, August 2008

Nikki, thank you for playing with us, in a most remarkable way. You really have been an inspiration today – your passion for play, connecting – I think you are a phenomenal woman, might I say! A mother, a wife, I’m surprised you are not a psychologist or an educationalist, because you have it all wrapped up so beautifully. I think what came through most was your plea for us to honour our children and our families, to make time for them by really prioritising, by finding the joy in ourselves and eliciting it in others. It has been a remarkable hour and we really are so delighted that you’ve come via Pietermaritzburg to Durban because we don’t often have the opportunity to have somebody with your passion, your expertise and your very, very practical ideas.   And speaking from the heart about your own children really resonated so with us – it wasn’t just the theory out there. Thank you for your very high, high touch!

Irene Ilsley, HOD, Kingsmead, Noise & Clutter,  July 2008

Wow, this is the second time I have listened to this talk and I’m just blown away each time!  I think so much of what you said just really has hit home. It has been so informative, we’ve all experienced this hectic pace of life and we’ve all witnessed our children becoming more and more immersed in TV, computers, iPods, you name it. One of the biggest messages that came across is that as parents it is our duty, our responsibility to actually spend time with our beautiful, precious children who have been given to us. They’re a gift, cherish them, spend time with them, don’t hand them over to technology and consumerism. Just love them. They are tiny for such a short time. So please, enjoy your children, spend time with them, there’s nothing more you can give to them than your time and your love. Nikki thank you so much for reminding us of that, it was so valuable. You’re an amazing woman, thank you so much.

15 November, Parenting on the Run, St Peter’s Girls School

Dear Nikki

Thank you for the most inspirational, amazing talk.

Mandy Davis

Your ideas and suggestions are so good. They should be available to all parents. We are all so busy, and our children are growing up without us noticing or getting the chance to do the things we thought we would do when they were born.

Kind regards

Eurydice Stanton

Dear Nikki

I thoroughly enjoyed your workshop at St Peter’s last week. I have two boys aged 8 and 6 and a new addition of a little girl aged 12 weeks. My boys have loved playing games in the car on the way to and from school, it gives me some special time with them before their baby sister demands to be fed.

Thanks very much.

Lisa Osborne

7 November 2007, Parenting on the Run, Kingsmead School

Nikki,

You were such a breath of fresh air yesterday. My household was revolutionised when I got home from work with what is now termed the “Mummy & Daddy play box”! The dice were a roaring success and made a startling discovery that our 6 year old daughter has better mental arithmetic in terms of adding than our 10 year old and my husband & I. By the way my husband is a chartered accountant and I’m a banker! Our 10 year daughter regained her position as the maths Queen when we started multiplying the dice as the 6 year old can’t do times table yet and she protested most vocally about being excluded!

I was reminded about our car games this morning when I read your Nelson Mandela quote encouraging hysterical laughter. Well, we had plenty of that today en route to school when we played the customs official game .The 6 year old was creating a wackier and wackier list of what was allowed in and what wasn’t. My older daughter & I eventually admitted defeat and asked what was her criteria. She then told us she had forgotten, at which stage we all erupted into hysterical laughter.

I haven’t had so much fun in 1 day in a long time. You should rename your talks Laughter Therapy! Take care and thanks for being such as inspiration.

Regards

Ireti Samuel-Ogbu,

Director, GTS Head,

South Africa Citigroup

17 September 2007Dear NikkiOnce again, we thank you so much for presenting at our Conference. Among the 355 responses to our survey questionnaire, there were many that gave you high praise and considered you to be one of the highlights of Conference. We congratulate you.Kind regardsBridgette Walton, ISASA Proudly Primary Teachers’ ConferenceDear Nikki

I am no longer reluctant to take them on long road trips, or anywhere else where there is likely to be a wait (like doctors’ rooms, the car wash, etc), because I know I’ll be able to entertain them (or help them entertain themselves), keep them occupied and teach them new skills all at the same time. I didn’t realise how it easy it could be and how much fun we could have during the “in-between” times.

Thanks for a really worthwhile experience.

Kathleen Bartels

Moms & Tots Franchisee meeting, Connect the Tots (construction toy workshop)

Dear Nikki

Thanks so much for presenting such a fantastic, well prepared talk to the Moms & Tots Workshop leaders. We all thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn’t wait to get back to our workshops to share your valuable information with all our mothers. You gave us a taste of what fun it can be to be a child who is given the right, creative construction toys to play with and we didn’t want to be adults again! You helped us realize what a vital role we can play – educating the mothers, and hopefully there will be less T.V watchers and more focused, satisfied children who feel proud of themselves and what they have created. Many thanks Nikki, and keep up the good work.

Regards Petra Lester, Founder Moms & Tots

Parenting on the Run Workshop, HeronBridge College, July 2006

Hi Nikki,

I just wanted to let you know how valuable your “Parenting on the Run” workshop was to me. We recently had a trip to the Kruger Park, which under normal circumstances can be very painful and feel very long when you have kids whining and whinging all the time. I made a point of taking your list of games etc. with me to ensure that they never even had chance to whine. What an absolute winner. They never complained once, we played plenty of the games and the trip went by so quickly. It was actually a very pleasant trip with them and we all enjoyed taking part in the fun. Thank you ever so much. I have my notes tucked away in a safe place for the next trip, so that we can all enjoy our journey again.

Regards Kirsty James

Finally a course with practical ideas I could use! I really enjoyed listening to your talk on how to make the most of the time we have with our precious children. It reminded me of the games I use to play as a little child with no T.V. play stations, DVD, computers etc. I also liked the fact the you understand that we, as parents, lead busy lives so your suggestions of using bath/cooking/car times are most effective.

I have photostated your “Car games” and left a copy in the cubby hole of my car. We now have a permanent supply of ideas to play in the car. My kids argue less and laugh more! I also think it is important to allow our children the opportunity to use their imaginations to come up with their own games. One doesn’t always have to provide them with toys and ideas but let them be comfortable in their own space and quiet time.

Once again, many thanks for an enjoyable and worthwhile morning. All parents would benefit from listening to your practical. fun, effective and educational ideas. Ideas easy enough to implement whilst “on the run!” Helen Jennings

I can’t believe that I don’t have to feel guilty about being busy anymore!Audrey Stanley

Parenting on the run is more simple than I realized. Anyone can do this. Craig Aitken

If parents put into practice just a handful of these ideas they would reinforce what we are teaching at pre-school and we would be referring fewer children for therapy. We need to get this message out to more parents. Glynnis Courtney, Head of HeronBridge Pre-Prep and chairlady of the ISASA preschool committee.

It’s so nice to have some new ideas to take home and do with the children. Annie Whitfield

Parenting through the Noise & Clutter, Midstream College, 24 August 2006

Thank you for spreading this very important message. We were honoured to have you. Midstream College, Midrand