November 2022

Getting your child involved in sport is a great way to teach them many important lessons and values that will benefit them now, through adolescence and as an adult. The situations, challenges and triumphs encountered on the sporting field relate directly with many of the situations, challenges and triumphs they will face in everyday life, and gaining these experiences through sport, where they are supervised and in a supporting environment will help your child deal with them more constructively in later years.

Tattoos, piercings other than in the ears and coloring your hair have become a mainstream trend, but adolescents do not always think about the long term ramifications. Skin is not done growing until adulthood, so tattoos can stretch, fade or even become lopsided over time. They are hard to modify and even harder to remove.

Have you ever noticed your child craving something sweet and sugary right after lunch? Do they often order pizzas or a bag full of chips? Junk food can be appealing for a variety of reasons, including convenience, price and taste.

Is your teen constantly standing in front of the mirror and cribbing about zits and greasy hair? Is your teen over conscious of his sudden facial furriness? Parenting a teen can be a test of patience but the responsibility to help, guide and teach your teen about the various aspects of life, including health and personal hygiene lies with you.

Menstruation has always been a sensitive subject to discuss with children, even more so in our cultural context with our sons. However, it is nevertheless an important subject to discuss about – more so because they would eventually find out about it and you wouldn’t even know the validity of the information that they have received. Therefore, the best step of action is to sit him down and explain the concept of menstruation yourself.