I am absolutely thrilled the S.A. government proposes to ban the smacking of children.

Too often I see beautiful, well educated, sophisticated mothers smack their children for being irritating. The children are usually tired, not following instructions, or showing aggressive behaviour.

These same moms would never consider smacking another adult, and would be horrified if anyone smacked them. They also know that if they did smack another adult, they could be arrested, thrown in jail, and have to explain themselves in front of a magistrate. Smacking an adult is called assault and is punishable by law.

Let me introduce myself. I am an SA mum and a new blogger. I am very interested in writing about the challenges of raising nice kids in South Africa. I have read plenty of parenting books but haven't come across one specifically for SA mums with our unique parenting problems and styles. So, I am very interested in your comments and experiences on a variety of topics relating to South Africa parenting. The topics will be based on particular points of view that I would like to debate and get your feedback and comments. For example “Too much TV is bad for children”, “Over scheduling children’s time is robbing them of their childhood”. “The “old school tie” is no longer important in the new South Africa” and “Helping your child with her homework is not doing her any favours”, “We are breading lazy, self-centred children in the new South Africa”

Just want to share some advice from heart

We have just returned from a short trip to the UK. This time we took David age five along with us. We all had a great time and Dave showed great interest in the sights, Big Ben, the London Eye, The tower of London, crown jewels and Tower Bridge, but his favourites were the Science museum (Space exhibit) and the Natural History museums dinosaurs. Also evident was the beginning of the Christmas shopping.

I guess the terrible exchange rate had something to do with my thoughts about plastic, mainly battery driven, toys and the stuff Dave and I have made from cardboard. I am certainly not averse to the purchase of toys especially Lego, Scalextrics, Magnetics and others that give me as much fun as they do for Dave but I was reminded that the toys that give the most joy and hold his attention for the longest are those that create joint activity for parent and child. Some of Dave's most treasured possessions are the Cardboard or Corex boats, aeroplanes, castles and shields that litter our living room.

Ever felt like you are doing everything on your own...I am really running out of steam fast and need some advise. With my full time job, 10-year old boy and little 18 month old Kylie (on page six of the gallery), I sometimes feel like all I am is the cook,teacher, play-mom, and the Mom, Can I? (sound familiar?) with no time at all for myself. I stop working at 4 and then pick my son up from school, go to the shop, rush home in traffic just to go and prepare supper with Kylie hanging on my hip for dear life...putting her down is out of the question as the guilt of working full day is already a killer on its own.....

I am not sure where I have been all this time. This great blog has recently come to my attention. Lots of moms. Lots of opinions and comment. A great place to keep in touch. SAMomsBlog

Hi all,

Was sent to this sight via the Baba Indaba Notificationa.

HELP! I have been putting off finding a day care facility in Cape Town/Southern Suburbs/South Peninsula for my nearly 3 month old son. I have to go back to work full time end August and am in a flat panic!

I registered my son at a creche that came highly recommended by a friend of mine, and yesterday my husband and I went to check it out - WHAT A NIGHTMARE - maybe it is just me? and nothing will be good enough for my little cherub... but I did have visions of a pretty room, with lots of sunlight and CLEAN!

Has anyone got any referrals for me. I work in the city, my husband in the Southern suburbs, so anywhere around there or in between would be great.

I am a first time mother and I love my baby very much. I love my partner just so much but he does not seem to understand that a baby takes time and a lot of it. In the process of making baby happy and trying to keep my partner happy and forgot about myself. I was a independent person before I met my partner and when we still going outbut seem to have lost myself in everything. Is there somebody there to help me to find myself again?

Taken from my blog

I am feeling stretched to the max, used up, eaten up, washed up. Depleted.

Adam has been sick (tonsillitis, pharyngitis and a mild case of baby measles) he is finally better, than goodness, because he has been an industrial-strength enema lately. It is always so much harder dealing with the working mom guilt thing when your babies are sick, because you know all a sick baby wants is his mommy, especially when that baby is Adam. I hate it when my babies are sick, it upsets me so. I get very depressed and anxious, even though I tell myself over and over that all kids get sick, but it doesn’t help, it affects me terribly. So been feeling pretty shitty in the mother department.