#creative parenting

I told my daughter, “Go to bed, the cows are sleeping in the field.” She said, “What’s that got to do with anything?” I said, “ That means it’s pasture bedtime.” Thank you, Joel E. Hodges, Sr.

My Dad once did a full-on performance of the nursery rhyme Soldier, Soldier Won’t You Marry Me? with full improv level of towel cloak, shower cap boots, plastic bucket usually-used-to-hold-bottles-and-bath-toys hat etc to keep me engaged in between lathering and *careful* rinsing (I also couldn’t stand water being poured over my head) etc instead of streaking off buck naked and soapy-headed into the wilderness (okay, my bedroom) 😁

I think about this a lot every time I read things about gentle parenting and how much awful authoritarian BS parents are routinely pushed to inflict on their kids by teachers, therapists, doctors etc, especially when those kids are clearly neurodivergent and having real issues coping with whatever the issue is.

I know now my parents had to deal with this too - more on my little brother, as I wasn’t diagnosed, but on me too, especially by teachers. My mum, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, still caught the end of the *horrendous* “autism in kids is caused by ’refrigerator mothers’” bullshit from the 1950s from elderly doctors, which still makes me furious. But it didn’t stop them from engaging with us like smol actual people with genuine needs, like anyone else.

🥡 When He Wants Chinese Food, But the Budget Says Otherwise… Cairo wanted Chinese food.He was demanding — the greasy bag, the soy sauce packets, the chopsticks, the whole vibe.And listen, I get it. There’s something so deeply comforting about warm fried rice, sticky chicken, and broccoli so green it makes you feel like you did something healthy even when everything’s smothered in sauce. But I…

Do you hear that tiny laughter? Feel those mischievous eyes watching? Well, it must be that time of year again when the Elf on the Shelf pays us a visit! As a parent, I’ve embarked on countless elfin’ adventures to keep the magic alive in my home. Join me on a whimsical journey filled with creative parenting ideas, as we explore the misadventures, fun, and laughter that our little elf friend…

Sometimes, tough parenting requires that you tell your kids that they need to clean their rooms before they can have a donut, while you sit eating donuts yelling “hurry, they are almost gone!” -Found on Instagram.

Inspirational speaker and best-selling author, Nikki Bush, is highly regarded among parents, educators and business people alike as she helps them make sense of parenting and child development issues in a fast-changing world.

Her keynote talks, interactive workshops, books and games are fuelled by her passion for play, connection and relationships as she inspires her audiences to find creative ways of connecting with today’s children to prepare them for tomorrow’s world.

Nikki is the co-author of two bestselling books:  Future-proof Your Child (Penguin 2008), now in its sixth reprint, and Easy Answers to Awkward Questions (Metz Press, 2009), a book on sexuality development for children under 13, which was endorsed by Childline and is in its third reprint. Her third and much-anticipated book, Tech-Savvy Parenting, was published by Bookstorm in August 2014. Nikki has developed seven educational games including board games for well-known brands such as Barney, Thomas and Barbie, and she is South Africa’s foremost toy judge, running a very popular annual event called Toy Talk®.

I Am Driven By:

“The idea of changing the world in some way, of doing work that has a ripple effect through generations to come – leaving a legacy. I work with parents and educators who are influencing the next generation and it’s heart-warming to hear the stories of how my work has changed perceptions, mindsets and behaviour, which in turn is changing relationships between people.”

My Highlights:

“Continual personal growth through the work that I do and the relationships I have with my husband and my two children.  There is always another challenge, a way to do things better, self-discovery and unveiling of new talents and abilities within.

I was selected as a Rotary Youth Exchange student and spent my post-matric year (1985) in Australia. The interview process for selection was more gruelling than any job interview I have been through, and I was only 16 at the time of the interviews.

Speaking as the Rotary Youth Exchange ambassador at the 1986 National Rotary Conference in the Sun City Superbowl to over 1 000 Rotarians at the age of 18 and being offered a job on the spot by a very senior company executive. Being awarded the Murray & Roberts Best Public Relations Writing Skills award at the end of my three-year National Diploma in Public Relations which I complete at the then, Wits Technikon.

Opening my own public relations consultancy when I was 27.

Having the guts to create a new career at the age of 30 in direct selling and discovering I was a great motivator and trainer and had a very unique ability to connect the dots differently to anyone else.

Developing educational games for Smile Education and being asked to develop games for Discovery Health’s Vitality programme and for big brands such as Barney, Barbie and Thomas which were a sell out.

Changing my career again to become a full time professional speaker and author in 2005.

I have written three parenting books.  Having the first accepted and published by Penguin was a BIG deal for me – to be recognized by such a big publishing house was a major accomplishment.

Working closely with some incredible people with great minds – Dr Graeme Codrington and Arthur Goldstuck.

Helping people make better parenting choices every day.

Being able to package valuable messages in media interviews that viewers and listeners can take action on immediately.

Being offered my own online TV show at the end of 2014.

Being a mother – my children are the inspiration for much of my work.

The Difference Between Good And Great:

“People who are great at what they do are prepared to stick their necks out, be thought leaders and are the go to people in their industry. They are prepared to do what it takes to be successful and are disciplined and focused. They are visionaries in some way shape or form and are often out of the box thinkers, doing things in ways that they have never been done before. They are teachable at the same time as being inspirational.”

A Key Talent:

“Clarity of vision of how I can serve (strongly influenced by my intuition, gut feel and spiritual connection) – creating goals around this vision, but being flexible and adaptable on the way to reaching the goals. Sometimes they can be achieved in very unexpected ways through chance meetings and introductions. Do the work you need to do to become expert at something.  Hone your skills.   Build your knowledge. Be invested in your own learning – and never think you know everything. Be engaged and inspired by your own learning process.  Promote others and they will promote you. Learn from others but do not try to be like them. Network. Read, learn and listen to people on a wide range of topics – that’s how you find ways to make your own expertise more relevant.  Make sure that what you have to offer is constantly innovative, real and relevant. Today, that means, updating, reinventing, re-purposing and repositioning yourself all the time as the market is constantly changing, and at a very rapid rate. Be teachable.”

The Characteristics Of Success:

“Razor sharp focus. I am a busy working mum and I don’t have time for redo’s. So do what you do well and do it right. Having opportunity eyes – there is opportunity everywhere. Staying relevant. Being creative and doling things in unique ways. Sharing my own stories makes my work accessible and personal – being prepared to be vulnerable. Discipline. Vision. Flexibility and adaptability.”

Critical Skills I Develop: