Living and Loving – August 2019

Young manners

Young people’s attitudes

and thoughts these days

are to be admired.

My family and I were in

a Belgian chocolate shop

over the weekend with my

young grandson. They were

offering tasters, which were

so delicious we all wished

we could have more.

My grandson wandered

off around the shop and

while walking around was

offered another chocolate.

We saw how he refused the

chcolate, saying thank you

and that he had already

had one. When my daughter

asked him why he didn’t

have another chocolate,

he said he felt he had

to give other people a

chance to have one, too.

If only adults could

take a lesson from that.

It showed the strength of

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4 | AUGUST 2019 | L&L

The truth about maternity leave

While expecting, the bliss

of going on maternity leave

is something we all look

forward to − the thought of

being at home with no work

and having all the time

in the world to enjoy your

little bundle of cuteness.

But no one tells you that

for the first few weeks your

body ensures you are

made aware of all the

great adjustments you

had to go through in the

past nine months. Many

cups of hot tea are what

helped me push through.

And all the home

DIY projects you were

planning? Forget

about it. Your greatest

accomplishment during

the first six weeks will

be to have a relaxing,

uninterrupted bath for

more than 10 minutes.

Your main aim will be to

change a nappy without

being peed or pooped

on − it can be tricky.

Next, your greatest

interest will become the

science of understanding

the meaning of each

and every sound your

baby makes. Helping

you become a strong

player in the guessing

game, “Why do you think

the baby’s crying?”.

While you’re on maternity

leave, people will tell you

to enjoy your holiday and

to enjoys playing doll. If

they only knew − a doll will

never bring as much joy

as your baby’s first smile.

This time with your baby

will be nothing like you

imagined. Just remember, it

will get better, and you will

get the hang of it. All you

need to focus on is getting

past the first six weeks. After

that, all will fall into place.

To all new mothers, don’t

feel alone and don’t stress

too much about it. You

will soon be an expert.

Quiann Barnard

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character of a youngster who

still has to experience life.

We were very proud of his

attitude − not one we as

adults might have had in

the same circumstance.

Ruth Cohen

I always wanted

children

I always knew I wanted to

have children − from the time

I was a little girl playing with

my dolls. I thought I would

have two boys and two girls

and, as it turns out, I do have

four children. However, things

never go according to plan,

do they? I fell pregnant with

my beautiful daughter at a

young age and then after

marrying my childhood

sweetheart had two

wonderful sons. Unfortunately,

our marriage didn’t last.

After I got divorced, I began

another relationship that

continued for seven years.

We decided to part ways

and a couple of months

later I discovered that I was

pregnant with my youngest

son, who we now co-parent.

Kerry van de Dronker

Dear NICU nurse

I didn’t even know you

existed. Our birth plan

included a chubby baby and

a hospital stay that included

holding our baby in our arms.

I had never seen you or an

NICU. No on understands

what happens behind those

alarm-secured doors of the

NICU − except me and you.

I didn’t know you would be

the one to hold and rock my

baby when I wasn’t there. I

didn’t know you would be

the one to take care of him