Hello Everyone and welcome!!!!

If you have been following me on social media (Why are you not following by the way?) you'd know I have been doing a count down to our product launch and I am so happy to announce to you that we are READY!! 

Introducing: The Cuddly Teepee Tent!!! 

My Journey to creating this product: 

What is The Cuddly Teepee Tent?

 The Cuddly Teepee Tent is an indoor and outdoor teepee tent for kids. It is a play tent specially made for kids where they can have their space and play area.

Benefits of The Cuddly Teepee Tent;

• Your child will have a place of their own: As they grow older and coming into a sense of who they are sometimes they need their own space and what better place than a cozy little corner that blocks out everyone and gives them some privacy? and the great part is they are not unsupervised. 
• Imaginative play: A teepee can help boost your child's imagination. Kids use imagination to help figure the world around them and there are few things to spark the imagination of a child than a secret hideout. Imagination improves when you encourage creative play and a kids teepee can contribute to that. When they are using their imagination, they are effectively using their brain power which can improve speech and narrative skills in kids. 
• Physical movement and motor skills development: For younger kids who may be unsteady on their feet, a play teepee offers them a play structure without any risk of falling. Kids can practise crouching, crawling, bending as they enter and exit the tent. For older kids, fine motor development can be practiced as well. Tying and untying the door flaps gives them practice with making bows and knots.
• A reading nook: The teepee can be used as a reading nook to encourage your kids to sit for longer periods reading a book. 

Please, let me know your thoughts.

I am part of @supermumsclub and this is one question we all discussed last week, it was an interesting conversation. ⠀
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What do you think? ⠀
Say, you have girls and your inlaws say they want a boy and they don't mind even if you have a football team trying to get the boy. What will you do? ⠀
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My answer: If you are willing to be a surrogate and open a school fund for all the kids then why not? Lol⠀
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What are your thoughts?⠀

It is always a joy to see people who are interested in what you are interested in. I always toyed with the idea of homeschooling and I did a lot of research with regards to it and in my quest for what to do I stumbled on @sheuntunde on Instagram and I am glad she has to collaborate with me on bringing this simple guide to homeschooling in Nigeria to life.


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You all know my journey so, meet Sheun.

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My name is Sheun and I am an early years teacher.

For over a year now, I have been a stay at home mum. The journey started for me when I got pregnant with my first child and could no longer work on the island. The decision to become a stay at home mum was not an easy decision to make but with my first child, I had to take jobs back to back because of responsibilities, the downside of it was I had so much given to other children and not enough time for my child. The wake up call came when I got pregnant with my 2nd child and I knew that I didn't want to continue the vicious cycle, so I made the decision to be a stay at home mum.

One of the challenges you face as a stay at home mum is, "What do I teach my kids?" I looked around the educational system in nigeria and I wanted to offer my child what I saw was lacking - learning through play. After discovering what I wanted to offer my child, I looked through different curriculums and picked pieces of each them with the goal of "Play as the tool for learning" in mind.

As an early years educator, I have learnt to observe my child and know her strengths. With these in mind we use Montessori materials which an individual can make themselves with everyday object. We usually don't have a routine, most of what we do depends on our mood but we do something each day even if it is on the road.

One of the challenges people are worried about when considering homeschooling is the child's social life, We have a large family and we go out a lot of avoid the social gap. She loves homeschooling but once in a while she asks to go to school.

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The big question now is this, are you considering homeschooling in nigeria? Here is a simple guide for you;

Homeschooling in Nigeria is not very well understood and just a few people are having the courage to do it. You have to be bold because people will reject what they don't understand. You have to be ready to be disciplined so you don't spend your days on the screen.

First you have to think about your learning outcomes; Think about what you want to achieve with your child. Depending on the age of the child the answer is usually different. This is just basically outlining the end in mind for the child. E.g "At the end of this quarter, Bola should be able to identify alphabets" you can have numerous learning outcomes on the broad categories of learning.

next, what would you teach to get these outcomes; Since we are focusing on learning through play, it will be how will we play to achieve this. Here you outline the different activities you will engage in to teach to get this outcome and activities that will reenforce it as well. e.g Monday - Use flashcards to identify the alphabets, sing songs about the alphabet, play phonics

What materials do you need; You list out the materials you need. Based on our example we would need flashcards, video of phonics, a list of songs about the alphabet
Where can I get these materials; You ask yourself where you can get the materials if you don't have it already. Buy or make flashcards, source for video online, learn the songs

Plan and set the stage; Just like every teacher, plan for your class. Set the stage for the class, put out the activities the night before.

Go: Introduce your child to it and let them enjoy.


Broad Categories and scheme of work under each;


Literacy development for 18months- 24 months old;

• Settling down: circle time, prayer, etc (anything to make the child understand that it is time to learn and time to sit)
• Building language through rhymes: Nursery rhymes- Twinkle, twinkle little star (talk about the star)
• Introduction to simple everyday objects: take a walk and talk about things around us or stay indoors and talk about things in the home
• Picture reading to enhance identification of everyday objects: appropriate books for  this age. @thebookwormcafeng is my go to
• Storytelling for communication skills: more books
• Storytelling to encourage participation and verbalization: touch and feel books. Ask questions
• Building vocabulary by identifying members of the family: daddy, mummy, brother, sister, grandma, grandpa, etc
• Introduction to possessive words- my mine.
• Using self expressive words to indicate needs or feelings: I want water
• Learning to respond to simple instructions: sit, stand

Phonics: Use Jolly phonics: first 3 sounds “s” “a” “t”

• Scribbles with chunky crayon: just scribble on a paper
• Writes strokes and curves with the chunky crayon

Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)

• Refer to self by name.
• Responds to name when called.
• Building friendship with peers and adults.
• Learning to use courteous words (we call them magic words): Please, I'm sorry, Excuse me, Thank you.
• Introduction to sharing (toys and materials).
• Introduction to taking turns.
• Identification of personal belongings.
• Gives cues to use the bathroom.
• Says hello and goodbye when prompted.
• Recognition of some facial expressions: happy and sad.
• Follows simple instructions.
• Uses the potty without crying.

Numeracy

• Settling down.
• Number rhymes- 1, 2 buckle buckle my shoes.
• Teaching colours. (I usually start with yellow because it's bright and I can use it to reinforce my sound “s” as in sun.
• Shape: circle.
• Sorting objects by size (big/small) shapes (circle like a clock, square, triangle and rectangle) and colours.
• Rote Counting 1-5 then 10.
• Identification of numbers 1-5.
• Understanding simple concepts: inside/ outside.
• Building 4-6 block tower.

Knowledge and Understanding of the world

• Introduction to theme through songs and rhymes.
• Identification of some parts of the body with focus on the five senses.
• Introduction to sex- boy/ girl.
• Identifying members of the family.
• Identification of simple objects at home.
• Introduction to Christmas (any holiday at that time)

We really hope that this guide helps you begin your journey to homeschooling. You can follow Sheun @sheuntunde. She offers one-on-one service to people who want to homeschool. She is also available to answer your questions if you have any.

What do you think of homeschooling? Ever considered it? What are your challenges?

Please let us know, what are some of the drawbacks you face as a stay at home mum?

Someone told me that potty training was the most difficult thing she ever did on her motherhood journey. 
I am so not looking forward to it but I would like any tips for when one is ready? 

Please help us (Us that don't have school to help us potty train) out! ⠀

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1. No one understands your decision: In a country where we are just catching on to the #FeminineMovement it makes no sense why any woman will now want to willingly submit herself to be only wife and mother. Why don’t you want to also be boss lady?  I mean many women are doing it, why should you be different? Different women become stay at home mums for different reasons and I think that we don’t have to understand it, we just have to respect it. Being a stay at home mum is a 24/7 job and I think more people need to understand that.
2. The ones that understand your decision are forcing you to make money; Everywhere you turn and anytime “stay at home mum” is mentioned in this country, it is all in the bid to help her make money, to help her to be financially independent and not depend on her husband for money. The Idea of a stay at home mum is to “stay at home” not “work from home” not “side hustle mum” and I know there are people in different categories but I also KNOW that there are people who choose to really stay at home and only want to earn money when they are ready but really if you google any nigerian content on stay at home mums it will only be about “Make money” or comparing "woking mums and sahm" and make things even sadder, a popular nigerian female preacher literally called us “a colossal embarrassment” which is rather appalling.

Are you are stay at home mum in Nigeria, can you relate? please share what your struggles

It was the lagos mums 2018 parenting conference over the weekend and I was so excited to attend for the first time. The conference happened at the Habour point and while I got in a bit late, when they started the first session which was tagged: Parenting today - It starts with the parent which had Mr Lanre Olusola, Mrs Yetty Williams and Mrs Dakore Akande on the panel.

My excited face.

The summary of the session was;

• For us to parent our children, we first need to parent ourselves. 
• Our emotional and mental health is very important so we don't project it to our children. Get help where you need it, it is nothing to be ashamed about.
• Have a vision for your family, the kind of home you want to create. The climate you want to have in your home and be mindful about making it happen. 
• Parenting is about helping God to birth the mandate and destiny of your child, so they can do the same for their children too. 
• You can change the atmosphere of your home with Music, laughter, joy 
• They things you don't want your children to do, don't do it. 
• The things you don't want your children to say, don't say it. 
• The lifestyle you don't want your children to live, don't live it. 
• Be an intentional parent. 
• Invest in the formative years (0-7) years of your child to instill the right values in them. 
• You are raising adults. First see them that way and walk backwards. 
• Remember you are only a vessel. God is your childrens first father. 




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• Teach your kids the value of money. From the age of 2-4 let them start saving in a piggy bank. 
• By the age of 6 they can do extra chores around the house to get money. 
• Women need to save to build and not save to spend. 
• Remember, you will lose money but you will also gain. Go through the process. 
• The family as a unity need to come together to map out what everyone will do to contribute financially to the home. 
• The aim to raise financially literate children who understand the value of money and are not entitled.
• There are other life lessons they learn when they decide to become kid entrepreneurs e.g negotiation skills, communication skill etc.  
• As women we must become financially literate and take advantage of investment opportunities 

I started my career at a cloud computing company. I gained a lot of experience but when I was about to get married, I had a choice to make, where I was going to be moving to will be far away from my current office. Not like it wasn’t possible because there are people who make such trips every day but I didn’t want to start my married life with that type of stress. In addition to that, my almost-husband who has a photography company said to me that his company needed my set of skills and I should think about working with him. So, I made a decision to leave and work with him.

The cloud computing firm I was working for decided that I could work from home since I worked mostly with clients and I could do my work remotely. I was excited about the extra income and it worked well for the next 1 ½ years.

When I welcomed my baby I had taken a back seat from working with my husband but I still did work for my company but as time went by, the demands of a young baby, the working hours of the job, my zero time-management skills, my decreasing interest in the job and not so encouraging salary made me start thinking of leaving the job and focus on taking care of my baby.

Another major thing that influenced my decision was, part of my job description was to talk to clients over the phone. I would call clients and there would be a baby crying in the background. I won’t be able to leave my baby alone because I was alone and I had to make those calls. This happened a lot of times and I felt it was just enough. It just felt a bit unprofessional for that to keep happening and I couldn’t do my work until my baby slept because I had a contract of the time I would work and it was difficult to manage it all.

The decision making process.

When my son was 5 months I made the choice to focus on taking care of him. Thinking about leaving the job made me cry. It wasn't about leaving that particular job but the fact that I was letting go of my career. I convinced myself that ultimately no amount of fulfillment in these other areas will make up for my failure in this equally important area - a bit extreme but it made me see reason - I gave myself one week to mourn, think of alternative ways to keep myself busy and other flexible ways I could be engaged without letting my availability suffer. It was a very long week and a very hard decision to make but I made it.

How has the journey so far been?

It has been one interesting journey in the past 1 year and 4 months. I did not plan in my life to be a stay at home mum, it fell on me and I am grateful I took the path. I know not everyone will be privileged to do it even if they wanted to, so I am grateful to be able to nurture my son and teach him actively for the first few years of his life The challenge of becoming a mum pushed me into being a better version of myself. Because I did not want to be seen as someone who didn't have a 'life' so, I chose a new career path and focused on doing other things that were flexible enough for me to still be available.

Challenges I have faced from being a sahm.

Being Overwhelmed: The routine drives me nuts. Being so close to the routine of a child when they are your primary priority can be very tiring. I know children thrive on routines and I tried so much to make sure I put my son on a routine very early but for me going through the day, everything feels the same and coupled with other things around the house it can get overwhelming. I struggle with being so overwhelmed with everything.

Zero social Life: Except for Sundays, until my child turned 1 i didn't really have any social life. I hardly went for events, visits or did anything for fun outside my home. It might be considered a very lonely life but it was the reality of making the choice. Most days until my husband got back from work, I had no adult interactions and that can drive one up the wall.

Hinging self-worth on current status: It is very easy to start to hinge your self-worth on the fact that you are now a mum that is not contributing financially to the home, not intellectually stimulated, not feeling fulfilled as an individual and all those other feelings that come with being a sahm.

No Income: A big challenge to being a stay at home mum is the fact that you are not having any income. You have to always make a request before you can purchase anything or keep eating into your savings.

Solutions to the challenges.

1. Take a break from time to time. You need the time to recharge. Send the kid(s) to their grandmas or you get out of the house and let them and daddy bond. The alone time will do you a lot of good.

2. Look for other ways to stimulate yourself intellectually. Talk to friends over the phone, watch intellectually stimulating videos online, keep up with current happenings so you are not outdated. Get social online.

3. Remind yourself that the choice you made to be a sahm is not a downgrade but the best decision you can ever make. No one is better than you and you are not better than anyone because of the choice. Find other creative outlets that have flexible hours. start a blog, guest writing on existing blogs if you don't want that responsibility, start a youtube channel, organize play dates with other mums.

4. Ask for a stipend from your husband; No matter how small. I know there are people who out of frustration of not earning an income start a business that thrives that is a great thing but there are people who just want to take of their children - I am not saying one shouldn't make money and there are people who have made this work but it all aligned with the season they were in - For instance it is easier to focus on making money when you have a secondary school child than when you have a baby less than 1-year-old. In those times when you are in a season where it is not feasible to make money - ask for a stipend and save from that stipend.

Conclusion.

It is important not to keep looking over your shoulder to what the next person is doing and not appreciating the season you are in. You can't compare yourself as a first time mum without help who is at home taking care of her child to a woman with 2 almost-teenager who has a nanny and runs a high flying business. In the journey of motherhood there are different seasons and times, in this season of taking care of your child(ren) at home in their early years, develop yourself and be the best version of you so that when your season to step outcomes, the world won't know what hit them!


Keep shinning mama!!


This post was first published on Lagos Mums

• Nausea – the earliest signs of “morning sickness” can appear in the first month
• Breast Tenderness – your breasts or nipples may be swollen and tender to the touch
• Fatigue – you may feel tired as your body adjusts to hormonal changes
• Frequent Urination – a common side effect of the production of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) which causes an increase need to urinate in early pregnancy
• Food Sensitivity – just the smell of food may turn your stomach.

• A pregnancy test to confirm the pregnancy
• You’ll complete an extensive family medical history
• The doctor  usually performs an internal pelvic exam to check your uterus, vagina and cervix
• A Pap smear, if you haven’t had one in the past year
• Routine blood tests and urine tests may be performed
• An assessment of your health, including height, weight and blood pressure
• You will be prescribed a prenatal vitamin and folic acid
• Consult with your doctor about any over-the-counter or prescription drugs you take

• Nausea, vomiting, food sensitivity and fatigue may develop or become more severe
• If you haven’t already, you should make changes in your lifestyle so you and your baby will be healthy. You should stop smoking , drinking and using caffeine. Consult your caregiver about other changes you may need to make.
• You may experience moodiness as hormone levels adjust.
• Sexual desire may wan as fatigue and nausea increase.

• If this is your first visit, you will receive an internal pelvic exam and Pap smear.
• Weight gain and blood pressure will be measured and monitored.
• Urine will be tested for possible infection
• Blood may be drawn to test for anemia and HIV. Genetic testing may also be given if appropriate.

• Nausea may decrease as your body adjusts to hormone levels.
• Your middle may widen, as the uterus grows to the size of a grapefruit.
• As you feel better, develop an exercise plan to increase strength and flexibility, which will help during labor.
• Moodiness and food aversions may continue, buy usually subside by the end of the trimester.
• You may experience your first food cravings as appetite returns.

• You will be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat
• Chorionic villus sampling (CVS), which can detect Tay-Sachs, sickle cell anemia, Down syndrome and other genetic defects, is usually scheduled between ten and twelve weeks, if desired.
• Weight, blood pressure and other monitoring will continue.

• By the end of this month, you may feel “quickening” – the first flutters of baby movement, often described as “butterflies” or “bubbles.”
• You may find yourself feeling better. Nausea usually subsides and energy increases.
• Hormones stabilize, and you feel less moody. Your sex drive may also return. Enjoy this time!
• You may develop heartburn as your uterus rises in the abdomen.
• Outward signs of pregnancy may begin to appear.
• Most moms-to-be start shopping for their pregnancy wardrobe at this point.
• Now is a good time to sign up for prenatal classes.

• Much like last month’s, monitoring of fetal heartbeat and size, as well as your own weight and blood pressure, will continue.
• As it is every month, your urine will be tested for sugar and protein.
• An ultrasound is usually performed to check for fetal age.
• The alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test for neural defects is given in week 16.
• Amniocentesis test for abnormal chromosomes may be offered.

• Most women gain between 5 to 15 pounds by this time.
• Your uterus is now the size of a cantaloupe.
• Appetite often increases.
• Fatigue may return, as you’re carrying extra weight and your heart is pumping more blood.
• Some women experience bloating, constipation or other uncomfortable symptoms. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.
• Some women experience forgetfulness, sometimes called “pregnancy brain.”
• Your belly button may pop out.

• Monitoring of baby’s growth and heartbeat continues.
• Your weight, urine and blood pressure will also be checked.
• At this point, an ultrasound may reveal the baby’s sex. This “second scan” may also show any anomaly.

• Your uterus is now the size of a basketball resting above your belly button. Skin on the stomach may feel itchy as it stretches around your growing womb.
• Complaints of mid-pregnancy, including bleeding gums, constipation, heartburn and leg cramps, may intensify at this time.
• You’ll gain about a pound a week at this time. The increased weight may result in varicose veins or hemorrhoids. Talk to your doctor if you notice protruding veins in any area.
• You may become tired more easily – no wonder! Listen to your body and rest as necessary.

• Monitoring will continue. Pregnancy-induced blood pressure problems (hypertension) often start at this time, so make your caregiver aware of problems with swollen ankles, headaches or nosebleeds.
• Most women are tested for gestational diabetes at this time.

• Your feet or hands may start cramping.
• You may experience more movement of your baby
• Your joints may feel more loose due to softening in preparation for birth
• Many women experience Braxton Hicks contractions (non-productive contractions) starting in the seventh month.

• Monitoring of your weight, blood pressure and urine, as well as the baby’s growth and position, will continue.
• Women who are Rh-negative may receive a shot of Rhogam at this time to prevent complications later.
• Stretch marks may appear as skin continues to stretch.
• You may start seeing your caregiver more frequently at this point. Most start out with checkups every other week once you’re seven months pregnant.
• Now is the time to talk to your caregiver about your birth vision. Discuss your feelings about pain management, fetal monitoring, episiotomies and breastfeeding at this time. Just remember these plans are just a blueprint, which can be adjusted as necessary during labor and delivery to protect the well being of mom and baby.

• You’ll continue to gain about a pound a week.
• You may feel discomfort as baby pushes on rib cage or organs.
• Pelvic pressure may increase as baby drops into this area.
• Indigestion and heartburn may become more intense.
• Skin continues stretching and stretch marks may appear
• Braxton Hicks contractions become more regular.

• Monitoring of your weight, urine, blood pressure and swelling will continue.
• Baby’s growth, heartbeat, size and position will be checked.
• Some caregivers order a second ultrasound at this time to verify baby’s size and position.
• Caregiver visits usually increase from bi-weekly to weekly starting at the 36thweek.

• You may breathe a little easier as baby settles into the pelvis, giving you more room in the abdominal area. This is known as lightening.
• Sleep will become more difficult due to your size and any anxiety you may feel about the upcoming birth.
• Some women experience a “nesting instinct” and feel compelled to ready the home for baby’s arrival.
• Your weight gain will be as high as it will go – up to 35 pounds is average. Some women start losing a pound or two as labor approaches.

• All monitoring will continue. You will also receive an internal examination to determine if the cervix has ripened or started to dilate.
• Your caregiver may swab your vagina and rectum to test for group b streptococcus infection (group b strep).
• You will visit your caregiver weekly for monitoring at this point. Visits may increase if you pass your due date.