Mar 30, 2023 | Blog
I doubt there’s one of us who at some stage or another hasn’t daydreamed of being a superhero….the definition of a superhero/superheroine according to Wikipedia is, ‘a stock (ordinary) character that typically possesses superpowers, abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, or dedicating themselves to protecting the public and fighting crime.’
Now we all know from the countless superhero stories we’ve been exposed to over the years, that the superhero is usually someone who is unassuming, down to earth and lives an ordinary life, but when their special powers kick in, become larger than life and strong enough to take on countless challenges. There are lessons that can be learnt from these fictional characters and applied to daily life, lessons which children especially find relatable……who can forget the famous line in one of the Spiderman movies; ‘’With great power comes great responsibility”….
Superheroes are strong in the face of danger – In life we all experience moments of danger, both physically and emotionally. Fear is a human response, however each of us possesses the power to rise above our fear and stand strong in the midst of threat. We often forget that the superpower we have is the help and support those around us.
Superheroes fight for a cause – They fight for what they believe in! If we believe in something and work hard at it, we have the power to achieve anything! The superpower we have is holding onto our dreams and never giving up on them regardless of how distant or impossible they seem.
Superheroes are not liked by everyone, they have enemies – From a young age we come to realise that not all people are going to like us. That some people have bad and evil intentions. Self-confidence gives us the power to brush off the negativity from others. The superpower we can draw on is knowing that we are special and unique, that the right people will love and appreciate us for who we are and that we can be good and do good in the midst of all that is bad and evil.
Mar 15, 2023 | News
In order for the Durban Child & Youth Care Centre to issue you with a donation Tax Certificate, we now require additional information, according to the newly gazetted Section 18A Tax rules.
If you require a Tax Certificate for donations made after 1 March 2023, please let us have the following details:
- Donor type (individual, company, trust, etc)
- Trading name (if different)
- ID Type (South African ID, foreign passport, etc)
- ID number
- Tax number
For more information about tax certificates and the new requirements, please contact Nicolette on 031 201 1301 or email nicolette@dch.org.za
Mar 2, 2023 | Blog
As I write this post, I am reminded of a recent conversation I had with one of our staff members. She has a nine-year-old daughter who is an avid reader. She also has a three-year-old daughter who enjoys being read to. The little one also likes making up her own stories just by looking at the pictures. Apparently, some of her stories often sounded much better than the actual story.
So my colleague related how one Friday afternoon she had to take her eldest daughter to the library to do some research on a school project. On previous library visits she would leave her little one at home with her husband, but this time she decided to take her along. Apparently the facial expression of this little girl when she walked into the library for the first time was Priceless! She kept saying “Wow….wow……wow!”. She was in complete awe and amazement that this place with SO many books existed. She was so excited, that she didn’t know where to start, rushing from one shelf to another. As I listened to this story, I could almost feel her excitement…….Is it not interesting that in this day and age of digital access to all types of resources, that books, books made of paper, still have the power to appeal to children.
Dr Seuss put it nicely when he said, “The More You Read The More Things You Know. The More That You Learn The More Places You Will Go”.
I wish people realised how important reading is for children and adults alike. Reading opens our mind and broadens our imagination. It transports us from our own world to another. We can also learn new words and phrases, experience a range of emotions, and acquire new skills and gain more knowledge.
As parents and caregivers, we should be looking for opportunities to encourage our children to read often. Reading is exercise for the brain. Reading can benefit a child’s education, social and cognitive development, their wellbeing, and overall mental health. Below is a list of more benefits of children reading:
- Their vocabulary becomes larger and more extensive.
- They will perform better academically.
- Their imagination can run wild.
- Their creativity skills develop.
- They develop empathy.
- They gain a deeper understanding of their world.
- Their concentration levels improve.
- The parent and child bond improves as you spend time reading to them.
- Their cognitive development is supported.
- Their social skills and interaction improve.
This is one of the reasons why we always encourage reading at the centre. We are so blessed and grateful for the resource of having mini libraries setup for our children. We are also in close proximity to the Municipal library. In closing I would like to say that to be a good leader you must first become a good reader!
