Sikunye, Cape Town Videos

A key part of what churches can do to support families is to be part of Equipping and Supporting them in good, healthy parenting behaviours. Keep following us this month & next for ideas, resources and info on organisations that you can work with to see all parents supported.

Babies need food. And they need it regularly. Typically, on any given church meeting, a baby will need breastmilk. Is it easy, or encouraged, for moms to be feeding babies in your church? How can your church be more ‘friendly’ to moms who are feeding?

You are welcome here!
The space you meet in will send a message to parents of young children and those who are expecting a baby. Does it say, “you are welcome and part of this community”, or is it more like “we tolerate you”? When you next go to your meeting space, put yourself in the shoes of a family with a young child. What is it like? A few simple changes might help promote the message “you are welcome here”. Look at having a changing mat that both mom and dad can use, have a place mom can breastfeed, or having posters on the wall that say you are a First thousand Days (FTD)-friendly church.

Sikunye is turning 5! 🥳🎉 We want to celebrate and you are invited! We want to recognize that in the work to reach children across the nation there are many people reaching families. This is not just our birthday, it is our opportunity to acknowledge what you have done in this time. The word Sikunye means ‘We are in this together’ and it perfectly highlights the importance of this being a team effort. We couldn’t do what we do without this incredible community. This 1hr event is online using Zoom 🗓️ on Tues 11 June You can choose: 🕐 1pm or 🕖 7pm. 📝 Remember to register: 🔗 https://forms.gle/ASyxNuKgpz48L3Mq7 (Link in Bio) 👀 🫵 See you there! 🥳 For more info: https://sikunye.org.za/events-workshops/sikunye-gatherings/ (Link in Bio)

You can be part of a family’s village. You have a part to play in helping mom and dad feel seen, feel safe and able to ask for help. As you (along with others) surround a family in supportive relationships, you are strengthening them to be growing greatness in their young child. Remember that relationship matter – be genuinely interested in mom and dad, and seek to understand them and ‘see’ them in the season that they are in. You are not their saviour or rescuer, but rather a supportive friend who can be there for them. We have a resource to help you to develop these kinds of relationships for parents in the First 1000 days. (Link in bio)

The local church is well positioned to create community around families. Within every local church is the capacity to surround families in caring relationships, helping them feel supported, seen and cared for. When parents experience this, they are better able to provide what their young child needs for the foundations of brain development to be laid well. Join us this month as we explore how you, and your church, can surround families in caring relationships. To get the conversation started, what are some of the things you have seen or experienced that have served to surround and support families? Share in the comments below! ☺️

This month we asked pastors and church members across our nation to speak to a pregnant mom or new mom and dad to find out what kind of support they need. Building positive and supportive relationships with parents and caregivers in the First Thousand Days requires kindness, respect, listening without judgement, without shaming. Here is a teaser of a testimony given by a mom in the First Thousand Days who knows what kind of support other moms need, even if it is simply a cup of coffee, and how she has created relationships starting with just one mom. We challenge you to do the same: go a say hello to a mom, dad or family in the First Thousand Days, and ask them what support they need, and how can you be part of their village.

The topic of teen pregnancy always evokes strong emotions, shaped by the relationship we have with the teenager. This is a complex issue, with no easy or simple solutions. But it does demand our attention. Prevention work is essential: the rate of teen pregnancy must come down. The reality is, however, in a broken world, teenage pregnancies will still happen. Even if the teenage pregnancy rate drops by half, we will still have 1 in 6 teenage girls falling pregnant. We must find ways of seeing teen parents receiving support and care – for their wellbeing and that of their young child. Sikunye hosted a series of webinars, exploring the unique role that the church has in caring for teenagers who are parents. Explore the recordings and the range of resources on our website to grow your understanding, inform your actions and better reach and support teen parents. Visit https://sikunye.org.za/get-equipped/teen-parenting/ to find videos and resources. (Link in bio) ☺️

The Nurturing Care Framework outlines what baby needs in order to be healthy and develop a solid brain foundation. At the centre of this is how the caregiver interacts with and cares for baby. This is where Khathalela has its greatest impact: the local church forms a caring relationship, and caregivers learn and grow, using new information and skills to provide what their young child needs. This has a profound impact on baby’s wellbeing. Supportive relationships are powerful in building up caregivers. This is a practical training equipping churches to be these kinds of relationship with caregivers, and to share key messages with them – ensuring that important information and skills are being used to grow baby’s full potential. This training is in the format of a 5-day WhatsApp learning journey. There are video records to watch over the week, along with discussion questions over WhatsApp. Find out more here: https://sikunye.org.za/events-workshops/khathalela/

The story of South Africa’s future is written in the quality of our children’s lives. To see the flourishing that we want for our nation, it is critical that we invest in children. We must invest early, during the First Thousand Days of a child’s life. Who we invest in is also a decisive factor, and we know that the caregivers in a child’s life are truly significant for their development and thriving. When caregivers are held in supportive relationships, they are better able to consistently provide what a young child needs. The Church & Early Life is a free interactive workshop that hosted on WhatsApp with videos to watch on YouTube. It unpacks how you and your church can play a significant role in growing greatness in children. We share what science shows us about the importance of this phase of life, how the Bible tells us of God’s love for little children and the ways in which every church can be part of seeing all children get a strong start to life. It is aimed at pastors, church leaders and anyone who wants to explore how they can support and care for young families. Find out more here: https://sikunye.org.za/events-workshops/church-and-early-life/

Follow along this month as we unpack more about responsive caregiving and explore what you can do to be part of building brains in young children. 👩‍👧

Our vestibular system is located in the inner ear and helps us interpret movement, such as moving or standing still, going fast or slow, and which direction we’re traveling in. The proprioceptive system gives your body the ability to perceive its position in space and perform simultaneous actions without thinking later on (for example, running while dribbling a basketball). As your toddler moves from pulling up to stand to eventually walking and running, it is good to allow for this type of free play time to engage these systems at this age. Here are other ways to work with your toddlers' senses: TOUCH, SMELL & TASTE: Finger painting Try a taste-safe option since 1-year-olds use their mouth to explore, by using yogurt or bowl of cooked and cooled spaghetti and a bit of food coloring instead of actual paint, that way it becomes a triple sensory experience! Putting things in their mouth is natural to explore textures and tastes. To reduce the messiness, have your child paint on a wipeable surface like a tray, baking sheet or plop your child in the bathtub. Skills learned: Fine motor development, color recognition, encourages imagination & can help broaden their taste palate. SIGHT & TOUCH: Stamp art Make your own by cutting sponges into different shapes and using them as stamps. You can also gather items like blocks or crafts boxes to dip into kid-friendly paint. Skills learned: Shape, colour, size and number recognition, fine motor skills, offers a sensory touch experience and introduces your child to cause-and-effect relationships. SOUND: Talking, telling stories (including by elders) through everyday routines and exploring books together. Skills learned: Future language. MOVEMENT Helpful activities to activate your child's vestibular system include rolling, swinging, running, pushing, pulling, crawling, chewing, blowing bubbles and jumping. Skills learned: Body awareness, balance, core muscle development & coordination. More resources: domore.org.za/

Our vestibular system is located in the inner ear & helps us interpret movement, such as speed & the direction we’re traveling in. The proprioceptive system gives your body the ability to perceive its position in space and perform simultaneous actions without thinking later on (e.g. running while dribbling a basketball). As your toddler moves from pulling up to stand to eventually walking & running, it is good to allow for this type of free play time to engage these systems at this age. Here are other ways to work with your toddlers' senses: TOUCH, SMELL & TASTE: Finger painting Try a taste-safe option since 1-year-olds use their mouth to explore, by using yogurt or bowl of cooked and cooled spaghetti and a bit of food coloring instead of actual paint, that way it becomes a triple sensory experience! Putting things in their mouth is natural to explore textures and tastes. To reduce the messiness, have your child paint on a wipeable surface like a tray, baking sheet or plop your child in the bathtub. Skills: Fine motor development, color recognition, encourages imagination & can help broaden their taste palate. SIGHT & TOUCH: Stamp art Make your own by cutting sponges into different shapes and using them as stamps. You can also gather items like blocks or crafts boxes to dip into kid-friendly paint. Skills: Shape, colour, size and number recognition, fine motor skills, offers a sensory touch experience and introduces your child to cause-and-effect relationships. SOUND: Talking, telling stories (including by elders) through everyday routines and exploring books together. Skills: Future language. MOVEMENT Helpful activities to activate your child's vestibular system include rolling, swinging, running, pushing, pulling, crawling, chewing, blowing bubbles and jumping. Skills: Body awareness, balance, core muscle development & coordination. https://ow.ly/7KFN50PHQMO https://learningthroughplay.com/ https://www.unicef.org/southafrica/power-play

"A child's receptive understanding of language starts long before their expressive language, so we want to use as many opportunities as possible to drench them in language. Around 6 -8 months of age, your child will learn to clap so encourage them to clap along with rhymes to build imitation, memory, future vocabulary, auditory discrimination and listening skills." - Dr. Leiderman, Dean of the Mailman Segal Center for Human Development at Nova Southeastern University Here are other sensory activities to try: TOUCH: Stacking Materials needed: Plastic measuring cups Take turns stacking cups and knocking them down. Skills learned: Understanding cause and effect, fine motor skills. SIGHT: Peekaboo Materials needed: Small toys or books, blanket Place a toy or book under a blanket, leaving part of the object showing. Then ask your baby, "Where is it?" and encourage them to look for it. After your baby has mastered finding a partly hidden object, move on to hiding it completely under the blanket. Skills learned: Fine motor skill development, object permanence. SMELL: Naming the smell of different foods, flowers and even bad smells! TASTE: Putting things in their mouth is natural to explore textures and tastes. SOUND: Singing Next time your little one is having a meltdown or resisting a nap, sing them a lullaby in a soothing voice. Don't remember any of the classics? No problem—you can find song lyrics online or just make up your own. Skills learned: Listening, emotional regulation. MOVEMENT: Flying Lay your baby belly-down across your lap, and place your hands around their midsection, so they're fully supported. Then gently lift them and move up, down, back, and forth, like a rocket jetting into space. Add sound effects for fun! "Babies like the element of surprise and learn through it," says Dr. Leiderman. "They are also seeing the world from a different perspective, and there's a gleeful aspect to that." Skills learned: Body movement and stimulation.

Early learning & stimulation can start in pregnancy – it is never too early to start stimulating a baby’s brain! Children are learning through all 5 of their senses and by looking at activities that can stimulate the five senses at the different stages of growth, will help stimulate their brains. This can be done through everyday moments: TOUCH: Baby massage Materials: Soft Towel/Blanket, aqueous cream. When your baby is in a quiet and alert state, lay them face up on a soft towel or blanket while in their nappy. Working in sections gently but firmly stroke their legs, arms, and belly rubbing in a little cream to ease the movement. Skills: Body awareness & bonding SIGHT: Tracking Materials: A small, soft, colourful toy, like a sponge ball or stuffed animal. While your baby is lying on their back, hold the toy in front of their face and, if needed, wiggle it slowly or gently touch them with it to get their attention. Then move the toy from side to side, encouraging them to follow along with their eyes. Skills: Visual tracking, visual development SMELL: Name the smells baby is aware of like the smell of mom and dad, mom’s breastmilk, food. TASTE: Even through breastmilk baby can taste different foods that mom eats, so moms keep eating a variety of healthy foods! SOUND: Listening Sing, talk, and read out loud to your baby using exaggerated tones of voice. Watch your baby's facial expressions and see how they react to different pitches. Skills: Language development MOVEMENT: Kicking Materials: Tissue paper Tuck a sheet of tissue paper under the cushion of a sofa or chair so that it hangs down to the floor like a curtain. Place baby barefoot on their back, with their feet against the tissue and knees slightly bent. Gently rustle the paper or tap their feet against the paper. Skills: Body awareness, cause and effect, sensory integration, chin tucking https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQNm4ASB7iY&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign= Vr

A child is learning all the time: they are constantly absorbing from their environment and their interactions. Even if those interactions are negative, they are still taking that in, and it is impacting their brain development. Caregivers therefore need to be conscious of both the positive and negative interactions their child is exposed to and encourage learning through positive relationships and engagements. Children are in fact asking the questions “Am I safe?” or “am I secure with you?” and the response they receive impacts their development. The opportunities for early learning definition recognizes that every interaction (positive or negative, or absence of an interaction) is contributing to the child’s brain development and laying the foundation for later learning. #earlylearning #braindevelopment

In a real sense, nutrition provides the fuel that drives a child's early development. During the First 1000 Days, the brain grows more quickly than at any other time in a person's life and a child needs the right nutrients at the right time to feed their brain's rapid development. This makes for a compelling reason for investment in this critical window in a child's life. Source: https://ow.ly/Li7M50PfTN6.

It can be overwhelming returning to work after the birth of your child. Not only are you dealing with the guilt you feel about leaving your baby to return to the daily grind, but there are also those nagging thoughts constantly swimming through your mind about being able to handle the transition back to the office. Will I remember how to do my job?  Have they found someone who can do it better in my absence?  How will I be a good mom and a good employee?

It can be overwhelming to adjust to life after becoming a new mom. The guilt, the worries, the doubts — it can feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. However, you are not alone in this journey. Let’s come together to raise awareness for all moms returning to work, and recognize the immense strength and courage it takes to do both. #MomsReturningToWork 💪 🙌 💛 Read the article here: http://ow.ly/ZAMI50OobU6