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SA Mommy Blogger Awards 2017

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If you are new to social media and might be wondering how ever do people earn a living from posting photographs, then you need to know about the blog ChooseARow by Teri Row. Teri was the winner of the Best Social Media Award from the SA Mommy Blogger Awards.

Teri’s blog answers all your questions about social media and working with brands. She herself is a brand manager and a social media expert. She is also a mommy. How does she juggle it all? Teri clearly loves what she does and from her posts, you know that she is a master of her trade.

Teri’s winning posts were “Don’t be fooled yoh! What brands need to know.“. Teri expertly explains how to work with brands and what to consider in becoming a social media influencer.

I loved Teri’s other winning post because it is so relevant at this time of year. I myself am a newbie at social media and it can be daunting to post consistently in order to remain relevant and influential. However over the silly season, this can be quite tricky as the call to relax and unwind beckons us. What will become of our social media platforms? Will we be erased from the internet if we don’t post over December? Well, Teri clears that up in her post “The Silly Season Switch Off

Teri, thank you for sharing this valuable information, and for empowering other women and mothers too. You definitely deliver “kick ass content” and you embody “the spirit to succeed”.

 

 

Wow! I don’t often use exclamations in my writing but Sade’s winning blogs give voice to the experiences we often don’t want to talk about or don’t know how to express our emotions about it.

When I worked as an assistive technology advisor in the disability sector I witnessed so many stories of success and triumph. I also witnessed so much suffering. Both physical and emotional. I think the most complex was when a person with profound complications who was unable to care for themselves, eventually died. People think that the family would be relieved but so often even I, after assisting in as much as I could, would collapse at my desk in tears when I learned that the person had passed away.

Sade’s posts about her brothers tragic drowning at the tender age of three years old, and her mother’s heart wrenching death in 2017 after years of drug addiction; is an insight into the lives of the people left behind. Sade’s experiences of tragedy as a sibling and then later as a daughter, written while she is mommy to her beautiful son gives a face to what people survive to become the best versions of themselves.

Sade understood inexplicable pain already when she was six years old, and watched her family unravel in the face of her baby brothers drowning. Then she lost her mother to drug addiction and eventually to death.

Please read Sade’s beautiful posts and let’s remember that people who become addicts are also just people who are struggling to cope.

Sade thank you for your bravery, your honesty and your life. Your mother gave the world an amazing woman. For that, I honour her and you!

As you already know my children have long been weaned, potty trained and can pretty much entertain themselves independently. Well, two out of three of my children are for the most part, independent. Savannah still needs mama in different ways.

I surprised myself by how much I enjoyed reading Letitia Venter’s blogs which crowned her Best Wisdom Giver for the SA Mommy Blogger Awards 2017 which is this weeks feature on my blog. New moms in my social circle often seek me out for advice and in future it will be nice to point them to Letitia’s blog.

Her first winning blog “Dear New Mom, A Summary of a What You Should Know” is an easy read with practical advice that any new, sleep-deprived, panic-stricken, breast feeding or bottle feeding mum will find very useful. Letitia is also a trained Lactation Consultant who does volunteer work in her community.

Letitia’s second winning blog had me saying “Amen” and “Hallelujah” every couple seconds. It is “Physical and Mental Delays Caused by Baby Walkers and Jumpers” https://babyguideforthemodernmother.com/delays-caused-by-baby-walkers-and-jumpers.html. I have been against the use of walkers and jumpers for babies because I learnt early in my motherhood journey, the negative impact these baby mobility products have on a child’s development. This post helps new parents to think through the reasons why they should not use these type of baby products.

Letitia shares her research and wisdom with an amazing amount of respect and knowledge. I think this is a must follow blog for all new parents.

Letitia’s blog, “Baby Guide for the Modern Mother” is a great link to share at Baby Showers. Letitia, I wish you all the very best as you parent your little one and support your community of new mothers too.

In March this year I was chosen as the Most Inspirational Blogger in the SA Mommy Blogger Awards. It was my goal to pay tribute to the other category winners. This year has taken a somewhat winding path, and I did not complete that goal. I intend to do that whenever I can by sharing a post each week about the winning bloggers. They are each talented and delightful in their own way, and together these bloggers give us readers a wonderful view into lives and topics we would know nothing about.

Today’s featured blogger is Chevone Petersen of www.chevslife.com. I was excited to learn that Chevone and I have a few things in common: we both love writing, we are part of the autism community and we are passionate about parent empowerment.

Chevone’s winning blog posts were:

The Last Boy on the https://chevslife.com/2017/08/16/last-boy-train/ ;

and

She Got Her Wings https://chevslife.com/2017/01/12/she-got-her-wings/.

Get a coffee and doughnut then click on over to Chevone’s blog and have a look around. Her writing draws you in and makes you feel that you never want the story to end.

Chevone, thank you for Unmasking Your Journey to Optimism.

Happy Friday Everyone

Cindy Alfino is the Blogger at 3 Kids, 2 Dogs and 1 Old House. Together with her husband Seth, they purchased a campervan with the goal to do the unthinkable in South Africa. Oh yes, they aim to travel the country with their family in toe. Now I’m not going to spoil it for you, so if you want to know more about their travel plans check out Cindy’s Blog http://www.3kids2dogsand1oldhouse.co.za/. I love her energy and her passion for travel makes the reader want to pack a bag and hit the road.

One of the posts which won her the title “Best Travel Blogger” by @SAMommyBloggerAwards was this one:

Packing Our Bags And Hitting The Road In Our Campervan

Do yourself a favour and at lunchtime today, grab your lunch, plug in your headphones and watch the video that is part of this post. Cindy and her husband Seth share their travel ambitions and their love for their family, which will leave you wanting to buy a Campervan and gather your tribe for an adventure.

The second post was about the families visit to beautiful Oudekraal beach:

Oudekraal – A Gem I Wish We’d Known About Years Ago

Cindy Alfino’s photographic skills were a delight to my eyes and as I sat in chilly, dull Johannesburg; I felt as if I was on that beach.  My children loved the photographs; so Oudekraal is now on our bucket list of places to visit.

Congratulations Cindy on winning the award and thank you to all the “Alfreeno’s” 😉 . Until I can travel, I will live through you.

 

With much excitement and respect here is the one of the features from @Mamma Chef Jozi that won her the title Best Foodie Blogger. Preparing healthy and tasty meals is every busy mother’s challenge. So Jeanne-Riette aka Mamma Chef Jozi has made it easier for us by sharing her rendezvous in the kitchen as she prepares meals for her beautiful family.

I especially love her concept and the shopping lists and ideas that she shares. As a mum who spent lots of time in therapy sessions and doctors rooms for my daughter with a disability, preparing meals was last on my list. I usually ended up throwing together something that went from a box to an oven. Many of my friends who parent special needs children shared the same struggles and we wished that the thinking aspect of what to cook and what to purchase to cook; could be done for us.

So to Mamma Chef Jozi, I wish I met you years ago but so glad I know you now. To the readers, please be warned of the following: You will read Mamma Chef’s posts at the risk of feeling very hungry afterwards and wishing Mamma Chef was your best friend or close relative so you could drop by for one of her delicious meals.

The blog posts that grabbed the title for her were Festive Freshness – A Holiday Meal Plan

Festive Freshness – A Holiday Meal Plan

and The Easiest, Fluffiest Blueberry Pancakes Ever

The Easiest, Fluffiest Blueberry Pancakes Ever

Please follow her blog for more awesome recipes and advice.

https://mammachefjozi.com

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