Life at the Bay

No other topic could create a catastrophe of opinions, judgements, beliefs and arguments as parenting. Add technology in the mix and you've created world war 3. According to a survey conducted by internet security company AVG in the US, 92% of children have an online presence by the time they are 2 years old. These days children learn to swipe a screen before they are able to hold crayons. The digital revolution of the past 2 decades has induced a moral panic in parenting. When a child goes on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, parents have certain unanswered questions such as: Are our kids aware of the privacy settings on social networking sites? Do they adhere to them? What kind of online games are our kids playing? Are they playing the right ones or ones that are not suitable for their age/ taste/ social-cultural backgrounds? How much digital engagement is enough and how much is too much? Though a child's online presence allows young people ac...

The camp experience is recognized by child development professionals as valuable in helping children mature socially, emotionally, intellectually, morally, and physically. Camp activities and communal living in a natural environment are some of the tools used to provide for successful and healthy psychological development. At Sugar Bay Resort, children’s self-confidence is strengthened daily through challenges integrated into their program. These challenges enhance learning and provide a feeling of belonging and contributing, which are vital factors in the building blocks of self-esteem. An example would be a drama production. In this activity, campers work in groups and have no choice but to socialize with one another to achieve success as a whole. Not only are they building their social skills, but also their self-esteem by practising their skills on a daily basis in order to produce a perfect presentation. Working in a team provides moral support and encourages children to be ...

Bullying in schools in this day and age is rife. As parents, whether our child is the victim or the perpetrator, we have every right to be concerned. The common ground for bullying, involving both the victim and perpetrator is the lack of confidence. Confident kids are less likely to bully others, be bullied, and are more likely to befriend those who are bullied. When a child is confident, and knows their strengths and weaknesses, him/her know and are aware that they can learn from other people, rather than feeling threatened by them. This is why, at Sugar Bay, we believe in placing great emphasis o n building children’s confidence. Here are 5 steps to growing confident kids:   1. Teach your kids acceptance Teach your child that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Once he/she establishes this, teach them that just because someone else doesn’t feel the same way they do about a certain situation, this is no reason to feel bad about anything. They need to accept their dif...

In the mind of a child, the word “Discipline” spells a child's worst nightmare and mum and dad's greatest pleasure! Little do our kids realize that the definition of discipline is actually to punish in a way that brings ab out good behaviour. Discipline is not a cruel thing and doesn't have to be your child's worst nightmare. If done correctly, discipline could actually be greatly appreciated by your child once you explain what it's really about, which is teaching, and not punishing. As parents, it's imperative we realize the true meaning of discipline so that we can discipline our children correctly. Here are some essential rules to live by when it comes to disciplining your child: 1. Keep calm! If your child seems to be acting up for some reason, always try to find out why. Do not allow yourself to become infuriated because of the embarrassment or disrespect that results from your chi...

  Children often excel when they are given the chance to be who they want to become. Similarly, all parents want their children to be the best that they can be. However, for parents, this sometimes means finding a job that pays well so they can be guaranteed a stable future. Whereas, children are thinking more along the lines of doing what they are passionate about. So, how can you help your child follow their dreams? Below are 3 ways you can support your child's passion, and how we at Sugar Bay implement these steps too. Let them explore: Encourage your children to try new things and don't pressure them to succeed. How Sugar Bay does this: Children are encouraged to try different activities all the time and the choice is entirely up to them as to what kind of activities they want to join. For example, a camper from Johannesburg who's never seen the beach before leaves camp feeling like the ultimate surfer. Speak of abundance and avo...