Looking for a school for my daughter

It has been such a nightmare looking for a school for my daughter. There are more people in the world, but government still has the same amount of schools. Something needs to be done to address this issue, it used to be in the movies where you hear people applying for their children for Grade R when they are six months old. Now it is a reality that as soon as you have given birth and you have a birth certificate you need to apply for school for your child. This is ridiculous!

Gone are the days when a parent could go in January looking for school. Now you have to apply in advance, 4 to 5 years before they even get there. Never mind that pre-school and primary school fees cost more than what we pay at university level, CPUT to be specific. The quality of education is not as good, but as parents we have to pay so much money, it doesn't make sense.

21st century woman

Being a woman living in the modern times is different to a woman who lived 50 years ago. Well even then it was a start of women coming into the work place. The modern woman is expected to be in the kitchen and the boardroom. If you dare say you want to be a housewife, other women look at you funny. It is no longer acceptable amongst women themselves to want to be a housewife, not that I want to be one...I'm just saying my point of view.

Modern woman is so used to fitting the bill that even when she's on a date, she wants to pay. I think the reversal or change of roles has made women change, instead of playing the supportive role they have more of a leading role. I believe this has had an effect on man and woman relationship, in terms of how they value each other, are able to work together, build a home and build a community. You have men that just want to have children without the commitment of marriage...who's going to father those children? These messed up roles and lack of commitment have made our chaotic society.

I think this world needs more responsible men to be fathers so that mothers can do the nurturing. It doesn't matter even if women are CEOs, it doesn't take away the fact that only women can give birth and it is a man's role to lead a home. So ladies stop being CEOs at home and men take your chair and lead your home.

Striking a balance

This year has certainly been challenging for me, each year it has been getting harder being away from my daughter (Zenande) and my son (Mthawelanga). It seemed easier not to focus on leaving them behind, while I was in pursuit of my career or studies. I always had at the back of my mind that I'm doing all this for them, now why is it getting harder? Some things are really easier said than done.

Being a single, studying and working mom is really a challenge, but if other women could do it why can't I. It's all for my little angels and one day I realised that this is all a rat race. I'm chasing something that will take me time to achieve so I think it's time to take the next step. While I continue with my studies I want my children to live with me and for them to share in my challenges and to grow with me. Being a young mom has its challenges, positive ones as well.

I'm now looking forward to the next journey of my life of staying with my children. My daughter is starting Grade 1 next year and it has been a nightmare trying to find a school for her. With the challenges I have had as a mother, I ask myself how did my mother do it? Big ups to all the single parents, please write blogs and tell me how you did it.

Favourite Poem by Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu is one of my favourite artists and her music is definitely underground. In her music, she says things I want to say except she has a beautiful singing voice and lyrics to support her creativeness. To those who don't know I'm a soul sister and below is one of my favourite poems written by Erykah. You will find this poem on her album 'Mama's Gun'

the warrior reminder
i am awake
my mind is free
i am creative
i love myself
my willpower is strong
i am brave
i practice patience
i don't judge folks
i give, not to receive
i don't expect
i accept
i listen more than i talk
i know i'll change
i know you'll change
i''ll hold on one more day
i start over when necessary
i create my own situations
i am cosmic
i do not have the answers
i desire to learn
i am the plan
i am strong
i am weak
i want to grow
i know i will
i take on responsibility
i hide myself from no one
i'm on my path
warriors walk alone
i won't let my focus change
taking out the demons in my range

that's mama's gun

by: E. Badu

"Nothing is more dangerous than an idea, when you only have one idea." (Alain)

I disagree with this comment, I think it's better when you have one idea. When you have one idea, you know that's all you have and you have to give it your best shot. You find that students who qualify at university to study one course, they have no choice but to make it work. When you have many options sometimes you mess it up trying to figure out what option you should choose. You could find yourself with nothing because you can't decide.

When I realised that my calling is in the Communication industry, I made it work. Before I realised this I considered being a stockbroker, an economist, lawyer (in grade 8/9), journalist and I also thought of being a psychiatrist, my mom told me a straight no. Thanks mom for saving me, this is what options or more than one idea can do to you...confuse you.

You can definitely make your one idea work and modify it until it's the best idea. What is dangerous is having more than one idea or no idea at all.

How hard is it to follow instructions?

Reading instructions is easy, interpreting them is more of a challenge and the following them is hard. The reason for this is that you're not in the frame of mind as the person writing the instructions. The person writing instructions has an objective and those are not always clear or made clear to the person following them.

I think instructions are generally hard to follow when you are nervous. When you are in a test or exam for some strange reason george (English) just leaves you then all of a sudden things you know don't make sense. Nervousness kicks common sense out of the window.

A test or exam environment makes it hard to follow instructions. As a student it always feels like the lecturer is out to get you. The lecturers say they are not, but it just always feels that way.

Instructions are meant to make things easier, but they seem to confuse and make matters worse. Honestly sometimes I don't follow instructions...well I guess it answers the question above.

Andy Warhol said, ''In future everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes." You can't choose the 15 minutes but why would you be world famous?

I hadn't thought of myself becoming world famous because I've always thought of myself as the underground cat. I like to be heard, but not necessarily seen that's why I love radio. But anyways that's a topic for another day.

If I were to be world famous for fifteen minutes, it would be for starting an African radio movement. This would be a movement where all african countries can through radio and address issues. Not the politicians addressing their issues, but just ordinary people talking and discussing the way forward for Africans. African does not exclude a race, religion or culture we're all stuck together so let's just make it work.

This movement would assist in decreasing xenophia in our country. It hurts me to see black on black crime and how we can't build each other up. We all need to speak one voice, we're all in this continent called Africa. I really like the phenomenon behind the National Development Plan, I really hope it's something we can work towards without seeing what we can't do, but try what we are capable of doing. I think more than anything it is about changing our frame of mind then after that anything is possible.