Month: January 2017

 

Why do teens not believe/trust their parents?
During teen years all of us go through a period of finding ourselves; what we like, what we don’t like, what is important etc.

In my professional opinion and experience I believe that most teens experience their parents as:
-Annoying,
-Over protective,
– Assuming that the parent knows them
– Deciding what they are like
– Feeling limited by them

This is very rarely the parents’ intention and most parents just focus on doing the best they can, but find themselves feeling distant from their teens often.
After working with teens for 2 years, I discovered that most of the teenagers I worked with, cannot express why they felt this way about their parents.

Let’s look at a few small mistakes parents make that can cause kids to ‘act out’ when they are teens;
– Trying to control their kids in what they should do or how they should be
– Disabling their kids instead of disciplining them
– Forgetting that their kids reflect everything in the parents that they haven’t dealt with.
And the most potent mistake;
– Not practising what they are preaching which teaches the child that the parent’s word cannot be trusted.
We need to stop believing that kids are stupid and they don’t notice or understand things and we need to start living lives of example.
Let’s make it practical;

Martha and Johan praise their son, Lucas, for being who he is, but yet they never celebrate who they are.
Seeing that a child under the age of 7 is only unconscious mind, Lucas’ unconscious mind were taught that his parents are praising him 1, for no apparent reason or 2, half-heartedly leaving him feeling unsupported. Yet, this was never the parents’ intention, but what Lucas’ unconscious mind understood from his parents’ conflict within themselves.
When the unconscious mind made such a potent assumption that turns into a belief, before the age of 7, it takes quite a mind shift to change it.

What can parents do to build a better relationship with their teens;
– Stop assuming and ask gracefully
– Get to know your teen inside out by spending quality time
– live a life of example
– Share more of your own life in order for your teen to open up towards you.

What can teens do to build a better relationship with their parents;
– Remember that your parents love you unconditionally, even though you might feel different
– Focus on all the positive things they do for you
– See things from their point of view
– Love yourself first and then you will experience their love for you even more.

 

 

SA Wine & Cellar Classifications have announced the 82 wines that form part of the Top Wine SA Hall of Fame. The wines were selected based on their consistent track records in 29 local and international forums for the assessment of wine quality and interest value over the past 10 years.
Eligibility

To be eligible for the Classification, updated annually since 2004, wines of the Cape must have earned very good to excellent reviews from at least one of the top judging panels for at least three vintages during the 10-year period under review – between 2007 and 2016 (inclusive) for the 2017 Classification.
The critics include experts appointed for the Decanter World Wine Awards (UK), the International Wine Challenge (UK) and IWSC (UK), the Michelangelo awards (SA), Platter’s SA Wine Guide (Five Stars and Highly Recommended), the Six Nations Challenge (AU), the Trophy Wine Show (SA) and the Veritas Awards (SA) – to mention just some of the panels – and it is the number of top-rated vintages as well as the type of accolades that determine Top 10 and Top 20 status among South Africa’s most fancied wines in terms of the Classification.
Winning wines

Newcomers and resurgent champions in the Top Wine SA Hall of Fame – showcasing wines that have received very good ratings for at least eight releases/vintages during the past 10 years – include Ataraxia Chardonnay, Cloof The Very Sexy Shiraz, De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc and De Grendel Shiraz, Eagles’ Nest Shiraz, Flagstone Dark Horse Shiraz, Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Chardonnay, Groot Constantia Chardonnay, Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Shiraz, Nederburg Ingenuity (White Blend), Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir, Oak Valley Chardonnay, Rijk’s Reserve Pinotage, Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc, Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin Sauvignon Blanc and

Warwick Trilogy (Red Blend).
And among those producers joining or returning to the ranks of the Top 20 South African wineries in the 2017 SA Cellar Classification are Eagles’ Nest, Groot Constantia and Klein Constantia of the Cape Peninsula as well as La Motte of Franschhoek. -Knysna-Plett Herald

 

We are excited to welcome you all back to Katarina’s at The Barn, which takes pride of place on the Kurland Estate, and is open for lunch and dinner during the summer season.
Come and enjoy various new menus, either inside the bistro or on the expansive terrace, with amazing views of the surrounding mountains – it’s a perfect place for children to enjoy the outdoors.
Some of the items on the new menu include for starters -crispy bacon rolls, devilled eggs, and crispy shrimp rolls. For mains, Katarina’s famous chicken pie, BBQ pork and crispy hot salmon or choose a dish from the steak kitchen. Indulge in decadent desserts such as chocolate cake, lemon tart or a selection of ice creams.
Aside from the multi-award winning Kurland Restaurant, Katarina’s will be open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner and Sunday for extensive bistro buffets, ideal for you, your family or friends to enjoy.
Reservations essential on
044 534 8082 or reservations@kurland.co.za

 

Bitou Ward 2 councillor Wayne Craig announced this morning, January 18, that he had handed in his resignation.
Craig said it was with mixed emotions that he came to the decision, but that he had been given a major business opportunity and would not be able to balance that with his duties as a councillor.
“I have had the most amazing four years and something I will cherish for the rest of my life. I am not lost to the town,” Craig said.  -Knysna-Plett Herald

 

Sooner or later every dog lover returns home to find some unexpected damage inflicted by their or their dog; or, more specifically, that dog’s teeth. Although dogs make great use of their vision and sense of smell to explore the world, one of their favorite ways to take in new information is to put their mouths to work.
Fortunately, chewing can be directed onto appropriate items so your dog isn’t destroying things you value or jeopardizing their own safety.
Until they’ve learned what they can and can’t chew, however, it’s your responsibility to manage the situation as much as possible, so they don’t have the opportunity to chew on unacceptable objects.
Understand why dogs chew
Puppies, like infants and toddlers, explore their world by putting objects in their mouths. And, like babies, they teethe for about six months, which usually creates some discomfort. Chewing not only facilitates teething but also makes sore gums feel better.
Adult dogs may engage in destructive chewing for any number of reasons. In order to deal with the behavior, you must first determine why your dog is chewing—and remember, they are not doing it to spite you. Possible reasons for destructive chewing include:
As a puppy, they wasn’t taught what to chew and what not to chew.
They’re bored.
They suffer from separation anxiety.
Their behavior is fear-related.
They want attention.
Be aware: You may need to consult a behavior professional for help with both separation anxiety and fear-related behaviors.
Teach your dog what can be chewed and what can’t
Take responsibility for your own belongings. If you don’t want it in your dog’s mouth, don’t make it available. Keep clothing, shoes, books, trash, eyeglasses and remote controls out of your dog’s reach.
Give your dog toys that are clearly distinguishable from household goods. Don’t confuse them by offering shoes and socks as toys and then expecting them to distinguish between their shoe and yours.
Supervise your dog until they learn the house rules. Keep them with you on their leash in the house so they can’t make a mistake out of your sight. Confine them when you’re unable to keep an eye on them. Choose a “safe place” that’s dog-proof, and provide fresh water and “safe” toys. If your dog is crate trained, you may also place them in their crate for short periods of time.
Give your dog plenty of people-time. Your dog won’t know how to behave if you don’t teach them alternatives to inappropriate behavior, and they can’t learn these when they are in the yard by themself.
Give your dog plenty of physical and mental exercise. If your dog is bored, they’ll find something to do to amuse themself and you probably won’t like the choices they make. On the other hand, a tired dog is a good dog, so make sure they get lots of physical and mental activity. The amount of exercise should be based on their age, health and breed characteristics.
If you catch your dog chewing on something they shouldn’t, interrupt the behavior with a loud noise. Offer them an acceptable chew toy instead, and praise them lavishly when they take the toy in their mouth.
Build a toy obsession in your dog. Use their toys to feed them. At mealtimes, fill a Kong-type toy with their kibble.
If your puppy is teething, try freezing a wet washcloth for them to chew on. The cold cloth will soothe their gums. Supervise your puppy so they don’t chew and swallow any pieces of the washcloth.
Make items unpleasant to your dog. Furniture and other items can be coated with a taste deterrent (such as Bitter Apple) to make them unappealing.
Caution: Supervise your dog when you first try one of these deterrents. Some dogs will chew an object even if it’s coated with a taste deterrent. Also be aware that you must reapply some of these deterrents to maintain their effectiveness.
Offer your dog a treat in exchange for the item in their mouth. As your dog catches on to this idea, you can add the command “Give” as their cue to release the object in exchange for the yummy treat.
Don’t chase your dog if they grab an object and runs. If you chase them, you are only giving your dog what they want. Being chased by their human is fun! Instead call them to you or offer them a treat.
Have realistic expectations. At some point your dog will inevitably chew up something you value; this is often part of the transition to a new home. Your dog needs time to learn the house rules and you need to remember to take precautions and keep things out of their reach.

Never discipline or punish your dog after the fact
If you discover a chewed item even minutes after they’ve chewed it, you’re too late.
Animals associate punishment with what they’re doing at the time they’re being corrected. Your dog can’t reason that, “I tore up those shoes an hour ago and that’s why I’m being scolded now.” Some people believe this is what a dog is thinking because they run and hides or because they “looks guilty.”
In reality, “guilty looks” are actually canine submissive postures that dogs show when they’re threatened. When you’re angry and upset, your dog feels threatened by your tone of voice, body postures and/or facial expressions, so they may hide or show submissive postures. Punishment after the fact will not only fail to eliminate the undesirable behavior, but it could also provoke other undesirable behaviors.