Cool To Be Me | Review

As a parent, the thing that keeps me up the most at night is worrying over whether or not I am adequately equipping my kid with the necessary skills and self-confidence to roll with the punches of life (I think we ALL do this).

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Two boxes from the Cool To Be Me range appeared on my desk last week and we set about working through them over the weekend. An education-focused set of boxes and resources that are categorised according to age and theme, Cool To Be Me helps kids and parents discover and reinforce social and emotional skills, with a view to creating self-confidence and bringing children closer to a better understanding not only of themselves but of other people too.

Each box includes a set of enchanting story books, an activity book, worksheets, puzzles and games. Using a comprehension exercise type approach, each storybook is read (spoiler alert – these stories are really very cute!) and then activities relating to the stories completed. We loved the crosswords, games and short quizzes that were included. Oh and the fridge magnets and stickers are fun too, serving as little reminders of what we have talked about when going through the boxes.

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But, aside from the fun activities, the Cool To Be Me resources work as a communication tool, whereby parents and children are sparked into conversations about important topics. My daughter was ill over the weekend so we spent a lot of time cuddled up in bed with these books and resources, and chatting away about the concepts we uncovered. It’s really been a great way to not only spend a little quality time, but also help her better feel confidence within herself.

So, if you’re (like me!) always looking out for cool ways to conquer your late night worries and help your child get a better grip on emotional and social intelligence, the Cool To Be Me range could be just up your street! Oh, and it’s made in SA!

This is a review post. The Cool To Be Me team sent me two sample boxes to use and explore the programme for review purposes. 

what i’m reading

A rather curious and awesome chica, Katrin, referred me to this. (on that note, Katrin and I live through each other’s tweets, often. she rocks my boat and today, particularly, I think she was reading my mind).

It struck home because it touches on so many of my professional and career encounters and initiatives. But, mostly, it struck home because I am raising a girl child.

This struck home with me because today’s the day I start to choose Cam’s school. And sure enough, through synchronicity, Katrin refers me to this. To help with my perspective and remind me that, even though I sometimes think we are having a crap time, we’re really not.

We’re really lucky, in fact. Sure, we are a single income household. But, we are incomed household. Sure, I’m a single mom. But, I am not a married-off-when-young-to-someone-i-did-not-know mama. Sure, I am a working mom, with an education and a busy career. But, I was not one of the 130 million out-of-school youths around the world, seventy percent of which are girls.

Cam and I have a life. A chance. A living. An education. And love. We have choices and routes and power.

We have power. So many women do not have power. So many women have it taken from them before they are women.

So, Katrin, thank you for reminding me when you said:

“If you educate a boy, you educate a boy.If you educate a girl, you educate a household, a family, a village, a country.You change economies”