Happy B-day son!

B celebrated his Bday last week Saturday. He really had fun with his buddies! Happy B-day son! Be Blessed love you so much!

First Come First Served Not the same in every country!

When we first came to Kenya in 2009, I was extremely surprised to see many people who will arrive after you at the post office, cyber, food store except at some of the major stores, banks and few other places, and push through to stand in front of you. I don't remember this kind of behavior in Namibia (if it's the same, I can't remember because I have not been home for almost a decade). There are many things I can't remember about Namibia. Surprisingly I have vivid memories of my childhood; thus I remember this kind of behavior while I was in the refugee camp. We usually push over someone because the food or the free clothes we were given could be finished. On the other hand, I remember in the US were I spent almost a decade no matter how much in a hurry a person is, it will be perceived extremely rude to come in and expect to push over someone. Unless you have too young children, and the people themselves volunteered to give you their space, or any out of the ordinary situation. Anyway in Kenya or let me say in Nairobi I have seen this behavior every time I went out. To make it worse the person on the other side helping you, don't even take the time to say, "No, first come first served." One day I was in one of the major grocery store; "Uchumi" We were at the vegetable area when a Caucasian lady arrived at the area to measure the vegetables. She stood there waiting for the gentleman to return to help her. After 2 minutes, the gentleman returned, and at the same time an Indian lady came from nowhere, and she handed her bags to the gentlemen. I was walking toward there, thus I was able to experience everything. The Caucasian woman stood up for herself, in an angry voice she said to the Indian lady, "What are you doing." I was so happy. The Indian lady was caught off guard, breathing loud she said, "I'm sorry." I followed the Caucasian woman and told her, "thank you for letting her know what she was doing was not polite." She smiled and then we end up having a small talk. Here is one of my own experience. Every time I went to our nearby neighborhood little store people came by foot or car, while you are busy purchasing, they start talking to the shop keeper about what they want to buy. The shop keeper would stop serving you, and starts serving the new person like it's the normal thing to do. I used to be upset, but never said anything except on few occasions, and everyone would look at me like I was from another planet. Last week while I was about to give the money to the neighborhood shopkeeper, a lady parked her car about 7 feet away and then she shouted, 'Mkate, mkate" which means bread, bread in Swahili. I understood what she meant, but I didn't say anything. I went ahead and started telling the shopkeeper what I wanted. "Milk, eggs." While I was in the middle of telling him what I wanted, this same lady left her car, and she came pushing through. She gave the shopkeeper some money, and said, "two bread." The shopkeeper stopped helping me, took her money, and gave her everything she wanted. While she was there waiting for her goods, she looked at me, and said with a smile, "I hope I didn't step on your foot." I almost said, "no its ok, but I decided to be sarcastic in a nice way. I said, "you know what, I used to be very upset when I first moved to Kenya, but now I'm used to this kind of behavior here in Kenya." She smiled and said. I'm sorry, I was in a hurry. Surprisingly, the following day we met early in the morning around 8am. She greeted me with a big smile, I greeted her back with a big smile, but I was not sure if it was her. Today I went in a shop, and it happened that she works there. She called me, and she started explaining to me why she did what she did, and she assured me that she had her 8 year old in the car that's why she was in a hurry. Anyway she repeated the situation in a funny way making me laugh so hard, and she ends up wrapping my son's school gift for free. But to be honest I'm not really used to this, and don't know if I would ever get used to it. Something to remember. Everyone is also in a hurry, thus let's just wait for the first person to be helped.

Helping Your Child Learn in Two Languages

By Illinois Early Learning Project

Many families new to the United States face an important choice. Should their children focus on learning only English? Or should the children also be fluent in their home language? Children who know more than one language often benefit in school and later in life. Also, many parents and grandparents find that talking to older children about important life matters is easier if the children retain their home language skills. Here are some ways that parents have helped young children keep their home language while learning English in school.

Be aware of skills and habits of mind that are important in any language.

• Keep in mind that your preschooler can build good speaking and listening skills and habits when he listens and talks to people who are fluent in any language. In school, he will learn from teachers and peers who know English well. At home, you are the language expert!
• Talk with your child in your home language every day so she sees you using words and gestures with ease. Express feelings and complex ideas. Tell jokes and funny stories. Let your child see you reading, making lists, and writing notes so she learns how people communicate through print.
• Help your preschooler count, estimate, compare, measure, and solve problems in your home language so he understands that math concepts are the same in any language.
• Nurture your child's curiosity about the world around her. Use your home language to help her ask questions, describe things she observes, and make predictions. Being able to do those things will help her in school.

Make your home language the foundation for literacy.

• Help your preschooler learn the alphabet and read signs in your home language. That way, he can begin to understand that letters and symbols have meaning.
• Tell stories or read aloud to your child in your home language. Record yourself reading aloud, so your child can listen independently.
• Teach your child songs and musical games in your home language.
• Make books with your child. Your child can dictate stories to you. You might also create fantasy tales or books of true-life family stories.

To learn more click on this link: Helping Your Child Learn in Two Languages

Halloween 2010

My friend Joanna, and I organized a Halloween party for our kids and their friends. Since Joanna's place has a bigger space then our house we decided to have it at her house, plus her room mates gave us a big hand. They played games. At a lot of yummy snacks, and screamed a lot. It was fun, fun, fun. The game that had them talking was the mummy game were we divided the kids in two teams. Object of the Game: The first team to wrap their mummy wins! What you need: Toilet Papers. The kids also went trick or treat. We gave the neighbors the candies, and explained to them what to do. More pictures are coming soon.

Read a book give a book , "I Knew You Could"

I Knew You Could!

By Craig Dorfman Is a remarkable book.

From "I think I can" to "I knew I could," The Little Engine That Could helps kids of all ages realize that anything is possible if you just put your mind to it!

My kids and I read it together for free, and we love it. You too can find awesome books to read with your children for free. Every time you read a book, a book is donated to the needy children. Join our group African Languages, read a book, and make a difference.

Storymoja Hay Festival updates

The Storymoja festival is a life time experience. I met business owners, writers, cartoonist, illustrators, economist, film makers and the list goes on. Tomorrow I'm looking forward to meeting the Tinga Tinga team. The Tinga Tinga is a creative and wonderful film for children inspired by the African Tales. Its a blessing to be around people doing work that one loves.

Storymoja Hay Festival 2010

The Storymoja Hay Festival is hear again!

Come and support Yambeka Children Media at the Hay Festival! Our books will be available. This is a fun festival for parents and children. Aunts, uncles, brothers, mothers, grandparents, sisters, mothers, cousins all welcome!!!!!

Storymoja

The British Council will facilitate the attendance of 2,000 children from across Kenya to attend the Festival free of charge.

• 20% of all tickets will be made available free to students to attend the events at the Festival.

• A reading marathon will be launched at the Festival.

• Education links will be developed with Room to Read, KOEE, Book Aid International and Oxfam.

• A series of workshops will be made available to students for masterclasses with leading writers, storytellers, journalists and performers. There will also be further post-festival mentoring and manuscript development workshops.

• In 2009 the first internship from Kenya to Hay was initiated with a three-month placement for an existing Storymoja employee to join the Hay Festival team. The second employee participated in the placement in 2010, and the 15-year-old winner of the storytelling competition also attended the 2010 Hay Festival.

• Storytelling Competition winners from 40 schools/universities will work with leading mentors to hone their performances. The 2010 competition is sponsored by the US Embassy.

• The 2010 Storymoja Hay Festival poetry competition winners will be announced, and will have a chance to showcase their work at the Festival.

• The 2010 Storymoja/Generation Kenya photo stories project will exhibit and showcase winning entries at the Festival.

• A careers workshop based on the Storymoja Careers Encyclopaedia (in development) will be offered as a key event for high school students.

• Marine awareness and the need for conservation will be taught through a daily ‘under sea’ party, featuring skits from Matatu from Watamu, sing-alongs, etc. The set will be created by children themselves through facilitated art and craft activities.

• Parenting talks will be delivered by child psychologists and education experts, covering topics such as getting help for your children with learning difficulties, or supporting gifted children.

To learn more visit: Storymoja

Two years old Diddy singing Okadhila

Visiting Watamu, Kenya

A couple weeks ago, my family and I took a well deserved holiday to Watamu a beach resort on the Indian Ocean of Kenya. The nearest big town is Malindi. We took a 10 hours bus drive from Nairobi to Watamu. The children sang their favorite songs, and kept asking when we were going to reach Watamu. I have to give it to them, they were really good in the bus most of the time. Having a lot of snacks also helped. When we arrived in Watamu, it was raining, but not enough rain to make you too wet. We crossed the road, to find temporary shelter while waiting for our ride. Within 10 minutes, we were greeted by a friendly, lady who is one of the board members for the Local Ocean Trust-Watamu Turtle Watch. Carefully we drove to:Local Ocean Trust-Watamu Turtle Watch were we called home during the time we spent in Watamu. The Local Ocean Trust-Watamu Turtle Watching aim is to conserve Kenyan marine resources.

Their work consists of: hands-on conservation, research, education, campaigning and community development.

We stayed in a beautiful home with a big open space, the children could run around out side the house while we're in the house preparing breakfast, or lunch unlike in Nairobi (we live in an apartment compound , and the open space is parking lot). We took a tour of the house, then we went to watch the turtles, and met few of the employees, and guests, and watched the turtles. The following day the first thing the kids asked for was to go and watch the turtles. We then went to the beach which was about 7 minutes walk from the house. The beach has beautiful white sand. We also visited a beautiful Mida Creek where you can swim and collect beautiful sea shells.

The weather was beautiful, not too hot or too cold. Enjoy the pictures coming soon.

Tips about teaching children a second language

For the past months, I've been trying to find better ways to teach my children Oshiwambo. This is what I came up with: Flash cards, teach them a lot of songs in your language, create a routine, go for a walk twice a week, and every time you go for a walk teach them two new words, and use them in a sentence over and over until they sink in. You might not see the result right away, but if you continue for over a month, I'm sure you will start to see the difference. I really enjoy hearing the children singing the songs in my language such as: Okadhila ila huka, Anonane... or when they remind me to teach them their new words. But most of all are the flash cards, they will pick them up and tell me the names of the objects, and the words. I'm busy working on this flash cards which will be accompanied with puzzles, and many other educational, and fun activities. Last but not least, do push, or force the kids. Just have fun, and when they are tired, you can move on to something else.

Swahili children book

Its interesting that every time I create a new book, I have one or two in line telling me to hurry up and start working on them. Yes sometimes I do stop working on the current one and begin the new project so that I don't' forget the new idea, then I go back to the first project. Here is our new book available for sale on Amazon.com My First Swahili Book Currently, I'm working on My First Oshiwambo Book (as the main project) and few other books, and projects. I received few requests to write Oshiherero books, and other Namibian languages. Its just a matter of time, soon or later we'll have the books written in many other African languages too. Get a copy for your little one, they will love it. This book has a beautiful poem for children to help them count, and its a fun and easy to read picture book; it identifies objects, animals and nature in Swahili and English. The book combines colorful and vibrant pictures that excite and provoke learning activities for children.

Re:Mommy are you making up these words...

Bebe asked if I was making up some of the Oshiwambo words like: Bed/Ombete, lamp/olamba, telephone/otelefona, cup/ekopi. I said no, then he asked if I was stealing from the English dictionary. I said no LOL, we just borrowed. I laughed so hard.

Enter to win a Swahili / English book for Children!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wanyama/Animals

by Helvi Itenge Wheeler

Giveaway ends at July 20, 2010.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Our Oshiwambo Book and Swahili Book are now on Amazon.com

Learning Oshiwambo is fun! "Iinamwenyo/Animals" is a remarkable bilingual picture book using names of common animals in Oshiwambo and English. Bonus! Learning numbers 1-20 in Oshiwambo and English and interesting facts about animals + 2 fun puzzles. Wanyama/Animals is a remarkable bilingual picture book using names of common animals in Swahili and English. Bonus! Learning numbers 1-20 in Swahili and English and interesting facts about animals + 2 fun puzzles.

Baby tooth is out!

I had to blog on this one. Two weeks ago, my son came to me with excitements, "Mommy my tooth is shaking." I washed my hands quickly and pushed my fingers in his mouth. Immediately I started shaking it back and forth. I was sure it was going to come out within one week. A week past, and was still there. Then I started hearing that I was not supposed to shake it, but let mother nature do her work. I remember when I was a child, my father used to shake our baby teeth, and encouraged us to remove them ourselves so that we don't get other teeth growing from behind the baby teeth. My dad helped me remove my first baby tooth, and the rest I removed myself. I didn't agree about letting it come out by itself, but I decided to reduce my shaking time from twice a day to once a day, I even skipped a day. Four days ago, I noticed that the tooth was no more as shaky as it was on the first day. I talked to my nanny who has a boy the same age as B. Her son lost the first two baby teeth when he was four. She told me that it took her five days to remove her son's teeth from the day she started shaking them. She also said I must shake it otherwise another tooth might grow from behind. When I hear that, I went to see B's tooth, and I saw something that looked almost like a tooth pushing through. I was so scared. I went online, and started reading. Oh my, sometimes the info online can make you even nervious. Some parents adviced that if there is another tooth growing behind there is nothing you can do not even the dentist. Your child have to wear braces to align teeth and their position. I started talking to my self that I must remove it by Saturday because Monday is too far to wait for the nanny to do it for me or to go to the dentist. On the other hand I didn't want the nanny to be the first to do it for me for my first child. But if I was not able to, I was going to let her do it. My nanny also told me that when she removed the son's teeth, she was holding down the root, and pull it out hard. I was not sure if I was brave enough to do that. Today, early in the morning, I woke up at 7:30 this is early for me on Saturdays unless if I have an assignment to do. B was already up playing. I greeted him and asked him to sit. He was ready too because he didn't want another tooth growing from behind. I tried to pull it but he said, "ouch, it hurts." As I stood there with no much hope I started thinking about the better option. A string, I must use a string. I went to get one that we use to sew the clothes. I put it behind the tooth all the way down. Then I pulled. B said, "Ouch" I asked him is it out? he said yes. I looked in the mouth, but it was still there lol. I slightly shaked the tooth with a string, and he was right it was almost out. I just pulled a little, and it was out. Oh motherhood. That was my experience. Below is some info I found online: "A lot of parents hold out hope the baby tooth will fall out on it's own. Some children are very aggressive in wiggling their teeth. Some just let them hanging there. Remember however, that there may be more root on that baby tooth than you think, otherwise it would have come out by now. Most of the time the dentist has to get in there and get the tooth out." Follow their links to learn more You never know you might need it for your child, niece/nephew, friend or neighbor.

The book I read in three days

Last month I went to the Text Book Center looking for a book I can relate to the story I'm writing; I wanted a childhood story. After I searched for about 30 minutes, I was disappointed to learn that there was nothing similar. I was avoiding the biography, but one of the guys in the shop suggested the biography area, finally I went. Most of the books base on childhood were books on betrayal. I decided browse inside the books, maybe I might like one of the writer's style, and pick some good writing tricks. Then I picked: Don't Tell Mummy" by Toni Maguire. I read through, and yes I liked her writing style. I read the first two pages, and put it down to do something. After a week, I came back to it, and read it in three days. I could hardly put this book down because I was always curious about the next thing. This book is about a true story of Toni Maguire sharing a betrayal story. It begins showing us her early life as beautiful, and innocent which was taken away quickly by her father once he returned home for good. Outside their home they were a happy family, but inside they were hiding dark secret. This woman can writer. I would hear his father calling, "Antoniette," and I could smell the mother's baking. I feel like some of the five senses are missing in my book. The five senses are truly important to keep the book alive, and help take the reader back into their your world. I was surprised to find three pages in one chapter that I could relate to. I said to myself, "wow the person she described is my father." I almost cried. In this chapter she talked about the apartheid in South Africa, and explained the sad situation that some families were going through. They were forced to work in the diamond mines. They missed out on seeing their children make the first steps etc and on their return they were frustrated, and tried hard to reconnect with their love ones. This book is a must read, I'm looking forward to reading her next book "When Dad Comes Home." After reading this book, I think I can start reading again.

Re: Swahili Book on Amazon

Yambeka Children Media is happy to Announce that our Wanyama/Animals children book is available for sale on Amazon.com. Follow the link: Wanyama/Animals

Lil' B some History lessons!

Mom: B what's the capital city of USA? B: Washington Mom: What is the capital city of Kenya? B: Nairobi Mom: What's the capital city of Namibia? B: I know I know my aunt told me, its something windy. Mom: It's Windhoek Mom: What's the capital city of Ethiopia? B: Addis Mom: Who is the President of USA? B: Obama Mom: Where's Obama's dad from? B: Kenya Mom: Where's Obama's mom from? B: Namibia Mom: From the USA Mom: Who is the president of Namibia B: I don't know Mom: Hifikepunye Pohamba B: Hifi what? Mom:Hifikepunye Pohamba B: Can we just call him Pohamba?

Kenyan business women!

I'm blessed to live in a neighborhood surrounded by many Kenyan business women. Some are college graduates, and some didn't even finish high school. The most impressive thing about these women is that they find a need in their community/country, and they take action. Most of these organizations are NGOs. One of my neighbor and a friend Betty motivates me in many ways. Here is Betty's story:

"Hidden away inside one of the busy malls in Eastleigh estate is a factory many don’t even know exists.It is a factory that is touching thousands of lives in a unique way.It's the brainchild of Beatrice Muta, who grew up being told that the menstrual cycle was regarded as taboo. As a result, many school going girls dropped out while others skipped school during that period. Most simply lost their self-esteem because of the stigma attached to this natural phenomenon.

The challenges she faced then prepared her for what she calls her ‘mission in life’. She is now committed to helping those who suffer in silence by building a factory that employs 86 women who take care of the needs of thousands of less fortunate young women. It's called Saidia Dada. A venture aimed at manufacturing cheap sanitary towels. Muta is no doubt changing lives by providing a solution to the discomfort of the monthly cycle that was and is still one of the major reasons for the high rate of school drop out amongst girls. The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KBS) has certified the sanitary pads.At the cost of only 35 shillings for a pack of eight these are the cheapest pads in the market. Muta says 'Saidia Dada' makes up to 90-thousand pads a month. Muta says she feels she's making a difference in the lives of women especially among the poor and less fortunate." To learn more about Betty's organization, visit her website at:

Saidia Dada