WESTVAAL

The Westvaal Group was established in 1975 as a family owned dealership and today consists of more than 30 dealerships and service centres across 6 provinces (Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, North West, Free State and Western Cape).  The Westvaal Group offers numerous brands, which includes Isuzu, Isuzu Commercial and Opel in Polokwane.  They also offer quality pre-owned vehicles and at their service centre and parts department, one can be sure that ther qualified and experienced team will look after your vehicles’ maintenance needs, not only for Isuzu and Opel, but for all makes of vehicles.  At Westvaal Polokwane, they believe that clients are not just a number as they strive to give customers a service excellence experience and cater for customers’ motoring needs, whatever these may be.  The company extends a traditional, professional and friendly approach to all our customers.  “In short, we treat people like they are part of the Westvaal family,” says Johan Espach, New Vehicle Sales Manager.

On why Westvaal decided to get involved in the Parenting 101 Expo, Espach says being a father of three, vehicle functionality and safety plays a big role when considering a family vehicle and the Parenting 101 Expo provides that opportunity to display those features and benefits to the public.

“These events bring businesses and service providers together, to offer different products to the same focus group, giving all the exhibitors greater exposure and in turn making the products and services more accessible to the public,” he added.

Westvaal, having originated from a family business instils strong family values in its daily operations, which is part of the reason why they have such a loyal return customer base.

“Westvaal has helped countless young couples into their first family vehicles, that’s big enough to take a baby seat and a stroller in the back, to a 7-seater that can tow the caravan with ease, to “Ouboets” first car for varsity,” Espach concluded.

ANGELS PLAY

Angels Play Pre-School open its doors in 2006 after founder, Almari Greef experienced a huge gap in the early childhood development of children in Polokwane and surroundings.

“I decided to make it my life’s mission to enhance children’s development, to be school ready and to be accepted in good Primary Schools. Pre-school years are the most important years of a child’s development and we offer the best education and care in Polokwane. We teach, we care and we love! Our toddler and pre-school program ensures that each little angel will develop at his/her own pace, according to his/her social, intellectual, emotional and physical level,” she told Review.

One to four-year-olds follow a Christian based ELDA’S curriculum and Grade R’s, a Christian Based CAPS curriculum. The school also has a weekly gross motor development program, “Active Angels”, which ensures that muscles are fully developed before children can start with reading and writing.

“We are also thrilled to have Marietjie Strydom Occupational Therapists Inc. offering our Grade R’s a weekly stimulation program. Our teachers are all qualified in Early Childhood Development and/or Foundation Phase teaching, as well as Level 1 in First aid training. We are open during the first three school holidays of the year and only close over the Christmas holiday. We also provide two healthy meals and two healthy snacks, daily. Our motto of “Learning and Fun, all is One” is truly what Angels Play Pre-School is all about,’ she said.

Almari says parenting and Angels Play coincide because parent’s involvement in their child’s pre-school life is if utmost importance, saying that the school encourages parents to communicate with teachers at all times.

Speaking on the benefits can parents gain from enrolling their children at Angels Play, Almari says children will receive cognitive development, eye-hand co-ordination, self-confidence, good communication, social and problem solving skills.

“Their first impression of schooling will be a positive experience, they will feel loved and secure. This will make the 12 years of formal schooling a bliss,” she added.

Almari says they Parenting Expo 101 is an excellent opportunity for parents to explore their options in Polokwane and she says they are looking forward to an annual expo.

BODY LIFE

Body Life was started in 1995 by David van Ryneveld as he says he was passionate about trying to get people to try and live healthier lives, having seen the consequences of poor health choices in his family and the resulting consequences and early deaths.

David initially studied Biokinetics and ran a Biokinetic practice for two years.

“The need for larger facilities was evident and Body Life clubs were established, keeping the emphasis on the Biokinetic approach where practical exercise relative to the individual is emphasised.”

Speaking on how BodyLife and parenting coincide, David says habits are carried over from generation to generation and the saddest thing to see is obese kids who must live a life with poor lifestyle habits taught by unhealthy parents. Healthy parents carry over healthy habits to their children. These children have a much better chance at success in life.

He says benefits of parents involving their children with BodyLife include lower medical costs, a positive child, a child with a healthy self-esteem, a child with self-discipline and a child who is sensitive to choices which will influence their future “It’s simple, there is nothing to lose,” he added.

Having joined the Parenting 101 Expo, David says he decided to exhibit because there is a serious challenge with the next generation of adults, now kids, due to the negative effects of the cellphone and easy data boom. “These kids are our future and if they are not given tools to manage this passive lifestyle, where kids are stuck behind screens all day, we will soon have a serious health and social crisis looming.”

PHS

Hoërskool Pietersburg is sedert Julie 1921 ‘n bakenmat in die gemeenskap van Pietersburg (nou Polokwane). Die skool is begin onder leiding van Mnr PC Vercueil met slegs ‘n 100 leerders. Vandag gee PHS steeds die toon aan met nagenoeg 1300 leerders wat onder die bekwame bestuur en leiding van die hoof en bykans 90 personeel staan.

PHS offer elke leerder die geleentheid om te groei en ontdek in ‘n Christen-fundeerde omgewing, gebou op die fondasies van bykans ‘n honderd jaar se trotse tradisies. Die skool lewer jaarliks top matriekuitslae en akademie word op ‘n hoë standard aangebied. PHS bied stedelike geleenthede met plattelandse waardes!

PHS se sukses kan toegeskryf word aan die sterk samewerking tussen die skool en ouers, gerugsteun deur die positiewe insette en bestuur van ‘n baie bekwame en toegewyde Beheerliggaam. Hierdie samewerking strek van dissiplinêre aksies, maatskaplike ondersteuning tot by die sterk buite-kurrikulikêre program wat PHS bied.

Die leerders van PHS ontvang topvlak blootstelling, afrigting en onderrig. Die heel belangrikste is egter dat leerders geniet ‘n geballanseerde skoollewe met genoeg aktiwiteite wat ‘n staanplek aan elke leerder verseker. Blootstelling in hierdie publikasie verseker dat ouers werklik ‘n ingeligte besluit kan maak.

DOLFINKIDZ

Dolfin Kidz Swimming School began 18 years after buying out a previous swimming school at the same location. “We saw a need for water safety for children and we knew most people didn’t have swimming pools at home and the pre-primary schools in the area also didn’t have,” says founder, Tania Engelbreght. She says many people started getting their children water safe too late in the child’s development and they saw a need for children to be guided and taught to feel comfortable in water in a safe and disciplined environment.

As a female only team, Tania says they fulfil a nurturing role in the water and it gives the children a sense of safety and calm. “Unfortunately, many grown-ups today cannot swim and cannot teach their children the basics of water safety, so when they play at a friends house or when you go on vacation, it only takes a split second for a child to land in trouble in the water and within seconds, it can escalate into a life threatening situation.

Dolfin Kidz’s team gives children the necessary skills, not to become Olympic contenders, but to help themselves in the water and to know what to do in situations where someone might not be nearby to help. Their mission is to get children as comfortable as possible in and under the water.

“Our aim for our parents is to have peace of mind that their children are able to help themselves in the water and not to panic when a situation occurs where a child falls into a swimming pool or body of water of any sorts. I think too many children have lost their lives from drowning, which could have been prevented if some sort of water safety learning was present with the child and parent alike. I think water and swimming is a natural part of growing up, but for many children water can be a very scary thing and our aim is to make it enjoyable for kids and parents alike, whilst keeping our focus on “safety first” in the foreground,” Tania said.

As a mother of two, Tania says she knows how difficult it can be to raise children and to have differing opinions on every parenting question you might have. “I feel that advice passed on to new parents is sometimes not necessarily the best advice, so I think an Expo where likeminded people share their expertise on helping us all be better parents is a great idea. This will help nurture young children as their foundation is what their future is built upon.”

SWIMRITE

Is your child the next Olympic Swimming Champion? SwimRite says they are there to teach your children water safety, to grow water content and to be the best they can be.

A child needs to learn how to swim and how to be content in the water, says Swimrite owner, Lida Roets. “We as coaches take high level safety measures and we educate the children on water and pool safety and with our ‘Save a Buddy’ programme, we also teach children how to react in a situation where their friend is drowning.

Lida says she started with SwimRite in 2004, having bought the franchise over from the previous owner and says they offer swimming lessons for babies from 6months to adults. “We have a passion for children and a passion for motivating them. The most important skill is to be water safe.  It is a must for every child and person,” she said.

Lida added that it would be beneficial for parents to involve their children with SwimRite as it gives them self-confidence, self-esteem, exercise and develops their muscles.

She says she got involved with the Parenting 101 Expo to make parents aware of how important it is for children to be water safe.

“Events such as these are important because we stay in a sunny country and our South Africans love to go on holiday and swim to cool off. People do not realize how dangerous water is and what power water carries. Swimming is not something to take lightly because water is so dangerous.”