Online blogs and social media such as Facebook and Twitter are incredibly powerful marketing tools that no new business can afford to ignore. If you're not yet up to speed with these awesome communication platforms, and their unlimited scope for finding and winning customers, then it's time to jump on the bandwagon.

Bilingualism is the ability to speak two languages. With 11 official languages in South Africa, it is no wonder that the majority of South African speak more than just one language.

Deciding on the right form of childcare for your child is every parent’s nightmare. From the moment the little cherubs enter our lives we’re wracked with guilt about whether we are doing the right thing. Choosing childcare either because we’re returning to work or just because we need a break is fraught with this same guilt.

We’ve all seen the articles about how much money it takes to raise a child from a newborn to a young adult, but how much faith can we really put into the figures? There are just too many choices to make along the way that will affect the final figure. For example, education can either be through the public system or you can go private, and that’s a big difference just there.

At some time in our lives, any of us may have suffered through the awful viral infection known as glandular fever without knowing it. Never, I hear you say. Well, remember that nasty sore throat when you couldn’t bear to swallow, chills then sweats, aches and pains, and the mere thought of food was just yuck! Such a flu-like illness may have been glandular fever.

Head-lice, also known as nits, are the bane of many parents’ existence. They are tiny parasitic insects without wings that live on the scalp of humans. Adult head lice are about 2-3 mm long, brown in colour, with 6 legs, each with a claw at the end – they are able to reproduce after approximately 17 days and lay around 3-8 eggs every day.

While a lot of cameras allow you to take the photo straight away by simply pressing down on the shot button. This will often override a camera’s autofocusing mechanism, creating a photograph that is not always in focus. Make sure your photo is as sharp as possible by ensuring that you image is focused. This is achieved by pressing your shot button only halfway down until you see either boxes appear on your screen or you hear an audible beep sound which confirms that the image is in focus.

Some Huggies® members have shared their money-saving tips.

Just as in other aspects of life, parents have choices when it comes to raising their children. Many parenting styles have emerged over the years, but essentially four main ones have stood the test of time.

Other moms and dads can be a great source of information when it comes to taking care of your sick babies and toddlers. Here are a few of their ideas:

Baby Development usually brings many wonderful rewards, but one drawback is often the dip in income, coupled with a distinct lack of time to look after yourself. Pampering treats such as pedicures and haircuts become wistful memories from days gone by.

We all know about the value of being positive, but when it comes to parenting, confusion is common. What does a positive parent look like? How positive do we need to be? What’s the benefit of being positive? Can we be too positive?

There are two pre-school systems in South Africa: one is funded by the government and regulated provincially, and the other is independent and run by communities or private bodies.

It is every parent's worst nightmare - that their child may fall victim to a paedophile or sexual abuse/ rape. The statistics themselves are sobering:

Emily listened to her two-year-old daughter, Anna, arguing fiercely with her four-year-old brother Jack and was helpless to intervene as she tried to soothe her newborn son Leon off to sleep. The sudden change in family dynamics had caused the sibling rivalry between the two older kids to flare up dramatically. For Emily, who was sleep-deprived and exhausted already, another day of bickering and squabbling had begun.

It is a fact that, not so long ago, children from single parent households were discriminated against purely on the basis of their family structure. Socially, culturally, financially and even in relation to their health care needs, there was not the same level of support provided as for children who were from nuclear families. Fortunately, we have become more understanding and tolerant of the unique nature of families and the importance of equity across the whole of society.

There comes a time for many single parents when they want to start dating again. This is not a sign of becoming detached from their children or being lonely, but simply reflects a need for other adult company and to have some fun. Lots of single parents feel they are still young enough to potentially form a new relationship with someone else. The thought of remaining single for the rest of their life is just not for them.

In South Africa it has always been hard to describe what a family is. We don’t have a norm to speak of so when we speak of a family – we are not only referring to a nuclear family (Dad, Mom and kids) but also to the extended family, the caregivers and guardians.

Currently, single parent families are one of the fastest growing types of families. This is expected to continue as greater acceptance, changing values, more support and freedom of choice impacts on our understanding of what the word “family” means.

According to a study conducted in 2008, 40% of children aged 0-17 are living with only their mothers as opposed to 3% living with only the father. Traditionally, it has always been the case that higher numbers of mothers than fathers parent their children after separation. Once there was such a social stigma attached to bringing up children without a male present, that single mothers tended to be isolated and excluded from the rest of their communities. Fortunately now, greater social acceptance and understanding have changed our understanding of what it means to be a family.

These days it is much easier for moms and moms-to-be to care for their skin during, and after, pregnancy. But it is easy to get overwhelmed with the different types of products available and struggle to decide what is really necessary. And that's before you even start to consider all the different brands. We've discovered what it is you really need, irrespective of which brand you buy, and interestingly the magic four products includes the sugar in your kitchen cupboard!

Whether you're pregnant, a new mom, or mom to a few little ones, it often seems simpler to skip putting on any make-up in order to save time and energy during the day. For many moms, applying some make-up is a positive way to help them feel better about themselves, especially at a time when the large proportion of their lives is devoted solely to caring for others. So what are some simple tips and tricks?

There is no set prescription for a “normal” family and there really never has been. Each family is unique and a sum of all the individuals who are part of it. Though it’s fair to say that parents, whether biological or step, generally share the same hopes and dreams; to raise happy, well-adjusted kids who eventually go on to lead full and productive adult lives.

From the moment they're born, your children will instantly become the most photographed member of your family, as you capture all of the cute, important, embarrassing, and heart-melting moments.

Unless you're planning on enlarging your images to billboard sizes, more megapixels are not necessarily going to give you a better quality photo. A camera with 10-16 megapixels is going to be more than enough and will still allow you to enlarge your image to an A3 size without clarity loss.

What baby swimwear you choose depends mostly on the age of your little one and whether or not they are toilet-trained. There are now many companies catering to the baby swimwear market and lots of factors to keep in mind. So whether you are at the beach for the day or the pool for an hour, here are some of the options you have to choose from.

Learning and understanding beach safety and how the ocean works is important for you, and it’s a key thing that your child should learn as early as possible. Waves, winds and tides can all affect the conditions of the surf and, if you can recognise some menacing signs, you will be able to take action and prevent any harm coming to you or your child.

Sun, sand and the ocean – sounds like a recipe for fun to me. A day with the kids at the beach can be a perfect way to spend a lovely weekend (or weekday, if you’re lucky). However, it can quickly become dangerous if you are not careful, and you don’t want to take any chances with your precious little ones. In order to make your day great without any hassles, here are some musts for a fantastic day out.

Expect more exploring and activity this month as your baby learns how to propel themselves across the floor. They may shuffle along on their bottom, leopard crawl or even creep along with most of their weight on their tummy. Whichever way works for them, they will be building on their skills in movement. Nine month old babies have lots to see and do. Even though that speck of dust on the floor seems rather uninteresting to the rest of us, it demands picking up and examination if there is a 9-month-old around.

Most accidents occur at home and over half involve children under the age of 5. Here are just a few suggestions of ways to improve home safety. In South Africa, 2% of all deaths in children under the age of 4 can be attributed to house fires. For children between ages 4-9 the figure rises to nearly 4%. Just bear in mind that a young child explores with their mouth, is unable to distinguish between good and bad odours, and will swallow even foul tasting substances. This makes children under the age of 4 the ones most exposed to household dangers.

Going swimming is a great way to have fun and bond with your baby. However, like many things, the first time can seem quite daunting.

Teaching your child basic swimming skills is the first step to having your very own Chad le Clos. You can start teaching your little one some fundamental swimming skills when they are as young as 6 months old. The good thing is you just need to refresh your baby’s memory; they did spend 9 months in a liquid-filled sack inside the womb and have some instinctive swimming skills already.

An afternoon of splashing around in the pool with your kids can be so much fun, with games, activities and just plain enjoyment being had by all. But that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down. All children (especially under the age of 5) should be carefully supervised, this means an adult should be within an arm’s reach of any kids swimming in the pool.

Hypernatremia might sound like a big and scary word but, for all purposes, it’s pretty much the same thing as dehydration. However this does not mean it’s a condition you can afford to ignore either. It happens when there is too much sodium (salt) or a lack of water in the body. You can lose water in a number of different ways, from sweating to going to the bathroom; the problem arises when you lose more water than you drink. Now how does this relate to your child and safety in the water?

Many parents are a little hesitant about introducing their infant into the world of swimming and the risk that accompanies it, whilst others like to get their infant swimming as early as possible. It is suggested that 6 months is the most common starting age for baby swim classes, but the choice is yours; there is no exact right age to get your little one swimming.

Come on in…. the water’s waiting! It doesn’t matter if your child is six months old or five years and above, swimming is a great sport for kids. Learning to swim can be one of the most satisfying experiences of childhood. Introducing your kid to swimming at a young age makes perfect sense because of the big part swimming, beaches and water sports play in the lives of most South Africans.

You want your kids to learn to swim but don’t know where to start? As with many aspects of parenting it can all look a bit daunting at first. Here are some tips to get you and the kids splashing around in no time!

A safe kitchen is vital for you and your child. Your little one is particularly vulnerable to the potential dangers created by an unsafe kitchen. Whether you are designing a kitchen, or rearranging what is in your current one, we have some sensible suggestions to consider so you can maintain a safe kitchen.

An organised bathroom makes using it much easier for everyone involved. It also makes it a safer space for kids and parents. Organising your bathroom doesn’t have to be an expensive or time-consuming exercise. The benefit of organising your bathroom is that it can make a small space work much more efficiently and can be both practical and attractive to use.

The key to a practical laundry room is to make it work best for you. It is typically a small space which means clothes can pile up very quickly if it isn’t well organised. By focusing on using some of these space-saving features you will find it a better workspace.

Swimming pool games for kids and toddlers are fantastic as they keep children occupied during the hot summer months. It’s a great way to cool down and even get your little one doing some exercise. They can also be great for when your little ones are a bit bored with just ‘swimming around’. You should always ensure that safety is the first thing you think about before getting started with pool games for kids. Here are some old favourites and even a few new pool games for kids.

A swimming pool can be a very hazardous place for young children, especially if they can’t swim well, so pool safety is a vital part of keeping your children out of harm’s way. If you have a pool, here are some vital pool safety tips that you should remember and carry out:

Less than 1% of all deaths in children in South Africa are attributable to falling. But it is still a danger that cannot be dismissed lightly, especially if you live in a house with stairs or in an apartment building. As young children are naturally curious and want to explore their surroundings, their potential to suffer from a damaging fall is greatly increased.

Taking your little one to a pool can result in a day filled with fun and games. Although most pools at hotels or recreation centres are generally manned by lifeguards and cleaned regularly, it doesn’t mean you should let your guard down against any potential dangers that may be lurking in this otherwise happy atmosphere.

As South Africans, we spend our summers around water, so it’s important to learn basic water skills as early as possible. It is recommended that children can take part in water activities from the age of 6 months. That means you can start having fun with your little one earlier! Although, enrolling them in formal swimming classes can wait until they are about 4.

We all know how much fun our kids can have playing around at the beach, in the pool or even at home in the garden on a hot summer’s day. However, there are inherent risks associated with spending all that time in the sun; these include dehydration and sunburn. When it comes to your kid’s delicate skin, which is thinner and more sensitive than yours, you have to be even more careful.

Before the invention of the swim nappy, little ones weren’t allowed in the local pool until they could reliably use the potty. Now kids can get into the local public pool and have swimming lessons at a much younger age, which is great news for moms and dads looking for fun activities.

Swim schools provide more specialised swimming instruction for all ages and are a great place to get your child swimming. In South Africa, all swimming instructors should have completed their training at a Swimming South Africa Accredited (SSA) Swim School or Centre. Swimming South Africa is the governing body of aquatics in South Africa.

Swimming lessons, and the resulting ability to swim, are something that will benefit every child for their whole life. In the early years, the primary advantage is obviously one of water safety but, in the longer term, benefits include improved fitness, balance, co-ordination and increased self-esteem.

Swimming pool first aid is a necessary skill for any parent who has a swimming child or learning-to-swim baby. Drowning is the second-leading cause of death in children aged 0-15 – accounting for nearly 42% of all fatal drowning cases in South Africa.

To help prevent any accidents occurring in your pool at home, you need to put in place some swimming pool rules that you and any children using the pool should abide by. You can get these rules printed on a big sheet of paper, laminate it with plastic, and place it at the entrance of the pool.

Fun at the pool and beach starts with a clean and safe place to swim. Here’s a water safety checklist for at the beach or pool:

Shocking fact – a child can drown in just a few centimetres of water, in a very short space of time. Supervision is always required around water.

South Africa is an exquisite country with some of the most gorgeous beaches, but in that beauty also lies danger. The ocean can present a lot of peril for even an experienced swimmer, never mind a young child who is just learning to swim. That’s why it’s vital that you follow the rules and regulations of the beach while there with your child.

As most of us spend our summers around the water, whether it’s at the beach or by the pool, it’s smart to make sure babies and toddlers learn basic water skills as early as possible

World Wide Swim School is one of the world’s first online swim schools. It is designed for parents and swimming instructors to use as an online learning tool to teach children of all ages to learn to swim. They have over 40 years of swimming teaching experience.