EDO BLACK SOUP

Hello people, it's been a while. Decided to show us how to make black soup- Edo style. If you are from Edo state or married to someone from Edo state or you just love Edo recipes continue reading because of going to share with you how it is made as le from grandma. Ingredients Scent leaf Bitter leaf Uziza leaf Ebewawa otherwise know as wide leaf Fresh pepper Palm oil Meat, dryfish, pomo, periwinkle, crayfish Salt and Maggi. Method of preparation Boil the little quantity of bitter leaf to reduce its bitter taste about 5-7 leaf piece. Then blind or grind all the vegetables with 1 cooking spoon of palm oil and fresh pepper (little quantity) because the Uziza leaf is hot already. Then pour the blended mixture into your pot with all your washed meat,fish, pomo, pereinwinkle, dry fish and crayfish. Allow to boil, then add your salt and Maggi to taste. Keep an eye on your cooking pot as the soup will be ready in 40-50mins. Thats it. Best served with fufu(akpu) or pounded yam.

Child's First School

Is it the right time or age to start your child in school? Which school is best suited for your child as regards standards? What class should your child start from and the cost of enrolling the child are some key questions you try to answer in finding a balance.  

So I went to different schools, far/near, government/private, to scout for what I term a good school for my child and to answer some questions we might have been asking ourselves. A lot of parents are full with anxiety when it comes getting their first child to start school, be it play group, preschool or nursery.  It’s a lot easier for parents with 2 or 3 children. Even though there’s much anxiety, it doesn’t have to stop you from taking your child to school.

Drop those fears and worries, because am sure you would be a lot calm after this article.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE ENROLLING YOUR CHILD IN SCHOOL:

WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO PUT A CHILD IN SCHOOL?:

It is most idle for a child to be enrolled at age 2 years by which time they can express themselves better to their instructors / minders at school. The basics are most often learnt from home with proper guidance from the parents from age 0-2 years. Kindly note though that this doesn’t mean all 2 years children are ready for school. There are signs to check like Physical readiness (can your child walk already and how is the walking stamina), Talking (has your child started talking or repeating after you or trying to say daddy, bye, mummy however they can pronounce it), Does your child associate well when with other children, is your child potty trained….anyway most pre nursery assist in teaching them to use their potty so no problem.

WHAT CLASS LEVEL SHOULD YOUR CHILD START FROM?:

It’s best to start your child in pre-nursery, there’s no need to rush it except both parents are tied up with office jobs or businesses that doesn’t give them time. Prenursery exposes them to better interaction with other kids (which is what is still done in play groups).

DECIDING BETWEEN PRIVATE and GOVERNMENT SCHOOL: Personally I prefer the private school. I mean in this country where  most public/government schools are neglected and overcrowded , children would be left to themselves at such stage and exposed to vices which may include injuries unlike the private schools where greater attention is given to because of the controlled number of children per class and the facilities meet up to standard.  

My argument for a private school over the government owned school is as detailed below:

·         The public schools had large class size with large population of students about 30+ in a class meanwhile the private range was 15-25. Some people would ask what the size has to do with your child but it good you know this affects most children as they won’t be monitored properly and there won’t be extra attention given to their educational needs

·         Public schools unlike private schools have unkempt environment and bad structures exposing children to not only infections but injuries.

·         Bullying is more in public schools. The other day I was checking in some govt. school and I saw a boy bullying a girl of about same age just because of her snack and because of the large number of children in the class, the class minders were attending to others and this skipped their attention. I had to come in on this and the answer I got was ‘na so dem dey do’. Quite sad.

·         As a parent you have little say about how your child is cared for in govt. school, if you complain too much they’ll ask you to take your child elsewhere unlike the private school where they pay attention to every little detail you bring to them….this one I really love because if you notice any change in your child you work on him/her and then instruct the school to do theirs.

But most persons would say because of money they prefer to choose the public schools as the fee is almost free but remember there are good private schools with reduced cost. It’s wise to make the best decision for your child. Go out to  scout for schools yourself and not depend on a friend or neighbor referral to pick one for you adorable child.

SCHOOL DISTANCE/ LOCATION:

Although this is not a big issue for most parents because most schools have school buses to convey the children to and fro. It is also important to consider it and my opinion is to pick a school close to the house as it makes it easier to pick them up or to check on them, imagine living in the city with traffic ……you don’t want to experience the frustration when the school is far.

Other factors you may want to consider are:

·         Class size, School environment/structure

·         Discipline in the school

·         Other children performance

·         Quality of teachers/method of teaching

·         School fees.

PREPARING YOUR CHILD FOR FIRST DAY IN SCHOOL

·         Download, buy and allow your child watch elementary cartoons where nursery rhymes are sang.

·         Buy alphabet and number toys for them

·         If your child had been with you all through and is not used to been alone with strangers, learn to leave the child for a couple of hours with grandma or your sister to see how they would cope and then practice a goodbye routine with them, like a kiss on the chick or forehead or hi5 and say ‘bye’ pick you up soon.

·         Take your child for tour to the school you have chosen to enroll him/her , probably 4-5 times while the school is in session to get familiar with the  environment.

Then purchase the following:

·         Backpack, shoe, lunch box, water bottle, pencil/eraser, others (depending on school requirement).

Others:

·         A day to start of school make sure the child goes to bed early.

·         On the first school day let your child go with his/her favorite toy to school. It helps them during this transition.

·          On that first day in school, stay with your child in the class for 5-15mins until he/she is relaxed with other children and attention a little shifted from you, ask the teacher to stay with your child while you you’re your leave. That way when he/she cries as your absence is noticed, they can turn to the teacher for support.

·         Most importantly resist the urge to go back and rescue your child when he/she cries.  It hurts to hear your child cry but if you keep running back when you hear them cry it makes the child over reliant on you and therefore lack the necessary independence.  Instead wait outside the classroom for a few minutes to ensure all is well and then call the school later to check in.

MUMMY  ROUTINE CHANGE

Now mums your routine will change slightly especially if this is your first child. You may consider the following:

·         You have to wake up earlier than usual to prepare your child for school and start other house chores.

·         Add an extra alarm to include time to pick up your child.

·         If you do not bath your child in the afternoon before now, you need to add it now because of the germs they are exposed to in school.

Kindly share your opinion of this write up , probably covering and mentioning areas I ignored

Cheers.

Delta OWO soup and Starch

Starch and Owo is one of the main dish eaten by the Delta people especially the urhobo’s, some other states eat it also. This is one way it can be prepared.

Ingredients

Garri

Potash(Akaun)

Crayfish, Big crayfish

Palm oil

Salt, magi, dry pepper

Dry fish, Meat.

Preparation

Soak the garri in a bowl, little quantity 1 cup depending on the soup quantity. Keep pouring the water left on top of the soaked garri until the garri looks smooth then live some water in it until it is soft. Smash the potash till it becomes smooth, clean the dry fish and boil the meat.

Put water in the pot and place on fire, add crayfish/big crayfish, dry fish, meat the soaked garri and dry pepper. Stir the garri and keep stiring to avoid the garri turning into blocks . Add the potash now if it is not smooth or wait till the soup is ready to be dropped from heat then reduced the heat after adding the akaun to avoid boiling out of the pot. Add salt, maggi, allow to boil for 10mins and drop the soup. The last thing to do is add the palm oil, small quantity stir and voila your owo soup is ready. Simple and quick right? Best served with starch, yam or unripe plantain. Give it a try!

Most people find it difficult to make starch, but it is simple to make, just like Amala. Here is my way of making seedless smooth starch.

Boil water and set aside, then smash the starch with your hands and mix with small quantity of water like making Akamu, add a spoon or more depending on the quantity to the mixed starch and pour the boiled water into the starch, reasonable quantity then put on fire, now here’s the trick, keep stirring while on fire till the starch becomes thick and that’s it people your seedless starch is ready.

Pictures after the cut

Style Your Mum-Volume 2

Hello beautiful people. A lot of persons have been waiting patiently for this collection, a continuation of the first previously posted. Well wait no further as styling your mum or looking for good styles for our mamas has never been this easy. Enjoy!

photo credit: instagram @fakfashionhome

photo credit: instagram @fakfashionhome

photo credit: instagram @fakfashionhome

Hairstyles for Your Little Girls-Vol 1

Whether your girl is 1year or above, mothers have a way of making them beautiful by styling their hair. It could be a simple or complex style as long as it looks good and attract compliments. Their hair can be styled for Church, Party, School or outings. Here are some styles for women who want a collection to select from. 

photo credit: pinterest @shonny

photo credit: pinterest @babystyles

photo credit:instagram @hairbyminklittle

How to Get Rid of Odour from Our Sensitive Areas

Many women think their private part should be odorless, but as with everywhere else on our body, it actually has a scent that can be fairly complex. If that scent becomes unpleasant, though, it could indicate a problem.

Here are the five most common causes of unpleasant vaginal odor, and (where relevant) how they're treated.

1. Infection
The most common explanation for an unpleasant vaginal odor is an infection called bacterial vaginosis. No one knows what causes it; the infectious agent or agents have yet to be identified. Signs that you might have it include a fishy odor, as well as a thin white or gray discharge and a burning sensation while urinating or having intercourse. The infection is likely transmitted sexually and is treated with specific antibiotics.

Another possible cause is trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection caused by a protozoan parasite. The infection often doesn’t cause symptoms, but if it does they might include yellow or green, frothy discharge that may smell fishy, as well as burning with urination and intercourse. It is effectively treated with a single dose of antibiotics.

A yeast infection can cause a yeast-like smell and a thick, white discharge, as well as itching, soreness, and burning during urination and intercourse. It occurs when yeast, which are normally present in the vagina, overgrow. That often occurs after taking antibiotics that kill bacteria, which allows the yeast to grow without competition from the “good” bacteria that normally keep them in check. That’s one more reason to take antibiotics only if needed. Yeast infections are treated with antifungal medication. They are not sexually transmitted.

2. Hormonal changes
Vaginal secretions during menstruation and between ovulation and your next period may have a more unpleasant odor than those during other parts of the cycle, according to some older research. Another potential hormonal cause is menopause, during which reduced estrogen levels cause vaginal tissue to thin and become less acidic. Many women undergoing menopause notice a smelly, watery discharge. If the smell causes you distress, your doctor may prescribe topical estrogen, which usually eliminates the odor in a few weeks. Since estrogen vaginal cream is absorbed to a small extent into the bloodstream, it should only be used after discussing the pros and cons with your physician.

Making Income as a Housewife

Being a housewife or stay at home mum doesn’t mean you cannot make income while at it, it only means you are not on an 8am-5pm schedule work. Women generally are good multitasking beings, we can take care of the home affairs, manage our husband’s, kids and still do something productive to earn income without breaking down, that’s how we were created. The woman is the man’s helpmate, In Proverbs 31:10-31 one of the ways a virtuous women was described is  one who is hardworking, there was even a mention of knitting there as one of the things she does ” She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.  She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant”. So you get it right? You have to come out of your comfort zone and be creative in whatever area you think you can thrive well.

 I know that having to run a home is very demanding on our time and also tasking but I am very sure it is possible, as many women do it and no matter how little the income may be, it is something and trust me, your husband will be proud of you and happy .

A lot of women out there may be confused as to what they can get into that will fetch them income or what it takes to start a particular idea they have in mind. Well this post should cover a great area and answer most of your questions or doubts and also give you ideas or add to the ones you already have. I have outline 3 Categories which include

CATEGORY 1.

HAND-WORK: These are trades or work you learnt either from your parents or from an expert for example Hair making, Tailoring, Baking and production.