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Life Navigator, parenting teens with confidence.

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Life Navigator, parenting teens with confidence.

I'm a mother of two grown children and a proud grandmother, with a deep passion for natural healing.

Life Navigator helps parents navigate teen attitude, sibling rivalry, screen time, risky behavior, and emotional challenges with practical tips and family-focused, values-driven guidance. Over the years, I’ve immersed myself in extensive research, study, and reading, accumulating a wealth of knowledge in this field. Currently, I’m studying naturopathy through The Centre of Excellence, and I’m often amazed at how much of the content I already know! I'm also a budding author, soon launching two e-books: "Let's Talk About Drugs: A Guide for South African Parents" and "Parenting Through the Storm: Helping Your Teen Manage Stress and Anxiety." Though this page is new, I hope it becomes your go-to resource for all things teen health-related, where I’ll share tips, guidance, and support for both teens and parents navigating the challenges of life.

20/09/2025

Are you a mom's taxi? What is your pet peeve?

16/09/2025

Is your teen anxious and stressed?

Here are a few tips to help them face their fears.

16/09/2025

Why Teamwork Makes a Difference with Household Chores

Getting teens involved in chores works best when it’s a team effort. Everyone pitches in, no one is left to do it alone in a room. It helps teens feel connected, builds cooperation, and gives everyone a sense of accomplishment when the job is done together.

Tips
Demonstrate - how it’s done instead of just assigning jobs. When everyone pitches in, cleaning feels less like a chore and more like teamwork.

Routine - Set family cleaning times – Pick a regular time, like Saturday mornings, to tackle tidying together. Routines help kids understand that keeping a home nice is a shared responsibility.

Celebrate effort – Instead of rewards or bribes, highlight the pride in contributing to the family and seeing the results together.

When chores are done together, kids learn responsibility, cooperation, and the value of teamwork—all while keeping your home tidy!

Kids need guidance, practice, and the right tools to learn to clean up. Working alongside them, breaking tasks into manageable steps, and using simple aids (like labeled bins) makes chores easier.

Approach tidying as a playful invitation rather than a command.

Avoid setting overly high standards that discourage them or make them feel incompetent—the goal isn’t perfection, but to nurture a sense of capability, significance, and willingness to help.

What has worked well for your family when it comes to tidying up? Or are you still figuring it out? Share your thoughts in the comments!

15/09/2025

🌟 “Confidence isn’t about having zero anxiety… it’s about doing the thing anyway!”

😅 Parents, be honest—
Do you think teens are born confident… or do they need a little (ok, a LOT) of coaching from us?

Drop your vote in the comments ⬇️
👍 Born with it
💬 Gotta teach it

Tag a parent friend who’ll have an opinion on this one! 👀

12/09/2025

Caught your teen va**ng?

You’re not alone. Va**ng isn’t just a fad—it’s addictive, both physically and socially. If your teen has a v**e, you’re not alone. Here’s a parent-to-parent guide to help you understand and support them.

As parents, many of us never expected to face challenges like va**ng. Years ago, I walked a difficult road with my own teen who used cannabis—back then, va**ng wasn’t even around. Today, though, it’s one of the biggest struggles parents are dealing with.

From listening to other parents and teens, I’ve noticed that reactions usually fall into one of four groups:

“No way—this stops now.”

“Wait, va**ng? What is that?”

“Well… at least it’s not smoking, right?”

“They swore it wasn’t theirs—and I want to believe them.”

If your child is caught at school with a v**e, the consequence might be a suspension. But the real opportunity is the conversation that follows at home.

Va**ng = Two Addictions

1. The chemical pull of ni****ne

2. The social pull of belonging

The Ni****ne Side

Most parents are shocked to learn that v**es often deliver much higher ni****ne levels than cigarettes—sometimes up to 50mg in a single puff compared to just a few milligrams in a cigarette.

That means:

Quitting isn’t easy.

The withdrawal is real—headaches, shakes, irritability.

Some kids can’t even get through one class without sneaking a hit.

Without help, only a small number actually manage to stop on their own. (1 in 100)

The Social Side

For teens, va**ng is rarely just about the substance—it’s about friends. Teens who v**e usually hang out with others who do. Asking your child to quit often also means asking them to step away from their friend group. For a teenager, that’s a massive challenge.

🛠What Parents Can Do

Accept that this is a process, not a one-off lecture.

Look into professional support—cessation programs or youth counseling.

Expect ups and downs; encourage instead of shaming.

Strengthen your relationship—time together and open conversations help.

Keep going, even when it feels hard. Your child’s future is worth the effort.

Talk Early—Before They Try

Va**ng isn’t “just a phase.” These devices are now being used not only for ni****ne but also cannabis, CBD, and even stronger substances.

Start the talks as early as possible: What age is young? As young as 11 - 13 years old.

Give your kids words to say NO when offered.

Share the risks honestly—physical, emotional, and social.

The earlier they hear it from you, the stronger they’ll stand when it matters.

Parenting isn’t perfect, but your presence and voice carry more weight than you realize.

Please feel free to share this with other parents who may find this helpful.

Next time we will provide you with the tools and steps to help your teen overcome this problem.

12/09/2025

Would you know if your child was talking to a stranger online right now?

11/09/2025

What Does Discipline Really Mean?

When we hear “discipline,” many parents immediately think of punishment. But true discipline is so much more than that.

Discipline means TEACHING and GUIDING our children, not just correcting them. It’s about helping them learn self-control, responsibility, and respect — skills that will carry them through life.

Discipline involves:
✅ Setting clear and fair boundaries
✅ Being consistent with rules and consequences
✅ Using praise and encouragement to grow good habits
✅ Teaching kids to take responsibility for their choices
✅ Modeling the behavior we want to see

At the heart of discipline is love. It’s not about breaking a child’s spirit — it’s about shaping their character so they can thrive.

09/09/2025

What does discipline mean to you?

What does discipline look like in your home?

05/09/2025

Teens & VA**NG

Parents need to ask their teenager the RIGHT questions when it comes to va**ng.

You need to ask:

“WHY do you v**e?”

If the answer is:

“It’s nice and it helps me relax” — those are BRIGHT RED 🚩🚩 flags!!

Why?

Because teenagers are supposed to learn to release their stress in a natural way!

Parents, please do NOT be naïve about the HABIT-FORMING nature of va**ng!

It is not only the metals and ni****ne in va**ng that are addictive, but also the HABIT of using va**ng as a way to cope with stress — which is dangerous for a GROWING brain.

Addiction means continuing with a behavior, even when you know it is harmful or even deadly to your body.
All addictive substances work on the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine.

— Adapted and translated from Stefanie Minnaar.

📷https://unsplash.com/

18/03/2025

I think this account may have been hacked or at least an attempt has been made.

08/03/2025

👣 Small steps are better than no steps! 🌱 It doesn’t matter how slow you go, as long as you keep moving forward. Every little progress adds up. Start today, even if it’s just a small step – it’s better than standing still! 🚀

07/03/2025

Boy's with Goals!

⏳ ‘Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life.’ – This is a reminder that YOU control your path.

💥 Don’t get caught up in what others think or try to be someone you’re not.

Take the time to figure out what YOU want and go for it. Your journey is yours to create! 🚀

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Nicolas Smit Street
Port Elizabeth
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