Few things are as overwhelming as being responsible for a tiny human being who is totally dependent on you: for food, clothing, shelter, warmth, companionship, everything except the air God gives for free. Even with a great support system, there are still certain things first time mums realize they could have done differently, although it didn’t occur to them at the time. Here are just 5 common mistakes newbie mummies make.
Month: May 2017
Interesting Conversations Christian Couples Should Have Before Engagement
Nobody can think of every single thing to discuss before marriage, but here are 30 considerations that may never have crossed your mind.
7 Reasons Your Goal Setting Isn’t Fruitful
After all the fuss that has been made about setting goals, and SMART goals for that matter, you’ve finally started setting goals and yet, you don’t have the results you expected.
The thing about goal setting is, it’s not just enough to “start doing it” because you’ve heard you should or because you’ve seen it work for people. There are certain things that can sabotage your goal setting, and here are some of them.
Meet the Boss: Ezinne Chisomaga Reginald-Okonkwo, Somre Foods
Ezinne Reginald-Okonkwo studied law at Madonna University, Okija, Anambra State and now runs Somre Foods, a healthy food and drink business. She talks to me about becoming an entrepreneur, doing business in Nigeria, and the power of faith in this interview.
12 Interesting Things about the Richest Person in the World
You already know that the richest man in the world is Bill Gates. You probably also know that the Microsoft founder has topped Forbes’ list of billionaires for 18 out of 23 years, with a net worth of $86bn this year.
However, there are so many other interesting and important things about Bill Gates that will speak to you if you’re open to thinking about and learning from them. See 12 of them here.
Should You Compare Your Marriage?
If there’s anything I know to be true, it’s this: comparing your marriage to someone else’s is foolish.
I remember one day 10 years ago when I saw a couple I knew looking and acting sweet as usual, in their matching t-shirts and sneakers, and whispered a prayer to God about wanting my future marriage to be like theirs. A prayer that God, in His infinite mercy and wisdom, did not answer. I was shocked to realise later just how much pain and suffering lay underneath the façade, and even as I prayed for their healing and restoration, I retracted my previous prayer. Never again!
Today, after being married for a few years and having been thrust into “married circles” almost from day one, I know for a fact that no matter how close you think you are to a couple, it’s never a good idea compare your marriage to theirs; not just because of the dangers of comparison, but also because you simply do not know what their marriage is actually like.
From where you stand their marriage may appear sexier, more interesting, more modern, even more spirituality intimate than your own. Continue reading…
12 Verses from the Message That Just Give Life
The King James Version of the Holy Bible is incomparable. It has its shortcomings, chief of which is the older English that is sometimes hard to understand, but it also retains what my cousin calls “the power in the Word.”
However, if KJV is on one end of the extreme, The Message is definitely on the other end. Its language goes beyond simple English (simple English is Good News Translation and New Living Translation) to contemporary, conversational grammar that sometimes leaves you confused and reaching for an older translation to confirm (where does the Bible say this?!) and at other times, leave you exhilarated and in awe of God’s love, grace, mercy and glory displayed in the holy scriptures.
In fact, technically The Message is not a translation but a paraphrase, meaning that it’s not designed to be relied on as one’s main or only Bible. However, it’s certainly a plus for every believer to have. Not convinced? Check out these verses.
7 Things to do Once You Find Out You’re Pregnant
Whether you’ve been desiring this baby, or the pregnancy came as a surprise, as long as you intend to have an enjoyable pregnancy (well, as enjoyable as pregnancy can be!), and give birth to a healthy baby, there are things you need to get started with as soon as possible:
- Start taking your prenatal vitamins immediately. Your child will be using up what your body has, so you need to replenish or your body will suffer. If you’ve been trying to conceive, you may have been on a combination of vitamins, or at least on folic acid. Otherwise, once you see a doctor you’ll be given calcium, iron, and folic acid. However, even before you start seeing an OB/GYN you can and should start taking folic acid immediately. Doctors advise women who are planning to get pregnant to start taking folic acid supplements about 3 to 6 months before conception; not just when you get pregnant. Taking your folic acid before and early on in pregnancy can reduce risk of brain and spine birth defects by up to 70 percent.
7 Mistakes Great Screenwriters Do Not Make
I love Nollywood. I’ve loved Nollywood since the days of Igbo movies subtitled in English, all the way to the days of Glamour Girls and True Confession.
The repeated pairing of Liz Benson & Sola Fosudo and Emeka Ike & Genevieve Nnaji could not quench this love, nor could soundtracks that told the entire story drown it.
I loved Nollywood when Stella Damasus was the most beautiful flower in the field, and nobody could cry like her, lip trembling and nose quivering. I can’t forget When the Sun Sets (I still have a crush on Bob-Manuel Udokwu!) because it introduced Kate Henshaw to us. I recall with fondness Ramsey Noah’s début role as “ajebutter” in Silent Night, the days when Segun Arinze was “Black Arrow” in our home. I watched with delight as Jim Iyke evolved from playing the useless drug addict who was always a thorn in his wealthy father’s side, to playing an utterly believable lover boy over and over again; my favourite is still his role as Lucky in Unforgettable with Rita Dominic.
I love Nollywood even more now that we’ve seen The Meeting, False, Kokomma, Falling, Mr & Mrs, Torn, Apaye, The Visit, The Wedding Party and many other movies we’ve thoroughly enjoyed, and are proud of. I love that there’s so much to look forward to.
However, every so often a movie comes along that leaves much to be desired, and you find yourself rolling your eyes, cringing, sighing and wishing every screenwriter would get with the programme already!
After observing screenplays written by the greats, and listening to them speak, it is clear that the major mistakes in such movie scripts are usually variants of one of these.
10 Questions for Adesua Etomi
Adesua Etomi’s fans may never know when exactly they fell in love with her. Was it in Brave, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, or Falling? Chances are we woke up one day and realized that this beautiful, talented actress born in Imo State to a Yoruba mother and an Esan father, had captured our hearts completely.
I had 10 questions for the star, who won Best Actress in a Drama at the 2016 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, and has her sights on an Oscar someday. Read the interview HERE.
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