Meet Carly Crawford, mom and blogger from the Free State. She shared some insight into her family and her thoughts in technology and education.
Tell us about yourself?
I am a Stay-At-Home-Mom, with two little girls aged 5 and 3. They keep me busy with school runs, dancing, swimming, etc. We have moved quite a lot, following my husband and his work in construction. We met when we were living in the UK, and decided to return to Africa to raise our family. We are originally from Zimbabwe, but for now we are settled in central Free State. As a family we love to travel around South Africa whether that is day-trips out locally or a two-week road trip to Cape Town or Zimbabwe. We take our girls everywhere we go to make sure that they get to experience everything this amazing country has to offer.
Tell us about your blog
MomOfTwoLittleGirls is still fairly new. I haven’t ‘gone Pro’ as yet. I mainly use it to share my thoughts and experiences of raising our girls. I like to share the ups and the downs. I firmly believe that there is no point in making life out to be a picture perfect fairy-tale because it isn’t. I love sharing our travels and adventures with my readers too and sharing how we involve the girls in all our travelling. With that said, we are fiercely protective of the girls’ privacy so whilst I’m trying to grow my audience their right to privacy must come first.
How do you feel about using technology as part of learning?
I think it is essential in this day and age. The more our girls can be exposed to technology as part of their education, the better. Technology is here to stay and I want them to be as open and excited about all new developments and opportunities that technology in education can offer them.
What are your kids favourite apps?
I hate to admit it, but they love YouTube. I closely monitor what they are watching but I have noticed that they love to watch the videos of other children making arts and crafts things, and baking. It’s not all Kinder eggs and Frozen toys. Other than that, they play Bubble Witch Saga, Xander English Numbers and a few other numbers and puzzle type of games. When we go on our road trips, I load their tablets with as many different apps and games as I can to keep them busy on the long stretches.
What do you love about South Africa and raising your children here?
The space, weather and diversity. They are very outdoorsy kids, they love swimming, sunshine, and playing outside. Winter is hard for them, so fortunately it’s only for a few months. I love how there are so many different things to do in South Africa, it truly is an amazingly diverse country. We encourage them to try everything they want to (safely) from Zip-Lining in Parys to ostrich and camel riding in Oudsthoorn, from swimming in the ocean to game viewing in the Free State, from having a braai on the banks of the Vaal River to dining out in Jozi – we want them to experience everything they can.
TV “Yes” or “No”?
Yes, within reason. I monitor what they watch as well as for how long. Everything in moderation.
What is in the lunchbox?
A sandwich on whole-wheat bread, a yoghurt and a piece of fruit.
How do you balance it all – in one sentence?
I am very fortunate that I get to stay at home while my husband works, this allows me to run the home and be there for our family; blogging is for me when I find the time.
Do your children do chores at home, if so what and how do you manage it?
Yes, I try to make them do age appropriate chores. They pick up their clothes and put them in the laundry basket, pick up towels, hang up their swimming costumes etc. They help set the table and always take their dirty plates to the kitchen. My eldest also feeds the cats.
What is your favourite holiday plans/ activities with kids?
Road Tripping. We love it. We love going to new places, with very little advance planning dictating where we must be and by when. Winging it and discovering new roads and routes is far more exciting for us than flying up the N1 or N3 and missing all the quaint little gems along the way. We stop when we see something exciting, then move on when we’re done. For us it’s about the journey, not just the destination.
Catch up with Carly and her gorgeous family on her blog, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
