Meet one of our own, Erica Botha has been a dear friend to the Xander family since its inception and has been instrumental in getting Xander where we are today. She is also a mother of triplets. Even with her hands full with the kids and work she took some time out to talk to us about her family and raising children in South Africa.
Tell us about yourself?
My name is Erica Botha. I am passionate about helping people grow and discover new possibilities through taking control of their destinies, achieving goals and encouraging others to do the same. I am a wife of one and a mom of three.
How do you feel about using technology as part of learning?
I see technology is an unavoidable part of the future. I believe that the use of technology as a learning tool can be very powerful when it is implemented as part of an integrated strategy. Today, it has become more important than ever to carefully plan for and manage the use of technology in education to ensure that it supports human interaction, achieve objectives and allows us to share our learning experiences.
What are your kid’s favourite apps?
We only make use of Xander Apps – Their Apps are well designed, focused on learning on a supportive platform (free of any ads and distracting bells and whistles – high five on this!)
What do you love about South Africa and raising your children here?
As a family we love the uniqueness of South African people, the sense of humour, the food, wine, the beautiful landscape and the opportunities that our country has to offer.
TV “Yes” or “No”?
We allow TV on certain days and we follow a schedule. We use it as a learning experience to reflect on character traits, good/poor decisions that we would like them to learn from.
What is in the lunchbox?
Their lunch boxes are quite healthy and includes the basics like, tomatoes, carrots, seasonal fruit, Provita, cheese, nuts and a special snack on Fridays.
How do you balance it all – in one sentence?
Balance – I see life as a river, after heavy rainfall the river will flow strongly, during drier seasons it will run more calmly. The same applies to life. So, I believe that you need to make sure that you look after yourself (emotionally and physically) on a regular basis so that you have strength to handle curve balls, busy schedules and hardship when it arises. Everyone has to find what works for them on a personal level. I enjoy reflection, daily planning and quality time with my hubby which helps me to maintain a healthy balance.
Do you children do chores at home, if so what and how do you manage it?
Not yet. We teach our kids to finish tasks that they have started and to do their bit to tidy up after activities.
What is your favourite holiday plans/ activities with kids?
Any open area where the kids can freely run and laugh and talk as loudly as they want – Playing in the ocean takes first place in summer.
