Sue's Imaginarium

Mornings with kids can be chaotic. One minute you’re pouring cereal, the next you’re searching for missing shoes, and somehow everyone’s running late. Sound familiar? The truth is, kids (like adults) feel better when their day starts off calm and predictable. But that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. A good morning routine doesn’t just get your kids out the door on time—it sets the tone for the whole day. Here are 10 fun and practical morning routines that can help your kids wake up happy, stay focused, and start their day on the right foot. 1. Wake-Up Song or Dance Party Forget the alarm clock. Start the day with music. Pick a family “wake-up song” that everyone loves. It could be upbeat and silly or just something with a good rhythm. Press play when it’s time to get up and turn it into a quick dance party. Even if it’s just two minutes, it wakes up the body and puts smiles on faces. No one likes being yanked out of bed. But grooving to a favourite tune? That’s a much better s...

Let’s be honest: getting kids to eat their vegetables can feel like trying to convince them to eat grass. If your little one acts like broccoli is a personal attack, you’re not alone. But instead of fighting at the dinner table, why not outsmart the resistance? Here are 10 fun and clever ways to introduce vegetables into your child’s meals without turning mealtime into a war zone. 1. Blend Veggies into Pasta Sauce Tomato sauce is a great disguise. You can easily blend in cooked carrots, zucchini, spinach, or even cauliflower into marinara or any pasta sauce. Once it’s pureed and mixed with familiar flavours, kids usually won’t even notice. Bonus tip: Add a pinch of oregano and garlic to mask any “green” taste. 2. Turn Veggies into Fries Kids love fries. So, make veggies look like fries. Try slicing carrots, sweet potatoes, zucchini, or even green beans into fry-like shapes. Toss them in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and a little parmesan, then roast them in the oven until crispy. Serv...

  Long ago, in a busy African village where the marketplace was full of laughter and music, there lived a humble weaver named Abena. Every day, she sat under the shade of a mango tree, weaving colourful cloth with her nimble fingers. People loved her work, and she was always paid in coins. But unlike many others, Abena did not rush to the market to spend her money on sweets, jewellery, or feasts. Instead, she had a secret—beside her loom sat a clay pot. Each day, after selling her cloth, she dropped a few coins into the pot. Clink, clink! went the coins. Children often asked, “Weaver Abena, why don’t you spend your money right away?” She would smile gently and say, “Coins are like seeds. If you save them and use them wisely, they will grow into something greater.” 🌱 The Village Feast One year, the chief announced that a grand feast would be held. Everyone was excited. The villagers ran to the market, buying fine clothes, big drums, and piles of food. Abena too wanted to jo...

  What if your child ran the house for a day? Not in a Lord of the Flies kind of way — but with structure, responsibility, and just enough freedom to make decisions that affect the whole family. It’s called “Kid CEO Day” — and it’s one of the most eye-opening, character-building activities you can do as a parent. Not only is it fun, but it also teaches leadership, empathy, planning, decision-making, and teamwork. Best of all, your child learns that running a household isn’t as simple as it seems. What Is a “Kid CEO Day”? Kid CEO Day is a full-day family activity where your child (or each child, if you have more than one) takes on the role of being “in charge.” They make the schedule, delegate tasks, plan meals or activities, and lead the household — with your support as their assistant or advisor. It's not about letting them do whatever they want. It’s about giving them responsibility within a safe, guided framework. Why It Works Kids often live in a world where most deci...

  When our kids were little, fixing their pain was often as simple as a hug, a snack, or a colorful band-aid. A scraped knee or a playground squabble could be soothed in minutes. But as they grow, the wounds become less visible—and much harder to mend. Adolescence brings with it a surge of emotional storms: anxiety, identity confusion, friendship drama, academic pressure, social comparison, and more. As parents, we can feel helpless. Our instincts may push us to problem-solve, to fix. But most of the time, what our kids truly need isn’t a solution—it’s us. They need us to stay . To be present. To listen without judgment. To provide quiet strength when their world feels like it’s crumbling. So how do we actually do that? How do we support our older kids when our usual toolkit no longer works? Here’s a grounded, practical guide—seven clear steps—to help you be the calm in your child’s storm. 1. Shift from Fixing to Holding Space The first step is mental. As parents, we’re wired to w...

  Long ago, in a small African village where children played under baobab trees and the river sang every evening, there lived a boy named Kofi. Kofi was cheerful, clever, and loved by everyone. But Kofi had one weakness: he spent everything he had as soon as he got it. If someone gave him three cowries, he would run to the market and spend all three on roasted maize. If his uncle gave him a calabash of groundnuts, Kofi would eat and share them all before the day was done. His grandmother often warned him, “Kofi, my child, money and food must be cared for like seeds. If you eat all your seeds today, what will you plant tomorrow?” But Kofi only laughed. “Grandmother, the market is full every day! There will always be more!” 🌱 The Magical Calabash One evening, while walking by the river, Kofi found a beautiful calabash floating gently in the water. It glowed faintly in the moonlight. Excited, he carried it home. When he reached his hut, he set it down and said, “If only this c...

  Long ago, when animals could talk and lived together in a big village, there was a small but clever tortoise. He was known for his big dreams and even bigger appetite for things he didn’t really need. Tortoise loved collecting shiny objects—cowrie shells, beads, feathers, anything that caught his eye. While other animals worked hard to gather food or build homes, Tortoise was always running after the next “special” thing. One night, as he lay on his back staring at the sky, his eyes fell on the big, bright moon. “Ohhhh!” Tortoise gasped. “That is the shiniest thing I’ve ever seen. I must have it! If I own the moon, everyone will respect me. They’ll come to my house just to admire it.” The next morning, Tortoise marched into the village square and declared, “Friends, I have decided to buy the moon. It will be mine, and I will hang it above my hut for everyone to see.” The animals burst out laughing. Monkey nearly fell from his tree. “Buy the moon? Tortoise, are you serious? T...