# early literacy — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 2 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover early literacy. Page: Feed: --- ## [Top 5 boundaries every busy parent needs](https://www.bona.co.za/lifestyle/top-5-boundaries-every-busy-parent-needs/) _2026-08-20 · Staff Bona · Bona Magazine_ Between work deadlines, school runs, homework, extracurricular activities and family commitments, modern parenting can feel like a never-ending juggling act. For busy parents, setting healthy boundaries can make family life more manageable — and help protect precious time and energy. Also see: Compassion vs boundaries: How to stop being everyone’s ‘therapist’ Research into work-family balance in… ## [7 Ways to make storytime more engaging for your toddler](https://www.bona.co.za/lifestyle/7-ways-to-make-storytime-more-engaging-for-your-toddler/) _2026-08-20 · Staff Bona · Bona Magazine_ Storytime is more than a cosy bedtime ritual. Reading together gives toddlers opportunities to hear new words, practise communication and connect stories with the world around them. The key is to make books interactive and enjoyable rather than treating reading like a lesson. Also see: Top 5 screen-free activities for toddlers 1. Let them choose Give your toddler a say in... Read more → The post 7… ## [Easy ways to make your home look expensive](https://www.bona.co.za/lifestyle/easy-ways-to-make-your-home-look-expensive/) _2026-08-20 · Zintle Mdaka · Bona Magazine_ You don’t need a huge renovation budget to make your home look more luxurious. Small changes to your décor, lighting and organisation can give your space a more polished feel without costing a fortune. Also see: The subtle art of making your house feel like home According to Good Housekeeping, interior designers recommend simple changes such as adding meaningful artwork,... Read more → The post… ## [From garden to table: Making the most of your spring harvest](https://www.bona.co.za/lifestyle/from-garden-to-table-making-the-most-of-your-spring-harvest/) _2026-08-20 · Chumasande Matiwane · Bona Magazine_ Spring is a season of renewal, and nowhere is that more apparent than at the market or in the garden. After months of hearty winter meals, spring brings a welcome abundance of crisp vegetables, tender greens, fragrant herbs, and colourful fruits. Making the most of this seasonal harvest is all about keeping things fresh, simple, and full of flavour. Whether... Read more → The post From garden to… ## [Money mistakes to avoid when you start earning your first salary](https://www.bona.co.za/work-and-money/money-mistakes-to-avoid-when-you-start-earning-your-first-salary/) _2026-08-20 · Zintle Mdaka · Bona Magazine_ Getting your first salary is an exciting milestone. After years of studying, training or searching for work, seeing money land in your bank account can feel like financial freedom. But without a plan, your first few salaries can disappear quickly. Also see: 10 Money Mistakes Young South Africans Make Before 30 Here are some money mistakes to avoid when you... Read more → The post Money mistakes to… ## [Rassie Erasmus breaks silence on Siya Kolisi’s Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry omission](https://www.bona.co.za/sports/rassie-erasmus-breaks-silence-on-siya-kolisis-rugbys-greatest-rivalry-omission/) _2026-08-20 · Staff Bona · Bona Magazine_ Rassie Erasmus has shed light on his decision to leave Siya Kolisi out of the Springbok side to face the All Blacks on Saturday, while also reflecting on Damian de Allende’s 100th Test cap. Also see: Springboks name Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry team for All Blacks clash Erasmus named the South African team for the first Test of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry... Read more → The post Rassie Erasmus breaks… ## [Work, pause, repeat: The rise of micro-retirement](https://www.bona.co.za/work-and-money/work-pause-repeat-the-rise-of-micro-retirement/) _2026-08-20 · Chumasande Matiwane · Bona Magazine_ The traditional idea of retirement is changing. For generations, people have been encouraged to work continuously for several decades, save for the future and retire at the end of their careers. However, a growing workplace trend is challenging this approach: micro-retirement. Also see: Simple ways to work smarter, not harder Instead of waiting until their 60s or 70s to... Read more → The post… ## [Connie Ferguson to receive prestigious honour at Africa Choice Awards](https://www.bona.co.za/entertainment/connie-ferguson-to-receive-prestigious-honour-at-africa-choice-awards/) _2026-08-20 · Zintle Mdaka · Bona Magazine_ South African actress, filmmaker and producer Connie Ferguson is set to receive a special honour at this year’s Africa Choice Awards, adding another milestone to an already celebrated career in the entertainment industry. Also see: Connie Ferguson drawn into investment scam backlash Connie will be honoured as a ‘Legend’ at the awards ceremony on 26 September 2026, in recognition of... Read more →… ## [Ditching the bill: Why Mzansi is trading overpriced hotspots for the ‘home-host’ era](https://www.bona.co.za/lifestyle/ditching-the-bill-why-mzansi-is-trading-overpriced-hotspots-for-the-home-host-era/) _2026-08-20 · Rhaees Hanslo · Bona Magazine_ Between skyrocketing menu prices, mandatory service charges, and noisy, crowded venues, South Africans are officially experiencing restaurant fatigue. Also see: 7 Signs your relationship with food could use a reset The weekly ritual of booking a table at the latest trendy hotspot is losing its appeal as economic pressures force diners to be far more intentional with their discretionary spend....… ## [Equal work, unequal pay: Understanding the gender pay gap](https://www.bona.co.za/work-and-money/equal-work-unequal-pay-understanding-the-gender-pay-gap/) _2026-08-20 · Chumasande Matiwane · Bona Magazine_ The gender pay gap remains one of the most persistent inequalities in the modern workplace. Although women’s participation in education and employment has increased significantly over the past decades, women continue to earn less than men on average. Also see: 10 Inspiring South African women who changed history The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that women globally earn around… ## [Hire AI-Powered Freelancers Fast (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/fHG0o6VLvT6C) _2026-08-20 · **Sponsored**_ Browse and hire skilled professionals using AI tools — free to post, free to apply. ## [If You Love Your Library, Learn Who Pays for It](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/if-you-love-your-library-learn-who) _2026-08-16 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ Why Public-Library Funding Matters Long Before the Budget Cuts Arrive ## [Mac Barnett Is Right. Except When He Isn’t.](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/mac-barnett-is-right-except-when) _2026-08-09 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ On Make Believe, children’s literature, and the limits of a very short book ## [Who Can Actually Read in America?](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/who-can-actually-read-in-america) _2026-08-02 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ Literacy is not a light switch and the statistics are more complicated than the headlines suggest. ## [Painting Colorful Animals](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/painting-colorful-animals-138) _2026-07-23 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ Video 2: The Underpainting [Listen](https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/208243255.mp3) ## [Painting Colorful Animals](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/painting-colorful-animals) _2026-07-23 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ Video 1: Getting Started [Listen](https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/208211057.mp3) ## [The Very Hungry Slop Machine](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/the-very-hungry-slop-machine) _2026-07-19 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ Why Children Deserve Better Than AI-Generated Books ## [Live with Rachel Bachman](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/live-with-rachel-bachman-18b) _2026-07-17 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ A recording from Rachel Bachman's live video [Listen](https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/206747997/be0c70c13ea35d3ba46742799eeff1b8.mp3) ## [Books for Children Who Feel Everything](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/books-for-children-who-feel-everything) _2026-07-12 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ Five recent picture books that make room for sensitivity, sadness, and wonder ## [Live with Rachel Bachman](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/live-with-rachel-bachman-062) _2026-07-10 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ A recording from Rachel Bachman's live video [Listen](https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/206376318/ded4d764ff575583bd5c256e0190a2a2.mp3) ## [Reluctant, or Overruled?](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/reluctant-or-overruled) _2026-07-05 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ Why children’s reading preferences deserve more respect than adults often give them. ## [8.1% APY Plus Free Stock (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/TCCmONLCiXxq) _2026-07-05 · **Sponsored**_ Claim 8.1% APY and up to $1,030 in SK hynix and Nvidia stock. ## [Where Did the Boy Books Go?](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/where-did-the-boy-books-go) _2026-06-28 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ The missing realistic middle-grade stories boys need to keep reading. ## [A Frog, a Log, and a Dead Story](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/a-frog-a-log-and-a-dead-story) _2026-06-21 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ The Dangers of Choosing to Write Your Picture Book in Rhyme ## [Live with Rachel Bachman](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/live-with-rachel-bachman) _2026-06-19 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ A recording from Rachel Bachman's live video [Listen](https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/202659108/ce9d5664ba1e0f2a37d43a6745b91c97.mp3) ## [Spooky Is Not a Season](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/spooky-is-not-a-season) _2026-06-14 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ Six Picture Books to Read this Summerween ## [When the Book in the Mail Stops Coming](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/when-the-book-in-the-mail-stops-coming) _2026-06-07 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ What funding cuts to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library reveal about how we value early literacy. ## [The Best Picture Books Are Built, Not Just Written](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/the-best-picture-books-are-built) _2026-05-31 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ What makes these deceptively simple books work ## [Underpaid, Overqualified, and Smiling](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/underpaid-overqualified-and-smiling) _2026-05-24 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ The self-sacrificing competition inside libraries, museums, and other feminized workplaces ## [The Safe Place for Danger](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/the-safe-place-for-danger) _2026-05-17 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ On the stories children reach for when the adults finally let them ## [I Sang the Song. I Read the Book. Did It Matter?](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/i-sang-the-song-i-read-the-book-did) _2026-05-03 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ On the beautiful, ridiculous, hard-to-measure work of early literacy. ## [Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/sfRmZnJ3yN9L) _2026-05-03 · **Sponsored**_ Buy, sell and margin trade BTC & ETH with fiat currencies ## [Gen Z Parents Don’t Hate Books](https://bachmanrachel.substack.com/p/gen-z-parents-dont-hate-books) _2026-04-26 · Rachel Bachman · Excuse My Whimsy_ They Hate All the Judgment that Comes with It