Wellington Savta Wins Blogging Award
A Wellington grandmother’s blog “Raising Grandchildren” has been named one of the world’s best blogs on grandparenting by the American Grand Magazine
Norman and Sally Kabak
Sally Kabak’s 6-yr-old granddaughter is a walking, talking silver lining around the cloud of the tragic life endured by Sally’s daughter whom she has not seen for three years.
In April 2007, following a family conference with Child Youth and Family, the Government body dealing with the welfare of children, the courts awarded custody of the 6 -yr-old child to Sally and Norman.
Faced with her new-found responsibility, Sally headed to the Internet for information and tips in grandparenting. “There was nothing out there”, she told J-Wire. “I decided to try to create a web site by myself and to make contact with others in a similar position.”
Kabak did not call in any IT companies to help her. Instead, she opted for a standard template on offer from New Zealand Telecom….and “Raising Grandchildren” became an immediate hit, catching the eye of the American online Grand Magazine which named it one of the twelve best blogs of 2010 and the only one outside the U.S. The site has
visitors from around the world.
Today, with thanks to the help and advice she shares with others in a similar position, Kabak can see her granddaughter enjoying life…and she and husband Norman share in that enjoyment.
Sally added: “She is well balanced and brilliant at school. She has seven half brothers and sisters in New Zealand and we encourage her to talk on the phone with them…and we held a reunion for the siblings in Wellington recently. My granddaughter enjoys school, swimming and is quite self-contained. We have told her as much as she needs to know.”
Sally, 62, met her husband Norman on the Internet 17 years ago and in person 4 years later. She told J-Wire: “The Internet has obviously played a huge part in my life. Like so many others, bringing up a six-year-old is not what we are supposed to doing at this stage in our lives but we are in a routine now.”
And as for her granddaughter….Sally added: “She enjoys being on the computer, too.”
For legal reasons, J-Wire cannot name the child….and here is the web site.
