Toddlers, Food, and Memories

Grandmas are supposed to be all about food, but if it's been awhile since you've fed a toddler, may I offer a refresher course? I wrote about Toddler Nutrition in the Bloomington Pantagraph for Hearts at Home recently. You might find it interesting -- and it will probably bring back memories!

Keeping Up

Being a grandma is no excuse for falling behind culturally.
I don't mean you have to be aware of every celebrity twitch. What I mean is it's not good to use your own advancing age to ignore what's happening in our culture. And in our culture, technology is a big deal.
Even if you don't use technology, it's a good idea to know something about it. Otherwise, sooner or later you'll find yourself speaking a different language from your grandchildren.
Traditionally grandparents hang on to technology that was cutting edge when they were younger, and shy away from what is newest. That isn't true of all grandparents, of course; some of us can't wait to show off how cool we are -- we Twitter, and we don't care who knows it!
Part of understanding and using technology is awareness of its risks and dangers. The NetSmartz website has easy-to-understand explanations of those risks and dangers, with special sections for parents and guardians, as well as for children of every age.
I encourage you to check it out, educate yourself, then share what you've learned with the grandkids you love.

Three Lessons from a Visit

One of the 4-year olds spent the night this week. We had a good time checking out the spider webs in the back yard, watching two (two!) movies together (short ones -- the Focus on the Family McGee and Me series,) and carefully examining family photographs.
It's hard for a 4-year old to spend the night away from family. “I never did this before,” she told me. “Always before I had somebody else here with me.”
She was brave despite a little bit of homesickness (having Jasmine the golden lab to play with helped a lot,) and we did have fun together. After our backyard spider expedition we sat down in the swing on the big sycamore tree, only to discover that yet another spider was busy building a web from the swing to the nearest sycamore branch! (We politely encouraged that spider to build somewhere else.)
The raspberry chocolate chip ice cream was a disappointment (too much raspberry, not enough chocolate chip) so we substituted popcorn for our after dinner treat.
We visited a local used-book store as well as the local library. We brought home some books that we enjoyed, curled up together on the love seat in the living room. Now when I write her a letter and say I've just come from the bookstore or the library, she'll have an idea of where I'm talking about.
And looking at the family photographs gave her a glimpse into her mommy and daddy's lives before she was a part of them. “She's so pretty,” she said, gazing at a photograph of her mom a few years ago. I had to agree!
Our overnight together accomplished at least three good things: we got to know one another better. We had fun together. And next time, I'll be sure the ice cream is chocolate!

Making Introductions, Strengthening Connections

Staying current with what's happening in the world of parenting is easier than ever for grandparents. There's a wealth of information about new products, new ideas, and new information about child development that even grandparents will benefit from available in books, magazines, online. We set a good example for both our grandchildren and our children when we keep learning new information and stay interested in what's happening.
In the September 2008 issue of one of the relatively new parenting magazines, Wonder Time, there's a great article, Lost in Translation by Sarah Trillin, about how to introduce your child to her grandparents, even those who are deceased. In a sidebar, Trillin offers sugggestions for “Keeping Memories Alive” that will touch your heart, inspire you, even make you think about your own grandparents.
As a grandparent, these suggestions may give you some ideas, too, for sharing your life with your grandchildren, help them know -- and remember -- you better.

Trading Lunches

With the new school year beginning, many families are looking for new lunchboxes. They have a lot of choices.
One option is recyclable bags, thermoses, and wrappers. The Reusable Bags website offers all these, including stainless steel drink containers and sandwich wraps that take the place of plastic sandwich bags.
The products they offer are appealing, but as I looked through the website, I was concerned to learn that many of them are manufactured in China. I'm glad China has developed a thriving economy, but I'd like to have a choice. The website makes a point of reporting that while they'd like to buy American-made product, they can't do it in a cost-effective way.
The website also emphasizes that they check in on the factories where product is made to be sure they adhere to safety and personnel policies.
I'm not familiar enough with the intricacies of trade policy to comment much. I understand there are issues of life safety, product safety, labor practices, material costs, trade balances and fair trade practices that affect our ability to keep manufacturing plants open and running efficiently.
I just know I'd like to buy safe, well-made products made in the United States at a price I can afford. And surely there are answers to these concerns that will allow our grandchildren to find good jobs in this country when they grow up.

Framing Your Grandchildren

Marge Kennedy's book 100 Things You Can Do To Keep Your Family Together has hundreds of ideas for family fun.
This is one of my favorites:
“One mom reports within earshot of her kindergartner: 'It's the most amazing thing. But every year, Santa somehow finds my daughter's best work, frames it, and leaves it under the tree for me. And every year, it's my favorite gift.'”
What a good way to spotlight work that might otherwise be tucked into the back of a drawer!
Framed artwork created by your child as a gift for a grandparent is a great way to share your child's progress.
Or a grandparent could “commission” a picture from a grandchild as a gift for a parent!
Either way, everyone wins, and the child feels as if she has contributed something of value to family celebrations.
Ms. Kennedy doesn't stop there, though -- she suggests other ideas like:
“* Photograph a terrific block tower before getting to the necessary task of dismantling it to reclaim the living room floor.
* Tape record piano recitals, new songs learned, poetry readings.
* Create collages of special events -- hair ribbons, a pressed flower, photo, program from a child's ballet recital, or ticket stubs from the season's final peewee soccer match.”
These ideas are creative ways to encourage and affirm a child's accomplishments.

Four Ways to Influence Arts Education

This morning one of my daughters e-mailed a YouTube video about “Raisin Brahms.”
It's a short commercial from the Americans for the Arts campaign, and it was so cute I checked out their website, where I found a lot of helpful, interesting information.
For instance, did you know that (according to the website's Quick Facts) “Young people who participate in the arts for at least three hours on three days each week through at least one full year are 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement . . . 3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools . . . 4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair . . . 3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance . . . 4 times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem.
As a grandparent I believe these opportunities are important for children. And as a grandparent I have several opportunities to make a difference in the lives of my grandchildren, as well as all the children in our community -- and that's important for many reasons, not least because those children are my grandchildren's peer group.
Here are four ways grandparents can influence the arts opportunities our grandchildren have:
* Act as advocates for the arts in our community, including working with local school boards to be sure there is adequate funding, resources and equipment for arts programs.
* Patronize exhibits, concerts, shows, and art sales in the local community. A thriving arts community will demonstrate opportunities for artists.
* If you've ever played an instrument, drawn or painted a picture, or written a short story or poem, keep at it! When your grandchildren see you working at these things, it legitimizes them. When they see you having fun with them, it encourages your grandchild to try them, too!
* If you're an artist, volunteer your skill and talent to your local school, church, or community group. The more art there is around your grandchildren, the more artists they know, the more they'll be inspired to find the artist within themselves.

An Invitation

I'd like to invite you to stop by and visit my other blog, Notes from Home. It's a daybook of sorts, reflections about everyday life. You can find it here.

3 Ways a Grandparent Matters

Grandparents are important in a child's life. Whether they live next door or across the country, grandparents can provide at least three important benefits to their grandchildren.
* Grandparents provide a sense of connection. Kids like to know where they belong, and they like to feel they are part of something significant. When they know how they fit into a family, kids gain a sense of belonging and significance.
* Grandparents provide back-up to a parent. Even if they don't quite agree on every detail, a grandparent can affirm a parent's authority and confirm a parent's love. Kids need to see a united front when it comes to things that are important, and grandparents can offer important support to the things a parent is trying to instill in a child.
* Grandparents provide love. From the hugs and kisses at the end of a visit (or a letter!) to the caring concern about everything from scraped knees to grades on tests to a child's interests and enthusiasms, a grandparent's interest in a grandchild says one thing: you matter greatly to me, and I love you. Kids need that from someone besides a parent.
If you are a grandparent, you have the opportunity to bless your grandchild significantly!

Grandkids and Nature

One of the things we can nurture in our grandchildren is a love of nature. The psalmist tells us that “the majesty of God's name fills the earth.” (Psalm 8:9) When we encourage close observation and pleasure in nature, we are really directing attention to the Creator.
My daughter Julie Kaiser wrote about encouraging children to enjoy nature from for a Hearts at Home column in the Bloomington Pantagraph. You can read her observations here.
While Julie was talking specifically about some of the ways parents can encourage a child to explore the natural world around him, her ideas are simple enough for a grandparent to utilize.
We can encourage our grandchildren's natural interest in the world around them. Simply giving them an opportunity to explore is a good beginning. For a grandparent, that might mean making a walk together a regular ritual during the time we spend with our grandchildren.
We can point out things our grandkids might miss, but we can also listen to their observations and questions about what they see and hear and smell.
Here are some other ideas you might find helpful in nurturing your grandchild's love of nature:
* Share your own interest and enthusiasm. When our kids were small, my own father's interest in constellations sparked their interest. What an exciting evening it was when grandpa came to our house to share telescope time!
* Make the natural world part of your conversation with your grandchildren, whether that conversation takes place in person or on the phone, through letters and notes, or by e-mail.
* Make field guides or other educational resources available to your grandchild. The National Wildlife Federation publishes several nature magazines for children, including Your Big Backyard and Ranger Rick.
* Visit local parks, wildlife refuges, and gardens together.
* Encourage your grandchild to sketch, journal, photograph or make an audio recording of what she sees and hears in nature.
No matter how you go about it, sharing a love for God's creation with your grandchildren is a good thing.