Friday's Fun
I read a neat article in the September 2008 issue of Family Fun (great magazine!) by Shelley Abreu. Her father died when her oldest child was about three. Shelley grieved that her kids would never know this grandfather.
The article tells how she created “A Day with Grampy Rick.” She wrote down favorite memories on cardstock (such as blank index cards) and pasted descriptive pictures on the cards. For example, she says: “I scrawled ‘Tickle Torture’ and pasted on a picture of my dad tickling me. He was famous for his tickle attacks …”
When she completed a stack of “memory” cards, she put them inside one of her father’s old suitcases and tied a card on the outside handle that said, “A Day with Grampy Rick.” Yes, she attached a favorite picture of her dad.
Shelly explains in her article that whenever she opens the suitcase with her children for a “Day with Grampy Rick,” she shows them the pictures and reads the accompanying memories—and then they do some of the activities. Example: After she reads “Tickle Torture” and the memories, she tickles the kids.
Isn’t this a great idea! You could expand this to “A Day with Great-Grandma and Great-Granddad,” “A Day with the Jones Family,” or “A Day on the Family Farm, etc.”
Have fun!
He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/
- Mary May Larmoyeux
- Co-author of The Grandparent Connection: 365 Ways to Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart
Friday, August 29, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Bookmarks
Friday’s Fun
(Before I forget ... as I mentioned in the July 1 blog, if you leave a comment during the month of July or August, I will enter your name in a drawing for a copy of the book While They Were Sleeping: 12 Character Traits for Moms [Grandmoms] to Pray. I’ll draw a name on September 1 and will announce the winner’s name in the September 2 blog.)
Now is a great time to make some special bookmarks for your grands who are in school. If they live nearby, have fun making them together.
If you’re a long-distance grandparent, you could make the bookmarks yourself and mail them … or you could send materials to your grandkids so they can personalize their own bookmarks.
To Make Bookmarks
- Cut cardstock paper into bookmark size (approximately 1 ½” by 5”)
- Decorate the paper with sketches, pictures, Bible verses, stickers, etc.
- Either cover the bookmarks with clear contact paper or have them laminated at a teacher supply store
Have fun!
Also, if you have any of your old schoolbooks, this is a great time of year to let your grandchild thumb through them. Compare and contrast today’s books with those of yesterday.
He is able,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
The Beginning of School
Tuesday’s Thought
Yesterday one of our grands started kindergarten—the years sure fly by, don’t they! Pops and I talked with her on the phone last night and she was so excited. She told us about some of her new friends. She also said that everyone in her class earned a marble for their class jar. “When the jar is full we get a party!”
A friend told me that her little grand was excited about wearing a “unicorn” to school on her first day. (Of course, “unicorn” is really uniform.)
Other friends told Pops and me that they helped their granddaughter get ready for kindergarten by taking her to the school a few days before her class began. They let her have fun on the playground and then walked around the school with their grandchild praying for her teacher and school year. Great idea!
Another great idea someone once shared with me is to ask for a copy of your grandchild’s school calendar. You may want to mark down important dates such as Grandparents Day, Christmas holidays, graduation, etc. Also, many schools are online. You may want to find out the URL for your grands’ schools so you can keep up with ongoing activities.
He is able,
Mary
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
Yesterday one of our grands started kindergarten—the years sure fly by, don’t they! Pops and I talked with her on the phone last night and she was so excited. She told us about some of her new friends. She also said that everyone in her class earned a marble for their class jar. “When the jar is full we get a party!”
A friend told me that her little grand was excited about wearing a “unicorn” to school on her first day. (Of course, “unicorn” is really uniform.)
Other friends told Pops and me that they helped their granddaughter get ready for kindergarten by taking her to the school a few days before her class began. They let her have fun on the playground and then walked around the school with their grandchild praying for her teacher and school year. Great idea!
Another great idea someone once shared with me is to ask for a copy of your grandchild’s school calendar. You may want to mark down important dates such as Grandparents Day, Christmas holidays, graduation, etc. Also, many schools are online. You may want to find out the URL for your grands’ schools so you can keep up with ongoing activities.
He is able,
Mary
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
Friday, August 15, 2008
You've Got Mail!
Friday's Fun
If you’re like me, you're curious when a pop-up appears on your computer announcing “You’ve got mail.” Like its paper counterpart, a piece of unopened electronic mail holds all kinds of possibilities—a note from a loved one, an invitation to something fun, or needless information.
When I was a little girl, my grandmother saved her junk mail for moi … and it was wonderful. Instead of tossing it away, she put it in a stack on a small desk. I remember my childlike excitement when I’d carefully open each piece of mail with my special letter opener.
I haven’t thought about my Nana’s “mailbag” in a long time. Her idea has a lot of potential. You could put handwritten notes in your grand’s stack of mail or insert colorful postcards from visits around the country. You could have older grands read some of the mail to you and discuss what it says. You could discuss various charity appeals and help your grand choose one cause that he/she would like to give to. Then you could match whatever your grand raises for that particular cause. The possibilities are endless.
The next time one of our grands comes over to visit Pops and me, I plan to say: “You’ve got mail!”
He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/
If you’re like me, you're curious when a pop-up appears on your computer announcing “You’ve got mail.” Like its paper counterpart, a piece of unopened electronic mail holds all kinds of possibilities—a note from a loved one, an invitation to something fun, or needless information.
When I was a little girl, my grandmother saved her junk mail for moi … and it was wonderful. Instead of tossing it away, she put it in a stack on a small desk. I remember my childlike excitement when I’d carefully open each piece of mail with my special letter opener.
I haven’t thought about my Nana’s “mailbag” in a long time. Her idea has a lot of potential. You could put handwritten notes in your grand’s stack of mail or insert colorful postcards from visits around the country. You could have older grands read some of the mail to you and discuss what it says. You could discuss various charity appeals and help your grand choose one cause that he/she would like to give to. Then you could match whatever your grand raises for that particular cause. The possibilities are endless.
The next time one of our grands comes over to visit Pops and me, I plan to say: “You’ve got mail!”
He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
School Days
Tuesday's Thought
Jim and I spent last week in Branson, Missouri, and had a wonderful time! It’s so good to get away for a little R & R.
While we were in Branson, I read an article by Pat Lamb in the Tri-Lakes Tribune called “It’s time to get ready for school.” (I hope to have this article posted on www.marymaywrites later this week.) Pat says that there are four areas that we should always consider in helping children get ready for school: physical, mental, social, and spiritual. She says that too often we only think of one or two of these areas.
She also says that it’s important for children to learn about the school experiences of their parents [and grandparents].
One of our grands is starting kindergarten this month. After reading Pat’s article, I’ve decided to make a long-distance call and not only tell this grand that Pops and I will be praying for her on her big day, but also share with her about my first days of kindergarten. I’m also going to ask her mom and dad to e-mail Pops and me a picture of her beginning this new phase of life.
Do you have any tips about encouraging a grandchild at the beginning of the school year?
He is able,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com
Jim and I spent last week in Branson, Missouri, and had a wonderful time! It’s so good to get away for a little R & R.
While we were in Branson, I read an article by Pat Lamb in the Tri-Lakes Tribune called “It’s time to get ready for school.” (I hope to have this article posted on www.marymaywrites later this week.) Pat says that there are four areas that we should always consider in helping children get ready for school: physical, mental, social, and spiritual. She says that too often we only think of one or two of these areas.
She also says that it’s important for children to learn about the school experiences of their parents [and grandparents].
One of our grands is starting kindergarten this month. After reading Pat’s article, I’ve decided to make a long-distance call and not only tell this grand that Pops and I will be praying for her on her big day, but also share with her about my first days of kindergarten. I’m also going to ask her mom and dad to e-mail Pops and me a picture of her beginning this new phase of life.
Do you have any tips about encouraging a grandchild at the beginning of the school year?
He is able,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
The Good Book
Tuesday’s Thought
I mentioned last week that I recently went to a genealogy seminar. The speaker shared that his grandmother would sit on her front porch every day and read the Scriptures. I imagine her rocking back and forth with an open Bible resting on her lap.
As a six-year-old, the young boy was intrigued with his grandmother’s dedication to what she called the “Good Book.” Day after day and month after month she’d read the worn pages.
“Grandmother,” he asked one day, “When are you going to finish that book?”
“Never.”
“Never?” he answered in disbelief.
“Never until the day I die.”
As the boy's grandmother went to Scripture every day, she gave a wordless sermon to her grandson about what’s important in life.
What a memory! What a model! What a message!
He is able,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com
I mentioned last week that I recently went to a genealogy seminar. The speaker shared that his grandmother would sit on her front porch every day and read the Scriptures. I imagine her rocking back and forth with an open Bible resting on her lap.
As a six-year-old, the young boy was intrigued with his grandmother’s dedication to what she called the “Good Book.” Day after day and month after month she’d read the worn pages.
“Grandmother,” he asked one day, “When are you going to finish that book?”
“Never.”
“Never?” he answered in disbelief.
“Never until the day I die.”
As the boy's grandmother went to Scripture every day, she gave a wordless sermon to her grandson about what’s important in life.
What a memory! What a model! What a message!
He is able,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com
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