Grandparent Opportunities, Vol. 6, #1
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GRANDPARENT OPPORTUNITIES
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"Golden Opportunities for Grandparents" (Volume 6, Number 1, 1995) is an
extension newsletter prepared by Jane Beightol, Mifflin Co.; Andrea Bressler,
Clearfield Co.; Nancy Covert, Jefferson Co.; Debra Gregory, Huntingdon Co.;
Sandra Hall, Clinton Co.; and Jane Mecum, Perry Co. This electronic version
is for use by other agents or directly by community members. (Professionals:
Please acknowledge the source of these materials if you re-use them.)
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Dear Grandparents,
This is the first issue for the 1995 Golden Opportunity newsletter series. If
you are a first time subscriber, welcome aboard. You have just joined an
elite group of over 800 grandparents who receive this newsletter. If you
would like to add a friend to our mailing list, please call your local
extension office.
Now that the holidays are over and winter is in full swing, it's time to do
something with all those sale catalogs you received. Your first instinct is
to throw them away. STOP! Those catalogs are great resources for your
grandchildren.
If your family is like most, you realize that when grandkids come over they
like to be active. If they can't get outside, they need to find some type of
"entertainment" inside. Forget the TV, use old catalogs. For example, let
smaller children cut or tear out pictures. You can say, "Find pictures of
things that start with the letter "P", or find pictures with the color
"green." You get the idea.
For older children, let them use appropriate size scissors and cut the most
colorful pages into 8-inch squares. Brush or rub a thin layer of glue to all
the edges. Starting at one corner, roll to the opposite corner; add a little
glue to seal the end. Now, you should have a long tube that can be cut into
various lengths. These can then be strung on yarn for great necklaces or
glued onto paper into a collage. If left uncut, they make great "lighters"
for starting a fire. Naturally, fire making is your job, but grand-kids will
love making the "lighters" just for you.
GIFT GIVING CAN BE A CHALLENGE
Was one of your New Year's Resolutions to do a better job at finding gifts for
your family, especially the grandchildren?
Every year, after the holidays, many grandparents often feel their gifts were
not appreciated. While you can't turn back the clock, you might work on
figuring out what to do about this years' gift giving dilemma, including
birthdays.
Some people solve the whole issue by just giving money. Others make hand-made
gifts and still others spend hours worrying over each item they select at a
store. Giving gifts is a big challenge! Your goal is to find the right thing
and hope the recipient will like it.
Here are some tips:
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It is important to know each grandchild. That is easier said than done. This
can be a problem, if you only visit the grandchildren occasionally. With
today's busy lifestyle, it is increasingly difficult for families to get
together. Some grandchildren visit only by phone.
Know the ages of the grandchildren and the trends for that age. It is easy to
pick out teddy bears, toy trucks, coloring books and videos for the young age
groups. The younger school age children enjoy craft ideas, videos, and lots
of action toys. As children reach their teen years, the task of buying a gift
becomes even harder. Money seems to be a good solution.
Checking out your ideas with the parent is always a good suggestion. They can
tell you if the other set of grandparents has already purchased the same item.
Don't fall into the trap of trying to "outdo" the other grandparents. This
usually backfires and hard feelings often occur on both sides of the family.
10 Best Gift List Ideas
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1. Savings bonds
2. Gift Certificates
3. Shopping trip with just you
4. Fast food coupons
5. Books
6. Magazine subscriptions
7. Small camera and photo album
8. Mini vacation at your home
9. Open a savings account
10. A calling card for just your number
Prepared by: Jane A. Mecum, Perry/Juniata Counties
PUDDING WICHES
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Ingredients: 1 4-oz. box instant pudding milk graham crackers or chocolate
wafers.
Directions: Make pudding according to package instructions, let thicken.
Spread between crackers or wafers. Freeze about 2 hours before serving.
WINTER ANIMAL STORY
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Together read a story about a winter animal. Talk about what animals do in
winter. What animals hibernate? What animals grow heavy coats?
Then take a walk looking for animal tracks. While you are out, look at the
different shapes of the snow and how the snow is melting.
Where does the snow melt first? Why?
SPECIAL TREATS FOR BIRDS
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Fresh Fruit: Cut up an apple or banana, and place on feeder, or into an
orange half.
Dried Fruit: Raisins, dates, etc., can be substituted for fresh fruit.
Jelly: A little fruit jelly in a dish will be welcomed by fruit eating birds,
like the mockingbird.
Suet Feeder: Put chunks of solid fat or suet into an orange or onion net bag.
Tie the filled bag to a tree branch.
Table Scraps: Birds enjoy many leftover foods such as cheese (American is a
favorite), cooked rice, breakfast cereal, and cooked spaghetti. Use table
scraps only in cold weather and keep them well off the ground.
SPRING IN WINTER
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In the middle of winter, you can have lovely fragrant white flowers by growing
narcissus bulbs. You can purchase these in flower shops, hardware stores, and
mail order catalogues.
To grow them, put some pebbles in the bottom of a shallow dish. Place the
bulbs, pointed end up, on the pebbles and then add a second layer of pebbles
to hold the bulbs erect. Be careful not to cover the tips of the bulbs with
pebbles. Add about an inch of water and then put the bulbs in a darkened spot
for about two weeks.
Water the bulbs every few days. When a little pale shoot begins to grow,
bring the dish into the light. After a few days in the shade, move to a sunny
window. In a few more weeks, your bulbs will grow into tall plants with
beautiful white blossoms.
Prepared by: Andrea Bressler, Extension Agent, Clearfield/Jefferson Counties.
ONE MOMENT IN TIME
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Your family makes memories each time family members interact. But the best
memories are those created during special occasions and celebrations. Each
family has its own way of marking important events such as births, religious
initiations, weddings, deaths and holidays.
Often the memory making parts of these occasions are the rituals, songs,
dances, foods, decorations, and other customs.
Ways we capture these memories are: photographs, video tapes, audio tapes,
movies, letters and diaries. These create a family's sense of its own story.
A history of pictures, words and sound to evoke memories of people, times and
places.
One very special way to preserve these memories is through stories.
Grandparents can tell children about the exploits of past generations.
Stories may be about family characters, journeys, settlement in a new area,
tales of a new job, wartime, sports, pets, goof-ups, scary times, or funny
happenings.
Storytelling deals with language, listening, imagination and social skills.
People are never too old to sharpen their skills via storytelling. Stories
are a valuable family strength-building resource for family culture in today's
fast paced, technical world.
Maybe you are part of a changing family situation. The major of storytelling
can still become a reality for you and your new family group. You can create
new memories by trying one of these storytelling activities at the dinner
table or at the next family get-together. They can be great ice breakers or
simply new ways to have fun.
Story Circle. One person begins a tale and stops after a few sentences. The
next person picks up the story thread and continues it. The next person adds
to it and so on until the tale comes to a resolution. The story could begin
with you or someone else simply by selecting a title or subject to guide the
plot of the tale. Try recording the story circle for later listening or to
send to someone who couldn't be present.
Story Song. Folk ballads to contemporary songs often have tales in them. You
could listen to a recording, then have family members retell the story in the
song in their own words. Even a non-musical person could participate.
Happenings. On separate slips of paper, write such things as: the funniest
thing that ever happened to me; the most embarrassing; the weirdest; the
scariest, etc. Take turns selecting one of the ideas. Give each person a few
minutes to think and tell of an incident for their statement. If they can't
think of an actual incident, they can make one up.
Old Photos. You may use old family photos or select pictures from a magazine.
Ask questions: What day do you think this was? Who in the photo knows their
picture is being taken? If you were standing in the picture, what sounds
might you hear? What might you smell? Where do you think the people are
going? What can you tell from the background scenery? Imagine it in color or
black and white. Does that change your ideas about it? What sort of
differences would be in a photo taken today at the same place with the same
people?
Each family's legacy is one strand in a tapestry of life as we know it, in our
time and place. It can be retold in stories, pictures and words. It is part
of the family's past which is interpreted to give meaning to life in an ever
changing world.
Prepared by: Nancy Covert, Extension Agent, Jefferson County
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Dr. Dan Lago, Ph.D., Penn State Extension Aging Specialist
Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences
323 Ag Administration Building, University Park, PA 16802
(814) 863-7871
Internet Address: DJL@PSU.EDU