Golden Opportunity-Grandparenting (Vol. 8, No.1)
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The Golden Opportunity -- "Grandparenting"
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"The Golden Opportunity -- "Grandparenting" is an extension newsletter
prepared by Pennsylvania Family Living agents: Jane Beightol, Mifflin Co.,
(717) 248-9618; Andrea Bressler, Clearfield Co., (814) 765-7878; Nancy Covert,
Jefferson Co., (814) 849-7361; Debra Gregory, Huntingdon Co., (814) 643-1660;
Sandra Hall, Clinton Co., (717) 893-4050; and Jane Mecum, Perry Co., (717)
582-2131. 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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Volume 8, Number 1, 1997
IN THIS ISSUE . . .
* Grandparents Provide Lifetime Memories for Children
* Our Family Tree
* Family Stories
* Puzzles
* The Family Flower
* Frozen Nature Collages
* Family Letters Provide a Tangible Piece of History
* Make a Family Banner
* Make a Memory Book
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Dear Grandparents,
The main topic of this letter is geneology, so you will find several articles
on preserving family memories as well as activities you can do with your
grandchildren to make lasting memories.
GRANDPARENTS PROVIDE LIFE-TIME MEMORIES FOR CHILDREN
PAUSE with your grandchild - when others hurry by.
WALK with your grandchild - when others are running.
SMILE with your grandchild - when others can find only frowns.
LISTEN to your grandchild - when others appear preoccupied.
TALK with your grandchild - when others prefer shouting.
HUG your grandchild - when others fail to sense the power of touch.
READ TO Your granchild - when others prefer television.
PLAY with your grandchild - when others prefer being entertained.
DISCIPLINE your grandchild - when others fail to establish limits.
Prepared by: Katherine James
Family Living/Youth Development Agent, Carbon Co.
Sincerely,
Jane Beightol, C.F.C.S.
Family Living Agent
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PUZZLES
Choose one large colored picture and paste it onto a piece of cardboard. Then
cut it into 4 or 5 pieces for your grandchild to put together. When she can
do it easily, make the puzzle harder by cutting the pieces into smaller ones.
Turn the picture puzzle into a message puzzle. After pasting on the picture,
but before cutting into pieces, turn the cardboard over and write a message or
short letter. Send the puzzle message through the mail disassembled. Your
grandchild will enjoy assembling the puzzle as well as reading your message.
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THE FAMILY FLOWER
Using various colors of construction paper, cut out parts for a flower or
plant. Write the first and last names of everyone in your family on different
petals and leaves. Be sure to include great-grandparents, as well as cousins.
Your grandchild can paste the parts together to make a family flower on a
large sheet of paper. Help your grandchild to write her name at the top or in
the center of the flower. Share stories and talk about the members of your
family.
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FROZEN NATURE COLLAGES
disposable pie tins water
yarn food coloring
freezing weather
materials from nature, such as pine needles,
pine cones, twigs or acorns
Fill the pie tins with water. Place nature objects in tin. Put in a drop or
two of food coloring. Place the ends of a loop of yarn in the water. This
will be used as a hanger later. Place the tins in a sheltered spot outside
and allow them to freeze solid.
It's nice to place the tins near a window where your grandchild can watch them
from inside. When the collages are solidly frozen, pour some warm water on
the back of the tin to unmold the ice. Then hang these beautiful collages
from a tree or the fence so the sunlight can shine through them.
Over time, the collages will melt, drip, and become smaller as the weather
gets warmer. Discuss how the temperature of weather affects water.
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Prepared by: Andrea Bressler, Extension Agent
Clearfield and Jefferson Counties
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OUR FAMILY TREE
Grandparents are a vital link to the past. No one else can describe what life
was like during their youth and growing up. One grandmother took a writing
class so that she could sharpen her skills to write a book of short stories
about her life to give to her grandchildren. What a wonderful legacy!
Not all grandparents want to take a writing class but every grandparent can
provide valuable information to the younger generation concerning their
heritage. Start by listing all the ancestors that you know and telling all
the stories you know about them. Continue by telling about your own
generation and then the following generations. Pick out special stories about
a child's grandparent, parent, aunt, uncle or cousin so that the person is
designated as a special person in the family. Help children to know the
person as a human being with different characteristics. It's even okay to
embellish
stories a bit!
You can record stories by writing them or by verbally putting them on tape.
Older grandchildren might enjoy making a videotape of a grandparent talking
about the family.
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FAMILY STORIES
There is no end of topics that can be discussed in genealogy. Stories about
people, families, homes, holidays, songs, clothing, games, foods, customs,
recipes. Families are limited only by their imaginations!
Go to your library and find some books that might be fun to share with
grandchildren. Choose those that tell about different families so it is easy
to talk about your own family heritage. A few ideas are:
* A VISIT WITH GREAT GRANDMA, Sharon Hart Addy.
* GRANDPA, Barbara Borack
* APPLE PIE AND ONIONS, Judith Caseley
* TROUBLE, Helen Cresswell
* JAM DAY, Barbara M. Joose
* IN COAL COUNTRY, Judith Hendershot
Grandparents and grandchildren can write stories about their own families.
Pick a topic such as school and describe the best part of the day, or homes
and write about mealtimes. Compare how each generation describes the same
subject.
"To forget one's ancestors is to be brook without source, a tree without a
root." - Chinese Proverb
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Prepared by: Carol Christen
Family Living Agent, Green County
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FAMILY LETTERS PROVIDE A TANGIBLE PIECE OF HISTORY
To help preserve family history, start a round-robin family letter. Each
family member writes about the weekUs happenings, adding their letter to the
others and sending them on to the next person. When the letter arrives, sit
down and have a family "visit." As the years pass, these accounts of what
happened to each family member on a particular week will be a joy and delight
to recount and remember.
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MAKE A FAMILY BANNER
Making a family banner is a creative and enjoyable way to help family members
determine family strengths and show how each person's strength contributes to
the whole family.
Use a large sheet of paper, an old bed sheet, or a two to three foot piece of
shelf paper or brown wrapping paper and crayons or felt tip markers.
Each child and adult will draw pictures on the banner of those things that
have a special meaning for you as a member of the family. Include pictures of
favorite things or activities, and pictures of family activities that are
special to you. Hang it up where all family members can see it and talk about
their family and its strengths.
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MAKE A MEMORY BOOK
On the day your grandchildren are born, save the front page of the newspaper
and any public announcements of the birth. Use a scrapbook or a school size
notebook, or make up your own book. You can make it as simple or fancy as you
like.
Put down all the great "firsts" in your grandchildren's lives - the first time
they smile, walk, talk, sit up, crawl, etc.
Write down dates and symptoms of illnesses, date of shots and immunizations,
monthly weight and height, how many teeth and when they get them, and the
babyUs blood type. As they grow older, include drawings that they make. You
can note the things they learn, what they like and don't like, and clever
comments they make in the early years.
The memory book will be one way for your grandchildren to learn about their
roots and to learn about themselves. It will not only give them much
enjoyment, but it will also serve as a good record of the early years.
Prepared by: Kathryn James, Family Living/Youth Development Agent, Carbon
County
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This publication is available in alternative media on request.
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without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability,
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University, 201 Willard Building, University Park PA 16802-2801; telephone
(814) 863-0471; TDD (814) 865-3175.
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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 16802-2601
(814) 863-7871
Internet Address: djl@psu.edu