Poem for Grandchildren

I did this poem for my grandchildren to give them some insight into my life as a child, but to also share some "Words of Wisdom". You can make a poem for your grandchildren too. I am sure they will enjoy it when they get older (or when their parents - or you - read it to them).

From your Grannie
Your Grannie is someone, who loves you a lot
And in her heart, you will always hold a big spot
But who was I, when I was little like you
What did I do for fun, and did my dreams come true?

When I was born, I was a little bit chubby
I had fair skin, and black hair that was fuzzy
The nurses took one look and said, she looks liked Snow White
And my mother was proud and she said they were right

I grew up in a house, that was pretty small
With five brothers and three sisters, it was always quite full
I didn’t have a lot of toys, because there was no money to buy them
But I always had something to play with, because I used my imagination

School was fun, but days off were better
We always played outside, no matter the weather
Winter meant tobogganing, and skating too
And sometimes we would build a snow fort, that we crawled into

Summer was for swinging, and climbing up trees
And going for swims, at the river down the street
We didn’t have lots of paper, so wrote stories and drew pictures in the sand
We would finish one chapter, then wipe it off with our hand

I was always afraid of heights, and I didn’t like the dark
We had a farmer’s field to play in, but it wasn’t a park
We had to use an outhouse, no real toilet for us
We didn’t have a car, so we walked, biked, or took a bus

We would all sit around, our little black and white TV
Once a year we watched The Wizard of Oz, and in one part I would scream
I dreamed of being a Princess, with lots of beautiful dresses with frills
I wanted to be Cinderella, living in a castle on a hill

Did my young dreams come true, well, not really you see
But I’m not sad about that, no, not in the least
Life isn’t about money, or the things that you want
It’s about health and love, and being happy with what you’ve got

Always be yourself, your friends should like you that way
Put your shyness on the shelf, and speak up when you have something to say
Every now and then, give someone a surprise
And always be willing to compromise

Love your family…and love yourself!

To my Grandkids who truly make me happy!

Love, Grannie

NO, I don't want that!

Ah, it’s a frustrating and worrisome time when children decide they don’t want to eat. I know with my own children, there was a time when one of them liked meat, the other liked potatoes and the other liked vegetables, so at least I didn’t have to fix more than one meal to get everyone to eat! On the other hand, maybe you had children that ate everything on their plate and you can’t relate to grandchildren not eating what they are given.

Picky-eaters are something you may have to deal with if you are taking care of your grandchildren for an extended period of time. Of course, they may not be picky eaters at all, but maybe you’re not feeding them things they are used to, or at a time they are used to. If little Johnny is too tired to eat or has never eaten what you are trying to give him, you likely won’t get the result you are looking for even if you’ve prepared what you think is the “perfect meal”. It’s always a good idea to consult with the parents on what the children like to eat and to know if they are on somewhat of a schedule for snacks/meals (as well as nap and bedtimes). They know their children best. In the meantime, you could look up some new recipes using the guidelines that the parents have given you of what the children like to eat. It may not work out though, and that's where having an alternate (quick) meal plan in mind is a good idea, or just make sure you have extra vegetables and side dishes available that you know the children like. Who knows though, your new recipe could be their new "favourite food"! I know when my children were growing up, I would have welcomed any new food ideas to try...

I know children won’t starve just because they don’t eat everything they are given all the time, but it still is a worry when it happens! If you are really concerned, call the parents and ask them what to do, otherwise, just do your best and let the parents know if you think the children didn't eat as much as they should have. It may not be a concern for them at all...but on the other hand, it might be.

In my case, my grandson has cystic fibrosis, so he does have to eat something within a certain time-limit of taking his enzymes pills or it will cause stomach irritation, constipation, etc. but you can’t force-feed children or rush them; they will eat when they are ready.

I certainly remember it being a frustrating time in my life when my children wouldn’t eat very much, but things worked out and they eventually started eating a full meal by themselves...

What's in a Name?

One of the first questions I was asked after I found out I was going to be a Grandma, was, "What do you want to be called?" I had always thought that I would like to be called Granny because that's what we called my mother and she was one of the greatest Granny's I know of - and definitely was loved by all her grandchildren. I added "ie" to the end of my "title" because I liked the look of it better - and I told everyone about it beforehand. If the "other Grandma" has decided on the same name though, it can still work out. You can call yourself Grannie Lynn or Grannie Crosbie - or maybe someone will decide to choose another name. There seem to be a lot of titles to pick from (Nanny, Grandma, Grammy, Oma, etc.), so do some research and see if there's one you like better. Whatever name is decided on, remember that your grandchildren just might have other ideas about what you are going to be called and that can also be a fun way to decide on a name... Whatever happens, this is a fun and exciting time in your life and when you finally get called your chosen title, whatever it is, it will feel wonderful. Enjoy!