Just a Touch of AutumnWritten by Arleen M. Kaptur
The calendar pages drop so quickly and Summer is over - fun, get-togethers, vacations, outings, family, etc. Absolutely not - most colorful, exhilerating and exciting season is about ready to arrive. Autumn-Fall-Harvest Time - whatever name you attach to this time of year - it is a tribute to world around you as Holiday Season is fast approaching and great times are just ahead. Fall gets "baking" instinct in you up and about - whether you do baking or a quick trip to a neighborhood bakery. Warm, fresh and succulent apple offerings-pie, doughnuts with cinnamon and sugar, and caramel iced sticky buns, to name a few. Hay stacks, wagon rides, Indian corn, corn stalks, colorful mums (yellow, white, burnt orange, virant purple), and pumpkins - tiny orange globes and even white ghosty ones to biggest, brightest Jack-o-Lantern you can find on a cool Autumn afternoon.
| | Five Tips for Successful GrandparentingWritten by Don Schmitz
Building on cherished connection between grandparents and grandchildren is a life-long privilege. As grandchildren grow and mature role grandparents play in lives of their grandchildren changes but principals remain true at any age. 1. Boundaries are necessary for control and safety. All children need and must learn to respect boundaries. Being clear about expectations before an activity begins frees you and child to enjoy event and ensures safety of everyone involved. If you observe boundaries are being violated, don’t be afraid to remind your grandchildren again. Restate rules as many times as necessary. Writing rules and posting them or bringing them along is a good idea. If a rule is violated during activity, ask child to repeat or read rules again. 2.Gift giving is not a requirement of grandparenting. Establish a practice with your first grandchild and stick with it; what you do for one doesn’t necessarily have to be done for all. Financial and family situations change as our children grow. If a family experiences loss of a job or divorce, don’t be afraid to make temporary changes. Gifts are gifts especially when they are unexpected. Surprise gifts are best. Gifts don’t have to cost a lot. Research supports fact that “time together” is best gift we can give. Travel provides time for grandparent and grandchildren to discover and appreciate each other’s gifts. 3. All rules must be consistent with parents’ wishes. Anything you do with and for your grandchild needs to be discussed first with parents. After all, parents make rules and effective grandparents support them.
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