Thursday, April 3, 2014

I'm Done Making My Kid's Childhood Magical  -  Bunmi Laditan

I'm Done Making My Kid's Childhood Magical -  Bunmi Laditan:

'via Blog this'

Our daughter shared this article on Facebook, and it's so very good that I'm sharing it here. The author's points can apply to grandparents as well as parents. (This is where my husband cheers---because I tend to buy things for our grandkids; yes probably too many.) Looking at my previous post, I seem to be on a theme.

There are various reasons for grandparents giving and giving and giving to grandchildren. I know for me, being at a distance (Missouri to Minnesota) causes me to want to bring a present to my two northern grandkids every time I visit them. Or to have something special at our house every time they visit us. They are only four and almost two, and they have plenty of toys at their house, plus the toys we have at our house are often 'new' to them because it's been weeks or months since they last played with them. So why do I do this?

Frankly, I admit at first I was jealous of the local grandparents in Minnesota who got to see our first grandson so often. Add to that they live in the country, have horses, chickens, dogs, cats, and more. Everything a kid loves. I felt I had to compete for my grandson's attention, to make sure he thought I was special. Those jealous feelings dissipated rather quickly, and instead I was so thankful our daughter had the support of her in-laws in helping with the baby. Now I too have that opportunity, to be a support to our local grandson. 

When I started this "Nana Care" gig for Benjamin, I needed to get the appropriate and necessary baby gear. As he's grown, I've either found old toys in our basement for him, or I have bought toys (from eBay and Amazon). These have not been elaborate or expensive (except the ones with jillions of pieces to put together). 


I do look on Pinterest for kid activities and ideas that use simple materials. There are more on my "Kids' Stuff" board than I know what to do with! I need to glean the best ones to put on another board.That is more my intended style, to be creative and play with simple home-made things. 

I fondly remember the many games and activities I played as a little kid in the 1950's: paper doll houses made out of a box with glued-on Sear's catalog photos for furnishings; an oatmeal container cut out to be a doll baby's cradle; tin cans with string for stilts, or for telephones; outside making mud pies; folding paper to make fans, flowers or airplanes; playing in our sand 'box', a used tractor tire on its side filled with sand; old socks for puppets; string and a button for a spinning toy; floating paper boats in the gutter after a big rain; hopscotch; jump rope; and so on. These were fun and magical for me.

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