The Simple Joys of Grandparenting: Stories, Nursery Rhymes, Recipes, Games, Crafts, and More
By Abigail Gehring and Martha M. Gehring
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About this ebook
Abigail Gehring
Abigail R. Gehring is the author or editor of more than a dozen books including Back to Basics, Homesteading, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Living, and Classic Candy. She enjoys writing, gardening, experimenting in the kitchen, and spending time with family. She lives with her husband and two children in an 1800s farmstead they are restoring in Marlboro, Vermont.
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The Simple Joys of Grandparenting - Abigail Gehring
This book belongs to:
This book is dedicated to Nana. I’ll never forget sitting in your lap learning to read, pressing flowers we collected together from the meadows, or the stories you shared from your youth and our family’s past. Every child should be so lucky as to have a grandmother like you.
And to Grandpa Strat, who was my biggest fan as a five-year-old budding writer. Your energy and determination continue to shape me.
Copyright © 2012 by Abigail R. Gehring
Introduction and art on the following pages copyright © 2012 by Martha M. Gehring: 74, 76, 78, 87, 88, 94, 102, 108, 114, 128, 136, 138–139, 140, 142, 144, 151, 152–153, 155, 157, 162, 166, and 174–175
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.
Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contactthe Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or info@skyhorsepublishing.com.
Skyhorse® and Skyhorse Publishing® are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.®, a Delaware corporation.
Visit our website at www.skyhorsepublishing.com.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.
ISBN: 978-1-61608-642-8
Printed in China
CONTENTS
Introduction by Martha M. Gehring
Stories and Nursery Rhymes
Baa, baa, black sheep
The Elves and the Shoemaker
Jack and Jill
Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep
The Princess and the Pea
Little Miss Muffet
The north wind doth blow
The Ugly Duckling
Pat-a-cake
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Little Jack Horner
Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall
Rapunzel
Mary had a little lamb, Its fleece was white as snow
Sleeping Beauty
Hey! Diddle, diddle
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
The Three Bears
Hickery, dickery, dock
Mary, Mary, quite contrary
Crafts
Berry Ink and Feather Pens
Make a Birdhouse!
Coupon Book
Finger Paint
Handmade Valentines
Make a Sundial
Make Paper
Pinecone Birds
Potato Prints
Pressed Flowers and Leaves
Collages
Sand Jars
Sock Puppets
Terrariums
Edible Playdough
Games and Activities
Bob for Apples
Plant Magic
Bookworm
Car Games
Long-Distance Activities
Compost Lasagna
Garden Party
Papier-Mâché Piñata
How Soap Works
Have a Tea Party
Build an Indoor Fort
Plant Art
Scavenger Hunt
Story Time
Plant Something!
Recipes
Chocolate Fudge
Homemade Ice Cream
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
Food Art
Chocolate-Peppermint Spoons
Lemonade
Macaroni and Cheese
Hot Chocolate with Homemade Marshmallows
Homemade Marshmallows
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Popcorn Balls
Rabbit Cake
Velvety Chocolate Cupcakes
Mini Pizzas
Peter Rabbit’s Favorite Salad
Records
Family Tree
Family Treasure Map
Important Dates
Important Facts
A Grandparent’s Journal
Conversation Time
Favorite Quotes from the Grandkids
Aknowledgments and Art Credits
Introduction
There’s a very old tin of metal cookie cutters tucked in the back of my pantry. It comes out a few times a year, mostly around holidays, and when it does I’m transported back to the country home and cookie-making of my childhood. In that home, where anything which came down through the family
was special, the tin of old cookie cutters was a standout for me! I can see my mother bustling from pantry to table, collecting sprinkles, nuts, dried fruits, at least three kinds of sugar, and—that tin. All the wonderfully excessive extravagancies to carry out the delightful and important job of making cookie gifts for others (and us!) were assembled, and I couldn’t wait to help get the yummy dough rolled out. We had to put on our aprons first, and my red printed one was tied just so
to make it short enough to keep me from tripping on it, but amply protective, as I’d soon be covered in flour and frosting. As I’d choose a shape, she’d exclaim, Oh, that one was your great-grandmother Adams’,
or, Grandma Morse gave me these, and this one was handmade by my dear Grandpa Derry.
The aroma from the cookies baking, the taste of the dough—how it all comes back! Happy projects and family history lessons from my mother and from my grandparents and beloved Great Aunt Sylvia Derry, too, live to enrich today. Intertwined in those memories is a feeling of safety, comfort, and the anticipation of good things. It is a legacy I yearn to share with our grandchildren!
In a few weeks, my five-year-old grandson Atticus will be visiting, and I’m already looking forward to baking cookies together. We’ll get out the old cookie cutters—the goose that looks like an upside-down umbrella, the gingerbread man with the pointy cap, the slightly misshapen star. We’ll get on our aprons—the red one for Atticus!—and we’ll both be covered in flour and dough before the oven’s even up to temperature. This is one of the greatest joys of grandparenting: sharing the small things that have shaped our lives in positive ways, and watching them take root in the little ones.
Often it’s the simplest activities that mean the most. Just taking time to listen to what your grandchild has to say can make a big difference in both of your lives. As a young mother, I remember longing for more time to spend with my kids, but so often the days were filled with a busyness that was all-consuming—jobs, errands, housework, meetings, guests. Though life doesn’t exactly feel slow even now, certain demands have lessened, and the opportunity to spend undivided hours enjoying time with my grandson feels like a second chance and an incredible gift. Grandparents offer children the unique opportunity to be the center of attention for a few minutes or an hour or a day. Who else has the time and desire to sit and listen as he shows off every toy in his bedroom? Even the most dedicated Mommy or Daddy is not the best candidate—they’ve seen every toy already and have a million other things on their minds. Friends are good for a few minutes, but most don’t have enough patience for the complete bedroom tour. Grandparents, on the other hand, are in the perfect position to make their grandchild feel like the most important thing in the world just by being present, by listening, by taking time to get to know him (and his museum-sized Transformers collection).
Though no formal activities are needed to create meaningful interaction with children, sometimes playing a game together or sharing a yummy homemade treat can make an already special day with Grandpa or Grandma that much more fun. With this book, you’re sure to be prepared next time you hear those dreaded words, Grandma, I’m bored.
With activities ranging from educational science experiments to creative crafts to silly games, boredom will have no place in your home. And, for those of you who, like me, live an airplane trip away from the little ones, you’ll find ideas for long-distance bonding. There are plenty of kid-friendly recipes in here, too, and classic nursery rhymes you may have once heard while bouncing on your grandmother’s knee. Be sure to flip through the pages at the back, where you’ll find inspiration for sharing family stories with the little ones—they are our future, and the better they