Sheila Ellison
Page 16
Family Fun
276
New Traditions
A tradition is simply a customary way of doing something that is handed down through family or community. Traditions don’t have to be old; they can be started today in your family. Take some time to think about traditions that were in your family of origin. Make a list of traditions you would like to pass down, and think about new possibilities. Here are a few ideas:
Special outings: Take your daughter to tea at a fancy restaurant every year—maybe on or around her birthday or Mother’s Day; or take your son to a baseball game or for a ride on a train.
Sharing time after dinner: Make the time after dinner a sharing time by inviting family members to talk about their days, or in the case of children, show what they’ve made.
Family field trips: Kids look forward to unusual adventures that stray from the schedule they follow on most days. There are many familyfriendly locations in most communities—the zoo, the park (which might have live music), children’s museums, or art galleries. Make a tradition of going somewhere special one Saturday a month.
277
Memory Lane
Set aside some time to share memories together as a family. Watch home videos or look through picture albums. Let your children tell you what they remember; afterward the adults can fill in forgotten details. Moments we set aside to share common experiences strengthen bonds and create a sense of security for everyone.
* Words of Wisdom *
Name and date baby pictures. Believe it or not, memories do fade, and when there is more than one child, sometimes confusion arises.
—Sandy, Galesburg, Illinois
278
Play Hooky
Every once in a while it rejuvenates the soul to play hooky. Call in sick to work or forget the housework and take the day off to do something fun. When everyone else is working or at school, places that are usually packed are relatively empty. Invite grandparents to join in the fun.
* Words of Wisdom *
I remember one morning my mother came into my room before school and asked me if I would like to go skiing with her instead of going to school. I felt so lucky, like it was my birthday or some special event. That memory stuck in my head and taught me more about life than a year of school.
—Sheila, Portola Valley, California
279
Create Family Stationery
Use your child’s drawings when designing family stationery. First take a black fine-tip marker and draw over the lines in the drawing if they were drawn in pencil or crayon. Then take the drawing to a copy store and reduce the size of the image to whatever size works for your stationery design. Cut the image out and glue it onto a blank piece of paper. Use other design elements that represent your family; perhaps the faces of family members, a drawing of your house or yard, or each person’s name written around the page as a border. Once your stationery is designed, make copies on different colored paper and get ready for your first mailing.
* Words of Wisdom *
One year we took an old refrigerator box, opened it up, and painted a scene on it so that each person’s head could stick through one of the oval holes we cut—kind of like the ones you see at amusement parks. We used that picture for our holiday cards, and then later transferred it to the bottom of family stationery.
—Joseph, Erie, Pennsylvania
280
Vacation Memories
Next time you go on vacation and leave the kids at home, make sure to pack one of each of your children’s favorite stuffed animals. When out exploring your vacation spot, take pictures of their stuffed animals at various locations. Mom or Dad might hold one of the animals, place it on a statue, or compose a funny scene. Surprise the kids with the pictures when you return home. Your kids will also be more interested in where you went and what you did if their favorite animals are in the pictures. Beware—your suitcase will be filled with stuffed animals from then on!
* Words of Wisdom *
When I travel I carry some of my kids’ favorite books with me, so when I call them at night from my hotel room, I can still read them a bedtime story.
—Mike, Portage, Indiana
281
Play Silly Games
Silly games that allow everyone to participate build family unity. Here are a few favorites:
Shrinking sheet: Put a sheet on the floor or grass. Everyone in the family has to try to fit on the sheet, lying down without any body part falling over the edge. If everyone fits, then fold the sheet or blanket and try again. See how small you can make the blanket and still fit.
Wolf in the woods: Pretend the living room is a forest with one wolf and several other animals running around. One person is the wolf; everyone else pretends to be other forest animals. The other animals lie on the forest floor perfectly still with their eyes wide open (tired parents love this game!). No moving is allowed except for breathing, blinking, and eye movement. You’re out of the game if the wolf catches you moving in any other way. The wolf is allowed to try to get the other animals to move any way she can without touching them: by making funny faces, making strange sounds, telling them jokes, etc.
282
Make Mealtime Special
Age Range: 24 months and up
With a little extra effort you can make mealtime a special family memory for your child.
Make (or buy) folded “tent” place cards. Write the names of all dinner guests (even if it’s just the usual few!) and let your child embellish by gluing on colorful buttons, dried pasta, rickrack, or bows.
Light candles for everyday meals—even during the day. Keep them out of reach, of course, but make sure to let the kids blow them out when the meal is over.
Play background music. Classical music sets a calm mood, but it is also fun to play silly songs, jazz, or rock music.
Turn off the TV. Eating in front of the TV isn’t an event; eating like it matters and you care about being together makes every meal special.
It doesn’t have to be a fancy meal to feel like a family celebration.
283
Hands of Time
Use colored construction paper to make foot and hand cutouts. Pick one color for each member of the family. Once you’ve outlined each foot and hand, cut them out. Take a piece of construction paper in a color different from all the foot and hand cutouts. Glue the largest cutout to the piece of paper and work up to the smallest, which is then glued on the top. Line them up by either the palms or the heels. Put a date on the bottom and frame it. When your first child turns eighteen, do it again, making sure to use the same colors for each person that were used the first time.
* Words of Wisdom *
I used to think my mom was really silly for saving so many things: our artwork, letters, hand prints we’d made in preschool. Now that I have my own child, I love looking at the things I did at her age.
—Pat, Salt Lake City, Utah
284
Between Us
Develop a family signal—something you can do inconspicuously that says, “I love you” without actually saying, “I love you.” Maybe it’s three squeezes to the hand or a wave of a pinky finger—whatever it is, you can express your feelings with it without saying a word. This is great when children get older and less comfortable with public parental displays of affection. Once the kids understand the concept of hand signals and begin to use them, you may want to develop a few more. Here are some worth developing: please stop interrupting, we’ll leave in a minute, no, you’re being so kind, please help me, or stop.
285
The Family That Cooks Together
Age Range: 24 months and up
Pick a day to cook for the entire week. Many parents say that mealtime is the worst time of the day with toddlers; imagine how you’d feel if all you had to do was take a dish out of the freezer. Plus, you’ll only have to clean up the kitchen once. Concentrate on making bulk meals like soup, chili, lasagna, or meatballs to freeze in batches for busier mealtimes. You m
ay also want to prepare fresh meals for two days to leave in the refrigerator. Encourage everyone to help in a relaxed atmosphere as you work together as a team. You’ll have a lot more patience to let your toddler “help” than you might on a busy, hungry weeknight.
286
Backyard Camping
Toddlers love to camp. They like the whole idea of setting up a tent, slumbering in sleeping bags, and cooking dinner over a campfire. The backyard is just as exciting as any campground and much more convenient.
Pitch a tent and lay out the sleeping bags. Serve hot dogs, beans, and s’mores.
Listen for all the night sounds you normally don’t hear while in the house.
Make owl masks out of paper plates with feathers and yarn. Pretend to be night owls while you sing campfire songs and read stories.
Attach bells to the zipper of your tent exit so your kids can’t escape unnoticed. A bell on the child isn’t a bad idea, either!
Bring a flashlight for each child. They love to shine them in the tent after dark. Play light tag on the ceiling or check outside when you hear animal sounds.
Don’t forget the glow sticks so the kids can glow in the dark, or citronella candles so they don’t get eaten alive by mosquitoes.
Keep an ongoing camping journal that every-one contributes to. Store it with your camping equipment.
287
Topsy Turvy
Spice up your days by mixing them up!
Eat dessert first one night (just don’t expect them to eat a healthy dinner afterward!).
Have breakfast for dinner and dinner for breakfast.
Walk, take a bus, or, better yet, take a cab instead of driving to the store.
Make an unbirthday cake and wear party hats when you blow out the candles together.
Say “goodnight” when you wake up, and read a goodnight story before you get out of bed in the morning.
Read a storybook backwards, or read it forwards but change the ending or have the child make up the ending!
288
Game Night
Dedicate a certain night a week to games. In the beginning, you may just be coloring or putting puzzles together, but in no time you’ll be playing board games and card games and putting together model airplanes. Game night will become a tradition, teaching your kids the joy of spending quality, entertaining time with one another.
* Words of Wisdom *
We pretend the electricity is out one night each week. There’s no TV and no stereo to distract us. We light candles (out of reach), tell stories, play games, and sing songs—it is the best night of the week.
—Mindy, Peachtree City, Georgia
289
Here, Fido
Materials
11⁄2 cups whole-wheat flour
1⁄2 cup wheat germ
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1⁄4 cup raisins (optional)
11⁄4 cups smooth peanut butter
3⁄4 cup milk
Make homemade dog biscuits for the family’s favorite canine companion. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment. Combine flour, wheat germ, sugar, and raisins. With electric mixer, beat peanut butter and milk together until blended. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead lightly. Roll out about 1⁄3-inch thick. Cut into shapes. Transfer to cookie sheets. Bake for ten to twelve minutes or until slightly browned. Let the biscuits cool on the sheets. Store well-wrapped at room temperature for two to three days or refrigerate or freeze. Makes about three dozen three-inch dog bones.
290
Concrete Stepping Stone
Materials
A two-inch–high mold: plastic planter saucer from the garden shop, stepping stone mold from a craft store, old cake pan, etc.
Stepping stone concrete (available at craft stores)
Embellishments: seashells, marbles, glass beads and gems, mosaic tiles, buttons, small toys, or mementos
Popsicle sticks for writing
Patio/outdoor paint
Old screen cut one inch smaller than the shape of your stone
Set your mold on the work surface and prepare the concrete mix according to directions. The consistency should be like soft cookie dough—scoopable but not pourable. Scoop it into the mold, filling it halfway. Smooth it down and lay your screening material over it. Continue filling the goop to the top. Gently tap the outside of the mold to remove air bubbles and even out the concrete, and then don’t move it again! Let it set for thirty to sixty minutes. Then start decorating. You may want to begin with a foot or hand print. If you make a mistake, you can always smooth it over using a Popsicle stick or spoon and begin again. When finished, let it sit for three days undisturbed. Once dry, pop it out of the mold. You can also paint it with outdoor patio paint and then seal it with an acrylic sealer. Let sit another week before placing outside or walking on the stone.
Sibling Games
291
Tips to Facilitate Sibling Play
Whether your toddler is the younger sibling or by now the older one, there are ways to develop a strong friendship between them.
Don’t compare them: Praise each child for what you love about her, for her own accomplishments, making sure each child knows she is valued for herself and not because she does something better or worse than a sibling.
Create a team spirit: Get your kids doing things together, even if it is a simple task like picking up the trash in the car. If they are working well together, throw in a reward they didn’t expect like making cookies or going to the park.
Teach empathy: When one of your children has been hurt, model the behavior you want the other child to learn. Walk over together, pat the hurt child on the back, let your toddler help you clean and bandage the wound or get a glass of water or an ice pack. Point out how much you appreciate the child’s caring behavior.
Let them teach each other: The child who is teaching gains self-esteem from being needed, and the one learning gets to see that his sibling cares enough to help him.
292
Family Puppets
Give your older child a disposable camera. He is the head photographer while the younger child is the assistant (who also gets to take pictures). Ask them to take pictures of all family members. Once the pictures are developed, cover them with contact paper, cut them out, and glue them to Popsicle sticks. Let the older sibling help your toddler to recognize family names as they play together with the puppets.
* Words of Wisdom *
When my daughter was born, I gave my son a disposable camera to take photos at the hospital. He did an amazing job of capturing everything and everyone. They’re real treasures in our scrapbook, and he felt very important being the dedicated cameraman!
—Pete, Sykesville, Maryland
293
Ready, Set, Go
Toddlers love to jump off of things. Show your older child how to hold his sister’s hands while she jumps off a box or step. Say, “Ready, set, go” and then jump. Toddlers like to anticipate when they are supposed to do something, so the ready, set, go chant can also be used while doing other things like hopping, sitting down, jumping up, or any other movement the older sibling wants to make up.
* Words of Wisdom *
I have my two-year-old daughter draw special pictures to hang over the new baby’s crib, and then I make sure she sees how much her little brother admires them. I use plastic sheet protectors so she can create new masterpieces whenever she likes.
—Alexa, Bedford, Massachusetts
294
Peekaboo Faces
Cut peek holes for your toddler’s eyes on one side of a shoebox. Cut a rectangular window on the opposite side. Have your toddler hold up the box and look through the peek holes while his sibling makes a face. The rectangular window will frame his sibling’s face and make it look like a picture. Try a game where every time you clap, the sibling changes facial expressi
on or body shape. The faster you clap, the funnier it looks through the peek holes. Switch places.
295
Food Projects
Painted cookies: Colored egg yolk makes a glossy edible paint on the top of plain sugar cookies. Use one egg yolk mixed with one teaspoon of water and a few drops of food coloring. Paint the sugar cookies before baking, then bake as usual.
Pretzel forts: You will need a small, clean box the size of a milk carton, thick stick pretzels, and peanut butter. Spread a moderate amount of peanut butter onto the sides of the box. Design the walls and roof using the pretzels. Bite them down to size for exact patterning.
Jell-O faces: Fill small individual glass bowls with instant pudding or Jell-O. Let kids make faces on the pudding or Jell-O with string licorice or gummy worms for hair, raisins, M&Ms, or gummy candy for mouths.
296
Group Outings
Train or bus ride: Kids of all ages are excited to experiment with all modes of transportation. There is so much to see, hear, and learn—from getting tickets to watching fellow passengers—there is never a dull moment.