International Earth Day - 10 Things to Tell You Children and Grandchildren this March

In 1970 the United Nations proclaimed March 21st as International Earth Day, this March let’s talk to our (grand)children about our experience of the earth.

1) Describe your earliest memories of going to a local park to play.  

2) Where was the park, what was the play equipment like, which was your favourite? 

As a child our local park had a huge truck tire hug in a tree my best friend and I would crawl inside and there we would thrill as older children pushed the tire which spun in the air.

3) Share other memories of family activities in parks.  

4) Who attended, were there games played if yes describe the games and what was your favourite food at these reunions?   Ask your (grand)children if they would like to attend a reunion and if they say yes take them to the next one that is planned.

Each summer we attended a large family reunion in a local park, there was a covered pavilion and the picnic were lined up end to end and covered with mismatching table cloths and each table loaded with food.  I have a very clear memory of my Uncles have to put on socks with oven mitts.

5)  Discuss with them the things that you are doing to ensure that there are parks for their children to play in -  how you attempting to leave a smaller foot print on the earth?

6) There are 197 world heritage site around the planet Click here to see the list 9 are in Canada and 12 are in the United States if you have visited any of these site talk to your (grand)children about your experience, dig out your photographs and share these with them. 

We have traveled to over half of these parks in both the USA and Canada with lots of paper photographs of their parents as children.  Our goal is to see them all.

7) Your Bucket List – let your (grand)children know one place in the world that you would like to travel to and why.  Go on line or better visit your local library with your grand(children) and research the place together.

8) One of the International Earth Day campaigns is to protect the Asian elephant.  Describe your first experience with an elephant, what you know about elephants and go on line with your (grand)children and research the Asian elephant.

9) Organic gardening is another International Earth Day campaign – Do you have memories of a Grandparent’s garden, share it with your (grand)children.  What vegetable as a child did you like to eat directly from the garden?  I loved to eat baby carrots directly from the garden we would wipe the dirt off on our jeans.

10) Bags for Earth is a campaign to reduce the number of plastic bags in use.  Many grandparents can remember a time when everything came in paper bags a time before plastic.  If you have memories of this time share it and pack reusable bags in your car and set a good example for your (grand)children.

Happy International Earth Day

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Quinoa and Fruit Salad

Foodie Friday

In our families there is a long tradition of simple Sunday evening suppers and today’s Foodie Friday offering was born out of this tradition.  In the fridge we had fresh fruit salad and leftover Quinoa and the combination turned out to be a favourite.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cooked quinoa cooked in apple juice and cooled
• 1 mango chopped into bite size pieces
• The seeds of one pomegranate
• 2 kiwis chopped
• 2 cup red grapes
• 1 can peaches in water chopped
• 2 apples chopped

Directions:

1. Prepare all your fruit mixing well
2. Prepare and cool quinoa
3. Place ½ cup of quinoa on your plate topping with fruit salad

From our table to yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Shopping with children

“I will only be happy if you buy me something from this store” emotional blackmail from an eight year old.

At this point we had the following choices:

•         Give in a buy her what she wanted
•          Argue with her that she did not need anything in the store
•          Just say no and ignore her unrelenting petitions and tears
•          Say no and set an ultimatum if she continues to ask

All of these options have the same end result – someone had a bad shopping day.

We prefer a 5^th option and one that we employed with our children – teaching personal money management.  This requires that prior to each vacation and/or shopping trip, each child be given or allowed to earn their own spending money.  

The amount should be sufficient to allow the child to purchase a respectable item or souvenir.  Then it requires that parents hold tight to the following rules:

1. Let the child purchase what they want as long as it is not morally or psychically threatening - (you get to control candy)
2. Once the money is gone do not provide the child more money or criticise the child when they ask for more.  Your response should be a gentle reminder that they have spent their money and finally
3. Set your own spending allowance and keep to it - model to your children responsible money management.

You can still purchase treats for your child as long as the child knows this is your choice.

Each of our children had a wallet with their spending money in it a small note book and pencil.  I kept the wallets in my purse and once the child picked out what they wanted together we would determine if they had enough money and if they did we would write the amount in the booklet.

In this way we raised children who learned personal money management and how to save for larger more expensive items.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015twosnydergirls

After It Rains

Wordless Wednesday

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Play Tag Do Not Chase Birds

Today as we sat on the pier watching the beach below, one common activity was taking place – children chasing birds!  Grandpa smiles and points towards a little boy and says “He could be me – I loved to chase birds.”  Later the same day we looked out our vacation home to see our granddaughters chasing the wild life along the edge of the lake.

What are the ethics involved in this activity?  For most of the day I worried for both the safety of birds and the children and I have resolved that it is an activity that should be dissuaded by (grand)parents - it is a dangerous.  It is an activity that breeds disrespect for the animals that we share this environment with – our children are chasing birds from their territorial homes, feeding and breeding areas.  The birds should they feel threatened enough will fight back because the chase is not fun for them.

There are two swans on the lake should a child chase them they would receive a very difference response one that could cause physical harm to the child.

The next time your (grand)children start to chase birds quietly get down to their level and redirect their attention away from the chase and towards a more mindful/respectful approach towards the birds.

1. Ask them questions about the bird, what colours it is, are they alone or in a flock.
2. Provide the child with the bird's name if you know it.
3. Have them draw a picture of the bird.
4. Wonder with the child as to the reason for the bird being in proximity to them.
5. End with offering to play tag with the child as an alternative to chasing wild life.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Love at Home

Love at Home

There is beauty all around, when there’s love at home;

There is joy in ev’ry sound, when there’s love at home;

Peace and plenty here abide, Smiling sweet on ev’ry side,

Time doth softly, sweetly glide, when there’s love at home,

Love at home, love at home; Time doth softly, sweetly glide,

When there’s love at home.

In the cottage there is joy, when there’s love at home;

Hate and envy ne’er annoy, when there’s love at home;

Roses blossom ‘neath our feet, all the earth‘s a garden sweet.

Making life a bliss complete, when there’s love at home,

Love at home, love at home; Making life a bliss complete.

When there’s love at home.

 

Kindly heaven smiles above, when there’s love at home;

All the earth is filled with love, when there’s love at home;

Sweeter sings the brooklet by, Brighter beams the azure sky;

Oh, there’s One who smiles on high, when there’s love at home;

Love at home, love at home; Oh, there’s One who smiles on high,

When there’s love at home.

Jesus, show thy mercy mine, Then there is love at home;

Sweetly whisper “I am thine”, Then there is love at home;

Source of love, thy cheering light Far exceeds the sun so bright

Can dispel the gloom of night, Then there’s love at home

Love at home, Love at home

Can dispel the gloom of night

Then there’s love at home

Click here for a public Domain copy of the sheet music

Old hymnals are full of rich imagery and poetry and Love at home is just such a find in the Church and Sunday School Hymnal Supplement, Mennonite Publishing House Scottdale PA. 1911 #444.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls