I LOVE playing games with my grandchildren. Sometimes it’s a challenge for everyone to play the same games, but we manage. My 8 yr old granddaughter Ady loves, loves, loves to play games, and is really good at understanding the rules. I spent a weekend not long ago tending 3 of my granddaughters while there parents had a weekend away. I took a new game up to their house with me, and taught them how to play it. We played Blokus, Headbandz and a game about the states. Ady’s pretty good with games, and enjoys beating me. We played the Headbandz game until we had exhausted ALL the game cards. A couple of weeks later, they came down to my house to stay for a couple of hours, and I got some of my games out. We played Yahtzee, Rack-o (one of my grandsons Nyxon calls it Morocco), Connect 4 and Race to the Treasure. Even the 4 & 5 year olds like to play some of these games. I treasure every minute I spend with my grandchildren, and like to listen to what they have to say. l I have learned that Ady has to be singing a song while she concentrates on playing games. I don’t even think she knows she is singing, but her perfect little voice is so cute to listen too. I have learned that Lainie plays for a few minutes, then is off doing something else. I have learned that Nyxon likes to shuffle the Rack-O cards his way (they end up every which way) and that is OK. He also plays by his rules. However, they are learning. They are learning rules, they are learning how to take turns, and they are learning how important relationships are. They are learning in life you don’t always win, or always get your way. These are all good life lessons that will help them throughout their life. I will always have time to play games, read books, or just plain talk to my grandchildren about whatever it is they need to talk about.
Category: Grandchildren
One on one time with grandma
How important is one on one time with grandma? My grandchildren love one on one time with grandma. During Thanksgiving, some of my grandchildren were with me in Disneyland. Because there were several of them there, it was a little more challenging to spend the special one on one time with grandma. At the end of each day, I took them shopping so they could pick out one special thing that would remind them of our fun time together in Disneyland. The time I spent with them was special.
My oldest granddaughter Ady (8 yrs old and in 2nd grade), liked to play games while we stood in line for the rides. We would play math games, and spelling games. I learned she is a very creative little girl who is very,very smart. She and I talked about holograms and how they are used in Disneyland, then we would see if we could pick them out in the rides. We would also try to find the hidden Mickey heads that are hidden around Disneyland (and yes we found several much to her delight). She sat next to me on the airplane coming back home, and we shared headphones so we could both enjoy the movie “Alice in Wonderland”. Special one on one time with grandma.
Nyxon my 4 yr old grandson’s special one on one time with grandma consists of spending the night at my house, and going to Target. He loves for me to build legos and play them with him. He loves to cuddle on my lap and read books, watch shows on youtube, or just ask me questions. He loves to have chocolate milk (which he likes to help make).
Ellie my 2 yr old granddaughter loves to come to my house just to play. She loves to dress up in the princess dresses and shoes and play around the house. She loves it when her mom drops her off at my house. Even though she is only 2, she loves being with me. Special one on one time with grandma.
Sometimes it’s hard to get that one on one time with grandma, as some of my grandchildren live a little ways away, however, that shouldn’t stop the one on one time with grandma, so this year for each of their birthdays, each of my grandchildren will be allowed to choose a special day for one on one time with grandma where they will be able to plan the day however they see fit, and we will spend quality time doing whatever they would like to do. I love the time I spend with my grandchildren, but this year will be a little bit more special. The first birthday is in January with Alaina getting the first special one on one time with grandma “date”.
Stay tuned for an update on the fun things that happen this year as we emphasize one on one time with grandma.
What is in your grandchildren’s “bucket lists”?
Have you ever asked your grandchildren what they wanted to do during their life? I was explaining “bucket lists” to them, and was telling them some things in my bucket list that I want to do. I was amazed at what they came up with. Here are a couple of the grandkids lists.
My 4 year old grandson’s bucket list:
Own a phone, go to school, water the flowers, be a Marine just like daddy, pick up dog poop (yes he really said that), drive a car, and do handwriting. That’s a pretty good list for a 4 yr old.
My 8 yr old granddaughter’s bucket list:
Go to Disneyworld, go to London, be a schoolteacher, and go to New York with me to a Broadway Musical. That’s also a pretty awesome list.
My own bucket list:
DisneyWorld with my grandchildren, travel through Europe, publish a children’s book, learn to oil paint. This is just a portion of my bucket list.
I can already see things in their bucket lists, that I would LOVE to do with them. My 8 yr old granddaughter takes after me. I LOVE to travel and would LOVE to travel with her to some of her destinations. I know as they get older, their bucket lists will change and will grow. But for right now it’s a good start.
As a grandmother, I will continue to ask them about their “bucket lists” and help them to accomplish their lists. Share your bucket list with your grandchildren. You may have several things that are the same that would be fun to talk about or even do together. I challenge each one of you to ask your grandchildren what is in their “bucket lists” and write it down along with the date so they can remember. It is a fun conversation to have and to look back at with them.
Heart to Heart
Have you ever had a heart to heart with your grandchildren? We spent Saturday trick-or treating at the zoo with all of my grandchildren. Each one so special with their own personalities that shine. After continually telling some of them several times to “stay by us or you are going to get lost”, I decided to explain to my little 4 year old grandson how important it is to stay by us. I explained to him that we are going on a vacation to Disneyland and that if he doesn’t stay by us, he will get lost. His response was “why”? WHY is a big word in children’s vocabularies and we need to take the time to explain to them. “Just because” isn’t a good enough answer. I knew I needed a good explanation. I asked him to look at me in the face, so I knew he was listening. I let him know that Disneyland is a big, big place with so many things to see and do, and so many people there, that we wouldn’t be able to see him or his cousins in the crowd of people if they didn’t hold our hands. I told him that I was going to bring a child leash that attached to my wrist and then attached to his wrist so he couldn’t wander too far away. His response was “how about we put them on our legs”. To which I replied, “I will fall down and break my nose”. His response was priceless. “I will hold your hand”. BINGO. I accomplished what I set out to accomplish. The importance of staying close and helping each other. I will be taking the child leash with me, and I will put it on our legs, and I’m sure our wrists too. I love that they say what comes to their minds. They don’t need to think about their response, it just comes out of their mouths naturally. I love to listen to their little conversations between the cousins. The innocence they portray. As their Grandma, Paypams, or Muck, I want them to know that I will always be their to listen to them at any time, and in any place.