Abigail R. Gehring - The Simple Joys of Grandparenting: Stories, Nursery Rhymes, Recipes, Games, Crafts, and More

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This book is dedicated to Nana. Ill 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 familys 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, 138139, 140, 142, 144, 151, 152153, 155, 157, 162, 166, and 174175

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.
ISBN: 978-1-61608-642-8

Printed in China

T heres 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 Im 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, andthat 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 couldnt 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 Id soon be covered in flour and frosting. As Id choose a shape, shed 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 doughhow 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 Im already looking forward to baking cookies together. Well get out the old cookie cuttersthe goose that looks like an upside-down umbrella, the gingerbread man with the pointy cap, the slightly misshapen star. Well get on our apronsthe red one for Atticus!and well both be covered in flour and dough before the ovens 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 its 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-consumingjobs, errands, housework, meetings, guests. Though life doesnt 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 candidatetheyve seen every toy already and have a million other things on their minds. Friends are good for a few minutes, but most dont 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, youre sure to be prepared next time you hear those dreaded words, Grandma, Im 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, youll 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 grandmothers knee. Be sure to flip through the pages at the back, where youll find inspiration for sharing family stories with the little onesthey are our future, and the better they understand us and our history, the longer well live on in their hearts and minds.

I can imagine my grandson one day pulling out the old cookie cuttersprobably rusted and even more misshapen than they are nowand placing them in front of his children or grandchildren. I hope hell remember our old farmhouse kitchen with the snow falling outside the windows and the cat curled up under the stove. I hope hell remember the stories and laughs and fun we shared, but through all that, I hope hell remember how special he is and how much his grandpa and I love him.

~Martha M. Gehring

Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes, marry, have I,
Three bags full;
One for my master,
And one for my dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.