Happy Mother's Day to all Moms and Grandmoms! Even if you aren't a mom, we certainly all have, or had one, and this is always a wonderful time of year to remember them and their influence in our lives. As the saying goes "Once a Mother--Always a Mother".
In the past, I've done presentations for a number of Mother's Day banquets. One of my favorite things to share is ideas to make memories with your child. But of course, I have to begin by sharing a humorous story. This is a favorite from Reader's Digest: "The sight of my mother cleaning her dentures fascinated my young son. He sat riveted as she carefully took them out, brushed and rinsed them, and then popped them back in. "Cool Grandma! Now take off your arm!"
We grandmas, nanas, grammys - whatever you are privileged to be called by your grandchildren, have a wealth of riches to share with our families. We may not have much material wealth to give, but our time, our wisdom, our ability to listen, or simply to love, are the best things we can give to our family now to leave a legacy of love behind when we are gone.
Here are a few practical ideas to help make memories with your kids and grandkids:
Put notes in their lunch or on their pillow: it helps keep communications open. Children will oftentimes turn off our voices, but will soak in words on a piece of paper. And it can be read and reread.
Make sure you give plenty of hugs: proper touching improves a child's development. Touch their head, shoulder, hand, etc.and smile when you do. Silence sometimes speaks louder than words.
Turn off the tv and play games; simple games like I Spy say to your child that they are worth your time.
Teach your kids to be responsible: chores are good for a child. Turn on the music, give them a dust cloth, and see how much work you can do together in 15 minutes. Even young children can learn to gather the trash.
Make a fort over the dining room table. Remind them how it was a popular thing to do when you were younger.
Make birthdays special: share a memory from their childhood and tell them one from yours.
Have fun in the kitchen. Teach your children to care about family recipes. Share details about what you remember your grandma doing in the kitchen. Allow them to stir, chop, plan and bake. Teach your kids how to measure and mix. They'll be more likely to eat something new if they've helped prepare it.
In honor of my own precious mom, Marie I. King, who went to her Heavenly Home when she was only 64, I'm sharing a couple favorite recipes from her files.
This is the cookie my brothers and I remember most from mom's kitchen.
COWBOY COOKIES
1 c. shortening (margarine)
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. dry oatmeal
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (12 ozs) bag semi sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350. Blend shortening and sugars until smooth; add eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients; mix well. Add oats and vanilla, then stir in chocolate chips. Bake 12 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet. Yield: about 6 dozen (smaller cookies)
MOM'S ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE
4 c. peeled, diced zucchini
1 grated carrot
1 grated onion
1 can (10.75 ozs) cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream (don't use fat free)
1 box (chicken flavored) stove top stuffing
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. crushed cornflakes mixed with 1/4 c. melted butter
Preheat oven to 350. Boil zucchini in salted water for 4 minutes; drain. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl and place in greased 9" X 9" casserole dish. Top with cornflake crumbs. Bake 45 minutes, uncovered. You can also add chopped cooked chicken to make this a one-dish meal!
~If being a mother was going to be easy, it wouldn't begin with something called labor - Author Barbara Johnson
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