Swap Shop

ow wonderful that your grandchildren are coming to spend a night or two with you because you just adore them. Undoubtedly you will have plans for everyone to enjoy the visit. Since many children aren’t familiar with board games and out- side games that we played as children, I asked a few people what they did whenever the grandchildren spent the night. One grandfather said when- ever the grandkids run out to greet him; they hold onto his legs and sit on his feet for a fun ride. He gets down on their level and plays whatever they want. He said, “They use me like monkey bars but that’s ok as long as I’m able and they stop when they get too big.” One lady said they danced, rolled from head to foot on the king-size bed and kick their legs in the air. She had bought a bookshelf that needed assembly and told the three year old that it was a puzzle and showed her the picture on the box. The grandchild enjoyed the fun project because she loved puzzles. Another grandfather let his grandchildren do simple crafts like making a bird house. Another couple said their four and six year old grandchildren delighted in helping prepare for dinner. The six year old helped Poppa set the table and after Mimi loaded the food processor, the four year old pressed the button. One grandfather enjoyed being outside and encouraged the young ones to play outside. They went on nature walks, which was a learning, fresh air and exercise experience. Other grandparents let the children press their thumbs into thumbprint cookies and decorate cookies; finger paint and taught them to play slap jack with cards. One lady I spoke to said that she didn’t allow her great grandkids to spend the night. Sleep habits were out of sync and that was a problem. She went to bed at ten, awoke about two and stayed awake until about 5:00 a.m. The next thing she knew was the great grandkids were jumping on her bed and cocka-doodle-dooing at 5:30 a.m. telling her it was daylight. Isabel Rashid, ND Assistant Professor of sleep medicine at UCLA recommends investing in blackout curtains to block the sun in the kid’s bedroom so they will sleep later. This hint also 10 SOUTHERN SENIOR MAGAZINE | Winter 2018 - 2019 The Grandchildren are Coming to Spend the Night By Joyce Boyd H