Personal Keepsakes Written for Grandkids

Talk and Record the Past with Kids

 “Mom, did you know that after WWII Great Grandpa saw starving little kids searching in garbage cans for food in Germany and he always shared his rations with them?  Their faces bothered him for the rest of his life.”

  “Yes, dear, he had a hard time talking about his experiences.”

  Luckily with help  Great Grandpa wrote down his thoughts and created a family keepsake. Reading the keepsake helps grandkids understand why Grandpa had a soft spot for hungry children.

  Someone must be very disciplined to keep a diary or daily journal, but book companies are making it easier to share the most important life experiences with generations of family to come.

  The journals provide prompts and fill in the blanks for people who don’t like to write.

  However, sometimes people are surprised at how much Grandpa and Grandma will write once they are given a little nudge. Life experiences and childhood memories will come tumbling out.

Retell Experiences; Make a Diary

  Many of the memory books also have space for a few very important family photos, like giving Grandma a bent over backwards smooch similar to the famous WWII photograph of a soldier and a nurse in New York City.

  These memory books pass on family traditions and holiday celebrations like hanging giant holiday balls made from clear plastic cups laced with lights.  They recount favorite stories that would rival the “Little House on the Prairie” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

  The keepsake books reveal what life was like similar to the movie “The Christmas Story.”  Real little people actually were stuffed into itchy woolen long underwear and puffy snow suits with soggy mittens tied with too short yarn running through the sleeves from one arm to the other.  People really did touch their tongues to frozen water pumps and light poles needing rescue.

  Memory books often have guided questions for grandparents to recall their scariest moments, the biggest bully on the block who stole their lunch, or the girl with pigtails who actually did have her hair dipped in the inkwell.

  

Read Books About Journaling

They encourage grandparents to talk about education, love, marriage, family life, religion, military service and unique memories.

  The story of life, retelling experiences, and the wiliness to share hopes and dreams for grandchildren can be recorded this season.

  Here are a few of these books that also make great gifts: “For My Grandchild: A Grandparent’s Gift of Memory” by Lark Crafts; “Memories for My Grandchild” by Suzanne Zenkel; “Grandmother’s Journal: Memories and Keepsakes for My Grandchild” by Blue Streak; “For my Grandchild” by Paige Gilchrist; “Grandfather’s Journal” by Laura Westlake; and “Letters to my Grandchild” by Lea Redmond. For more keepsake ideas see grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com and wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons live and podcasts, also on Pinterest and Facebook.

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

Children Learn Culture Through Cooking

Recipes: Learn Geography, History and Culture

 Families can celebrate simple recipes from around the world and learn a little about geography, history, and culture.

   Whether ancestors called it mousse, junket, blancmange, creme, pannukakku or Tiramisu, custards are fun to make with kids. Although all are slightly different, this custard takes ten minutes to mix.

  The STEM science concept behind custard is coagulating a protein. It is the process of changing a liquid protein like eggs or milk into a solid by heating. Protein coagulation is one of the main reasons food changes when it is cooked. You can look up the interesting history of custard and bread, too.  

Easy Custard  

This recipe serves four. You’ll need two eggs, 2 cups milk, 

Easy Custard Recipe

½ c sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons vanilla, dash of cinnamon and nutmeg (optional).   You can cut down on the sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon, especially if you are going to put chocolate chips or sweet berries on top.  Whisk ingredients together. Pour into 4 ungreased custard cups or put into a small baking pan both ungreased. Place in a cake pan with about 3/4 inch hot water.  Bake uncovered 350 degrees 50-55 minutes. It is done when a knife makes a little slice clean through. Cool and serve warm or chilled. Store in the refrigerator. Custard can also be made stove top with almond milk and no eggs if there are allergies.

Spotted Dog Bread

Spotted Dog Bread Recipe 

 Yeast was not always available for bread throughout history.  Here is Irish soda bread, Spotted Dog, or Fari. You will need 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour, 1 ¼ cups white flour, (or use only white flour) 3 T sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp salt, 2/3c currants or raisins may be flour dusted, 4 T cold butter cut in pieces, 1 1/3 c buttermilk or (milk and 1 T vinegar or lemon juice set out), 1 large egg, 2 T melted butter. Preheat oven 400 degrees. Lightly grease round cake pan. Whisk together the flours, sugar, baking soda, salt, and currants or raisins.

  In a separate bowl whisk together buttermilk and egg. Pour this mixture into a center hole of dry ingredients and mix. The dough will be stiff. If it's too crumbly add another tablespoon or two of buttermilk. Knead the dough no more than a couple times. Shape it into a ball. Flatten the ball slightly, and place the loaf in your pan. Use a sharp knife to cut a 1/2"deep traditional cross in the loaf. Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes, until golden brown or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and brush with melted butter, if desired. The acid in buttermilk and the base in soda produce trapped carbon dioxide bubbles which make dough rise. For more see grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com, wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons, Pinterest, and Facebook.