Grandparents by Kate Emery General

Utah State University Extension shares that close relationships between grand children and their grandparents are mutually beneficial when it comes to the health and wellbeing of both. Children who grow up with greater emotional closeness to their grandparents are less likely to be depressed as adults. For grandparents, a close relationship with their grand children can boost brain function, protect against depression and increase their lifespan.

Week two of grandparent camp was an exhausting success. I knew that I needed to have a plan and rhythm for each day to avoid summer boredom. Upon arrival, the children help me make smoothies, then we do yoga and spend a few minutes on the vibration plate to aid in our lymphatic drainage. Everyone loves the vibration plate, singing and talking sounds silly when we’re being shaken.

We started the week with a visit to the Dorchester County public pool, it was the perfect antidote on a hot, muggy afternoon. It was very crowded but the pristine pool is huge and beautiful. My three youngest grandchildren have different swimming abilities so the zero degree entry with its fountains and the shallow end accommodated everyone. The water temperature was perfect. The price is very affordable, $2 for children and $3 for adults.
There is a playground area, a snack bar and picnic tables under a pavilion.

On Tuesday, we visited the Dorchester County Library to sign up for the summer reading program. This year’s theme is Adventure begins at Your Library. The librarian was so kind and excited to enroll my granddaughters age seven and five. After completing a scavenger hunt throughout the library, a treasure chest was brought out and the girls were able to choose a small prize. This year’s reading log is a bingo board with different activities. Fifteen minutes of reading is one of the squares on the board. Do something crafty is another space on the board that we were able to check off with a fairy garden stepping stone craft given to the children from the library. The girls were able to choose their own book to keep as a gift for joining the reading program.

Our excursion on Friday was a trip to Emily’s for fresh corn for lunch. We added cherries, zucchini, chocolate milk, heirloom tomatoes, and a big basil plant to our shopping cart. Emily herself checked us out and was so sweet. We got a photo on the huge, yellow Adirondack chair and pet the goats. A very large turkey came over to us gobbling for attention.

We finished our chapter book, Heartwood Hotel, about a mouse named Mona. Mona and the rest of her woodland friends have many magical adventures. The consensus was two thumbs up, we’ve ordered another book in the series about Mona for next week.

We painted a Secret garden using watercolors to celebrate summer solstice and picked some flowers for our lunch table. We baked bread for lunch and added cinnamon sugar, pretending that the bread was a fairy cake. The Mermaid ice cream cones were a huge hit for dessert. We watched the new Kung Fu Panda and we played “slap Jack” during quiet time.

Next week will be spent quietly in Easton as my seven-year-old granddaughter is having a tonsillectomy. I think we’ll re-visit the Madeline books for girl power and bravery. We’ll definitely paint, adding some oil pastels to our artwork. Sewing the mouse, Mona from The Heartwood Hotel is another peaceful activity for a convalescing child. Luckily, ice cream will be available all day.

“Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.” – Alexis Haley

Kate Emery General is a retired chef/restaurant owner who was born and raised in Casper, Wyoming. Kate loves her grandchildren, knitting, and watercolor painting. Kate and her husband, Matt are longtime residents of Cambridge’s West End where they enjoy swimming and bicycling.