Wednesday, March 10, 2010

“Pack up the kids — they’re headed to Camp Grandma (The Wenatchee World)” plus 1 more

“Pack up the kids — they’re headed to Camp Grandma (The Wenatchee World)” plus 1 more

Pack up the kids — they’re headed to Camp Grandma (The Wenatchee World)

Posted: 10 Mar 2010 06:02 AM PST

Kids had taken over the kitchen to cook dinner for themselves. There were nine children total, four rooms in the house, just one bathroom — and no video games.

For many adults, this would be a test of wits. But for Joan Brackin, 64, it's just another day at grandma camp.

Some parents may send their kids to sleep-away summer camps, but Brackin's three daughters bring their children to grandma's for seven structured days of learning, playing and bonding. Think of it as the usual visit with grandparents but with a schedule of activities and outings not only to keep the children occupied, but also to help the generations connect.

"When my husband passed away, I was concerned how to keep his memory alive," says Brackin, a special education teacher in Grant City, Mo., who considers herself a bit of an Auntie Mame eccentric. "I just want to keep a little check on my grandchildren. I was trying to come up with a way so that they could come together as cousins and give me something positive to hold on to."

Brackin's teacher instincts help: Her camp is centered on a theme. Last year it was gems and minerals. This year she thinks it will be land and volcanoes.

Brackin shows videos and teaches lessons about the topic. Each night of camp, different cousins host a tea party or themed dinner based on a menu they create. Brackin gives them a crisp $100 bill to use at the grocery store, so that they can learn the value of money (and yes, she counts the change afterward). Dinner is served on a table that the kids have learned to set properly with grandma's hodgepodge of cups and dishes.

On the last day of camp, the kids perform a play they have written about what they have learned.

For a grand camp of your own

• Open the camp to the older kids. Once they reach 13, they become her "counselors in training" and help care for the younger ones.

• Keep projects geared to subjects that interest you, too.

• Keep activities short; always plan more activities than you think time will allow.

• If you're doing something new, tell the kids about it ahead of time. It helps you maintain control.

• Don't forget rewards. A reward can be something the kids were going to do anyway, such as choosing dessert.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Health Tip: What's Behind Childhood Obesity (HealthDay via Yahoo! News)

Posted: 10 Mar 2010 06:03 AM PST

L V B buzzed up: Minority births on track to outnumber white births (AP)

6 seconds ago 2010-03-10T07:00:03-08:00

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.
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