![The Sweetest of Childhood Memories When I was little, my mom was in a quilting club. The women in the club took turns setting up quilts at their houses. Every Tuesday night, they’d stitch and gossip from 7 till 11, then they’d gather at the dining room table for dessert and coffee. I loved those few weeks every year when a huge quilt was set up in our basement. My brothers and I would have board game marathons underneath it when the ladies weren’t there.
But my favorite part of quilting club was dessert time. Although I went to bed at 8, the buzz of the quilters would always wake me at 11 when they brought the party upstairs. And what a party it was! Laughter, stories, teasing—for an 8-year-old girl curled up in her bed, it sounded like the most fun anyone could have. Plus, my mom and her friends really took pride in their desserts—all homemade, usually things they were “known for.” Bananas Foster, flames and all. Cream puffs, eggy and light, like eating a cloud. Fresh blueberry pie.
Posted By Judy Burke[[MORE]]As an adult now, I think that the “normal” great thing a mom could do in this situation would be to save a piece of dessert for her daughter. But my mom went way beyond that. She’d actually set a place for me at the table—on the “good china,” no less!—then come to get me after she brought out the coffee. I was allowed to join the ladies, eat dessert and laugh along with them. It didn’t matter that it was a school night. What a gift for an 8-year-old!
Kids remember funny things. These days, as I watch my parents playing with their grandchildren, I wonder which experiences will “stick” in the kids’ memories. And when I think about it, I realize that my mom’s gesture to me on quilting nights wasn’t unusual for her. It was representative of how she always treats kids—with respect, an open ear and a bull’s-eye understanding of what’s meaningful to a child.
What kindnesses do you remember from your childhood? And what memories do you hope your kids will have when they’re older? We’d love to hear your stories and thoughts.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/ae3c3d72711da4f5d8a6608e9b1738ba/tumblr_mccmthRbpl1rcctw2o1_r5_500.png)
The Sweetest of Childhood Memories
When I was little, my mom was in a quilting club. The women in the club took turns setting up quilts at their houses. Every Tuesday night, they’d stitch and gossip from 7 till 11, then they’d gather at the dining room table for dessert and coffee. I loved those few weeks every year when a huge quilt was set up in our basement. My brothers and I would have board game marathons underneath it when the ladies weren’t there.
But my favorite part of quilting club was dessert time. Although I went to bed at 8, the buzz of the quilters would always wake me at 11 when they brought the party upstairs. And what a party it was! Laughter, stories, teasing—for an 8-year-old girl curled up in her bed, it sounded like the most fun anyone could have. Plus, my mom and her friends really took pride in their desserts—all homemade, usually things they were “known for.” Bananas Foster, flames and all. Cream puffs, eggy and light, like eating a cloud. Fresh blueberry pie.
![Have Your Apple-Pie Oatmeal and Eat It, Too I do my best to feed my son a balanced diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein. Lately, however, he’s become really fixated on just a few food items—such as oatmeal—that mostly consist of carbohydrates. I’m trying to shake up his favorites by incorporating them into meals with healthier options and new flavors. So when I saw the Apple-Pie Oatmeal recipe in the September 2012 issue of High Five magazine, I knew I had to give it a try.
Posted By Chelsea Day from Someday I’ll Learn
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First, I peeled an apple and chopped it into small pieces.
Then, I boiled the apple pieces with 1½ cups of milk and a dash of salt. For older kids who are OK with crunchier apple pieces, I would add the apple later (with the oats) to create more texture. My toddler still struggles with hard food pieces, so I wanted to soften the apples a bit.
After the milk came to a boil, I added ¾ cup of oats along with 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon.
I cooked this mixture for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. After letting it cool slightly, I presented it to my son.
It was a hit! My son gobbled this up. He liked the sweetness of the apples and the spice of the cinnamon, and I liked that he was getting more nutrition than what was in his old standby of plain oatmeal. Breakfast success.
What are your suggestions for incorporating more healthy options into your kids’ favorite meals?](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_max88ppx0I1rcctw2o1_r3_500.jpg)
![Cook Up Some Memories with Your Kids In my 100-year-old house, I have a number of family heirlooms—pieces of furniture, china and silver that have come down to me from several generations. I feel lucky to have them. They provide such a tangible link to my past. But the thing I took, almost as an afterthought, is the one I’ve come to love the most—a sweet, simple, dented, tin measuring cup.
Posted By Kathleen Hayes[[MORE]]You see, my mom was an excellent baker and candy maker. (She was not so good at vegetables, but that’s another story.) And as a little girl, I was often up on a stool, measuring the floor or sugar in that cup, making cookies, cakes, pies, bread, muffins and her famous hand-dipped chocolates. And now, when I reach for it as I mix up a batch of brownies, or measure the water for my morning oatmeal, it reminds me of all those times I worked beside her.
When you bring your kids into the kitchen and cook together, you’ll build memories that last a lifetime. I know it’s faster to just do it yourself. But when you have time to let your kids help, they’ll discover they can do “real work” and contribute to the life of the family.
Along the way, they’ll also learn important math and literacy concepts. Preschoolers who measure ½ cup of this and ¼ cup of that build up a wealth of experiences that will help them understand fractions when they meet up with them in elementary school. And as you help them decipher the instructions in the recipe, children discover that one of the reasons we read is to learn how to do things.
Finally, there’s the pleasure that comes from eating something you’ve made. Kids have been known to try all kinds of foods when they’ve helped make it. So, each month, we publish a recipe in High Five magazine. We introduce a variety of healthy foods (including all those vegetables I’ve learned to like), with occasional baked treats added to the mix.
I’d love to know what you’re cooking with your kids. What memories are you making in your kitchens?](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_maij90OPv51rcctw2o1_r3_500.jpg)
![Lessons from GrandparentsThis Sunday was National Grandparents Day, signed into law in 1978. The slightly cynical part of me was glad to learn that the holiday was started not by a card-maker or a florist but rather by a woman who had 43 grandchildren! She simply wanted Americans to set aside a day for grandparents and grandchildren to show their love for one another. That’s about as pure and simple—and grassroots—as a holiday can be.
Whenever grandparents and grandchildren spend time together, it’s golden. The older generation gets to pass down their values and hard-earned wisdom. The younger folks feel tied to family and linked to the past. And everybody loves the attention.
Posted By Christine F. Cully[[MORE]]In honor of Grandparents Day, the September issue of Highlights urges kids to interview grandparents to learn more about them. We suggest that they write down their discoveries and make a keepsake book or record their grandparents as they answer the questions. We love this simple idea—time-tested and guaranteed to make memories.
When my paternal grandmother passed away, we discovered a box of old photographs in her home. My sisters and I spent hours going through them, trying to identify who was in the pictures, guessing about dates and geography. One old photo in particular mystified us. On the back of it, my grandmother had written in pencil, “The saddest day ever. 1929.”
What happened? Who is that grieving woman—my grandmother? A relative? And what is she grieving? Was it related to the Great Depression? Was it a death—maybe the end of a romance? Who is the man leaning against the fence post, looking out, seemingly detached?
The photo continues to haunt us. It makes me wish that I had spent more time with my grandmother talking about her life—the good times, the seasons of loss and grief, her hopes and aspirations, her fears. I’m certain I would be richer for it.
Did you have a grandparent who enriched your life in some way? Do your children? I hope you’ll share a memory here.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ma78oqdNXR1rcctw2o1_r4_500.jpg)
![4 tips from China on the back-to-school transitionFor the past two years, Highlights has been publishing High Five magazine in China, written entirely in Chinese. Recently, during a visit to Changsha and Beijing I had the chance to observe the exciting and nerve-wracking experience of preparing kindergarten children to head off to school for the first time.
Even on the other side of the world, many school traditions felt familiar to me. In China, the school year starts September 1. Children ages 2 through 5 enter kindergarten/pre-school programs. The curriculum looks similar to many U.S. schools: reading, art, sports and more. Many schools also include language learning in both Chinese and English.
[[MORE]]As part of my visit, I sat in on a kindergarten preparation class designed to help parents manage their expectations of and anxieties about bringing their children to school for the first time.
Tips from the class in China included:
Successfully manage the drop-off and pick-up transitions. (Give your children big hugs, introduce them to their teachers and leave promptly.)
Read to your children every day to help them create a love of reading.
Create an environment of love around your children as they grow, learn and experiment.
Play and interact with your children in meaningful ways.
Although this class was delivered in Changsha, China, entirely in Chinese, I was struck by how similar it—and the parents—were to those back in the United States. When my son and daughter were entering school for the first time, my wife and I worried about managing drop-off and pick-up. And we’ve always strived to read to our children and instill a sense of love and warmth in our home. Luckily, our local elementary here in Ohio offered a similar kindergarten introduction and expectation session, helping to ease our fears and guide us through such a momentous time.
What stories from the first day of kindergarten do you have to share? Whether they are from the U.S. or abroad, it will be interesting to see just how similar all our stories really are.
—Andy Shafran
VP International, Highlights for Children](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9w5sdFH5X1rcctw2o1_r1_500.jpg)
![How have you shed the school lunch straitjacket? “Your boys are so much alike!” People say this to me all the time, and I know they’re talking about the round faces, the blue eyes and all those freckles. In reality, our three sons have very different personalities, and mostly my husband and I are happy to encourage their individual interests and tastes. Mostly. Except in September, when we are buying new clothes for the school year. Except every morning that I make school lunches. If you asked me to draw a Venn diagram of what my kids wear and eat, I’d just draw you three separate circles. And then you’d laugh, and I’d cry.
Photo courtesy of: Stock Free Images
Posted By Mary Alice Moore[[MORE]]My middle child has a sixth sense for cool (and, yes, I believe it’s an inborn trait), which means he has definite opinions about what he wears. So you might think he’d be the hardest one to shop for. But actually, although we argue about the price of the fancy sneakers he loves so much, he knows exactly what he wants—by store, brand and color. No, what’s harder is that my oldest son wants clothing with absolutely no brand markings. Whatsoever. “Plain clothes that don’t attract attention,“ he says, as if that’s helpful. It’s hard enough to find boys’ clothes without sports themes orinsignia, but I challenge you to find Plain Black Sneakers. Did you know that black and gray sneakers could be too flashy? Me, neither. For my youngest, it’s all about how things feel. Tags, seams, invisible itchy things: these are the bane of my existence. Watching him try something on is more nerve wracking than watching the Olympics. I lean forward, full of hope and panic. I try to seem nonchalant. Then, that freckled nose wrinkles slightly, those bony shoulders shrug upward just so, and he utters the words I dread most: “I don’t know….it just feels funny.”
Making school lunches stresses me out more than it probably should, because I am trying to get myself out of the house, too, and usually I’m standing there with wet hair and no makeup, trying to remember who’s white bread and who’s wheat, who likes mustard and who doesn’t eat lettuce. I know what you’re thinking: make the lunches at night when you’re not rushed; or better yet, have the kids make their own lunches. I know. And I should exercise more and eat less.
To each his own. Variety is the spice of life. No two people are exactly alike. I tell myself these things, when I’m wandering desperately around the Boys’ Department, or racing out the door with damp hair and streaked mascara. But sometimes it would be nice if the circles overlapped—just a little bit. What about you? Have you noticed that kids who share an awful lot of DNA don’t seem to share the same taste in much of anything? Do you have any tips or tricks to spare? (Though, clearly, I’m not that good at following advice.)](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m99krsjRjC1rcctw2o1_500.jpg)
![Calming Back-to-School Jitters When I was going into third grade, I remember being nervous about my new teacher, Mrs. Tone. Older kids had said that she yelled a lot, and my friends and I were worried. It turned out that all of my hand-wringing was for nothing. Mrs. Tone became one of my favorite teachers of all time. It was true—she did yell a lot! But her yelling was never malicious, and she laughed a lot, too. (Older kids would never tell you that.) Mrs. Tone was lively and exuberant and just wanted so much for us to learn and to succeed.
Photo courtesy of: Christopherhall | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos
Posted By Judy Burke[[MORE]]Going back to school is a stressful time for kids. Worries about the unknown start to weigh on their minds.Every year at Highlights, we receive—and answer—thousands of letters and e-mails from kids. Now that it’s August, we’re seeing a flood of back-to-school concerns. “What if I can’t keep up with the work in my new grade?” “I’ve never had to switch classes before, and I’m scared.” “My best friend and I are in different homerooms. What will we do?”
In our responses, we try to build kids’ confidence. We reassure kids that the grade they just finished has prepared them for the grade they’re about to enter. We remind them that they won’t be alone—all of their classmates will be in the same boat, with the same worries. We encourage them to have a positive attitude and to expect good things to happen.
Making friends is a huge part of the school experience.We tell kids to smile often, to say hi to others,to be kindand to laugh about the little things. A smile or a laugh puts everyone at ease. What better “friend magnet” is there?
We suggest that kids join clubs and sports, and we ask kids to keep an open mind when it comes to making friends. We tell them that friendship is like a boomerang—when you’re friendly to others, others will be friendly to you.
And as always, we point kids toward parents and other trusted adults for advice. After all, you know your kids better than anyone. How do you calm their back-to-school worries? What tips do you share? We’d love to hear about them.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8v2bucWqD1rcctw2o1_500.jpg)
