Searching for your ancestors? Researching your family tree? Be aware - you might open a Pandora’s box.
Ever since the movie Roots, family history and genealogy research have been very popular - just Google related terms and you’ll see the many resources that have sprouted online in the last decade! I’ve been researching our family trees for more than 10 years now. Most of the 50 pages of data I’ve found is from those resources on the net. I believe it is very important for grandparents to pass down the family history. It’s important for children to know their past to help them see their future.
I won’t go into all the details of my lineage, but I’ll share with you several interesting facts I came across…
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There are many free, fun sites on the web that are also safe for our grandchildren. When the grandkids come over, they always want to spend time at the computer playing games and finding activities to do. I don’t buy any software - no need to. There are many to choose from just a few clicks away. Below is a list of safe websites that my grandchildren enjoy. (Don’t tell them, but I do too!) They offer crafts, games, activities, stories, and more plus a few have free offers, too.
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Goodnight, My Angel: A Lullabye by Billy Joel
“I promised I would never leave you.
And you should always know
wherever you may go,
no matter where you are,
I never will be far away.”
Billy Joel wrote a lullabye for his daughter, Alexa, when she was seven which he sung to her as he tucked her into bed. That lullabye, Good Night, My Angel, is now illustrated in a lovely book accompanied by the CD for read-along and bedtime listening. Read the reviews at Barnes & Nobel…
Lori, mommy of our two granddaughters and a pre-school teacher, recommended I share this with my readers. She said it is delicately illustrated and the grandchildren love to listen to it as they drift off to sleep. I may borrow it for Nana and Poppy.
Grandparenting is great - it gives us the excuse to play with toys, listen to lullabyes, and take naps!
Grandparents, Spring is just around the corner. That means it’s time to start planning outdoor activities to enjoy with your grandchildren. Every boy, and girl, enjoys building a wooden boat that they can sail for hours on end. Why not take a picnic lunch - fishing poles, too - and make a day of it when you celebrate the launching of your 
grandchild’s new wooden boat. Combine these activities with Grandchild, We’ll Sail the Sea poem.
At familyfun.com (Disney) you can find directions for building a child’s wooden boat model using balsa wood. Here is an excerpt from their site:
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Combine this poem with Build a Wooden Boat activities.
Grandchild, We’ll Sail the Sea
Grandchild, we have…
Adventures ahead,
Like the ones we read.
We’ll sail the sea,
Just you and me.
But first we must plan,
Do the best you can.
You’ll design and draw,
Then we’ll use the saw.
Make sure you sand,
I’ll lend a hand.
We’ll nail and pound,
Don’t mind the sound.
Finish with paint,
Without complaint.
We’ll let it dry,
Give it a try.
How happy we’ll be,
I know you’ll agree.
We’ll sail the sea,
Just you and me…
by Nanas Corner, 2008
The following poem can be combined with my Dream Catcher Activity. (link below)
GOODNIGHT
Goodnight, sleep tight
It’s time to go to bed.
Goodnight, sleep tight,
And rest your weary head.
The stars are shining bright.
The moon has come to stay,
“It’s time to go to Slumberland,
So let’s be on our way.”
Goodnight, sleep tight,
It’s time to go to bed!
Goodnight, sleep tight,
Tomorrow lies ahead!
Author unknown
Combine this lovely child’s goodnight poem with my Dream Catcher’s activity. (Scroll down the page to find it.) Every night you put your grandchild to bed, look at the Dream Catcher and recite the poem together as your young one drifts off to sleep.
