The other day my mom and I were babysitting my 7 year old cousin, Audrie. The news was on the TV, but no one was really paying attention. A news segment about how eating habits in this country has changed over the last 100 years came on.
Naturally, Audrie began asking questions and telling us all about the nutrition unit she is studying in school. My mom casually made a comment about how sugary treats used to be hard to find and were only eaten at special occasions.
The disbelief on Audrie's face was priceless. After she things about it a little more, she asks why they didn't just go to the store and buy the treats.
My mom tries to use the example of Audrie's Great Grandpa Dugger (my grandpa). As a kid, he lived in the Appalacian Mountains in Tennessee. My mom and I went on and on about how different things were back then.
"Auntie Sharon - was it like that when you were a kid too?" asks Audrie.
"Not exactly. I'm not that old," replied my mom
Thankfully, no one got offended and it has become the new joke in the house. Everytime my mom sees Audrie, she pretends to use a cane and talks about "back in the old'n days when we traveled across the country in covered wagons..."
Lesson of the Day: Always pack a sense of humor when trying to connect with kids on a family history level.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Haha! This reminds me of when I was student teaching in second grade. We had grandparents' day, and several grandparents were guests in our classroom. The children had recently studied the Civil War in our social studies lesson and asked if the grandparents knew Abraham Lincoln and what living during the Civil War was like. It was priceless!
Great. Having grandchildren of my own I can relate. The funniest I experienced what when they could not believe we milked a cow for milk. Milk comes from the store.
Loved your post.
Frances
Oof! This really hits home - a running joke in my family was how I used to constantly ask my mother, "What was it like in the olden days?"
Post a Comment