Thoughts for the Week:

In all of our histories there are parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents who came before us. Learning about these generations can help young children understand more about what "families" are. Grandparents often play a very special role in the lives of children: They do many things to help children grow and learn and they often have more "free" time to give to children than parents do. When children and grandparents live far away from each other, letters and telephone calls can still be ways of sharing closeness and caring. Even grandparents who are no longer alive influence a family - with handed-down traditions and memories that parents can share with their children. As we help children understand more about the people who came before them, we also help them learn more about who they are themselves, as well as the many different ways they're growing.