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I would have remembered only a
tiny fraction of my children’s early years if it were not for the
thousands of photos we have around the house. Some are memorialized
on the walls and shelves; the rest are in several boxes and the hard
drives of our computers. They are precious; they're the first items
we would grab if we had to evacuate our home.
Ray and Amy Watson of Livermore, Calif., have started a collection
of their own, one that I would title “The World According to Jesse
and Justin” - the cute and funny comments of their two young boys.
The funniest ones become their annual Christmas letter. This is a
two-for-one tip: Not only do you collect your children's precious
words for posterity, but also your holiday letter will be done.
Here's a sampling from the mouths of babes:
- (After passing gas) “Mommy, I have a duck in my diaper.”
- “Did God draw our body on paper before he made us?”
- “Mommy, there was no school because it was ‘King Kong Day’”
(confusing it with Martin Luther King Jr. Day).
- Jesse asked, “When you die, how do you know if you are in heaven?”
Justin responded: “Put it this way. If you see me, you are in
heaven. If you don't see me, you are in hell.”
- Justin told Jesse to hurry up. Jesse responded by putting his
fingers in his ears while saying, “I can't see you!”
- “Mommy, let's get a poodle. They're just like a dog, only cuter.”
FAMILY PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF HAPPIER TIMES
At times when your children are feeling bad about themselves or
having friendship problems, get out the photo albums or put on a
family video showing happier times with friends and family.
-Anonymous, Newark, Calif.
ARROWS HELP MATCH SHOES
I used a magic marker to put an arrow in the sole of each of my
daughter's shoes that pointed toward the middle. In other words, in
the left shoe the arrow would point to the right, and in the right
shoe the arrow would point to the left. That way, she was able to
put on her shoes without asking for help. - Dan R., Rolling Meadows,
Ill.
A “RANSOM BOX”
When my children were growing up, they often left their toys out
after playing with them. I would remind them to pick them up. If
they didn't, I put them in the “Ransom Box.” To get them back, they
had to pay a nominal fine out of their allowance or do an assigned
task or chore. They learned to keep their toys picked up.
- I.K., Fremont, Calif.
“YOU DON'T TRUST ME, DO YOU?”
Whenever I hear that comment from one of my teens in response to
hearing that they can't attend a specific activity, I reply: “I
trust you, but I don’t trust this situation for your age group. I’m
going to listen to my instincts this time.” Even though they may
still argue about my ruling, I believe that they at least understand
my concerns. - T.A.R., Tucson, Ariz. |
