MAKING MEMORIES WITH YOUR KIDS–BE CRAZY, BE UNPREDICTABLE
Posted by Karen on Jul 27 2007
What are memories? Just little snippets of time locked in our brains. The memory of an event, a smell, or the sting of taunts aimed at us by other school children. Some memories are close to our conscious, some buried deeper. Luckily, those memories I perceive as good memories are closer to the surface, easier to recall. The bad memories aren’t so easy to remember, which is a good thing. Probably an important protective mechanism.
Some of my best memories are simple things. Things that didn’t require a lot of thought or planning on my parent’s part. I’m not sure they realize what a big impact these things had on me. How they’ve helped me seek out ways to create memories for my own kids.
Simple things….but the things I remember clearly, like they happened yesterday…..
Like when my dad was in night school one evening a week. On those days my mom wouldn’t cook a big fancy dinner. Instead she’d make all of the things my meat-and-potatoes-dad didn’t consider a “real” dinner. On those nights we had hot dogs, or waffles, or TV dinners with the little section of apple cobbler that required pulling back the foil before cooking. Now that I’m a grownup I realize my mom did this out of simplicity, a break from the regular cooking. But as a kid I remembered it as a special night.
Another example….As a kid I loved babies. Adored them! At family get togethers my parents always knew where to find me–I’d be with the babies. Find the babies, find Karen. Because of my love for babies I seemed to gravitate towards the baby department of any store to look at the cribs and strollers and itsy-bitsy sleepers. I looked longingly at these things and dreamed of the day I’d be a mom. I remember my mom saying to me, “If I’m not around when you have children, pick them out something very special and tell them it’s from their grandma.” A little thing, but extremely meaningful and memorable to me. I’m happy to say she is still around today, and has bought the kids plenty of special things on her own, but when I think of that memory it brings tears to my eyes. Now in a happy way because I know I don’t have to take her up on her offer.
Now, as a grown up with “babies” of my own, I look for ways to make memories that will stick. And not just big earth shattering memories, the little things that mean so much. When my kids grow up, they aren’t going to say, “I remember mom used to make us healthy, well rounded meals 3 times a day. Instead, one day I could feed them big ol’ ice cream sundaes for dinner….just once. Forever they will remember the time “Mom served us ice cream for dinner.” Simple thing, big memory. Maybe an impromptu picnic, or chasing lightning bugs, or raising caterpillars and releasing the grown up butterflies. Maybe backwards day where we wear our clothes backwards, eat dinner in the morning and breakfast at night. Maybe a scavenger hunt at the park looking for bugs and rocks and leaves that are bigger than your hand. Simple things, big memories.
Kids don’t care that we moms cook healthy dinners, wash their dirty underwear, or make sure they are stocked up on toothpaste. The things they’ll remember are different from the mundane day to day life things. They’re the things out of the ordinary. They’re the things that will make them sit back and say, “Did mom go crazy? She’s serving us ice cream for dinner!”
Thanks Mom (and Dad) for all of the simple things you did to fill my life with good memories.
This post submitted to the July Writing Project over at MommaBlogga. The assignment was to write to this prompt: “Thanks, Mom.”
on 27 Jul 2007 at 10:54 am 1 Diatribal said …
I remember the first time that My Dad had to go out of town for a business trip. My sister and I were not so thrilled about the idea of fun daddy being gone for such a long time. We made do, until he called and said that he would not be back at the time he had originally told us. Mama said, “Let’s have a bunkin’ party!” And we did. We started a super tradition then and there of making brownies and having popcorn and all other “Party Foods” when fun daddy was gone. I still remember it to this day.
Memories are grand, aren’t they!
on 27 Jul 2007 at 11:19 am 2 mommyzabs said …
This is so great. I read something like this recently… so I must need the message! I think i’ll do something extravagently crazy with the kids today- not sure what yet!
on 27 Jul 2007 at 11:23 am 3 mommyzabs said …
Also I just wrote a post on a new thing called ‘motherapproves.net’ you ought to check it out and add a button to your posts! It is like digg for parents. I think a lot of your posts that would be the kind sumitted.
on 27 Jul 2007 at 1:08 pm 4 reba said …
this almost made me tear up a bit, yesterday we put my grandmother in a hospice and i don’t think she will make it to august. i was in the shower thinking about all the ways she made my life special and all the memories i have. and the ones that stand out are of her giving us coffee in the afternoons during summer vacation so we would sit quietly during her soaps. and of every memorial day when she would get down on her knees and literally paint the brick patio “brick red” so it would be beautiful all summer long.
on 27 Jul 2007 at 1:16 pm 5 Deb said …
That’s true - the ’special’ memories stand out the most for me too. Something to remember when we get stuck in the daily grind… Hmmm, ice cream for dinner - sounds good to me!
on 27 Jul 2007 at 4:40 pm 6 Shauna said …
I LOVE this post. And it has inpsired me. I’m going to remember that as I go about my day (with a To Do list all about those mundane things) and slip something extraordinary in.
on 27 Jul 2007 at 5:20 pm 7 MAKING MEMORIES WITH YOUR KIDS–BE CRAZY, BE UNPREDICTABLE by fashion.ZapiZapi.com said …
[…] for bugs and rocks and leaves that are bigger than your hand. … article continues at Karen brought to you by FASHION and […]
on 27 Jul 2007 at 5:57 pm 8 mommyzabs said …
I am submitting this now to mommy approves! You need to get a button for the bottom of your post
on 28 Jul 2007 at 10:44 am 9 kailani said …
Very true. I hope that when my girls are grown they’ll fondly remember some of the off-the-wall things Mommy did to make life fun. I know I’ll treasure those moments forever.
Thank you for sharing this with the Carnival of Family Life. Your post will be included in the July 30th edition at An Island Life.
on 28 Jul 2007 at 11:02 am 10 motherapproves.net said …
PediaScribe » MAKING MEMORIES WITH YOUR KIDS–BE CRAZY, BE UNPREDICTABLE…
This is a GREAT post about the importance of making memories with your kids. A MUST READ for all moms and dads!…
on 29 Jul 2007 at 7:11 pm 11 AbsolutelyBananas said …
So, so true. Great post!
on 29 Jul 2007 at 9:13 pm 12 PediaCast: a pediatric podcast for parents » PediaCast 44 * Little League Elbow, Acne, Ozone Effects * 347-404-5437 said …
[…] from Web MD Even More on Vitamins–This one from Oprah! Ozone Problem Areas By County - USA Making Memories With Your Kids–Be Crazy, Be Unpredictable FEATURED MUSIC Download “Daddy, Let Me Hitch A Ride” (mp3) from “Ridin’ […]
on 29 Jul 2007 at 11:02 pm 13 Jordan (MamaBlogga) said …
What wonderful memories to have (Karen & commenters)! I remember the little things, too—the peg games and soaps, and the smell of coffee and the gas stove at my great-grandmother’s, for example.
Thanks for participating!
on 29 Jul 2007 at 11:35 pm 14 July GWP Days Four and Five | MamaBlogga said …
[…] Making Memories with Your Kids—Be Crazy, Unpredictable by Karen (Pediascribe) […]
on 30 Jul 2007 at 5:12 am 15 An Island Life Hot Off The Presses - The Carnival of Family Life said …
[…] When your children are grown, what do you think they’ll remember about their childhood? Karen of Pediascribe suggests that when Making Memories With Your Kids - Be Crazy, Be Unpredictable. […]
on 30 Jul 2007 at 7:31 am 16 bellevelma said …
You’re right! Some of my fondest memories are of evenings when my dad worked the night shift and my mom would get take out for dinner. Fried chicken or pizza, and lots of ice cream. It never occured to me that it might have been about convenience for her. For me it was just fun and good food - NOT meat and potatoes again.
on 30 Jul 2007 at 9:44 am 17 summershine said …
This was a fantastic reminder about what kids will remember, and to act accordingly! Thanks!
on 30 Jul 2007 at 4:28 pm 18 Mama Bloggas July Group Writing Project Links. at Mommy Zabs said …
[…] Making Memories with Your Kids—Be Crazy, Unpredictable by Karen (Pediascribe) […]
on 30 Jul 2007 at 8:44 pm 19 Mama Bloggas July Group Writing Project Links. « homeschooling diva said …
[…] Making Memories with Your Kids—Be Crazy, Unpredictable by Karen (Pediascribe) […]
on 30 Jul 2007 at 8:46 pm 20 MamaBlogga's Group Writing Project said …
[…] Making Memories with Your Kids—Be Crazy, Unpredictable by Karen (Pediascribe) […]
on 30 Jul 2007 at 11:20 pm 21 Spreading the love « Musings of a southern girl at heart said …
[…] Making Memories with Your Kids—Be Crazy, Unpredictable by Karen (Pediascribe) […]
on 31 Jul 2007 at 11:13 am 22 Links You Should Read :: Mommy Babble said …
[…] Making Memories with Your Kids—Be Crazy, Unpredictable by Karen (Pediascribe) […]