by Marlene Bumgarner | Jun 1, 2015 | Aging, Family, Grandparenting
Photo courtesy of Jillian Dent Parenting Approaches May Differ Research confirms that children benefit when both parents and grandparents actively participate in their lives. However, in the real world, not everyone agrees with their parents on child-rearing...
by Marlene Bumgarner | May 26, 2015 | Family, Grandparenting
Into Every Life a Little Rain Must Fall Most families experience some drama from time to time, and ours is no exception. The family dog eats a prescription pill bottle, pills and all; the plumbing fails; a fence falls down; termites swarm in the living room. ...
by Marlene Bumgarner | May 18, 2015 | Aging, Community, Family, Grandparenting
Grandma, Grandma, Grandma! Occasionally I collect my granddaughter from preschool. Last week when I entered the play yard, Bean saw me from the other side of the climbing equipment. She ran all the way around it, arms held out wide, shouting “Grandma! Grandma!...
by Marlene Bumgarner | May 11, 2015 | Aging, England, Family
One of my earliest memories of early childhood was marching around the kitchen table with my mother along with radio personality Don McNeal and his Breakfast Club. We would march and laugh and duck under the table and laugh, and . . . then we would wash the breakfast...
by Marlene Bumgarner | May 4, 2015 | Aging, Community, Family, Grandparenting
When I purchased my sweet little house in Santa Cruz, it came with a waterfall and a pond. That summer I experienced the joy of falling asleep to the peaceful sound of falling water. In time, though, the pond became green with algae and began to need regular...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Apr 27, 2015 | Family, Grandparenting
Four Year Old Bean was having trouble transitioning from Mommy to Grandma, and after a tearful good bye, three hugs and a kiss, she laid herself out, prostrate, on my front porch, proclaiming loudly “I don’t care about anybody but Mommy!” Knowing she...