Widows & Widowers Support Group

This community is dedicated to those who have lost a husband, wife, or partner. Anything is open for discussion here, with the hope that we can focus on grief, bereavement, life after loss, and continuing on after a great loss.

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Truhal 01/25/2011

Okay, everybody. I'm in need of help. You see in my selfish life, I never bothered to learn about children and didn't have any. No younger siblings either and all my cousins are my age.

So, here I am with a problem. I don't know how to take care of a 6 year old.

Now, this wouldn't be a problem if my husband were still around. We'd planned to have my grandson stay with us sometimes. I was really looking forward to it.

But I'm scared now. I want to have him stay over and do grandma things. Only, I have no idea what a 6 year old can and can't do. And I don't know how to entertain him either. The last time I hung out with a 6 year old The Twilight Zone was on the air and I was a 6 year old too.

Help! grandmas and mothers of this group. Tell me what to do.

tpoulos 01/26/2011

My nephew is 5 and I've been around a lot of kids, they love to
just b with you, read, play games, watch a video, bake cookies,
talk about Grandpa and what he liked to do, look at photos... go
to hobby store and find a simple craft .... Good Luck

deleted_user 01/26/2011

My granddaughter is 9, but one of the things that she liked and still likes is playing games. Look around at your local store for age appropriate games. If the weather is nice, there is always the park. The local McDonalds here has an indoor playground. Check to see if there is anything similar around you.
A six year old is old enough to let you know what he or she likes to do, some youngsters are more active than others. Little boys like cars, trucks, etc. Some children like to do craft projects, coloring, and the like. Don't be tempted to park him in front of the TV if there are other things to do. Just be yourself and relax and have fun. Judith

deleted_user 01/26/2011

Just be yourself. Have fun things to eat around the house. Find our from mom and dad what kinds of things he likes to do and make or have those things available for him. My granddaughters love baking cookies but my grandson wants me to play cars with him. McDonalds might not be the healthiest place in the world to eat but all kids seem to like it. It's just fun to spend one on one time with the littles. They are funny and make you see the world through very different eyes. It is my experience that you can spoil them and even get them a little sugar infused and the hugs and kisses from littles with cookie crumbs on their faces are the best kisses in the whole world. Enjoy.......they grow up so quickly.

michaelbmanning 01/26/2011

Three of my five have gone through being 6, and this is easy. Crayola WASHABLE markers and play doh. If it is messy, they will play with it. Little boys don't sit still long enough to do something structured. They like things thay can take apart and put back together, Take him to the Blockbuster for him to select something to watch if you have a DVD player. Check out your local library for programs and events they have. Little boys like dinosaurs. Girls do better with crafts. I have no idea about grandma things, just relating what my kids do.

Maggie

deleted_user 01/26/2011

Grandma of 4. 2 boys and 2 girls. Play Doh, Crayons and blank paper, letting them help you cut cookies or stir a cake or make lunch/set the table. Take a nature walk...collect things. Listen to them. They love the 1:1 attention. Go to the library. Pick out a book. Go back home and read it to them. Lincoln Logs and the larger Legos.

(((hugs))) Have fun!
Carla
(aka Grandma Rose)

deleted_user 01/26/2011

my grandkids still love to help me bake cookies, make fudge. My granddaughter loves painting and making cards, etc. If your weather permits, take them on nature walks. Even if it is thru the town. Give them cameras.........most like to take pictures. I let mine use my cameras but you can get disposable ones........they don't care. All of them spent hours just taking pictures.
I had four of my grandkids spend a month with me and I had something to do everyday with them.
Here's a tip........ When the kids were going back to their parents, I took the pictures and made them a scrap book of all the things they did at Grandmas. My granddaughter still gets it out from time to time.

cliffskat 01/26/2011

Lots of good ideas here. I just want to add one thing:

PIZZA.

With guys, you can never go wrong with pizza. At any age....

Good luck and let us know how things go. Love and Hugs, Martha

deleted_user 01/26/2011

As a grandma of a 6 year old boy & 5 year old girl, I play cars & go on missions with my grandson. The missions are GI Joe guys & I call him Sarge...he loves playing with his guys. Hours of fun & also making cookies (with cookie cutter shapes) with grandma..the kids love this.
My granddaughter loves playing dolls. Kids are so much fun at this age & have quite an imagination. Have fun with your adventures.

lovelos 01/26/2011

Lots of good ideas already, my grandson loves for me to read to him more than anything. He sits as close as he can get to me and we read for hours. Do the things his parents would love to do more often but never have the time for with their busy lives. Thats what makes grandma so special.
Lu Ann

deleted_user 01/26/2011

finger paint. The boys love the oooy goey, and are so proud when you hang it to display their work

deleted_user 01/26/2011

I happen to have 7 and one is a 6 year old boy. He loves to play on cartoon network on my computer, he loves to watch cartoon network on tv, for me to rock him while we watch one of his favorite movies and to be read too, to make home made pizza with me for our dinner. He likes to play legos but I can't get him to color or draw he hates school so I let his parents deal with that :)

deleted_user 01/26/2011

Ask his or her mother for ideas, or just ask your grandchild. Kindness and attention is key. I often have my grandson help me around the house- he loves having a job. He also likes puppet shows (you decorate old socks with markers), reading, and drawing.

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