Just let them do it and enjoy their expression of uniqueness and creativity. Its just

hair. It will grow back if they wish it to. I’m 36 and in the 80’s it was cool to have

colored hair. My parents were Christian  and refused to let me follow the

trend. Oddly enough, now that I’m well into my 30’s and they are no longer extremists,

they both think that my hot pink striped short black hair is cool. If it wasn’t for the

fact that I’m a graphic artist, I don’t think I’d have been able to pull it off, but I am

glad I did. So maybe what I’m saying is that if you just let them do it while they’re

still kids you won’t have a 36 year old with hot pink hair!

What do you think?  Often if you do stress about it a great deal, the youngsters will be more determined to go to the extreme than if you let them experiment, if it doesn’t affect their values.

(Hair color image: sxc.hu)

Post from: Blisstree

Reader Agrees with Kids Coloring Their Hair

Image: sxc.hu

This happened with our daughter and now our granddaughter, who leaves soon for college 400 miles away.  This is a great adventure for her and will make a change in our multigenerational household.

We’ll miss her, yes, as we did when our daughter went 600 miles away 25 years ago.  But I wasn’t devastated.  (I began to feel guilty when people suggested that I should be devastated.)  We were excited about this opportunity for her.

Are you involved in exciting preparations for the young person in your household heading off to a new life?  We all wonder if we’ve imparted them with the knowledge and experience to handle situations that arise.  Have we let them make decisions during their high school years that will give them training in these matters?  Have we given them moral and religious backgrounds that will sustain them during difficult decision making.

Have we prepared our lives and those of siblings at home for this gap in the family life?  I used to find myself coming into the house after work and calling to Beth with something to share with her…then realize she wasn’t answering.  (In those days before e-mail, I’d have to write her a letter about it.)

Today with e-mail and social media such as Facebook, we can keep in touch with our college students   With Skype type applications, you also can talk face to face.

Do you have young people heading for college this fall?  Either away or locally?

Post from: Blisstree

When Your Kids Head for College

Image: sxc.hu

Janet shared:

I took care of my grandson from the time he was six months until he was 2 1/2 while his mom returned to work. It was an absolutely wonderful experience. I am so happy that I had the opportunity to bond with him and to watch him grow.

I watched him crawl for the first time and take his first steps and I helped to potty train him. I will remember these important firsts the same as I remember my own childrens.

He calls me Grammy and I love it!

On a personal note, I’ve had the pleasure of watching my two grandchildren grow, and being involved in their lives,  from the time they were 1 and 5 years old, because they and their parents have lived with us for a number of years.  Now our granddaughter goes off to college in the fall.

Share with us the joys of grandparenting.

Post from: Blisstree

Grandparents Share About Parenting

Image:sxc.hu

• Looking at the world through the eyes of a child again.
• Finding flowers wild and in gardens
• Taking walks at a child’s pace
• Collecting stones to skip on the water
• Finding awe in a bird building its nest
• Struggling through math homework and seeing the child’s face light up when he “gets it.”
• Learning computer skills because grandchildren expect you to be up to date
• Experiencing birthday parties, putting up a Christmas tree, capturing leprechauns on St. Patrick’s Day, coloring eggs at Easter,  planning  surprises and so much more.

What are your grandparenting joys?

Post from: Blisstree

The Joys of Active Grandparenting

Grandparenting/parenting situations:

• Grandchildren living with grandparents and parents in a multigenerational household, as has been the case in our home, for 13 years.
• Grandparents caring for grandchildren temporarily when there has been a parent illness or parent(s) away on military or job assignment
• Grandparents babysitting while parents work.
• Grandparents having adopted or acquired guardianship of grandchildren because the parents have died or cannot care for the children.
• Some combination of these situations.

Sometimes the care of grandchildren can curtail one’s life and be regarded as an inconvenience.  However, my husband and I have found the rewards far outweigh everything else.  Our life has been far from boring with grandchildren and their activities revolving around us and often involving us.

Our household soon will decrease in number when our granddaughter goes to college in the fall.  Already this 18-year old has become very independent and able to make decisions.  (This is good because we know she’s ready for life away from home, as our daughter was at that age.)

We’ll still have a teenaged grandson in the house, but our home will take on a different definition.  We’ll learn the enjoyments of this, too.

What have been your experiences with your grandchildren? I’ll write more about ours in a future post.

Image: Newscom

Post from: Blisstree

When Grandparents Parent