Traditions
I was reading a book this weekend about recent parenting theory and research and one of the points the author was making was about the importance of rituals and traditions for childrens' development. I often feel guilty that I don't have many amazing traditions to hand down to my children. I come from a family that can be traced back to the original 13 colonies, so our family tradition is so diluted by this generation, that it feels no more unique than any other American family. In addition, I have friends who are energetic and creative and create fun, wonderful new traditions for their kids. I don't have this going for me either! So what are my traditions, then, I gasped!
One of my most cherished memories from childhood is the time that I spent over the years at my family's cottage "up north". Growing up, the expression "Up North" was a phrase that my friends and I used and all knew what it meant---it was the house, cabin, camper, etc. in the Northern woods of Wisconsin that so many of us growing up in the Midwest frequented for family vacations. My "Up North" is a cottage on the shore in Door County, Wisconsin. (I've also always said "on the shore", meaning on Green Bay, but one of my brothers-in-law who grew up on Long Island, NY, claims I'm not allowed to say on the "shore" unless the body of water is an ocean. I'll have to research the exact definition of that some day, but until then I'll keep saying it the way I do!)
As we were riding around in the boat this weekend, my Dad was remarking about all the things my siblings and I had had fun doing while growing up that now our kids are experiencing, and enjoying in much the same way. At that particular moment, the grand kids were all in the bow of the boat screaming to Grandpa to drive faster so that they'd be bounced harder on the choppy water. Mile after mile the boat bounced and the kids squealed with delight. (One adult claimed he was motion sick by the end of this outing!) Watching the kids, I began to think about this wonderful place as being something I could claim as a family tradition. I seem to recall seeing a little hand-painted plaque at a gift store once which read "Up North is a frame of mind". It's a time to unplug. No computers or video games. It was a weekend of baseball, fishing, boat rides and lounging around--wonderful activities for both kids and adults. I sat in the sunshine and read magazines for hours on Saturday. I'd never do that at home, since there's always so much "to do". We laugh that most of the adults eat and sleep way more than normal while there, but I'm sure that's part of the restoration that needs to happen as well. So, maybe I need to give myself a break and realize that I maybe have more traditions to pass down to my children than I'd once realized.
One of my most cherished memories from childhood is the time that I spent over the years at my family's cottage "up north". Growing up, the expression "Up North" was a phrase that my friends and I used and all knew what it meant---it was the house, cabin, camper, etc. in the Northern woods of Wisconsin that so many of us growing up in the Midwest frequented for family vacations. My "Up North" is a cottage on the shore in Door County, Wisconsin. (I've also always said "on the shore", meaning on Green Bay, but one of my brothers-in-law who grew up on Long Island, NY, claims I'm not allowed to say on the "shore" unless the body of water is an ocean. I'll have to research the exact definition of that some day, but until then I'll keep saying it the way I do!)
As we were riding around in the boat this weekend, my Dad was remarking about all the things my siblings and I had had fun doing while growing up that now our kids are experiencing, and enjoying in much the same way. At that particular moment, the grand kids were all in the bow of the boat screaming to Grandpa to drive faster so that they'd be bounced harder on the choppy water. Mile after mile the boat bounced and the kids squealed with delight. (One adult claimed he was motion sick by the end of this outing!) Watching the kids, I began to think about this wonderful place as being something I could claim as a family tradition. I seem to recall seeing a little hand-painted plaque at a gift store once which read "Up North is a frame of mind". It's a time to unplug. No computers or video games. It was a weekend of baseball, fishing, boat rides and lounging around--wonderful activities for both kids and adults. I sat in the sunshine and read magazines for hours on Saturday. I'd never do that at home, since there's always so much "to do". We laugh that most of the adults eat and sleep way more than normal while there, but I'm sure that's part of the restoration that needs to happen as well. So, maybe I need to give myself a break and realize that I maybe have more traditions to pass down to my children than I'd once realized.
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