For the GrandMummies (and Mummies-to-Be) in Your Life

We Grandmums and Grandpops have a vital role in our families:  It's up to us to pass along the family legends, holiday memories, family trees and favorite songs, books, and games.  Phew!  

It's hard to have all that information on hand at just the right time ...so be sure to be prepared.  If you aren't a writer or don't keep a journal, one great way to get started is to treat yourself to a memory book -- they have great prompts.  The best way to get started is to fill out a couple of pages a day and it's important to fill these out without double guessing or worrying about penmanship... just get to it!  We came across my mother's hidden-away booklet of "Grandma's Memories" this summer and it is a treasure trove of info (much of which was new to her children).  An incredible gift for us!

This is the one I give the new grandmummies-to-be in my life:
Grandmother's Treasures: Reflections and Remembrances -- it's gorgeous.

And for the grandfathers-to-be, you might consider any of these:
Grandfather Remembers: Memories for My Grandchild
From Your Grandfather: A Gift of Memory for My Grandchild (AARP)
or the gender-neutral        Memories for My Grandchild

While you are waiting for your memory book to arrive, start by writing down a list of your most favorite books as a child and the books you remember reading to your own children. Off the top of my head, here are some of mine, and I have a box started with copies of these to share with the grandkiddos at the appropriate times:
Goodnight Moon     The Little Engine That Could     Are You My Mother?
The Velveteen Rabbit      Where the Wild Things Are    
Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever       Frog and Toad  books
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
The Mouse and the Motorcycle      Little House on the Prairie series
 Misty of Chincoteague and other horse books     Charlotte's Web
 Robinson Crusoe       Island of the Blue Dolphins      The Yearling 
The Landing of the Pilgrims  and Landmark Biographies from the 50s/60s
Do these bring back any memories?

This list is a work in progress...as your list will be.
Would love to hear favorites, too, via comments, below!