After publishing 624 columns, 280,800 words, two books in English and Spanish, and 312 podcasts, the teachers at Grandparents Teach, Too/Learning Through the Seasons are retiring. Iris Katers will continue podcasts on wnmu.org live and online thanks to the help of NMU Public Radio 90.   Thank you to our families, publishers, editors, and readers throughout the U.S. who helped us inform parents and grandparents of the many ways to prepare their children for school and a lifelong love of learning. Thank you all for sending our column to families around the world and wr ..read more

 No matter how we celebrate Thanksgiving Day this year, teaching children to give thanks and be grateful is a critical part of developing a good, kind, and loving person. Thanksgiving is a perfect time for families to spend more discussion time together that builds knowledge, vocabulary and binds the family together. Creating a Thanksgiving book together is a gift in itself. You’ll need several sheets of paper or large paper plates, pencils, crayons, and stapler. Optional are paper punch and yarn.  Conversation and Creating    Start by having a conversation ..read more

Making Math Count for Youngsters   Life is like a math equation. In order to gain the most, you have to know how to convert negatives into positives—unknown      Families can use everyday activities to help children prepare for math in school and have a life- long awareness, understanding, skill and good attitude toward numbers and problem solving with numbers.  Here are a few family activities to begin. Grocery Store Math    Grocery shopping is an ideal place to use math skills.  Young children can look through grocery ads and ..read more

 We have heard: read, read, read every day. Perhaps families should also say do math, math, math every day. It’s just as fun. You can increase your child's awareness of numbers by looking around the house to find examples: the kitchen clock, the calendar, a cereal box, a TV dial, a stamp or inside shoes. Children can write down the numbers they see. Give them a number and ask them to look around the house for examples of the number. Boost your older children’s awareness of how numbers are used by pointing out weather forecasts and sports statistics in the newspaper or on-line. Estimate ..read more

“If my parents had done these things with me, I probably wouldn’t be in this place.  This stuff is fun and easy. I’m going to read to my grandkids and show my daughter.” Person at the Marquette County Detention Center GTT training sessions. 2014     Between ages 12-18 months your child will probably say a few words and understand sometimes what you say if you speak in a normal voice and short sentences. There are many ways to interact with your 12 -18 month old in a way that will help develop language. It is a stage of giving them words for what they are doing and car ..read more

“What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies.” – Rudolph Giuliani Zoom Cooking   These times sometimes require an abundance of grandparent ingenuity, too.  Grandma Cheryl has introduced Zoom cooking to her long-distance family.  To sign up for a free Zoom go to zoom.us/sign up on your computer or ask local teens to bring over a laptop or Chromebook sign you up and show how to use it.  Then schedule a ti ..read more

 Now is the time to get outside into the fresh air.  Although leaves are falling rapidly as days shorten, families have just enough time to teach young children the science and art of leaves with simple activities, everyday materials, and conversation.   You’ll need a bagful of leaves, a paint brush or sponge, paper, five paper plates, a heavy book, white glue, and clear packing tape. Collecting Leaves    Take a walk and gather a variety of tree leaves, colors, and shapes like oak, maple, and willow. Then discuss how maple trees are shaped like an open h ..read more

 Whether children are learning from home, school, or a combination about now is a good time to evaluate.  How is it going? How is the home study space working?  People who study this  have some suggestions to setup a learning space no matter what the environment. The key words are routine, organization, breaks, and flexibility. Routine  Whether it is a parent or other family member taking this on, experts suggest setting up every weekday like a school day whether the children are going to school full time, part time, or going to a spot in the home ..read more

What are some quiet easily managed activities you can set up especially during this difficult time?  You can talk together while doing some reading or art for starters. Sit together, do an activity, and model calmness. Listen to what they have to say. Use the 10 second rule before jumping in and help children focus on what they can control like wearing, masks, washing hands, and keeping a distance from others for a while. You can practice how to handle uncomfortable social situations, reassure, and practice routines.   Reading  Reading every day helps to quiet childre ..read more

Grandparents Stepping up to Fill Needs   “You don’t really know something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.” -Einstein   Having grandkids is a blessing.  Helping to shape their lives is an honor. – Unknown     Grandparents and other relatives are valuable assets to parents coping with and succeeding during this particular time in our history.  The United States has a history of everyone pulling together to keep the family safe and flourishing, especially the children.   Here are some suggestions from people in mental health an ..read more