History in the Making

This summer we met my sister, Cindy and her husband, Graham, in Scotland.  As we travelled through Scotland I was amazed at the history.  We stayed in the village where Graham, grew up.  One morning we walked to the  Primary School he attended to see his niece, Lucy, move from P1 (Primary One) to the P2.  (They have an interesting class arrangement that I will talk about another time). While in town we walked past the building where his father had his repair business.  They lived above the shop on the main street of town. Later, they moved closer to where Graham now has his flat. Graham’s grandparents lived in this village, his 85 year old father, Robert, along with Elaine, Rob and Lucy - his sister and her family - all still live in Callander.  His Auntie Jean, cousin Rona and her daughter live on a nearby farm.  Nothing much has changed in this village.  Although they now have a co-op grocery store.  One evening we walked down the lane where Robert joined us, then we walked along the river and over the bridge past the Primary School where we were joined by Elaine and her family.  We continued up the road to another lane that went to the home of his childhood friend.  At this home, built in 1747, looking out on a glen with the village river winding through and sheep grazing on the hillside (their backyard!)  we enjoyed a lovely evening meal, Tea as they call it.  I was so taken by the history of the home, the history of the family and friends present at the meal and the ‘history’ being made by our visit.  It made me realize that every day we are creating a story, a part of our own history, that will be shared with our family and friends in years to come.

When we returned from our trip we spent time with Ansel and were amazed at how much he had changed in just 16 days.  His history is short but it is an ever changing story of his life.  Every day he adds another chapter to the story of Ansel.  Each day he adds to our lives new memories that we will remember long after he has added teeth to his smile and words to the sounds he is making.  We compare notes on the lives of Joel and Danielle to determine if Ansel has the same developmental pattern as his parents or if this is a new track he is heading down.  As we hear him laugh, see his desire to stand up and watch how intrigued he is with sounds we can use our knowledge of family history to see if it is Danielle or Joel he is taking after - or some relative we do not know.  

History is many years in the making as well as just moments ago — world history, country history, state history, city history, family history and your history — every moment we add a piece to our history.  What are the ways you can add special memories to the day that will become the history that makes up your child life story?  His-story and Her-story.

One of the fun moments we enjoyed this summer was camping with Ansel. As he looks back on the history of his life I am sure that camping and being outdoors will be a major component that is included in his historical markers. We camped with our sons.  Mt Rainier was a favorite. Every September we headed to Cougar Rock Campground. We would leave on a Thursday night hoping to find a camping site…ah the fun and anxiety of camping pre-online reservations! After we set up our tent the boys would head out to climb “CougarRock”. A large rock in the campground area.  This rock got smaller and smaller each year.  We have ‘historical’ data to document that the rock shrunk each year! The guys were amazed at how small this giant rock was when they returned for a picture the year they were in college. Mt Rainier holds many memories for our family.  It was the first of 4 mountains that Nick summited. It is the place that Nick asked Greta to marry him.  It is also the place that Danielle will remember, not so fondly, that our radiator exploded and we had to be towed off the mountain when she was pregnant with Ansel. Danielle’s family also spent their summer’s camping. With three girls in tow they went weekend camping near Bellingham and on major camping trips throughout the United States. Danielle and Joel went on a camping honeymoon to visit the National Parks. Both family’s have a history of camping. It will be fun to continue a camping tradition that is 35 years in the making.

Activities to do with Children

• Hikes in the city - Discovery Park, Ravenna Park,  Lincoln Park
• Camping in the backyard or local State and National Parks
• Read a book -- under a tree, with a flashlight in the dark, under the covers or in a tent
• Visit a new library

As you review your history - years in the making and hours in the making - what are some of the things you want to share with your child? Danielle is sharing her love of the outdoors with Ansel. This is evident in the fact that he has already gone on 7 camping trips in his 7 months of life. Joel is sharing the love of books.  They enrolled him in the Summer Reading Program at their library this summer. He is a continuation of the family traditions that made Joel and Danielle the adults, and parents, they are today. Our family history of educators goes back generations and the tradition of “a love for learning” is being passed on again to a new generation. As we watch Ansel enjoy the outdoors, read a book, laugh at dandelion fluff floating through the sky and being mesmorized by the sound coming from the phonograph we are witnessing history. It is The His-Story of Ansel. And what a joy to be part of that history.

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This year we will watch these little people change and grow. They will learn so much while being outdoors. They will watch a spider in a web, see the wind blow the branches of the trees, hear a bird sing, touch the rain as it falls from the sky, feel the warmth of the sun on their face and smell the sea air as it wafts through the play area. We will be a part of the laughter, the questions, the pouts, the tears, the joy and surprises as they explore their world. We will part of the his-story and her-story of the children that make up the world of Crown Hill Explorers.

What a privilege to be part of your child's history.  I am honored to be included in their life story.

Looking forward to a wonderful year together,

​​Teacher Janice