Summers Spent in a Dutch Windmill

I grew up in France.  My father was an American soldier in the U. S. army; my mother, born in Holland and a former professor of art and music at the Sorbonne in Paris.  We lived in Metz, France, a part of the (western) Strasbourg region.  For my yearly summer vacations my parents would drive the 4 hours to my aunt’s (mom's sister) house, in Bemelen, Holland. They would spend several hours reuniting with family and would drive back home to Metz in the evening.

My aunt and uncle owned a dairy farm.  They also had chickens and pigs.  The best part of the farm was a (real Dutch) windmill that stored the food for the animals.  It was always fun during the day to go inside and play.  I would spend the day with my uncle and older cousins driving the tractor, feeding the animals, and waiting for my cousins to come back from school (the French and Dutch kids only have one month vacation, we Americans have 3).   At the end of the summer, my parents would pick me up and I would be back in Metz just in time for school to start.  The American and French kids always thought I was so lucky and I did too.

One summer I arrived and the windmill had been remodeled from a storage place for animal food to a 2-story apartment!  I was too young to sleep there by myself at night but during the day I would go in the living room to nap, read books or write letters to my parents back in Metz. (This was the 1960’s – we had no cell phones or internet.  Telephones were only used for local calls. Long distance calls were very expensive.)  My father was transferred to the US in 1964.  I missed those vacations in Holland with my family.
  

In 1970 my husband, also a soldier in the US Army, was transferred to Germany.  My mother came to visit and we drove up to Bemelen for the day to reunite with the family.  My son was born in Frankfurt.  When we returned to the US in 1975 he was 2 years old so it was not a place he remembered. On his 16^th birthday, I took him back to Europe. We visited family and friends in France and then headed to Bemelen.

 The Dutch government had nationalized (taken over) all windmills. When my cousins took us to the home I remembered, we saw the windmill was now a museum.  The curator knew my cousins and he was happy to let us tour the two story windmill.  Fond memories for me and a real treat for my son.  How many children can say their mom slept and played in a real Dutch windmill!

My hope is that one day he will take my granddaughter to Bemelen and show her where her grandmother spent her summers.
                              

Hartelijk Dank (thank you so much) Ana Van Lousberg for the color pictures you provided me.  We must be kindred spirits – my (aunt's) family’s last name is Lousberg.

Teaching Children Time Management Techniques

School has started.  The mornings of sleeping in and nights of staying up are over.  The adjustment can be difficult the first weeks.  School starts the last week of August. No sooner do they start getting used to the "school schedule"  again, they have a three day weekend (Labor Day).  We have to begin all over.

Here are some tips for both you and the children to ease the stress levels that come with the return to school and teaches them life-long skills (in italics).

The night before:

1.  Homework.  Teach them to do their homework as soon as they finish their snack.  Memories are fresh and they are still in school mode. It gives you time to check it and for them to make necessary corrections.  Once finished, they will feel a sense of accomplishment and can then transfer to “play” mode.  It helps them understand the importance of completing this task.  It helps them make better decisions.  Remember to have them put the homework into their backpacks.  No running around looking for it or forgetting in the morning. (organization skills)

  

2.  Prepare next day's lunch.  Mornings can be so harried; you wind up throwing food together in a hurry.  Have them (help you) make their lunch.  It gives the opportunity to prepare healthier lunches and gives quality time for you to be together.  This will give you both extra minutes in the morning.

3.  Select / prepare their clothes:  Prepare or have the children pick out what they are going to wear the next day.  Have them watch the 5 or 6 o’clock weather forecast.  This gives them the information they need for their picks.  Clothes, shoes, accessories for girls (bows, earrings).  It  teaches them life-long learning planning skills.

4.  Iron clothes.  It takes time to set up the board, plug in the iron, wait for it to heat up, iron, unplug iron, pick up iron and board.  These 10 - 15 minutes are extra minutes you will gain in the morning. (scheduling skills)

5.  Sleep.  Too many kids are falling asleep in the classroom.  They are tired!  It is critical they get at least 8 hours sleep.  They are up early, they have a long day of learning, so make sure that 9 pm is sleep time (adjust depending on age).  Start at 8:45.  Have them take their bath, brush their teeth, go to the bathroom, read them a story, and then it's light's out.

Now, you have your time to do whatever it is you want or need to do and you know that tomorrow morning should be calm for both you and your children.  (stress management)

Where In the World is...?

Here's a project that will give you quality time together and teach geography at the same time.

  

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“How to” craft project - Napkin holders

The kids are yours for the summer.  Parents, Grandparents, babysitters, and care providers.  Here’s a project for you and the kids.  It’s fun!   It gives you both quality time to make something and talk to each other.  The project is simple, inexpensive, and fun!

Materials needed:

• newspapers
• empty toilet rolls
• scrap material / paper (wrapping)
• scissors – remember for small children they should be round-tip
• glue gun
• extra glue stix
• stapler
• glitter

If you do not have glitter, take the kids to the Dollar Store.  For $1, they can select 3-color pack.  The colors are varied so they can find the ones they like.

Step 1:  Lay the newspapers out over the surface you will be using

Step 2:  Plug in the glue gun.  Put a newspaper underneath the gun so the glue drips on it.

Step 3:  figure out how many you will want to make.  My grandchild wanted to make a set of 6 each for her parents, her grandparents, her aunt & uncle and myself.  The total equals 24.

Step 4:  Take the toilet rolls first.  Each roll will get you 3 rings each.  You can eyeball it or teach the kids how to measure with a ruler.

Step 5:  Press the roll down (it is pliable) and cut 3 rings from each roll.  When complete, put them to the side.

Step 6:  Take your scrap material or paper and measure the roundness and the width. Leave a little hanging over the width.  Cut your strips. 

Step 7:   (Glue gets very hot so do not just hand it over to the child without checking it first.)  Circle the inside of the ring top and bottom.
Step 8: Take the material or paper strip and wrap it around the ring. 

Step 9:  Fold over the excess into the ring.  Press it firmly to the glue.

Note: you can also use a small stapler.  To cover the staple markings on the outside of the ring, cover with glitter or ribbon.

Step 10:  Let the kids decide how they want to decorate the outside.  My grandchild  glued a ring in the middle of the ring and sprinkled the glitter on.  Flick any glitter excess off.

You’re done.

Each holder can be different.  Each set can be different.  My grandchild made my set (it is the one in the video).  We packed up the other sets to take home as gifts.  She was so proud.  Every time I use my set (and I do all the time), I think of her and I smile.

I hope you have as much fun as we did!

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