Questions for Grandparents

National Grandparents Day is always the first Sunday after Labor Day. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about your grandparents’ lives.

Here’s a list of sample interview questions. Be sure to schedule the interview ahead of time so they won’t be surprised. Also, think about taking a tape recorder or video camera to record the memories.

• Where were you born? What year?
• What were your parents like? Were they strict?
• What are the names of your brothers and sisters?
• How well did you know your grandparents?
• Did you have a pet when you were growing up?
• Did you get an allowance?
• Did you have to do chores?
• What were your favorite games and activities?
• Who was your best friend?
• What did your house look like? Is it still the same?
• Did your family have a television when you were young?
• Did your family take vacations?
• Did you like school? What kinds of grades did you get?
• What were your favorite subjects?
• What did you like about grandma/grandpa when you first met?
• How old were you when you got married?
• What was your first job?
• Tell me about my mom/dad when he/she was growing up.
• What makes you proud of my mom/dad?
• Have you accomplished what you wanted in life?
• What advice would you like to give me?

For a more extensive list of ideas, click HERE.

For more information about National Grandparents Day, click HERE.

Ahoy! Check out these fine pirate reads

We asked our mateys at the Yakima Valley Regional Library to recommend some hearty reads for young pirates. Dig into these treasures:

Story Books
(recommended for adults reading to preschoolers through grade 2)

• “Edward and the Pirates,” by David McPhail. Edward is a studious-looking little boy who reads everything he can get his hands on and becomes so involved that whatever he reads seems to be real. He finds a book about pirates at the library and that night, pirates invade his bedroom.
• “How I Became a Pirate,” by Melinda Long. Jeremy Jacob is building a sand castle when a pirate ship lands nearby. While his parents are preoccupied, Jeremy sails the seas to help the pirates bury their treasure chest.
• “Tough Boris,” by Mem Fox. Although he is a very tough pirate, Boris von der Borch cries when his parrot dies.
• “Captain Abdul’s Little Treasure,” by Colin McNaugton. Captain Abdul’s disgruntled wife leaves a treasure chest on board his ship. Shocked to find Abdul’s little son hidden inside, the crew warms up to baby-sitting.
• “Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs,” by Giles Andreae. When a young boy’s markers run dry while drawing a dinosaur, he heads to the supply closet and discovers a sobbing pirate who explains that his ship has been stolen.

Children’s Chapter Books
(recommended for grades 3-6)

• “The 13th Floor: A Ghost Story,” by Sid Fleischman. Buddy Stebbins, a 12-year-old orphan in the care of his older sister, is faced with selling the family home to pay off their parents’ debts. Buddy calls on an ancestor, rumored to be a pirate, for assistance and launches the siblings on a time-travel adventure.
• “Peter and the Starcatchers,” by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. A prequel to “Peter Pan” (the Disney film as well as J.M. Barrie’s original play and novel), this book is full of high-seas hijinks and explains how Peter Pan learned to fly.
• “The Not-So-Jolly-Roger,” by Jon Scieszka. Joe, Fred and Sam — the “Time Warp Trio” — find themselves on a desert island, where they are captured by Blackbeard and taken aboard his ship. Something always goes wrong in the trio’s attempts to save their own hides.

Children’s Nonfiction
(fact books for grades 4-6)

• “100 Things You Should Know About Pirates,” by Andrew Langley
• “Fact or Fiction: Pirates,” by Stewart Ross
• “Eyewitness Books: Pirate,” by Richard Platt

Mommy Connection

MOMMY CONNECTION is an outreach program of Westminster Presbyterian Church. The group meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 9:15-11:30 a.m. The first hour is “mommy and me” play, while the second hour is just for moms; all ages welcome. Meetings are free and childcare is provided with advance reservations.

Meets at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6015 Summitview Ave., Yakima. For child care reservations, call 966-1900. For more information about the group, e-mail katejoyt@hotmail.com.

Mom & Baby

Mom & Baby is a discussion group for moms with infants under 1 year. Meets from 10 a.m. to noon every Monday, except holidays. Meetings are free; bring your baby. Now meeting at Evangelical Lutheran Church, 10203 Tieton Drive, Yakima. Organized by Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital’s Community Education, 509-575-8484.

Updated 2/10/2010.

La Leche League

LA LECHE LEAGUE is an international support group for pregnant and breast-feeding mothers. Children are welcome, and meetings are free.

A morning group meets at 9 a.m. the fourth Thursday of each month at the YVCC Family Resource Center, 1101 S. 13th Ave., Yakima.

An evening group meets at 6 p.m. second Tuesdays at Cascade Women’s Health, 1601 Creekside Loop, just off 40th & Washington avenues, Yakima.

For nursing help or questions, call Denita at 575-3715, or Katy at 248-2610.

Valley Families

VALLEY FAMILIES (formerly Apple Valley Mothers & More) is a social and activity organization for Yakima-area mothers. This group says it’s not for “mom” but for the woman inside the mother. The group aims to give its members the opportunity to reconnect with their whole selves, make new friends and provide opportunities for family interaction (because dads need friends too).

Valley Families welcomes all mothers, working, stay-at-home and those in-between; with children of all ages. For more, call Melissa 972-2762 or e-mail applevalleymm@hotmail.com or visit bigtent.com/groups/valleyfamily.

Especially for teen mothers

TEEN MOPS. 3-5:30 p.m. third Tuesdays, October through May (second Tuesday in February). This group provides a non-threatening environment where teen moms are encouraged by Christian women; see Mothers of Preschoolers. Open to teen mothers through age 21; about 15 moms attend. Meetings are free, including dinner and on-site childcare. Meets at Stanton Academy Alternative School, 901 W. Whitman St., Yakima. Call Holli Wolcott at 453-4206.

YOUNG LIVES. A Christian-based mentor program and support group for pregnant or parenting teens through age 19. Group meets monthly in Yakima; weekly mentoring. Call Lanette Hooper at 452-6376.