Still crazy but what a fantastic year



Batlady

Aussie game called two up.  Now banned

Balmoral - always beautiful

Grandmother's clock

Spring has sprung

Spring chicken

Constant floral

Ferns in Clara's garden

The most visited blog - Scarves in your own personal colours

You are incredible DaVinci

Killer earrings

Clara is now a gym dropout

New inspired ventures - thanks

And recipes from Tuscany

And Clara's garden

And special boys

Importance of fairy tales

Love of closeup photos  of herbs

And grandchildren

Best shot of the year

Time to meditate and live in the moment

And read good books

Have amazing holidays in the wilderness

And keep on dancing

And having fun

Due respect to climatic crises

And pears

and most of all to beautiful grandchildren

Good mates

Fabulous opportunities for photography

And colour contrasts

Wish you were here

Love where I live

Greater depth lies within

8 good potential mums !!!!

Be like water and flow

Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

But why read Fairy Tales to your children?

As a teacher, parent and now a grandparent I am aware of the fascination Fairy Tales hold for children.

I agree with the philosophy of this extract re 'The Importance of Fairy Tales in a Child's Life' summed up as "Reading fairy tales contributes toward healthy and confident attitudes about the challenges and terrors of this life."


Clara


Extract from 'Wisdom from Bruno Bettelheim's The Uses of Enchantment'


Bruno Bettelheim, child psychologist, wrote, "Wisdom does not burst forth fully developed like Athena out of Zeus's head; it is built up, small step by small step, from most irrational beginnings. Only in adulthood can an intelligent understanding of the meaning of one's existence in this world be gained from one's experiences in it. Unfortunately, too many parents want their children's minds to function as their own do-as if mature understanding of ourselves and the world, and our ideas about the meaning of life, did not have to develop as slowly as our bodies and minds. Today, as in times past, the most important and also the most difficult task in raising a child is helping him to find meaning in life."


The German poet Schiller wrote: "Deeper meaning resides in the fairy tales told to me in my childhood than in the truth that is taught by life." How can this be? Bettelheim says, "These tales start where the child really is in his psychological and emotional being. They speak about his severe inner pressures in a way that the child unconsciously understands and . . . offers examples of both temporary and permanent solutions to pressing difficulties."


The fairy tale, according to Bettelheim, confronts the child squarely with the most scary subjects in life: death, aging, loss of a parent, being trapped or lost, and other stresses. The fairy tale simplifies all situations, allowing the child to come to grips with the problem in its most essential form. The figures are clearly drawn and the details, unless very important, are eliminated. All characters are typical rather than unique. Evil is as common as any virtue and both are usually embodied in the form of a figure or their actions.


http://www.cslakin.com -


Susan Lakin writes, "I spent many delicious hours as a child reading fairy tales. Even today, many of the stories I devoured ring clear in my head, although I have not read them in perhaps forty years. Stories of dancing princesses escaping to an underground world of music and balls, the finding of a magic ring baked in a cake, the agony of a sister trying to free her brothers from a spell that has changed them into swans-these elements of fairy tales sank deep into my heart and imagination and continue with me today. Why is this?

As I pondered this question, I had a chance meeting with a woman who had run a Christian bookstore for years. She told me of the many parents who would come into the store looking for suitable reading material for their children. When offered fairy tales, they would shy away, fearing the dark and disturbing images that had the potential to frighten and traumatize their young ones. Their argument would go like this: "Fairy tales are scary and present the world dishonestly. They would make my child confused as to what is real and what is fabricated. They are full of ogres and witches and giants, so why should I allow my child to be terrified by things that aren't even real?".......




Parents longing to protect their children from evil, scary things in the world do well to remember that this is the world to which we are preparing them to face. By hiding that world from their awareness, by trying to postpone or color the harsh realities of life, we are doing them a great disservice. Parents may argue that a young child does not need to learn about these things, and it is true-there is a time and season for all things, and some are best to cover when a child may be more mature to understand and emotionally deal with some of these things.


So, do not discount fairy tales as a bad influence on your children. Rather, be selective, and choose age-appropriate stories to give to them. But do not be afraid of unleashing their imagination and letting them confront their darkest fears. By giving them heroes to identify with, you are letting those fears surface in a subtle manner, and allowing your child to find his courage and make moral choices vicariously-choices that will build his character and have influence on the rest of his life.






Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Robin's Egg Blue...April 18th

R wrote - We went on a long walk today and found this wonderful empty bird nest.
 

Clara - I enlarged it - your beautiful pendant looks just like an egg - and are they what I think they are?  - GREEN LEAVES, bursting through with new, fresh life?  Yes!  Yeahhhh!  Almost time to bring out the Maypole and dance......  And you knew your words 'empty nest' would spur me into action.  Where are those tiny cute robins that bravely pecked their way out of an egg?  Do they miss their mom .... or dod? (why is it that you guys call Mum -  Mom, but Dad is still Dad? Why not Dod?)...     or did they never really know them?  Did their parents have to kick them out of the nest?  Did they feel that their birdparents didn't deliver? What about the 'braces' or the undelivered 'car'?  Will they be around to be a MOG or a FOB? (Father of the Bride). Will they elope or face the ultimate trauma?  Important unanswered questions. And you thought it was just an empty nest.