Photo Source: WikiMedia Commons
What does it mean when a parent cannot remember any happy childhood memories? And how can we help them build a strong supportive family even when they cannot remember one?
Summer and holiday time experiences often remind us of some of the great moments we had when we were kids.
Swimming at the pool, boating at the lake, fishing, playing ball, going on vacations, visiting grandparents, shooting fireworks, sitting on the porch sipping lemonade — those are just a few of the standard summer time activities that families might engage in and bring forth fond memories. For many of us, childhood memories make us feel good, and take us back to a simpler time.
When my boys were younger, we enjoyed camping trips, trips to national parks, trips to Branson and one particular large family gathering in Wyoming that was amazing. All fun and great memory makers for our boys; but if you ask them to relate a childhood memory that stands out, they will both tell you that summer visits to their grandparents’ ranch was by far the best memory of all. They remember following Grandpa around the ranch, building forts with their cousins, eating beans right out of the can in the fort, and begging Grandma to bake yummy desserts or let them have pop. Why? Because, these memories are all about the relationships that were built and strengthened through these experiences.
As we begin relationships with families who are to be enrolled in the KCSL Healthy Families program, we do an assessment called the KEMPE Family Stress Checklist.
One of the first questions we ask is about their childhood experiences. “What is your favorite childhood memory?” “What is their least favorite childhood memory?”
http://www.emporiagazette.com/area/news/article_6172e339-5e8e-552b-832e-6877aebfac58.html
Comments (1)