Well today is a year since my mother in law passed away. It was very unexpected and took our family by surprise. When she passed we sat down with our childern at the time were 5 and 3. Our 3 year old is very bright and understood quite well, our 5 year old on the other hand was very special to her grandma, she was the first girl in her family in over 30 years and she was named after her great grandma. I wanted to do something special for my kids this year for them to do like a memorial. We talked a little bit about it this evening and we came up with a idea. We are going to go to thier papaw's house, have dinner, and then get with thier cousins on that side of the family to write on balloons to release up to thier mamaw. They really seemed to love the idea, I just didn't know if anyone else had any great ideas to do for kids between the ages of 4-8 to remember their mamaw by.
cook her favorite foods and tell wonderful stories about her life. If possible have someone record these memories. You will love to look back on them. Everyone in the family honors and remembers in a different way and it is important to share that. Expect to cry it is ok. Take comfort in one another and be there for each other. You can make it a beautiful day.
Aww, it's bitter sweet.
I wouldnt do the balloons tho, they are bad for the environment.
I'm sure someone here will have some really good ideas.
I have a friend that works at the docks, and they told me a sad story about a seagull that got strangled by a balloon, so ever since then I've just had an aversion to people letting balloons off.
Make sure you have have pictures out for the kids so that you can talk about her, and they can look at her while you talk.
This is very sweet, L..
Dawn
Can you plant a special tree or shrub at papaw's house, or another family member's house, so they all have a spot they can go think about her? Something blooming, maybe? A living memorial?
I agree on the balloons being bad for the environment......
My brother (22 yo) died last year. We had a birthday party for him and left off biodegradable lanterns. We found them on the internet for a $1. Then we told stories about him for the rest of the day. We had a cookout and celebrated with his favorite desert. My children are 4 and 6 now so they have some memories of him too. I make sure I tell them all of the funny things my brother did when he was a kid. We all need the laughter and it is therapeutic for me to talk about him.
I love you for such thoughtfulness!
When my husband's aunt lost three of her grandsons in an accident, she planted three trees in her yard. It's been many years since it happened, and they're big and beautiful now.
A woman I know has a tradition of sitting down with her children on the anniversary of her husband/their dad's death, and each one writes a letter to him. Those letters have been saved in an album that is growing more precious as the years go by.
Since people are saying don't do balloons, how about each writing a note and putting it on a bottle and then throwing the bottle out into a body of water. Like he song says "letter in a bottle."
Your plan sounds wonderful. The release of the balloons is great. You can also release rose petals or the petals of mamaw's favorite flower into the wind or onto a body of water. Writing a note helps too and leaving it at their graveside or attaching it to the balloon. Share the memories, cry together if the tears come, and just make it special in your own way.
