Are your children old enough to ask where you are taking them this summer?
Do you watch the television commercials for Disneyworld and feel badly because you can’t afford to take your children to this magical amusement park?
Is your budget already stretched thin with just providing the necessities, but you wish you had extra money so you could plan a vacation?
The parents in today’s recommended picture book story are faced with the same budget problems that many of us are experiencing. However, even though they have very little money they do have a lot of creativity.
MIMMY AND SOPHIE: THE VACATION
Written by Miriam Cohen
Illustrated by Thomas Yezerski
Summer is coming and all the children are boasting about where they are going for vacation. Mimmy and Sophie don’t have anything to contribute to the discussion because their parents are struggling financially. When Mimmy and Sophie ask their parents if they can take a vacation somewhere, their mother suggests they have a special picnic on the Brooklyn Bridge.
After helping their mother make egg salad sandwiches, the two little girls accompany their parents to the store where they buy a special treat…cupcakes with filling. Mimmy and Sophie enjoy the picnic on the bridge and spend the rest of the afternoon watching the boats in the river and the beautiful sunset. Although they have not traveled far, both girls are satisfied with the wonderful day they have spent with their parents.
Mimmy and Sophie were fortunate because their parents were sensitive to the needs and concerns of their children. They used their imagination to plan a wonderful afternoon for their daughters and, with very little money, enabled Mimmy and Sophie to enjoy a very special vacation. The time their parents spent with them helped Mimmy and Sophie understand how much they were loved.
As parents, we need to listen to our children and spend time with them just like the parents in the story: Positive Parental Participation in action!
If you are looking for activities to do for the summer or anytime, please visit my website and check out my book for parents and teachers of preschoolers. It’s loaded with easy fun-filled crafts and cooking activities.
What craft activities does your child enjoy most?
Photo credits: Image of the Brooklyn Bridge by Francisco Diez