What's That You Say?

Old ears on young bodies is becoming the norm. Rather than waiting until their senior years to require hearing aids, the ear buds attached to ipods have caused a generational gap between the ears.

"It's a different level of use than we've seen in the past," according to Robert Novak, director of clinical education in audiology at Purdue University. Novak says seeing young people with "older ears" is a trend from the Walkman days and today's technology is producing wider spread hearing loss among younger people similar to what one would expect in a much older person.

From a random selection of students, Novak documents this growing trend in what is know as noise-induced hearing loss. Ultimately the students lose the ability to hear higher frequencies, have difficulty following conversations in noisy environments and suffer from tinnitus or ringing in the ears.

Despite the warning signs and mounting evidence, it seems clear that ear buds are here to stay. More people are using them to block out street noise. But how much is too much? Research shows that a portable music player with headphones at 60 percent of the volume for an hour a day is relatively safe. Telltale signs of trouble are ringing in the ears that persists even after rest your ears.

Will this evidence stop young people from wearing ear buds excessively? Doubtful. We attended concerts and came away with ringing in the ears before we wised up to bringing a pair of ear plugs or stuffing them with cotton. I am afraid that telling young people of the potential consequences of hearing loss will most likely fall on deaf ears. With one in 5 teens experiencing hearing loss, limiting their exposure may result in a flurry of adolescent misplaced anger, but in the long run, they will still be able to hear you say I love you for a very long time. That's what wise grandma would do.

The Joy of Gardening With The Seasons

My garden definitely took a hit with the strange weather, late summer and my teaching schedule. As the schedule is winding down, I find the weather is cooperating and I have more time to spend getting in touch with my dirty side.

One of my favorite birthday gifts was a cap that says "Plays In The Dirt". That describes me to a tee or should I say trowel. My children grew up with a little shovel in their hands, helping me plant seeds and dig, dig, dig. Although they preferred watering to weeding, all three enjoyed the organic harvest. I suppose next to drowning slugs in stale beer, they loved to pick the vegies of their labor.

My granddaughter is helping me prepare for the Fall garden. With an expected late into September summer, we planted chard, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and kale, along with another round of cilantro and lettuce. Today we are picking cucumbers, broccoli, zucchini, basil and peppers. The peas and lettuce are done, with the chickens getting the last of it as we prepared the bed for the new Fall plantings.

With gardens popping up and spreading out in backyards everywhere, it is easy to bring kids into each season with fun activities while playing in the dirt! That's what a wise grandma would do.

Happiest Place on Earth

Where is the Heart of Your Home? When posed this question by Megan Calhoun at TwitterMoms as part of a Samsung Appliances contest I had to admit my answer was probably unexpected. Seems like no matter what is going on in the house or how many people are over, they congregate in the kitchen. You are trying to cook and they are standing with fingers poised to dip, lick or sip your culinary work. What's that old saying? Too many cooks spoil the broth?

That is probably why the best meeting place in my house is the music studio. What cooks in there requires cooperation, collaboration and imagination. Sweet sounds, tasty melodies and tempting rhythms percolate from the hands of many cooks. The music studio is where my grandchildren run to when they arrive (that is after they hit the cookie jar) and parents flock to hear budding musicians marvel at their own concoctions.

The room is filled with musical instruments from the mundane to absurd. From piano to water bottle drums, there are a variety of ways that the non-musician (though I don't believe there is such a thing) can add a bit of spice to the mix. It is fun to watch their faces as they discover some new thing I found at a garage sale or junk shop that can be used to make savory sounds. We play, sing, dance and most of all laugh at the cacophony of youngster and oldster and in-betweener in a room cooking up a recipe for fun.

The recipe is simple. Create a space where people can at once feel compelled to join together and contribute. Whether it be your kitchen, your family room or in my case a place that speaks the language of music, the best room in the house is where family comes together to laugh, love and communicate. That is the happiest place on earth. 

So where is the heart of your home? That is what a Wise Grandma wants to know!

Hungry Minds Need Full Bellies

Lately, we have little respect for corporate America. Between the banking and auto industry, it seems promises are not worth keeping and the days of a handshake was a man's word have been replaced with bailouts and corporate bonuses. 

Well, here is one that should reflect the winds of change. Oscar Mayer is launching a campaign we can all get behind. First of all, it doesn't cost us a dime, except to get the word out and to make a promise. A simple promise to put a note in your child's (or grandchild's) lunchbox that offers a slice of encouragement to go along with that sandwich. What is Oscar Mayer's stand on that promise?

For each promise, a Lunchable meal will be donated to Feeding America. Oscar Mayer is shooting for 100,000 promises to make 100,000 Lunchable donations for hungry kids. Feeding America is our nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity. It serves an estimated nine million children each year. To add to that number, all you have to do is tell your kid how great they are or how much you love them or have a super day! I can't think of a better win/win. 

So get out your pen and paper, find a cute card or sticker and let's fill a few hungry minds and bellies. That's What A Wise Grandma Would Do...and she would also tweet the heck out of this! 

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Raising kids, from any generation, is challenging. From the moment they poke their little heads out, you worry about them and more importantly you worry if you are up to the challenge of being a parent to this helpless creature. My oldest daughter is about to embark on this journey and was sharing her concerns about her qualifications for being a good parent.

I tried to reassure her that most of those jitters come from the unknown. And more than one parent has lamented the fact that babies do not come with directions or manuals. But I think I have found a book that puts it all into the right perspective - from that of the child.

Always Kiss Me Good Night by 147 Kids Who Know, is, for all intents and purposes, an instruction manual on raising the perfect parent. Compiled by J.S. Salt this little book tackles the big subjects of Caring, Guidance & Independence and Family & Friends. Written in the children's own handwriting, we find such sound advice as "Keep your promises better" from Jeanette 10 years old. And Stuart age 8 writes, "Don't leave me in the car when you go to do stuff."

"Think when you were a kid and not yell so much" writes Joe and from Suzanne we have the wise words, "If you get mad at me remember to forgive me." At age 11 1/2, Julie writes, "Don't laugh at me when I need to ask ?'s." And Britney speaks with the voice of experience as she writes, "Please don't kiss me in front of school." Aaron, age 9, strikes me as an attorney in the making as he pleads, "Don't punish me for doing things by accident."

"We were embarking on the most important job of our lives and we didn't have instructions" said J.S.Salt who had the privilege of compiling these profound thoughts. "But I discovered the advice I'd been looking for: kids with greater wisdom that I'd ever imagined."

Yes, out of the mouths of babes often comes the most sound and often dismissed advice. But if we listen carefully, we will find kernels of truth and keen observation. This one in particular, from Christine age 10, I found to be most profound. "More free time! Don't fill my life up every minute of the day." Yes, Christine, that is precisely what a wise grandma thinks, too.