A Spoonful of Sugar by Liz Fraser is, as the cover suggests, about families, traditions and old fashioned values. But it is far more than just a collection of advice from our older realtives. This is a really well considered, thought out and researched book about why some of the more old fashioned values are actually more relevant and more useful to keeping our kids happy and healthy today.
Liz’s book is based around converstaions with her grandmother who she clearly respects and adores. What a strong, smart wise woman grandmother turns out to be. She’s rather fabulous actually and has real nuggets of wisdom. The conversations range from food to discipline to play and sometimes Grandmothers advice is surprising and sometimes you find yourself nodding that yes of course it was better that way! (less activities, everyone eating the same food…oh yes!)
Liz does add in her own view and a modern slant on many of her Grandmothers views and all of this gives real food for thought. I left off reading this book having considered many aspects of my own parenting and feeling I had had a really good think thorugh of how I was bringing up my kids…that can never be a bad thing! They free play more and longer now and I don’t take my daughter to pick her own clothes anymore or make my son fold the laundry with me. Why? you’ll understand if you listen to granny! It’s about letting your kids simply be kids.
What is lovely about this book is that it makes you reflect and it makes you think. It is warm and funny and well written and totally engaging. A great read .
Competition
To win a signed copy of Liz Fraser’s fab book please just tell me what your grandparents taught you. (Mine taught me to be polite and play rummy- v useful stuff!!!)
T&c
1 entry per person UK and Ireland entries only please. Winner drawn at random Feb 11th.
My parents taught me manners and helped me to learn read before I went to school
how to knit and cook and to be polite
to always be on time!
‘A Spoonful Of Sugar’ looks like a lovely book. My Taid tought me how to play tiddly winks, shuffle dominoes and roll cigarettes for him. I only ever saw him at the pub, surrounded by a haze of cigar smoke: not the best role model in the world, but I loved him!
This sounds like a v good book!
My grandma taught me about the fairies at the bottom of the garden. I hold her personally responsible for my imagination!
I owe so much to my grand parents. Especially my grandfather who taught me cribbage, rummy and numerous other card games. But more importantly he taught me patience and he taught me good manners things that seem to be sadly lacking in current times 🙁
My nan taught me to always when walking with a female to walk nearest the road, so that the gent gets wet if a car goes through a puddle!
My grandad taught me to always pronounce my “h’s”
I loved to cook with my Gran, she also taught me to knit
I never knew my grandad, but my Gran taught me to knit, to cook and that anything I want is possible.
Mine taught me to be respectful to my elders and to value what you have instead of wishing for what you havent got
my grandparents taught me to respect my mother!!!
My grnadparents taught me how to make coconut haystacks and viennese swirls
Author
I love this !
my mother taught me how to clean
My Nan taught me to knit, she brought me a knitting set that comprised of a plastic basket with 8 small balls of coloured wool and plastic knitting kneedles (does anyone else remember those lol) I dont think I have seen anything like that in a long time.
She also taught me to respect your elders 🙂
My nan taught me how to make a lovely cuppa!
T knit and that good manners cost noyhing
To play cards and to be kind and think of others
have good manners
🙂
theey taught me to respect myself
My nan taught to me to love life, she was riding her bicycle at the age of 88, and she still went dancing every saturday night at the Social club, with her silver dancing shoes, aah happy memories
My grandparents taught me the true value of family love
My grandmother always made me sit up nicely at the table. She’d be shaking her head in disapproval if she saw my hunched-over-keyboard posture now.
She also taught me not to ask for things, but I’ll disobey her again and beg for your book. Please, please, please can I have a signed copy?
I was never really that close to my grandparents but I’m determined it will be different for my son and his grandparents.
I only ever new one nan, and i was about 7 when she passed, but i remember her telling me to always be careful crssing the road.
mine taught me that in order to have the rainbow you have to put up with the rain
mine taught me how to make cakes
I loved to read stories with my Gran she also taught me to make cookies 🙂
My Nan taught me that Christmas is a time when the whole family should be together, and that smoking stinks! xx
To make cupcakes, sausage rolls and shortbread!
How to make chocolate truffles and scones. Mmmm 🙂
My grandma taught me how to knit
How to peel a cooking apple in one long slice!
My grandma taught me how to save money. She used to save all her pennies up for us. Now I do the same with my son.
My grandparents taught me to play lots of games like ‘Haunted House’ & ‘Dominos’. All the old classics!
My grandparents taught me to enjoy reading books and we always spent quality ‘cuddle’ time together in one chair reading together. They also taught me to use a knife and fork correctly – not like a pencil.
My grandparents taught me how to smile & be content with what I had.
we are now the “granparents”, actualy great grand parent, my nan who lived to 100 years old, ,told me never be affraid of telling the truth, as a good fibber needs a book to remember what lies you had told, she also taught me how to cook, and back horses
They taught me to love nature – how to identify various trees, birds and other wildlife. Still love the outdoors to this day!
My granny taught me how to make a victoria sponge cake and bread and butter pudding
My Gran taught me how to sew and bake cakes
To play cards.
Did all grandparents do this?
Manners and to be grateful
Mine taught me how to cook. She once said i made the best mashed swede she had ever had…. 🙂
None of my grandparents were around to teach me anything, but my great nanna was amazing. She tought me to treat people as you would want to be treated yourself
My grandmother taught me how to swim, stop hiccups, make real custard from scratch and how to tell when men are lying
My grandma taught me how to crochet and how to make pickled onions! (She also taught me how to scrub a stone doorstep but that’s a skill I don’t have much use for these days)
My grandad showed me how to steal someone’s nose, show them it (your thumb) and put it back – painfree. Lol x
How to cook. My Gran was like another mum to me, i loved her cheese and onion pie
My grandparents taught me to love and to respect animals as they owned a farm in North Wales. They had horses and I helped one mare to foal when I was about eleven.
My granny taught me to knit and crochet but I stopped doing it when I was a teenager.
My grandma taught me to knit.
They taught me to pray and to laugh at myself as well as others, oh and how to make the perfect victoria sponge and catch a tennis ball with one hand.
To play blackjack (grampy) and to make pompoms (Nana)…a little random!!!
my grandad showed me how to play dominos and my gran showed me how to cook sausages and bacon lol.
My grandma taught me how to knit and my grandad taught me how to enjoy reading
My nan taught me to crochet,she tried knitting but I could only master squares
My grandparents taught me how to use a stairlift.
To play pontoon (21) and to bet with buttons!
My grandparents taught me how not to drive!!
my nan taught me to knit and crochet
My grandad taught me how to play the organ (although I preferred singing along) and to draw and paint!
My gran taught me how to knit, make Welsh Cakes and how to play solitaire!
manners
My gran taught me to cook
ghost stories lol
My grandma taught me to how to cook delicious soup.
My Great Grandmother taught me to always eat with table manners (which she also taught me) otherwise no nice man would take me for dinner at a posh hotel
My Granny taught me how to crochet and passed on to me her love of classical music
Not to chase their chickens!
my gran taught me to always put the toilet seat down …..and sleep with one eye open which i never understood untill my two boys came along :0
Granny taught me how to make dolls clothes!
My grandma taught me how to cook traditional dishes.
My gran taught me to make clothes on a sewing machine, and to this day I still make my own clothes and have now taught my 13 year old daughter the same and she loves it, she’s even got her own sewing machine.
How to light an open fire 🙂
My Grandma was the first person I knew with a Sinclair Spectrum and she got me into computers and computer games – I now work as a programmer.
to tie my shoe laces and be polite
My nan and grandad tought me to be polite and be happy y grandad also tought me if you borrow a penny and pay it back you can always borrow again but better to try and cope without borrowing if you can, I’m 44 now and never had a credit card or loans because of my grandads wise words
My nana taught me to knit – though im afraid i can no longer remember Such a bad grand daughter 🙁 I also got my great cooking skills from her too, from which she benefits from at least once a month although i could never do a roast quite as well as her
While my Grandad taught me how to do Marble Solitaire – which i still use as my party trick every now and then!!! He taught himself, i do have vague memories of him and his patience R.I.P grandad xx
My nan always told me not to go out without wearing makeup and to always suck my tummy in!
Children should be seen and not heard, was what my grandparents said when my sisters and I were being naughty! On a good note, they were lovely people and taught me to be well mannered, to always finish my food on my plate and my grandmother taught me how to crochet and grandfather taught me how to play draughts on his draught table. How I miss them!
Lovely book, thanks for giveaway!
My nana tried, unsuccessfully, to teach me to knit. She did teach me to flip pancakes, to play dominoes and to laugh even when life seems to be at its hardest.
My nana taught me to respect my parents – she would always tell me off if I ever “spoke out of turn.” My grandad taught me to really love wimpy…he took me often…but best of all he taught me that he loved me more than “all the money in the world”.. 🙂
My Nan taught me how to be a homemaker, to bake and take care of my family. My late Grandad tauight me how to be fair, never to judge and look for the good in everyone. My late Grandad really was one in a million and I miss him daily.
My nan always taught me that you didn’t need all the toys in the world to have a happy childhood, household “rubbish” works just as well, Old food boxes… we used to spend hours playing shoppers and modelling with boxes too, happy childhood memories that i will never forget!
To balance on metal railings knocking down conkers with your umbrella when your over 80 years old!
My grandparents taught me how to gamble! We used to play card games every Saturday night for a penny a go.
My grandparents died before I was born so I have no knowledge from them just the hope that I could be as good a parent as they were.
My grandmother taught good manners.
My Nan taught me how to cook proper rice pudding with skin on!
I only knew one grandma, and none of my grandfathers unfortunately. She was tiny with a humped back, a dewdrop permanently on the end of her nose, and she always had peanuts in her pinny pocket that we used to reach up for with our tiny hands when we were very small. She could make shirts from scratch but I haven’t inherited that skill. She died a long time ago when I was 13, and because of her I’ve always wanted to be a grandma, and now i’m very lucky to be one. One of her pearls of wisdom was that if you’ve nothing good to say about somebody, keep your mouth shut! 🙂
The most amazing thing my grandma told me was that it was ok to date a divorced man. We are now married with two children. Sadly she didn’t live to see this but I like to hope she’s looking down on me knowing she’s responsible for my life being so amazing 🙂
My nan to me to share
My grandparents taught me gardening
M grandparents taught me manners,to be loving and giving. to think of others less fortunate. Be respectful of my elders and to be helpful
Always say ‘please may I leave the table’… which I refused when I was 4yrs old and fell asleep at the dinner table and had to be carried to bed (I’ve grown out of my stubborness)