The Joy of Grandparenting


August 11, 2018


Quote of the Week

"Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children." - Alex Haley

The Joy Of Grandparenting

"Parenting, sweet as it was, so often also became consuming, exhausting. Long before anyone heard the word “multitasking,” most parents were simultaneously trying to build careers, manage expanding households, maintain marriages or other relationships, all while preparing our kids for this crazy world.

Life could be such a blur that it’s no wonder certain tender memories have evaporated. We often overlook how crushing all that responsibility could feel.[...]

But grandparenting feels different not only because the task has changed, but because we have." [read more]

Reading Corner

Title: How to Babysit a Grandma
By: Jean Reagan
Ages: 5-8

"A young girl heads over to her grandma's house for a sleepover babysitting session-with the child providing clear and humorous instructions to readers on how to care for a grandma. The to-do list contains many choices for Grandma to select from, including a walk to the park, reading, taking photos, playing dress-up, and adding sugary sprinkles to her meal items. The child wisely allows plenty of time for Grandma to look at the pages while reading a book, peek at the stars, and choose the best spot to sleep. Any grown-up who has calmly been the object of a child's flights of fancy will chuckle at the scenarios, as Grandma, never mugging or rolling her eyes, participates fully and patiently in all of her granddaughter's ideas. The full-color digital art is bright, and sharp-eyed children will delight in the details, including the silly antics of Grandma's dog. While this book breaks no new ground, the charm of its premise and the clear bond between the generations will have kids and grandparents giggling together." - Publishers

Be the Change

This week, take a pause and reflect on the gift of lineages:

What's been a most memorable moment of your time spent with your grandparents?

What attributes of those memories have shaped you as to who you are?

You are the fruit of the seeds sown by the generation, and yet you are the seed for the fruits of the next generation? What seeds are you planting today, that will shape your generations to come?

Do you have a personal story to share about your journey into parenting to grandparenting and back to parenting with a different lens - as beautifully shared in this week's article?