Happy Grandparents Day! President Jimmy Carter earmarked this holiday nearly 40 years ago, bringing that all-important grandparenting role into the limelight.
Whether across the street or long-distance, grandparents can offer parents and grandkids a special gift – the gift of time. Grandparents fill a generational role…they love, play, guide, hug, befriend and create special memories with grandkids. So much fun for all involved….and so important!
From their grandparents, kids have the opportunity to learn some valuable lessons, surprising history and family traditions. Grandparents can also offer a sounding board for fears, problems, failures or touchy subjects without judgement or discipline. (Actually, many grandparents become the childcare or guardians for grandkids.)
Are you a grandparent, hope-to-be grandparent, or know one of the 70 million in the U.S.?
Here are 10 ideas on how to give grandkids a gift of your time:
- Take some pictures or look at some albums together. Photos connect the generations – do you have great grandpa’s hairline or grandma’s dimples?
- Share your stories about growing up. Grandkids love a good story, especially ones where they discover something new about you!
- Do a DIY project together. Try something simple like planting carrots, peanuts, beans, or maybe an art project like making greeting cards or birdhouses.
- Together, write a letter or poem to draw a picture for the generation between you. It doesn’t have to be long or complicated.
- Start a new tradition. Everything you do together teaches something. This could be something as simple as a Saturday run for donuts, building a Sunday night bonfire or sorting through a box of treasures in the attic.
- Start a new connection – can you text, call, Facebook, SnapChat, share Pinterest boards?
- Taste and see the world – use your senses together to smell, see, taste, hear or touch something new. You could make this into a guessing game.
- Share a book you enjoy. When was the last time you read it?
- Take a walk to explore outdoors –find a caterpillar, catch fireflies, gather unique pebbles, do a leaf rubbing. Caution: it’s more loitering than actually walking. 🙂
- Teach each other something new – Can you play the latest video game? Can you make your own paper?
If you want other ideas, check out the book “Camp Granny” by Sharon Lovejoy or “Little Things Mean a Lot: Creating Happy Memories with Your Grandchildren” by Susan Newman.
And parents, allow the grandparents to gift their time….for someday you, too, may be a grandparent with much to give!