A Grandparents’ Girl
Is there such a thing as a Grandparents’ Girl? Ya know, like the whole Daddy’s Girl or Mama’s Boy thing? If not, I am here to declare there should be and that I would be the poster child.
I am 36 years old. Two little girls call me mama, which means my parents are now the grandpa and grandma. All of my grandparents have passed away; some of them have been gone now for more than a decade. Yet, it’s not an exaggeration for me to say there isn’t a day that goes by I don’t think about the wonderful memories I have of spending time with them.
Growing up, I was lucky enough to live close to both sets of my grandparents. I saw them on a weekly basis from the time I was born up until I went to college. I was the kid who cried when I had to go home after spending a week in the summer at their house. Life was just that good at Grandma and Grandpa’s!
There are plenty of great articles expounding on the benefits of strong grandparent/grandchild relationships. Duh, I already knew all about that because I was close with my grandparents and I turned out great. Humble too, right? In all seriousness, both adults and kids have so much to gain from and give to each other. Grandparents are a link to our past while helping shape our future. Also, what child wouldn’t benefit from having another set (or two, or three) of nurturing, caring adults in their life? In return, bonding with grandchildren can provide adults with a sense of purpose and a source of unconditional love while helping to prevent depression, boost social connections and improve mental sharpness. (Source)
Ensuring my girls have a strong connection with their grandparents is extremely important to me. It won’t be nearly as easy as it was in my day but that just means a bit more effort is required. Here are some ideas on how to foster these important relationships across the miles and over the hurdle of finding common interests in the fast-paced, tech-driven world we are living in.
What’s Old is New Again
If you have great memories of growing up with your grandparents like I do, why not re-create some of those with your parents and kids? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. For me, this is making an annual trip to the Kansas State Fair to show the girls where their grandpa and great-grandpa competed in dairy cattle competitions. And let’s not forget teaching them all about foods you can deep fry and eat on a stick!
Is there a special place you went on vacation with your parents? Book a trip to the same spot to relive the glory days with the whole fam! Bonus – taking along the grandparents means extra help with the kids and could yield a date night!
Maybe it’s going fishing or attending sporting events. Do you have special family recipes that your kids could try their hand at with grandma? What about asking your parents to teach your kids about a hobby they love and can pass down to the next generation? You never know what will spark the connection! The idea of building new traditions on the foundation of past memories gives me all the feels!
If You Can’t Beat ‘em, Join ‘em
My kids are still young enough that we don’t have to compete (too much) with technology or their friends for their love and attention. The day is coming where I won’t understand what they think is cool (what is exactly is Fortnite, people?) and if I don’t get it, my parents don’t stand a chance! Here’s where the student can become the teacher! Encourage your kids to teach their grandparents about whatever it is they are currently into. This builds their communication skills and patience – have you ever tried to help your parents with their phone or TV remote? It can be a real test of that whole unconditional love thing, right?
Cherish the Legacy
My almost 5 year old has a baby book with not one page filled out so I am not one to be giving out advice on how to preserve family history and memories. Hear me out on this idea though – what about making your kids do the heavy lifting by having them interview their grandparents? The questions can range from silly to serious and you never know what you might learn about the people you have known your whole life! Don’t stress about coming up with the questions yourself. There are literally millions of ideas online. I thought these were fun. These were good, too.
Make sure you record or video the interview – one day you and your kids will be glad you did. What I wouldn’t give to hear my grandparents’ voices just one more time.
Were you a Grandparents’ Girl like me? I would love to hear about your favorite grandparent memories! Do you have any tips for fostering a strong bond between grandparents and grandkids? Please share below!
If there IS a Grandmother’s Girl, then I’m one, too! I love that idea. That it is a unique link (the same way Momma’s Boy or Daddy’s Girl) between those two figures. I grew up really close to my Mema. Saw her every week. Since I wasn’t as close to my other grandparents (they either died when I was young or lived far away), I put all my grandparent eggs in the Mema basket. We were super tight. She passed away a few years ago but I think of her ALL. THE. TIME. And now, with my two girls, we work extra hard to maintain those links with grandparents – keeping up with all four in three different places (2 different countries, even!) – I like your practical suggestions. Especially the interview one. I have some audio of Mema that strikes a cord, for sure.
Thanks again for your post and for giving me a name for my bond with Mema! PS: I am also a Hallmarker! But in creative. Where we benefit a lot from the super cool jobs like yours so THANK YOU! Perhaps I’ll see you around!