From Focus on the Family
After the birth of our first grandchild, my daughter and son-in-law asked us to consider caring for the baby one day a week. They thought their request would burden us, but we laughed at the thought. We were thrilled!
Five years and another grandchild later, we’re still at it.
If you’re given the opportunity to participate in your grandchildren’s lives in this way, planning ahead will make it a joyful and meaningful experience for all three generations.
Note: Some grandparents are raising their grandchildren because the parents are unable. God bless you for stepping in. Please note that the following tips are designed for occasional caregiving, not for grandparents who are primary caregivers.
This is your chance to create sweet memories
I can still smell the sweet buttery aroma that followed my grandmother when she arrived at Christmastime with a hat box of homemade cookies. I remember my excitement as I opened her handmade Barbie doll outfits.
I can feel my grandfather’s gentle hands guiding mine as we sanded smooth the homemade wooden blocks. And the sight of my grandmother’s fingers tickling the ivories along with her reminders to “practice, practice, practice!” until I could play a piece accurately and with emotion.
I recall my annoyance as my grandfather stopped to talk with yet another neighbor, and then the admiration I felt realizing he was so beloved by his friends.
When I was disobedient or rebellious, each grandparent, in their own way, responded with a message of grace followed by the truth that my attitude and behavior needed to change. Every meal with them began with prayer, every week started with Sunday school and every question was referred to Scripture.
Creativity. Patience. Discipline. Commitment. Care for others. Faith in God. These are the lessons I learned from my grandparents. And they’re the lessons I want to share with my own grandchildren.
Five years and another grandchild later, we’re still at it.
If you’re given the opportunity to participate in your grandchildren’s lives in this way, planning ahead will make it a joyful and meaningful experience for all three generations.
Note: Some grandparents are raising their grandchildren because the parents are unable. God bless you for stepping in. Please note that the following tips are designed for occasional caregiving, not for grandparents who are primary caregivers.
This is your chance to create sweet memories
I can still smell the sweet buttery aroma that followed my grandmother when she arrived at Christmastime with a hat box of homemade cookies. I remember my excitement as I opened her handmade Barbie doll outfits.
I can feel my grandfather’s gentle hands guiding mine as we sanded smooth the homemade wooden blocks. And the sight of my grandmother’s fingers tickling the ivories along with her reminders to “practice, practice, practice!” until I could play a piece accurately and with emotion.
I recall my annoyance as my grandfather stopped to talk with yet another neighbor, and then the admiration I felt realizing he was so beloved by his friends.
When I was disobedient or rebellious, each grandparent, in their own way, responded with a message of grace followed by the truth that my attitude and behavior needed to change. Every meal with them began with prayer, every week started with Sunday school and every question was referred to Scripture.
Creativity. Patience. Discipline. Commitment. Care for others. Faith in God. These are the lessons I learned from my grandparents. And they’re the lessons I want to share with my own grandchildren.