Super Summer

Summer are great for visits. I am lucky all 5 grandkids live within a days drive so each one spends a 4-5 days with us. During that time we only watch the TV, play the games, do the activities that child wants. It is a fantastic opportunity to see them without parents or siblings and really builds our relationships.

I usually start when the child is 5 or 6, depending on the ability to stay overnight alone. Between grades 6 and 7, we take them on a trip in the USA. Between grades 7 and 8, we go to Europe, destination of their choosing! After that they are busy with friends, but we have great memories. This is not a plan for everyone, but there are other ways.

Even taking each child for a 1/2 day during a family visit can provide quality time if you focus on what the child likes and wants to do. That is how we get to know them! A trip together to the library or a playground and then lunch is all that is needed. Take lots of pictures and send copies to the child.

Getting away overnight is a real treat and does not need to involve long distances. A play or performance or sporting match in the next big city is enough. Stay in a budget motel with a pool.

Children love to hear from you directly even if all the plans are made with the parents long ahead of time. Send an invitation letter with the details of the trip so you can all get excited! Afterward send pictures with a personal note telling what a good time you had.

Her are the boys exploring new playgrounds in the Chicago area!

 

Small gifts - big results!

We all get hit up for school sales of cookie dough to gift wrap and support those as we can. Did you ever think of donating as a way of engaging the grandchildren?

As a long distance grandparent, if you support other missions or causes that would be of interest to grandchildren - donating goats or school supplies or soccer balls to kids the same age - easy to honor them in the gift memo! Then take a picture and send or post it.

Every year St. Mark's sends a team to Appalachia for Habitat with Humanity. One of their fund raisers is building a house - people buy shingles, windows, plants by contributing.

Once a year pay for the church flowers in thanks for the children - by name in the bulletin if possible.

If you walk or run races, have a T shirt screened with names for pictures or wear a button honoring them.

If children are local you have unlimited possibilities for donating food to pantries, cleaning up on Earth day, and baking cookies for charity events. Attention spans are short, but even a glimpse of a situation of need will help balance lives of affluence.

In these ways you model selfless living in our abundant world.
 

Holy Days, Blessed Grandchildren

How can grandparents influence Easter traditions and activities?


If we are not there in person, use the internet! Send pictures of Easters raising your children - one event most everyone gets dressed up at the same time and we take pictures.  Use pinterest or facebook or email.

Send books or easy to read Bible stories for gifts. Whatever the reading level there are books on line and in the Christian bookstores.

Buy a lily plant for your church and note it is to honor the grandchildren - by name if possible. Send them bulletins.

If we are local grandparents, take them to special children's services. Invite their friends to come along.

Whatever church they attend on Easter morning, go with them. It may not be your home church, but it will be the same wonderful story wherever you are!

Blessings
on your journey as Christian Grandparents!

Milestones

There are grandparenting moments of huge happiness, but

 they seem to come with the passage of time. How do children grow so quickly and we do not age? A miracle!

This week another First Communion. That is 4 out of 5 grandblessings - oh my! No matter how far away the families are, these are moments to be together!

Time Warp

I suppose time still drags for children waiting for Christmas, but for grandparents it flies so fast! One day they are in your arms and their mothers want advice and the next the "baby" is headed for Kindergarten, the crib is retired and diaper pail is closed forever. Pictured below is the youngest in the Sunday school Christmas pageant - not a good idea to stand these buddies next tot he Advent wreath...

It was most evident at the holidays this year as we visited and entertained that the puzzles and building blocks and books that had worked since 2001 (!) sat in the bins while electronics took over. Sigh.

So I am revamping my DVD collection for less Disney and upgrading the board games from Candyland.

Interesting this year the Noah and Moses both made it onto the Big Screen in the adult world. Big on my DVD refurbish list is Veggie Tales - the early years. They are still the most engaging way to get the essence of a Bible story across. It is hard to find quality Bible Story videos, but they are out there. Prince of Egypt is an example of what can be done. It is by DreamWorks who have also made one called Joseph: King of Dreams.

Many of the best games have Bible editions, but unless the grandkids are grounded in Sunday school, they may not enjoy them. Apples to Apples, Trivia and Outburst all have Bible editions. For beginners, Cokesbury has a Bible matching game and a Noah's Ark Go Fish.

Don't forget the advantage of all tense activities is to engage your grandchildren with you in Bible learning. Just tell them the action packed adventures you know! You are still their best Bible resource
.

To everything there is a season..

Fall is loaded with possible fun for grandparents - and conversational opportunities.

Most of the country experiences some change in foliage and opportunities to rake, pile jump, repeat. One of the joys of this stage of life is that we can do the real raking after playtime when the kids are in school. Bless the mess! (Here is a photo of one year when we loaded the back of the pick up truck with leaves and jumped in!)

Collecting leaves to make a simple paste and paper picture can fill an afternoon. Fill a jar with acorns to put out in winter for the local squirrels. Cover pinecones with peanut butter and roll in bird seed for migrating birds.

Fall activities are wonderful for attendance and conversation. Phrasing questions for children is important. Try for questions that need answers other than yes/no. For example, "What did you like best about apple picking?" or "Which do you like better: choosing your own pumpkin or carving it?"

This is also a great time to invite or encourage young families to attend church as Sunday school starts up and fall calendars fill up. If you are near enough to provide transportation, volunteer. If you are long distance, teaching in your Sunday school is a great way to keep in touch with the age abilities and interested of your grandkids.

Celebrate school or sports events with notes or cards of encouragement and congratulations. Those last much longer than e-mail or phone calls!


 

End of a GRAND summer!

Off to Paris!

 Before any of the grandblessings  gets too swamped with teen stuff, Grandad and I promised  a trip overseas.  Grandchild #1 is 13 going on 14 now and ready for 8th grade. So it her choice for PARIS! (We have not been there either so this is a win-win!)

This is the culmination of the summer grandkid visits - the other 4 have been here for a variety of events they direct. And each one had an opportunity to help in some way. Even the "almost 5" counted loaves of bread and bags of chips and helped carry them to St. Mark's for the homeless shelter.


Now Paris! We have a day devoted to churches - but not only viewing but taking part in a service. Because of the liturgical structure we can attend worship in any part of the world and have a fair idea of what is going on. So Saturday noon mass at Notre Dame!

It is not necessary to be a world traveler to spend quality time with grandchildren and share faith with them. Hope you can work some one-on-one visit time in with each of yours soon!