One of my favorite roles in life is that of being a grandma. It is the reward for having survived teenagers (though for the most part I got pretty luck there). I was in the delivery room for the birth of my first grandchild and since that time my life has never been the same.
Grandparents were not a huge part of my life, due to family circumstances, and I had always dreamed about the kind of grandma I wanted to be. It has been the best thing ever. I have 8 (almost 9) grandchildren and they are the light of my life. I cherish the relationships I have with them. I (aside from their parents, am their biggest fan. Grandkid soccer games are just as fun, if not more, than my own kids' games were, and you multiply that by ... many... ok, you do the math.
"Grandparents provide valuable support to their adult children and grandchildren. The most common types of support that older parents give are emotional support and advice, and research shows that parents given high levels of both to their adult children. Babysitting grandchildren is another frequent way that grandparents help their adult children"(Richard B. Miller and Jeremy B. Yorgason).
On the flip side of this, we should teach our children to love and care for their grandparents and encourage this relationship.
"We encourage families to give their elderly parents and grandparents the love, care, and attention they deserve. Let us remember the scriptural command that we must care for those of our own house lest we be found 'worse than an infidel' (1 Timothy 5:8) . . . If they become less able to live independently, then family, Church, and community resources may be needed to help them. When the elderly become unable to care for themselves, even with supplemental aid, care can be provided in the home of a family member when possible." SO SINCE I AM SURE MY CHILDREN ARE READING THIS... START GETTING MY BEDROOM READY. :)
My dad has been the constant in my life and an important part of the lives of my children.
(My dad with his new wife... also his high school sweetheart).
It is important that family members work together and support each other.
