The Grandparent Connection

How many of us realized that Canada holds a special day in September dedicated to grandparents? Actually since 1994, the second Sunday of September has been designated to celebrate the gift of grandparents. Great as that may seem, as is Mother’s day and Father’s day, the love and appreciation that is in our hearts should be shown at every possible opportunity, one never knows when it could be your last! Life is precious; it is our gift, as are the loved ones blessed to us.

Reflecting upon and enjoying the memories I have of my own grandparents, who are no longer with us, I realized how the circle of life is truly a miracle. When we were small children, we just wanted to ‘grow-up’, get on to the next stage of life. As parents, you couldn’t wait for that next stage, but all of a sudden life is a blur. Kids are gone, marrying and becoming parents themselves. I have to admit there are advantages to this middle age sometimes referred to as ‘the sandwich generation’! One can reflect back, still remember most of it, and also look forward to the next stage of life; maybe grand parenting. (I love to ponder on how much wiser I become as my kids and parents get older.)

Each one of my grandparents gave me so much that I could never have learned from a book or school, and now I sit in admiration at what my children are ‘getting’ from theirs. Most importantly is that connection one cannot explain. So much has changed in society, as the aging population seems to be living longer, better quality lives. They have had to adapt to the ‘high-tech’ era of cell phones, text messaging, debit machines, Internet banking, e-mailing and on-line chat. It is amazing how the Internet has bridged the gap for grandparents and grandchildren, in spite of the physical distance.

Nowadays, the grandparent’s role is more important than ever as our culture is becoming more and more fragmented. There is more ‘step’ grand parenting than ever before. Parents are taking on more due to financial stressors, marriages are breaking down at an alarming rate, kids are having to spend more time alone with TV and Internet influences, and there is plainly more negative than positives out there constantly tempting them along. When a grandparent can fill a gap somewhere to ease that stress, it can only have a positive outcome.

What I see in my generation of friends that are now enjoying grandchildren is the gift of LOVE, more so than materialistic attention. Children bring enjoyment and purpose into the grandparent generation so it becomes an amazing ‘circle of life and love’. The parent, in between, gets to witness that bond grow, and also gains the wisdom and encouragement of their much experienced parents. The children gain at every angle, with grandparents who are good supporters, caregivers, buffers, advisors, confidants, teachers and comforters. Who better to teach history, family trees, moral values, money values, fishing and cooking than grams, gramps, oopa, ooma, nana, papa, memere, pepere, granny, pops, or grandma, and grandpa?

No matter what culture or walk of life, grandparents are the link to family culture, history and tradition. They have not only paid their taxes and dues, but paved the way to the world we now live in; they are the rocks in the face of adversity, having lived through the thirties or even World War 2, they are the bridge between generations. If children are fortunate to have loving grandparents in their lives, they already have a powerful emotional bond to nurture them for the rest of their lives. “ Grand parenting is a gift between 2 people at opposite ends of their journey.” “ Gray hair is a crown of splendor, it is attained by a righteous life.” (Proverbs 16-31)

May we all learn to appreciate The Grandparent Connection in our lives!