Grandparents can provide that special kind of love and sanctuary that is different from the love of a parent. Oftentimes, we find grandparents to be abundantly generous with gifts and time. They are the ones who let us get away with our mischief and promise not to tell. They are the ones who often fill the role of part-time babysitter, keeping our kids on long weekends or in the summer, or if we are so lucky to have them nearby, to take our kids to soccer practice or sleepovers in the time between our busy schedules.
When we get to have our grandparents around long enough to create memories with them, it forms a special kind of bond with our family. Grandparents provide generational parenting and memories. Grandma might tell us about that funny thing mom did when she was 9. Or we might here how dad was great at baseball in high school but in college learned that his passion was sparked doing something else. We hear the stories of our family’s history through grandparents. They can even tell us stories from when they were young or what their parents or their own grandparents were like. We may learn if they came from another country and what traditions they brought with them, or what recipes have been in the family for generations.
Grandparents are often a source of unconditional love and support. They bring the knowledge and experience of raising our parents with them, and the memories of a lifetime of family love. When we get to bond with our grandparents, we get to have a deeper connection to our family and to ourselves. So, give your grandparent an extra hug when you see them next. The story of you and your grandparent is one that is generations in the making.