We cover topics that matter to grandparents - and parents - such as concrete ways to help new parents, understanding new trends in child care, and meaningful ways to connect the generations. The resources and products we offer foster open communication, encourage healthy boundaries, and equip new grandparents with the tools they need to become a supportive partner to their grandchild's parents. Sign up for our newsletter to find out why grandparenting isn't about spoiling the grandkids anymore. Parents welcome!
Be ready for the unexpected magic
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Dear Reader, Almost all the trees in our neighborhood have shed their leaves, a sign that we are entering the darkest part of the year in our latitude. And while I find the limited daylight hours oppressive, this time of year also brings something brighter: the holidays. The last few weeks of the year are filled with opportunities for making memories. As grandparents, we often come into the holiday season with rosy pictures of family togetherness, but those moments don’t always unfold the way we hope. When they do, it’s magical. But when they don’t…well, that’s when we need to tap into our emotional reserves and recognize that our expectations aren’t always going to match reality. One thing that many grandparents struggle with as their families expand is watching beloved holiday traditions end. Whether it’s an annual touch football game on Thanksgiving or matching family pajamas on Christmas morning, we’ve developed traditions that are part of our family culture. As our grown children start their own families, they develop their own culture, and our traditions don’t always fit into their holiday plans. I wrote about how hard this can be in a recent blog post: When Holiday Traditions Change: What New Grandparents Can Do. I’ve personally watched so many of my favorite traditions fall by the wayside: the Christmas Day open house we hosted for years for those without family nearby, the annual trip with the children to choose toys for Toys for Tots with the coins we’d saved all year, making our special cookies for the kids’ teachers out of the battered copy of A Child’s Christmas Cookbook. I’ve learned that the traditions don’t matter as much as just celebrating one another, and that we don’t even need to be together to do that. As we head into the holiday season, I hope you’ll embrace the changes that will come with your expanding family. Be ready for the unexpected, and learn to find the magic in that. Warm regards, P.S. If you are worried about navigating this holiday season, A Grandparent’s Guide to Happy Holidays is here to help. You’ll know what hotspots lay ahead, have conversations that can prevent drama, and find tools to help you get organized. Learn more about it here. Thanks for reading! If you found this valuable, please forward it to a friend! DeeDee Moore | Founder, More Than Grand LLC | morethangrand.com |
Calling all new grandparents! (and parents, too!)
We cover topics that matter to grandparents - and parents - such as concrete ways to help new parents, understanding new trends in child care, and meaningful ways to connect the generations. The resources and products we offer foster open communication, encourage healthy boundaries, and equip new grandparents with the tools they need to become a supportive partner to their grandchild's parents. Sign up for our newsletter to find out why grandparenting isn't about spoiling the grandkids anymore. Parents welcome!
Hello, Reader! If you’ve been here awhile, you know that one of my main messages at More Than Grand is that grandparents need to cut back on giving gifts. I keep harping on the subject because it is the number one complaint that parents share with me—too much stuff, too often, and frequently something they don’t want their child to have. When I post about it on social media, parents often chime in with horror stories, like the grandma who showed up on Christmas morning with three industrial...
The persons hardest to convince they're at the retirement age are children at bedtime. ~ Shannon Fife Each Saturday, we send you a roundup of articles and resources that will help you be a better grandparent. We may receive a commission for purchases made through affiliate links in this email. This is an easy and much appreciated way for you to support More Than Grand! Growing as a Grandparent Today’s the last day to get the Candlelight & Comfort Bundle, a collection of 15+ ebooks,...
Dear Reader, What do you remember about your grandparents’ home? When I think back to my childhood, I remember the smells: eucalyptus trees, furniture polish, and my grandmother’s perfume. I remember the feeling of sinking into the down-filled cushions of the pink velvet couch. I remember the taste of vanilla yogurt and tea with honey. Their house wasn’t cozy, but it always felt like an adventure to be there. So many of our childhood memories revolve around the senses. Our grandchildren’s...