Today’s Grandparenting in Real Life message is written by Melissa Richardson, a mentoring expert, researcher, writer, grandmother, and author of Will Your Grandkid Be OK?
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​Dear More Than Grand community,
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Like many new grandparents, my first steps as a grandmother were tentative. At first, the role seemed simple: love them, enjoy them, and support exhausted parents whenever I could.

As my grandchildren grew, however, a much bigger question emerged. What kind of world are they growing into?

When our own children were small, it was tempting to think that the future would look very similar to today. Yet, now I can’t help but wonder, what kind of world will our grandchildren inherit? Artificial intelligence, climate change, political instability, declining mental wellbeing and rapid technological change. The list of disruptions and concerns gets longer each year.

Children are growing up in a world none of us can predict. We can’t protect them from every challenge, nor can we future-proof them against every disruption. But as grandparents, we can be intentional about the unique role we play in their lives and intentionally strengthen the qualities that will enable them to navigate whatever lies ahead.

In my professional life I spent three decades designing and managing workplace mentoring programs and educating managers and leaders in the art of mentoring. Mentoring in a work context involves helping a less experienced person become who they want to be and achieve what they seek – whether that’s career success, work satisfaction or this year’s goals. Often, it’s about supporting them as they navigate the obstacles and complexities of organizational life.

It wasn’t until my first grandchild was about eight years old that I realised I was missing an opportunity. I knew how powerful mentoring could be in workplaces, yet I hadn't recognised that the same developmental principles belonged just as naturally in grandparenting. Mentoring isn't a just program or a formal relationship. It's a way of helping another person grow and develop qualities that will enable them to navigate the world.

That's when something clicked for me. If mentoring is simply helping another person grow into who they can become, then every grandparent is already mentoring. The question is whether we're doing it intentionally.

I began to look for ways to transfer what I know about mentoring into the way I interact with my grandchildren. I am now much more deliberate about how I show up as a grandparent.

I started making small shifts every day.

• Small Shift #1: Resist the urge to rescue
• Small Shift #2: Help them reflect
• Small Shift #3: Do things together that build capacity
• Small Shift 4: Ask powerful questions
• Small Shift #5: Be fully present and actively listen

None of us knows what the future will bring for our grandchildren. But we do have influence over the people they are becoming. These small shifts can help them develop the confidence, character and capabilities they'll draw on for the rest of their lives.

Best Regards,
Melissa Richardson

Note from DeeDee :
You can read a longer version of this message, including concrete examples of the small shifts, on the More Than Grand blog.

Melissa’s new book, "Will Your Grandkids Be Ok?," is one of the best grandparenting books I’ve read in some time, and can be purchased here. The Kindle version is just $2.99AUD ($2.09USD) through Friday!

DeeDee Moore | Founder, More Than Grand LLC | morethangrand.com

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