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Dear Reader, My daughter-in-law and I were chatting the other day about their upcoming summer visit. She wanted me to know that the 6-year-old was already talking about The Buckets. My granddaughter wanted to make sure I would have them again this time, and that her brother would not be allowed to steal her Oreos again. Three years ago, I got some small tin buckets before they came to stay. My intent was for them to have a place to keep their toothbrushes, washcloth, and other toiletries during their visit. But then I thought about how fun it would be to have some surprises in the buckets when they arrived. I put in a water bottle for each of them to use while they were here, a squirt gun, and some healthy snacks. All things I would have had for them anyway, but somehow they seemed more exciting when they were in the bucket. For subsequent visits, I’ve done pretty much the same. In fact, the same water bottles and squirt guns reappear every summer! Last year there was a little craft kit or activity for each of them that I had picked up during the year, and the highly desirable Oreos in addition to more wholesome snacks. The buckets have apparently become a very important part of their visit, and I’d better start thinking about what to include this year. There are a lot of things to do to get ready for a visit from the grandkids. From stocking the pantry and planning meals to moving where we keep our morning pills, there are a lot of little steps that need to be taken so we can enjoy the time they are here with minimal stress. I feel like a checklist is needed! Are you anticipating any visits from your grandchildren? If so, I’d love to know about your plans and preparations. What do you usually do to get ready for their visits? Would a checklist help you? Please reply and let me know! Warm regards, We want to help you be a Most Valuable Grandparent! Visit our shop to see all our resources. DeeDee Moore | Founder, More Than Grand LLC | morethangrand.com |
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Hello, Reader! Happy Thanksgiving to my US readers! I’m hosting Thanksgiving tomorrow: the grandkids and their parents have been here since Saturday and my mother-in-law arrived yesterday. To make a little extra space in my brain, I’m sharing a story I shared a couple of years ago. Let me know if you remember it--I'd completely forgotten it! Yesterday, as my husband and I were driving down the highway, there was a pickup truck with a utility trailer heading the same way we were. The driver...
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...
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...