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...
about 8 hours ago • 2 min read
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,...
4 days ago • 1 min read
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...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Grandparents can provide continuity and a sense of family tradition to a child’s life. ~ Marianne Waggoner Day 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 DeeDee recently appeared on the podcast Redefining Midlife with Jo Clark. She talks about...
11 days ago • 1 min read
Hello, Reader! Last week I shared how important it is to engage with our grandchildren with “kindness, patience and a sense of fun.” (If you missed that email, you can read it here.) Here’s the research conclusion again, with a bit more of what the study found: Overall, the children appreciated time and engagement from their grandparents more than material gifts or expensive treats. The children held normative expectations of what constituted ‘good grandparenting’ with kindness, patience and...
14 days ago • 2 min read
Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans; it's lovely to be silly at the right moment. ~Horace 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 Grandparents are getting older, on average. This demographic shift may mean changing roles for...
18 days ago • 1 min read
Hello, Reader! If you’ve been getting the Holiday Harmony Challenge emails, you read about the grandmother who spent way too much money on an elaborate gingerbread house kit, only to have her grandchildren lose interest after just a few minutes. I loved the lesson behind this story, because it’s something we too often forget when we are thinking of ways to delight our grandchildren. One grandmother responded to tell me that she’d spent a week thinking about a pumpkin-decorating activity with...
21 days ago • 2 min read
People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel. ~ Maya Angelou 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 The holidays carry enormous emotional weight because they represent...
25 days ago • 1 min read
Hello, Reader! I just finished decorating my house for fall, and that means Halloween is on its way. With the combination of make-believe and treats, Halloween is a major holiday for most children. However, it’s more often just exhausting for their parents! There's costume drama, sugar overload, timing dinner around trick-or-treating—all while managing overstimulation. If you are a local grandparent, it’s easy tempting to invite yourself to be included in the Halloween fun, but remember: The...
28 days ago • 2 min read
There are some days when I think I'm going to die from an overdose of satisfaction. ~Salvador Dali 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 Feeling uncertain about how the holidays will go as a grandparent? Click here to join our FREE 7-Day...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read