Grandparents’ Day: 10 “Grand” Ways to Honor Them

“The only thing better than having you as parents, is having you as grandparents to my children.”

In Loving Memory of Bobby J. Penn a.k.a. Mom a.k.a Grandma Bobby

(December 24, 1946 – September 2, 2016)

I have always nurtured the relationship that my children have with their grandparents. Being blessed with a wonderful relationship with both of my parents, I have on a daily basis, purposefully modeled behavior that showed my admiration and respect for them. I’ve realized over the years that each time my children have experienced the interaction between my parents and me: whether it was a physical act like hugging each other or telling each other “I love you”, praying together, overhearing our laughter during daily phone calls or even times when I’ve had to leave the house suddenly to “check on” one of them, each interaction has sent a very important message about the meaning of being a loving, close-knit family.

Thankfully, at ages four and seven, they’ve already been able to experience the immense level of joy (and sometimes spoiling) that comes with a grandparent’s love and benefit from the wisdom that is held in their seasoning.

National Grandparent’s Day is coming up. This gives us an additional reason to celebrate them and one more opportunity to create life-long memories that we can all hold in our hearts forever!

There’s still time if you are looking for a little inspiration for ways to honor the grandparents in your family!  Remember, what grandparents usually want most is to spend time with their loved ones. Fancy, store-bought gifts aren’t necessary. Try one of these quick and inexpensive, but thoughtful ideas to make Grandparent’s Day one of the most memorable ever!

1. Grandma’s Garden Critters

All you need to do is find a few rocks (which can be an adventure in itself), paint and wiggly eyes (optional). The kids can create anything from bugs to 3-eyed funny faces. Whether they’re used as plant/garden decorations or a simple paperweight, these rocks are sure to bring a smile to their face. (parenting.com)

2. Forever Flowers

The process of creating this flower will bring more giggles than the finished project! My boys laughed the entire time and were tickled silly when painting the bottoms of their feet. We used a rectangular-shaped canvas, but a large piece of construction paper could also work just fine. Be sure to add  names and dates so that they can look back over the years (maybe even when they become grandparents) and see how tiny their little hands and feet were.

3. I’m Your Look Alike

Sometimes it’s hard for children to imagine that their parents and grandparents were once young. This quick side-by-side picture project was lots of fun and gives us all a great appreciation for strong genes! Pull out pictures of the grandparents and place them side-by-side next to their “look-alike” grandchild or spend a little time bragging on them as you scroll through pictures of them during their “prime” (and  you yourself were still a little cutie)!

4. Recorded Story Book

We have been collecting these amazing books since my children were first born. This one is actually a gift to both the grandchild and the grandparents. Grandparents enjoy the experience of reading/recording aloud and the grandchildren are able to enjoy “story time with Grandma or Granddad” over and over for years to come, even if the grandparents are a million miles away. Check out Hallmark for a great selection!

5. Annual Family Photo

At least once a year, take a picture of your children and their grandparents together. They’ll appreciate it when they’re older. Although annual professional family photo shoots are great, capturing candid moments (with even a cell phone) sharing special times together are just as good!

6. History Day Interview

   Use Grandparent’s Day as a time to celebrate the life, profession and passions of your family’s grandparents by looking back at old pictures and telling the stories that go along with them. The more generations to celebrate, the better!  My dad is a retired Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army and served two tours in Vietnam. My sons (particularly my 7-year-old) have already heard the stories and seen pictures of him during his active duty, and are proud of their Granddaddy C.J’s service!

   

   And loved ones don’t have to be alive to still celebrate them! Even though my paternal grandparents passed away before I was born, my parents taught me about the impact they had on the community. They were pioneers in business and community activism in Fort Lauderdale, Florida back in the 1940s and 50s. I still beam with pride when I look back at old pictures of them and listen to stories about how they gave so much to so many. It’s fun sharing pictures with my children and inspiring them with the history of their great-grandparents.

   

7. Thumb Print Tree: A Grandparent’s Love

I found this printable template on Etsy and was able to print my own copies. Could I have combed the Internet for a similar design or had them draw their own? Sure! But for $10, it was worth the convenience.

8. Hand-made Greeting Cards

You can always go back to the basics. Greeting cards can be as simple as a piece of construction paper and crayons or as elaborate as your child’s imagination can inspire. There are no limits to the variety of ways that your child can design a custom-made greeting card honoring their grandparents.

9. Family Tree

Take a deliberate look back at your family tree (or create one) and have the “elders” lead the discussion, allowing them to share memories about relatives they remember who may have already passed away. Websites like www.ancestry.com  sometimes have free trials to get you started (Note: Not an endorsement) or for a more simple approach, download a free template to get you started.

10. Annual Tradition

Make the day super special by starting an annual tradition of your own. Think about common interests between grandparents and the grandchildren. Grandparents can even pass down a tradition that they had as a child. Anything from planting a garden, to playing a sport together, from cooking a certain dish, to story time can make for an exciting new tradition. (www.grandparents.com)