Grandparenting-
re-defined by Boomers!
I became a full-time mom "again" at the age of 42 when my daughter had twins. (Check out that little pink teddy-bear suit, is it the cutest thing or what!?)
Grand-"Mom"
Grand-"Dad"
Grand-"Parents"Who knew just how "literal" those titles would become! My story isn't unusual. There are about 40 million 'Grand-Boomers' in the U.S. redefining the stereotypical role of the past. We can't identify with the passive, gray-haired, roly-poly images of previous generations. We are mentally young, physically active and ready to play a significant role in our grand-children's lives.
As the dynamics of the family have splintered over the last five decades it makes it more important then ever that Boomers step up to the plate and offer some stability to generational connections. The close-knit support systems that were in place when we were children like extended families, churches, and neighbors have unraveled and fallen to the wayside. WE are what is left of them. While undeniably we've evolved into 78 million radically independent individuals, each with an opinion of our own, a common bond that we share is our belief that 'WE' are the only ones that can be TRUSTED to influence our grandchildren.
Grandparenting
is a chance to disclose the very best of ourselves, because now we know what that is.
We will bond with our grandchildren in a way we never did with our own kids. We were busy executing our role as "super-parent" and running ourselves ragged in order to ensure our kids had everything we didn't. Bonding wasn't a priority, 'doing' was and we thought it would add up to the same thing. It didn't. Parenting exhausted us! Grandparenting is a breath of fresh air after parenting! It's a chance to start with a clean-slate. The opportunity to focus. We have just the right mix of 'what's important and what's not' under our belts that only people who have 'been-there done-that' can have. We aren't trying to figure out who 'we are',...while trying to give them a sense of who 'they are'. We are void of the superficial.
We are the genuine article, the real deal.
We just love them because they are.
And they love us, for the same reason.
Curious about Grandparents Day?
Learn about it here
Would you like to find Poems for your Grandchildren?
Poems from Grandparents to their Grandchildren
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