Remember what it was like raising little ones? Ever have a parent slam your parenting decisions? Feeling discouraged about those wrinkles?
“Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.”
PSALM 71:18
I love this verse. I mean, I really love it! The mission of grandparents is to proclaim God’s mighty miracles to our grandkids and to speak life into their precious hearts. We have the responsibility and privilege of gently infusing every activity…every conversation…every e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g with TRUTH about God’s love, his wisdom, and the stories of his mighty miracles.
3 Reasons our grandkids need us to stay mindful of our mission:
Their parents are busy…and tired
Remember what it was like raising little ones? It’s like throwing a handful of marbles in the air and trying to catch them all before they hit the ground . . . frantic and exhausting. Even the best parents need reinforcements and what better reinforcement than grandpa and grandma! Though I usually collapse in my chair after a day of grandma-duty, I’m always thankful for the time we shared and for the time I have to recharge. Parents need time to recharge, too.
Occupying our grandkids for even an hour can be an enormous blessing to their parents. Maybe it’s face-to-face or maybe it’s long-distance using something like FaceTime or an online game. Regardless of how it looks, being a relief pitcher now and then gives the parents of our grandkids a chance to take a breath, and it gives us valuable time to make a positive impact.
We love their parents
Ever have a parent slam your parenting decisions? It wasn’t a wonderful feeling, was it?
Let’s be honest, we’ll never agree with every parenting decision our kids make, but we love them, we want the best for them, and we know they want the best for our grandkids…even if we disagree about what “the best” looks like. Speaking positively about our kids, to their kids, is a gift that grandparents can give like no one else. “Your mommy loves you so much!” “You are so blessed to have a daddy who takes care of you!” It’s impossible to quantify the positive impact of affirming our kids…to their kids.
Decades of life have given us wisdom to share
Feeling discouraged about those wrinkles? Let’s remember what they represent.
Standing at my bathroom sink with 5-year-old Kaycee sitting on the counter, I pop open a prescription bottle and take my daily dose. “What’s that for, grandma?”
Using humor to spare her the details . . . “to keep me from getting old.”
“But you’re already old.”
😅 Yes, sweet girl. Yes, I am. But Job 12:12 tells me that wisdom is found in old age and that long life brings understanding. Proverbs 16:31 tells me that “gray hair is a crown of splendor.”
My crown of splendor is covered with L’Oreal Medium Brown, but my heart is full of wisdom that only decades of life can teach. Neglecting to pass it along – at just the right times and in just the right situations – is like throwing the cake away before singing Happy Birthday.
It’s can be a cruel world and it’s easy to get discouraged, to feel irrelevant, and to forget the beautiful potential we have to empower the next generation with a passion for Jesus.
Let’s keep reminding each other.
KRISTI and husband Tim were married in 1988 and live in Iowa, where they love doing life with their three sons, three daughters-in-law, six grandkids…and two very spoiled dogs. She is a teacher and instructional coach by day and a “Laughing Grandma” by night, writing to inspire grandmas to laugh without fear of the future as they plant the joy of Jesus in the hearts of their families (Proverbs 31:25). Kristi is the author of The BeforeBooks for children and Your Soul To Keep, a one-year prayer workbook for parents of adults. Connect with Kristi at kristi@thelaughinggrandma.com