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Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Mandy Wichert, I enjoy a good family dance party, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday we’re exploring a reason to celebrate grandparents!
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What I Learned Yesterday:
In 1970, a West Virginia housewife, Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, initiated a campaign to set aside a special day just for Grandparents. In 1978, five years after its adoption in West Virginia, the United States Congress & President Jimmy Carter passed legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day. (September was chosen for the holiday, to signify the “autumn years” of life.) This year, in 2014, Grandparent’s Day was celebrated on September 7th.
According to www.grandparents-day.com the National Grandparent’s Day website, this day has a threefold purpose:
To honor grandparents
To give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children.
To help children become aware of the strength, information and guidance older people can offer.
We didn’t know about this holiday until after it had passed, but I think celebrating our grandparents is a valuable and worthwhile practice. Fortunately, we were blessed to have some of our kid’s grandparents as houseguests for the past few weeks! I know many of you have played host before, so maybe you can relate to changes in schedule, attempting to be polite about boundaries and the challenge of keeping your home clean while there are added bodies and plentiful activities to keep you busy.
Some of you may have had houseguests who overstayed their welcome. My in-loves are definitely not this type! In case you think you misheard me – I DID actually call Clint’s parents my in-loves. – I call them that because they are so much closer and dearer than in-laws, and they are really the best kind of houseguests. If anything, we would have loved for them to stay longer! They are the kind of houseguests that that help plan dinner, assist with little ones on early mornings, who walk together to the bus stops and laugh into the evening. The kind that finish huge projects to make your house feel like a home, take out the trash, play go-fish and finish puzzles with the kids, & help you with cleaning, cooking, vacuuming or preparing for a party-without being asked! They are wonderful grandparents as well.
While they were here, we had a huge party and my side of the family was able to come. Fortunately for me, my mom and grandmother brought most of the party with them (cake, cupcakes, deviled eggs, cheese, punch – you name it!). My mom always makes the most creative and delicious cakes for my kid’s birthdays and my kids always look forward to seeing what she will make for them! I should mention that my mom and grandma did this despite coming straight from work and out-of town!
My Dad also has a huge role in my children’s lives and we look forward to enjoying outside playtime when he’s around! I know someday my kids will have to learn to golf so they can keep up with him on a course too!
We have been fortunate to have phenomenal grandparents on both sides of our family. We feel so blessed and prize our time with them, maybe even more than they know. My husband and I were talking recently and realized that nearly every time that we had grandparents around for an extended amount of time, our children were more likely to hit a developmental milestone or learn a new skill. I’m not sure if this is because grandparents have a special eye for seeing emerging skills and encouraging it in a child, or if the added attention that a grandparent provides is enough to bolster a child’s confidence enough to try something new, but we’ve often marveled about how this has been true so far in our children’s lives.
I realize that we are very blessed with the family that we do have and understand that not everyone has the same family support that we do. But in most people’s lives there are those that serve in the role of a grandparent, even if not a biological one. Maybe there is a friend in your church, community or neighborhood that acts in that capacity for you, offering guidance, support, or a good story from time-to-time. These people can be just as influential in your children’s or in your own lives.
We’ve also faced the heartache as our own grandparents’ health has deteriorated. and the challenges of daily life in a fast-paced high-tech world have become more difficult. This year my dad’s mother (my children’s great grandmother) passed away, after recently suffering a major stroke that left her weak and unable to communicate or eat well. It was heartbreaking to watch her decline and I know as the upcoming holidays approach, our family will feel her absence.
I think, as parents we don’t yet have a lot of experience with our kids and we get caught up with the day-to-day activities and busyness of life. Sometimes it takes the wisdom, experience and the outside perspective a grandparent figure can offer – to speak into our lives and our children’s lives in monumental ways. As I continue to grow in my role as a parent, I’ve turned many times to the instruction I had as a child and have asked for advice on innumerable occasions. My children have grown to respect and admire their grandparents for their accomplishments, their ability to really listen, and for the compassion and love that they show towards them. They love to trade stories and show off new tricks and talents and don’t even mind when I take a picture or 10, as long as it’s going to their grandparents.
Along with Grandparents, we should not forget to celebrate those in nursing homes, or alone in their own homes who are unable to be with their families, or who have no families to reach out to. Having worked in a skilled nursing facility, I’ve seen far too many lonely people who could have benefited from a card or casual chat. They are a wealth of knowledge and history and many long for friendly conversation. I promise you will be as blessed by them as they are by you!
Here’s what I learned:
Although Grandparent’s Day has passed this year, there is never a bad time to celebrate our heritage, discover our roots, or share a story or smile with an elder. Everyone is after all, a grandchild. I’m thankful we were able to celebrate with our kids’ grandparents recently, and hope that their influence in my children’s lives continues to be prolific and long lasting. My hope is that you can take a moment to reflect on your parent and grandparent figures and appreciate the impact they have had on your life and, if applicable, your children’s lives. Send a card, write a letter or call them on the phone and let them know that they are valuable and appreciated. If you are able, reach out to someone in your neighborhood, church or local nursing home. Also, don’t forget to start marking Grandparent’s Day on your calendars! Next year, it’s Sunday, September 13th – spread the word!
I’m Mandy Wichert, and this has been Stuff I Learned Yesterday.
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