grandparenting
lives; and we do so in concert and in teamwork with the goals and stewardship of their parents. This approach will stretch and test us but it will also reward us with levels of fulfillment and well-being and love and peace otherwise unobtainable. Let’s use this column each issue to explore the pos- sibilities. And let’s do it not only in terms of every- thing we might DO for our grandkids, but in the more consequential and controllable terms of what we can BE for and to our grandkids. Because being an effec- tive, influential grandparent is not about changing the grandkids, it’s about changing ourselves! In each issue of GRAND , this column will explore specific ways that we can become more proactive
grandparents, specific how-tos that work, ideas that we can all enjoy and
call of your adult children whenever they “need” you to help with kids. 4 Proactive Grandparenting. Attitude: My children are the stew- ards for their children, but I can teach these grandkids things their parents can’t and be an essential part of an organized three generation family. And by thinking about it—hard—and coming up with a strategy and a plan, I can make a real difference in my grandkids lives, even as I add joy to my own life and keep myself young. Only at this fourth level does Grandparenting become effective, con- sequential, and truly fun. At this level, we deliberately ponder the needs we can uniquely fulfill and we set goals and plans to enhance our grandchildren’s
that will help our grandkids to become all they can be. Thanks for joining us on this journey.
GRAND is pleased to welcome New York Times #1 Bestselling Authors Richard and Linda Eyre as regular columnists. The Eyres’ parenting and life-balance books have reached millions and been translated into a dozen languages. As fellow baby boomers, their passion and their writing focus has now shifted to the joy of grandparenting. Linda’s latest book is Grandmothering, and Richard’s is Being a Proactive Grandfather, each of which is reviewed in this issue.
58 GRANDP arenting
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