How to Have a Family-Friendly Grandparents Day

If your children are blessed with adoring grandparents, you are aware of the value and rarity of such intergenerational bonds. Grandparents Day, a day set aside to honor the elderly who care for our children, can be a special occasion to celebrate your grandparents even though you may desire to do so every day of the year.

Grandparents are more than just entertaining babysitters who allow your children to watch more TV and indulge in dessert before supper. They could be quite helpful in parenting kids. Children who had involved grandparents had less emotional distress or behavioral problems, according to one study.

Continue reading to find out more about the history of Grandparents Day, its significance, and how you may pay tribute to the wonderful grandparents in your own life.

What Day Is It For Grandparents?

Grandparents Day honors grandparents, great-grandparents, step-grandparents, and any other older persons who have a significant impact on children’s life.

Elder advocate Marian McQuade was the one who came up with the concept for Grandparents Day. McQuade had 43 of her own grandkids, so she was well-versed in the responsibilities of being a grandparent.

Children should learn to appreciate the elderly and how to nurture these relationships, according to McQuade. For eight years, she worked to get Grandparents Day on the calendar. Her first triumph came in 1973 when, as a result of her efforts, the day was honored in West Virginia, where she was born and raised.

McQuade’s consistent effort paid off in 1978. Grandparents Day is a day that should be celebrated annually, according to a proclamation signed by President Jimmy Carter.

When Does It Take Place?

In the US, Grandparents Day is observed on the Sunday following Labor Day. It is not a public holiday; rather, it is observed.

Why is it a holiday?

It is true that it takes a village to raise a child, and grandparents frequently play a significant role in that process. There are various ways for grandparents to influence the lives of their adult children and grandchildren, such as preparing meals in the early weeks after they become parents, picking up the grandchildren from school, or establishing unique holiday memories.

Children with involved grandparents were shown to be more resilient, per a University of Oxford study. These kids fared better when faced with difficulties in life, like their parents’ divorce. According to the study, grandparents were frequently more available to children to listen to them and offer support while they worked through issues, probably because they were no longer employed.

How to Celebrate Grandparents’ Day in a Family-Friendly Way

There are several ways to express your gratitude to your grandparents. Here are some suggestions for honoring the grandparents in your life.

Grandparent adoption.

Many elderly people don’t have grandchildren or other family members who can visit them, which can lead to loneliness or isolation. These two factors have both been connected to premature death and increased prevalence of dementia.

Think about going to see an elderly person in your neighborhood to provide them company. If you don’t know any senior individuals personally, you can contact an assisted living facility in your neighborhood. They’ll probably be happy to see you there.

Write a poem of gratitude

Even if we already know how much we value our grandparents, saying it out loud never hurts. Give your children a few phrase starters to use while they are writing poems of gratitude for their grandparents. The poetry can be written on a card or framed.

Here’s an illustration:

What makes my grandparent special is _____.

Their name is _____.

They enjoy ___.

They do not enjoy ___.

They occasionally ___.

They consistently ___.

But (same as first line) the most significant aspect of my grandparents is

Schedule a game night

A fun way for families of different ages to connect is by playing board games together. Games to consider playing include Yahtzee, Monopoly, Uno, and Pictionary. If the game is challenging for your young children to play alone, think about pairing them up with their grandparents. Pairing up with the grandchildren offers an additional opportunity to foster intergenerational bonds.

Have the child prepared dinner?

A supper planned and prepared by the grandchildren will be adored by the grandparents. Give your children as much responsibility for this project as is age-appropriate. Aid them in creating a paper menu that will display the food that will be served. They can create a shopping list and select the necessary ingredients at the store.

All ages of children can prepare food to some extent. Depending on your judgement, older children may even be able to handle all or most of the cooking.

Conduct Talking Over Zoom or FaceTime

If you can’t meet up with the grandparents in person, think about using video chat instead. Virtually always preferable to a phone call is being able to observe how their grandchildren have developed and share smiles online.

Engage everyone in a planned activity to keep them focused on the call. Play Pictionary or cook and enjoy dinner “together.”

Make a family picnic plan

If the weather is agreeable, take a picnic basket and go to a park or the beach to enjoy it. Older people may appreciate being outside because of the scenery and fresh air, while little children can run and explore as they please.

Grandparents who are more mobile can play with their grandchildren or gather flowers, while those who are less mobile can put up a chair by the meal. This enables them to relax and watch the children play while also interacting when it’s time to eat.

Grandparents Day is a unique occasion to thank older generations for their support of the young members of your family. Strong relationships between children and their grandparents are advantageous. Grandparents also gain from it since it reduces their loneliness and improves their happiness and health.

Some grandparents assist parents in different ways or take on childcare responsibilities. Spend time with your grandparents or do something pleasant for them, like making them dinner, to honor them. On this day, think about visiting older people who are alone and need company.

HAPPY GRANDPARENTS DAY EVERYONE !