Bluehair Technology & Rockin’ Readers · The Art of Grandparenting Becoming a grandparent puts adults in the role of mentors to a new generation – guiding, giving and engaging

Bluehair Technology & Rockin’ Readers

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Lesson Objectives

Understand the unique roles of

grandparents in the lives of grandchildren

Identify needs and resources for

grandparents caring for grandchildren in

unique circumstances

Plan practical steps to be involved with

grandchildren and build closer relationships

with them

Nine Things to Remember When

Grandchildren Come to Visit

1. The voice of one 3-year-old crying is

louder than those of 20 adults laughing.

2. A 6-year-old can start a fire with a flint

rock.

3. VCR/DVD players do not eject peanut

butter and jelly sandwiches.

4. Always look in the oven before you turn

it on. Plastic toys and cats do not like

ovens.

Nine Things to Remember When

Grandchildren Come to Visit

5. Play dough is not microwaveable.

6. When you hear the toilet flush and the

words “uh-oh,” it already is too late.

7. Car keys are perfect for dropping down

any vent.

8. Marbles in gas tanks make a lot of noise

when driving.

9. Cats get dizzy when dropped down stairs

while in a bag.

The Art of Grandparenting

Becoming a

grandparent puts adults

in the role of mentors to

a new generation –

guiding, giving and

engaging young people

to see the future and

what they can become.

What Do Folks Say

About Being a Grandparent?

“If I had known grandchildren were going to be

so much fun, I would have had them first.”

“If your baby never fusses, always sleeps

through the night and is an absolutely perfect

baby – you are not the parent, you are the

grandparent.”

Ourselves – the Grandparents

• Were you close to a grandparent?

• Were/are your parents close to your children?

• How did you feel when your first grandchild

was born?

• Can you see yourself as the emotional leader

of your family?

• What are the things you uniquely can teach

your grandchild?

What Grandparents Can Do

• Impart a sense of identity

• Provide unconditional love

• Represent hope for the future

• Be a source of stability and security

• Act as a mentor and teacher

• Exemplify positive values, ideals, beliefs

• Nurture emotional and physical well-being

• Be a role model and play companion

Multiple Roles of Grandparents

What are some of the important roles

grandparents play in family life?

• Storyteller

• Watchdog

• Family historian

• Supporter, nurturer

• Game player

• Someone to discuss problems with

• Joke teller

• Keeper of the faith

Grandparenting in

Unique Circumstances

Grandparents sometimes face unique

situations in family life, such as:

• Maintaining good-quality relationships with

parents of their grandchildren

• Grandparenting after parental divorce

• Grandparenting stepgrandchildren

• Grandparenting at a distance

• Grandparents raising grandchildren

Relationships with

Your Grandchild’s Parents

• Have you talked with the parents about

what kind of grandparent they would like

you to be for their child?

• Have you told them what kind of

grandparent you would like to be?

• Can you communicate with them?

• How can you be supportive of them?

Grandparents

Raising Grandchildren

• Grandparent families are particularly

vulnerable to challenges in keeping their

grandchildren safe and meeting their basic

needs.

• Though their needs are serious and unique,

few programs assist intergenerational

families.

• Grandparent caregivers may fall between the

cracks of foster care, aging, education and

disability service systems.

Reasons for Grandparents

Raising Grandchildren

The U.S. government estimates up to 2.5 million

children are under the care of a grandparent.

Why?

• substance abuse

• child abuse and neglect

• teenage pregnancy

• death of parent

• parental unemployment

• parental divorce or abandonment

• AIDS/HIV

• incarceration

Grandparent Support Groups

• Share coping strategies

• Manage feelings such as anger, guilt

• Find encouragement and strength

• Exchange ideas and resources

• Improve problem solving

• Learn to laugh again

Bluehair Technology & Rockin’

Reader

• Unique opportunities at Little Mill Middle School

• BYOT training classes to help with

• Checking grades

• Staying in touch with teachers

• Viewing assignments and homework

• Volunteer in academic classes

• Even teens and preteens love to be read to by a

caring adult!

• Grands bring a unique perspective and experience

to novels and social studies content

Bluehair Technology & Rockin’

Reader

• Plan for other social activities

• Local library programs for seniors

• Senior center events

• Grand/child educational events at LMMS and in the community

• Others that you would like to see happen to help you be included

here at LMMS

Your Circle of Support –

Group Activity

Consider the people on whom you can rely.

• Draw a “Circle of Support” – a list of people you can

count on to help in certain situations.

• Start with a bull’s-eye – in the middle would be the

child/the family.

• The next circle – contains the list of people we can count

on in an emergency (e.g., other family members, closest

friends, etc.).

• Next circle – list “occasional helpers” (e.g., neighbors,

favorite baby sitters, the child’s friends’ families, others in

the support group).

• Last circle – consists of outside resources,

(e.g., agencies, schools, support services, etc.).

Giving to the Next Generation

Erik Erikson, a famous psychologist, taught

that the most important task of adulthood is

generativity – the task of giving of yourself to

the next generation.

• What are you giving?

• What are you giving to your grandchildren?

Eight Best Gifts

for Grandchildren

1. Spend time one-on-one with grandchildren.

2. Listen for their concerns as well as

their joys.

3. Send special letters and notes just for

them.

4. Offer companionship for activities

they enjoy.

Eight Best Gifts

for Grandchildren

5. Share your history and family traditions.

6. Be a role model to show grandchildren that

older people can be fun.

7. Show grandchildren acceptance just as they

are while encouraging them to reach their

potential.

8. Give the best gift of all — love.

Final Discussion Points

• Share a memory you have of time

spent with your grandparent.

• If you have grandchildren, share an

activity you like to do with them.