When you were young, did you want to change the world?  You still can, through your grandchildren.

Grandparents have a tremendously important role to play.  Grandparenting is an ancient and essential role with three dimensions:

Provide unconditional love. All children need love to thrive.  As a grandparent, you can be a person who is always excited to see the child, who believes in them, listens to them, and encourages them.

Every day, science learns more about the importance of unconditional love to healthy development.  Even infants respond to holding, smiles, soothing voices, and eye contact.

Broaden the grandchild’s horizon. Expose them to possibilities of how to be in the world.  Let them see how you do things, and what you’re interested in.   Create a sense of adventure, even in small things.  You can empower them to see themselves as members of a larger family history.

Help the parents. As parents of young children, they’re tired and stressed.   They could use a break – or just encouragement.  Approach your children with a generous spirit and do what you can, you help the family become more calm, which benefits everyone.

We have learned in recent years that stress in infancy and childhood has lifelong impact, on learning, social adjustment and even physical health.

Yes, there will be challenges and frustrations along the way. But, if you approach grandparenting consciously –with patience and an open, generous heart — you will make a difference that will ripple out through your grandchildren’s entire lives.

We shall not cease from exploration

And at the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.

  T.S. Eliot