LESSONS LEARNED FROM GRANDPARENTING

It continues to be a beyond amazing journey and opportunity for personal growth as a Grandparent. While Deb and I are now in our 43rd year as parents, we now reached the 2 1/2 year mark as grandparents and I wanted to share some important lessons learned:

1. Safety first- Our grandchildren are completely dependent on us for keeping them safe. Proper buckling in the car seat, safe driving, always be in reach to protect them from heights or falls, and protect them from any kind of harm.

2. Live in the present- Our grandchildren have taught me to always be present, observant of each moment and become a much better listener. No texting, email or distractions. The essential things in life is what matters most. Feeding time, change diapers, time to read, learn from each other, play, experiment and love, love, love...

3. Help and support- Deb and I stay available to help our beautiful daughter and awesome son-in-law 24/7. We know the stress of starting a family, long stretches of sleepless nights with infants waking up, paying the bills, finding time to make it all work. We are blessed to be in this stage of life and reside 30 minutes away to help make a positive impact with our family.

4. Creating memories that last forever- I was blessed to grow up with grandparents on a farm that taught me much of what I'm doing and writing today. As a grandchild it was the physical, in-person time, that I spent with my grandparents on their farm that impacted me most. They were always available, present and took the time to mentor me. Although both my grandparents are now deceased, those wonderful memories live within me and guiding me today and I will forever cherish them.

In closing, grandparenting has inspired me to become a much better person, parent, family member, friend, and leader.

AMEN FOR GRANDPARENTING!