Becoming a grandparent these days no longer seems to be something that happens naturally when
our kids have kids. I don't know about you, but for me it is a new role that has required actively developing new
thought patterns and behavior.
Our children can have unspoken expectations of us that come out only after some unexpected conflict.
Our grandchildren can have chronic physical ailments and special needs.
With both parents working, we are sometimes called on to play a major role in supporting them in raising their children.
We want to be good grandparents, whatever that means.
And that's the bottom line--and question.
What does it mean to be a good grandparent in present-day America?
What's important about our presence in our kids' and grandkids' lives these days?
What do we need to pay attention to and learn in order to have not just good, but wonderful, relationships within our families?
I'm asking these questions of myself and everyone I know who has grandkids, because living creatively also means embracing new ideas about our relationships with others.
Note: I also participate in a blog on parenting of all kinds called Parenting By Strengths.
Check it out.
