A few weeks ago, my family came down with Covid. It was debilitating, exhausting and hard. We were so grateful for our community that rallied around us; mostly, we were thankful for our parents. The grandparents to my babes loved us well and stayed away, but were so near.
While cleaning the counters on my kitchen, I giggled a bit. It was overflowing with stuff. I sent my mother in love a text, “Can you get us bananas, avocados and Aleve?” She had gone to the grocery store so many times for us. “Anything else?” she replied. “No, Thank you.”
She delivered bags of brownie mix, animal crackers, kettle popcorn the kids like, Cuban soda and 3 or more random bags of goodies.
Earlier in the week, I sent my parents a text about how the girls were struggling and bored. Quarantine is no fun, especially when everyone around is sick. That afternoon they delivered a box of goodies, tie dye and paint canvases, arts and crafts, and books.
That’s what grandparents do. It’s what moms and dads do.
A friend recently posted about her daddy. It had been a decade since his passing. In those 10 years, there were babies born, rights of passages taken, school entered, seasons changed, marriages anchored…and Grandpa never got to see it all unfold. The legacy. His legacy blooming beautifully and bittersweetly without him.
I know so many of us have lost loved ones this past year. I also know that grandparents are a gift. If I have learned anything, it’s that time isn’t on our side, and the more and more I live and grow up, the more I am learning what it means to be a good daughter, to love my parents well and to honor them.
5 Ways to Celebrate the Grandparents in Your Life:
Celebrate TIME with them.
TIME! This is my plan for all the important relationships in my life, from family to friendships. Time is a gift, and we aren’t promised any of it. And time is fleeting. I have to plan time for grandparents. I have three kids, lots of schedules, and school, and before I know it, if I am not careful, weeks have gone by without spending quality time with people who are the most important. Every chance we get, we CELEBRATE something, even if it is just a reason to get together!
Celebrate with Meals
One Sunday a month, we plan a Sunday lunch with grandparents. We all help with the meal, maybe trade houses and spend a Sunday afternoon celebrating and eating together. For us, It is second Sundays. I also try to have my parents over one other time during the month for dinner. It’s never anything fancy, usually simple and easy. But again, time is important.
Celebrate and Vacate
We plan a family vacation with grandparents at least once a year. I want the pictures, ya’ll!! I want the uninterrupted time and memories made with my children and their grandparents. I want them to remember the beach days with grands and the family game nights and stories. Life is full of joy, embrace and celebrate it! Even if it is a long weekend, set time for vacations with grandparents.
Celebrate Grandparents being Grandparents
Let grandparents be grandparents. They aren’t gonna do it your way every time. Get over it, because guess what, they may have not been perfect, but you are doing the best you can, right? That’s pretty good, then! You are the parent. They are the grandparent. And grandparents just love well. Celebrate each other. Don’t worry, the kids will detox later!
Celebrate Growing up
This one is a little harder, friends. We are tend to fall back into patterns when it comes to growing up. Parents sometimes treat us like we are still the bratty 15 year old who lives upstairs and has a flair for the dramatic; and we treat our parents like the boomers they sometimes tend to be! But let me let you in on a secret…You are not that same person! And neither are they! Gracious, if 20 years has gone by and you still act like 15 year old you, then we need to discuss a few other things! However, it is time to grow up. We are no longer children, but raising children and coming alongside aging parents. It is a thing and it is not easy. Let us love our parents well, come alongside them and help them in whatever ways we can, be that doctor visits, afternoon tea times together, doing whatever projects that have to be done around the house, etc.
If we get in the habit of doing all of these things a bit at a time, we will all age well, honor our parents well and love well.
Grandparents are a joy and they carry such great weights with our children and our legacies. Live well, friends, and celebrate the grandparents in your life!
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