My Top 4 Musings on Grandparents Day
Ok, not top musings, but let’s talk about it anyway
Origins of Grandparents Day
A detailed singularly high level summary
You may or may not be familiar with Grandparents Day. I was under the impression that it was a relatively new concept, but after a little research to satisfy my curiosity (nerd), I learned otherwise. There is a longer, more detailed history (blah blah blah), but to sum up and avoid taxing everyone’s short attention spans (if you’re guessing I got bored and skimmed, you are correct), Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation that made it official in 1979. Mom and Dad, if you’re reading this, my apologies for missing Grandparents Day for the last 12 years.
Why do we celebrate?
My question is, if we already celebrate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day with the grandparents, why do these geezers need their own day? Again, apologies Mom and Dad. After a little more research (still a nerd), these were some of the various reasons I could find to advocate for celebrating grandparents:
Nothing Lasts Forever
They won’t be around forever and we should celebrate them while we can. Accurate, but slightly morbid.
Gratitude
We wouldn’t be here without them. Ok, accurate, if a bit self serving.
Connections
It gives a chance to celebrate the connections between generations. I really want to make a snarky comment here, but I do basically agree with this one.
Love
They love us and we love them. Best reason ever.
September 13, 2021
Grandparents Day traditionally falls on the first Sunday after Labor Day, which will fall on September 13th this year. So, for all you procrastinators that haven’t prepared for Grandparents Day (or those of us, ahem, that didn’t know it was a thing), what can you do to make this year’s Grandparents Day special? Why, we’re so glad you asked! After an exhaustive and comprehensive survey (ha!), all two survey respondents said they just want time with their grandkids. And if you don’t live near the grandparents? We’ve got you covered. Here are a few activities or crafts to celebrate the only people who love your kids even more than you do.
Ask Questions
Either in person, over the phone, or on zoom, Of the Hearth offers this great list of questions that kids can ask their grandparents. You might even learn something new about your own parents!
40 Questions for Kids to Ask Their Grandparents (ofthehearth.com)
Photographs
Look through old photos together and talk about the people in them. I know my kids think pictures of their mom as a kid are hilarious, and grandparents usually have some pretty good stories to tell. Especially when the kids have questions about mommy’s late 80’s perm. Let’s revisit that disaster in the name of connecting across generations.
Story Time
Read a book together – let the grandparents read one, or let the kids read to the grandparents (great practice for early readers!). They can do this cuddled on the couch together or via Zoom/Skype/Microsoft Meetings.
Get Crafty
If your child is too young to handle an extended online call or in person sit down, a homemade card is always a hit. I think this one from Glued to My Craft is adorable and even comes with a free printable that you customize with your child’s fingerprint.
Thumbprint Grandparent’s Day Love Bug Cards – Kid Craft (gluedtomycraftsblog.com)
In conclusion, I feel like the most important take away from all this is that it’s Grandparents Day (no apostrophe), not Grandparent’s Day because the day is about the grandparents, not belonging to them. I would hate for you to walk away under the assumption that I am grammatically inept- and that’s just my special way of celebrating my Grandmama, pictured below. Happy Grandparents Day to all!
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