3 John 1:4, “I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children (and grandchildren) are following the truth.”
I have entered the grandparenting season of life, and it is great! I love being “Mimi” to three granddaughters. I want to be a cool grandma and have my grandchildren love me and enjoy spending time with me.
As a grandparent, I have an opportunity to be a strong influence in their lives and the responsibility to help guide them to be conscientious and respectful children.
Lately, I have been pondering two cute sayings:
“What happens at Grandma’s house stays at Grandmas!”
“If Mama says no, ask Grandma!”
What do these two simple phrases mean to me? I want to have fun, do cool things with my granddaughters, and shower them with gifts. I want them to like coming to Mimi’s house and for those times to be special. I want my time with them to be filled with love, fun, and things for which Mom and Dad may not always have time for.
But equally important, I don’t want to turn them into children who think they are entitled and should get everything they want. Children need guidelines and discipline. Giving into a child every time can teach them to manipulate and be disrespectful.
I have a responsibility to help guide my grandchildren. If my daughter and her husband leave instructions about bedtime, what TV shows they can watch, snacks, and so forth, and I ignore them, then I send a message to my granddaughters that it’s okay to disobey their parents. Doing my own thing may make me popular with my grandchildren temporarily, but at what cost?
I want to teach my grandchildren to honor their parents. I can do this by honoring their parent’s rules at my house. Respecting those rules helps ensure I maintain a good relationship with their parents.
There may be times that I don’t agree with a rule established by my daughter and her husband. If that’s the case, I must be careful to never put their parents down in front of my grandchildren or call one of their rules crazy. At any age, children are like sponges and pick up quickly and mimic your attitudes. Teach your grandchildren to honor their parents.
What do you do if you disagree with a rule? Talk to the parents (not in front of the kids) about their reason for the rule. Sometimes rules, such as a later bedtime or special snacks, can be negotiable at your house, but it is always good to ask for the reason behind their rules. Do this in a respectful and loving way.
Above all, remember one of the most important things that you can do is to pray for your grandchildren and their parents.
My role as a grandmother is to teach my grandchildren to love God and obey and respect authority (especially their parents) while praying for and loving them.
2 Timothy 1:5, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and I am persuaded now lives in you also.”
We want to hear your voice!
As we continue our planning for 2018 and 2019, we want to get to know you better. In less than 2 minutes, you will have an opportunity to influence our content, programming and events!
Are you desiring to use your influence, but not sure where to start?
Connect with your daughter and create beautiful memories!
October 19-20th | Marriott RTP | Grades 4th – 7th